book review: Song of the Brokenhearted by Sheila Walsh & Cindy Coloma

A snippet from the Book Description:

Ava’s safe world becomes unanchored, and she is forced to face the childhood she’s run away from her entire life. Just as she’s trying to sift through the pieces, the doorbell rings and Ava is confronted with the surprise of her life.


Ava must set out on a journey that takes her back home—something Ava hasn’t done in twenty years. As she travels across the state of Texas, strangers offer her kindness and remind her of the meaning of hope and forgiveness.

My Review:
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Ava has come a long way from her hurtful childhood in Sheila Walsh and Cindy Coloma’s latest book Song of the Brokenhearted. Now the perfect image of someone who has it all together, Ava runs the Broken Hearts Ministry out of her Dallas church with compassion and smooth efficiency.

But no sooner are we clued in to her student daughter Sienna’s impending wedding, her high school son Jason’s prowess at football, and husband Dane’s successful business when things begin to fall apart in an almost Job-like way.

By the end of the story Ava is at the point of herself needing help from Broken Hearts as she faces the broken pieces of her life and, worse, feels compelled to revisit her painful past even though she  has to do it in the old VW van and without a credit card in sight.

The setting and day-to-day activities of this middle-aged urbanite and her family felt believable and easy to relate to. I especially enjoyed the description of Ava’s impulsive road trip through Texas near the book’s end. Meeting her quirky family was a delight for me, even though it gave her no pleasure. 

The way Ava’s past came back to haunt her is a lesson to us all that we ignore a painful past at our peril. On the other hand, the story illustrates that there are treasures to be mined even from hurt and God, in His surprising way, can turn old torments into healings and a new start.

(I received this book as a gift from the publisher for the purpose of writing a review.)


Book Facts:

Title: Song of the Brokenhearted
Author: Sheila Walsh & Cindy Coloma
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, paperback & Kindle, August 21, 2012.
 ISBN-10: 1595546871 
ISBN-13: 978-1595546876

book review: Ascent From Darkness by Michael Leehan

“One Saturday afternoon as I sat on my red corduroy couch my heart filled with anger toward a God who seemed distant, even cruel. My tiny snatches of knowledge about this God of the Bible had built the picture of a tyrant in my mind’s eye…. Hadn’t God created a fear-based system with the threat of hell that forced people to bend their knees to Him, not out of love, but out of self-preservation? ….

Finally, I said, ‘God, I will not serve You. I will not serve a God of fear and punishment, who forces His victims into submission. I will serve the dark side.’ And I blurted out, ‘Satan, come into my life. You are now my god. Use me, have me, and control me for your purposes.” (Michael Leehan, Ascent From Darkness, Kindle Location 478)

Michael Leehan describes the incident, above, in his book Ascent from Darkness: How Satan’s Soldier Became God’s Warrior. His decision to serve Satan that Saturday was the culmination of years of disappointment and turmoil. His painful, undisciplined childhood was followed by a youth dominated by pain-killers and alcohol. His marriage began happily but ended in divorce after nine years leaving him hurt, lonely, and missing his three young kids. It was shortly after the divorce that he decided to give his life to Satan.

Most of Ascent From Darkness is a description of the next 20 years of Leehan’s life, spent in satanic servitude. It is a disturbing account of occultic entanglement, showing a dedication on his part that would put many Christians to shame. He did things like buy and carry copies of the Satanic Bible to put in church sanctuaries and Sunday School room, and infiltrate Bible studies and home groups to sow theological confusion and seduce women. At one point he observed a long fast to gain spiritual power. His arms were scarred from the numerous cuts he inflicted on himself while absorbed in spirit communication. His deepening involvement led to daytime blackouts when he channeled spirits and nights disturbed by spooky phenomena, fear, and torment. He obsessed over how to carry out his assignment to kill his girlfriend’s pastor and then commit suicide himself.

He eventually broke free in a miraculous encounter with God—an ending that made this dark book worth reading. Though some have criticized it because it deals almost exclusively with the dark years of Leehan’s life, I found the book a worthwhile read for other reasons as well:

• It disclosed the fearful price that Satan exacts in loyalty, obedience and servitude.

• It showed how Satan's promises are lies.

• It illustrated, by contrast, the light, life, freedom, and joy we have in Christ—things it's easy for us to take for granted, until we've experienced (vicariously, through reading about it was experience enough for me) what life on the dark side is like.

• It gave insight into what may be behind many of our society's bizarre and self-destructive behaviours (like the prevalence of cutting, the spirit of lust that has not only taken down lay-Christians but many pastors too, and rampant suicide) and gave clues as to how to minister to demonically oppressed people.

• Mike's spiritual zeal for and commitment to the dark side puts me to shame as I compare it to my zeal and commitment to Jesus.

Mike Leehan’s own words about why he wrote the book are powerful and instructive for those curious about the occult and those wanting to warn loved ones about the dangers of getting involved in it or help them break free from it:

"I have learned the only thing that evil can take over is darkness. Darkness invades our lives when we shut out the light of God's love. But where there is light, there cannot be darkness. Light pierces darkness and illuminates the truth.

We must realize that we are in a world that is spiritually intertwined. There is more to our existence than the obvious. We must open our eyes to see the spiritual realm, which is very real and very powerful. And we must learn the weapons of our adversary, not only to avoid becoming ensnared by darkness but to be able to reach into that darkness to rescue others, like me, with the light. We are instruments of change. We are powerful vessels carrying an eternal cargo of either life or death.

The reason for sharing my story in this book is to demonstrate the power of God over Satan and to show how merciful a God we have in heaven. To give Him the glory and praise, and to demonstrate the power of love over fear, to show the love our Father has for us, to let God's light expose the darkness—but mainly to facilitate the hope that by reading this story, people might turn to the King of Kings!" - Mike Leehan, Ascent from Darkness, Kindle Location 3462.

Title: Ascent From Darkness: How Satan’s Soldier Became Christ’s Warrior

Author: Michael Leehan

Publisher: Thomas Nelson, October 4, 2011, Paperback, 272 pages (Kindle version 441 KB).

·  ISBN-10: 0849947030

·  ISBN-13: 978-0849947032

I received this book as a gift from the publisher for the purpose of writing a review.

