Finding God

September 15, 2012
The word conversion, writes Mulder in the introduction, suggests the act of turning around: that is, moving from one place to another. This place, he offers, can be physical, spiritual, emotional, theological, or moral. Many of the names here are of seminal figures, including the Apostle Paul, Augustine, Martin Luther, Ignatius Loyola, John Calvin, Blaise Pascal, C. S. Lewis, Thomas Merton, Billy Graham, and Martin Luther King Jr. Some of the conversion stories are well known in their own right, such as the conversion of John Newton from slave trader to minister (he is best known, of course, for writing the great Christian hymn Amazing Grace) or John Wesley's conversion, which led to the creation of a new religion, Methodism. Also introduced are contemporary figures, such as Bono, the lead singer of U2. Other notables in the collection include Leo Tolstoy, Black Elk, Albert Schweitzer, Dorothy Day, and Bill Wilson (Bill W.), the cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous. A new slant on an interesting topic.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)