David's bookshelf: all en-US Thu, 01 May 2025 07:14:18 -0700 60 David's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[A Light on the Hill: The Surprising Story of How a Local Church in the Nation's Capital Influenced Evangelicalism]]> 219504921 352 Caleb Morell 1433592894 David 5
While the church has been largely faithful, this is not a triumphal account, but it covers the down years and more embarrassing episodes in the church's history. The honesty and openness were refreshing and encouraging. I would read 100 books like this one.]]> 4.84 A Light on the Hill: The Surprising Story of How a Local Church in the Nation's Capital Influenced Evangelicalism
author: Caleb Morell
name: David
average rating: 4.84
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves:
review:
Most Christian biographies follow individuals like pastors or missionaries, but this book follows the story of one church. It traces the 150-year history of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in D.C. Each chapter follows a different period, the pastor, and the individuals who helped make the church what it was. It does not just focus on the pastors, some of whom were famous, but also on the hidden faithfulness of ordinary members.

While the church has been largely faithful, this is not a triumphal account, but it covers the down years and more embarrassing episodes in the church's history. The honesty and openness were refreshing and encouraging. I would read 100 books like this one.
]]> <![CDATA[The Last Graduate (The Scholomance, #2)]]> 55556706 The specter of graduation looms large as Naomi Novik’s trilogy continues in the sequel to A Deadly Education.

In Wisdom, Shelter. That’s the official motto of the Scholomance. I suppose you could even argue that it’s true—only the wisdom is hard to come by, so the shelter’s rather scant.

Our beloved school does its best to devour all its students—but now that I’ve reached my senior year and have actually won myself a handful of allies, it’s suddenly developed a very particular craving for me. And even if I somehow make it through the endless waves of maleficaria that it keeps throwing at me in between grueling homework assignments, I haven’t any idea how my allies and I are going to make it through the graduation hall alive.

Unless, of course, I finally accept my foretold destiny of dark sorcery and destruction. That would certainly let me sail straight out of here. The course of wisdom, surely.

But I’m not giving in—not to the mals, not to fate, and especially not to the Scholomance. I’m going to get myself and my friends out of this hideous place for good—even if it’s the last thing I do.]]> 389 Naomi Novik David 4 4.44 2021 The Last Graduate (The Scholomance, #2)
author: Naomi Novik
name: David
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves:
review:
I liked this one a lot more than the second one. It has a clearer plot, progression, and more character development. It still feels like way too much exposition, but it was not as distracting this time around. It also manages to end on another ridiculous cliffhanger, which now forces me to finish the trilogy.
]]> <![CDATA[The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance #3)]]> 59743336 Saving the world is a test no school of magic can prepare you for in the triumphant conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate.

The one thing you never talk about while you’re in the Scholomance is what you’ll do when you get out. Not even the richest enclaver would tempt fate that way. But it’s all we dream about: the hideously slim chance we’ll survive to make it out the gates and improbably find ourselves with a life ahead of us, a life outside the Scholomance halls.

And now the impossible dream has come true. I’m out, we’re all out—and I didn’t even have to turn into a monstrous dark witch to make it happen. So much for my great-grandmother’s prophecy of doom and destruction. I didn’t kill enclavers, I saved them. Me and Orion and our allies. Our graduation plan worked to perfection: We saved everyone and made the world safe for all wizards and brought peace and harmony to all the enclaves everywhere.

Ha, only joking! Actually, it’s gone all wrong. Someone else has picked up the project of destroying enclaves in my stead, and probably everyone we saved is about to get killed in the brewing enclave war. And the first thing I’ve got to do now, having miraculously gotten out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in.]]> 411 Naomi Novik David 0 currently-reading 4.40 2022 The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance #3)
author: Naomi Novik
name: David
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Memory-Making Mom: Building Traditions That Breathe Life Into Your Home]]> 40590420 240 Jessica Smartt 0785221220 David 3
The book's good is that it focuses on helping create memories through small traditions. There is an abundance of ideas that are meant to be attainable. Nothing here is elaborate or crazy, and they are simple ideas to help create meaningful memories for your kids. It is always encouraging and is meant to point out the beauty behind simple things instead of making you feel like you have to create incredibly special experiences.

I do have some problems with the books, which might say more about me than the book itself. It does not need to be a full book because it is only an article's worth of content. One chapter is enough to get the gist, and the rest of the book is primarily valuable for ideas. The book itself also lacks meaningful depth. I am not surprised, and most of the audience this is directed towards probably does not care. The book could have been better served by interacting with James K. A. Smith's work on liturgical formation, or any work on spiritual formation, for that matter. It would have also been helpful to have any serious Biblical interaction outside of generic Christian stories.

Overall, the ideas are helpful. The book is short enough, I could appreciate it for what it was. However, it did make me want to get a soapbox and demand more from Christian books written towards women.]]> 4.21 2019 Memory-Making Mom: Building Traditions That Breathe Life Into Your Home
author: Jessica Smartt
name: David
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/24
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves:
review:
I am not sure I can fairly rate this book since I am not a mom, and mommy blogger style books are not my thing. I picked this one up anyway because I love the idea of how traditions form us.

The book's good is that it focuses on helping create memories through small traditions. There is an abundance of ideas that are meant to be attainable. Nothing here is elaborate or crazy, and they are simple ideas to help create meaningful memories for your kids. It is always encouraging and is meant to point out the beauty behind simple things instead of making you feel like you have to create incredibly special experiences.

I do have some problems with the books, which might say more about me than the book itself. It does not need to be a full book because it is only an article's worth of content. One chapter is enough to get the gist, and the rest of the book is primarily valuable for ideas. The book itself also lacks meaningful depth. I am not surprised, and most of the audience this is directed towards probably does not care. The book could have been better served by interacting with James K. A. Smith's work on liturgical formation, or any work on spiritual formation, for that matter. It would have also been helpful to have any serious Biblical interaction outside of generic Christian stories.

Overall, the ideas are helpful. The book is short enough, I could appreciate it for what it was. However, it did make me want to get a soapbox and demand more from Christian books written towards women.
]]> <![CDATA[A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)]]> 51080382 The first book of the Scholomance trilogy is the story of an unwilling dark sorceress who is destined to rewrite the rules of magic.

I decided that Orion Lake needed to die after the second time he saved my life.

Everyone loves Orion Lake. Everyone else, that is. Far as I’m concerned, he can keep his flashy combat magic to himself. I’m not joining his pack of adoring fans.

I don’t need help surviving the Scholomance, even if they do. Forget the hordes of monsters and cursed artifacts, I’m probably the most dangerous thing in the place. Just give me a chance and I’ll level mountains and kill untold millions, make myself the dark queen of the world.

At least, that’s what the world expects. Most of the other students in here would be delighted if Orion killed me like one more evil thing that’s crawled out of the drains. Sometimes I think they want me to turn into the evil witch they assume I am. The school certainly does.

But the Scholomance isn’t getting what it wants from me. And neither is Orion Lake. I may not be anyone’s idea of the shining hero, but I’m going to make it out of this place alive, and I’m not going to slaughter thousands to do it, either.

Although I’m giving serious consideration to just one.]]> 338 Naomi Novik David 3
Scholomance is a magic school that is constantly trying to kill the students who are left on their own with no adult supervision or help. The main character is a dark sorceress who is desperately trying to resist her dark magic, even though it makes her life more difficult. She is also one of the most unlikeable and consistently rude main protagonists I have ever read. It is explained well, and she certainly felt like a teenager, but I can see this kind of character driving people away.

My primary frustration with the book was the unending amount of exposition. I am normally happy to have things explained to me, but half of this book felt like exposition. What made it worse was that so much of the book is explained to you, except for the basic information I wanted in the beginning.

I did enjoy the relationships between the characters. It was satisfying to see our unlikeable protagonist finally make some friends by the end. The cliffhanger ending was great and is going to make me pick up the next book despite my mixed feelings.]]> 4.28 2020 A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)
author: Naomi Novik
name: David
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/21
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves:
review:
I'm torn on this one because I loved the premise, but a lot of the writing frustrated me.

Scholomance is a magic school that is constantly trying to kill the students who are left on their own with no adult supervision or help. The main character is a dark sorceress who is desperately trying to resist her dark magic, even though it makes her life more difficult. She is also one of the most unlikeable and consistently rude main protagonists I have ever read. It is explained well, and she certainly felt like a teenager, but I can see this kind of character driving people away.

My primary frustration with the book was the unending amount of exposition. I am normally happy to have things explained to me, but half of this book felt like exposition. What made it worse was that so much of the book is explained to you, except for the basic information I wanted in the beginning.

I did enjoy the relationships between the characters. It was satisfying to see our unlikeable protagonist finally make some friends by the end. The cliffhanger ending was great and is going to make me pick up the next book despite my mixed feelings.
]]> <![CDATA[Wings: The Third Book of the Nomes (The Bromeliad Trilogy)]]> 26631734
After running into trouble at the quarry, the nomes want to go home. The problem is, ‘home� is somewhere up in the stars, in some sort of Ship.

Masklin must find a way to get to the ‘launch� of a ‘communications satellite� (whatever that is).

And so begins an incredible journey, filled with peril, planes, honking geese . . . and a walking sandwich.

The fantastically funny third book of the nomes, from the author of the bestselling Discworld series.]]> 256 Terry Pratchett 0552573353 David 5 4.02 1990 Wings: The Third Book of the Nomes (The Bromeliad Trilogy)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: David
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1990
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/17
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves:
review:
A satisfying end to this hilarious trilogy. It brings everything back together and leads the nomes to safety. I'm so glad I picked this series up on a whim at a used library sale.
]]> <![CDATA[Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus (Building Healthy Churches)]]> 18731366
Every few years, churches jump into the latest evangelistic fad. Leaders administrate the new program, and members go on a raid. But picture a church where evangelism is just part of the culture. Leaders share their faith consistently and openly. Members follow, encouraging one another to make evangelism an ongoing way of life.

Such is the way of evangelism presented by this brief and compelling book. No program here. Instead, it just might give your church a new way to live and share the gospel together.]]> 128 J. Mack Stiles 1433544652 David 5 4.47 2014 Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus (Building Healthy Churches)
author: J. Mack Stiles
name: David
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves:
review:
I rarely read books on evangelism because they usually devolve into stories of constantly sharing your faith with every stranger or are theologically inept. This book completely breaks the mold. It is theologically and biblically rich without brow-beating. It is also focused on building a natural culture of evangelism in the church. Every book in this series has been great.
]]> <![CDATA[Diggers (Bromeliad Trilogy, #2)]]> 989030
Soon strange things start to happen. Like the tops of puddles growing hard and cold, and the water coming down from the sky in frozen bits. Then humans appear and they REALLY mess everything up. The quarry is to be re-opened, and the nomes must fight to defend their new home. But how long will they be able to keep the humans at bay - even with the help of the monster Jekub?

.]]> 173 Terry Pratchett 0552525863 David 4 3.89 1990 Diggers (Bromeliad Trilogy, #2)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: David
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1990
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/12
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves:
review:
The nomes are just getting used to life outside in the new world when humans decide to reopen the quarry. It feels like the middle part of a trilogy at times, but the humor and passion of the nomes shine through. My only disappointment was that "thing" and Masklin are largely out of this book. They go to get the spaceship, and the story follows the nomes left behind in the quarry. Still, I am far too invested in this ridiculous story.
]]> <![CDATA[Truckers (Bromeliad Trilogy #1)]]> 23346759
Then a devastating piece of news shatters their existence: the Store - their whole world - is to be demolished. And it's up to Masklin, one of the last nomes to come into the Store, to mastermind an unbelievable escape plan that will take all the nomes into the dangers of the great Outside...]]> 320 Terry Pratchett 0552573337 David 4
I have no idea if children would find this funny or not, or what age it is written for. Most of the humor relies on turns of phrase or the strange ideas the nomes have about the world. I think almost all of the humor would go over kid's heads. But I found it hilarious and had a hard time putting it down.]]> 4.04 1989 Truckers (Bromeliad Trilogy #1)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: David
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1989
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/14
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves:
review:
This was such a delightful read that it convinced me I needed to read more Pratchett. It follows the lives of 4 in nomes who are struggling to live in a human world. The main section involves a group of nomes who believe the entire world is a department store and that there is no such thing as the outside. The characters are a little bland, but the world is inventive, and the story is continually hilarious.

I have no idea if children would find this funny or not, or what age it is written for. Most of the humor relies on turns of phrase or the strange ideas the nomes have about the world. I think almost all of the humor would go over kid's heads. But I found it hilarious and had a hard time putting it down.
]]> <![CDATA[On Genesis: A Refutation of the Manichees, Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis, The Literal Meaning of Genesis]]> 20351787 540 Augustine of Hippo David 0 currently-reading 5.00 On Genesis: A Refutation of the Manichees, Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis, The Literal Meaning of Genesis
author: Augustine of Hippo
name: David
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Preaching in Hitler's Shadow: Sermons of Resistance in the Third Reich]]> 17605454
Preaching in Hitler's Shadow begins with a fascinating look at Christian life inside the Third Reich, giving readers a real sense of the danger that pastors faced every time they went into the pulpit. Dean Stroud pays special attention to the role that language played in the battle over the German soul, pointing out the use of Christian language in opposition to Nazi rhetoric.

The second part of the book presents thirteen well-translated sermons by various select preachers, including Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Barth, Rudolf Bultmann, and others not as well known but no less courageous. A running commentary offers cultural and historical insights, and each sermon is preceded by a short biography of the preacher.]]> 215 Dean G. Stroud 0802869025 David 5
The book is split into two parts. The first portion is an overview of the religious situation in the Third Reich. It was the most valuable part, and I could have read 400 more pages unpacking more of these ideas. It provides much-needed context to understand the pressures pastors faced and how radical some of their sermons were.

The second portion is the collection of sermons from well-known Christians (Bonhoeffer, Barth, and Bultmann) and relatively forgotten Christians. It was incredibly powerful to read these sermons. I was even surprised by how much I appreciated Bultmann and Barth. There are sermons in this collection I will return to again and again. We are privileged to hear these words from the cloud of witnesses.

What stood out to me the most is how these men responded to the Third Reich in their preaching. They did not become more overtly political but more Biblical and gospel focused. Their return to the Scriptures and to the gospel was a radical move. And they explicitly preached how the government was denying the fundamentals of the gospel. It helps demonstrate that sermons do not have to become more partisan or political in order to convict and be prophetic in the midst of a depraved government.

I can't recommend this enough. It is one of the most moving books I have read in a while. It gave me plenty to chew on as a preacher in our country's current political climate. ]]> 4.46 2013 Preaching in Hitler's Shadow: Sermons of Resistance in the Third Reich
author: Dean G. Stroud
name: David
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/10
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves:
review:
This is an incredibly moving book examing faithful pastors who resisted the Third Reich, not just in the shadows but in public sermons. Some of the pastors in the collection were killed for their words.

The book is split into two parts. The first portion is an overview of the religious situation in the Third Reich. It was the most valuable part, and I could have read 400 more pages unpacking more of these ideas. It provides much-needed context to understand the pressures pastors faced and how radical some of their sermons were.

The second portion is the collection of sermons from well-known Christians (Bonhoeffer, Barth, and Bultmann) and relatively forgotten Christians. It was incredibly powerful to read these sermons. I was even surprised by how much I appreciated Bultmann and Barth. There are sermons in this collection I will return to again and again. We are privileged to hear these words from the cloud of witnesses.

What stood out to me the most is how these men responded to the Third Reich in their preaching. They did not become more overtly political but more Biblical and gospel focused. Their return to the Scriptures and to the gospel was a radical move. And they explicitly preached how the government was denying the fundamentals of the gospel. It helps demonstrate that sermons do not have to become more partisan or political in order to convict and be prophetic in the midst of a depraved government.

I can't recommend this enough. It is one of the most moving books I have read in a while. It gave me plenty to chew on as a preacher in our country's current political climate.
]]> <![CDATA[Homilies on Luke, Fragments on Luke]]> 15304979 279 Origen 0813211948 David 5
Countless ink has been spilled over Origen's allegory and "abuse" of the Bible. After spending years hearing and interacting with this idea, it was interesting to actually read his sermons and pastoral teaching through the Bible. His allegorical/spiritual readings are there but they are different than I imagined or pictured before.

All of his sermons are guided by the idea that every single word in the Scriptures is intentional and has meaning behind it. He asks questions about the Bible I would never think to ask. He is not satisfied by simple answers. Even when it says Jesus traveled from one place to another, he wonders why these places are mentioned by name and what purpose it serves. In some places it can lead to interpretive ideas I wouldn't agree with, but his desire and impulse to search the Scriptures is unmatched.

I highly recommend these sermons. I would especially encourage someone to read these sermons first before trying to read his first principles or other more theological writings. I found it far more helpful to see how he handled the Bible as a pastor instead of those.]]> 4.17 1996 Homilies on Luke, Fragments on Luke
author: Origen
name: David
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1996
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/01
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves:
review:
These sermons have turned me into a fan of Origen. They are 39 short sermons through the Gospel of Luke given to catechumens, who are new converts to the faith who have not yet been baptized.

Countless ink has been spilled over Origen's allegory and "abuse" of the Bible. After spending years hearing and interacting with this idea, it was interesting to actually read his sermons and pastoral teaching through the Bible. His allegorical/spiritual readings are there but they are different than I imagined or pictured before.

All of his sermons are guided by the idea that every single word in the Scriptures is intentional and has meaning behind it. He asks questions about the Bible I would never think to ask. He is not satisfied by simple answers. Even when it says Jesus traveled from one place to another, he wonders why these places are mentioned by name and what purpose it serves. In some places it can lead to interpretive ideas I wouldn't agree with, but his desire and impulse to search the Scriptures is unmatched.

