While i have mixed feelings about missionary work, this story gives real life details about the dedication and difficulties of two such workers. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream. City of tranquil light is a quiet book theres a lot going on, but the touch is barely there, most of the time. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet. During those years, china was wracked by internal strife, often pillaged by warlords, hit by. City of tranquil light book king county library system. City of tranquil light is a beautiful, touching novel that makes me want to read bos first book, to return to china and the stories woven by this skilled storyteller.
Sep 28, 2010 city of tranquil light by bo caldwell bo caldwells 2001 debut novel, the distant land of my father, set in historic china and based on the story of her uncle, was a critical and commercial success a national bestseller that was loved by critics, booksellers, and readers in equal measure. As they work to improve the lives of the people of kuang ping cheng city of tranquil light, a place they come to lovethey face hardships they could not have imagined. City of tranquil light huntington public library overdrive. Will kiehn is an ordinary man, seemingly destined for life as a humble farmer in the midwest, when, having felt a call from god, he moves to the vast north china plain in 1906. City of tranquil light is a beautiful novel that tells the story of a missionary couple in china in a very respectful, loving way. I relished the hours spent with this dedicated and intrepid couple and. What ardent, dazzling souls emerge from these american m. Inspired by the lives of the authors maternal grandparents city of tranquil light is a tender and elegiac portrait of a young marriage set against. City of tranquil light is a beautiful, inspiring book about love, dedication, friendship and faith. Told through will and katherines alternating viewpointsand inspired by the lives of the authors maternal grandparentscity of tranquil light is a tender and elegiac portrait of a young marriage set against the.
A widower, he cherishes his chinese bible, his german bible the language of his parents and his wifes journal chronicling their 27 years as missionaries. This novel is a far cry from the breathlessly paced, predictably plotted commercial fiction churned out today. Author inspired by her missionary grandparents bo caldwells city of tranquil light is a searing love story of a man and a woman, their god, and the country they jointly loved and a deeply researched and pageturning portrait of a country in utter turmoil. Jay parini, author of the last station city of tranquil light is a remarkable evocation of another time and place as well as a deeply moving love story, but, most of all, bo caldwells book is a profound meditation on the mysteries of belief. City of tranquil light bo caldwell, 2010 henry holt. Goodreads members who liked city of tranquil light also liked. City of tranquil light is a remarkable evocation of another time and place as well as a deeply moving love story, but, most of all, bo caldwells book is a profound meditation on the mysteries of belief. City of tranquil light city of tranquil light audiobook, by bo caldwell. Will kiehn is seemingly destined for life as a humble farmer in the midwest when, having felt a call from god, he travels to the vast north china plain in the early twentieth century. After a visit by a charismatic minister, will kiehn feels called upon to carry the word of god to china. What ardent, dazzling souls emerge from these american missionaries in china. It is not a religious book, but it will surely resonate with readers of faith.
The book tells a story of their life in china from 19061932. The story is based on the lives of her maternal grandparents who were. The fictional story of will and katherine kiehn is so moving that i devoured the first 111 pages in a single sitting. A deeply spiritual book, it shows how those who work to teach others often have the most to learn, and is further evidence that bo caldwell writes vividly and with great historical. City of tranquil light is a novel based on the lives of the authors maternal aunt and uncle.
City of tranquil light by bo caldwell book cover, description, publication history. City of tranquil light by bo caldwell fantastic fiction. City of tranquil light by bo caldwell bo caldwells 2001 debut novel, the distant land of my father, set in historic china and based on the story of her uncle, was a critical and commercial success a national bestseller that was loved by critics, booksellers, and readers in equal measure. Patricia hampl, author of the florists daughter will kiehn is seemingly destined for life as a humble farmer in the midwest when, having felt a call from god, he travels to the vast. City of tranquil light is framed at both ends by an elderly will narrating from california. The tale of two mennonite missionaries on the great china plain, the daytoday sorrows and triumphs of these ordinary people are compelling. Books similar to city of tranquil light city of tranquil light. Its a story based in part on the lives of the authors maternal grandparents, and it rings true.
