Daniel's bookshelf: all en-US Fri, 13 Jun 2025 09:36:21 -0700 60 Daniel's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Excused Absence: Should Christian Kids Leave Public Schools?]]> 803132 138 Douglas Wilson 0970224516 Daniel 0 4.38 2001 Excused Absence: Should Christian Kids Leave Public Schools?
author: Douglas Wilson
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/13
shelves: christian, own, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Operation Rescue by Randall A. Terry (1988-06-03)]]> 164238275 0 Randall A. Terry Daniel 3 non-fiction, own, christian
My biggest issue is that (similar to another book I read recently from a very different perspective) the author says that it is an obligation for all Christians to be activists on the issue of abortion. By any reasonable definition of "activist", this is not true Biblically, and it constitutes Terry binding the conscience of Christians. Should we all oppose legal abortion? Yes. Should we all vote against it and those who support it? Yes. Should those of us who are not activists support in various ways those who are activists against it? Yes. However, none of this means that every single Christian MUST devote sizeable portions of his time, money, etc. going to marches, sit-ins, working at pro-life centers, or whatever else furthers the movement to end abortion. These are all great things to do, and we need people to do them, but it is ok if an individual Christian feels called to focus on some other good and righteous thing with his life (for example, being a missionary or creating a Christian school or volunteering at his church or maybe being an activist against killing old people). The author specifically argues against a Christian saying something like "I support you and wish you the best, but that is not the issue on which I have chosen to focus." But this is a completely legitimate Christian response. After all, God made the Body with many different parts, and not all parts do the same thing.

The book is still a needed wakeup call for American Christians not to be nearly as apathetic as we have been in tolerating the slaughter of millions of babies. I fundamentally agree with Terry that this issue is the most important social evil that has ever faced our country, and the longer we allow this to continue, the more God's judgment will come on our nation. So, in that sense, I would recommend it.]]> 3.00 1988 Operation Rescue by Randall A. Terry (1988-06-03)
author: Randall A. Terry
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.00
book published: 1988
rating: 3
read at: 2025/06/13
date added: 2025/06/13
shelves: non-fiction, own, christian
review:
Overall good but definitely has some problems. Terry does a great job describing the evil of abortion and how the whole nation bears responsibility for allowing this to continue. I agree with his overall point on following God's law over man's law and how this allows Christians to do "illegal" things in the eyes of the government. I think his application of this principle is off, but I will have to think on that more. The book in the last few chapters skillfully depicts how horrific of a procedure the murdering of unborn children truly is. One chapter provided tons of stats to show the massive nature of the problem (even back when this was written in the late 1980s), and while I think I knew many of them already, it was still breathtaking to read them all put together.

My biggest issue is that (similar to another book I read recently from a very different perspective) the author says that it is an obligation for all Christians to be activists on the issue of abortion. By any reasonable definition of "activist", this is not true Biblically, and it constitutes Terry binding the conscience of Christians. Should we all oppose legal abortion? Yes. Should we all vote against it and those who support it? Yes. Should those of us who are not activists support in various ways those who are activists against it? Yes. However, none of this means that every single Christian MUST devote sizeable portions of his time, money, etc. going to marches, sit-ins, working at pro-life centers, or whatever else furthers the movement to end abortion. These are all great things to do, and we need people to do them, but it is ok if an individual Christian feels called to focus on some other good and righteous thing with his life (for example, being a missionary or creating a Christian school or volunteering at his church or maybe being an activist against killing old people). The author specifically argues against a Christian saying something like "I support you and wish you the best, but that is not the issue on which I have chosen to focus." But this is a completely legitimate Christian response. After all, God made the Body with many different parts, and not all parts do the same thing.

The book is still a needed wakeup call for American Christians not to be nearly as apathetic as we have been in tolerating the slaughter of millions of babies. I fundamentally agree with Terry that this issue is the most important social evil that has ever faced our country, and the longer we allow this to continue, the more God's judgment will come on our nation. So, in that sense, I would recommend it.
]]> <![CDATA[Must Jesus be Lord to be Savior?]]> 35145011 115 William Webster Daniel 4 christian, non-fiction, own 4.00 Must Jesus be Lord to be Savior?
author: William Webster
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/29
date added: 2025/06/11
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own
review:
A good summary of the position. The book also contains lots of quotes from a variety of famous Protestant theologians from throughout the centuries showing that the "Lordship Salvation" position is nothing new. For a more in depth look at the issue, I would recommend "The Gospel According to Jesus" by John MacArthur.
]]> Meet Mr. Mulliner 18053 A Mulliner collection

In the Angler's Rest, drinking hot scotch and lemon, sits one of Wodehouse's greatest raconteurs. Mr Mulliner, his vivid imagination lubricated by Miss Postlethwaite the barmaid, has fabulous stories to tell of the extraordinary behaviour of his far-flung family: in particular there's Wilfred, inventor of Raven Gypsy face-cream and Snow of the Mountain Lotion, who lights on the formula for Buck-U-Uppo, a tonic given to elephants to enable them to face tigers with the necessary nonchalance. Its explosive effects on a shy young curate and then the higher clergy is gravely revealed. Then there's his cousin James, the detective-story writer, who has inherited a cottage more haunted than anything in his own imagination. And Isadore Zinzinheimer, head of the Bigger, Better & Brighter Motion Picture Company. Tall tales all - but among Wodehouse's best.]]> 203 P.G. Wodehouse 1585672750 Daniel 4 fiction, to-own 4.05 1927 Meet Mr. Mulliner
author: P.G. Wodehouse
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1927
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/28
date added: 2025/06/11
shelves: fiction, to-own
review:
Very entertaining. The book is essentially a collection of fun short stories all related to the same main character. As always, Wodehouse delivers.
]]> The Trial 17690 The Trial is the terrifying tale of Josef K., a respectable bank officer who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested and must defend himself against a charge about which he can get no information. Whether read as an existential tale, a parable, or a prophecy of the excesses of modern bureaucracy wedded to the madness of totalitarianism, The Trial has resonated with chilling truth for generations of readers.]]> 255 Franz Kafka Daniel 0 to-read 4.00 1925 The Trial
author: Franz Kafka
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1925
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Maltese Falcon 29999 213 Dashiell Hammett Daniel 0 to-read 3.89 1930 The Maltese Falcon
author: Dashiell Hammett
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1930
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World]]> 13497505 New York Times Bestseller!

As a college student he spent 16 days in the Pacific Ocean with five guys and a crate of canned meat. As a father he took his kids on a world tour to eat ice cream with heads of state. He made friends in Uganda, and they liked him so much he became the Ugandan consul. He pursued his wife for three years before she agreed to date him. His grades weren't good enough to get into law school, so he sat on a bench outside the Dean's office for seven days until they finally let him enroll.

Bob Goff has become something of a legend, and his friends consider him the world's best-kept secret. Those same friends have long insisted he write a book. What follows are paradigm shifts, musings, and stories from one of the world's most delightfully engaging and winsome people. What fuels his impact? Love. But it's not the kind of love that stops at thoughts and feelings. Bob's love takes action. Bob believes Love Does.

When Love Does, life gets interesting. Each day turns into a hilarious, whimsical, meaningful chance that makes faith simple and real. Each chapter is a story that forms a book, a life. And this is one life you don't want to miss.

Light and fun, unique and profound, the lessons drawn from Bob's life and attitude just might inspire you to be secretly incredible, too.]]> 224 Bob Goff 1400203759 Daniel 0 to-read 4.31 2012 Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World
author: Bob Goff
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy]]> 54186840 640 Eric Metaxas 1400226465 Daniel 0 to-read 4.39 2010 Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
author: Eric Metaxas
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Project Hail Mary 54998275
Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name. Let alone the nature of his assignment, or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but a computer and two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, he realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Alone on this tiny ship that's been cobbled together by every government and space agency on the planet and hurled into the depths of space, it's up to him to conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And thanks to an unexpected ally, he just might have a chance.

