feel good chicken soup book. BEFORE CHICKEN SOUP. 1970's

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feel good chicken soup book. BEFORE CHICKEN SOUP. 1970's

1EGBERTINA
feb 10, 2021, 11:21 pm

This is really reaching. Read this book 1976/1977. It was hardcover- so likely published in that time frame. I have not really read the Chicken soup books, that a daughter tried to get me to finish- because it seemed so many of the stories were about cancer or sickness.

The book that I am describing didn't lean that way- or if it did, I have forgotten. I recall one of the essays was about his father- because it inspired me to write an essay based on my father as an assignment. The other thing that I recall is part of a poem- " All the darkness of the night- could not put out that single light"- and he may have mentioned that you could see a candle in the dark for twenty miles????

2lowelibrary
feb 11, 2021, 5:34 pm

Could it be The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi?

St. Francis of Assisi's ecstatic embrace of a life of poverty revolutionized Christianity even as it transformed the ethics of the West. In this luminous and lively book, St. Francis's followers preserved his legend and those of his first disciples, combining stories of miracles with convincing portraits of men who were no less human for having been touched by God.

3EGBERTINA
feb 11, 2021, 10:38 pm

>2 lowelibrary:
I don't think so. Although, I understand the poem's connection to ST Francis- I do not think the book was about him. While I was aware of the meaning of the Stigmata, I think reading about it would have freaked me out, then. I think it was just a collection of "positive themed" essays....

I almost want to say that the author had "George" in his name- but I hate to mislead with false memories.

4EGBERTINA
mar 1, 2021, 12:56 am

BUMP

5merrystar
mar 2, 2021, 12:40 am

Possibly something by George MacDonald? The Wind from the Stars or George MacDonald: An Anthology might fit your description.

The time period and the type of book actually first suggested something by Madeleine L'Engle to me (one of the Crosswicks journals such as A Circle of Quiet perhaps); however you said the essay was about "his father", which would seem to rule that out.

6EGBERTINA
mar 2, 2021, 6:44 am

I can't find any mention of the"WIND" MacDonald book before 1992- so that is too late. AS to the second - Anthology- do you know when it was first released. I don't think it is right- because I would have known CS Lewis.... but its worth a gander.

I have circle of quiet- which is wonderful- but of course, - that book seems more like an organized theme. The book that I am recalling was more like separate collections.

It was a book I borrowed from my mom's collection- but it might have been given to her. Mom's lifelong habit was to read every book on the New York best seller list. I have done my best to look through those, and nothing has jumped out at me. I don't know if libraries, back then, had other lists of popular books. I also don't know when she ever had the opportunity to stop at a library and find such a list. Those years are so devoid of books and libraries. She was clearly picking up used paperbacks, which are the ones that I mostly recall. Thank you

7merrystar
mar 3, 2021, 1:36 am

Sorry I missed the date on the "Wind" collection!

George MacDonald lived/wrote in the 19th century and C. S. Lewis died in the early 1960s.... The oldest date I had found for the anthology was 1946, and I know it has also been reissued a number of times (my copy is from the 90s). I mostly thought of the MacDonald because of the "George" although I know you said that may be a red herring.

8EGBERTINA
mar 3, 2021, 6:41 pm

>7 merrystar: Yes, I suspected the George connection. I will try to find it and rule it out. Thank U

9EGBERTINA
apr 10, 2021, 10:48 am

bump

10SainaR
apr 11, 2021, 11:51 pm

It sounds aa lot like a Guideposts collection. Norman Vincent Peale use to compile the best stories from the magazine into hardcovers.

11EGBERTINA
apr 12, 2021, 11:25 pm

>10 SainaR: That is an interesting suggestion. Thank You.

Any idea how I would locate titles? Though, I think I would have recognized Peale's name.

12EGBERTINA
maj 21, 2021, 2:52 am

I was looking at homes for sale, and came across a spiral staircase. this jogged my memory. one of the stories was the legend of the staircase built for some nuns, by st joseph. upon googling this- it seems to match in most details the legend of convent in new mexico. apparently, since that time some books have been written as well as a film based upon this event. however, this book was read circa 1876/1977; therefore, none of these modern versions would qualify. this was short story included in the book.

perusing google, I see no mention of 33 steps. for some reason I think the version I read claimed there were a perfect 33 steps- one for each year of the jc's life.

13EGBERTINA
jul 23, 2021, 5:18 pm

bump

14MajorKira
jul 30, 2021, 10:41 pm

Maybe one of Madeleine L'Engle's other books? Her non-fiction? Walking on Water maybe. Some of these books are just collections of essays, some also have poems.

15EGBERTINA
sep 10, 2021, 4:45 pm

>14 MajorKira: Thank you. I don't think so, as I have some of her non-fiction; but, I will take a peak when I get time

Thank u again