BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 2 April 2019 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – THE BAGGAGE HANDLER by DAVID RAWLINGS
TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – THE BAGGAGE HANDLER by DAVID RAWLINGS
Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Baggage Handler by David Rawlings with JustRead Publicity Tours!
Title: The Baggage Handler
Author: David Rawlings
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Magical Realism / Christian Allegory Fiction
Release Date: March 5, 2019
THE BLURB:
In a similar vein to The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews or Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory, The Baggage Handler is a contemporary story that explores one question: What baggage are you carrying?
A hothead businessman coming to the city for a showdown meeting to save his job.
A mother of three hoping to survive the days at her sister’s house before her niece’s wedding.
And a young artist pursuing his father’s dream so he can keep his own alive.
When David, Gillian, and Michael each take the wrong suitcase from baggage claim, the airline directs them to retrieve their bags at a mysterious facility in a deserted part of the city. There they meet the enigmatic Baggage Handler, who shows them there is more in their baggage than what they have packed, and carrying it with them is slowing them down in ways they can’t imagine. And they must deal with it before they can leave.
In this modern-day parable about the burdens that weigh us down, David Rawlings issues an inspiring invitation to lighten the load.
LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Christian Book | iTunes
MY REVIEW:
AH-mazing story! Profound truths!
Not since Looking Glass Lies by Varina Denman (2017) has a book touched me so deeply. No, this book probed into me. Made me look at myself and examine my soul. Forced me to see things—baggage—I thought were long gone…
Mr. Rawlings takes his characters—and the reader—on a deep heart journey.
The prose of this story is artistic, the impact deep and profound. Each of the three main characters, David, Gillian, and Michael, met the Baggage Handler in a seeming logistical mix-up.
Mr. Rawlings has each of the three unpack the contents of their baggage and examine it. In true parable form, as the characters see what they’ve been toting around, so, too, does the reader.
This reviewer identified readily with Gillian, recognizing some of the baggage she owned. My heart squeezed as she struggled against the weight of it, resisting, even, the desire to release her grip on it.
Michael, too, carried baggage familiar to this reviewer. Not so much David; David’s baggage made me sad. (no spoilers)
A remarkable book, a story wonderfully crafted, three lives intersected and three stories woven into one.
I had the pleasure of interviewing David a couple of years ago.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
ROBIN’S FEATHERS:
ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
THE AUTHOR:
David Rawlings is an Australian author, and a sports-mad father of three who loves humor and a clever turn of phrase. Over a 25-year career he has put words on the page to put food on the table, developing from sports journalism and copywriting to corporate communication. Now in fiction, he entices readers to look deeper into life with stories that combine the everyday with a sense of the speculative, addressing the fundamental questions we all face.
I had the pleasure of interviewing David a couple of years ago.
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR: website | facebook | instagram
TOUR GIVEAWAY
We’re collecting all the Baggage Passport Stamps to get rid of! Collect them all and enter the giveaway below. Each stop will have a unique stamp. Just enter the word(s) you’ll find on each stamp for more chances to win!
(1) winner will win:
- a hardcover copy of The Baggage Handler,
- a book tote from the publisher, Thomas Nelson
- and a $15 Amazon Gift Card!
Be sure to check out each stop on this tour for more chances to win. Giveaway begins at midnight April 1, 2019 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 8, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US mailing addresses valid. For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.
The stamp you’re collecting from this stop is:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
robinsnest212 - stories by design 
Oh my , this is on my list now. We all have this to different extremes. Thank you for your post today.
Lori! You won’t be disappointed!!
I loved this book. Makes you look deep inside. I wish everyone would read it.
Me too, Lucy!!