Linked to Semicolon Blog - Saturday Review of Books: July 21.

the aging artist

"America grows older yet stays focused on its young. Whatever hill we try to climb, we're over it by fifty — and should that hill involve entertainment or athletics we're finished long before. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, but supermodels and newscasters, ingenues and football players all yield to the harsh tyranny of time. They turn on Fortune's wheel. Look what happens to the overnight sensation or pick of the week or fashion of the season or rookie of the year. First novels have a better chance of being noticed than a fourth or fifth. Although we're aging as a nation we don't do it willingly: The face-lift and the tummy-tuck are — against the law of gravity — on a commercial rise....

"This book is about tribal elders in the world of art. What interests me is lastingness: how it may be attained. For obvious reasons, this has become a personal matter; I published my first novel in 1966 and very much hope to continue. Too, such hope feels representative: a "generational" problem in both senses of the word. An ever-growing number of Americans are middle-aged or elderly; no natural catastrophe has thinned our swelling ranks. And the habit of creation does not die, so there are more who paint the sunset or take piano lessons or hunt the perfect end-rhyme at day's end. Our generation, like all others, yearns to produce some something that continues — and the generative impulse, when artistic, lingers on."

So begins the Introduction to Nicholas Delbanco's book Lastingness: The Art of Old Age. In it he explores how aging affects artists. He extracts thoughts about aging artists, their processes and persistence from people like Monet (who had cataracts) and John Updike who was still at work on writing projects when he died  in 2009 at 76 years of age.

An article about Delbanco's book on the NPR site explores some of the book's ideas as well as treating us to a 6-minute interview with Delbanco.



 The three questions Delbanco asked John Updike were:

1. How have your work habits changed at present from the days when you were an apprentice to the trade?


2. How have your aspirations changed; do you think of a day's work as "more of the same" or have you set yourself different goals?



3. Can you point me to a passage — or passages — in your own writing which deals with these issues, either head-on or obliquely?

Here's a snippet from Updike's answer to #3.:

"By and large what lasts best is the most concrete, the most actual, delivering to the reader a piece of earth and humanity. Aesthetic flourishes fade and wrinkle, though they may get attention when new. A blunt sincerity outlasts finely honed irony, I would think. An ability to see over the heads of important contemporary issues into the simple truth of daily life is what we can respond to a century later. . . ."

Read Updike's complete answers HERE (partway down the page).

How would you answer the questions Delbanco asked Updike?
*************


Related: 

• A Bible thought:

"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life."  - Galatians 6:4-5 (Message)

• Liesel Mueller has written a wonderful poem about Monet and his vision problems. "Monet Refuses the Operation" begins:

Doctor, you say there are no haloes
around the streetlights in Paris
and what I see is an aberration
caused by old age, an affliction.
I tell you it has taken me all my life
to arrive at the vision of gas lamps as angels,
to soften and blur and finally banish
the edges you regret I don't see,
to learn that the line I called the horizon
does not exist and sky and water,
so long apart, are the same state of being . . .

Read entire...

celebrate Canada Day with a Canadian book

 Sunday is Canada Day! What better way to celebrate than with a book by Canadian authors? A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider is just such a book. I highly recommend it.

The book's cover description is followed by my review (first published in Faith Today earlier this year).

The much-anticipated sequel to Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stir the Heart and Warm the Soul.

Features:
• A unique collection of inspirational stories, poems and articles
• Real stories, real people, real faith
• Great writing
• Honesty and vulnerability combined with hope
• Well-known, experienced writers and passionate, new writers
• Gentle humor, warm encouragement, and stimulating challenges
• Attractive, gift book layout

My review:

Some books surprise you with their ability to take your breath away. A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider is such a book. This anthology of 51 short pieces (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and even a play) was written by 37 members of The Word Guild (a Canadian organization of writers, editors, publishers, and speakers who are Christian).

I was impressed with the honesty, transparency, and raw life portrayed, especially in the true stories. We meet a host of fellow Canadians—our neighbors—whose lives are as unpredictable as our own.  A mother of young children gets a diagnosis of cancer. A 36-year-old magazine editor has a stroke. A man who is forced to take early retirement asks, what’s next? A woman prays for patience and a few days later breaks her back. A man tries to surprise his wife with a five-day bathroom renovation. What binds all the pieces together is a cord of faith as we see how God is involved in the very real circumstances of life.

The book is wonderfully Canadian with its representation of writers from across the country. It reflects Canada’s mosaic-like population with its pieces from the First Nations perspective to the home-born Canadian to the immigrant, the young to the old, the urban to the rural. Though the writing styles are varied, the book was skillfully edited to preserve the individual voices while providing a smooth read with few technical or stylistic distractions.

The short selections makes this a perfect book for even indifferent readers. It would be a fabulous addition to an office waiting room, your beside table, briefcase, backpack, or purse.  But be sure to buy more than one, for you will probably have the urge to share this gem of a collection with others.

Find about more about this series on the Hot Apple Cider books website.

Title: A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stimulate the Mind and Delight the Spirit

Editors: N. J. Lindquist and Wendy Elaine Nelles

That’s Life! Communications, 2011

336 pages

$19.99 (paper)

This  book is submitted to Semicolon Blog Saturday Review of Books, June 30, 2012 where links to many more book reviews are available.

book review: Simple Secrets to a Happy Life by Luci Swindoll

Title: Simple Secrets to a Happy Life
Author: Luci Swindoll

Excerpts from the Amazon product description of Simple Secrets to a Happy Life

"Is it possible to stay full of life, laughter, love, and the Lord through eight decades in this crazy world? Is that even realistic? Yes! There is hope, and Luci Swindoll is living proof.

 With heart and humor, this best-selling author and beloved speaker lays out the truths that can help us all become a little more creative, organized, healthy, and happy. This is not a complex prescription for how to become superwoman. These are simple secrets, the wisdom produced by years of walking with God and living well....

Luci has spent eight decades accumulating the stories, memories, verses, and practical tips that make up Simple Secrets to a Happy Life. Whether traveling the world or building life-long friendships, singing in the opera or working for Mobil Oil, every step has taught her a little more about how to love God, love her neighbor, and love herself."

 My review:

The title of Luci Swindoll’s latest book, Simple Secrets to a Happy Life, does a good job of describing this inspiring and practical volume. In it the almost-octogenarian author shares fifty of those secrets under the broad headings of The Basics, Developing Your Style, Achieving Balance, Living a Good Life, and Staying Connected.

In addition to topics one would expect to see in this type of book (like “Let people know you care,” “Write down the important things,” and “Look for ways to help”) are surprises like, “Know for sure you’re insured,” “Cook something special for yourself,” and “Draw a picture to understand” (where she suggests sketching and drawing as activities to help us understand what we see in the world around us).

