cover image We Stood upon Stars: Finding God in Lost Places

We Stood upon Stars: Finding God in Lost Places

Roger W. Thompson. WaterBrook, $15.99 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-1-6014-2959-9

Combining humor, a sense of adventure, and a need to discover who he is, Thompson takes readers on an earnest journey as he recounts a number of trips exploring America’s beauty. He finds insights into life in cherished memories and moments of clarity. Hand-drawn maps of Glacier National Park, Yosemite, Big Sur, and other locations accompany Thompson’s memories (in no particular order) of his grandfather and father as well as camping trips with family and friends throughout his life. Along the way, though he’s sometimes reluctant to embrace maturity, he learns what it is to be a husband, a father, and a friend, often coming to moments of understanding as he appreciates nature. He senses power in a storm, his place in the world during silence, courage in braving a river’s rapids, and humility in not being able to provide answers about life’s hurts for his boys (like when the family dog must be put down). Some chapters—such as the one describing the author being “attacked” by a crab while surfing in California—offer more laughs than insight. Faith elements, though present, are never overbearing, as humor is the highlight of this candid memoir. (May)