Part scientific mystery, part dazzling interstellar journey, The Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian--while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.]]> 677 Andy Weir 0593395565 Daniel 0 to-read 4.37 2021 Project Hail Mary
author: Andy Weir
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Treasure Island 295 Treasure Island has never been surpassed. From the moment young Jim Hawkins first encounters the sinister Blind Pew at the Admiral Benbow Inn until the climactic battle for treasure on a tropic isle, the novel creates scenes and characters that have fired the imaginations of generations of readers. Written by a superb prose stylist, a master of both action and atmosphere, the story centers upon the conflict between good and evil - but in this case a particularly engaging form of evil. It is the villainy of that most ambiguous rogue Long John Silver that sets the tempo of this tale of treachery, greed, and daring. Designed to forever kindle a dream of high romance and distant horizons, Treasure Island is, in the words of G. K. Chesterton, 'the realization of an ideal, that which is promised in its provocative and beckoning map; a vision not only of white skeletons but also green palm trees and sapphire seas.' G. S. Fraser terms it 'an utterly original book' and goes on to write: 'There will always be a place for stories like Treasure Island that can keep boys and old men happy.']]> 352 Robert Louis Stevenson 0753453800 Daniel 4 3.84 1882 Treasure Island
author: Robert Louis Stevenson
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.84
book published: 1882
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/06/04
shelves: education, fiction, own, currently-reading
review:

]]> Heaven Misplaced 2872802 136 Douglas Wilson 1591280516 Daniel 3 christian, non-fiction 4.34 2008 Heaven Misplaced
author: Douglas Wilson
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2025/06/04
date added: 2025/06/04
shelves: christian, non-fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Absolutely Free: A Biblical Reply to Lordship Salvation]]> 803958 238 Zane C. Hodges 0310519608 Daniel 2 non-fiction, own
Ultimately, what takes down Hodge's stance is Jesus' own words "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?"

If you want to read a fantastic rebuttal to this position, read "The Gospel According to Jesus" by John MacArthur.]]> 3.46 1989 Absolutely Free: A Biblical Reply to Lordship Salvation
author: Zane C. Hodges
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.46
book published: 1989
rating: 2
read at: 2025/05/27
date added: 2025/06/03
shelves: non-fiction, own
review:
Unsuccessful, but sadly influential. Hodges does his best to support the anti-"lordship salvation" position but just comes up short. There are a few times where the reader can see how someone would come to Hodge's belief (that a true Christian does not need to be a disciple of Jesus to be saved), but the weight of Scripture quickly dissuades one from going down that path. A major issue with the book is that it simply fails to deal with many of the key passages that seem to decisively argue against Hodge's position. And even for some of the ones that Hodge does address, he does not effectively show how they do not contradict his position. The author protests at calling what he advocates for "easy-believism" but when he consistently stresses that all you need to do is "believe" (which he says is just assenting to the facts of the Gospel), comments about how easy this is, and proclaims over and over again that this is "absolutely free," it is really hard to see why "easy-believism" is not an accurate description. I am interested in some of what the author quotes John Calvin as saying regarding belief and repentance, but I need to do more research on that.

Ultimately, what takes down Hodge's stance is Jesus' own words "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?"

If you want to read a fantastic rebuttal to this position, read "The Gospel According to Jesus" by John MacArthur.
]]> <![CDATA[Can Our Differences Be Settled?; a Detailed Response to the Evangelical Feminist Position Statement of Christians for Biblical Equality]]> 85892629 48 Packer Daniel 4 christian, non-fiction, own 4.00 Can Our Differences Be Settled?; a Detailed Response to the Evangelical Feminist Position Statement of Christians for Biblical Equality
author: Packer
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/31
date added: 2025/05/31
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own
review:

]]> Found God's Will 2397864 64 John MacArthur 0882075039 Daniel 5 christian, non-fiction, own 4.47 1972 Found God's Will
author: John MacArthur
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.47
book published: 1972
rating: 5
read at: 2025/05/14
date added: 2025/05/30
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own
review:
Short and practical. This is an excellent treatise on how to find God's will for your life, and once you grasp the core message, you will feel the immense freedom we have in Christ.
]]> Gulliver’s Travels 7733 A wickedly clever satire uses comic inversions to offer telling insights into the nature of man and society. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.

Gulliver's Travels describes the four voyages of Lemuel Gulliver, a ship's surgeon. In Lilliput he discovers a world in miniature; towering over the people and their city, he is able to view their society from the viewpoint of a god. However, in Brobdingnag, a land of giants, tiny Gulliver himself comes under observation, exhibited as a curiosity at markets and fairs. In Laputa, a flying island, he encounters a society of speculators and projectors who have lost all grip on everyday reality; while they plan and calculate, their country lies in ruins. Gulliver's final voyage takes him to the land of the Houyhnhnms, gentle horses whom he quickly comes to admire - in contrast to the Yahoos, filthy bestial creatures who bear a disturbing resemblance to humans. This text, based on the first edition of 1726, reproduces all the original illustrations and includes an introduction by Robert Demaria, Jr, which discusses the ways Gulliver's Travels has been interpreted since its first publication. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was born in Dublin.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.]]> 306 Jonathan Swift 0141439491 Daniel 3 fiction, to-own 3.59 1726 Gulliver’s Travels
author: Jonathan Swift
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.59
book published: 1726
rating: 3
read at: 2025/05/30
date added: 2025/05/30
shelves: fiction, to-own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism]]> 38915761
King's call to action, first issued over fifty years ago, is relevant for the church in America today.ĚýChurches remain racially segregated and are largely ineffective in addressing complex racial challenges. In The Color of Compromise, Jemar Tisby takes us back to the root of this injustice in the American church, highlighting the cultural and institutional tables we have to flip in order to bring about progress between black and white people.

Tisby provides a unique survey of American Christianity's racial past, revealing the concrete and chilling ways people of faith have worked against racial justice. Understanding our racial history sets the stage for solutions, but until we understand the depth of the malady we won't fully embrace the aggressive treatment it requires.ĚýGiven the centuries of Christian compromise with bigotry, believers today must be prepared to tear down old structures and build up new ones. This book provides an in-depth diagnosis for a racially divided American church and suggests ways to foster a more equitable and inclusive environment among God's people.]]> 256 Jemar Tisby 0310597269 Daniel 2 non-fiction
The author redefines several words in problematic ways. He explicitly redefines "racism" to require systemic power and to not require an individual or any racial hatred at all, which is crazy. Tisby also redefines what "complicit" means. He may do this explicitly, and I just missed it, but he certainly does so implicitly, such that one no longer needs any involvement in or help of another's wrongdoing to be complicit. According to him, one just needs to not be doing enough to combat racism or not doing it in the way he wants (preaching the Gospel and changing hearts one at a time are both out). Practically, this means that if you are not a racial activist, you are "complicit" in "racism".

The last major fault of the book, and the one that bothers me most, is how casually and cavalierly Tisby ascribes the worst possible motivations to brothers and sisters in Christ, without a shred of evidence. He does this with non-Christians too, but the slander against believers from a professed believer is appalling. This tendency appears to increase the closer he gets to modern times, which also coincides with the history he presents becoming flimsier. His hatchet-jobs on Ronald Reagan as well as supporters of state's rights as being secretly racist particularly stand out, but there are honestly too many examples to even list.

On the positive side, Tisby is a good writer, and his history, for all its faults, is relatively engaging. This alone saves the book from a 1-star rating.]]> 4.49 2019 The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism
author: Jemar Tisby
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2025/05/14
date added: 2025/05/27
shelves: non-fiction
review:
One-dimensional. Tisby gives a selective history of racism in America and the alleged complicity of the church with it. The author omits any major discussion of many churches' compromise (particularly, but not exclusively, in the early and mid-20th century) with the abortion and eugenics movement which is fundamentally founded - and subtly continues - on the idea of eliminating the "weaker" races. Abortion alone is at least as great of an evil as any of the things mentioned in the book, so it boggles the mind that any honest treatment of the subject of this book would leave it out as an important issue. But this is precisely what The Color of Compromise does, aside from a couple dismissive remarks toward conservatives. And therein lies the issue. Tisby almost exclusively (and I only say "almost" just in case I missed one) deals with faults that he can and does blame on conservative Christians, and particularly white ones. Any historical event that would imply that conservative Christians handled a particular racial issue better than liberal-leaning Christians does not get any discussion.