Swindoll’s writing style is warm, friendly, and encouraging. The stories she tells on herself make the book relatable to life, interesting, and authoritative. Sometimes they add humor. But more often than not they have an “ouch” quality that makes it easy to see why they have stuck with her and underline the important life-lesson they illustrate. For example, there was the time she got an invitation for breakfast from a co-worker, said she’d attend, but come Saturday morning simply stayed away, rationalizing that it wasn't all that important. Later she discovered that her friend had anticipated her visit all week, prepared for it at length, and was deeply hurt by her no-show — told in Chapter Two: “Be On Time for Everything.”)

Themes that flow through her “Secrets” are contentment, gratitude, generosity, faith, openness to adventure, common sense, self-awareness, independence, hospitality, and graciousness. It is inspirational cover-to-cover with an uplifting and positive take-away for whatever life-stage you’re in.

Simple Secrets to a Happy Life would be good to read any time, but would be an especially great choice for when you are at a life crossroads like graduation, starting a new career, marriage, retirement, or simply as preparation for making the next set of New Year’s Resolutions. Rereading it annually probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either! Now, where did I put my sketch book and pencils?

(I received a digital copy of this book as a gift from the publisher for the purpose of writing a review.)

Book facts: (Hardcover edition)
Title: Simple Secrets to a Happy Life
Author: Luci Swindoll
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, March 13, 2012, 224 pages.

• ISBN-10: 1400203538
• ISBN-13: 978-1400203536

book review: A Passion for God by Lyle Dorsett

Title: A Passion for God: The Spiritual Journey of A. W. Tozer
Author: Lyle Dorsett

Cover copy:

"Pastor A. W. Tozer, author of the Christian classics The Pursuit of God and The Knowledge of the Holy, was a complex, intensely private, deeply spiritual man, and a gifted preacher whose impact for the kingdom of God is immeasurable. In this thoughtful biography, bestselling author Lyle Dorsett traces Tozer's life from his humble beginnings as a Pennsylvania farm boy to his heyday as a Chicago pastor- when hundreds of college students would travel to his South Side church to hear him preach and thousands more heard his Sunday broadcasts on WMBI- to his final pastorate in Toronto.

From his conversion as a teen to his death in 1963, Tozer remained true to one passion: to know the Father and make Him known, no matter what the cost. The price he paid was loneliness, censure from other, more secular-minded ministers of the times, and even a degree of estrangement from his family. Read the life story of a flawed but gifted saint, whose works are still impacting the world today."

My impressions:

I sought this book out when I heard about it. I was for many years a part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance denomination, where A. W. Tozer was regular fare. I have read his books and many are part of my library. Now I almost wish I hadn't read this biography. For it has taken the gilt off Tozer for me.

My greatest disappointment in reading about Tozer was that he was, well, every bit as human as all of us are. His humanness displayed itself in the somewhat thoughtless and cold relationship he had with his wife. Oh, I know it was a different era, and men treated their wives differently during those days. Still ...

I felt sorry for Ada, about whom Clara Moore (the young wife of a youth pastor who served alongside Tozer in the 1950s remembered: "Mrs. Tozer coming to church freezing from the long cold walks in the winter" because Aiden refused to buy a car (A Passion For God, Kindle Location 1775).

Author Dorsett summarizes, "The conclusion is inescapable that the more time Tozer spent with God, and said yes to invitations to travel and speak, he drove a wider gulf between himself and Ada .... Neither the seven children nor the men who know Aiden well believed he was intentionally hurtful. On the contrary, everyone was convinced he loved his wife. But he hurt her deeply and apparently did it throughout their marriage" (Ada's 1973-1974 letters are cited as source material here, KL 1782).

After Tozer died in 1963, his wife remarried. Several years later she summarized her view of Aiden and their relationship: "'My husband was so close to God, a man of such deep prayer, always on his knees, that he could not communicate with me or our family. No one knew what a lonely life I had especially after the kids left home.'


How ironic and sad that Ada Tozer experienced such loneliness when Aiden was overheard commenting to a pastor not long before he died, 'I've had a lonely life'" (KL 2152).

Of course the book details as well Tozer's many good points—his piety, his intelligence, his popularity, his magnetism, his disdain for public opinion, and his wisdom. He was exceedingly well-read, refusing to let the sensitivities of some curtail his reading list. He was much criticized for reading early Catholic writers, for example. But he kept reading them anyway: "These saints from Tozer's angle of vision, knew the Lord intimately and he learned from their writings about drawing closer to Christ—even if he did not agree with everything they believed" ( KL 2074).

All in all, I would say that A Passion for God is more a realistic than sanitized, picture of a modern saint whose influence continues into our time.

book review: Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

Title: Heaven is for Real

Author: Todd Burpo

Cover copy:

"A young boy emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven. Heaven is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.


Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how reaally big God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit shoots down power from heaven to help us. Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle."

My impressions:

This book has been on the NY Best Seller list for weeks and weeks and I decided to read it to see what all the fuss is about. It's the story of four-year-old Colton Burpo who experienced a near-death event during emergency surgery for an infected appendix.

After he recovered, Colton's memories of seeing angels and a visit to heaven stunned his parents. Over time more and more details trickled out as Colton volunteered information, and his parents questioned him for more. Todd Burpo, Colton's father and the book's author, often relays Colton's details of heaven together with scripture passages that explain or substantiate what the little boy described.

Like all books that describe heaven, I believe we need to read this one with a wait-and-see attitude. For certain, we need to refrain from building our theology of heaven and the after-life on such reported experiences. However, it is interesting to me that several books reporting experiences of heaven say similar things.

For me one test of the value of such an experience is what difference did it make in the life or lives of the people who lived it. When Todd and Sonja Burpo were asked that question, here were some of the things they mentioned:

1. Colton's illness taught them how to be humble and accept help from others.

2. Todd Burpo: "Another way Colton's story has changed us is this: we are bolder. We live in a day and time when people question the existence of God. As a pastor, I was always comfortable talking about my faith, but now in addition, I talk about what happened to my son. It's the truth and I talk about it, no apologies" - page 153.

