Graces: Prayers and Poems for Everyday Meals and Special Occasions at Chef2Chef

Seeing the need for such inspiration at her family's table, June Cotner-a best-selling author The Home Design Handbook-compiled a notebook of poems, prayers and songs that she solicited from friends, strangers, family members and ministers. She has turned her family's well-worn notebook into this elegantly packaged edition, which can take a rightful place on the table complementing the finest of table settings.

Arranged by 13 themes, the book contains poems, prayers, songs, invocations and salutations by figures as diverse as Leunig and Browning, Emerson and Starhawk, Kahlil Gibran and Schweitzer. Whether the call is for a Sanskrit salutation to the dawn, a Gaelic blessing or an ancient Chinese prayer, Graces offers fitting words for every occasion.

Cotner drew from her collection of 133 original, traditional and multicultural blessings in compiling the book. Realizing that one of the rewards of family dinner-or group dinners-is the fellowship, these blessings offer an opportunity to share wisdom and insight with family and friends before, during or after meals or special gatherings. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: Graces: Prayers for Everyday Meals and Special Occasions (Hardcover) The author/editor of this wonderful little book, June Cotner, writes in the introduction that the genesis of this book was a collection of mealtime graces she and her family compiled to get away from the same-old-same-old rote prayers. Convinced by others that many would appreciate such a book for their own use, Cotner set about gathering prayers and inspiration from people around the country, both in response to solicitations put in writing journals and to word-of-mouth contacts with friends, family and neighbours. Prayers and graces were received from people of all backgrounds, ages, cultures, religions -- all over the country, people from childhood to their nineties gave Cotner more than she could ever include. Cotner likened the process to being a gardener with a bounty of flowers from which she had to delight to pick a bouquet. The prayers are not merely mealtime graces, although there is a nice selection of these. Prayers for every time and occasion, even some for no particular occasion, are contained here. From the Sanskit Salutation of the Dawn to prayers of Hannukah and Advent and the four seasons, there are many prayers to choose from here in this wonderful collection. Some prayers are specifically for children, a nice section in the middle of the text. The words are simple and the meanings plain yet elegant and meaningful. There are traditional and modern graces, Jewish and Native American prayers, musical graces and contemplative prayers. Included among the original, previously-unpublished prayers are inspirational pieces from traditional liturgies, poets and spiritual persons of the past. William Blake and Helen Keller, Kahlil Gibran and Thomas Aquinas each make appearances here. This is a wonderful collection, an inspired set of readings for private, family and community devotion. Comment | Permalink | (Report this)