The author redefines several words in problematic ways. He explicitly redefines "racism" to require systemic power and to not require an individual or any racial hatred at all, which is crazy. Tisby also redefines what "complicit" means. He may do this explicitly, and I just missed it, but he certainly does so implicitly, such that one no longer needs any involvement in or help of another's wrongdoing to be complicit. According to him, one just needs to not be doing enough to combat racism or not doing it in the way he wants (preaching the Gospel and changing hearts one at a time are both out). Practically, this means that if you are not a racial activist, you are "complicit" in "racism".

The last major fault of the book, and the one that bothers me most, is how casually and cavalierly Tisby ascribes the worst possible motivations to brothers and sisters in Christ, without a shred of evidence. He does this with non-Christians too, but the slander against believers from a professed believer is appalling. This tendency appears to increase the closer he gets to modern times, which also coincides with the history he presents becoming flimsier. His hatchet-jobs on Ronald Reagan as well as supporters of state's rights as being secretly racist particularly stand out, but there are honestly too many examples to even list.

On the positive side, Tisby is a good writer, and his history, for all its faults, is relatively engaging. This alone saves the book from a 1-star rating.
]]> Chosen But Free 14786
Includes a response to The Potter's Freedom by James R. White. The Definitive Work on the Relationship Between Divine Election and Human Choice.]]> 285 Norman L. Geisler 0764225219 Daniel 0 to-read 3.27 1999 Chosen But Free
author: Norman L. Geisler
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.27
book published: 1999
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Potter's Freedom: A Defense of the Reformation and a Rebuttal of Norman Geisler's Chosen But Free]]> 1187526 Chosen But Free? A new cult? Secularism? False prophesy scenarios? No. Dr. Geisler is sounding the alarm about a system of beliefs commonly called "Calvinism." He insists that this belief system is "theologically inconsistent, philosophically insufficient, and morally repugnant." This book is written as a reply to Dr. Geisler, but is much more; it is a defense of the very principles upon which the Protestant Reformation was founded.]]> 358 James R. White 1879737434 Daniel 0 to-read 4.41 2000 The Potter's Freedom: A Defense of the Reformation and a Rebuttal of Norman Geisler's Chosen But Free
author: James R. White
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Case for Christmas: A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the Manger]]> 229098054 128 Lee Strobel 0310371031 Daniel 0 to-read 4.33 1998 The Case for Christmas: A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the Manger
author: Lee Strobel
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Last Crusader: The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus]]> 1699258 George Grant 0891076905 Daniel 4 4.00 1992 The Last Crusader: The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus
author: George Grant
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1992
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/13
date added: 2025/05/21
shelves: biographies, non-fiction, own, christian, education
review:
An inspirational way of thinking about Christopher Columbus. Grant does a good job of placing Columbus in his time and helping modern people to see his mission as he saw it. One particular thing that struck me is how thoroughly Christian Columbus was in both his writings and life aspirations. Columbus knew what he believed God had called him to do, and he showed an amazing amount of determination in doing it. The one con of this book is that Grant frequently quotes things in Latin without translating it (a particular pet peeve of mine). Other than that, I recommend The Last Crusader.
]]> <![CDATA[Confronting Evil: Assessing the Worst of the Worst]]> 225699660
The concept of evil is universal, ancient, and ever present today. The biblical book of Genesis clearly defines it when Cain kills his brother Abel out of jealousy. As long as human beings have walked, evil has been close by.

This book will recount the deeds of the worst people in Genghis Khan. Caligula. Henry VIII. The collective evil of the slave traders. Stalin. Hitler. Mao. The Ayatollah Khomeini. Putin. The Mexican drug cartels. Their stories starkly display how some of the worst events in history unfolded.
Confronting Evil explains the struggle between good and evil, a choice every person in the Judeo-Christian tradition is compelled to make. But many defer. We avoid the decision. We look away. It's easier.

Prepare yourself to read the consequences of that inaction. As John Stuart Mill said in his inaugural address to the University of St. Andrews in 1867: “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."]]> 304 Bill O'Reilly 1250374049 Daniel 0 to-read 5.00 Confronting Evil: Assessing the Worst of the Worst
author: Bill O'Reilly
name: Daniel
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Julius Caesar: The New Oxford Shakespeare]]> 209819031 Julius Caesar as the first of his plays to be performed at the Globe, in 1599. For it, he turned to a key event in Roman history: Caesar’s death at the hands of friends and fellow politicians. Renaissance writers disagreed over the assassination, seeing Brutus, a leading conspirator, as either hero or villain. Shakespeare’s play keeps this debate alive.]]> 176 William Shakespeare 0192872664 Daniel 0 to-read 4.33 1599 Julius Caesar: The New Oxford Shakespeare
author: William Shakespeare
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1599
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Wisdom Of Father Brown 15731891 239 G.K. Chesterton Daniel 4 fiction 3.86 1914 The Wisdom Of Father Brown
author: G.K. Chesterton
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1914
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/05
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: fiction
review:
Very enjoyable. I don't really have much else to say other than that Chesterton is a good writer and that his detective stories end with just the kind of twist that makes a good detective story satisfying. While by no means a stupendous literary accomplishment, the Father Brown series continues to entertain the reader enough for me to continue to read it.
]]> <![CDATA[Why Not Women : A Biblical Study of Women in Missions, Ministry, and Leadership]]> 230254
While hurting men and women are outside the church cry out, "Is there any hope? Does anyone care?" their sisters in the church are asking, "How can I share the hope I have" How can I, a woman, serve the Lord?" Many women, having heard God call them into public roles in the Kingdom, are serving in positions of leadership. They are asking, "Will the church support us?"

We must respond. The issue of women in missions, ministry, and leadership is dividing homes, churches, communities, even societies. We must respond responsibly, for we never want to find ourselves working against God's purposes, quenching His Spirit at work in the lives of those He has called. We must respond carefully, since God's truth often stands in direct opposition to what the majority of people believe. The book includes a recommended resource list, Endnotes for each chapter 1-18 with a final word, short author biographies and related book lists.]]> 279 Loren Cunningham 1576581837 Daniel 2 non-fiction
When it comes to Scripture, the Bible scholar (Hamilton) makes some enlightening remarks and draws out some good principles from the text, showing that he can actually read the Bible for what it is saying. But the problem is that these remarks are all in areas not related to women in leadership. As soon as he gets to any topic related to that, his interpretation of Scripture goes wild. First, both authors absolutely freak out whenever there is any reference at all to a woman by any main character in the New Testament, especially in the closing greetings to letters. For instance, Paul makes a comment about helping some woman in her service, and they blow that up to mean that the woman had significant authority over men who had to do everything that she asked. Or, perhaps, just maybe, Paul is simply asking his readers to help her, just as one might ask someone to help his mom move, and it has nothing to do with authority. And when he gets to the passage that prohibit women from certain roles, Hamilton seems to be grasping at straws to find any way that the passage does not mean what it says. For instance, in 1 Timothy 2 when Paul says that "a woman" is not to have authority over "a man," the author takes it to be referring to some particular unnamed woman that Paul does not mention again and whom we have no other biblical or historical references. This is wildly speculative to say the least, and he has to do hermeneutical gymnastics with other things in the passage (the reference to creation order in particular) that would indicate the much more obvious reading that this passage is talking about women in general. Notably, he does not take the "a man" to be talking about any man in particular, which further shows the absurdity of this interpretation. In Ephesians 5, Hamilton says the Greek word for "head" should be translated "source" instead, a common egalitarian argument. While this is semantically possible (although the best scholarship shows that it would be unlikely at best), it does not fit the context well at all, as the passage is clearly talking about authority, not origins. To make this argument seem plausible, the author completely ignores the phrase "But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything." This clearly refers to a one-way submission, not just a mutual submission (Does Christ submit to the church?). Neither author discusses Colossians 3, Titus 2, 1 Peter 3, or pretty much any passage talking about the roles of men and women in the OT other than Genesis 2 (with a couple brief exceptions). However, this would be ok if it were simply for the sake of brevity, but what makes it less excusable is the sheer amount of space that the authors extrapolating from passages in Scripture that have little to no reference to the roles of women. Also, I'm not even sure why they addressed Ephesians 5 at all given that this book is about women's roles in the church, not in marriage, so it just seems unnecessary.