3. In addition, Colton (now 11 years old) has a new boldness and certainty about God and heaven, reflected in the book's title, which he suggested:
Book editor: Colton, what do you want people to know from your story?
Colton: I want them to know that heaven is for real. (Heaven is for Real pp. 153,154).

book review: Journey on the Hard Side of Miracles by Steven Stiles

I have, in the last year since getting my Kindle e-reader, read many books that I never got around to reviewing. In way that's a shame (for me) because I find I gain a whole lot by going through the review process. It certainly helps me recall books in a way that simply reading them never does.

So I have decided in the next little while, to write mini-reviews of at least some of these books. I will start with cover copy, and follow it up with a few of my own impressions.

Today's book is one I have just finished:

Title: Journey on the Hard Side of Miracles
Author: Steven Stiles

Cover copy:

"We had been WARNED, but we had only wanted to serve God. The truth was that not one person had a clue what would actually happen when we first boarded that tired old bus. With two hundred easy miles to our destination, there was little cause for concern. Yet somehow, despite every effort, our humble band of Jesus People never got there—and we never really found our way home.


Wandering for years, and struggling deep on the hard side of miracles, we knew we must not turn back, for every mountain climbed, every desert crossed, every dark valley and peaceful place of rest revealed an unseen Traveler, the One to whom the journey belonged.


There is a reason to listen to the Shepherd. There is a reason to stay close."

My impressions:

This was an interesting account of a group of Santa Cruz Jesus People who had their beginnings in the Hippie movement of the early '70s. They performed concerts for youth groups and did street ministry around the U.S. using a couple of re-purposed school buses as transportation. Later they set up a church and ministry centre which focused on helping people in crisis from addiction, mental health, and family issues. New Life Centre in Santa Cruz, California continues to this day.

The miraculous happenings that accompanied their travels (and which often involved those school buses) were truly remarkable. But more than the focus on unusual events, I appreciated author Steven Stiles' approach to such miracles. Over and over he emphasized the fact that God performs miracles not for our convenience or comfort, but for His purposes—which often remain inexplicable. In his own words:

"I have come to believe that those special miracles that shake our preconceived realities, and even those quiet miracles we may see day by day, are not for entertainment purposes. They are memories to be cherished, lessons to be learned, and counsel to receive.


They cause our knees to bend and our hearts to yield. They are a privilege to see, and they tell us, sometimes when we need to hear it most, that nothing can or ever will happen in our lives unless it is allowed by the Good Shepherd" - Steven Stiles, Journey on the Hard Side of Miracles, p. 10.

I downloaded this as a Kindle book when it was free. I see it is now $.99. What a bargain for such a faith-building read! (It is also available in paperback and in other e-book formats at Smashwords)

book review: Shadowed in Silk by Christine Lindsay

Abby Fraser has one dream and that is to return to India and make a home for her British soldier husband Nick and their 3-year-old son Cam. But when Nick doesn’t answer her telegrams and isn’t there to meet her at the Bombay dock, she begins to have forebodings.

Thanks to fellow passenger Major Geoff Richards, who is also part of the 1918 British force in India, she is delivered safely to Nick’s home in Amritsar — the home she dreamed he was preparing just for her. But there, more cruel surprises await. Nick doesn’t seem a bit pleased to see her. He is preoccupied and distracted. And at night the servants take her, not to the master bedroom (that smells mysteriously of jasmine) but to a side room with a single bed.

Shadowed in Silk, a debut novel by Christine Lindsay, follows Abby and Nick’s stumbling relationship against the backdrop of restless times as the Indian people chafe under British rule. We witness the lavish lifestyle of the occupiers and cringe at their haughty treatment of the natives.

There is an element of intrigue as one of the British soldiers is a double agent—a Russian spy. Suspense mounts as we see his ruthless Russian side and try to figure out which of the Brits is the imposter. Through Geoff’s Indian friends Miriam and Eshana and their Christian mission, Abby finds meaningful work and the support she so badly needs to carry on in the charade of her marriage in front of the other officers and their wives.

The characters are interesting, complex and well-drawn. Main character Abby is likeable with just enough strength of personality to make her convincing as the daughter of a general, yet not too much to make her modernly independent. Nick is mysterious and unsafe. Geoff is strong, silent, secretive, and hurt.

The exotic Indian setting was a highlight of the book for me. Here, for example, is Lindsay’s description of Abby’s introduction to India:

“As soon as the liner stopped, it was as though an oven door dropped open, and hot air rushed in. On the quay, a kaleidoscope of color and humanity dazzled Abby’s eyes — Hindu women in saris of every hue, hot pinks, ochre yellows, lime greens. Parsee women wore their skirts of equally brilliant shades, their black hair ornamented with lace and gold. People balanced immense bundles on their heads. Bengali clerks rushed here and there, wearing yards of white muslin and Hindu caps, while other men wore turbans or solar topis. On the dock, uniformed soldiers joined the throng. So many people. She had forgotten that claustrophobic feeling, the teeming press of millions. But she loved it” – Kindle location 220.

The Indian words for food, clothing, religious practices, etc., that pepper the text (and for which there is a glossary) add authenticity. Though I am not familiar with the historical setting, other reviewers praise the book for its accuracy.

The Christian angle of the book is prominent, yet handled with a deft touch. Miriam, Eshana and, Geoff live their faith more than talk about it, demonstrating compassion, charity, service and forgiveness in some truly testy circumstances.

For an authentic experience of an interesting time in British history lived through believable, sympathetic characters, Shadowed in Silk is an excellent choice.

View the book trailer.

Read Chapter One of Shadowed in Silk.

Title: Shadowed in Silk
Author: Christine Lindsay
Publisher: WhiteFire Publishing, September 2011, paperback, 276 pages
ISBN-10: 0976544490
ISBN-13: 978-0976544494



(Review first posted on Blogcritics.)

This post is linked at Semicolon Saturday Review of Books, January 28th where you will find links to many more book reviews.

book review: Light Under the House by Aaron L. and Donna Dawson

Light under the House by Aaron L. and Donna Dawson is a family saga in which we follow several generations of the Levi/Quince clan. We see how the decisions and choices of one era impact the next, and witness how the results of bad choices expand to impact many beyond the family circle.

The story starts out simply, almost like a fable or parable (the opening scenes reminded me of the story of the Prodigal Son from the Bible). However, it soon becomes much more complicated and unpredictable as fantasy and paranormal elements enter the plot. In some places the writing reminded me of apocalyptic passages from the Old Testament prophets and Revelation. Other scenes took me back to Pilgrim’s Progress. In still other places I saw similarities to modern tales where characters go in search of religious artifacts (e.g. The Ark by Boyd Morrison).

