Best this month This film is based on the true story of one of the world’s
greatest living minds, the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. The film opens when Hawking is attending Cam- bridge University in 1963. At a party, he is very much taken with Jane, a major in romance languages and literature. Instead of dancing, they spend the eve- ning talking about science, religion and poetry. But their slowly budding love is inter-
rupted by a shocking development. Hawking is diagnosed with a motor neu- ron disease similar to amyotrophic lat- eral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Jane is willing to take on whatever comes, and they marry. Marital happiness, according to the
media, the therapeutic community and the general public, results from good communication, emotional gratifica- tion and intimacy. But many couples find it hard to live up to this standard. By
LIAM DANIEL
100 Things that Make me Happy Many families sprinkle
their prayers with expres- sions of gratitude for all the wonderful things in their lives. Going through this book together is a great way to catalyze that activity.
Amy Schwartz identifies 100 blessings in this pic- Author bio:
The Brussats publish the website www.SpiritualityandPractice. com where you can find more information about the items reviewed in this column.
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www.thelutheran.org
ture book for preschoolers through first-graders. She begins with red socks and ends with “time with you.” She comes up with many gems to be thankful for, such as fuzzy sweaters, a comfy chair, baby toes, a puppy’s nose, whipped cream, mud puddles and a good-night kiss (Abrams Appleseed,
www.abramsbooks.com).
Healing Day by Day: Scripture, Reflections, Practices and Prayers
Marci Alborghetti is the
author of more than 20 books. This one is a poetic devotional resource for those who yearn for divine love, mercy and help as they walk through the valley
of pain, suffering, disease and loss. She writes: “From allergies to lung disease, from cancer to bitterness, from anger to addictions ... we all, in some way or another, need to be healed.” Alborghetti uses a soothing and serene devotional
structure in the book. For each week of the year, there is a meditation piece with Scripture references, fol- lowed by seven brief modules for each day of the week with prayers and practices (Twenty-Third Publications,
www.twentythirdpublications.com).
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat The Theory of Everything
shifting the emphasis from emotional satisfaction to part- nership, some husbands and wives create meaningful ties and also work together to create a better world. That’s what the Hawkings do. The four qualities that form the bedrock of their relationship are friendship, loyalty, generosity and justice. It’s fascinating to watch them face and overcome obstacles, have three children, and keep his career afloat with books and lectures. Although his body is under siege for
the 25 years of their marriage, his mind works perfectly fine; he is able to write a book that sells more than 10 million copies. By the end of the film, we feel close
to the Hawkings thanks to the tender and intense performances by Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones, shown at left (Universal Studios Entertainment, PG-13—some thematic elements, sugges- tive material). Now on DVD.
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