One last critique: Hamilton treats chiasms almost like magic. He sees them all over the place (even when he has to really stretch the passage to make it fit), and he sometimes acts as if saying the word "chiasm" and diagraming the sentence is a wand to wave over a passage to substantially change its meaning. His treatment of 1 Corinthians 11 and 14 are good examples of this. Could they possibly be chiasms? Maybe, although it seems doubtful that they are completely symmetrical. Would it radically change the meaning of the passage if they were chiasms? No.

Some positives about this book are that it is accessible/readable for your average Christian and that it boils down the egalitarian arguments to their basic level. I also appreciate the heart for missions that Cunningham clearly expresses. This book has caused me to return to the Scriptures and study more to firm up my understanding of what the Bible outlines for men and women.]]> 4.35 2000 Why Not Women : A Biblical Study of Women in Missions, Ministry, and Leadership
author: Loren Cunningham
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2000
rating: 2
read at: 2025/05/03
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: non-fiction
review:
Less than convincing. At least half of the book is simply "background," that is, overly broad themes in the Bible or collections of quotes of Greek, Roman, or Jewish views on women. While interesting in their own right (and admittedly demeaning to women if they are portrayed accurately), the views of these groups on women is only tangentially related to the question of what the biblical role of women is. As for the overly broad themes, the book's authors frequently use vague terms that do not get to the heart of the issue. For instance, time and time again, the issue is framed like it is about whether or not women can serve in ministry. But this is unhelpful, as people use the term "ministry" in tons of ways, and no one would prohibit women from ministry in the broad sense of serving others in Christ's name (which is the way that most people use the term). What they really mean by this is whether or not women can be a "minister" i.e. in church leadership/preaching/teaching. This seems to be a linguistic device to get the reader on the "women in ministry" side, which they then stretch to include all possible ministerial roles. Even one 5-star review that I read admitted that the first 4 or so chapters of this book (written by Cunningham) are really just emotional appeals without rational argumentation. The term "teach" is also used in the broadest possible sense so that conveying any information at all is "teaching." For example, when the women report to the disciples that the tomb is empty, the authors say that the women were "teaching" them.

When it comes to Scripture, the Bible scholar (Hamilton) makes some enlightening remarks and draws out some good principles from the text, showing that he can actually read the Bible for what it is saying. But the problem is that these remarks are all in areas not related to women in leadership. As soon as he gets to any topic related to that, his interpretation of Scripture goes wild. First, both authors absolutely freak out whenever there is any reference at all to a woman by any main character in the New Testament, especially in the closing greetings to letters. For instance, Paul makes a comment about helping some woman in her service, and they blow that up to mean that the woman had significant authority over men who had to do everything that she asked. Or, perhaps, just maybe, Paul is simply asking his readers to help her, just as one might ask someone to help his mom move, and it has nothing to do with authority. And when he gets to the passage that prohibit women from certain roles, Hamilton seems to be grasping at straws to find any way that the passage does not mean what it says. For instance, in 1 Timothy 2 when Paul says that "a woman" is not to have authority over "a man," the author takes it to be referring to some particular unnamed woman that Paul does not mention again and whom we have no other biblical or historical references. This is wildly speculative to say the least, and he has to do hermeneutical gymnastics with other things in the passage (the reference to creation order in particular) that would indicate the much more obvious reading that this passage is talking about women in general. Notably, he does not take the "a man" to be talking about any man in particular, which further shows the absurdity of this interpretation. In Ephesians 5, Hamilton says the Greek word for "head" should be translated "source" instead, a common egalitarian argument. While this is semantically possible (although the best scholarship shows that it would be unlikely at best), it does not fit the context well at all, as the passage is clearly talking about authority, not origins. To make this argument seem plausible, the author completely ignores the phrase "But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything." This clearly refers to a one-way submission, not just a mutual submission (Does Christ submit to the church?). Neither author discusses Colossians 3, Titus 2, 1 Peter 3, or pretty much any passage talking about the roles of men and women in the OT other than Genesis 2 (with a couple brief exceptions). However, this would be ok if it were simply for the sake of brevity, but what makes it less excusable is the sheer amount of space that the authors extrapolating from passages in Scripture that have little to no reference to the roles of women. Also, I'm not even sure why they addressed Ephesians 5 at all given that this book is about women's roles in the church, not in marriage, so it just seems unnecessary.

One last critique: Hamilton treats chiasms almost like magic. He sees them all over the place (even when he has to really stretch the passage to make it fit), and he sometimes acts as if saying the word "chiasm" and diagraming the sentence is a wand to wave over a passage to substantially change its meaning. His treatment of 1 Corinthians 11 and 14 are good examples of this. Could they possibly be chiasms? Maybe, although it seems doubtful that they are completely symmetrical. Would it radically change the meaning of the passage if they were chiasms? No.

Some positives about this book are that it is accessible/readable for your average Christian and that it boils down the egalitarian arguments to their basic level. I also appreciate the heart for missions that Cunningham clearly expresses. This book has caused me to return to the Scriptures and study more to firm up my understanding of what the Bible outlines for men and women.
]]> <![CDATA[Angels: Who They Are, What They Do, and Why It Matters]]> 29282695 Leading Baptist Pastor Teaches the Truth about AngelsMyths about angels are everywhere. Do we become angels when we die? Are angels always hovering nearby, on guard to protect us from danger? Can we talk to them? Many of our ideas about angels come from the media, which is more interested in ratings and ticket sales than truth. As Christians it's important to understand what angels really are.Pastor Jack Graham walks readers through Scripture, revealing the truth about angels and their roles as worshipers of the Lord, witnesses to his glory, and warriors fighting on his behalf. Focusing on practical application, Dr. Graham separates fact from fiction, encouraging you to become a better worshiper, warrior, and witness.Includes end-of-chapter questions. A small-group curriculum DVD will also be available.]]> 226 Jack Graham 1441265511 Daniel 0 4.09 2015 Angels: Who They Are, What They Do, and Why It Matters
author: Jack Graham
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Straight Talk to Men and Their Wives]]> 149505495 0 James C. Dobson Daniel 0 5.00 Straight Talk to Men and Their Wives
author: James C. Dobson
name: Daniel
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dr. Dobson Answers Your Questions]]> 1403652 507 James C. Dobson 0842305807 Daniel 0 3.73 1982 Dr. Dobson Answers Your Questions
author: James C. Dobson
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.73
book published: 1982
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> Kingdom Living, Here and Now 2606924 Book by John MacArthur 0 John F. MacArthur Jr. 0802445616 Daniel 0 4.65 1980 Kingdom Living, Here and Now
author: John F. MacArthur Jr.
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.65
book published: 1980
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> The Ten Commandments 1666921 80 J.I. Packer 0842370048 Daniel 0 3.67 1976 The Ten Commandments
author: J.I. Packer
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1976
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Christian Book of Mystical Verse: A Collection of Poems, Hymns, and Prayers for Devotional Reading]]> 30054926

"... some of the best devotional verse the English language affords..."

While the term "mystic" may have connotations that reach beyond traditional Christian thinking, it actually refers to a common spiritual experience that unites anyone who has fellowship with God.

The poems in this book were hand-picked by Tozer and follow a logical pattern, going in line with the very nature of salvation itself and the death of Jesus on the cross, man's contemplation of his own sin, redemption, communion with God, awaiting the return of Christ, and celebrations of eternal fellowship with God in Heaven.

Both intimate and exhilarating, The Christian Book of Mystical Verse is a book for anyone who seeks to worship God the Father, and who finds the rich language of Christians of old a great help in that endeavor.