The book is labeled Christian suspense, but overt Christian content is practically non-existent until the last few chapters. Though there are references to biblical imagery in various places (the biblical character Jezebel figures prominently in the book; in one vision John Quince sees a lamb; in another a stone crashes into and topples an idol; and in still another he experiences an ever-rising flood of water), the meaning of these story elements is never explained.

I wasn’t sure if the authors were attempting to evoke the Bible themes they suggested or were using these scenes as a simple link to the Bible, as in causing us to ask: Where have I seen that before? Ah, the Bible. By the end we discover that the Jezebel theme is meant to convey all that that character conveyed in the Bible. Similarly, the theme of light and dark — note the title — runs true to biblical form.

In trying to understand my reaction to the book, something writer Sol Stein says about reading and writing came to mind: “…the reader most wants an experience different from and richer than what he daily abides in life …. Good writing is supposed to evoke the sensation in the reader, not the fact that it’s raining, but the feeling of being rained upon” – Stein on Writing, p. 8.

In that last sense this book has lots of good writing. The description is detailed. The interactions between people are believable. The conversations are realistic. The conflicts are intense. The fights are brutal. The taste of blood is metallic...

The trouble is, I didn’t enjoy the amount of time I had to spend submerged in this story’s dark places, amplified because they are portrayed with graphic realism. This story contains a lot of violence, abuse, mayhem, and murder. There are many sexually suggestive scenes. None of the characters is in a good place emotionally, psychologically, or spiritually. Up till two thirds of the way through the book I had to force myself to read on. The story does end on a positive note, though.

According to author Aaron L.'s recent Blogcritics interview, the book is somewhat autobiographical in that it deals with a lot of his personal issues. For someone wrestling with the same demons, the book will no doubt come across differently than it did to me, and may well provide a sense of companionship and hope.

The anything-goes setting was also a problem for me. So many things just happened out of the blue. For example, two characters were in the supposedly secure compound of an estate, but then were assaulted by a host of intruders with not even any puzzlement on the part of the victim as to how they got in. People appeared and disappeared willy nilly. Half the time I didn’t know whether the main character was having a vision or experiencing "reality" — and sometimes neither did he. The journey through the random setting the authors created— a universe in which there seemed to be no rules and anything the writers dreamed up could happen — left me disoriented.

As you can see, this book is not my preferred genre. However, if suspense/fantasy/paranormal is yours, and you like it served up by flawed, edgy characters via a plot that is completely unpredictable, Light under the House may be your cup of tea.

Aaron L. is a newcomer to writing fiction. He was recently interviewed for a Blogcritics article. Donna Dawson is an award-winning Canadian writer and the author of numerous books.

(I received this book as a gift for the purpose of writing a review.)

Title: Light Under the House
Author: Aaron L. and Donna Dawson
Publisher: Ravensbrook Press, October 2011, paperback, 362 pages
ISBN-10: 0615556035
ISBN-13: 978-0615556031

book review: The Third Grace by Deb Elkink

Aglaia Klassen’s jaunt to Paris has been a long time in coming. But now it’s three days away — a business trip for which the main character in Deb Elkink’s debut novel, The Third Grace, has significant plans of her own. On the evening we make her acquaintance she is trying to inveigle from her worldly friend Lou, how one would go about finding someone in that vast city.

When Tina, her country bumpkin mother, bursts upon their little soirée with the embarrassing request that Aglaia take the Bible that Francois left at the farm 15 years ago and return it, Aglaia is beyond humiliated. But the Bible does find its way into her luggage and becomes a magnet once she discovers the notes the French exchange student scribbled in its margins all those years ago.

As she reads them, she is transported back to that summer of young love when she was 17 and sure that Francois’ heart was all hers. She recalls the Greek myths of which the Bible stories they read in youth group reminded him, and finds tucked inside a photo postcard of the Three Graces. The Third Grace, Aglaia, is what Francois called her. That’s why she has not been Mary Grace — the name her parents gave her — for many years.

Much has happened since that crossroads summer at the farm in Nebraska. She has made an impression on the cultural scene in Denver where she works as an up-and-coming costume designer. As far as she’s concerned, her Mennonite past is history despite the longing in her parents’ eyes and their thinly disguised pleas for her help with the farm.

Aglaia’s friend Lou has her own agenda. Their paths get crazily entangled in this story that explores young love, faith, identity, and loyalty to family and friends.

The well-realized characters make The Third Grace a delight. Lou is a devious college prof who we don’t trust from the minute we meet her — though Aglaia wants to and tries to, to our dismay.

Eb, Aglaia’s boss at the costume shop, is an eccentric, wise, father-figure and my personal favorite. His love for the Bible and the Christian classics creates a fine foil for Aglaia's fascination with Greek mythology.

Francois, the charming, lascivious student from the past plays a large role through Aglaia’s memories.

Aglaia’s Mennonite parents ring true, with their homespun sensibilities, their ethnic cuisine, and their Plautdietsch-inflected pronunciations: “trock” and “tanse” for “truck” and “tense,” and Germanisms like “Na jo,” En betje.”

Finally there’s Aglaia herself — talented and ambitious, yet idealistic, wistful, and conflicted in the way she continues to carry the torch for her teenage sweetheart.

Elkink’s writing is a tailored garment of sensuous description, trimmed with just the right words to signal deeper meanings. Note this bit from the opening scene where Aglaia is entertaining Lou in her apartment:

“Aglaia angled her glass and looked into its blood-red interior. Wine was a symbol of communion, she thought, and she was using it with carnal deliberation to seal this relationship that had so much to offer her” p. 12.

Or this snippet describing Aglaia’s relationship with her craft:

“From the time she was a child…she’d hankered to sew. She learned the smell of the flax beneath the linen, savored the variance between silk and wool. She had a habit still of chewing a strand each time she laid out a length of yard goods ready for the shears. She made a sacrament of touching and sniffing and tasting—a sensual adulation” – p. 42.

I wasn’t surprised to learn that Eklink is herself a seamstress and has designed costumes.

I enjoyed this tale for its writing style and literary forays as much as its finely crafted characters. Elkink seems as comfortable recounting Aglaia’s fall from faith and attraction to the occult world of Greek myth as she is describing a scene of teenage infatuation, a Paris bistro, or a child-squirmy kitchen. The story is enriched with quotes from the Bible and Christian luminaries like Saint Augustine, Dante and others through Eb.