I highly recommend these sermons. I would especially encourage someone to read these sermons first before trying to read his first principles or other more theological writings. I found it far more helpful to see how he handled the Bible as a pastor instead of those.
]]> <![CDATA[The Work We Have to Do: A History of Protestants in America (Religion in American Life)]]> 1246760 184 Mark A. Noll 0195154975 David 4 3.76 2002 The Work We Have to Do: A History of Protestants in America (Religion in American Life)
author: Mark A. Noll
name: David
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/04
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves:
review:
I love Mark Noll and think he is one of the best writers on American Christianity. This book is a short overview of Protestantism in America. He covers a ton of ground with a surprising depth that always left me wanting more. I can see why this one never had mass appeal, as it is more academic than most popular-level works. It is probably in a weird middle ground of not being deep enough for those who want deeper study and being too hard to understand for an average layperson. Despite some of the flaws, I can't bring myself to not enjoy Noll's work. I am always happy to have read him.
]]> <![CDATA[The Wild Robot Escapes (The Wild Robot, #2)]]> 34219841 279 Peter Brown 0316382043 David 5 4.35 2018 The Wild Robot Escapes (The Wild Robot, #2)
author: Peter Brown
name: David
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/31
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves:
review:
I liked this more than the first one. It has a more clear driving plot and felt far less episodic than the first one. It feels like a natural progression of the story and was just as moving. My boys loved it and begged to read it every night.
]]> <![CDATA[The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #3)]]> 57001971 Welcome to the Gun Show!

The top ten list is populated. The sponsorship program is open. The difficulty is ramping up. The first three floors were nothing compared to what Carl and Donut now face.

The Iron Tangle. An impossibly-complicated subway system built out of the world's subterranean railway systems, all combined and then tied together into a knot. Up is down. Down is up. Close is far. The cars are filled with monsters, the railway stations are less than safe, and the exit is always just a few stops away.

But there is hope. For the first time, the crawlers are all working together. The loot is better than ever. And the secret to unraveling it all may be hidden in the pages of a seemingly-useless book. Welcome, crawlers. Welcome to the fourth floor of the dungeon.]]> 534 Matt Dinniman David 5 4.49 2021 The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #3)
author: Matt Dinniman
name: David
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/28
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves:
review:
This series is becoming one of my guilty pleasures. It keeps getting better as it leans more into the characters and further away from the ridiculous humor, although it is still present.
]]> Ghosted: An American Story 180351905 288 Nancy French 0310367441 David 4
The second part of the story continues as she marries David and begins to work in the political realm. The stories of them having children, adoption, and David joining the army were great. I was especially interested in seeing how close her husband came for running for PResident and how much work goes into that decision behind the scenes. This part is where the book begins to shift towards politics and especially her experience working in the conversation world pre and post-Trump.

I have complicated feelings about the Maga stuff. Part of it was hard for me to hear because I too have been bewildered at the way evangelicals proudly embraced Trump and the worst parts of his political movement. It is honestly emotionally exhausting to hear her own experience of being pushed out for refusing to bend the knee, even though her political positions never changed. The way she and her husband have been treated is nothing short of shameful and repulsive.

Something that bothered me was how she never dealt with her own participation in the creation of our current political climate. The primary turning point she mentions in her political career is when she decides she cannot endorse Trump. However, she only briefly mentions that she also decided to stop lying in her political writing. This decision seemed as if not more significant than her refusal to endorse Trump. In her work as a ghostwriter, she wrote hot takes, political articles, and all other kinds of partisan political writing. Many of these writings seemed, to me, to be sinful. She momentarily talks about the various ways these would work, take people out of context, or use a crazy person as an indictment of the entire Democratic party. But she explains it as if everyone knows the rules of the game and could be respectful of the other side. It seemed like she wanted to blame Trump for destroying the political discourse without taking any personal accountability.

I may be nitpicking. Trump and the MAGA movement deserve plenty of blame for the destruction of civil political discourse. But I was disappointed not to see any introspection on how she contributed to it. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The author read the audiobook and did a wonderful job. So much of the book reminded me of Beth Moore's memoir, and I think it is just as good. I picked up the book to hear about the political parts but ended up loving her personal story of salvation and growth so much more touching. ]]> 4.37 2024 Ghosted: An American Story
author: Nancy French
name: David
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves:
review:
I think of this memoir as being split into two parts. The first part covers her poor upbringing in Appalachia, deep in a legalistic Church of Christ setting. I loved this early part. It was moving to hear her story of abuse, the church, college, and trying to escape a toxic relationship. The story of her conversion was moving and emotional to hear.

The second part of the story continues as she marries David and begins to work in the political realm. The stories of them having children, adoption, and David joining the army were great. I was especially interested in seeing how close her husband came for running for PResident and how much work goes into that decision behind the scenes. This part is where the book begins to shift towards politics and especially her experience working in the conversation world pre and post-Trump.

I have complicated feelings about the Maga stuff. Part of it was hard for me to hear because I too have been bewildered at the way evangelicals proudly embraced Trump and the worst parts of his political movement. It is honestly emotionally exhausting to hear her own experience of being pushed out for refusing to bend the knee, even though her political positions never changed. The way she and her husband have been treated is nothing short of shameful and repulsive.

Something that bothered me was how she never dealt with her own participation in the creation of our current political climate. The primary turning point she mentions in her political career is when she decides she cannot endorse Trump. However, she only briefly mentions that she also decided to stop lying in her political writing. This decision seemed as if not more significant than her refusal to endorse Trump. In her work as a ghostwriter, she wrote hot takes, political articles, and all other kinds of partisan political writing. Many of these writings seemed, to me, to be sinful. She momentarily talks about the various ways these would work, take people out of context, or use a crazy person as an indictment of the entire Democratic party. But she explains it as if everyone knows the rules of the game and could be respectful of the other side. It seemed like she wanted to blame Trump for destroying the political discourse without taking any personal accountability.

I may be nitpicking. Trump and the MAGA movement deserve plenty of blame for the destruction of civil political discourse. But I was disappointed not to see any introspection on how she contributed to it. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The author read the audiobook and did a wonderful job. So much of the book reminded me of Beth Moore's memoir, and I think it is just as good. I picked up the book to hear about the political parts but ended up loving her personal story of salvation and growth so much more touching.
]]> <![CDATA[The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1)]]> 58416952 At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.

AUDI. VIDE. TACE.

The Catenan Republic � the Hierarchy � may rule the world now, but they do not know everything.

I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive and my focus � what they call Will � to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.

I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.

But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.

And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.

To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy’s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me.

And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me.]]> 639 James Islington 1982141190 David 5
First read thoughts:
One of the best new Fantasy books I have read in a long time. It's a seemingly straightforward dystopian first-person single-perspective story about someone going to magic school who wants revenge. Yet somehow it manages to be unpredictable and felt new. I never could figure out where the story was going and I was completely unprepared for the ending.

Everyone is forced to go through some ceremony that gives them magic called "will." Everyone is forced to give their will to those above them in an MLM-like power scheme. It creates a great theme of how much responsibility the masses have for supporting the hierarchy when their acquiescence literally provides them power.

I loved the main character. His flaws and competing motivations kept him interesting and relatable. I never knew for sure what he was going to do. I can't wait for the next books in this series and am going to check out more of this authors work.]]> 4.60 2023 The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1)
author: James Islington
name: David
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/24
date added: 2025/03/24
shelves:
review:
Reread Thoughts: I enjoyed this one even more the second time around. After reading Islington's first trilogy I am even more impressed in his growth as a writer. I have all the confidence in the world that he will be able to lead this series wherever it needs to go.

First read thoughts:
One of the best new Fantasy books I have read in a long time. It's a seemingly straightforward dystopian first-person single-perspective story about someone going to magic school who wants revenge. Yet somehow it manages to be unpredictable and felt new. I never could figure out where the story was going and I was completely unprepared for the ending.

Everyone is forced to go through some ceremony that gives them magic called "will." Everyone is forced to give their will to those above them in an MLM-like power scheme. It creates a great theme of how much responsibility the masses have for supporting the hierarchy when their acquiescence literally provides them power.

I loved the main character. His flaws and competing motivations kept him interesting and relatable. I never knew for sure what he was going to do. I can't wait for the next books in this series and am going to check out more of this authors work.
]]> <![CDATA[The Archive Undying (The Downworld Sequence #1)]]> 62684211 War machines and AI gods run amok in The Archive Undying, national bestseller Emma Mieko Candon's bold entry into the world of mecha fiction.

WHEN AN AI DIES, ITS CITY DIES WITH IT
WHEN A CITY FALLS, IT LEAVES A CORPSE BEHIND
WHEN THAT CORPSE RUNS OFF, ONLY DEVOTION CAN BRING IT BACK

When the robotic god of Khuon Mo went mad, it destroyed everything it touched. It killed its priests, its city, and all its wondrous works. But in its final death throes, the god brought one thing back to life: its favorite child, Sunai. For the seventeen years since, Sunai has walked the land like a ghost, unable to die, unable to age, and unable to forget the horrors he's seen. He's run as far as he can from the wreckage of his faith, drowning himself in drink, drugs, and men. But when Sunai wakes up in the bed of the one man he never should have slept with, he finds himself on a path straight back into the world of gods and machines.

The Archive Undying is the first volume of Emma Mieko Candon's Downworld Sequence, a sci-fi series where AI deities and brutal police states clash, wielding giant robots steered by pilot-priests with corrupted bodies.

Come get in the robot.]]> 488 Emma Mieko Candon 125082155X David 0 3.44 2023 The Archive Undying (The Downworld Sequence #1)
author: Emma Mieko Candon
name: David
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2025/03/23
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Life of John Calvin - A Modern Translation of the Classic by Theodore Beza]]> 261174 148 Theodore Beza 085234404X David 3
The book is pretty dry. I wouldn't recommend it as someone's first introduction to Calvin. It requires a lot of knowledge of the Reformation and Calvin's life. Despite it's faults, the book is an incredible resource. It should be required reading for anyone who wants to write on Calvin's life.

Beza's closeness to Calvin provides some valuable insight on two large events. The first is the section on the burning of Serverus. He provides context to how the decision was made and what Severus was actually like as a person. My favorite part was the long section of Calvin's dying days. You get a long section of his last will and testament along with some of his final prayers. The book was worth reading for those sections alone.

I will add the edition I had by Gary Sanseri had an introduction and addition content that just made me roll my eyes. Far more talk of socialists and communism than a book on Calvin should ever call for.]]> 3.95 1909 The Life of John Calvin - A Modern Translation of the Classic by Theodore Beza
author: Theodore Beza
name: David
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1909
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/12
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves:
review:
This biography was written by a disciple of Calvin who became his successor in Geneva. The primary worth of the book is that it is written by someone who actually knew Calvin. It is accused as being a hagiography, but I honestly wish it was more of one. It gives a great sense of what Calvin did and the various controversies he faced, but little of his personality.

The book is pretty dry. I wouldn't recommend it as someone's first introduction to Calvin. It requires a lot of knowledge of the Reformation and Calvin's life. Despite it's faults, the book is an incredible resource. It should be required reading for anyone who wants to write on Calvin's life.

Beza's closeness to Calvin provides some valuable insight on two large events. The first is the section on the burning of Serverus. He provides context to how the decision was made and what Severus was actually like as a person. My favorite part was the long section of Calvin's dying days. You get a long section of his last will and testament along with some of his final prayers. The book was worth reading for those sections alone.

I will add the edition I had by Gary Sanseri had an introduction and addition content that just made me roll my eyes. Far more talk of socialists and communism than a book on Calvin should ever call for.
]]> <![CDATA[Christian Women in the Patristic World: Their Influence, Authority, and Legacy in the Second through Fifth Centuries]]> 32510946 336 Lynn H. Cohick 080103955X David 5
The book does not try to dismiss the fathers as misogynistic, nor does it try to exonerate them. It simply does good historical work in trying to explain who these women were and their place in the world. I loved hearing their stories.

This is the kind of work patristic studies should strive to be. Anyone who wants to engage patristic studies should read this one. It is still fairly academic so I might not recommend it for the average lay person.]]> 4.28 Christian Women in the Patristic World: Their Influence, Authority, and Legacy in the Second through Fifth Centuries
author: Lynn H. Cohick
name: David
average rating: 4.28
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/11
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves:
review:
Women are always some what off to the side in patristic studies. Or if the topic of women comes up it is often about how the pastristics were anti-woman. What I loved about this book is that it brings women to the forefront of the discussion. It tells the stories of how women in the patristic world had deep influence and power.

The book does not try to dismiss the fathers as misogynistic, nor does it try to exonerate them. It simply does good historical work in trying to explain who these women were and their place in the world. I loved hearing their stories.

This is the kind of work patristic studies should strive to be. Anyone who wants to engage patristic studies should read this one. It is still fairly academic so I might not recommend it for the average lay person.
]]> <![CDATA[Night Angel Nemesis (The Kylar Chronicles, #1)]]> 61280566 Brent Weeks returns to the New York Times bestselling world of the Night Angel in Night Angel Nemesis, following master assassin Kylar on a new adventure as the High King Logan Gyre calls on him to save his kingdom and the hope of peace.

After the war that cost him so much, Kylar Stern is broken and alone. He’s determined not to kill again, but an impending amnesty will pardon the one murderer he can’t let walk free. He promises himself this is the last time. One last hit to tie up the loose ends of his old, lost life.

But Kylar’s best–and maybe only–friend, the High King Logan Gyre, needs him. To protect a fragile peace, Logan’s new kingdom, and the king’s twin sons, he needs Kylar to secure a powerful magical artifact that was unearthed during the war.

With rumors that a ka’kari may be found, adversaries both old and new are on the hunt. And if Kylar has learned anything, it’s that ancient magics are better left in the hands of those he can trust.

If he does the job right, he won’t need to kill at all. This isn’t an assassination—it’s a heist.

But some jobs are too hard for an easy conscience, and some enemies are so powerful the only answer lies in the shadows.]]> 838 Brent Weeks 0316554901 David 4
I really enjoyed this one even though I haven't read the original night angel trilogy. I probably should have because I clearly spoiled plenty for myself and it would have helped me understand a little more. But overall, the book still worked for me.

The book manages to be paced really well even though it is a massive tome. Most of these 800ish pages were either in the middle of a heist on Kylar trying to escape. I enjoyed every minute of it and it kept me turning pages.

I have read Week's Lightbringing series before this one. He clearly has grown a lot as an author. My largest complaint with the last series was the misogyny and constant middle school like sexual fascination. This book does not completely move away from that. Parts of it are certainly present, but it much more muted and an improvement overall.

It is going to get me to go back and read the regular trilogy. I am excited to see how the characters in this book started out and end up where they are now.]]> 3.97 2023 Night Angel Nemesis (The Kylar Chronicles, #1)
author: Brent Weeks
name: David
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/11
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves:
review:
Update: Reread this one after finishing the original series and I liked it a lot more.

I really enjoyed this one even though I haven't read the original night angel trilogy. I probably should have because I clearly spoiled plenty for myself and it would have helped me understand a little more. But overall, the book still worked for me.

The book manages to be paced really well even though it is a massive tome. Most of these 800ish pages were either in the middle of a heist on Kylar trying to escape. I enjoyed every minute of it and it kept me turning pages.

I have read Week's Lightbringing series before this one. He clearly has grown a lot as an author. My largest complaint with the last series was the misogyny and constant middle school like sexual fascination. This book does not completely move away from that. Parts of it are certainly present, but it much more muted and an improvement overall.

It is going to get me to go back and read the regular trilogy. I am excited to see how the characters in this book started out and end up where they are now.
]]> <![CDATA[The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, #2)]]> 233649
Rand cannot run for ever. With every passing day the Dark One grows in strength and strives to shatter his ancient prison, to break the Wheel, to bring an end to Time and sunder the weave of the Pattern.

And the Pattern demands the Dragon.]]> 705 Robert Jordan 0812517725 David 5 4.25 1990 The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, #2)
author: Robert Jordan
name: David
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1990
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/09
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves:
review:
I re-read this one again in preparation for the show and enjoyed it even more the second time. This series is so much better on reread.
]]> <![CDATA[Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #2)]]> 56377548
The ratings and views are off the chart. The fans just can't get enough. The dungeon gets more dangerous each day. But in a grinder designed to chew up and spit out crawlers by the millions, Carl and Princess Donut need to work harder than ever just to survive.

They call it the Over City. A sprawling, once-thriving metropolis devastated by a mysterious calamity. But these streets are far from abandoned. An undead circus trawls the ruins. Murdered prostitutes rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose.

Carl still has no pants.

They call it Dungeon Crawler World. For Carl and Donut, it's anything but a game.]]> 364 Matt Dinniman David 4
I do think the audiobook is the best way to experience the book. The narrator is so good that he elevates the material.]]> 4.55 2021 Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #2)
author: Matt Dinniman
name: David
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/06
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves:
review:
The first book was a guilty pleasure read of a ridiculous premise. This one actually took a step forward in quality. The video game number crunching took a step back and emotional character development took a step forward. I guess now I have been sucked into this series.

I do think the audiobook is the best way to experience the book. The narrator is so good that he elevates the material.
]]> Gospel Wakefulness 10135676 224 Jared C. Wilson 1433526360 David 4
I can see why some feel as if he is calling for a Pentecostal-like experience of the baptism of the spirit. It seemed to me, he was simply calling for a belief in the gospel that actually leads to greater love for God. Although, maybe my background in the charismatic world just makes me more sympathetic to the argument.

The worst thing you can say about Jared Wilson's books is that he writes about the gospel too much. It is why I find myself continuing to return to his writings and always appreciate them as they help me see the gospel in new ways.]]> 4.25 2011 Gospel Wakefulness
author: Jared C. Wilson
name: David
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/01
date added: 2025/03/03
shelves:
review:
The primary premise of the book is that right embracing of the gospel should lead to an actual change in our affections. The gospel is not just something we intellectually affirm but something that we should love. A lot of this reminds me of Jonathan Edwards' "Religious Affections." I wish he would have actually interacted with it more as it could have provided some more meat to the book.

I can see why some feel as if he is calling for a Pentecostal-like experience of the baptism of the spirit. It seemed to me, he was simply calling for a belief in the gospel that actually leads to greater love for God. Although, maybe my background in the charismatic world just makes me more sympathetic to the argument.

The worst thing you can say about Jared Wilson's books is that he writes about the gospel too much. It is why I find myself continuing to return to his writings and always appreciate them as they help me see the gospel in new ways.
]]> <![CDATA[A Morbid Taste for Bones (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #1)]]> 36679740
It is 1137, and the ambitious head of Shrewsbury Abbey wishes to acquire the remains of Saint Winifred for the glory of his Benedictine order. Brother Cadfael is part of the expedition sent to the saint’s final resting place in Wales, where he finds the villagers divided over the Benedictines� quest.

