Messages . . .: Are We Listening?

Throughout her life, the author has had intriguing experiences, which convince her there is communication between God and man. This book is a journey of how she came to these conclusions. It is her belief that if we look upon strange and miraculous occurrences as "just coincidence", we can miss God's help. Her book is an attempt to demonstrate through her lifetime experiences and that of others, how these mystical messages can alter our paths. Although she is of Jewish background and many of her messages are drawn from the Torah (The Old Testament), she believes that we all receive Divine messages and the way we react to them can be a catalyst for improving our lives. KIRKUS REVIEW In her debut, Malkiel argues that most of life's strange coincidences are actually divine messages. "Throughout my life, I have had strange experiences that have convinced me that there can be communication between God and man," the author begins. The remainder of the book elaborates on this one statement, starting with the story of her birth. Malkiel's mother, being of poor health, safely delivered her unaided by nurses or doctors on the 18th of January--a number that, Malkiel explains, denotes life in the Jewish faith. Scores of stories follow this one, each describing how the author interpreted an event or strange happenstance as a message from God. The stories are not presented chronologically, so confusion could arise about when in the author's life a particular story fits, although the confusion remains mild enough to avoid distracting too severely from the the book's theme. Some events seem quite notable: Malkiel's dream about her aunt drowning, only to discover that her aunt had drowned around the time of the dream. Many others, however, seem rather mundane, to the point where one could argue that only someone actively seeking examples of divine communication would find them here. Readers of faith may find it easy to relate to Malkiel's conclusions. But, despite the wide range of experiences mentioned in the book, skeptics may not find satisfactory evidence to convince them of divine communication. While some nonreligious readers could potentially draw meaning from the text, it will hold far greater appeal to individuals who not only believe in a higher power, but who also share Malkiel's belief about lines of communication existing between that mysterious power and humanity. That said, the book may prove a blessing for believers. Its casual tone makes the text more personal and engaging, and some readers could reaffirm their own beliefs and experiences by reading about Malkiel's. An uncomplicated work that demonstrates how even the simplest life can be filled with touches of the divine, provided you choose to look for it.