Surprised by Oxford: a Memoir

by Carolyn Weber

Genres: Book Club, Memoir

Paperback

Published August 8, 2011

About the author

Hi I'm Carolyn. I taught literature to undergrads for 15 years, but resigned my tenured position in a ginormous LEAP WITH FAITH (blogpost). When I am not enjoying time with husband and 4 spirited children under 8, I enjoy reading and writing. My previous (even bigger) "leap to faith" is detailed in my book SURPRISED BY OXFORD . You can download a FREE PDF of Ch.1

Reviews

[Olivia Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely

[Kendal Ziegler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carolyn Weber’s memoir is a beautiful and deeply sacred testamony of how an intellectual skeptic slowly and unexpectedly fell in love with Christ. It is a journey that answers nearly every hard apologetics questions with both logical reasoning and emotional resonance. So many of her reflections struck me that I even found myself writing a letter to my unbelieving sister, including large passages from this book.
The strength of Weber’s writing lies in her ability to make faith approachable. There is no agenda, just a sincere exploration of Biblical truths. Every Christian she portrays is kind, sincere, and willing to walk alongside her with patience and intentionality. They never offer superficial advice but always meet some practical need with love. The book is full of great quotes, and my favorite is:
“Anything we do becomes meaningful if done with a heart for God. Our specialties are to bring us to God. Special gifts and interests—they are important only insofar as they reflect His perfect love for us.”

I have a hard time reviewing Christian memoirs because who am I to judge someone's spiritual story? But with that being said, Surprised by Oxford is not a quick read. At times, it is very wordy, weighed down with long descriptive passages about insignificant details, ex: who opened her door, how she walked down the street, etc. Weber has a tendency to go on extended philosophical tangents, then loop back paradoxically to describe the same moment again. For me, this slowed the pace, and by chapter twenty, it lost my interest. Yet there was so much to learn from her, so I switched to the audiobook, which I found to be more enjoyable and I could fast forward parts.


My last criticism is that I wish the book concluded with a focus on her baptism. Don't get me wrong, I loved reading about how her relationships and career turned out, but those shouldn't have been the climaxed ending. She never talked about what the baptism meant to her, what she was thinking/experiencing going down into the water, or the speech that was given during her public proclamation of faith. Instead, she went on about the candle sticks, wine, and other presents she received from her friends.

Overall, Weber balances intellect and heart, showing that faith in Christ is both rationally satisfying and deeply personal. This book could be used as a study tool for believers or curious seekers of truth.
The power of this memoir deserves 5 stars, but I had a hard time finishing it. For enjoyment, I would rate it a 3.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAVORITE. MEMOIR. EVER. So rich! It's a little long, and it has plenty of references to literature / philosophical ideas that I don't fully understand, but that just makes me want to go back and read it again! Seriously, I'll probably go back through it and highlight all the Romantic poets etc. that she references that I now want to read. This is a powerful story of Carolyn Weber's journey from agnostic to Christian, while in grad school at Oxford University. Oxford was already on my bucket list, but now it's at the top! Such a beautiful book in every way. (Estimating my finish date, still playing catch-up on these posts.)

[Alexa Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. It’s a memoir of a woman who goes to do post grad studies in Oxford. She arrives an agnostic but comes to belief in Christ through a series of friends and strangers engaging with her in the gospel. Not enough words for how critically she thinks, how real she engages with God, the beauty of God drawing her to Him, and how well it’s written (she’s a literature major after all).

[Ashley Escue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story with a thoughtful look into the ins and outs of coming into relationship with God. A little “rabbit trail ish” but still comes back to the sweet way God invited Caro into salvation, beautiful story!!

[Havens smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read! So beautifully written!!

[Jennefer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars