Shirley Goodness And Mercy

Alone at Christmas Greg Bennett feels his life has been a waste. Sixty years old and he has no one to spend Christmas with, no one who cares. Greg knows he's made mistakes, hurt people, failed in all the ways that matter. As a young man, he fathered a child he never acknowledged. He deserted a friend in his hour of need. He abandoned his own brother, whom he hasn't seen in years. Listlessly wandering the streets of San Francisco, Greg finds himself in church—and whispers a simple heartfelt prayer. A prayer that wends its way to the Archangel Gabriel, who assigns his favorite angels—Shirley, Goodness and Mercy—to Greg Bennett's case. Because Gabriel knows full well that Greg's going to need the assistance of all THREE! Shirley, Goodness and Mercy are determined to create a miracle for Greg. In their usual inimitable way, they set about to show him what life, joy and Christmas are all about!

Shirley, Goodness & Mercy is a heart-warming, yet compellingly honest story about a young boy growing up in Newclare, Coronationville and Riverlea during the apartheid era. Despite Van Wyk’s later becoming involved in the ‘struggle’, this is not a book about racial politics. Instead, it is a delightful account of one boy’s special relationship with the relatives, friends and neighbours who made up his community, and of the important coping role laughter and humour played during the years he spent in bleak and dusty townships. In Shirley, Goodness & Mercy Chris van Wyk – poet, novelist and short story writer – had created a truly remarkable work, at once both thought-provoking and vastly entertaining.

Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy is a delightful story about a loving relationship between two young children and their grandparents. Bean and Charlie spend a week with their grandparents each summer. They especially enjoy listening to Papa's stories. One afternoon, Bean asks Papa to tell a story about when he was a little boy. Papa's story has an unexpected surprise as he shares about a life-changing lesson he learned from two dogs, an annoying little girl, and Psalm 23:6.

Agnes, the Van Wyks’ Zulu housekeeper, had a special friendship with young Chris in the late sixties to early seventies. He would defend her whenever she came to work with a hangover on a Monday morning and made a mess of the cleaning. In turn, Agnes never told on Chris when he played truant from school. As the years passed, the two grew closer, swopping stories about coloureds and Zulus, life in Riverlea and Soweto, pass laws, politics and falling in love. She taught him to count in Zulu and he promised to teach her to read in English. Whenever the clock ran against her, Agnes would stop almost in mid-sentence, grab a broom or cloth, and declare: ‘I have to rush. I have eggs to lay, chickens to hatch.’ What an odd, ungrammatical thing to say, Chris often mused. But many years later, he played a CD by Louis Jordan, a 1940s American jazz singer, and it all became clear. Eggs to lay, chickens to hatch (forthcoming end April 2010) is Chris van Wyk’s second childhood memoir about growing up in Riverlea and his colourful interactions with the men and women who lived the African proverb that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. But mostly it is the story of a wonderful friendship between a young coloured boy and a Zulu woman.

Shirley, Goodness and Mercy, who we met in Angels at Christmas, are back! And as always they're causing all sorts of trouble. So escape the craziness of Christmas, settle back with a cup of hot tea and a Christmas treat and be prepared to laugh. And if you happen to see a camel wandering down the street all on its own, you can take a guess who might be responsible!

Three delightful angels come down to earth—just in time for Christmas! Shirley, Goodness and Mercy: three well-intentioned angels who are occasionally allowed to intervene (or—perhaps more accurately—interfere!) in human affairs. Despite their frequent misadventures, despite the chaos they often cause, things always seem to turn out right. Their latest prayer request comes from the Seattle area. Anne Fletcher sees her son, Roy, becoming a bitter, career-obsessed man. She prays for a special woman to be sent into Roy's life, a woman who'll show him what really matters. The angels swoop down and find a way to throw Julie Wilcoff in his path—literally! From that moment on, Shirley, Goodness and Mercy shall follow them…whispering suggestions, arranging encounters, hoping for the best.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this joyous and whimsical holiday novel, Debbie Macomber rings in the season with the return of Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy, delivering laughs, love, and a charming dose of angelic intervention. Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy know that an angel’s work is never done, especially during a time as wondrous as New Year’s Eve. With an apprentice angel, Will, under their wings, they descend upon Times Square in New York City eager to join in the festivities. And when Will spies two lonely strangers in the crowd, he decides midnight is the perfect time to lend a heavenly helping hand. Lucie Farrara and Aren Fairchild meet after bumping into each other—seemingly by accident—in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. They immediately hit it off and find they have a lot in common: Lucie is a burgeoning chef and Aren is a respected food critic. But just as quickly as they’re brought together, another twist of fate tears them apart, leaving Lucie and Aren with no way to reconnect. A year later, Lucie is the chef of an acclaimed new restaurant and Aren is a successful columnist for a major New York newspaper. For all the time that’s passed, the two have not forgotten their one serendipitous evening—and neither have Shirley, Goodness, Mercy, and Will. To reunite the young couple, the angels cook up a brilliant plan: mix true love, a second chance, and a generous sprinkle of mischief to create an unforgettable Christmas miracle. Praise for Angels at the Table “This delightful mix of romance, humor, hope and happenstance is the perfect recipe for holiday cheer.”—Examiner “Rings in Christmas in tried-and-true Macomber style, with romance and a touch of heavenly magic.”—Kirkus Reviews “The angels’ antics are a hugely hilarious and entertaining bonus to a warm love story.”—Bookreporter “[A] sweetly charming holiday romance.”—Library Journal