]]> 177 A.W. Tozer 1600669050 Daniel 0 4.32 1991 The Christian Book of Mystical Verse: A Collection of Poems, Hymns, and Prayers for Devotional Reading
author: A.W. Tozer
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1991
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The New Testament Deacon: The Church's Minister of Mercy]]> 591451 191 Alexander Strauch 0936083077 Daniel 0 3.96 1992 The New Testament Deacon: The Church's Minister of Mercy
author: Alexander Strauch
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1992
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Living Beyond The Limits: A Llife in Synch With God]]> 1249639 244 franklin-graham 0785267050 Daniel 0 4.04 1992 Living Beyond The Limits: A Llife in Synch With God
author: franklin-graham
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1992
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Absolute Surrender (Pure Gold Classics)]]> 273331
“What is our answer to be? God knows there are hundreds of hearts who have said it, and there are hundreds more who long to say it but hardly dare to do so. And there are hearts who have said it, but who have yet miserable failed, and who feel themselves condemned because they did not find the secret of the power to live that life. May God have a word for all!� � Andrew Murray

This book—simple and powerful—is the result of Murray's passionate exploration of the issue of surrender—why it's seemingly impossible and yet completely ]]> 166 Andrew Murray 0882700286 Daniel 0 4.48 1885 Absolute Surrender (Pure Gold Classics)
author: Andrew Murray
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.48
book published: 1885
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> How we got our Bible 7365611 W.H. Griffith Thomas Daniel 0 4.18 2013 How we got our Bible
author: W.H. Griffith Thomas
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Rules for Walking in Fellowship (Puritan Treasures for Today)]]> 22343680 In Rules for Walking in Fellowship, John Owen supplies struggling congregations with biblical guidelines for making church life in the present a foretaste of heavenly fellowship to come. He discusses both the responsibilities congregations have toward pastors as well as the duties members have toward one another. Together, Owen presents twenty-four rules for fostering gospel fellowship, supporting them with numerous proof texts, brief explanations, and words of motivation to keep them. His simple approach makes this book ideal for personal or small group study. Here, then, is a collection of indispensable biblical rules that will challenge Christians in any given congregation, of whatever denomination a little gem that is at the same time doctrinal, practical, and ecumenical.

Previously published under title: Eshcol: a cluster of the fruit of Canaan: London: Philemon Stephens, 1648.]]> 92 John Owen 1601783450 Daniel 0 4.29 1648 Rules for Walking in Fellowship (Puritan Treasures for Today)
author: John Owen
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1648
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bringing Up Boys: Practical Advice and Encouragement for Those Shaping the Next Generation of Men]]> 2739 Sensible advice and caring encouragement on raising boys from the nation's most trusted parenting expert, Dr. James Dobson. With so much confusion about the role of men in our society, it's no wonder so many parents and teachers are at a loss about how to bring up boys. Our culture has vilified masculinity and, as a result, boys are suffering. Parents, teachers, and others involved in shaping the character of boys have lots of questions. In Bringing Up Boys, Dr. Dobson tackles these questions and offers advice and encouragement based on a firm foundation of biblical principles.]]> 288 James C. Dobson 1414304501 Daniel 0 non-fiction, own, to-read 3.90 2001 Bringing Up Boys: Practical Advice and Encouragement for Those Shaping the Next Generation of Men
author: James C. Dobson
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> Foxe's Book of Martyrs 609035 416 John Foxe 0800786645 Daniel 4 non-fiction, christian, own 4.27 1563 Foxe's Book of Martyrs
author: John Foxe
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1563
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: non-fiction, christian, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[God is Real: The Eyewitness Testimony of a Former Atheist]]> 49703545
In the process of discovering first-hand that God is, in fact, incredibly real, Kim became an eyewitness of His infinite grace and unfailing love. Through a series of tragedies and victories, this young woman's life was transformed from "evangelical atheist" to "evangelical Christian."

"God is Real" is the life-story of this former atheist, as well as a guide book for those seeking God for themselves. Join Kim on her intimate journey of ups and downs and learn to behold God’s goodness in your own life, so you can live each day as an eyewitness of God at work in the scriptures and the world today.

Each chapter concludes with questions for self-thought or group discussion. Relevant scripture passages are included in the back section of the book for convenient access.

Chapter Titles:
Welcome
Girl Meets Boy
Encountering Jesus
The Battle
Blessed
Numbered Days
Adopted
House Building
Story Tellers
Eyewitnesses
]]> 93 Kim Endraske Daniel 0 4.00 God is Real: The Eyewitness Testimony of a Former Atheist
author: Kim Endraske
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[On Asking God Why: And Other Reflections on Trusting God in a Twisted World]]> 255153
Now releasing with a fresh cover, On Asking God Why is a perceptive collection of Elisabeth Elliot's own meditations that confront the many issues we must deal with in our daily lives, from the ordinary occurrence of another birthday to serious topics like funerals, abortion, and divorce. With great insight and candor, Elliot reminds readers that we can overcome our fears when we decide to question God, because in Him we can find every answer we need.]]> 176 Elisabeth Elliot 0800731247 Daniel 0 4.09 1989 On Asking God Why: And Other Reflections on Trusting God in a Twisted World
author: Elisabeth Elliot
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1989
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[No Place for Truth: or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology?]]> 145688
Specifically, Wells explores the wholesale disappearance of theology in the church, the academy, and modern culture. Western culture as a whole, argues Wells, has been transformed by modernity, and the church has simply gone with the flow. The new environment in which we live, with its huge cities, triumphant capitalism, invasive technology, and pervasive amusements, has vanquished and homogenized the entire world. While the modern world has produced astonishing abundance, it has also taken a toll on the human spirit, emptying it of enduring meaning and morality.

Seeking respite from the acids of modernity, people today have increasingly turned to religions and therapies centered on the self. And, whether consciously or not, evangelicals have taken the same path, refashioning their faith into a religion of the self. They have been coopted by modernity, have sold their soul for a mess of pottage. According to Wells, they have lost the truth that God stands outside all human experience, that he still summons sinners to repentance and belief regardless of their self-image, and that he calls his church to stand fast in his truth against the blandishments of a godless world.

The first of three volumes meant to encourage renewal in evangelical theology (the other two to be written by Cornelius Plantinga Jr. and Mark Noll), No Place for Truth is a contemporary jeremiad, a clarion call to all evangelicals to note well what a pass they have come to in capitulating to modernity, what a risk they are running by abandoning historic orthodoxy. It is provocative reading for scholars, ministers, seminary students, and all theologically concerned individuals.]]> 330 David F. Wells 080280747X Daniel 0 non-fiction, own, to-read 4.28 1959 No Place for Truth: or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology?
author: David F. Wells
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1959
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Experiencing God Day-By-Day: The Devotional and Journal]]> 356358
Experiencing God Day By Day is a unique and valuable guide for helping you achieve results in your spiritual quest day by day.