When the leading opponent to moving the grave is shot dead with a mysterious arrow, some believe Winifred herself delivered the blow. Brother Cadfael knows that an earthly hand did the killing. But he doesn’t know that his plan to root out a murderer may dig up a case of love and justice, where the waves of sin may be scandal—or his own ruin.]]> 264 Ellis Peters David 3 4.11 1977 A Morbid Taste for Bones (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #1)
author: Ellis Peters
name: David
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1977
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/09
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves:
review:
This was a fun historical fiction mystery novel. It follows a somewhat skeptical monk involved in a dispute about a saint's bones the church wants to be moved from a small Welsch village. Someone is murdered and he has to solve the mystery. It took me awhile to get into the book but I had a good time. The prose was well written and it felt very medieval. I enjoyed the discussions around faith, miracles, and the church. I enjoyed this one enough to check out the next book in the series.
]]> <![CDATA[Origen: An Introduction to His Life and Thought (Cascade Companions)]]> 53533164 184 Ronald E. Heine 1498288960 David 4
Half of the book is an introduction to Origen's life and his context. It was incredibly valuable not just to hear his own story but to have an idea of what helped shape his view of the world. The highlight of the book was the chapter on his Biblical interpretation. If you are reading Origen, it is likely because you want to see how he is interpreting the Bible. This chapter helps demonstrate what exactly his method of interpretation is and it is not as random as it may appear.

The last chapter was meant to be an overview of his theology and the weakest part of the book. It was harder to follow and I was not convinced these were the most important theological ideas Origen has.

Overall, this is a great introduction to Origen. It is short, brief, and a great primer to begin. I have read a few of Origen's books and sermons, but I still found it helpful.
]]> 4.24 Origen: An Introduction to His Life and Thought (Cascade Companions)
author: Ronald E. Heine
name: David
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/25
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves:
review:
Origen is one of the giants in the patristic world. He has written an unbelievable amount of works and every theologian has an opinion on him. All of this can make it intimidating or hard to know where to begin with him. This book offers an excellent place to start so one can begin to engage Origen with some level of understanding.

Half of the book is an introduction to Origen's life and his context. It was incredibly valuable not just to hear his own story but to have an idea of what helped shape his view of the world. The highlight of the book was the chapter on his Biblical interpretation. If you are reading Origen, it is likely because you want to see how he is interpreting the Bible. This chapter helps demonstrate what exactly his method of interpretation is and it is not as random as it may appear.

The last chapter was meant to be an overview of his theology and the weakest part of the book. It was harder to follow and I was not convinced these were the most important theological ideas Origen has.

Overall, this is a great introduction to Origen. It is short, brief, and a great primer to begin. I have read a few of Origen's books and sermons, but I still found it helpful.

]]> <![CDATA[Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church: An Historical Introduction to Patristic Exegesis]]> 283351 168 Manlio Simonetti 0567292495 David 3
This is a heavily academic and dense book despite its short length. I would only recommend this to those wanting to get into the weeks of patristic exegesis and who already have some experience in the topic.]]> 3.74 2002 Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church: An Historical Introduction to Patristic Exegesis
author: Manlio Simonetti
name: David
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2002
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/25
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves:
review:
This was quite a slog to get through. It is meant to be a survey, but it is not always an effective one. He moves quickly over ages and figures briefly pointing out individual works or significant developments. But he does not provide a clear framework for how interpretation is changing and why changes are taking place. I find him useful and helpful in particular moments, but I was mostly confused by him.

This is a heavily academic and dense book despite its short length. I would only recommend this to those wanting to get into the weeks of patristic exegesis and who already have some experience in the topic.
]]> Resurrection 42641 562 Leo Tolstoy 0735102864 David 5
This is the easiest to read of his three large novels. It is much shorter and has an easier-to-follow simple narrative. It follows a young noble who ends up on a jury to judge a young prostitute for murder. The problem is our noble seduced this young woman, got her pregnant, and then abandoned her, which led her down her current life choices. The rest of the novel is our hero wrestling with his own spiritual awakening and trying to do what is right.

A lot of the story centers around prison and the justice system. Here you can feel the full force of Tolstoy's political raging. But I don't know how you can complain about it. The justice system in Russia at this point was horrific. The morality of every character in the story is revealed in how they respond to the suffering of others.

I loved the story. It was easy to follow and to get wrapped up in the spiritual and emotional journey. It gave me plenty to think about and meditate on.]]> 4.15 1899 Resurrection
author: Leo Tolstoy
name: David
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1899
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/21
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves:
review:
I love Tolstoy. The more explicitly Christian, "moralizing," or political his writing is, the more I enjoy it. There is something so profound in his writing I haven't been able to find anywhere else.

This is the easiest to read of his three large novels. It is much shorter and has an easier-to-follow simple narrative. It follows a young noble who ends up on a jury to judge a young prostitute for murder. The problem is our noble seduced this young woman, got her pregnant, and then abandoned her, which led her down her current life choices. The rest of the novel is our hero wrestling with his own spiritual awakening and trying to do what is right.

A lot of the story centers around prison and the justice system. Here you can feel the full force of Tolstoy's political raging. But I don't know how you can complain about it. The justice system in Russia at this point was horrific. The morality of every character in the story is revealed in how they respond to the suffering of others.

I loved the story. It was easy to follow and to get wrapped up in the spiritual and emotional journey. It gave me plenty to think about and meditate on.
]]> <![CDATA[The Letter and Spirit of Biblical Interpretation: From the Early Church to Modern Practice]]> 36625910 288 Keith D. Stanglin 0801049687 David 5
The second part is his application and way forward. He argues that the modern church needs to recover and retrieve much of premodern exegesis. I found myself persuaded by his general thesis even if I am still unsure what that practically looks like. This is likely a book I will return to and spending more time thinking on it.]]> 4.23 The Letter and Spirit of Biblical Interpretation: From the Early Church to Modern Practice
author: Keith D. Stanglin
name: David
average rating: 4.23
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/08
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves:
review:
This book is split into two parts. The first part gives an overview of how Biblical interpretation has changed from the patristic period to the modern day. This part of the book is the most helpful resource on the topic that I have found. He clearly explains each of the most influential figures, the cultural forces at play, while keeping a coherent and focused narrative. It is the strongest part of the book and worth reading for anyone who wants to see the history of interpretation.

The second part is his application and way forward. He argues that the modern church needs to recover and retrieve much of premodern exegesis. I found myself persuaded by his general thesis even if I am still unsure what that practically looks like. This is likely a book I will return to and spending more time thinking on it.
]]> <![CDATA[The Fathers on the Future: A 2nd-Century Eschatology for the 21st-Century Church]]> 209399769 344 Michael J. Svigel 1496487664 David 5
There is a large amount of material that is online rather than being inside of the book. I don't know if I should consider that material as a part of the book or more as deleted scenes for those who want more. Some of them are full of the patristic material I wished more of the book had been and were deeply worth reading. I might encourage someone to seek those out, since they are available for free if that is the primary driver behind interest in this book.

What I appreciated the most about the book is Svigel's humility and nuance. He is clear on which interpretation of the fathers and the scriptures he believes is the correct interpretation. But he admits where their is ambiguity and where there may be better options. In an age of overstatement, I always appreciate charity and humility in academic writing. He did give the best defense of a pretribulation rapture I have ever heard. He did not quite convince me, but he makes a great case.

I am probably biased in my enjoyment of this book. I have taken a class with Dr. Svigel and have a great amount of respect for his patristic scholarship. I am also a begrudging premillenialist so I don't mind the change in focus as others might. I would recommend this one if you want to hear a thorough defense of dispensational premillenialism based on the fathers. I might cation against picking this one up if you are only interested in reading a general engagement of patristic eschatology.]]> 4.30 The Fathers on the Future: A 2nd-Century Eschatology for the 21st-Century Church
author: Michael J. Svigel
name: David
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:
I am a little torn on how to review this book. If you are expecting this book to be an examination of patristic eschatology with some ideas on how to apply that to our modern context, then you will likely be disappointed by this book. It does do some of that but this book is primarily an defense of premillennial eschatology with a helping of the fathers. He does use the fathers, primarily Irenaeus, to argue a version of dispensational premillenialism is the most faithful to the Biblical text and the original interpreters of it. I expected the book to be more of the former, but once I adjusted my expectations I enjoyed it. I do think this is the best and most thorough defense of dispensational premillenial eschatology that I have ever heard.

There is a large amount of material that is online rather than being inside of the book. I don't know if I should consider that material as a part of the book or more as deleted scenes for those who want more. Some of them are full of the patristic material I wished more of the book had been and were deeply worth reading. I might encourage someone to seek those out, since they are available for free if that is the primary driver behind interest in this book.

What I appreciated the most about the book is Svigel's humility and nuance. He is clear on which interpretation of the fathers and the scriptures he believes is the correct interpretation. But he admits where their is ambiguity and where there may be better options. In an age of overstatement, I always appreciate charity and humility in academic writing. He did give the best defense of a pretribulation rapture I have ever heard. He did not quite convince me, but he makes a great case.

I am probably biased in my enjoyment of this book. I have taken a class with Dr. Svigel and have a great amount of respect for his patristic scholarship. I am also a begrudging premillenialist so I don't mind the change in focus as others might. I would recommend this one if you want to hear a thorough defense of dispensational premillenialism based on the fathers. I might cation against picking this one up if you are only interested in reading a general engagement of patristic eschatology.
]]> <![CDATA[Marriage and Virginity (The Works of Saint Augustine)]]> 878630 256 Augustine of Hippo 1565482220 David 4
I was honestly surprised by what I found in Augustine's writings. He is incredibly consistent in his convictions around sexuality and there are far more based on the Biblical text then I was led to believe. His primary guiding force seems to be where Paul describes singleness as better than marriage. Since it is better, it is not just something optional but something all believers should pursue. This guides his opinion about sex inside of marriage, divorce, and the possibility of remarriage. I found myself agreeing with him more than I thought that I would originally, even though I do not buy into all of his conclusions. He also speaks far more highly of marriage than I expected.

Overall, I appreciated his pastoral heart. He elevates virginity but also warns against pride. I would recommend this work to anyone who wants to engage with the substance of what Augustine actually taught. It is worth digesting even for those who will disagree with everything he says.]]> 3.39 400 Marriage and Virginity (The Works of Saint Augustine)
author: Augustine of Hippo
name: David
average rating: 3.39
book published: 400
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/07
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:
Augustine, and the patristics in general, are often characterized as having bizarre theological opinions around sex. The strength of this collection is that it allows Augustine to speak in his own words. This brings together five different works on marriage, adultery, widows, virginity, and celibacy. There is a short introduction before each work that provides helpful context which is useful in understanding why he would state something that he does. The translations are also accessible and easily readable, at least I found them to be so.

I was honestly surprised by what I found in Augustine's writings. He is incredibly consistent in his convictions around sexuality and there are far more based on the Biblical text then I was led to believe. His primary guiding force seems to be where Paul describes singleness as better than marriage. Since it is better, it is not just something optional but something all believers should pursue. This guides his opinion about sex inside of marriage, divorce, and the possibility of remarriage. I found myself agreeing with him more than I thought that I would originally, even though I do not buy into all of his conclusions. He also speaks far more highly of marriage than I expected.

Overall, I appreciated his pastoral heart. He elevates virginity but also warns against pride. I would recommend this work to anyone who wants to engage with the substance of what Augustine actually taught. It is worth digesting even for those who will disagree with everything he says.
]]> <![CDATA[The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia, #5)]]> 84119 The Horse and his Boy is a stirring and dramatic fantasy story that finds a young boy named Shasta on the run from his homeland with the talking horse, Bree. When the pair discover a deadly plot by the Calormen people to conquer the land of Narnia, the race is on to warn the inhabitants of the impending danger and to rescue them all from certain death.]]> 224 C.S. Lewis 0439861365 David 5 3.92 1954 The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia, #5)
author: C.S. Lewis
name: David
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:
Read it aloud to the boys and they liked it but did not enjoy it as much as the others.
]]> <![CDATA[Accompany Them with Singing: The Christian Funeral]]> 6928274 240 Thomas G. Long 0664233198 David 4
The book is broken into two halves. The first half is an overview of how funerals have developed through history. He spends a lot of time showing the doctrinal shift and the guiding beliefs for why certain practices where accepted in funerals and how things changed. This is the strongest part of the book. He points out a myriad of ways churches have accepted cultural ideas and attitudes towards funerals that are not necessarily Christian.

The second part of the book is where he tries to apply the idea of a Christian funeral and argue for an approach. I was disappointed by this part and disagreed often with where he was going. He helped me recognize the problem and I agree generally that Christianity needs to think more deeply about what makes a funeral Christian. But his solution left me unsatisfied.

He had some doctrinal ideas I found strange. He flirts with universalism in a way that made me uncomfortable. It might be fair to call him a hopeful universalist even if he would not affirm that it is true. He also had a weird belief about the resurrection of the dead and the intermediate state. He tries to argue that the dead have been bodily resurrected right now at the present moment. Even though the resurrection will come through Christ later, God is outside time so they are actually already experiencing the resurrection to come.

Despite the weird theology and rejecting his solution, I really enjoyed this book. He helped me think about how to approach funerals in a way I had never considered. I highly recommend this book to anyone who regularly plans and leads them.]]> 4.24 2009 Accompany Them with Singing: The Christian Funeral
author: Thomas G. Long
name: David
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/01
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves:
review:
I wish I had read this book 10 funerals ago. He makes the case that there must be a distinct Christian funeral. What makes a funeral Christian is not a few moments while the preacher talks where the gospel is preached, but rather a Christian funeral proclaims and demonstrates the gospel throughout the entire service itself.

The book is broken into two halves. The first half is an overview of how funerals have developed through history. He spends a lot of time showing the doctrinal shift and the guiding beliefs for why certain practices where accepted in funerals and how things changed. This is the strongest part of the book. He points out a myriad of ways churches have accepted cultural ideas and attitudes towards funerals that are not necessarily Christian.

The second part of the book is where he tries to apply the idea of a Christian funeral and argue for an approach. I was disappointed by this part and disagreed often with where he was going. He helped me recognize the problem and I agree generally that Christianity needs to think more deeply about what makes a funeral Christian. But his solution left me unsatisfied.

He had some doctrinal ideas I found strange. He flirts with universalism in a way that made me uncomfortable. It might be fair to call him a hopeful universalist even if he would not affirm that it is true. He also had a weird belief about the resurrection of the dead and the intermediate state. He tries to argue that the dead have been bodily resurrected right now at the present moment. Even though the resurrection will come through Christ later, God is outside time so they are actually already experiencing the resurrection to come.

Despite the weird theology and rejecting his solution, I really enjoyed this book. He helped me think about how to approach funerals in a way I had never considered. I highly recommend this book to anyone who regularly plans and leads them.
]]> <![CDATA[Diary of a Pastor's Soul: The Holy Moments in a Life of Ministry]]> 53520624 Christianity Today 2021 Book Award Winner (The Church/Pastoral Leadership Award of Merit)Diary of a Pastor's Soul tells the story of a fictionalized pastor, embarking on his final year before retirement, who reflects on the experiences and relationships that have formed his vocation and shaped his soul over a lifetime of pastoral ministry.Drawing on his own experiences, seasoned pastor Craig Barnes invites readers to embrace the life lessons of a pastor who has been formed by his failures and his fleeting moments of glory, but most of all by discovering the holy in the routine but often quirky duties of being a parish pastor.Through 52 weekly thematic entries, Barnes presents spirituality in narrative form through a collection of interwoven stories about learning to love others with curiosity, amazement, vulnerability, and most of all gratitude for the grace found in flawed lives.Barnes's fictionalized diary approach creatively shows how the pastoral vocation forms mind, heart, and soul, helping pastors make sense of their own calling. With unvarnished honesty, this book eloquently illustrates a lifetime of ministry, revealing how "the Holy haunts the landscape of life."]]> 216 M. Craig Barnes 1493423959 David 5
The book is a weird place of fiction and non-fiction. It is the diary of a pastor in his last year of ministry before he retires. The author has taken plenty of his own story and feelings while pastor and written them down here while changing details here and there. I interpret it as a fictional story from a real pastor who knows what it is like.

This is not a book I would read because it tells you how to pastor. There is plenty I would disagree with and do differently. But the beauty of the book is that you can find another pastor who knows what it means to pastor. I would be curious to see what lay people thought of the book. I would primarily recommend it to those who have pastored for a while and find themselves weary.]]> 4.72 Diary of a Pastor's Soul: The Holy Moments in a Life of Ministry
author: M. Craig Barnes
name: David
average rating: 4.72
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/17
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves:
review:
I am not sure this book would make sense to anyone who has not pastored for some time. I would have laughed at this book and mocked it in seminary, but now I find it healing and comforting.

The book is a weird place of fiction and non-fiction. It is the diary of a pastor in his last year of ministry before he retires. The author has taken plenty of his own story and feelings while pastor and written them down here while changing details here and there. I interpret it as a fictional story from a real pastor who knows what it is like.

This is not a book I would read because it tells you how to pastor. There is plenty I would disagree with and do differently. But the beauty of the book is that you can find another pastor who knows what it means to pastor. I would be curious to see what lay people thought of the book. I would primarily recommend it to those who have pastored for a while and find themselves weary.
]]> <![CDATA[The Storm Beneath the World (Children of Corruption #1)]]> 203588014
"...a wildly imaginative, morbidly captivating, and slightly unhinged gut-punch of a story; this is fantasy like you have never read before." —Before We Go Blog

"Fletcher continues to create amazing worlds one after the other, and let me tell you this: this one is an absolute page turner." —FanFiAddict

"A solid ten out of ten!" —The Nerd Book Review

The gods have abandoned their creation, fled to the city beyond the clouds. Banished from the heavens, the Betrayer rules the hellish storm beneath the world.

Before the gods left this world, they cursed its people. The magical abilities the inhabitants once enjoyed became twisted and dangerously addictive. Now, to discover one’s talent is a curse. These corrupt souls are doomed to use their skills, improving and growing in strength, until they can no longer resist its lure. Starvation and death are the fate of every Corrupt.

When war with a neighbouring island becomes inevitable, four young Corrupt are sent to a hidden school to hone their dangerous talents. They are to be trained and used as weapons before the curse claims them.

