Iqbal by Fancesco D'Adamo

Image taken from Merlin

This is probably one of the most influential books that has made an impact in my life, second only to Christobel Mattingley's No gun for Asmir. It is the ficitonalised account of Iqbal Masih, a child slave who escaped from his captors to become a crusader against child slavery, only to be murdered on Easter Sunday of 1995. He was about 13 years old.

I read the German translation of the original Italian text, but I do believe there is also an English translation out there somewhere; I just haven't found it yet. I've also seen a French translation somewhere online, so it has been translated into a number of languages, and is accessible in most parts of the world.

Francesco D'Adamo is a very good story-teller. Although he admits having never visited Pakistan or walked through the streets of Lahore, he describes the scenery as though he has been there before. His brilliant imagination allows us to think about what it would be like to live in child slavery, and what it would feel like to not know what freedom is. Often sad at times, the book stirs up our emotions, and leaves us questioning why child slavery still exists, and why so little has been done to stop it from continuing.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in politics and human rights.

How Mrs Claus Saved Christmas (as told to Jeff Guinn)

Image taken from James Kennedy Public Library website.

I must admit, I have found it very difficult for myself to get into the Christmas Spirit this year. Because we weren't going to celebrate Christmas the way we used to every year, it just didn't feel like Christmas to me. Thankfully I found this book on sale at a book store in the city, and it did help me forget my worries and remind myself what the season is really about.

"How Mrs Claus Saved Christmas" is a book that details exactly what the title suggests. The author takes us back to England in the early 1600's, where the Puritan movement was gaining influence in Parliament. Nicholas (Santa Claus) reportedly travels to the New World, with the hope of establishing Christmas under the colonists that have arrived there. Mrs Claus chooses to stay in England and tries to help sort out the problems that threaten to destroy England's most beloved holiday - Christmas. Because the Puritans believe Christmas to be a disrespectful and irreverent way of celebrating the birth of Christ, it is their intention for Christmas to be banned. In 1647, when the Puritan Parliament decides to pass a law that punishes anybody who dares to celebrate Christmas, it is the final straw for the townspeople, who band together to form what will be known throughout history as the Canterbury March.

Although this book is a work of fiction, it is rich in historical detail. Children and adults alike can learn a lot about the Canterbury March, the events that took place leading up to it, and how Christmas was celebrated in 1600's England. It is a reminder of a period in history where people had to fight to enjoy what we enjoy today. It is very cleverly written, and it helped me appreciate the holiday season a lot more.

Jeff Guinn is also author of "The Autobiography of Santa Claus" and "The Great Santa Search". Together, these books entitled "The Christmas Chronicles", and I believe what I had read was book number 3 of the series. I hope to be able to track down the other two books and read them as well, as the back cover to "How Mrs Claus Saved Christmas" contains exerpts of outstanding reviews of the other two books.

I recommend this book to anybody who feels like they're a bit of "Scrooge" around Christmastime.

Chronik der Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der letzten Tage in der Schweiz: 1850 bis 2003. Editor: Christian Gräub

This was a book that I had been reading on and off for a period of about two years, and covers the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Switzerland from 1850 (when proselyting first began in Switzerland) to 2003. It is a very informative and detailed account, outlining specific important dates in the history of the Church in Switzerland, and is a highly valuable history resource.

I ended up buying this book while I was serving as a missionary for the Church between 2005 - 2007. It was my aim to get myself educated on how the church began to be established there, and to learn about the many missionaries that had gone before me. I was interested to learn that many of the harships I experienced on my mission were similar challenges these pioneers had to face as well, and taught me to appreciate the sacrifices that those early missionaries made, so that the Church could continue to grow and flourish in this beautiful country.

Unfortunately, the book is only available in German, so the book is restricted mainly to a German-speaking audience. It is nonetheless a highly recommended read for anybody (in particular members of the Church) who are interested in learning about the development of the Church in other countries.