G-d winked by Sara Yocheved Rigler is the perfect pick me up during trying times.
It is also great for someone looking for some real life inspiration.
Judging the Book by its Cover - a first glance review:
The cover is bright and colorful. If you look a bit deeper, you see images that give you a taste of the rich background that the author draws from through the pages of the book.
Based on the cover, I expected light, easy to read, short tales that would leave me inspired.
Some Details I Liked:
I liked how the book is separated, beginning with vignettes and anecdotes from Mrs. Rigler's distant and more recent past, and ending with lessons for various times of the year.
G-d Winked's chapters also vary in their intensity. Meaning that the chapters switch off from tear jerkers to softly inspiring episodes. There are also a few parts that are straight lessons in hashkafa (world outlook). This makes it easy for a reader to go cover to cover in one sitting.
Who This Book is For:
Mrs. Rigler shares her thoughts on various personal experiences. Some are geared more for the female audience, but overall, any mature individual will gain a lot from this well-written book.
People who can relate to having a life journey or feel that they appreciate their life after reading about someone else's, will enjoy this book as well.
Who This Book Isn’t For:
I would not give this book to a beginner to Judaism nor a young reader. Inspiration is one of those things that only have the proper affect when given at the right time. I can imagine that some of the stories wouldn't be taken in the right light for someone that isn't up to that standard of living.
This book, along with many others that I'll review, is not for the closed minded. It discusses parts of living in an ashram, which personally I did not feel were offensive, but would not be surprised if others would.
What I Didn’t Like/Would Have Made it Better:
This part is hard because I very much enjoyed the book. I must say that I expected it to be a little more of a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" type of book, which it isn't. It is not packed with stories that tug at your heart, instead it has a stew of flavorful tales and lessons.
In Conclusion:
If you're looking for a book that you can read from cover to cover, but also that you can put down between chapters, G-d Winked is the book for you. It will leave you with food for thought and lend a new perspective on some plain old aspects of life.