For a reading experience as layered and sumptuous as Aglaia’s period costumes, The Third Grace by Deb Elkink won’t disappoint. Could we please have some more?

(I received this book as a gift for the purpose of writing a review.)

Title: The Third Grace
Author: Deb Elkink
Publisher: Greenbrier Book Company, December 2011, paperback, 306 pages
ISBN-10: 1937573001

ISBN-13: 978-1937573003

This review is linked to Saturday Review of Books: January 7, 2012 at Semicolon Blog.

book review: Oxygen by John B. Olson and Randy Ingermanson

I recently took advantage of a cheap Kindle download of John B. Olson and Randy Ingermanson's 2001 novel Oxygen. though I'm not a fan of its genre (near-future scientific thriller), I wanted to see if Snowflake guru Ingermanson could actually write fiction and was attracted by the "Bonus Goodies For Aspiring Authors" included in this edition.

The story is about a space mission to Mars. We meet the main characters—the astronauts—when they are in training before the mission launches. The main male character, Bob is outwardly self-assured but inwardly fearful that he will be axed from the mission. The main female character, scientist, medical doctor, and resourceful woman extraordinaire Valkerie joins the crew late, bumping Josh to the consternation of some. Kennedy and Lex, the other male and female astronauts are mysterious and sometimes appear sinister—all the more because they are not point-of-view characters and we don't know their motivations. Characters are well-developed, believable and to varying degrees sympathetic.

On launch day we experience the bone-shaking liftoff through Valkerie's consciousness and the various mishaps that follow through Valkerie's and Bob's. One of the crisis points of the plot occurs when the ground crew realizes that the bruised space craft hurtling toward Mars doesn't have enough oxygen to get the crew of four safely landed on the red planet. This shortage combined with the hostile setting makes for a fascinating exploration of the psychology of people under pressure, as the astronauts together with mission control decide how to handle their dilemma.

The authors' probing of the themes of trust, loyalty, love, and faith make the story more than just a scientific thrill ride.

I enjoyed it. The authors in their back matter, explain how they did their best to make it a page-turner (John Olson: "I was obsessed with giving the reader the most extreme ride possible. I wanted the tension to be maxed out at every point in every scene of the book..." - Kindle Location 7579) and it certainly was that. In fact, I could have used a little more down-time amidst all the high angst.

The authors also talk about selling their idea to an agent, explain how they researched and wrote the book, then quote parts of their submission (with comments of what they would do differently if they were submitting that proposal today). It was enlightening. This ten-year-old award-winning book stands up well though its now-nearly-upon-us dates (mission launch January 2014) feel a bit spooky.

book review: Fit for Faith by Kimberly Payne

Kimberly Payne’s book Fit for Faith describes a program that develops both physical and spiritual fitness. This holistic program has much to recommend it.

The how-to section that begins the book is divided into three main parts. “Part I: Exercise your body + Exercise your spirit” includes chapters on types of physical exercise (cardio and strength) and spiritual exercise (prayer) with chapters on strategies and goal planning for each. “Part II: Feed your body + Feed your spirit” shares advice on physical and spiritual food (Bible study) with, again, chapters on strategies and goal planning. “Part III: Stretch your body + Stretch your spirit” explores flexibility exercises for the physical body, and journaling as stretches for the spirit.

A 49-page (seven-week) workbook section follows. Each page includes a written prayer, a question that becomes a journal prompt, places to record what exercises were done and food choices made, a “Fit tip” or fact that dispels a common health or fitness myth, and a concluding Bible truth. There is a sample filled-in journal page so the reader has a model to follow.

The book ends with a chapter on maintenance, followed by a list of resources and several appendices, including a list of the 49 fit tips from the daily workbook pages, a home fitness test and several workout programs.

Payne is a seasoned physical trainer and her regimen reflects her expertise and experience. The how-to section is easy to understand, encouraging, and motivational. As mentioned, the combination of both physical and spiritual fitness  addresses the whole person. The repetition and accountability that are built into the workbook can’t help but bring about permanent lifestyle changes in the person who follows this program for seven weeks. I loved the little fit tips.

The Kindle copy I read would need the participant to use a scribbler or separate journal for the workbook section. (I assume the paper book has a physical page for each workbook page, which might make it a better choice for some.)

The only thing I can think of that would make a book like this more useful to an exercise illiterate like me would be pictures or line drawings of the exercises. My copy didn’t have those, though Payne does describe each exercise in detail.

I think this would be a great book for men or women to use on their own or as a textbook for a seven-week fitness program in connection with a Bible study.

book review: Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn

Marc Royce returns to Iraq with no hesitation in Lion of Babylon, Davis Bunn’s novel about post-Saddam Iraq. How could he not go to help find his kidnapped friend Alex Baird? Rather, the danger and risk excite him.

In Baghdad he links up with Sameh, a lawyer and member of the Syrian Christian Church. Marc soon endears himself to Sameh, his wife Miriam, his widowed niece Layla, and her daughter Bisan (the latter three female characters soften the edge of this male-dominated tale).

The resistance to Marc's mission from the most surprising quarters, along with sinister warnings and outright threats, signal this is more than a simple kidnapping for money. Any fears that he won’t be at the top of his former intelligence agent game after several years behind a desk soon dissipate as intuition and old reflexes kick in. The story is a cat-and-mouse match that involves abductions, bombings, a clandestine church gathering, and a nighttime trip across the desert, all played out against the hot, dusty, colorful, and lively streets and environs of Baghdad.

Bunn’s writing is wonderful as usual—taut, yet picturesque, as in this description of his old boss Ambassador Walton from early in the book:

“Ambassador Walton had shrunk to where he wore his skin like a partially deflated balloon. The flesh draped about his collar shook slightly as he growled, ‘You got precisely what you deserved’” p. 11.

Character-wise, between the mains I preferred the more human Sameh to the almost too-good-to- be-true (in a superhero kind of way) Marc. I also wished there had been a character glossary, as all the generic-named Arab characters, how they were related to each other, and which faction or society strata they belonged to were confusing, and I had to keep checking back to see who was who.

Talking theme, there was a definite patriotic American undertone, especially in the way Bunn depicts Marc. I appreciated the tolerance of Sameh who purposely employs both Shia and Sunni workers in his office to signal his objectivity. Bunn handles the topic of religious faith (subtly woven throughout the story) most directly when he pictures people of various factions and religions worshiping in unity during a covert service that both Sameh and Marc attend:

“The priest asked everyone to join hands for the Lord’s Prayer. Sameh took Marc’s hand, then grasped the man’s hand on his other side. He glanced around the room, and saw a miracle. Sunni holding hands with Shia, Christian with Muslim. Praying aloud the words. As one.


