wings! Here’s a tour of the Amazon that will delight your eyes, fortify your
spirit, and tickle your funny bone!
Written by missionary-writer Don Best, Moonlight on the Amazon is a rich combination of literary forms
that will have you – at various moments – reflecting anew on the things of God,
laughing out loud, and shedding a tear over the human condition.
It’s easy to see how the book won its five-star rating on
amazon.com!
“This book might have been pure prose, pure poetry, or even pure
photography,” says Best, who has worked as a missionary in the Brazilian Amazon
for the past eight years. “But in the end we realized that it was a combination
of these forms that would best communicate the beautiful character of the
Brazilian people, the challenges and excitement of missionary life here, and God’s
amazing faithfulness and creativity.”
Indeed, Moonlight on the
Amazon runs the gamut from spiritual steak to cultural sweet tarts.
On the serious side are Best’s short stories and essays, which
are deeply personal and always challenging. These include such gems as The Land of Thanksgiving, The Wealthy Ones, and A Passion for Souls.
On the lighter side, Best treats us with Please Don’t Ask About the Weather, The Great Brazilian Coffee Cake Disaster, Close Encounters of the Amphibian Kind, and Bugs in the Beans. These
prove, once and for all, that nothing’s quite as funny as the truth.
Intermingled with the steak and the sweet tarts are some
beautiful poems that come singing off the page, such as Thank You for the Roses! and
Accidental Dawn, plus a series of poignant
letters that Best penned to an agnostic friend named “Clara.”
All of this is set against some of the most beautiful color
photography that you’ll find anywhere. (“Rivals the National Geographic!” writes one of the reviewers on Amazon.com.)
Indeed, Moonlight on the Amazon has
more than 60 pages of full-color photography, contributed by seven different
photographers!
“We are very grateful to these artists, who have graced the
book with their work,” says Best. “While words can describe a child’s smile or
a parrot’s wing in wonderful detail, it’s still not quite the same as showing them
in vivid color.”
Here is a beautifully produced hardcover book that will grace your
coffee table for years to come and resound in your heart forever. It’s a great
gift idea for nearly anyone on your Christmas list! While Moonlight offers deep spiritual insights and is gently evangelical,
it offers plenty as well to the armchair traveler, the naturalist, and anyone
who’s intrigued by the Amazon and its people.
And – here’s the best part — all proceeds from the sale of this book go
to missions and ministries for the poor.
Moonlight on the Amazon
is available for Christmas (just reduced) at $19.98. You’ll find it on sale now
at www.amazon.com or www.moonlightontheamazon.com.