United in purpose, divided by caste, only they can save their home.]]> 365 Michael R. Fletcher David 4
This is one of the strangest books I have ever read. I took a risk reading a self-published book in which all the characters are bugs. That alone, with the setting, makes it hard to find your bearings. I almost put the book down after it introduced four different characters. Thankfully, I stuck with it, and it paid off. The characters start to come together, and the story is fairly straightforward.

The story is not quite grimdark. But the characters are deeply flawed and don't necessarily improve or get redeemed. They are pressed into impossible situations, and the right moral choice is vague and unclear.

The world centers around a hive of bugs who all follow their queen on a massive floating island. There is an elaborate caste system and women are elevated over men, who are largely only good for breeding. Those with magical gifts are called "corrupted," who are either killed outright, die from the addiction their magic brings, or are secretly taken to a magic school.

I honestly expected to DNF this book and instead, I am anxiously awaiting the sequel. What a time to be alive.]]> 4.51 2024 The Storm Beneath the World (Children of Corruption #1)
author: Michael R. Fletcher
name: David
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/30
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves:
review:
Sometimes you just need to read a book about nihilistic bugs who have magic powers.

This is one of the strangest books I have ever read. I took a risk reading a self-published book in which all the characters are bugs. That alone, with the setting, makes it hard to find your bearings. I almost put the book down after it introduced four different characters. Thankfully, I stuck with it, and it paid off. The characters start to come together, and the story is fairly straightforward.

The story is not quite grimdark. But the characters are deeply flawed and don't necessarily improve or get redeemed. They are pressed into impossible situations, and the right moral choice is vague and unclear.

The world centers around a hive of bugs who all follow their queen on a massive floating island. There is an elaborate caste system and women are elevated over men, who are largely only good for breeding. Those with magical gifts are called "corrupted," who are either killed outright, die from the addiction their magic brings, or are secretly taken to a magic school.

I honestly expected to DNF this book and instead, I am anxiously awaiting the sequel. What a time to be alive.
]]> The Message 210943364
The first of the book’s three intertwining essays is set in Dakar, Senegal. Despite being raised as a strict Afrocentrist, Coates had never set foot on the African continent until now. He roams the “steampunk� city of “old traditions and new machinery,� but everywhere he goes he feels as if he’s in two places at once: a modern city in Senegal and a mythic kingdom in his mind. Finally he travels to the slave castles off the coast and has his own reckoning with the legacy of the Afrocentric dream.

He takes readers along with him to Columbia, South Carolina, where he meets an educator whose job is threatened for teaching one of Coates’s own books. There he discovers a community of mostly white supporters who were transformed by the “racial reckoning� of 2020. But he also explores the backlash to this reckoning and the deeper myths of the community—a capital of the confederacy with statues of segregationists looming over its public squares.

And in Palestine, Coates discovers the devastating gap between the narratives we’ve accepted and the clashing reality of life on the ground. He meets with activists and dissidents, Israelis and Palestinians—the old, who remember their dispossessions on two continents, and the young, who have only known struggle and disillusionment. He travels into Jerusalem, the heart of Zionist mythology, and to the occupied territories, where he sees the reality the myth is meant to hide. It is this hidden story that draws him in and profoundly changes him—and makes the war that would soon come all the more devastating.

Written at a dramatic moment in American and global life, this work from one of the country’s most important writers is about the urgent need to untangle ourselves from the destructive nationalist myths that shape our world—and our own souls—and embrace the liberating power of even the most difficult truths.]]> 232 Ta-Nehisi Coates 0593230388 David 4
This “book� is really a collection of a few essays that don’t necessary tie together. One is an address to students, one a visit to Senegal, a visit to South Carolina, and a final longer one on Palestine. He mostly meanders and wonders aloud in a way only he can. I doubt this book would persuade anyone, and I’m not sure if he was trying to. But, for those who appreciate his writing they will find much to enjoy.]]> 4.51 2024 The Message
author: Ta-Nehisi Coates
name: David
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/24
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves:
review:
I would read a Ta-Nehisi essay about paint drying. His writing is beautiful in a way that captivates me even when I don’t understand what he is getting at or when I disagree with his argument.

This “book� is really a collection of a few essays that don’t necessary tie together. One is an address to students, one a visit to Senegal, a visit to South Carolina, and a final longer one on Palestine. He mostly meanders and wonders aloud in a way only he can. I doubt this book would persuade anyone, and I’m not sure if he was trying to. But, for those who appreciate his writing they will find much to enjoy.
]]> <![CDATA[Counsel to Gospel Ministers: Letters on Preaching, Exemplary Behavior, and the Pastoral Call]]> 36317481 76 John Brown of Haddington 1601785313 David 5
The best part of the book is how saturated in the gospel it was. Over and over his emplores pastors to take the gospel seriously and let it infect everything in their ministry.]]> 4.53 Counsel to Gospel Ministers: Letters on Preaching, Exemplary Behavior, and the Pastoral Call
author: John Brown of Haddington
name: David
average rating: 4.53
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/20
date added: 2025/01/23
shelves:
review:
The best advice on how to pastor comes from the dead. This is a series of letters to pastors on how they should preach and act. It begins with a short biography explaining who John Brown was that was rich and informative. I was surprised at how timeless the advice was. There were plenty of places he surprised me in how pastoral and sensitive he was. The only dated advice was on being overly familiar with your congregation, which made sense for his time period.

The best part of the book is how saturated in the gospel it was. Over and over his emplores pastors to take the gospel seriously and let it infect everything in their ministry.
]]> The Making of Robert E. Lee 444704 384 Michael Fellman 0801874114 David 4
I appreciated how much of the book relies on Lee's own words and primary sources. He get to hear him in his own voice describe his thoughts. They get placed in context, but it never feels like the author is imposing his own ideas of interpretation of Lee.

It is clear how little of Lee's mythos are rooted in reality. Gettysburg was his failure, but he never acknowledged his part in the defeat. Indeed, for a long time, he refused to recognize that it was anything other than a victory for the south.

I was not surprised by the racism or white supremacy because that was to be expected. I was surprised to find how much Lee looked down upon democracy in general. He was as big a believer in the aristocracy as you can find. He thought no more of poor "ungentlemanly" whites than he did of other races. I was also surprised by the vigorous nature of his flirting with other women. The author is conservative and never accuses him of any physical infidelity. But it is clear he consistently and continually crossed lines in letters. It is hard to imagine he never did so in any other way.

Part of me wished the book had more depth in dealing with military history specifically. Most of the battles and conflicts are skipped over or only casually referenced to. Someone who wants to read it specifically because for that insight will be disappointed. But for someone who wants to know about the man and does not desire an in-depth look at battles will find much to appreciate.

You get a sense of who he was as a person. He was deeply religious and a firm believer in the role of the nobles in ruling society. This was foundational to him as a person. Everything he thought and did seemed rooted in this idea. I randomly picked this book up at a library sale and I am so glad I did. It was great to get more depth and context on who Lee actually was.]]> 3.48 2000 The Making of Robert E. Lee
author: Michael Fellman
name: David
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2000
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/13
shelves:
review:
This is neither a hagiography nor a take-down piece of Lee. It is an honest attempt to reveal the true man behind the legends with all that entails. It ends up being rather negative, but the author never goes further than can be proved from Lee's own words.

I appreciated how much of the book relies on Lee's own words and primary sources. He get to hear him in his own voice describe his thoughts. They get placed in context, but it never feels like the author is imposing his own ideas of interpretation of Lee.

It is clear how little of Lee's mythos are rooted in reality. Gettysburg was his failure, but he never acknowledged his part in the defeat. Indeed, for a long time, he refused to recognize that it was anything other than a victory for the south.

I was not surprised by the racism or white supremacy because that was to be expected. I was surprised to find how much Lee looked down upon democracy in general. He was as big a believer in the aristocracy as you can find. He thought no more of poor "ungentlemanly" whites than he did of other races. I was also surprised by the vigorous nature of his flirting with other women. The author is conservative and never accuses him of any physical infidelity. But it is clear he consistently and continually crossed lines in letters. It is hard to imagine he never did so in any other way.

Part of me wished the book had more depth in dealing with military history specifically. Most of the battles and conflicts are skipped over or only casually referenced to. Someone who wants to read it specifically because for that insight will be disappointed. But for someone who wants to know about the man and does not desire an in-depth look at battles will find much to appreciate.

You get a sense of who he was as a person. He was deeply religious and a firm believer in the role of the nobles in ruling society. This was foundational to him as a person. Everything he thought and did seemed rooted in this idea. I randomly picked this book up at a library sale and I am so glad I did. It was great to get more depth and context on who Lee actually was.
]]> John Quincy Adams 34194 A vivid portrait of a man whose pre- and post-presidential careers overshadowed his presidency.

Chosen president by the House of Representatives after an inconclusive election against Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams often failed to mesh with the ethos of his era, pushing unsuccessfully for a strong, consolidated national government. Historian Robert V. Remini recounts how in the years before his presidency Adams was a shrewd, influential diplomat, and later, as a dynamic secretary of state under President James Monroe, he solidified many basic aspects of American foreign policy, including the Monroe Doctrine.

Undoubtedly his greatest triumph was the negotiation of the Transcontinental Treaty, through which Spain acknowledged Florida to be part of the United States. After his term in office, he earned the nickname "Old Man Eloquent" for his passionate antislavery speeches.]]> 192 Robert V. Remini David 5
I have largely been disappointed by this biography series. Most of them are so short that they struggle to accomplish anything other than a 30,000 foot view of the persons life. This one is by far the best in the series I have seen. It not only provides depth but also provides a real picture of who Quincy was as a person.

JQA was born with incredibly high expectations to be a man who could change nations. His mother was so overbearing he refused to attend her funeral when she died. Her personality drove his siblings into alcoholism and failure, only Quincy was able to find some success. He went overseas with his father in his teenage years and was on his own in Russia before he was 18. The result made Quincy brilliant, gifted in diplomacy, and emotionally stunted.

His presidency was largely disappointing. He accomplished little and was opposed from the beginning because of the contested election that he appeared to only win because of a backroom deal with Henry Clay. He made matters worse by making all his decisions based on what he believed was right and proper even when it would hurt him politically. It was admirable but made his presidency ineffective. His ambitions would have radically helped our country, even small things like wanting a uniform system of measurement (like the metric system). But he never had the political capital needed to bring them about.

His pre and post-presidency are some of the most successful of any president. He was arguably our best secretary of state. He formulated the Monroe doctrine, negotiated for Florida, and helped negotiate for a lasting peace with Britain. His post-presidency was spent fighting slavery. He was elected to congress and tirelessly fought against the gag-rule, which banned even trying to debate slavery. He argued in front of the supreme court in the Amistad case, which was a monumental win for abolition.

JQA has a lot of similarities to Jimmy Carter. Both had incredibly successful careers post-presidency and both had their presidencies flounder because of their insistence on principles over politics.

I can't help but love Quincy. To me, he feels like the last of the founding fathers. He was born in the wrong generation and has only recently been appreciated. I loved this biography. The author is an Andrew Jackson scholar, which at times lead to being to pro-jackson for my taste. Overall, this is a small biography that does a great job honoring an overlooked president.]]> 3.94 2002 John Quincy Adams
author: Robert V. Remini
name: David
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2002
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/11
date added: 2025/01/13
shelves:
review:
JQA is one of my favorite post-presidents.

I have largely been disappointed by this biography series. Most of them are so short that they struggle to accomplish anything other than a 30,000 foot view of the persons life. This one is by far the best in the series I have seen. It not only provides depth but also provides a real picture of who Quincy was as a person.

JQA was born with incredibly high expectations to be a man who could change nations. His mother was so overbearing he refused to attend her funeral when she died. Her personality drove his siblings into alcoholism and failure, only Quincy was able to find some success. He went overseas with his father in his teenage years and was on his own in Russia before he was 18. The result made Quincy brilliant, gifted in diplomacy, and emotionally stunted.

His presidency was largely disappointing. He accomplished little and was opposed from the beginning because of the contested election that he appeared to only win because of a backroom deal with Henry Clay. He made matters worse by making all his decisions based on what he believed was right and proper even when it would hurt him politically. It was admirable but made his presidency ineffective. His ambitions would have radically helped our country, even small things like wanting a uniform system of measurement (like the metric system). But he never had the political capital needed to bring them about.

His pre and post-presidency are some of the most successful of any president. He was arguably our best secretary of state. He formulated the Monroe doctrine, negotiated for Florida, and helped negotiate for a lasting peace with Britain. His post-presidency was spent fighting slavery. He was elected to congress and tirelessly fought against the gag-rule, which banned even trying to debate slavery. He argued in front of the supreme court in the Amistad case, which was a monumental win for abolition.

JQA has a lot of similarities to Jimmy Carter. Both had incredibly successful careers post-presidency and both had their presidencies flounder because of their insistence on principles over politics.

I can't help but love Quincy. To me, he feels like the last of the founding fathers. He was born in the wrong generation and has only recently been appreciated. I loved this biography. The author is an Andrew Jackson scholar, which at times lead to being to pro-jackson for my taste. Overall, this is a small biography that does a great job honoring an overlooked president.
]]> Wool - Holston (Wool, #1) 12287209
Or you'll get what you wish for.]]> 56 Hugh Howey David 4 4.14 2012 Wool - Holston (Wool, #1)
author: Hugh Howey
name: David
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/01
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves:
review:

]]> Home (Gilead, #2) 2924318 Home parallels the story told in Robinson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Gilead. It is a moving and healing book about families, family secrets, and the passing of the generations, about love and death and faith.

Hundreds of thousands were enthralled by the luminous voice of John Ames in Gilead, Marilynne Robinson’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel. Home is an entirely independent, deeply affecting novel that takes place concurrently in the same locale, this time in the household of Reverend Robert Boughton, Ames’s closest friend.

Glory Boughton, aged thirty-eight, has returned to Gilead to care for her dying father. Soon her brother, Jack—the prodigal son of the family, gone for twenty years—comes home too, looking for refuge and trying to make peace with a past littered with tormenting trouble and pain.

Jack is one of the great characters in recent literature. A bad boy from childhood, an alcoholic who cannot hold a job, he is perpetually at odds with his surroundings and with his traditionalist father, though he remains Boughton’s most beloved child. Brilliant, lovable, and wayward, Jack forges an intense bond with Glory and engages painfully with Ames, his godfather and namesake.

Home is a moving and healing book about families, family secrets, and the passing of the generations, about love and death and faith. It is Robinson’s greatest work, an unforgettable embodiment of the deepest and most universal emotions.]]> 325 Marilynne Robinson 0374299102 David 4 4.04 2008 Home (Gilead, #2)
author: Marilynne Robinson
name: David
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/07
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves:
review:
I have rarely read things as moving as Robinson's writing. This mostly made me want to return to Gilead. I probably found that one more moving as a pastor, but I enjoyed seeing the story from another perspective. The profound beauty and heartbreak of home is on full display.
]]> On Death and Eternal Life 65757583 330 St Gregory of Nyssa 0881417092 David 5
I have yet to be disappointed by any volume in the popular patristic series. This translation is wonderful and readable. I love having the greek text side by side for reference.]]> 4.38 On Death and Eternal Life
author: St Gregory of Nyssa
name: David
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/07
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves:
review:
This collection is a wonderful blend of the theological and the pastoral. The first three works are more philosophical works about death. The most interesting to me was the one on infants dying young. The last four works are all sermons. The first is a sermon given on Easter about Christ's resurrection and the last are all funeral sermons. The first was for a respected Christian leader, but the last two are the highlight of the work. One is on a 6 year old princess who died tragically and the second was for her mother given 6 months later. These are the kinds of funerals every pastor dreads having to preach. They are simply wonderful and moving to read. I will return to them when I have to preach a hard funeral.

I have yet to be disappointed by any volume in the popular patristic series. This translation is wonderful and readable. I love having the greek text side by side for reference.
]]> Hadji Murád 135060 100 Leo Tolstoy 1602060134 David 3 3.90 1912 Hadji Murád
author: Leo Tolstoy
name: David
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1912
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/02
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves:
review:
I am not sure that I know what to think of this book. It was the last work Tolstoy worked on before his death and is nothing like his previous work. By the end of his life, he was primarily writing works with heavy religious themes. This work has almost none of them. It is a kind of historical fiction written about a rebel who resisted the Russian Empire to his death. It almost feels like he wrote a story about one of his childhood heroes. The story probably would have been more impactful to me if I was more familiar with Chechen and Russian history. It felt like a story an old man wrote just to prove he could still write fiction and he had an idea. I liked it okay, but it does not compare to any of his other writings.
]]> <![CDATA[All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone (Volume 48) (New Studies in Biblical Theology)]]> 44056141 canonical context of the book of Revelation and argues that it presents itself as the climax of biblical prophecy. He shows how various Old Testament prophecies and patterns find their consummation in the present and future reign of Jesus Christ, who decisively defeats his foes, saves his people, and restores all things. Tabb considers key biblical-theological themes: the triune God; Christ's followers and foes; God's plan for salvation, judgment, and restoration; and God's word. He also explores how the book's symbolic visions shape believers' worldviews in accordance with what is true, good, and beautiful according to God's revealed standards. These visions motivate them to live obediently and counter-culturally in the world as faithful witnesses to Jesus. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.]]> 280 Brian J. Tabb 0830826491 David 5 4.25 All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone (Volume 48) (New Studies in Biblical Theology)
author: Brian J. Tabb
name: David
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/28
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves:
review:
This is one of the most readable books I have found in the series. It looks at Revelation primarily through the lens of biblical themes. Each chapter traces a different theme through the Bible and how it culminates in Revelation. It is a different way to look at the book and it was an immensely helpful way to study the book. I'm starting to preach through Revelation and it was one I will have to refer to again and again.
]]> <![CDATA[Abandon the Orderly House: Good News for Skeptics and Burned Out Believers]]> 223148614 Frederick Buechner Award winning author A.W. REGETS, this work is a reminder that God's patient love can overcome all our anxiety and fear. And whether you're facing deconstruction, pain, uncertainty or grief, this book is a balm for the restless soul who wants to be reminded that they're never walking alone.