Sameh wept for himself, for his family, for his nation They had all endured so much …. They hid so much, even from themselves, for to speak of these things only invited despair and futile rage


And yet here and now, in this place, the impossible was happening…” p. 241.

For readers who enjoy fast-paced stories of political intrigue, delivered with generous amounts of Middle Eastern realism and a dollop of faith, Lion of Babylon is a good choice.

Book trailer and first chapter available here.

Title: Lion of Babylon
Author: Davis Bunn
Publisher: Bethany House, July 2011, Paperback, 378 pages (also available in hardcover, Kindle, and audio).

• ISBN-10: 0764209051
• ISBN-13: 978-0764209055

 (I received this book as a gift from the publisher for the purpose of writing a review. Article first published as Book Review: Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn on Blogcritics.)



This post is linked at Semicolon's Saturday Review of Books for Oct. 15, where you will find dozens of more book reviews.

book review The Watcher by Sara Davison

The Watcher, Ontario native Sara Davison’s debut novel, is not for the faint of heart. Set in B.C.’s Fraser Valley, this offering of contemporary romantic suspense is riveting in more ways than one.

The story is rife with foreboding and danger. Twenty years after the crime which wrecks all of Kathryn Ellison’s youthful plans, she is almost ready to let a new man into her life. But first she must cut ties to the past and deal with her 19-year-old daughter’s quest to find her father.

As Kathryn sorts through an old shoebox of memorabilia she remembers, and we are dropped into a soup of issues. We see that God doesn’t stop bad things from happening to His children. Truth will always come out. Consequences are inevitable. Forgiveness is key. Good things can come from evil situations. Above all, grace is tenacious.

Davison’s action scenes are dynamite. She knows how to ratchet up the tension (of which there is plenty) and how to relax us and put us off our guard. The story comes out in a puzzle-piece manner, giving the reader lots of opportunity for discovery and participation.

Davison tells the story through a celestial being (the watcher). What a great perspective this quirky narrator provides with the ability to sense human thoughts, feel emotions, move effortlessly from one location to another, recognize cohorts (like Faith, Grace, Courage, Fear etc. and in this way explore another spiritual layer), and provide welcome comic relief: “Of all things human, coffee is the thing I crave the most. I’ve never tasted it, of course, but the smell alone is enough to curl my toes in equal parts delight and envy” (Kindle Location 1212).

Canadian fiction has a fresh new voice in Sara Davison. (The Watcher won the 2010 Word Alive Publishing Contest – fiction category.)

Title: THE WATCHER
Author: Sara Davison
Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: Word Alive Press (February 22, 2011), Paperback, 352 pages (Kindle version also available)

• ISBN-10: 1770691456
• ISBN-13: 978-1770691452

(Review first published in the September/October issue of Faith Today.)

are we really that scary (book review: The Armageddon Factor by Marci McDonald)

At the end of this month my husband is going to visit the National House of Prayer in Ottawa with other members of a prayer group from our church. As a preparation for that trip, one of the organizers suggested members of the group read Marci McDonald's The Armageddon Factor: The Rise of Christian Nationalism In Canada. Hubby borrowed it from the library and that's how the book happens to be in our house (a book I intentionally avoided reading when it first came out last year, suspecting it would be a downer).

After hubby finished it and we discussed it, I decided to read it for myself. I was right to avoid it in the first place. It is probably the most disheartening, yet heartening, book I've ever read.

In it McDonald seeks to show how the Christian religious right (she calls them "theo-cons") is making inroads into public life in practically every department. She depicts this as a sinister thing, especially where it appears they are following in the vanguard of the religious right in the US (as in Moral Majority, Focus on the Family, activist Washington lobbyists etc.). The motivation behind this new activism, she explains, is based on Bible prophecy with Christians attempting to establish a type of theocracy in Canada and thus hasten the second coming of Christ and the Battle of Armageddon.

She discusses the gamut:
Ch. 1: The history of the Conservative Party, their coming to power, and courtship of theocons (Stephen Harper, Stockwell Day)

Ch. 2: The rallying of Christians across the country in organizations such as the EFC, CFAC, IMFC and others (Brian Stiller, Charles McVety, Brian Rushfeldt etc.)

Ch. 3: The Manning Centre and its role in training conservatives for political life (Preston Manning).

Ch. 4: The National House of Prayer and its roots in the early 1970s revival in St. Margaret's Church, Vancouver (David Demian, Rob & Fran Parker etc.).

Ch. 5: The young hip movers and shakers who have gained influence in Ottawa (Ron Luce, Faytene Kryskow etc.)

Ch. 6: Creationism and Intelligent Design, Drumheller's Tyrell Museum vs. the Big Valley Creation Science Museum (Harry Nibourg, Denyse O'Leary etc.)

Ch. 7: Battles in education, especially parents versus homosexual-advancing curriculum, homeschooling, TWU, The Laurentian Leadership Centre (Heather Stilwell and the Surrey banned books controversy and much more).

Ch. 8: The media, the CRTC, 100 Huntley Street, The Miracle Channel (David Mainse, Dick Dewert, Willard Thiessen).

Ch. 9: The legal profession and human rights commissions (Ezra Levant).

Ch. 10: Foreign policy—McDonald is highly critical of the PMs support of Israel.

This is not an objective book. McDonald does't credit Christians with making any positive contributions to Canadian society (with the exception, of course, of socialist heroes like Tommy Douglas, who was also a minister). Rather, she's a conspiracy bloodhound, detecting power-seeking motives in everything Christians do. Here, for example is her account of a meeting with Dave Quist, at the Institute of Marriage and Family Centre (IMFC), an initiative of Focus on the Family, Canada:

"What was unexpected, during my quick tour of the institute's Ottawa offices, was a telling omission in its decor: no photos of the avuncular Dobson stared down from its walls and his countless books and publications were nowhere in sight. So eager is the IMFC to distance itself from Dobson's controversial political role in the U.S. that, shortly after its opening, Quist made a point of telling me that he had never met the Focus founder nor had he visited his Colorado Springs lair where nearly a thousand employees dispense Dobson's wares..." p. 86.

Of course if Quist's office had been decorated with Focus stuff, no doubt she would have seen something equally sinister in that.

