A well-written, insightful, and balanced work surrounding coming to faith and wrestling with the realities of faith. Weber paints pictures with words that make the story come beautifully alive. ( )

https://thebeckoninghills.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/book-review-surprised-by-oxford... ( )

With alarming statistics about Christians who lose their faith in college, it was refreshing to hear a story of an agnostic finding Jesus in grad school. Carolyn's memoir about her time at Oxford, her introduction to the faith by a man she calls bu the initials TDH (tall dark and handsome), and her coming to terms with what her faith means for her as an academic was well worth reading.

What I especially liked about this story was how it reminded me of people and conversations I had in college. I grew up as a Christian so her story is different than mine, but not too different. I like how you can see the little steps she takes toward faith before she leaps, and how she continues to take steps along the journey afterwards. All worth reflecting upon, for a deeper understanding of the meaning of conversion.

But what makes this book fun, is that she is a literature student and this book is full of allusions to literature, pop-culture and music. A professor where I went to grad school once remarked that because of the great literature of the 17th and 18th century, every English major has heard the gospel proclaimed to them. It was interesting to hear the words of Milton, Donne, and Hopkins intersecting with a person's stumbling toward faith.

So read it. Oxford may surprise you too. ( )

How shall I characterize this memoir? It’s partly spiritual autobiography, partly a romance, partly a Christian apologetic. That may explain its 480 pages and explain why I found it going in different direction too much which bothered me a bit.

What I did like was the first part of the book. Carolyn Weber coming to Oxford as a Canadian to study in this centuries old institution with all its strange customs and traditions. She’s clearly a fish out of water and describe the culture-clash with the brits in a funny way. To be intruduced to this great university is a treat and you do feel like you’re led by the hand into the great halls of wisdom and learning (and extravagant dinner parties with the professors).

Her exploration of the Christian worldview starts as she meets an American student who challenge her atheistic or agnostic beliefs. That she eventually also falls in love with him makes her spiritual search for the truth more complicated.

I read it actually as the title suggest a nod to C. S. Lewis’ [Surprised by Joy] - but there’s very little about Lewis here, other than her going to a meeting in the “C. S. Lewis Society” (a good scene by the way). ( )

Carolyn Weber’s Surprised by Oxford is a window into the thoughts of a progressive literature student as she considers, and then accepts, the Christian worldview. One of this book’s greatest strengths is its ability to point out one of my greatest weaknesses: my ignorance of poetry and literature. Weber begins each chapter with a snippet of poetry appropriate to the plot of her story, and allusions to classic literature are found on almost every page. I recognized the names of most of the authors, but found my knowledge of the world’s best writing to be quite pitiful.
Weber tells her intimate story of arriving at Oxford as a very devout feminist man-hater to continue her education in English literature. She then meets a man who challenges every horrible male stereotype she has absorbed into her mind. He is kind, selfless, confident, protective, knowledgeable, intelligent, honest, and ..... a Christian. Weber takes her readers through her confusion as she tries to explain how this man could so boldly defy her tightly-held beliefs about “What men are like”, and “What Christians are like.” This leads her into a quest to investigate the Bible and determine if it can explain the biggest questions of life.
Weber gives her readers a look into the mind of an English major. She thinks about theology and spirituality very differently from many others. This insight is very valuable to those of us who do not see the world through the same lenses.
On the lighter side, since this book was written by a literature student, and most of the main characters are also literature students, this book may set a new world record for “Most Metaphors Per Page.” Congratulations, Ms. Weber. ( )