Drawing on a variety of biblical texts, Abandon the Orderly House offers hope and healing to skeptics and stubborn believers alike. And without judgment, these sermons serve as a reminder to us all that Jesus stands beside us (even when we struggle to believe), and his scarred hands will never let us go.]]> 108 A. W. Regets David 5 4.90 Abandon the Orderly House: Good News for Skeptics and Burned Out Believers
author: A. W. Regets
name: David
average rating: 4.90
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/01
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves:
review:
Sermon collections can be a strange or risky read. Sometimes they don't translate well to a written format. Sometimes they are only meaningful if you already like the preacher. These sermons are like a drink of water to a tired soul. I was repeatedly impressed and moved by the sermons. They were simple, poetic, and focused on Jesus. You can hear the pastoral voice in each of them. It feels like you are just getting to sit and listen to a pastor gently preach to you about what you need to hear. These sermons did not necessarily feel targeted only at skeptics or those who are burned out, but they will certainly resonate with those groups. I found them so refreshing and wonderfully full of Jesus. I wish I had preached these sermons.
]]> <![CDATA[The Happy Warrior: Alfred E. Smith]]> 13380344 40 Franklin D. Roosevelt David 4
My favorite quote was in the very beginning: "When the mental growth of a man in public life ceases, he out, for the sake of the community, to retire. Most of our mediocre or unsuccessful Presidents were slipping downhill mentally before they took office."]]> 2.80 1928 The Happy Warrior: Alfred E. Smith
author: Franklin D. Roosevelt
name: David
average rating: 2.80
book published: 1928
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/29
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves:
review:
I got this little book as a Christmas gift and it was a treat. It is a short campaign book written by FDR to promote Smith's campaign for president in 1928. The first half is an argument for his fitness for office and the second half is the transcript of FDR's nomination speech at the Democratic Convention. It was fascinating to read this after a recent presidential election. It left me longing for an older era and reminded me that some things never change.

My favorite quote was in the very beginning: "When the mental growth of a man in public life ceases, he out, for the sake of the community, to retire. Most of our mediocre or unsuccessful Presidents were slipping downhill mentally before they took office."
]]> <![CDATA[Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #1)]]> 56791389 Alternate cover edition of ASIN B08BKGYQXW


The apocalypse will be televised!

A man. His ex-girlfriend's cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the universe: a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible.

In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth—from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds—collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground.

The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe.

Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over. In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your followers, your views. Your clout. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style.

You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big.

You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that "it" factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That's the only way to truly survive in this game—with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy.

They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it's anything but a game.]]> 446 Matt Dinniman David 3 4.49 2020 Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #1)
author: Matt Dinniman
name: David
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/19
date added: 2024/12/19
shelves:
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I kept seeing this book recommended and finally gave it a chance. The cover is terrible, LitRPG is largely a bad genre, and this has incredibly juvenile humor. Yet somehow the book manages to work and is an entertaining popcorn book. I think the audio narrator is largely responsible for elevating the book. I’m not sure I’ll continue the series but we will see.
]]> <![CDATA[Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms]]> 57468025 Discover simple habits and easy-to-implement daily rhythms that will help you find meaning beyond the chaos of family life as you create a home where kids and parents alike practice how to love God and each other.

You long for tender moments with your children--but do you ever find yourself too busy to stop, make eye contact, and say something you really mean? Daily habits are powerful ways to shape the heart--but do you find yourself giving in to screen time just to get through the day? You want to parent with purpose--but do you know how to start?

Award-winning author and father of four Justin Whitmel Earley understands the tension between how you long to parent and what your daily life actually looks like. In Habits of the Household, Earley gives you the tools you need to create structure--from mealtimes to bedtimes--that free you to parent toddlers, kids, and teens with purpose. Learn how to:


Develop a bedtime liturgy to settle your little ones and ground them in God's love
Discover a new framework for discipline as discipleship
Acquire simple practices for more regular and meaningful family mealtimes
Open your eyes to the spirituality of parenting, seeing small moments as big opportunities for spiritual formation
Develop a custom age chart for your family to more intentionally plan your shared years under the same roof
Each chapter in Habits of the Household ends with practical patterns, prayers, or liturgies that your family can put into practice right away. As you create liberating rhythms around your everyday routines, you will find your family has a greater sense of peace and purpose as your home becomes a place where, above all, you learn how to love.]]> 226 Justin Whitmel Earley 0310362938 David 5
I read his previous book Common Rule, which I also loved. I wasn't sure if this one would be different enough to warrant reading. But he applies the previous concepts in an honest and helpful way. I cannot recommend his two books enough.]]> 4.58 2021 Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms
author: Justin Whitmel Earley
name: David
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/06
date added: 2024/12/17
shelves:
review:
This might be the best parenting book I have ever read. It reminds me a lot of "Liturgy of the Ordinary" and James K. A. Smith's "Desiring the Kingdom." He emphasizes small things rather than difficult-to-achieve habits. Most of these parenting/habits/spiritual discipline books can feel overwhelming and discouraging. This one feels more filled with grace and honesty. He does not call for 30 minutes spent in prayer but just a one-sentence prayer. The book is soaked in the grace of the gospel.

I read his previous book Common Rule, which I also loved. I wasn't sure if this one would be different enough to warrant reading. But he applies the previous concepts in an honest and helpful way. I cannot recommend his two books enough.
]]> <![CDATA[Exodus: Saved for God's Glory (Preaching the Word)]]> 361671 1248 Philip Graham Ryken 1581344899 David 4 4.60 2005 Exodus: Saved for God's Glory (Preaching the Word)
author: Philip Graham Ryken
name: David
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/17
date added: 2024/12/17
shelves:
review:
I consistently enjoy this commentary series of sermons even when each sermon doesn't quite hit. This one is a giant tome of 102 sermons that took me four years to get through. It feels bloated at points and I don't think anyone should spend that long preaching Exodus. I'd recommend it to someone who isn't afraid of massive books and wants to read sermons on Exodus.
]]> <![CDATA[Exodus: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching]]> 134281 321 Terence E. Fretheim 0804231028 David 3
Yet, there are plenty of moments I found myself agreeing and enjoying his writing. The prose is beautiful and a reminder that commentaries need not be dry. He also makes lots of connections between Exodus and Genesis that are spot on. I certainly wouldn't recommend this commentary for lay people, but it might be worth consulting if you want to consider another perspective.]]> 4.10 1991 Exodus: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching
author: Terence E. Fretheim
name: David
average rating: 4.10
book published: 1991
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/11
date added: 2024/12/17
shelves:
review:
I try to read outside of my tradition periodically and this was the latest attempt. Fretheim has a lot of open theism or process theology that pops up throughout the book. He also repeatedly downplays the historical nature of the account. I am not sure if he was simply flirting with open theism or if he had open embraced it at this point in his writings.

Yet, there are plenty of moments I found myself agreeing and enjoying his writing. The prose is beautiful and a reminder that commentaries need not be dry. He also makes lots of connections between Exodus and Genesis that are spot on. I certainly wouldn't recommend this commentary for lay people, but it might be worth consulting if you want to consider another perspective.
]]> <![CDATA[Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive, #5)]]> 203578847 The long-awaited explosive climax to the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive―the iconic epic fantasy masterpiece that has sold more than 10 million copies, from acclaimed bestselling author Brandon Sanderson.

Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare―and the sudden ascension of the crafty and ruthless Taravangian to take Odium’s place has thrown everything into disarray.

Desperate fighting continues simultaneously worldwide―Adolin in Azimir, Sigzil and Venli at the Shattered Plains, and Jasnah at Thaylen City. The former assassin, Szeth, must cleanse his homeland of Shinovar from the dark influence of the Unmade. He is accompanied by Kaladin, who faces a new battle helping Szeth fight his own demons . . . and who must do the same for the insane Herald of the Almighty, Ishar.

At the same time, Shallan, Renarin, and Rlain work to unravel the mystery behind the Unmade Ba-Ado-Mishram and her involvement in the enslavement of the singer race and in the ancient Knights Radiants killing their spren. And Dalinar and Navani seek an edge against Odium’s champion that can be found only in the Spiritual Realm, where memory and possibility combine in chaos. The fate of the entire Cosmere hangs in the balance.]]> 1344 Brandon Sanderson 1250319188 David 5
Some stuff was not my favorite. This was the most "modern" feeling of his books and it almost took me out of it at points. Sanderson did a lot of different things than he normally does in this book and it did not always work. I've enjoyed the mental health stuff in the series, but it felt so preachy and heavy-handed in this one. I wish it would have been handled with more nuance.

Overall though, I can't bring myself to criticize this series too much. I've loved this series for a long time. It feels like the gloves are coming off and we are about to enter into a new stage of the Cosmere. I can't wait for what will come next.]]> 4.35 2024 Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive, #5)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: David
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/16
date added: 2024/12/17
shelves:
review:
I read The Way of Kings in 2010 and have waited over a decade for the end of this first arc. I was not totally sure what to expect, but I hoped the book would deliver a satisfying "conclusion" and resolution for the characters I've grown to love. The book absolutely delivered on those fronts.

Some stuff was not my favorite. This was the most "modern" feeling of his books and it almost took me out of it at points. Sanderson did a lot of different things than he normally does in this book and it did not always work. I've enjoyed the mental health stuff in the series, but it felt so preachy and heavy-handed in this one. I wish it would have been handled with more nuance.

Overall though, I can't bring myself to criticize this series too much. I've loved this series for a long time. It feels like the gloves are coming off and we are about to enter into a new stage of the Cosmere. I can't wait for what will come next.
]]> <![CDATA[Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation (Cultural Liturgies)]]> 5944774
James K. A. Smith focuses on the themes of liturgy and desire in "Desiring the Kingdom," the first book in what will be a three-volume set on the theology of culture. He redirects our yearnings to focus on the greatest good: God. Ultimately, Smith seeks to re-vision education through the process and practice of worship. Students of philosophy, theology, worldview, and culture will welcome "Desiring the Kingdom," as will those involved in ministry and other interested readers.]]> 238 James K.A. Smith 0801035775 David 5 4.23 2009 Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation (Cultural Liturgies)
author: James K.A. Smith
name: David
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2014/01/01
date added: 2024/12/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[In Defence of Christianity: Early Christian Apologists (Early Christianity in the Context of Antiquity)]]> 22516289 263 Jakob Engberg 3631623836 David 5
The book is a collection of essays and a deep dive into the early apologists. Most of the chapters are focused on individual apologists (Aristides, Justin Martyr, Tatian, Athenagoras, Theophilus, Letter to Diognetus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Minucius Felix). Each of those chapters provides a good introduction to the writings and a good examination of the works themselves. The book begins with an introduction to the context of the apologists. It also examines pagan writings against Christians and how Eusebius affected interpreting the apologists.

Now is this book worth the expensive price tag? That will depend on how much you enjoy academic writing and how interested you are in the patristic apologists. I think this is a great introduction to them. It is something I read and reread as I worked through the apologist's writings.]]> 4.17 2014 In Defence of Christianity: Early Christian Apologists (Early Christianity in the Context of Antiquity)
author: Jakob Engberg
name: David
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/10
date added: 2024/12/10
shelves:
review:
This is a translation of a Danish academic work. However, it is a great translation and relatively easy to read for those used to academic writing. There are a few places where German quotations are not translated into English which can cause issues.

The book is a collection of essays and a deep dive into the early apologists. Most of the chapters are focused on individual apologists (Aristides, Justin Martyr, Tatian, Athenagoras, Theophilus, Letter to Diognetus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Minucius Felix). Each of those chapters provides a good introduction to the writings and a good examination of the works themselves. The book begins with an introduction to the context of the apologists. It also examines pagan writings against Christians and how Eusebius affected interpreting the apologists.

Now is this book worth the expensive price tag? That will depend on how much you enjoy academic writing and how interested you are in the patristic apologists. I think this is a great introduction to them. It is something I read and reread as I worked through the apologist's writings.
]]> <![CDATA[Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship and Witness: Following the Lamb into the New Creation]]> 9799141
"With an exceptional blend of scholarly insight and confessional grounding, this book restores Revelation to relevance for the mission of the church. Gorman joins John of Patmos to inspire us with a risky and lofty vision of following the Lamb in radical and nonviolent witness in the world. This accessible volume is a theological wellspring for preachers, teachers, and any disciples seeking a reliable alternative to the scare-mongering eschatology that clogs airwaves and bookstores."
--J. Nelson Kraybill
author of Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation

"Sometimes I think there are only two kinds of Christians in America: those who've never read Revelation and those who read almost nothing else. This book can help either kind. With careful use of scholarship and an evident love for the Lamb who was slain, Michael Gorman demystifies a book that's meant to clarify what's at stake when we say, 'Jesus is Lord.'"
--Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
author of The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture

Michael J. Gorman is Professor of Sacred Scripture and Dean of the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. His recent books include Reading Paul (Cascade 2008) and Inhabiting the Cruciform God (2009).
]]> 211 Michael J. Gorman 1606085603 David 4
At times, he drastically overstates his case. He often puts any premillennial or future interpretation of revelation under the "left-behind" umbrella. He also will exaggerate the scholarly consensus on positions that he holds. This is a real weakness, especially in a popular-level book, because it will fool readers.

Despite my misgivings, this is a well-written book. I appreciated his perspective and I will refer to it as I preach through Revelation.]]> 4.45 2011 Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship and Witness: Following the Lamb into the New Creation
author: Michael J. Gorman
name: David
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/09
date added: 2024/12/09
shelves:
review:
This is a good popular-level explanation of Revelation that offers a different perspective. He does a good job examining the challenges in reading and interpreting Revelation. He offers a largely amillenial perspective with an emphasis on the empire of the world and Christian non-violence. I loved this emphasis on non-violence as it is something I have rarely heard in these discuccions.

At times, he drastically overstates his case. He often puts any premillennial or future interpretation of revelation under the "left-behind" umbrella. He also will exaggerate the scholarly consensus on positions that he holds. This is a real weakness, especially in a popular-level book, because it will fool readers.

Despite my misgivings, this is a well-written book. I appreciated his perspective and I will refer to it as I preach through Revelation.
]]> <![CDATA[Beyond the Shadows (Night Angel, #3)]]> 6569573 From New York Times bestselling author Brent Weeks...
Logan Gyre is king of Cenaria, a country under siege, with a threadbare army and little hope. He has one chance - a desperate gamble, but one that could destroy his kingdom.

In the north, the new Godking has a plan. If it comes to fruition, no one will have the power to stop him.

Kylar Stern has no choice. To save his friends-and perhaps his enemies-he must accomplish the impossible: assassinate a goddess.

Beyond the Shadows is the action-packed conclusion to the Night Angel Trilogy.

Night Angel
The Way of Shadows
Shadow's Edge
Beyond the Shadows

Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy (omnibus)
Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella (e-only)
The Way of Shadows: The Graphic Novel

For more from Brent Weeks, check out:

Lightbringer
The Black Prism
The Blinding Knife
The Broken Eye
The Blood Mirror]]> 699 Brent Weeks David 3 4.37 2008 Beyond the Shadows (Night Angel, #3)
author: Brent Weeks
name: David
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/07
date added: 2024/12/09
shelves:
review:
This series was huge up and down in quality. It constantly bounced between great writing and parts that made me roll my eyes. I enjoyed all of it though. I appreciated seeing how much Weeks has grown as a writer because his later books are much better. I did feel like the final showdown was not set up well. We got to final world-ending conflict and it felt forced and unearned.
]]> Erasure 19492105 We's Lives in Da Ghetto, the exploitative debut novel of a young, middle-class black woman who once visited "some relatives in Harlem for a couple of days." Hailed as an authentic representation of the African American experience, the book is a national bestseller and its author feted on the Kenya Dunston television show. The book's success rankles all the more as Monk's own most recent novel has just notched its seventh rejection.

Even as his career as a writer appears to have stalled, Monk finds himself coping with changes in his personal life. In need of distraction from old memories, new responsibilities, and his professional stagnation, Monk composes, in a heat of inspiration and energy, a fierce parody of the sort of exploitative, ghetto wanna-be lit represented by We's Lives in Da Ghetto.

But when his agent sends this literary indictment (included here in its entirety) out to publishers, it is greeted as an authentic new voice of black America. Monk -- or his pseudonymous alter ego, Stagg R. Leigh -- is offered money, fame, success beyond anything he has known. And as demand begins to build for meetings with and appearances by Leigh, Monk is faced with a whole new set of problems.]]> 280 Percival Everett David 5 4.19 2001 Erasure
author: Percival Everett
name: David
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/29
date added: 2024/12/04
shelves:
review:
I wanted to read this one after enjoying the movie and I was not disappointed. The book follows a mostly unsuccessful author who writes a satirical "black" novel in protest and it unintentionally becomes a bestseller. The satirical look at publishing and race is intertwined with drama and problems within his own family. I do think a lot of the book went over my head. There seemed to be a lot of literary discussions or illusions I was completely unfamiliar with, but it did not keep me from enjoying the book. I want to read more from this author.
]]> <![CDATA[Shadow's Edge (Night Angel, #2)]]> 8153214
Kylar Stern has rejected the assassin's life. The Godking's successful coup has left Kylar's master, Durzo, and his best friend, Logan, dead. He is starting over: new city, new friends, and new profession.

But when he learns that Logan might actually be alive and in hiding, Kylar is faced with an agonizing choice: will he give up the way of shadows forever and live in peace with his new family, or will he risk everything by taking on the ultimate hit?

Devour this blockbuster tale of assassination and magic by Brent Weeks, which has delighted readers all over the world--with over one million copies in print!]]> 645 Brent Weeks David 3 4.34 2008 Shadow's Edge (Night Angel, #2)
author: Brent Weeks
name: David
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/28
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves:
review:
This book and probably the whole series is a roller coaster of quality. It takes way too long for the story to get off the ground. But once it gets moving it has some incredibly gripping and mesmerizing writing. Unfortunately, much of the way he writes women and sexuality is extremely cringy.
]]> <![CDATA[The Immortal War (Dathen Legends Book 1)]]> 53830125 172 N.J. Franco David 0 currently-reading 3.15 2020 The Immortal War (Dathen Legends Book 1)
author: N.J. Franco
name: David
average rating: 3.15
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Exploring the Lore of Middle-earth: A Practical Guide to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Beyond]]> 221648130 The Lord of the Rings or go deeper into the history and lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, this guide is for you.

In this booklet I share where to go next in Tolkien's Legendarium no matter whether you've never read a page of Tolkien or have a growing Tolkien collection of your own!