Follow us and discover more products in the Lifeway Brand Store .
Ěý±Ő±Ő> 384 Henry T. Blackaby 0805462988 Daniel 0 to-read 4.46 1997 Experiencing God Day-By-Day: The Devotional and Journal
author: Henry T. Blackaby
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.46
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Biblical Answer for Racial Unity]]> 37877862 122 H.B. Charles Jr. 1934952338 Daniel 3 christian, own, non-fiction 4.09 A Biblical Answer for Racial Unity
author: H.B. Charles Jr.
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.09
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/05/04
date added: 2025/05/14
shelves: christian, own, non-fiction
review:
Starts strong but gets worse from there. This book is a collection of sermons given by various preachers at a conference on racial unity. In general, there seems to be some tension in the different preachers' approaches to race issues. H.B Charles Jr.'s chapters are edifying, stressing the need to preach the gospel and find unity there, but Danny Akin's chapter is atrocious, both morally (he seems to buy into some version of ethnic Gnosticism, where white people just need to shut up and listen to enlightened black people) and in terms of making a coherent argument, as it is unclear what his main point is. Most of the rest of the chapters are middling at best.
]]> <![CDATA[The Innocence of Father Brown (Father Brown, #1)]]> 184591 Not long after he published Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton moved from London to Beaconsfield, and met Father O'Connor. O'Connor had a shrewd insight to the darker side of man's nature and a mild appearance to go with it--and together those came together to become Chesterton's unassuming Father Brown. Chesterton loved the character, and the magazines he wrote for loved the stories. The Innocence of Father Brown was the first collection of them, and it's a great lot of fun.]]> 232 G.K. Chesterton 0809592533 Daniel 4 fiction, to-own 3.84 1911 The Innocence of Father Brown (Father Brown, #1)
author: G.K. Chesterton
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.84
book published: 1911
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/28
date added: 2025/05/14
shelves: fiction, to-own
review:
Fun. Chesterton writes a series of entertaining detective/crime mystery stories in this book, all with the unassuming Father Brown somehow involved. Despite dealing with some rather serious crimes, the author manages to keep it lighthearted and enjoyable throughout.
]]> <![CDATA[The Quotable Chesterton: A Topical Compilation of the Wit, Wisdom and Satire of G. K. Chesterton]]> 184551 396 Richard P. Rabatin 0385239254 Daniel 4 christian, non-fiction, own 3.40 1987 The Quotable Chesterton: A Topical Compilation of the Wit, Wisdom and Satire of G. K. Chesterton
author: Richard P. Rabatin
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.40
book published: 1987
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own
review:
A great compilation of Chesterton. The sheer length of this book is a testament to how pithy Chesterton's writing is. Nearly 400 pages of quote after quote, and, amazingly, at least half of them are good!
]]> The Prayer of the Lord 39809974
In The Prayer of the Lord, Dr. R.C. Sproul helps us understand how to pray according to the pattern Jesus set for us. Each chapter focuses on a single line of the Lord’s Prayer, shedding light on God’s holiness and our need to humbly depend on Him. Dr. Sproul reminds us that as adopted children of God, we have an unspeakable privilege in prayer—to call upon our heavenly Father.]]> 129 R.C. Sproul 1567699944 Daniel 4 christian, non-fiction, own 4.49 2009 The Prayer of the Lord
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/24
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own
review:
Short, but powerful nonetheless. As familiar as the Lord's Prayer is, Sproul still manages to draw principles out of it that I had not considered and that I believe will be profitable in growing in the discipline of prayer. I recommend this book to anyone who (like me) struggles with knowing how to pray and wants to improve.
]]> <![CDATA[What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an]]> 15862845 311 James R. White 0764209760 Daniel 5 christian, non-fiction, own 4.36 2013 What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an
author: James R. White
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/21
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own
review:
Very good. White does an excellent job giving an overview of the Qur'an, while also focusing on several parts that most concern the interaction between Christianity and Islam. A couple chapters of the book are especially enlightening, particularly the chapter dealing with the Qur'an's apparently fundamental misunderstanding of the Trinity as being composed of the Father, the Son, and Mary (instead of the Holy Spirit). White's handling of textual criticism and comparison of the manuscript traditions of the Bible and the Qur'an is also helpful. A quick word of warning to the casual reader: the author is not afraid to get into the weeds of specific key issues. Part of this is simply because the Qur'an is inherently confusing, but part of it is a choice by White to go beyond the superficial. After all the book is called "What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an" not "The Qur'an Made Easy."
]]> Heaven 89376 What is Heaven really going to be like? What will we look like? What will we do? Won't Heaven get boring after a while?

We all have questions about what Heaven will be like, and after 25 years of extensive research, Dr. Randy Alcorn has the answers.

In the most comprehensive and definitive book on Heaven to date, Randy invites you to picture Heaven the way Scripture describes it-- a bright, vibrant, and physical New Earth, free from sin, suffering, and death, and brimming with Christ's presence, wondrous natural beauty, and the richness of human culture as God intended it.

God has put eternity in our hearts. Now, Randy Alcorn brings eternity to light in a way that will surprise you, spark your imagination, and change how you live life today.

If you've always thought of Heaven as a realm of disembodied spirits, clouds, and eternal harp strumming, you're in for a wonderful surprise.

This is a book about real people with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a New Earth. Earth as God created it. Earth as he intended it to be.

And the next time you hear someone say, "We cant begin to imagine what Heaven will be like," you'll be able to tell them, "I can."]]> 533 Randy Alcorn 0842379428 Daniel 0 4.27 2011 Heaven
author: Randy Alcorn
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> No Graven Image 728350 280 Elisabeth Elliot 0800759923 Daniel 0 4.09 1966 No Graven Image
author: Elisabeth Elliot
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1966
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: christian, fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Path of Loneliness: Finding Your Way Through the Wilderness to God]]> 126171 200 Elisabeth Elliot 080075994X Daniel 0 4.50 1988 The Path of Loneliness: Finding Your Way Through the Wilderness to God
author: Elisabeth Elliot
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.50
book published: 1988
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The last will be first (John MacArthur's Bible studies)]]> 4548355 138 John F. MacArthur Jr. 0802453473 Daniel 0 0.0 The last will be first (John MacArthur's Bible studies)
author: John F. MacArthur Jr.
name: Daniel
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: christian, commentaries, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Now, That's a Good Question: Answers to Questions about Life and Faith]]> 556628 Addressing doctrinal points and contemporary issues such as euthanasia, evolution, and abortion, Sproul covers more than three hundred topics in a personable, easy-to-read style that’s perfect for the lay person. New believers as well as those mature in the faith will find this book a solid resource for those challenging questions of life and faith.]]> 615 R.C. Sproul 0842347119 Daniel 0 4.11 1996 Now, That's a Good Question: Answers to Questions about Life and Faith
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914]]> 770772 The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914 tells the story of the men and women who fought against all odds to fulfill the 400-year-old dream of constructing an aquatic passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is a story of astonishing engineering feats, tremendous medical accomplishments, political power plays, heroic successes, and tragic failures. Applying his remarkable gift for writing lucid, lively exposition, McCullough weaves the many strands of the momentous event into a comprehensive and captivating tale.]]> 698 David McCullough Daniel 0 4.21 1977 The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914
author: David McCullough
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1977
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: non-fiction, own, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Morning And Evening � Gloss Black: Daily Readings by C. H. Spurgeon (Daily Readings S.)]]> 8407538 768 Charles Haddon Spurgeon 1857921259 Daniel 0 4.60 1866 Morning And Evening – Gloss Black: Daily Readings by C. H. Spurgeon (Daily Readings S.)
author: Charles Haddon Spurgeon
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.60
book published: 1866
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Systematic Theology - (3-Volume Set)]]> 255466 2400 Charles Hodge 1565634594 Daniel 0 4.22 1960 Systematic Theology - (3-Volume Set)
author: Charles Hodge
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1960
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: education, non-fiction, own, systematic-theologies, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Rook (The Checquy Files, #1)]]> 13528319
Battling to save herself, Myfanwy will encounter a person with four bodies, a woman who can enter her dreams, children transformed into deadly fighters, and terrifyingly vast conspiracy.

Suspenseful and hilarious, The Rook is an outrageously imaginative thriller for readers who like their espionage with a dollop of purple slime.

"Utterly convincing and engrossing -- -totally thought-through and frequently hilarious....Even this aging, jaded, attention-deficit-disordered critic was blown away."-Lev Grossman, Time]]> 486 Daniel O'Malley 0316098809 Daniel 2 fiction, own
The book is pretty easy to read and engaging, and for most of the book, I was enjoying my name sake's debut novel, despite some of its flaws. Yes, there is a lot of profanity. Yes, the main character is a girl boss feminist. And yes, someone in the editing process needed to tell O'Malley (that feels weird to write) to get to the point at least a couple times. But The Rook is still a solid 3 stars...until the ending. Without giving anything away, the ending is anticlimactic. The author builds up tension throughout the book but fails to deliver a satisfying release, and that is a failing that no author (no matter how good his name) can get away with.]]> 4.09 2012 The Rook (The Checquy Files, #1)
author: Daniel O'Malley
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2025/04/04
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: fiction, own
review:
Interesting concept, but disappointing execution. I guess I am not as good of an author as I would have hoped. In all seriousness, I read this because the author shares my name and some friends of mine got it for me (shoutout to the Drees family). The plot revolves around a high ranking official in a secret government bureaucracy who has lost her memory and has to figure out how to do her job from scratch. The twist is that this agency, called the Checquy, is in a fantasy version of the modern world and deals with people who have all sorts of wild powers. It is essentially the CIA for magic people. And while the author might lean a little too heavily into just how bureaucratic the Checquy is (there is a reason this book is almost 500 pages, and a good chunk of it is too many explanations on the exact structure and history of the agency), he certainly does a good job of making his world feel as real as any world where vampires, mind-control, and people who inhabit multiple bodies exist can feel.

The book is pretty easy to read and engaging, and for most of the book, I was enjoying my name sake's debut novel, despite some of its flaws. Yes, there is a lot of profanity. Yes, the main character is a girl boss feminist. And yes, someone in the editing process needed to tell O'Malley (that feels weird to write) to get to the point at least a couple times. But The Rook is still a solid 3 stars...until the ending. Without giving anything away, the ending is anticlimactic. The author builds up tension throughout the book but fails to deliver a satisfying release, and that is a failing that no author (no matter how good his name) can get away with.
]]> Apology 73945 The Apology of Socrates is Plato's version of the speech given by Socrates as he unsuccessfully defended himself in 399BCE against the charges of "corrupting the young, and by not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other daimonia that are novel" (24b). "Apology" here has its earlier meaning (now usually expressed by the word "apologia") of speaking in defense of a cause or of one's beliefs or actions.

