The Listener

Publisher: Bantam Books

Date Published: This version 1978 (ooriginal date 1960)

Format: Paperback I purchased myself

Star rating: 5/5

About Book: The Listener is Taylor Caldwell's inspiring story of how ordinary people, full of hopelessness and despair, from all walks of life, find the inner peace they desperately need. Each chapter is a modern parable of someone who has lost faith in themselves, the people close to them, or the world in general. In his final days on this earth, John Godfrey built a beautiful sanctuary which had inscribed above its portal: 'The Man Who Listens'. Because of man's need for someone to truly listen, suffering people were drawn to this place at all hours of the day and night. The Listener, although kept behind closed curtains, would reveal himself to those who were truly in need. True peace, hope and happiness were restored to all who poured out their soul to Him. This is a powerful novel of anguished souls on a self analytical, almost mystical, journey toward inner peace.

My thoughts: A headline on my Reading Challenge was a book written in the year I was born. That year was 1960. The Listener by Taylor Caldwell enticed me in with the description on the back page.

John Godfrey the main character, a man that knew what he liked and did not waiver from that. A simple man with simple needs all throughout his life, never deviating from his way of living. But do we ever know a person.

A thought-provoking book from the start, with lots of questions. The Listener is what everyone needs.

The book takes you through different individuals bearing their souls to a stranger they cannot see.

A book that as you read is of its time, a lot of things that would not be written now but a lot that are still relevant. An interesting read.