Sophia House

I cannot even begin to describe how good this book is. And I'm considered by my friends as an extremely critical (of books and films) person. On the surface, this book is about homosexuality, art, and Poland during WWII. But it goes so much deeper than that, probing and illuminating the meaning of Fatherhood, Beauty, Longing, and the Holy. Its a book influenced by Judaism, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Nazism, Modernism, and Mysticism. Some passages, in their prose, border on the best kind of poetry. There are several passages in this book that have burned into my mind. I don't think I shall forget them until I die. If you love Dostoevsky, you'll love this book. I know this is such a bad review. I didn't even try to explain it, because it is too good for that. You really will not regret reading this, no matter what your background. [btw, due to the disturbing (non-graphic) content, I wouldn't recommend this for anyone under the age of 15.]

I highly recommend Sophie House! The author dedicates this book this way, "For those whose sacrifice is hidden in the heart of God, those whose "small" choices shift the balance of the world" and that says it all. This book leaves a simple reader with the belief that (a paraphrase from a character), " a life is a word spoken" Unforgettable!

This is a preview to the book Father Elijah, but it is actually the story of the spiritual struggles of the hero, Pawel Tarnowsky. Superficially, the plot is about how the owner of "Sophia House" bookstore, who one day is confronted with a Jewish lad fleeing from the Nazis. He takes him in, and hides him, and they converse about various things, and at the climax, Pawel stays behind so David can get away. But the real story is Pawel's spiritual journey. He must not only confront and overcome his own sinful impulses, but his main struggle is to be healed in the wounds of his own soul. So we see a man struggling with loneliness, homosexuality, and unforgiveness...and the real climax is when he learns to feel charity for those who hurt him, because he learns to see them as hurt and wounded children rather than as evil sinners... The "old fashioned" morality behind this struggle will put off many. And the compassionate viewing of a holy gay man will turn off many rigid moralists. But for those who wish to see a sensitive portrayal of a man's journey to wholeness and peace, then I recommend this book..

Beautiful, deep book, and definitely one of my favourites of the "Children of the last days" collection... wonderful character insights, and beautiful imaginery...

Sophia House is the last book in Michael O'Brien's "Children of the Last Days" series, and is a great end. A prequel to "Father Elijah," the book begins with a powerful politician campaigning in Israel in the 1960s, and is confronted by a woman who knows his real name: David Schaefer. After the prelude, we see a dramatic escape from the Warsaw Ghetto by a young Jewish boy, who is quickly taken in by a bookseller named Pawel Tarnowski. Sophia House gives some background on Pawel's life, and the reader is priveleged to read a play about the Russian icon painter, Andrei Rublev, right in the middle of the book, written by (the fictional character of) Pawel Tarnowski. All of the elements that captivated the fans of O'Brien's other novels are here: exploration of the nature of faith, deep dialogue, extensive character development, and a writing style that makes the reader want to keep on going. Most important, O'Brien demonstrates, through fiction, the beauty of faith and grace. I highly recommend this book; fans of O'Brien will love it, fans of good Catholic literature will love it, and fans of good literature period will love it. 5 out of 5.