The revised edition of this popular textbook features revised vocabulary and grammatical notes that now appear on the same page as the text, sentence diagrams, principal parts of verbs listed both by Stephanus page and alphabetically, word frequency list for words occurring more than twice, and complete vocabulary.]]> 127 Plato 0865163480 Daniel 4 non-fiction 4.22 -399 Apology
author: Plato
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.22
book published: -399
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: non-fiction
review:

]]> Trump: The Art of the Deal 1032 Ěý
“I like thinking big. I always have. To me it’s very simple: If you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big.”—Donald J. Trump
Ěý
Here is Trump in action—how he runs his business and how he runs his life—as he meets the people he needs to meet, chats with family and friends, clashes with enemies, and changes the face of the New York City skyline. But even a maverick plays by rules, and Trump has formulated eleven guidelines for success. He isolates the common elements in his greatest deals; he shatters myths; he names names, spells out the zeros, and fully reveals the deal-maker’s art. And throughout, Trump talks—really talks—about how he does it. Trump: The Art of the Deal is an unguarded look at the mind of a brilliant entrepreneur and an unprecedented education in the practice of deal-making. It’s the most streetwise business book there is—and the ultimate read for anyone interested in achieving money and success, and knowing the man behind the spotlight.
Ěý±Ő±Ő> 384 Donald J. Trump 0345479173 Daniel 0 to-read 3.65 1987 Trump: The Art of the Deal
author: Donald J. Trump
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.65
book published: 1987
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Kim 210834
Two men - a boy who grows into early manhood and an old ascetic priest, the lama - are at the center of the novel. A quest faces them both. Born in India, Kim is nevertheless white, a sahib. While he wants to play the Great Game of Imperialism, he is also spiritually bound to the lama. His aim, as he moves chameleon-like through the two cultures, is to reconcile these opposing strands, while the lama searches for redemption from the Wheel of Life.

A celebration of their friendship in a beautiful but often hostile environment, 'Kim' captures the opulence of India's exotic landscape, overlaid by the uneasy presence of the British Raj.]]> 366 Rudyard Kipling 0140183523 Daniel 3 fiction 3.71 1901 Kim
author: Rudyard Kipling
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.71
book published: 1901
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/31
date added: 2025/04/15
shelves: fiction
review:
Good, but nothing particularly blew me away. Kipling is a talented author and an entertaining read as always. The story in Kim is unique, as are the characters, but on occasion the plot drags.
]]> <![CDATA[Robert Fagles: The Aeneid (Paperback); 2008 Edition]]> 147404226 0 Virgil Daniel 0 fiction 4.12 Robert Fagles: The Aeneid (Paperback); 2008 Edition
author: Virgil
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.12
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/13
shelves: fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Menace of Multiculturalism: Trojan Horse in America (Literature; 71)]]> 1091585


Casting a troubled glance over the list of social ills plaguing America today--besieged inner cities, divisive racial politics, diminishing educational standards, and rampant divorce and illegitimacy--we have cause to wonder whether the advocates of multiculturalism represent the solution or the source of the problem. In this rousing condemnation of the multiculturalist agenda, the author fixes an unflinching critical gaze on the subtle deceptions and wrongheaded conclusions at work in the arguments for cultural pluralism, moral relativism, and political correctness. An exhaustive and damning account of multiculturalism's wages and a compelling argument for the importance of traditional American values make this book essential reading for anyone concerned about our country's present plight and future prospects.]]> 232 Alvin J. Schmidt 0275955982 Daniel 0 non-fiction, own, to-read 3.67 1997 The Menace of Multiculturalism: Trojan Horse in America (Literature; 71)
author: Alvin J. Schmidt
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation]]> 8600 209 Lynne Truss 1592402038 Daniel 0 to-read, non-fiction, own 3.86 2003 Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
author: Lynne Truss
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read, non-fiction, own
review:

]]> All Things Possible 58561 288 Kurt Warner 006251718X Daniel 0 3.88 2000 All Things Possible
author: Kurt Warner
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read, biographies, non-fiction, own
review:

]]> Long Walk to Freedom 318431
Since his triumphant release in 1990 from more than a quarter-century of imprisonment, Mandela has been at the center of the most compelling and inspiring political drama in the world. As president of the African National Congress and head of South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, he was instrumental in moving the nation toward multiracial government and majority rule. He is revered everywhere as a vital force in the fight for human rights and racial equality.

The foster son of a Thembu chief, Mandela was raised in the traditional, tribal culture of his ancestors, but at an early age learned the modern, inescapable reality of what came to be called apartheid, one of the most powerful and effective systems of oppression ever conceived. In classically elegant and engrossing prose, he tells of his early years as an impoverished student and law clerk in a Jewish firm in Johannesburg, of his slow political awakening, and of his pivotal role in the rebirth of a stagnant ANC and the formation of its Youth League in the 1950s.

He describes the struggle to reconcile his political activity with his devotion to his family, the anguished breakup of his first marriage, and the painful separations from his children. He brings vividly to life the escalating political warfare in the fifties between the ANC and the government, culminating in his dramatic escapades as an underground leader and the notorious Rivonia Trial of 1964, at which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Herecounts the surprisingly eventful twenty-seven years in prison and the complex, delicate negotiations that led both to his freedom and to the beginning of the end of apartheid. Finally he provides the ultimate inside account.]]> 656 Nelson Mandela 0316548189 Daniel 0 4.34 1994 Long Walk to Freedom
author: Nelson Mandela
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.34
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: biographies, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> Reminiscences 582567 472 Douglas MacArthur 1557504830 Daniel 0 4.13 1964 Reminiscences
author: Douglas MacArthur
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1964
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: biographies, non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization]]> 2309655
The West is dying. Collapsing birth rates in Europe and the U. S., coupled with population explosions in Africa, Asia and Latin America are set to cause cataclysmic shifts in world power, as unchecked immigration swamps and polarizes every Western society and nation.
The Death of the West details how a civilization, culture, and moral order are passing away and foresees a new world order that has terrifying implications for our freedom, our faith, and the preeminence of American democracy.

The Death of the West is a timely, provocative study that asks the question that quietly troubles millions: Is the America we grew up in gone forever?]]> 320 Patrick J. Buchanan 0312285485 Daniel 4 non-fiction, own 3.87 2000 The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization
author: Patrick J. Buchanan
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2000
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/15
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: non-fiction, own
review:
Depressing, but also presciently accurate. All of the predictions in this book of cratering populations in western countries have proven true (save for Israel, which has grown much more than Buchanan anticipated). The author outlines the serious problems with a West internally at war with its own culture and heritage while at the same time importing millions of immigrants with no assimilation. How can a culture assimilate millions of people from other cultures when it does not even believe in itself? Keep doing this for a couple decades and the result is the multicultural chaos, ghettos, and violence which Europe is going through now and which the US is hurtling towards in many ways. A dire warning that we would do well to heed.
]]> <![CDATA[Theology of Christian Counseling, A]]> 878750 352 Jay E. Adams 0310511011 Daniel 4
Overall, the book is definitely targeted toward vocational counselors and pastors and at times gets a little too much in the weeds responding to particular counseling theories, but I would still recommend it for anyone who does any discipleship. Anyone who interacts with people is really counseling them (even informally) in one way or another, so as Christians we need to be sure that we are counseling as Christ would. The only other downside of the book is that Adams declines to address a handful of issues on which I would have been interested to hear his perspective. However, he does this because he addressed them in other places, which I guess just means I am going to have to read more of his stuff. Maybe that is not a downside after all.]]> 4.12 1986 Theology of Christian Counseling, A
author: Jay E. Adams
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1986
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/05
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: own, non-fiction, christian, education
review:
Very helpful. The author shows how the Bible applies to all sorts of relevant issues in daily life. For some of these issues the reader might be tempted at first glance to think that the Bible does not address them, but upon closer inspection Adams draws out valuable Biblical principles showing how the Scriptures are sufficient for ALL matters of faith and practice. The chapter on how to seek the will of God and make decisions addresses a major issue in the Christian life in a particularly freeing and challenging way.