Join hundreds of others who have downloaded this guide and prepare to take your next steps in Middle-earth today.]]> 16 J.R.R. Jokien David 0 3.45 Exploring the Lore of Middle-earth: A Practical Guide to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Beyond
author: J.R.R. Jokien
name: David
average rating: 3.45
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2024/11/28
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe]]> 59365050
Jim Thorpe rose to world fame as a mythic talent who excelled at every sport. He won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, was an All-American football player at the Carlisle Indian School, the star of the first class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and played major league baseball for John McGraw’s New York Giants. Even in a golden age of sports celebrities, he was one of a kind.

But despite his colossal skills, Thorpe’s life was a struggle against the odds. As a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, he encountered duplicitous authorities who turned away from him when their reputations were at risk. At Carlisle, he dealt with the racist assimilationist philosophy “Kill the Indian, Save the Man.� His gold medals were unfairly rescinded because he had played minor league baseball. His later life was troubled by alcohol, broken marriages, and financial distress. He roamed from state to state and took bit parts in Hollywood, but even the film of his own life failed to improve his fortunes. But for all his travails, Thorpe did not succumb. The man survived, complications and all, and so did the myth.

Path Lit by Lightning is a great American story from a master biographer.]]> 672 David Maraniss 1476748411 David 4
The primary weakness of the book is that I still don't have a great sense of Thorpe as a person and it is probably difficult to ever know. He was a nomadic alcoholic who abandoned multiple families while continually traveling the country trying to make a living. He was reserved about his true feelings most of the time. He understood his fame and usually was trying to navigate it in his public statements. I wish I could have learned more about his inner life, but that task seems impossible.

Despite the weakness, this is a wonderful book. It stands head and shoulders above most sports biographies as a genuine historical work.]]> 3.93 2022 Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe
author: David Maraniss
name: David
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/23
date added: 2024/11/23
shelves:
review:
An incredible work of history even though it doesn't fully manage to bring Thorpe to life. Jim Thorpe is one of those characters whose life has been surrounded by so much mythology it is difficult to ever know the truth. Maraniss does a great job cataloging Thorpe's life and separates the facts from fiction as often as possible. The most impressive part of the book is how well he explains the context of Thorpe's life. Each reference or place is explained and fleshed out in ways that floored me. It never feels like you are reading about random disconnected moments in Thorpe's life. Instead, an entire point in history is being explained.

The primary weakness of the book is that I still don't have a great sense of Thorpe as a person and it is probably difficult to ever know. He was a nomadic alcoholic who abandoned multiple families while continually traveling the country trying to make a living. He was reserved about his true feelings most of the time. He understood his fame and usually was trying to navigate it in his public statements. I wish I could have learned more about his inner life, but that task seems impossible.

Despite the weakness, this is a wonderful book. It stands head and shoulders above most sports biographies as a genuine historical work.
]]> <![CDATA[The Way of Shadows (Night Angel, #1)]]> 3227063 New York Times Bestselling author Brent Weeks...
For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art-and he is the city's most accomplished artist.

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly - and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.

But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins' world of dangerous politics and strange magics - and cultivate a flair for death.]]> 645 Brent Weeks 0316033677 David 3 4.15 2008 The Way of Shadows (Night Angel, #1)
author: Brent Weeks
name: David
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/23
date added: 2024/11/23
shelves:
review:
I really enjoy Brent Weeks and was cautiously optimistic about trying out his debut novel. It feels like his first book at points with plenty of his weaknesses, but also lots of promise. I was impressed by how well the whole thing tied itself together at the end.
]]> <![CDATA[The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, #1)]]> 26030734
When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is—but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island's unwelcoming animal inhabitants.

As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home—until, one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her.

From bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a heartwarming and action-packed novel about what happens when nature and technology collide.]]> 282 Peter Brown 0316381993 David 4
The movie is actually better and is one of the best-animated movies I've ever seen. It streamlines the plot and adds a deeper emotional journey for the characters. The book is still enjoyable in its own right.]]> 4.19 2016 The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, #1)
author: Peter Brown
name: David
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/19
date added: 2024/11/19
shelves:
review:
This is a cute book with a great story about a robot who lives on a wild island and learns to care for the animals. The book is a little meandering at times. The pacing is all over the place. It is mostly a cozy light-hearted read. My children absolutely loved it. It had short chapters, some 2 pages and others closer to twelve. They would always beg for more and once we reached a certain part of the story demanded we finished it all. I'll be picking up the next books in the series.

The movie is actually better and is one of the best-animated movies I've ever seen. It streamlines the plot and adds a deeper emotional journey for the characters. The book is still enjoyable in its own right.
]]> <![CDATA[Ancient Apologetic Exegesis: Introducing and Recovering Theophilus’s World]]> 26093790 264 Stuart E. Parsons 1498227503 David 5
This is a good example of patristic scholarship. He engages with all of the major patristic scholars with charity and generosity. What impressed me the most was how engaging and understandable this book was. This is a highly niche subject in patristic studies on deeply technical issues. Yet, the prose remained readable and interesting.

I would only recommend it for those used to advanced patristic reading, but those who dive in will find a great treat.]]> 4.50 2015 Ancient Apologetic Exegesis: Introducing and Recovering Theophilus’s World
author: Stuart E. Parsons
name: David
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/13
date added: 2024/11/13
shelves:
review:
This is a masterful defense of 2nd-century patristic writing. Many of the early writers, specifically Theophilus, are rejected because their use of the Scriptures seems strange to modern protestant sensibilities. Parsons helps demonstrate that this is because we do not understand the 2nd-century world would have been impressed with Theophilus' masterful command of the Scriptures.

This is a good example of patristic scholarship. He engages with all of the major patristic scholars with charity and generosity. What impressed me the most was how engaging and understandable this book was. This is a highly niche subject in patristic studies on deeply technical issues. Yet, the prose remained readable and interesting.

I would only recommend it for those used to advanced patristic reading, but those who dive in will find a great treat.
]]> <![CDATA[Your Jesus Is Too American: Calling the Church to Reclaim Kingdom Values over the American Dream]]> 209351110 208 Steve Bezner 1587436310 David 4
Most of the book goes through values of Jesus and how they are different than American values. It is more positively focused on the better way of Christ than the wrong way of the world. He still addresses sexuality, politics, and race. He does so in a way that is clear and firm on traditional Christian teaching without arguing for a particular partisan stance or policy position.

This is written on a popular level and is meant to be enjoyed by the average congregant. I don't typically enjoy popular-level books, but this one was so focused on Jesus that it was hard not to like it.]]> 4.11 Your Jesus Is Too American: Calling the Church to Reclaim Kingdom Values over the American Dream
author: Steve Bezner
name: David
average rating: 4.11
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/12
date added: 2024/11/13
shelves:
review:
The main complaint I can see some having is that is not political enough. Don't expect this to be a firm and harsh rejection of trumpism or American civil religion. Those books are needed and they have been written. This is a gentle and pastoral book. It is not written to browbeat and condemn all those people over there doing it wrong. Instead, it is a gentle call to come back to Jesus. The argument is being made positively of how much better the kingdom of God is. Those who want something harsher will be disappointed, but I can see this book actually being persuasive.

Most of the book goes through values of Jesus and how they are different than American values. It is more positively focused on the better way of Christ than the wrong way of the world. He still addresses sexuality, politics, and race. He does so in a way that is clear and firm on traditional Christian teaching without arguing for a particular partisan stance or policy position.

This is written on a popular level and is meant to be enjoyed by the average congregant. I don't typically enjoy popular-level books, but this one was so focused on Jesus that it was hard not to like it.
]]> <![CDATA[The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name]]> 165068 352 Sally Lloyd-Jones 0310708257 David 4
It’s okay. Some stories were really good and others made me scratch my head. This is my first kids Bible so I have nothing to compare it to. I didn’t love how it ignored sin seemed to cheapen the gospel. Other places like implying the Trinity is broken at the cross were more glaring. I did appreciate how it tried to show how each story points towards Jesus even if some were a stretch.]]> 4.68 2007 The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
author: Sally Lloyd-Jones
name: David
average rating: 4.68
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/11
date added: 2024/11/11
shelves:
review:
Update: I do appreciate this Bible more and more on each reread as my kids get older.

It’s okay. Some stories were really good and others made me scratch my head. This is my first kids Bible so I have nothing to compare it to. I didn’t love how it ignored sin seemed to cheapen the gospel. Other places like implying the Trinity is broken at the cross were more glaring. I did appreciate how it tried to show how each story points towards Jesus even if some were a stretch.
]]> <![CDATA[Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive, #4)]]> 49021976 The eagerly awaited sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Oathbringer, from epic fantasy author Brandon Sanderson

After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage, and the threat of a betrayal by Dalinar's crafty ally Taravangian looms over every strategic move.

Now, as new technological discoveries by Navani Kholin's scholars begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.

At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.]]> 1232 Brandon Sanderson 0765326388 David 5
I think some like this book less because the flashback chapters are less strong than the previous entries. Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar all have incredible backstories that are a joy to learn. Venli and Eshonai's are weaker and we already know most of what we find out. They are redeemed by the last Eshonai chapter, but they are my least favorite part of the book.

I could understand why someone might be upset that Shallan and Kaladin are still sad and haven't conquered everything. As someone who deals with depression and suicidal thoughts, his journey is so good. It's touching for me and a great embodiment of the struggle some have to make it to another day.]]> 4.58 2020 Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive, #4)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: David
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/08
date added: 2024/11/08
shelves:
review:
Stormlight is easily my favorite series and it feels unfair to try to rate anything. This had been my least favorite book in the series, but I am much higher on it on reread. The pacing is strong even though the story in Shadesmare is sidelined for much of the middle book.

I think some like this book less because the flashback chapters are less strong than the previous entries. Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar all have incredible backstories that are a joy to learn. Venli and Eshonai's are weaker and we already know most of what we find out. They are redeemed by the last Eshonai chapter, but they are my least favorite part of the book.

I could understand why someone might be upset that Shallan and Kaladin are still sad and haven't conquered everything. As someone who deals with depression and suicidal thoughts, his journey is so good. It's touching for me and a great embodiment of the struggle some have to make it to another day.
]]> <![CDATA[Reformed Dogmatics Volume 4: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation]]> 1481062 Reformed Dogmatics, now also available as a four-volume set. This volume includes the combined indexes for all four volumes. In addition, editor John Bolt introduces each chapter and has enhanced the footnotes and bibliography. This masterwork will appeal not only to scholars, students, pastors, and laity interested in Reformed theology but also to research and theological libraries.]]> 944 Herman Bavinck 0801026571 David 5 4.69 2008 Reformed Dogmatics Volume 4: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation
author: Herman Bavinck
name: David
average rating: 4.69
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/06
date added: 2024/11/06
shelves:
review:
It took me over three years to finish all four volumes and it was worth the effort. These are a timeless achievement of reformed theology. I appreciated his charity and explanation of various ideas even when I disagreed with his conclusions.
]]> Theophilus of Antioch 7419949 208 Rick Rogers 0739101323 David 5
This book is not a biography. We know so little about his life that his biography could be summed up in a paragraph. Mostly this is a longer interaction with his work and writings. While we do not have much of his work, what we do have is a fascinating piece. His apology is filled with the earliest commentary on Genesis, at least the first three chapters. His writings also have little about Christ, which is what leads to large debates.

This book covers the spectrum of scholarly thought on Theophilus. He mentions all of the major scholars and the primary arguments or explanations of his work. I particularly appreciated his charitable handling of how little Theophilus refers to Christ. I did not ultimately agree with his argument, but he was charitable and fair in explaining the differing views.

Overall, if you are interested in Theophilus then go read his work Ad Autolycum. If you want a scholarly deep dive into his work, then this would be a good one. It really seems to be geared towards those familiar with the patristic world.]]> 4.00 2000 Theophilus of Antioch
author: Rick Rogers
name: David
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/05
date added: 2024/11/05
shelves:
review:
This is the only book written on Theophilus of Antioch who was the Bishop of Antioch in the second century. He wrote several books but the only surviving work is an apologetic work written to an unbelieving Roman. This lack of writing is the reason this is the only full-length work written about him.

This book is not a biography. We know so little about his life that his biography could be summed up in a paragraph. Mostly this is a longer interaction with his work and writings. While we do not have much of his work, what we do have is a fascinating piece. His apology is filled with the earliest commentary on Genesis, at least the first three chapters. His writings also have little about Christ, which is what leads to large debates.

This book covers the spectrum of scholarly thought on Theophilus. He mentions all of the major scholars and the primary arguments or explanations of his work. I particularly appreciated his charitable handling of how little Theophilus refers to Christ. I did not ultimately agree with his argument, but he was charitable and fair in explaining the differing views.

Overall, if you are interested in Theophilus then go read his work Ad Autolycum. If you want a scholarly deep dive into his work, then this would be a good one. It really seems to be geared towards those familiar with the patristic world.
]]> The Apology 1345497 Tertullian 1419152440 David 5 patristics
His theology is richly orthodox and helpful. I did not see any hints of Montanism. He gives a great description of an average Sunday with more description than even Justin Martyrs. Near the end a lot of his writing about martyrdom and death was almost devotional. While he wants persecution to stop, he is not afraid of death. This is where is famous quote "the blood of Christians is seed" comes from.

He also has some of my best sarcastic quips that I have read. I'm always on the lookout for funny ways the Patristics insult people, but his often made me laugh out loud.

This would be a great place to start if you want to read some early apologetic works. However, it is on the longer side and you might want to look elsewhere if you need a shorter introduction.]]> 3.83 197 The Apology
author: Tertullian
name: David
average rating: 3.83
book published: 197
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/28
date added: 2024/10/29
shelves: patristics
review:
This might be one of my favorite writings from the early apologists. Tertullian is well trained in rhetoric and this shows in his writing. The book is logically flows and his argument is clear without any random rabbit trails. The book is a defense of Christianity and an appeal to halt the persecutions. He points out their logical inconsistencies, why Christians cannot have committed these alleged crimes, what Christians actually believe, and why the Roman religion is misguided and wrong.

His theology is richly orthodox and helpful. I did not see any hints of Montanism. He gives a great description of an average Sunday with more description than even Justin Martyrs. Near the end a lot of his writing about martyrdom and death was almost devotional. While he wants persecution to stop, he is not afraid of death. This is where is famous quote "the blood of Christians is seed" comes from.

He also has some of my best sarcastic quips that I have read. I'm always on the lookout for funny ways the Patristics insult people, but his often made me laugh out loud.

This would be a great place to start if you want to read some early apologetic works. However, it is on the longer side and you might want to look elsewhere if you need a shorter introduction.
]]> <![CDATA[Edgedancer (The Stormlight Archive, #2.5)]]> 34703445 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, a special gift edition of Edgedancer, a short novel of the Stormlight Archive.

Three years ago, Lift asked a goddess to stop her from growing older--a wish she believed was granted. Now, in Edgedancer, the barely teenage nascent Knight Radiant finds that time stands still for no one. Although the young Azish emperor granted her safe haven from an executioner she knows only as Darkness, court life is suffocating the free-spirited Lift, who can't help heading to Yeddaw when she hears the relentless Darkness is there hunting people like her with budding powers. The downtrodden in Yeddaw have no champion, and Lift knows she must seize this awesome responsibility.

]]> 272 Brandon Sanderson 1250166543 David 4 4.14 2016 Edgedancer (The Stormlight Archive, #2.5)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: David
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/28
date added: 2024/10/28
shelves:
review:
Lift is polarizing and your enjoyment of this one will depend on what you think of her. But she will become a major character in the next arc of Stormlight so we will need to get used to her. She has grown on me a lot as a character on each reread. I think a lot of what makes her "annoying" to people is how she shuts down discussions about interesting lore readers want to know about because she isn't interested. But It is fun to watch her character continue to grow and develop.
]]> <![CDATA[Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive, #3)]]> 34002132 Oathbringer, the third volume of the New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers, a foe with numbers as great as their thirst for vengeance.

Dalinar Kholin's Alethi armies won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost: The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, which now sweeps the world with destruction, and in its passing awakens the once peaceful and subservient parshmen to the horror of their millennia-long enslavement by humans. While on a desperate flight to warn his family of the threat, Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with the fact that the newly kindled anger of the parshmen may be wholly justified.

Nestled in the mountains high above the storms, in the tower city of Urithiru, Shallan Davar investigates the wonders of the ancient stronghold of the Knights Radiant and unearths dark secrets lurking in its depths. And Dalinar realizes that his holy mission to unite his homeland of Alethkar was too narrow in scope. Unless all the nations of Roshar can put aside Dalinar's blood-soaked past and stand together--and unless Dalinar himself can confront that past--even the restoration of the Knights Radiant will not prevent the end of civilization.]]> 1248 Brandon Sanderson David 5 4.60 2017 Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive, #3)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: David
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/25
date added: 2024/10/26
shelves:
review:
It's hard to top the climax of Way of Kings, but this one does. Dalinar's backstory and emotional journey are my favorite part of this entire series.
]]> Festal Orations 6162317 194 Gregory of Nazianzus 0881413259 David 5 4.49 2008 Festal Orations
author: Gregory of Nazianzus
name: David
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/24
date added: 2024/10/24
shelves:
review:
Reading this one makes me feel like I don't know anything about preaching. This is a series of six sermons Gregory preached on special holy days (2 on Passover/Easter, 2 on Christ's baptism, Pentecost, and Christ's nativity). I actually enjoyed these sermons more than his theological orations on God and Christ. These sermons feel like they could be preached today. They hold up not just theologically but rhetorically. There is some repetitiveness, but these were meant to be heard not read. Overall, these are sermons I will return to read again and again on these holy days.
]]> <![CDATA[Listening to Our Grandmothers' Stories: The Bloomfield Academy for Chickasaw Females, 1852-1949 (North American Indian Prose Award)]]> 693999 180 Amanda J. Cobb-Greetham 0803215096 David 5
The book itself is focused on the history of a Chickasaw women's school named Bloomfield, later renamed Carter Seminary. What is unique about this school is that for much of its history, the Chickasaw nation had control over the school. Even in the later years under Federal control, the Chickasaw people were proud of the school and highly valued education.

The book is personal to the author. Her grandmother attended Bloomfield and this personal connection led her to learn more. This helps give the book a personal touch but it never veers into a full-fledged personal memoir.