Caldwell the distant land of my father draws from the biographies of missionaries in northern china during the turbulent first half of the 20th century in this mixed second novel. The story manages to be both insightful and entertaining. It is a gentle, intelligent, and highly readable tribute to the authors grandparents, who met as missionaries in china in the early 20 th century. Buy a cheap copy of city of tranquil light book by bo caldwell. A deeply spiritual book, it shows how those who work to teach others often have the most to learn, and is further evidence that. There he is surprised by love and weds a strong and determined fellow missionary, katherine, who is also a dedicated nurse. The book is about missionary work, and while a great deal of the narrative involves faith and christian ideals, this is an essential aspect of the characters but doesnt feel overzealous or overbearing. The book opens in the 1960s with an elderly kiehn in a california retirement community, reflecting over his past and remembering a placekuang ping cheng city of tranquil light. City of tranquil light is a story based on the authors on family history, telling the tale of two western missionaries who fall in love with each other and with their work in china in the early twentieth century. Patricia hampl, author of the florists daughter will kiehn is seemingly destined for life as a humble farmer in the midwest when, havi. Bo caldwell will kiehn is an ordinary man, seemingly destined for life as a humble farmer in the midwest, when, having felt a. City of tranquil light by bo caldwell book club discussion. They are drawn to one another there and marry and then are sent to kuang ping cheng, the city of tranquil light. Inspired by the lives of the authors maternal grandparents city of tranquil light is a tender and elegiac portrait of a young marriage set against the backdrop of the shifting face of a beautiful but torn nation.
Download or stream city of tranquil light by bo caldwell. A deeply spiritual book, it shows how those who work to teach others often have the most to learn and is further evidence that bo. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A beautiful, searing book that leaves an indelible presence in the mind. City of tranquil light i loved this quietly powerful book, even though it was not compelling in the typical, cliffhanging way.
Told through will and katherines alternating viewpointsand inspired by the lives of the authors maternal grandparents city of tranquil light is a tender and elegiac portrait of a young marriage set against the backdrop of the shifting face of a beautiful but torn nation. The city of tranquil light is probably the best book i have read this year, and i have read some pretty good books. There he is surprised by love and weds a strong and determined fellow missionary, katherine. Told through will and katherines alternating viewpoints, and inspired by the lives of the authors maternal grandparents, city of tranquil light is a tender and elegiac portrait of a young marriage set against the backdrop of the shifting face of a beautiful but torn nation. Bronson pinchots gentle narration made it possible to continue listening through even the most horrific depictions of life in china. The city of tranquil light from the first chapter i was mesmerized. Find books like city of tranquil light from the worlds largest community of readers.
Bo caldwell will kiehn seems destined for life as a humble farmer in the midwest when, having felt a call from god, he travels to the vast north china plain in the early 20th century. What is the effect of having key information early on about the story to follow that katherine predeceases will, for example, and that they do not live out their lives in china instead of learning it at the end. The book is about missionary work, and while a great deal of the narrative involves faith and christian ideals, this is an essential aspect of the characters but doesnt feel overzealous or. Download city of tranquil light audiobook by bo caldwell. After they marry, they travel to kuang ping cheng city of tranquil light to start a church. Buy city of tranquil light reprint by bo caldwell isbn. Dec 15, 2010 city of tranquil light is a beautiful, touching novel that makes me want to read bos first book, to return to china and the stories woven by this skilled storyteller. City of tranquil light ebook by bo caldwell rakuten kobo.
Bo caldwell husbandandwife missionaries will and katherine kiehn witness china being plunged into civil war as they continue to try to improve the lives of the people of kuang ping chengthe city of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading city of tranquil light. This novel is one that will linger in the readers mind long after. City of tranquil light is the story of how will and katherine become a part of kuang ping chengs community told in both point of views, with wills narration coming from his last years as he reflects upon his life and katherines view from journal entries written throughout their life in china. These missionaries are not crazy men and it can be hard to find novels that show christianity in a positive light these days. Lee city of tranquil light a novel por bo caldwell disponible en rakuten kobo.
When i needed a new audiobook to listen to and had finished my classics challenge, i was reminded of this book. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. There he meets katherine and after a brief and initially chilly, then suddenly cordial courtship, they marry and are sent off to start a mission in the remote city of kuang ping cheng aka. This novel is a far cry from the breathlessly paced, predictably plotted commercial. City of tranquil light by bo caldwell overdrive rakuten. Theirs is not a story of giant superheroes of the faith, but of quiet, ordinary people faithfully walking with god and working with him, people with whom most readers could relate. Author bo caldwell discusses her book, city of tranquil light, and her journey as she developed her characters and their relationships.
Read city of tranquil light a novel by bo caldwell available from rakuten kobo. This is just the loveliest book ive read in a long timebo caldwell has expertly written a very beautiful story of a young couple and their missionary work in china at the turn of the century that had me in the palm of her hand the whole time i was reading. There he meets katherine and after a brief and initially chilly, then suddenly cordial courtship, they marry and are sent off to start a mission in the remote city of kuang ping cheng aka the city of tranquil light. This novel is one that will linger in the readers mind long after the last page is turned.
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