• LEFT BEHIND
• by Tim Lahaye & Jerry B. Jenkins
• [rated by PBS readers as #77]
• 391 pages

From a totally different angle, this Christian book about the Rapture afforded me the opportunity that the huge Stephen King book did. The opportunity to open a book that I would never have opened otherwise.

And I’m glad I did! Millions of people believe in the Rapture and it is easy to see how seminal this book has been in shoring up supporters.

The book starts with a pilot who is fantasizing about the sexy flight attendant he has been flirting with up until now. His marriage has been distanced by his wife’s born again Christian faith. Suddenly, Hattie, the flight attendant comes rushing in to the cockpit, saying they have lost a third of their passengers. That is where it starts, with Jesus’ true followers gone to heaven in an instant, leaving all others behind.

I deeply appreciated many things about this opus. Blessedly, though deeply diving into faith, it is a very fun read for anyone to pick up. I also appreciated that, though dealing with a worldwide catastrophe, the authors steadfastly stayed with only a few characters. That made it a fun and an easy read.

Do I quibble with the underlying premise? Of course, in small and big ways! But for me, that could take a handful of cocktails or, even better, a week with great minds to discuss.

But I’m here to read the books that have moved people. This one has moved a lot of people and I can see why. And the overarching truth is that I enjoyed the read and admired the way it was written.

I appreciated the opportunity to walk in this part of the population’s shoes for a while. I’ll remember it.