I appreciated how the author connected the story of this school to the larger narrative of the Chickasaw nation itself. The nation has always placed a high value on education and literacy. Even though they recognized schools as tools of colonization, they saw there could be value in them.

The story itself is messy, as all history is. The school was both a tool of colonization, that denied girls the ability to speak their native language and a tool of freedom, which inadvertently strengthened the women's native identity. Almost all of the women interviewed had fond memories of the school and spoke of it highly. The book also wrestles with how Christianity was used by the school. At times it was used to try and "civilize" the Chickasaw" and at others, the Chickasaw were converted and pushed Christianity themselves even without federal control. I appreciated how the author fairly navigated this tension.

This is not a popular-level history book. I can see some picking this up and being disappointed that it is more academic than they might have imagined. But it is by no means dry or boring. Overall, this is a wonderful book. The prose is masterful. I felt the school of Bloomfield and the women themselves come alive through their stories.]]> 4.00 2000 Listening to Our Grandmothers' Stories: The Bloomfield Academy for Chickasaw Females, 1852-1949 (North American Indian Prose Award)
author: Amanda J. Cobb-Greetham
name: David
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/22
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves:
review:
This is a masterful work of local history. I randomly picked this one up from a used book sale when I noticed the copy was autographed. I've been wanting to learn more about the tribes in Oklahoma and this was a good chance.

The book itself is focused on the history of a Chickasaw women's school named Bloomfield, later renamed Carter Seminary. What is unique about this school is that for much of its history, the Chickasaw nation had control over the school. Even in the later years under Federal control, the Chickasaw people were proud of the school and highly valued education.

The book is personal to the author. Her grandmother attended Bloomfield and this personal connection led her to learn more. This helps give the book a personal touch but it never veers into a full-fledged personal memoir.

I appreciated how the author connected the story of this school to the larger narrative of the Chickasaw nation itself. The nation has always placed a high value on education and literacy. Even though they recognized schools as tools of colonization, they saw there could be value in them.

The story itself is messy, as all history is. The school was both a tool of colonization, that denied girls the ability to speak their native language and a tool of freedom, which inadvertently strengthened the women's native identity. Almost all of the women interviewed had fond memories of the school and spoke of it highly. The book also wrestles with how Christianity was used by the school. At times it was used to try and "civilize" the Chickasaw" and at others, the Chickasaw were converted and pushed Christianity themselves even without federal control. I appreciated how the author fairly navigated this tension.

This is not a popular-level history book. I can see some picking this up and being disappointed that it is more academic than they might have imagined. But it is by no means dry or boring. Overall, this is a wonderful book. The prose is masterful. I felt the school of Bloomfield and the women themselves come alive through their stories.
]]> A Treatise On The Soul 2102321 124 Tertullian 1419103946 David 5
The book is further evidence of Christian teaching on life beginning at conception. He is clear and explicit that the soul and body are created simultaneously. Interestingly enough, this contrasts with other philosophies that see the soul entering the body after birth.

He does have moments where he appears to be proclaiming some proto-purgatory idea. It is unclear what he truly thinks and believes about the intermediate state after death. It appeared to me like he is trying to affirm the resurrection that is coming and avoid the traps of Platonism. His ideas of Hades may simply be another way of describing heaven but it is unclear what he means. I will have to read his book on the resurrection to investigate further.

There are also hints of Tertullian's Montanism in the book. There are a few mentions here and there. I still am not sure what to make of his "heresy." But overall, this work is largely orthodox and helpful.]]> 3.08 211 A Treatise On The Soul
author: Tertullian
name: David
average rating: 3.08
book published: 211
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/14
date added: 2024/10/14
shelves:
review:
This book is a response to Platonism and other Greek philosophies on the soul. He touches on the origin of the soul, how the soul relates to the body, death, and other issues. I was surprised to learn how different the Christian ideas of the soul were compared to the world around them.

The book is further evidence of Christian teaching on life beginning at conception. He is clear and explicit that the soul and body are created simultaneously. Interestingly enough, this contrasts with other philosophies that see the soul entering the body after birth.

He does have moments where he appears to be proclaiming some proto-purgatory idea. It is unclear what he truly thinks and believes about the intermediate state after death. It appeared to me like he is trying to affirm the resurrection that is coming and avoid the traps of Platonism. His ideas of Hades may simply be another way of describing heaven but it is unclear what he means. I will have to read his book on the resurrection to investigate further.

There are also hints of Tertullian's Montanism in the book. There are a few mentions here and there. I still am not sure what to make of his "heresy." But overall, this work is largely orthodox and helpful.
]]> <![CDATA[Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive, #2)]]> 17332218 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Words of Radiance, Book Two of the Stormlight Archive, continues the immersive fantasy epic that The Way of Kings began.

Expected by his enemies to die the miserable death of a military slave, Kaladin survived to be given command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial first for a low-status "darkeyes." Now he must protect the king and Dalinar from every common peril as well as the distinctly uncommon threat of the Assassin, all while secretly struggling to master remarkable new powers that are somehow linked to his honorspren, Syl.

The Assassin, Szeth, is active again, murdering rulers all over the world of Roshar, using his baffling powers to thwart every bodyguard and elude all pursuers. Among his prime targets is Highprince Dalinar, widely considered the power behind the Alethi throne. His leading role in the war would seem reason enough, but the Assassin's master has much deeper motives.

Brilliant but troubled Shallan strives along a parallel path. Despite being broken in ways she refuses to acknowledge, she bears a terrible burden: to somehow prevent the return of the legendary Voidbringers and the civilization-ending Desolation that will follow. The secrets she needs can be found at the Shattered Plains, but just arriving there proves more difficult than she could have imagined.

Meanwhile, at the heart of the Shattered Plains, the Parshendi are making an epochal decision. Hard pressed by years of Alethi attacks, their numbers ever shrinking, they are convinced by their war leader, Eshonai, to risk everything on a desperate gamble with the very supernatural forces they once fled. The possible consequences for Parshendi and humans alike, indeed, for Roshar itself, are as dangerous as they are incalculable.]]> 1088 Brandon Sanderson 0765326361 David 5 fun-fiction 4.76 2014 Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive, #2)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: David
average rating: 4.76
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/11
date added: 2024/10/11
shelves: fun-fiction
review:
This book only gets better and better on rereads.
]]> Brooklyn (Eilis Lacey, #1) 4954833 Hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking, Colm Tóibín's sixth novel, Brooklyn, is set in Brooklyn and Ireland in the early 1950s, when one young woman crosses the ocean to make a new life for herself.

Eilis Lacey has come of age in small-town Ireland in the years following World War Two. Though skilled at bookkeeping, she cannot find a job in the miserable Irish economy. When an Irish priest from Brooklyn offers to sponsor Eilis in America--to live and work in a Brooklyn neighborhood "just like Ireland"--she decides she must go, leaving her fragile mother and her charismatic sister behind.

Eilis finds work in a department store on Fulton Street, and when she least expects it, finds love. Tony, a blond Italian from a big family, slowly wins her over with patient charm. He takes Eilis to Coney Island and Ebbets Field, and home to dinner in the two-room apartment he shares with his brothers and parents. He talks of having children who are Dodgers fans. But just as Eilis begins to fall in love with Tony, devastating news from Ireland threatens the promise of her future.]]> 262 Colm Tóibín 1439138311 David 3 3.71 2009 Brooklyn (Eilis Lacey, #1)
author: Colm Tóibín
name: David
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/08
date added: 2024/10/09
shelves:
review:
The story is a slow slice of life with little action following a young Irish woman moving to Brooklyn after the war. I actually enjoyed the pace because it felt much like living an ordinary life. My main struggle with the book was the main character Eilis. She felt like a Mary Sue. I could never fully understand why she made any of her decisions. She mostly goes along with things whether it is the people around her pushing her or men pursuing her in a relationship. She didn't seem to have any clear motivations of her own. I am interested to see the movie. I think Saoirse Ronan will be able to breathe some life into this character.
]]> The War of the Flowers 28692
He is drawn from his home in Northern California into the parallel world of Faerie, for, unknown to him, he is a pivotal figure in a war between certain of Faerie's powerful lords and the rest of the strange creatures who live in this exotic realm.]]> 828 Tad Williams 075640181X David 3 3.89 2003 The War of the Flowers
author: Tad Williams
name: David
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/05
date added: 2024/10/06
shelves:
review:
Tad Williams has been on my list for a long time and I finally came across one of his books for $2. This was a fun standalone about a band singer getting taken to fairyland. I was hooked in the beginning but it felt like there were hundreds of pages of fluff in the middle. I’m not sure this story justified 800+ pages. It came together in the third act and was a satisfying conclusion that tied everything together. Overall I enjoyed him as an author and will check out his more well known series.
]]> <![CDATA[The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia, #4)]]> 65641 Jill and Eustace must rescue the Prince from the evil Witch.

NARNIA...where owls are wise, where some of the giants like to snack on humans, where a prince is put under an evil spell...and where the adventure begins.

Eustace and Jill escape from the bullies at school through a strange door in the wall, which, for once, is unlocked. It leads to the open moor...or does it? Once again Aslan has a task for the children, and Narnia needs them. Through dangers untold and caverns deep and dark, they pursue the quest that brings them face to face with the evil Witch. She must be defeated if Prince Rillian is to be saved.]]> 243 C.S. Lewis David 5 3.96 1953 The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia, #4)
author: C.S. Lewis
name: David
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1953
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/06
date added: 2024/10/06
shelves:
review:
I read this one aloud to my boys and this might be my favorite one. I’m a Puddleglum at heart and deeply appreciate his character.
]]> <![CDATA[Retrieving the Tradition and Renewing Evangelicalism: A Primer for Suspicious Protestants]]> 268140 253 Daniel H. Williams 0802846688 David 4
One weakness of the book is that it is geared more towards academics. I am not sure this book would resonate with the average person in the pews or the average pastor. It should be but I am not sure it is accessible. Overall this is a solid argument for those willing to listen.]]> 3.81 1999 Retrieving the Tradition and Renewing Evangelicalism: A Primer for Suspicious Protestants
author: Daniel H. Williams
name: David
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1999
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/02
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves:
review:
I wish I would have read this book a decade ago. The primary argument is that the free church needs to retrieve and reengage with the great tradition of the church. It is helpful that he writes as a baptist and one who is familiar and holds to the free church ideas. I was already persuaded by Williams's argument before reading the book, but I still learned a great deal. He does not just try to explain the positives of the tradition. He goes into specific historical reasons why the free church position has appeared. He repeated quotes from primary sources to show the roots of those who reject the "catholic church." I was surprised to learn about the dubious roots of the idea the church "all went astray after Constantine."

One weakness of the book is that it is geared more towards academics. I am not sure this book would resonate with the average person in the pews or the average pastor. It should be but I am not sure it is accessible. Overall this is a solid argument for those willing to listen.
]]> <![CDATA[The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)]]> 7235533 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, book one of The Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.

Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar's niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan's motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.

Speak again the ancient oaths:

Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.

and return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again.]]> 1007 Brandon Sanderson 0765326353 David 5 fun-fiction, favorites 4.66 2010 The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: David
average rating: 4.66
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/02
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves: fun-fiction, favorites
review:
Read through this one again in preparation for book five. I have lost count of how many times I’ve read it. The climax always makes me tear up. Kaladin’s journey and struggle has always felt like the heartbeat of the series.
]]> <![CDATA[Faith of the Church: A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed According to Calvin's Catechism]]> 1166528 Karl Barth 1597528005 David 4
This felt like a good introduction to Barth. I felt like I got a better sense of his thinking and theology. I still do not fully know what to make of Barth, his infidelity and different context are two large hurdles for me. But I continually appreciated his thoughts. Portions of his brilliance shine through in unexpected places. I walked away from this encouraged with how much we agree on the foundations of the faith.]]> 4.00 2006 Faith of the Church: A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed According to Calvin's Catechism
author: Karl Barth
name: David
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/01
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves:
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This was a strange book unlike many I have read before. The book is Barth's commentary on Calvin's Catechism based on the Apostles' Creed. It felt like trying to eavesdrop on a conversation at a different table while at a loud restaurant with your family. Some degree of familiarity with these different portions is helpful if not required in trying to piece together this book. I am only vaguely familiar with Barth, but knowing the Creed and Calvin helped me follow the conversation.

This felt like a good introduction to Barth. I felt like I got a better sense of his thinking and theology. I still do not fully know what to make of Barth, his infidelity and different context are two large hurdles for me. But I continually appreciated his thoughts. Portions of his brilliance shine through in unexpected places. I walked away from this encouraged with how much we agree on the foundations of the faith.
]]> <![CDATA[The Gospel-Driven Church: Uniting Church Growth Dreams with the Metrics of Grace]]> 40589870
To cultivate a spiritually healthy church we need a shift in our metrics—a "grace-shift" that prioritizes the work of God in the lives of people over numbers and dollars. Are people growing in their esteem for Jesus? Is there a dogged devotion to the Bible as the ultimate authority for life? Is there a growing interest in theology and doctrine? A discernible spirit of repentance? And perhaps most importantly, is there evident love for God and for our neighbors in the congregation?

Leading a church culture to shift from numerical success to the metrics of grace can be costly, but leaders who have conviction, courage, and commitment can lead while avoiding some of the landmines that often destroy churches. Wilson includes diagnostic questions that will help leaders measure—and lead team transparency in measuring as a group—the relative spiritual health of their church, as well as a practical prescriptive plan for implementing this metric-measuring strategy without becoming legalistic.

Most attractional church models can lean heavily on making changes to the weekend worship gatherings. And while some of these changes can be good, thriving grace-focused churches are driven by a commitment to the gospel, allowing the gospel to inform and shape the worship service and the various ministries of the church.]]> 240 Jared C. Wilson 031057787X David 5 4.45 The Gospel-Driven Church: Uniting Church Growth Dreams with the Metrics of Grace
author: Jared C. Wilson
name: David
average rating: 4.45
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/01
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves:
review:
I reread this book again as I took my elders through it. If you have read much of Wilson's stuff on gospel centrality then nothing in here will be new. The advantage of this book is that it feels like a synthesis on everything he has written over the years. It gives some clear explanations of how churches can and should be centered on the gospel. A lot of it is geared towards churches that other things have driven, but I still found much of it helpful and refreshing.
]]> The Philippian Fragment 77383 ]]> 175 Calvin Miller 087784805X David 3
Overall, it was fine. It made me chuckle at points and roll my eyes at others. A lot of it felt like pastoral whining about how mean everyone is to the pastor. I probably would not have read it if someone in my church did not ask me to.

A lot of the reason I didn't fully appreciate this book is because I have studied and read too much from the patristic era. It was too hard for me to turn off the part of my brain that wanted to nitpick instead of acknowledging this is just meant to be funny.]]> 4.04 1982 The Philippian Fragment
author: Calvin Miller
name: David
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1982
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/25
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves:
review:
This is a satirical letter from one pastor to another in the early centuries of the church. It is almost entirely meant to be humorous. The author imagines what our current weird church problems would have looked like back then, picture a chariot with a rapture bumper sticker.

Overall, it was fine. It made me chuckle at points and roll my eyes at others. A lot of it felt like pastoral whining about how mean everyone is to the pastor. I probably would not have read it if someone in my church did not ask me to.

A lot of the reason I didn't fully appreciate this book is because I have studied and read too much from the patristic era. It was too hard for me to turn off the part of my brain that wanted to nitpick instead of acknowledging this is just meant to be funny.
]]> <![CDATA[Practicing Ministry in the Presence of God: Theological Reflections on Ministry and the Christian Life]]> 27403029 330 John Jefferson Davis 1498202063 David 3 3.33 2015 Practicing Ministry in the Presence of God: Theological Reflections on Ministry and the Christian Life
author: John Jefferson Davis
name: David
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2016/01/28
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[1 Peter (IVP New Testament Commentary Series)]]> 1672286 I. Howard Marshall 0830818170 David 4 3.72 1991 1 Peter (IVP New Testament Commentary Series)
author: I. Howard Marshall
name: David
average rating: 3.72
book published: 1991
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/23
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves:
review:
This was my second favorite commentary I used when I preached through 1 Peter. It is a popular level commentary written more for the average layman. If you don't like large technical commentaries, this would be the one I recommend.
]]> <![CDATA[1 Peter (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament)]]> 485456
1 Peter admirably achieves the dual aims of the BECNT series--it is academically sophisticated as well as pastorally sensitive and accessible. This volume features Jobes's own translation of the Greek text and detailed interaction with the meaning of the text, emphasizing the need to read 1 Peter in light of its cultural background.

Jobes's commentary will help pastors, students, and teachers better understand the Christian's role as a "foreigner" in contemporary society.]]> 384 Karen H. Jobes 0801026741 David 5 4.45 2005 1 Peter (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament)
author: Karen H. Jobes
name: David
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/22
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves:
review:
I read through many different commentaries on 1 Peter when I preached through it this fall; this was my favorite one. It is technical without being so academic that it would be unintelligible for the average lay person. If you are only going to get one commentary on 1 Peter, then this would be the one I would recommend. It was consistently the most helpful on technical issues and connecting things theologically.
]]> The Moving Prison 18878254 288 William Mirza 0781410037 David 3 3.95 1995 The Moving Prison
author: William Mirza
name: David
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Early Church on Killing: A Comprehensive Sourcebook on War, Abortion, and Capital Punishment]]> 13789120 This book provides in English translation all extant data directly relevant to the witness of the early church until Constantine on killing. Primarily, it draws data from early church writings, but other evidence, such as archaeological finds and Roman writings, is included.

Sider taps into current evangelical interest in how the early church informs contemporary life while presenting a thorough, comprehensive treatment on topics of perennial concern. The book includes brief introductions to every Christian writer cited and explanatory notes on many specific texts.

]]> 224 Ronald J. Sider 0801036305 David 5
The author is a pacifist and makes his own position known. However, it is intellectually honest and charitable throughout. He makes his own summary argument at the end of the book, which is worth reading. I appreciated his perspective as an aspiring pacifist myself, but I think those who might disagree on war will still find much to appreciate.

What surprised me the most about the book is how uniform the church was in rejecting abortion and capital punishment. The idea of Christians serving in the military is a little more mixed, especially after Constantine. I was especially pleased to see how clearly the fathers believed life began at conception.