The entire book is dyed with a similar sarcastic, disparaging tone. McDonald seems to especially rejoice in making jibes, through her choice of language, at the people involved (people who gave her interviews in good faith, it would seem....one wonders how she represented her project to them).

Describing a pastor's interest in creation science: "Creationism, it turns out, is Pastor Mike's shtick" - p. 190.

Dr. Margaret Helder, head of the Creation Science Association of Alberta is described as: "...an Edmonton grandmother with a Ph.D. in biology" - p. 191.

Author Denyse O'Leary is "...a birdlike wordsmith known for her omnipresent hats and prolific output" - p. 198.

MP Vic Toews "...spent years railing against 'these radical liberal judges...'" - p. 282.

Ezra Lavant is "...a relentless noise machine..." p. 300.

Of course sky-is-falling alarmism is never far from the surface and comes out full-force in the final chapter. Here is her incendiary salvo of warning:

"Waving their bright flags on the lawns of the Parliament Buildings, extolling the country's Christian roots to a compelling soft-rock beat, they might seem to offer a refreshing recipe for morality and national pride, but their agenda—while outwardly inclusive and multi-racial—is ultimately exclusionary. In their idealized Christian nation, non-believers—and those in violation of biblical law, notably homosexuals and adulterers, would merit severe punishment and the sort of shunning that once characterized a society where suspected witches were burned. Theirs is a dark and dangerous vision, one that brooks no dissent and requires the dismantling of key democratic institutions. A preview is on display south of the border, where decades of religious-right triumphs have left a nation bitterly splintered along lines of faith and ideology, trapped in the hysteria of overcharged rhetoric and resentment" - p. 359,360.

We want to burn witches and shun homosexuals and adulterers? I've never heard of such a thing! Thankfully McDonald restrained herself from sic 'eming the white-masked, pointy-headed lynch mobs on us. As I said, this book is disheartening in that it is negative and hate-filled.

But it's also heartening in that Christians in Canada are making a difference. Who knew that the evangelical church was awake and active on so many fronts in our nation?

Reading this book has made me see again that this is a spiritual battle. It will be won with spiritual weapons. One of them is prayer.

People in the many organizations working on the political front need our prayers: the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers, organizations like the EFC, CFAC, IMFC, educators and parents, Christian media outlets and personalities, lawyers, judges and the list could goes on. Let's join them in the trenches—on our knees.

Regent College professor and historian John Stackhouse provides more insights on the book's reliability and the issues it discusses. His three-part review is here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

For more book reviews, visit Semicolon's Saturday Review of Books (where this review is linked, along with dozens of others)

book review: Don't Check Your Brains at the Door by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler

Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler have done a good job of taking the belief pulse of today’s teens. Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door: Know What You Believe and Why is their book for this age group. It identifies and refutes 42 commonly held beliefs about Christianity in an attempt to “…discuss common myths, many of which people accept without thinking, and evaluate them in the light of the Bible.” (Introduction - Kindle Location 184.)

The book is broadly divided into six subject sections: Myths about God, Jesus, the Bible, the Resurrection, Religion and Christianity, and Life and Happiness. Each chapter within those sections deals with one myth.

The short chapters have colorful titles with descriptive subtitles, making it easy to locate chapters by subject (e.g. “The Luke Skywalker God — the Impersonal Force Myth"; "Lily-White Jesus–The Racist Myth” etc.). Each begins with a captivating anecdote or example. The writing style is snappy and the authors come to their signature conclusion, “But that’s a myth” efficiently and without beating around the bush. Each chapter ends with a “Brain Food” section—a deeper look at what the Bible says about the chapter’s subject.

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door has a lot going for it. It does a good job of tapping into common perceptions and beliefs about Christianity. The anecdotes and examples that begin each chapter are interesting and pull the reader in. The authors cite a variety of supporting sources and illustrations, from the quotes of famous theologians to illustrations from sports and entertainment. The “Brain Food” section makes excellent use of the Bible, employing a variety of assignment types (reading, fill in the blanks, checking the right response, character analysis, story analysis etc.).

However, there were a few things I didn’t get. For example, I wondered why the authors chose the order they did for handling these myths. They began with myths about God and Jesus, which they debunked using, among other things, lots of passages from the Bible—and this before they established the credibility and reliability of the Bible, which wasn’t addressed till Chapter 9. It seemed that a more logical order would have been to deal first with the Relativity Myth (Chapter 18) to establish the possibility of the existence of objective truth, then the myths about the Bible to lay the foundation of the Bible as a possible purveyor of that truth, and then the other subjects.

I also wondered why McDowell and Hostetler used so many dated illustrations and examples. They cited lyrics of a song from “Jesus Christ Superstar,” a popular musical from 1971, took life lessons from Elmer Gantry, a character in a book written in 1927, and sports heroes from the ‘50s to ‘70s, and more. Though the illustrations were well explained, I wondered how modern kids would relate. Those old-fashioned illustrations, along with the often dogmatic tone, made the book seem a little like the attempt of a couple of boomers to set their grankids' generation straight.

Finally, I was disappointed with the superficial way in which some of these myths were supposedly debunked. The relativity myth was one. In our time of prevailing postmodernism—a philosophy foundationed on the absence of objective truth—the quoted witty words of C. S. Lewis were what the authors used to make their case:

"Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later. He may break his promise to you, but if you try breaking one to him he will be complaining ‘It’s not fair’ before you can say Jack Robinson.


It seems, then, we are forced to believe in a real Right and Wrong. People may be sometimes mistaken about them, just as people sometimes get their sums wrong; but they are not a matter of mere taste and opinion any more than the multiplication table” – C. S. Lewis, Kindle Location 1174.

Of course they went on to buttress their conclusion with quotes about truth from the Bible, which is all well and good if the reader accepts the Bible as true; not so compelling if he or she doesn’t.

Those things aside, I can see Don't Check Your Brains at the Door being a helpful personal read for teens seeking to make the Christian faith their own, as well as a discussion instigator for parents and church youth leaders.

Title: Don't Check Your Brains at the Door: Know What You Believe and Why
Authors: Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler
Publisher: Thomas Nelson - revised updated edition August 2, 2011, paperback, 208 pages, August 2011
ISBN-10: 1400317207
ISBN-13: 978-1400317202

(I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing as a free gift for the purpose of writing a review. This review was first published at Blogcritics.org )

This post is linked at Semicolon - Saturday Review of Books: September 3. 

Follow the link to find 64 (so far) more reviews of the books people are reading.