Theo of Golden

★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

304 pages

What’s it about?

When 87-year-old Theo decides to make Golden, GA his temporary home he meets many new friends. On one of his first days in town he sees the work of a local artist in a coffee shop and is immediately drawn to these portraits. He begins to buy the portraits and return them to their “rightful owner”. He asks many more questions than he answers and along the way he makes a lasting impression on all those who meet him.

What did it make me think about?

The impact of being seen.

Should I read it?

Well, everyone and their dog has loved this book and while I did not love it- I see why so many do. For me, it was 3/4 slog and 1/4 heartwarming. The last quarter of the book made the whole book worthwhile, but it was slow for me for a long time. Again, I feel that you bring yourself into whatever you are reading so timing may have played a role in my stubborn refusal not to love this book. It is definitely a book I would gift to my grandmother if she were still alive. Very sweet, very impactful, and faith based. The sentiments Allen Levi conveys are certainly worth spending time with. The importance of taking the time to really see the worth in other people, to be kind, and to look for guidance from the Bible. How can I not recommend this book?

A passage I marked

“It might not make a lot of sense, but for anything to be good, truly good, there must be love in it.”