Understanding World Religions - A Review

Understanding World Religions

by

Len Woods

A Review

A reprint of a useful book that covers a wide range of world religions.  I would have like to have had a copy of this reference for my World Religions class in seminary.  Though it covers far more sects and philosophies than we discussed in our one semester course, it could have served as a handy guide to have available while reading other works.  The book is aimed at the knowledgeable Christian layman - using a Christian worldview as a foundation for exploring the many faiths discussed.  

Barbour Publishing has one the world a favor by continuing to make this future classic available to the church.

______________

This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader: Attack of the Factoids - A Review

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader:
Attack of the Factoids

by

The Bathroom’s Reader’s
Institute

A Review

This book and others in the series need to be in every pastor’s library.  It is not a Christian book, but it is a book full of useless facts that can easily be incorporated into sermons or classroom presentations.  As the C-I-P details indicate, it is considered “Entertainment and Reference” - an absolute must for any well-written sermon.  Do not let the title scare you, the facts are mostly (entirely?) safe - as those who understand such things, this does not fit the NSFW category.  Its contents can safely be shared around the water cooler without concern.  For example, did you know that “Elvis Presley was related to both Abraham Lincoln and Jimmy Carter.”   I was surprised to learn that “Of all the countries in the world, the United States has the highest percentage of adults in prison: 1 in 107.  Adding in people on parole and probation, 2 percent of U.S. adults (1 in 50) are under ‘correctional supervision’ at any given time.”  

As a working pastor, I would prefer to have this material accessible via a search engine (LOGOS Bible Software or WordSearch would be my preferred tools).   Regardless, the factoids included in this 350 page book are worth the cost of the book.

______________

This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Snapshot - A Review

Snapshot

by

Lis Wiehl

A Review

The mid-60s were a turbulent time.  The JFK assassination, Robert Kennedy’s death a year or two later, and the civil rights movement all contributed to a coming change to American culture.  And in that era a murder takes place in the midst of a civil rights parade - a murder witnessed by two four year old girls and a father.  Now, the man convicted of the crime asks the father, a retired FBI agent, for help proving his innocence, even as the date for his death sentence has been set.

As they begin to track the details, old hurts, old betrayals, and old adversaries seem ready to stand in the way.  Before the truth could be found, the daughter and the father had to find a way to work through the pain they had felt years before when her father and mother had divorced.  Forgiveness needed to be offered - so the two could work together to arrive at the facts that would free Leonard Dubois for a crime he did not commit.

The story and writing held my interest from beginning to end - I could not put it down.  As I passed the 80% mark in my reading, I was determined to not go to bed until I reached the end of the story.  The book becomes all the more meaningful as the author fills in her  and her dad’s back stories - she a retired federal prosecutor; he a retired FBI agent that worked along with the Warren Commission to explore the facts behind the JFK assassination.  I cannot wait to see a paper copy of the book to see the snapshots (not included in my preview copy) that helped Lis Wiehl pull together a believable story that is worth the time spent reading from cover to cover.

______________

This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

The Woman Who Stopped Traffic - A Review

The Woman Who Stopped Traffic

by

Daniel Pembrey

I found myself pleasantly surprised as I read this well-written thriller. It was a month ago that I read an earlier work by this author: The Candidate.  I was disappointed in the earlier book, as I indicated in my review.  The surprise came as I finished this book and discovered that it was written by the same author as the earlier one. 

The Woman Who Stopped Traffic mixes five very different arenas that held my interest - IT Security, Corporate Economics, Social Networking, murder mysteries, and the issue of human trafficing.  Daniel Pembrey does a good job of combining these into a believable and interesting story. 

Natalie Chevalier was called in as a security consultant for a major player in Silicon Valley - on the verge of issuing its first round of IPO funding.  But at one of the first public announcements of the upcoming IPO an unexpected view of the human trafficing which may be underwriting the corporate hiarchy is displayed as a power point slide.  Thus begins Natalie's adventure through the dark world of corporate politics, human trafficing, IT security, and physical security, begins.

Where Daniel Pembrey let me down in his first book, he now leaves me wanting more.  I can only hope that this author will allow us to see more of Natalie's skills and talents as she works within corporate American and with the local police and the FBI.  She makes for an interesting heroine that could continue to hold the interest of this reader.

________

This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Grace For The Moment Daily Bible - A Review

Grace For The Moment

Daily Bible

With Devotional Writings By

Max Lucado

A Review

Combining a selections of readings that take the reader through the Bible in one year and 365 readings selected from Max Lucado’s previous writings, this book (originally published in 2006) can serve as a helpful guide to read through in a year’s time.  The devotions appear to be different (though I did not check each entry) from those published in the original Grace for the Moment devotional - making it a suitable gift for someone who has the earlier work.  

Given that this work combines the Word of God with the writings one of the most thoughtful thinkers of the modern era, the believer should find the book encouraging and useful.

______________

This review is based on a free copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Trapped - A Review

Trapped

by

Irene Hannon

A Review

Trapped is an exciting thriller with a bit of faith and a bit of romance wrapped in.  The book is believable and seems to parallel events found in the national news two or three times a year.  

Darcy Griffith had disappeared.  A runaway that did not want to be found and a police department that did not want to be bothered.  It would fall on her half-sister, Laura, to find her before it was too late.  Laura turned to Phoenix, Inc., a private detective agency composed of three former law enforcement officers, and to James “Dev” Devlin specifically.

The two weeks that passed from the day she walked out the door to the night she was found nearly fried to death seemed like an eternity.  But in the midst of the fright, Laura and Darcy would discover the power of love and prayer, a lesson that all must learn.  

When Laura first walked into “Dev”s office, neither the detective nor the client were looking for love.  But in the days ahead, they learned to trust and lean on each other.  God had to work in both of them, bringing healing from past failures and tragedy.  But God would work out the kinks and quirks in their relationship so they could move forward.

Whether the reader is looking for a thriller, the role that faith can play in the desperate lives of individuals, or the growth of a relationship over time, Trapped delivers.  I am ready to find the first book in the Private Justice series, Vanished, or the next book in the series, Deceived, planned for the summer of 2014.       

______________

This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Moonbow - A Review

Moonbow

by

Sheila Hollinghead

A Review

This thriller was well worth the time I spent reading it - forcing me to reflect again on the issue of abortion. The mystery is left to Dr. Raymond Brooks to solve while the life of Gisa and her unborn child hang in the balance. Along the way, there are some who would do anything to keep the details about the child and mother secret - including murder. As I came to the last third of the book, I did not want to put it down till I finished it.

Though it was a great read, I was still left with questions.  Could the Pierce family be trusted?  Dave is still alive and roaming through the Southeast United States.  These elements could lead to a lively sequel.  Just my thoughts, but I would be interested in reading another book based on the same characters.  One can only hope.

______________

This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.