Books
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Review of “The Final Summit”
Read this book! Andy Andrews is a master story-teller, and The Final Summit proves that, captivating the reader through one simple story for well over 200 pages. I told my wife that I considered this to be a life-changing book, due to its thought-provoking nature. The main character in the story, David Ponder, is brought to a summit meeting with nearly countless historical figures. Most are well known, but a few are important, though slightly unknown. Their mission is to come up with a statement–just one statement–that will bring mankind out of difficulty. The story then hinges on the intense discussion and debate among these characters as they try to nail…
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Review of “The Walk”
Though not my favorite football player of the last few years, I have heard of Shaun Alexander’s faith for some years, so this book intrigued me. The Walk is Alexander’s “path” to spiritual maturity, one through which he has led men around the country, both in private studies and in more public speaking engagements. One positive of the book is that it does not focus on Alexander to football player as some sort of “proof” that he is a religious man. Far too many athletes are given a pass in the realm of religion, just because they can run fast or do other amazing feats. While the book obviously mentions…
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Five More Reviews, as I Try to Catch Up
Here are some more book reviews to start your week. ———————————— Getting Through the Tough Stuff Charles Swindoll W Publishing (2004), 231 pages It had been some time since I had read a book by Swindoll, so I was happy to add this one to my list. Getting Through the Tough Stuff is meant to show us that we can get through anything, simply because Jesus did. Each of the book’s 14 chapters deals with a different area of life that is “tough” (anxiety, divorce, prejudice, disqualification, etc.) and shows from Scripture how Christ handled these areas. As always, Swindoll’s conversational style makes the book easy to absorb, and a…
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Reviews to Start Your Week
Wow, am I behind on book reviews! These will be brief, and they won’t be all the books I’ve read since the last set of reviews, but they’ll help me start catching up. —————————– The 5 Love Languages Gary Chapman Northfield Publishing, 1992; revised in 2010 (201 pages) Leah and I read this together for our weekly devotionals, and it was an extremely helpful book. While I think most couples know at least some of the information in Chapman’s book, his writing helps to cement what “language” each partner uses, and also provides very helpful tips in helping to “speak” the proper language. Each chapter is brief, and is perfect…
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“The Soul of C.S. Lewis” Book Review
A collection of writings from multiple C.S. Lewis works, The Soul of C.S. Lewis is meant to be a devotional book, but with many more “devotions” than most books of that type. The book gives passages from 26 different works from Lewis, from children’s works to deeply theological and apologetic works. After each quotation, there is a discussion of how that quote fits into the overall work. Following that, there is a devotional application for the reader to consider throughout the day. Finally, there is a verse of Scripture. Each one of these readings, except for a few, fit onto one page, making them a good devotional for the reader,…
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“The Fight of Our Lives” (Book Review)
William J. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn’s 2011 book was a great read. The Fight of Our Lives deals with the threat of radical Islam to America, and, to be more specific, is written as a wake-up call for those who are simply being tolerant of all that radical Islam presents. The book’s research is impeccable, and while 186 pages on this one topic may seem to be too much, there have been so many news items over the past few years on this front that the book is relevant and interesting. What continues to amaze me as I study this subject is how many are simply turning a blind eye…
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5 Reviews to Start Your Week
Here are the five latest books I have finished reading in a word-for-word fashion. I hope you find these helpful and informative. ——————————————- The Rocket that Fell to Earth Jeff Pearlman Harper Collins, 2009 (348 pages) Pearlman’s biography is Roger Clemens was an interesting read. Clemens, no matter how you measure it, was one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball history. His reputation was tarnished by being tied to the steroid and human growth hormone story in the early 2000s, though. This book walks the reader through the fiery biography of this man. It is a very gritty read, but, as a sport’s fan, one I enjoyed reading.…
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Review, Review, Review
It has been awhile since I reviewed books, and there are a lot that have been completed. Here are a few of them to begin catching up. ———————————— Won by Love Norma McCorvey (with Gary Thomas) Thomas Nelson, 1998 (244 pages) The name Norma McCorvey might not strike you, but the name “Jane Roe” certainly would. McCorvey is the famous name attached to the landmark Supreme Court case legalizing abortion. In this book, McCorvey simply tells her story, but it is a unique story. You see, eventually, McCorvey was “won” by the love of Christ and of His followers. She totally despises the abortion industry, and speaks out against it…
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Quite a Story!
The Faith of Ronald Reagan is a story that intrigued me from page one. As one who has admired President Reagan for years, this title was interesting to me. I am always interested in finding out what motivates those who lead, so this book served that purpose, at least to a point, for learning more about what motivated Reagan. Mary Beth Brown tries to show that the faith in Christ that Reagan was taught as a child remained with him throughout his years, from college to Hollywood to politics, and ultimately to the Presidency. At times, it seems to me that she stretches just a bit too far in trying…
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A Common Bond
Just as only lawyers can really understand lawyers and nurses can only understand other nurses, only a preacher can really understand the life of a preacher. That’s one reason preachers like to get together. When we get together, we laugh, tell stories, and feel a connection that is hard to describe. A few years ago, Paula Harrington compiled a book for preachers’ wives. My mom was one of the contributors to that book, which was a collection of quotes, tips, advice, and stories. Now, our sister Paula has done it again, this time turning our attention to the preachers themselves. Her new book, A Common Bond, is a collection of…