If you want to study what the early church thought on these issues yourself, then this is the place to start. It is not a book that will do the work for you. You will have to read and wrestle all of these relevant passages on your own. It will give you more than enough information to draw your own conclusion on what they believe.]]> 4.28 2012 The Early Church on Killing: A Comprehensive Sourcebook on War, Abortion, and Capital Punishment
author: Ronald J. Sider
name: David
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/21
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves:
review:
This book is a definitive resource for studying what the early church thought about these issues. The vast majority of the book is a collection of every possible relevant statement made by the early church on these subjects. They are all introduced briefly with biographical information about the author or works. Part of the beauty of the quotations is that they are not brief. He gives you the entire quote with all of the surrounding context. There is not an attempt to manipulate the data or present it only in the best light.

The author is a pacifist and makes his own position known. However, it is intellectually honest and charitable throughout. He makes his own summary argument at the end of the book, which is worth reading. I appreciated his perspective as an aspiring pacifist myself, but I think those who might disagree on war will still find much to appreciate.

What surprised me the most about the book is how uniform the church was in rejecting abortion and capital punishment. The idea of Christians serving in the military is a little more mixed, especially after Constantine. I was especially pleased to see how clearly the fathers believed life began at conception.

If you want to study what the early church thought on these issues yourself, then this is the place to start. It is not a book that will do the work for you. You will have to read and wrestle all of these relevant passages on your own. It will give you more than enough information to draw your own conclusion on what they believe.
]]> I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons 199798488
What happens next is not the fairy tale you may be expecting.]]> 278 Peter S. Beagle 1668025272 David 3 3.62 2024 I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons
author: Peter S. Beagle
name: David
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/20
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves:
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This was a fun read that very much felt like a classic fantasy fairy tale. I was drawn to the idea of a dragon exterminator because they are nothing but pests. Unfortunately, that plays a small part in the book so I was a little disappointed. The book felt like a relatively cozy middle grade novel.
]]> <![CDATA[American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers]]> 28587592 Vanity Fair writer Nancy Jo Sales’s riveting and explosive American Girls.

With extraordinary intimacy and precision, Sales captures what it feels like to be a girl in America today. From Montclair to Manhattan and Los Angeles, from Florida and Arizona to Texas and Kentucky, Sales crisscrossed the country, speaking to more than two hundred girls, ages thirteen to nineteen, and documenting a massive change in the way girls are growing up, a phenomenon that transcends race, geography, and household income. American Girls provides a disturbing portrait of the end of childhood as we know it and of the inexorable and ubiquitous experience of a new kind of adolescence—one dominated by new social and sexual norms, where a girl’s first crushes and experiences of longing and romance occur in an accelerated electronic environment; where issues of identity and self-esteem are magnified and transformed by social platforms that provide instantaneous judgment.

What does it mean to be a girl in America in 2016?

It means coming of age online in a hyper-sexualized culture that has normalized extreme behavior, from pornography to the casual exchange of nude photographs; a culture rife with a virulent new strain of sexism and a sometimes self-undermining notion of feminist empowerment; a culture in which teenagers are spending so much time on technology and social media that they are not developing basic communication skills. From beauty gurus to slut-shaming to a disconcerting trend of exhibitionism, Nancy Jo Sales provides a shocking window into the troubling world of today’s teenage girls. 

Provocative and urgent, American Girls is destined to ignite a much-needed conversation about how we can help our daughters and sons negotiate unprecedented new challenges.]]> 418 Nancy Jo Sales 0385353936 David 5 3.60 2016 American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers
author: Nancy Jo Sales
name: David
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2017/08/12
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Image and Presence: A Christological Reflection on Iconoclasm and Iconophilia (Encountering Traditions)]]> 37934231 presence into our world. Just as Christ negates himself in order to manifest the invisible God, images, Natalie Carnes contends, negate themselves to give more than they literally or materially are. Her Christological reflections bring iconoclasm and iconophilia into productive relation, suggesting that they need not oppose one another.

Investigating such images as the biblical golden calf and paintings of the Virgin Mary, Carnes explores how to distinguish between iconoclasms that maintain fidelity to their theological intentions and those that lead to visual temptation. Offering ecumenical reflections on issues that have long divided Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions, Image and Presence provokes a fundamental reconsideration of images and of the global image crises of our time.]]> 253 Natalie Carnes 1503604233 David 4 4.00 2017 Image and Presence: A Christological Reflection on Iconoclasm and Iconophilia (Encountering Traditions)
author: Natalie Carnes
name: David
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/10
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bud & Me: The True Adventures of the Abernathy Boys]]> 1195324 162 Alta Abernathy 0966216601 David 5
I will probably read this one aloud to my children because I think they will enjoy it.]]> 4.31 1992 Bud & Me: The True Adventures of the Abernathy Boys
author: Alta Abernathy
name: David
average rating: 4.31
book published: 1992
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/17
date added: 2024/09/17
shelves:
review:
This is one of the wildest stories I have ever read. Two young brothers, 5 and 9, road their horses from Oklahoma all the way to New York City by themselves. The story is recorded by the wives of the younger brother Temple according to his recollections. I would have a harder time believing most of the stories if they had not been widely recorded and reported on. The boys became celebrities and this was only one of the many adventures they had together.

I will probably read this one aloud to my children because I think they will enjoy it.
]]> Dust (Silo Trilogy #3) 53497616
Juliette, now mayor of Silo 18, doesn’t trust Silo 1, especially its leader, Donald. But in the world of the Silos, there is no black and white � everything is shades of gray. Donald may not be the monster Juliette thinks he is, and may in fact be key to humanity’s continued survival. But can they work together long enough to succeed?]]> 483 Hugh Howey David 4
Overall, this was a fun series. It won't make it to my top series lists, but I enjoyed reading it a lot. Someone who wants simple action and does not care as much about characters will enjoy it. I'm interested to check out the TV series and see if they do a better job bringing these characters to life.]]> 4.46 2013 Dust (Silo Trilogy #3)
author: Hugh Howey
name: David
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/06
date added: 2024/09/09
shelves:
review:
The final book in the Silo trilogy doesn't fix the problems of the series but offers a satisfying conclusion. My main problem is that the characters still largely all feel the same. Thankfully the story and plot are interesting enough to help carry the book and keep it interesting. This book combines the stories of Juliette and Donald/Troy. It was refreshing to return to the story from the first book and it ended up meshing seamlessly with the second book.

Overall, this was a fun series. It won't make it to my top series lists, but I enjoyed reading it a lot. Someone who wants simple action and does not care as much about characters will enjoy it. I'm interested to check out the TV series and see if they do a better job bringing these characters to life.
]]> The Name of the Rose 8694005 gothic novel, cronaca medievale, romanzo poliziesco, racconto ideologico a chiave, allegoria) questo romanzo (la cui storia si intreccia con la Storia - perché l'autore, forse mendacemente, asserisce che di suo non vi è una sola parola)può forse essere letto in tre modi. La prima categoria di lettori sarà avvinta dalla trama e dai colpi di scena, e accetterà anche le lunghe discussioni libresche, e i dialoghi filosofici, perché avvertirà che proprio in quelle pagine svagate si annidano i segni, le tracce, i sintomi rivelatori. La seconda categoria si appassionerà al dibattito di idee, e tenterà connessioni (che l'autore si rifiuta di autorizzare) con la nostra attualità. La terza si renderà conto che questo testo è un tessuto di altri testi, un "giallo" di citazioni, un libro fatto di libri. A ciascuna delle tre categorie l'autore comunque rifiuta di rivelare che cosa il libro voglia dire. Se avesse voluto sostenere una tesi, avrebbe scritto un saggio (come tanti altri che ha scritto). Se ha scritto un romanzo è perché ha scoperto, in età matura, che di ciò di cui non si può teorizzare, si deve narrare.]]> 552 Umberto Eco David 3
The book nails the vibe of the time period and makes you feel as if you are living through a week in a monastery. Unfortunately, I wanted to live in an exciting one.

My favorite part of the book is an extended postscript where the author explains what he was trying to accomplish. All of my complaints about the novel were intentional choices by the author. He wrote exactly the book he intended to write even if I wish he wrote a different one. I would have DNF'd the book if I had not watched and loved the movie.]]> 3.92 1980 The Name of the Rose
author: Umberto Eco
name: David
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1980
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/01
date added: 2024/09/03
shelves:
review:
This is one of the strangest novels I have ever read and one of the rare times the movie is better than the book. It really was not for me but I can see how many would read this and view it as a masterpiece. The novel follows a Sherlock Holmes like monk who is trying to figure out why monks continue to be murdered at an abbey. But the book is far too slow and meandering to truly be a murder mystery novel. Much of the book features long conversations about theology, languages, symbols, and a twelve-century argument over poverty. The author is a professor and expert on the time period, which absolutely comes through.

The book nails the vibe of the time period and makes you feel as if you are living through a week in a monastery. Unfortunately, I wanted to live in an exciting one.

My favorite part of the book is an extended postscript where the author explains what he was trying to accomplish. All of my complaints about the novel were intentional choices by the author. He wrote exactly the book he intended to write even if I wish he wrote a different one. I would have DNF'd the book if I had not watched and loved the movie.
]]> <![CDATA[Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor]]> 5350543
Praise for

"Flannery O'Connor, one of the best American writers of short fiction, has found her ideal biographer in Brad Gooch. With elegance and fairness, Gooch deals with the sensitive areas of race and religion in O'Connor's life. He also takes us back to those heady days after the war when O'Connor studied creative writing at Iowa. There is much that is new in this book, but, more important, everything is presented in a strong, clear light."-Edmund White

"This splendid biography gives us no saint or martyr but the story of a gifted and complicated woman, bent on making the best of the difficult hand fate has dealt her, whether it is with grit and humor or with an abiding desire to make palpable to readers the terrible mystery of God's grace."-Frances Kiernan, author of Seeing Mary A Life of Mary McCarthy

"A good biographer is hard to find. Brad Gooch is not merely good-he is extraordinary. Blessed with the eye and ear of a novelist, he has composed the life that admirers of the fierce and hilarious Georgia genius have long been hoping for."-Joel Conarroe, President Emeritus, John Simon Guggenheim Foundation]]> 464 Brad Gooch 0316000663 David 4
The book accomplishes the most important task of a biography, which is to give you a sense of the subject. The book is filled with quotes and stories of Flannery that make her come alive as a person. Her personality jumps off of the page and makes her stories come alive in a way I hadn't considered.

I wish the book would have dived more into the complicated relationship Flannery had with her mother. It touched on the dynamic and painted a picture of it, but he never theorized or tried to explain it himself. He worked a little too hard to stay objective.

Overall, this is a worthy biography. The author is clearly a fan of Flannery's work and references it constantly throughout the book. ]]> 3.95 2009 Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor
author: Brad Gooch
name: David
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/02
date added: 2024/09/03
shelves:
review:
To my knowledge, this is only biography of Flannery and it is a worthy one. This is not a perfect biography. Some biographies are so well written that even someone not initially interested in the subject can find the book enthralling. This book is not quite on that level, but any fan of Flannery will find a lot to enjoy here.

The book accomplishes the most important task of a biography, which is to give you a sense of the subject. The book is filled with quotes and stories of Flannery that make her come alive as a person. Her personality jumps off of the page and makes her stories come alive in a way I hadn't considered.

I wish the book would have dived more into the complicated relationship Flannery had with her mother. It touched on the dynamic and painted a picture of it, but he never theorized or tried to explain it himself. He worked a little too hard to stay objective.

Overall, this is a worthy biography. The author is clearly a fan of Flannery's work and references it constantly throughout the book.
]]> <![CDATA[Surprised by Jesus: Subversive grace in the four Gospels]]> 60148651
In this book, Dane Ortlund reflects on this subversive grace as it uniquely emerges in each of the four Gospel accounts. In each Gospel, the message and mission of Jesus is deeply surprising:

In Matthew, we see the surprise of disobedient obedience.
In Mark, we see the surprise of the king undergoing the fate of a criminal.
In Luke, we see the surprise of the insiders becoming outsiders and the outsiders becoming insiders.
In John, we see the surprise of the Creator of the universe becoming one of his own creatures.
Such surprises confound our law-marinated hearts. But the good news that Jesus won with his own blood will not be tamed. This good news is defiant. This book exists to exult in this good news and the scandalous mercy Jesus loves to pour out on needy sinners—on people like you and me.]]> 192 Dane C. Ortlund 1783973161 David 4
Nothing in the book is particularly new, especially for those who have spent any time in Biblical studies. However, the book is a great popular synthesis and explanation of the subversive nature of the gospel.]]> 4.48 2011 Surprised by Jesus: Subversive grace in the four Gospels
author: Dane C. Ortlund
name: David
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/30
date added: 2024/09/03
shelves:
review:
I loved Gentle and Lowly and was excited to read a little more of Dane's work. This book is a basic overview of the four gospels examining how the gospel is subversive and unexpected. The four themes are 1) the surprise of disobedient obedience, 2) the surprise of the king as criminal, 3) the surprise of outsiders as insiders, and 4) the surprise of the Creator as creature.

Nothing in the book is particularly new, especially for those who have spent any time in Biblical studies. However, the book is a great popular synthesis and explanation of the subversive nature of the gospel.
]]> <![CDATA[The Science of Virtue: Why Positive Psychology Matters to the Church]]> 34081619 Outreach Recommended Resource of the Year (Counseling and Relationships)

The church and science have drifted apart over the past century. Today the church is often deemed irrelevant by those who trust science, and science is often deemed irrelevant by those whose primary loyalties are to the church. However, this book shows that the new science of virtue--the field of positive psychology--can serve as a bridge point between science and the church and can help renew meaningful conversation.

In essence, positive psychology examines how ordinary people can become happier and more fulfilled. Mark McMinn clarifies how positive psychology can complement Christian faith and promote happiness and personal flourishing. In addition, he shows how the church can help strengthen positive psychology. McMinn brings the church's experience and wisdom on six virtues--humility, forgiveness, gratitude, grace, hope, and wisdom--into conversation with intriguing scientific findings from positive psychology. Each chapter includes a section addressing Christian counselors who seek to promote happiness and fulfillment in others.]]> 208 Mark R. McMinn 1587434091 David 3
Each part of the book was good. I enjoyed reading it and found it helpful. But it just felt disjointed and never came together. I wish the book were more focused on making an argument on behalf of psychology and the church or on using it to grow in virtue.]]> 3.78 The Science of Virtue: Why Positive Psychology Matters to the Church
author: Mark R. McMinn
name: David
average rating: 3.78
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/22
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves:
review:
This book has a lot of different great ingredients that never come together in a coherent manner. I am genuinely not sure what kind of book this is trying to be. Most of the book seems to arguing why positive psychology and the church are useful to each other. But the book is organized around different virtues. Each chapter examines what science and the Bible teach about a virtue along with practical ideas about how to grow in that virtue.

Each part of the book was good. I enjoyed reading it and found it helpful. But it just felt disjointed and never came together. I wish the book were more focused on making an argument on behalf of psychology and the church or on using it to grow in virtue.
]]> He Sets The Captive Free 2715934 Book by Ten Boom, Corrie 93 Corrie ten Boom 0800709292 David 4 4.33 1977 He Sets The Captive Free
author: Corrie ten Boom
name: David
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1977
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/25
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves:
review:
This is a short devotional-like book written near the end of Corrie ten Boom's life. It covers lots of random stories from her time in prison and preaching to prisoners after the war. If you haven't read her books before, then you should start with the hiding place. But those who have enjoyed her writings before will find this edifying. I have some minor qualms with the book, it is a little disjointed and short. But Boom is a saint and she has earned the right to write whatever she wants. The book is filled with the gospel and stories of the wonder of Jesus. The book seems to be aimed towards non-Christians, especially those who are in prison. I do think other believers will find it encouraging.
]]> <![CDATA[The Intrusive Word: Preaching to the Unbaptized]]> 2635315 152 William H. Willimon 0802807062 David 5
This is one of those books I am not sure will make sense to those who do not preach regularly. It is exactly the kind of book I would have tossed out and mocked in seminary. It is only after spending years preaching I recognize how right he is. The reason this 30-year-old book by a mainline pastor/professor at Duke Seminary has staying power is because it only offers Jesus. This book and peculiar speech should be mentioned more often when lists of preaching books are recommended.]]> 4.11 1994 The Intrusive Word: Preaching to the Unbaptized
author: William H. Willimon
name: David
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1994
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/13
date added: 2024/08/24
shelves:
review:
This is not a book you read as much as you encounter it. It offers no techniques, guides, or help for preaching more effective sermons to the unbelievers. Instead, it suggests a completely different path. The primary idea is that our preaching should show people the strangeness and wonder of God. Because most of our attempts to be evangelical are misguided, they treat the gospel as a solution to our problems instead of as an intrusion of God into our lives.

This is one of those books I am not sure will make sense to those who do not preach regularly. It is exactly the kind of book I would have tossed out and mocked in seminary. It is only after spending years preaching I recognize how right he is. The reason this 30-year-old book by a mainline pastor/professor at Duke Seminary has staying power is because it only offers Jesus. This book and peculiar speech should be mentioned more often when lists of preaching books are recommended.
]]> <![CDATA[Little Pilgrim's Big Journey: John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress Fully Illustrated & Adapted for Kids (The Pilgrim's Progress for Kids Book 1)]]> 55353101
Next to the Bible, The Pilgrim's Progress is the most printed and translated book of all time. John Bunyan's ability to combine a dynamic adventure story with biblical truth has captivated the minds and hearts of children and adults for centuries. With 226 pages of captivating illustrations, Little Pilgrim's Big Journey makes this life-changing story more engaging than ever for kids.]]> 0 Tyler Van Halteren 1989975003 David 5 4.82 Little Pilgrim's Big Journey: John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress Fully Illustrated & Adapted for Kids (The Pilgrim's Progress for Kids Book 1)
author: Tyler Van Halteren
name: David
average rating: 4.82
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/24
date added: 2024/08/24
shelves:
review:
This is an illustrated children’s book of John Bunyan’s famous novel “Pilgrim’s Progress.� I read this one to my children and they both loved it. They begged to read it every day and couldn’t get enough of the story. The adaption shortens the story but keeps it digestible for kids. It led to a lot of great conversations with my children. It also helped and encouraged me. I enjoyed this one just as much as the regular version.
]]>