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Judith Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars Confessions
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2016
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I heartily recommend that regardless of where you stand on your appreciation of Anne's writings about her faith, that you take the time to read The Joy of Y'at Catholicism by Earl J. Higgins (Pelican, 2007). On page 14 is brief summary of an essay that Anne wrote for Time magazine. "New Orleans author Anne Rice, writer of vampire novels, tells of how she left New Orleans and Catholicism but felt the compelling need to return to both. She explains that being in New Orleans, living again in the city where she was raised, made her feel love for place, family, and God."

PLACE: I am reminded of a line from the song "The Circle of Life" from Disney's "The Lion King", which reads "...til we find our place on the path unwinding..." In old New Orleans, before the Civil Rights Era, the idea of place was that you were put in the equivalent of a strait jacket once you grew up and went to work. Your education, your skills, and (sadly) your race defined your place as well. I get the impression from Anne that she is content to have the comfort of her Garden District/Uptown neighborhood around her. Still, I have a sense that she seeks to encourage others to look beyond the old strait jacket, and keep New Orleans ever growing, ever changing, ever astonishing the rest of the world (the rest of the world that does not expect anything much from New Orleans).

FAMILY: In reading Anne's novels, and this equivalent of "The Confessions of St. Augustine", it has become clear to me that to her, even if all else is falling apart around you, the family is what you cling to. New Orleans is an extended family. You know when you arrive here that you have come home.

GOD: In her novels, Anne struggles over and over with forming an image of God that makes sense in both the material and the spiritual sense. Here, in Called Out of Darkness, I get the impression that she is still searching. I wish her well.
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Book Worm
3.0 out of 5 stars Spiritually Confused
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2018
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Had I not known that Ms. Rice had once again left the church and her faith my rating would have been higher. From her birth her father gave her a man's name, Howard Allen. This started a lot of child confusion and general hatred of adults by the author. As Ms. Rice grew up her gender identity grew into a spiritual crisis and she left her Catholic Faith. However, she realized that she was wrong and went back to being (what I call) a conditional Catholic. That means she demanded of God that he accept her on her terms. The description of her return to faith was moving but once again Ms. Rice only meant that she only partially wanted Jesus back into her life. Ms. Rice left the church, a second time, because of the church she went to was too judgmental. I have news for Ms. Rice; sinners go to church as the righteous are not in need of a physician. Yeah, that was Jesus' statement when the Pharisees complained that Jesus met with sinners at the house of a future disciple, a hated tax collector, Matthew.

BTW: You don't need faith in Atheism as you asserted. Please consider the following suggestion; another statement by Jesus as he left from the Sermon on the Mount. The so-called intellectuals mocked Jesus for his statements about his divinity. Jesus said "If you don't believe in the things I say then believe in the works I do." Go do some works!
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LRM
4.0 out of 5 stars Reflections of My Youth Upon Christ
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2015
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Indeed Anne's descriptive memories of her childhood growing up in a large Catholic family brought back many memories. The ones most cherished however were those of the church with the beautiful descriptions of the stained glass windows, the altar, Holy Communion, the Stations of the Cross..... The Crowning of Our Blessed Mother. All, I hold closer to my heart than I ever realized. Although I've had a faith crisis in the last few years that was short lived I have walked with the Lord for forty years. I did not know him in my childhood although, like Anne, if anyone had asked, my response would have been positive. It was only when I was in my early thirties, when I truly asked him to come into my heart, engaged in a personal relationship with my Lord Jesus, that I knew. I've sought him ever since as I so need him in every aspect of my life and this book has given me a even deeper hunger.
Having taken many Bible studies over the years I find that although I see where Anne is coming from in her assessment of the totality of embracing all faiths, all peoples, I still very much believe that as the scriptures clearly state we are to love our fellow man but we are also to speak truth. Therefore truth comes from the Word of God, these are the words of Jesus. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Then verses 17 & 18 "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

This speaks so clearly that to have eternal life with our Father in heaven , it is through his Son Jesus. We can't pretend otherwise!!
We are all sinners yet we always strive to abide by His word, loving one another, speaking truth in love, though others might perish, therefore allowing light to come into any darkness.

Through this book much 'light' has come into mine and for that I thank you. It truly blessed me!!

In His Joy, Linda Morris
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Top reviews from other countries

Rachel Conkey
5.0 out of 5 stars ... am not religious although raised Catholic but I really enjoyed this read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 15, 2016
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I am not religious although raised Catholic but I really enjoyed this read. Very philosophical yet extremely accessible. Very poignant read. Definitely worth reading if you are a Rice fan. Gives insights into some of the themes of Rice's novels, and on a broader spectrum speaks about the human condition.
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frankie
5.0 out of 5 stars love this book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2013
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love this book a story which could well be so many other peoples. A must read if you are a fan of Anne Rice.
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AC
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant insight into a wonderful writer
Reviewed in Canada on July 30, 2016
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Candid. Sincere. Evoking. Powerful. Beautiful. I love how passionately Anne Rice describes the major role religion/her beliefs played in becoming the writer she is today. I simply couldn't put the book down. I read the entire non-fiction novel in one sitting. I understand, and you will too, why she writes about vampires, witches, angels and demons. They are and always will be the world we cannot belong to but yearn so much to learn about. Interestingly enough, had it not been for her Catholic upbringing, she would not have created the characters she created. Through these characters (both supernatural and natural), you see reflected how God's supreme force plays a role in how we view ourselves or how other "beings" came to be and what purpose each must fulfill. I'm VERY happy I purchased this non-fiction work. It gave me a greater insight into why Anne Rice is the way she is and how she came to be.
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Jonathan Lozano
3.0 out of 5 stars I have a mix of feelings
Reviewed in Mexico on March 11, 2021
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It's a nice book. I'm not a religious person, but I enjoy the reading. I felt it quite intimate. Dispite this a have a mix of feelings with the quality of the book. It looks like it was a school project for the first semester in design school. The sheets are not properly cut in one of the sides. The image looks that was not properly edited and kindda blurish an also looks a little bit crooked.
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Krista
5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic Heartfelt Christ-led
Reviewed in Canada on May 16, 2021
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Riveting Important Inspiring for Christians atheists, secular humanists, people who have lost faith and people of other faiths, and people who are seeking truth. A journey many in secular Western culture can relate to and find hope in. Thank you, Anne!
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