Overall, the book is definitely targeted toward vocational counselors and pastors and at times gets a little too much in the weeds responding to particular counseling theories, but I would still recommend it for anyone who does any discipleship. Anyone who interacts with people is really counseling them (even informally) in one way or another, so as Christians we need to be sure that we are counseling as Christ would. The only other downside of the book is that Adams declines to address a handful of issues on which I would have been interested to hear his perspective. However, he does this because he addressed them in other places, which I guess just means I am going to have to read more of his stuff. Maybe that is not a downside after all.
]]> <![CDATA[The Kingdom of Cain: Finding God in the Literature of Darkness]]> 216052917 How can we "rejoice always" when the world often seems so broken? Andrew Klavan explores how artists' imaginative engagement with the darkness can point the way to living beautifully in the midst of a tragic world.

In hisĚýUSA TodayĚýbestsellingĚýThe Truth and Beauty, Andrew Klavan explored how the work of great poets helps illuminate the truth of the gospels. Now, the award-winning screenwriter and crime novelist turns his attention to the dark side of human nature to discover how we might find joy and beauty in the world while still being clear-eyed about the evil found in it.

The Kingdom of CainĚýlooks at three murders in history--including the first murder, Cain's killing of his brother, Abel--and at the art created from imaginative engagement with those horrific events by artists ranging from Fyodor Dostoevsky to Alfred Hitchcock. To make beauty out of the world as it is--shot through with evil and injustice and suffering--is the task not just of the artist but, Klavan argues, of every life rightly lived. Examining how that transformation occurs in art grants us a vision for how it can happen in our lives.

Klavan eloquently argues that itĚýisĚýpossible to be clear-eyed about the evil in the world while remaining hope-filled about God's ability to redeem it all.]]> 272 Andrew Klavan 0310368340 Daniel 0 to-read 4.41 The Kingdom of Cain: Finding God in the Literature of Darkness
author: Andrew Klavan
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.41
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Great Gatsby 229305515
The only edition of the beloved classic that is authorized by Fitzgerald’s family and from his lifelong publisher.

An all-new recording published for the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, this production presents the enduring original text, updated with the author’s own revisions, a foreword by his granddaughter, and with an introduction by National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward.

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published by Scribner in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.]]> F. Scott Fitzgerald 1668130815 Daniel 0 to-read 3.89 The Great Gatsby
author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.89
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Women Speaking in the Church 58722618 5 B.B. Warfield Daniel 4 christian, non-fiction, own 4.00 Women Speaking in the Church
author: B.B. Warfield
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/24
date added: 2025/03/24
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own
review:
Very good and brief summary of why 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 does actually mean what it says.
]]> <![CDATA[The Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits]]> 223957734 The so-called virtue of empathy is the greatest rhetorical tool of manipulation in the 21st century. Because love is a real virtue, empathy’s power is in posing as selfless care for victims. A sad polar bear paces as David Attenborough informs you that the family suburban is melting the ice caps. “Jesus was an asylum seeker!� the sign reads at an Open Borders Rally. A forlorn Bruno wishes he too could change in the women’s locker room, a place he’s always known he belonged. “My mom said if we don’t go she’ll be just devastated.� When you reject the sin of empathy, you reject the manipulation of the media, the manipulation of family and friends, and most importantly, the manipulation of your own heart.]]> 164 Joe Rigney 159128323X Daniel 0 to-read 4.47 The Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits
author: Joe Rigney
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.47
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Abolition of Man 1333943 128 C.S. Lewis 0020867905 Daniel 5
Finally, Lewis demonstrates a key issue with reductionism (especially of the materialist kind) in his famous quote about seeing through things. We must have a sacred foundation (i.e. something opaque) that is accepted for its own value, not upheld for some pragmatic value behind it (i.e. "seen through"), or we will have no basis for morals and values at all: “You cannot go on 'seeing through' things for ever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it. It is good that the window should be transparent, because the street or garden beyond it is opaque. How if you saw through the garden too? It is no use trying to 'see through' first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see.”]]> 4.07 1943 The Abolition of Man
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1943
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/25
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves: at-library, own, non-fiction, education
review:
Excellent. The author shows the problem of education that is purely rational/intellectual and that ignores the emotions. While Lewis certainly believes that students should be trained to be rational, their appetites and desires also need to be trained, so that their emotional responses are concordant with reality. For instance, a man responds rightly by marveling at the beauty of a majestic waterfall, as opposed to having no feeling or simply reducing it to a bunch of molecules moving. Lewis also argues clearly for a values-based education (founded in objective morality and natural law, which he calls the Tao) focused on character formation, as opposed to supposedly "neutral" or what is most "efficient". There is really no such thing as a purely fact-based education that is devoid of a worldview anyway. The facts that a teacher presents and the way he presents them all have to do with the goal of the education, which is obviously in the realm of value consideration.

Finally, Lewis demonstrates a key issue with reductionism (especially of the materialist kind) in his famous quote about seeing through things. We must have a sacred foundation (i.e. something opaque) that is accepted for its own value, not upheld for some pragmatic value behind it (i.e. "seen through"), or we will have no basis for morals and values at all: “You cannot go on 'seeing through' things for ever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it. It is good that the window should be transparent, because the street or garden beyond it is opaque. How if you saw through the garden too? It is no use trying to 'see through' first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see.�
]]> How to Lie with Statistics 51291 142 Darrell Huff 0393310728 Daniel 4 non-fiction, own 3.82 1954 How to Lie with Statistics
author: Darrell Huff
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.82
book published: 1954
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: non-fiction, own
review:
Good. This book exposes all sorts of deceptive tricks that are used to produce misleading and even outright false statistics. The pictures/illustrations in the book are especially enjoyable. The only drawback is that the author seems to be somewhat preoccupied with Kinsey (the guy who did a bunch of controversial and somewhat fraudulent studies of sexual behavior in the 40s) as he mentions him at least 4 or 5 times. Usually the references are positive which is distracting, although the content of Kinsey's research is not really important to the points made by the author.
]]> <![CDATA[His Mission: Jesus in the Gospel of Luke (The Gospel Coalition)]]> 23236693 "But who do you say that I am?"
--Jesus (Luke 9:20)

In this collection of biblical expositions, eight prominent Bible teachers look to the Gospel of Luke and its unique portrait of our Savior, exploring everything from the nature of Jesus's divine sonship to his rejection by the religious and political rulers of his day. Chapters include:


John Piper - Jesus the Son of God, the Son of Mary (Luke 1-2) Colin Smith - Jesus Despised (Luke 4:14-30) Crawford Loritts - Jesus's Transforming Power on Behalf of the Afflicted (Luke 8:26-56) D. A. Carson - Jesus's Resolve to Head toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:18-62) Kevin DeYoung - Jesus and the Lost (Luke 15:1-32) Stephen Um - Jesus and Money (Luke 16:1-15) Gary Millar - Jesus Betrayed and Crucified (Luke 22:3-23:49) Tim Keller - Jesus Vindicated (Luke 24:1-53) This book will help you grasp the overarching message of the book of Luke: the blameless life, atoning death, and vindicating resurrection of Jesus Christ.]]> 192 D.A. Carson 1433543753 Daniel 3 christian, own, non-fiction 4.28 2015 His Mission: Jesus in the Gospel of Luke (The Gospel Coalition)
author: D.A. Carson
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: christian, own, non-fiction
review:
Fine. John Piper's section on the first couple chapters of Luke is really good, but most of the rest of the sections are just ok. The panel discussion in the appendix is worth reading, if for no other reason than that it illustrates how Keller, Piper, and DeYoung have three different approaches to theology (in particular, the Kingdom) and provide three different emphases while still arriving at basically the same conclusion. No real complaints, but also no huge takeaways.
]]> <![CDATA[The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam]]> 33584231
The Strange Death of Europe is the internationally bestselling account of a continent and culture caught in the act of suicide. Douglas Murray takes a step back and explores the deeper issues behind the continent's possible demise, from an atmosphere of mass terror attacks and a global refugee crisis to the steady erosion of our freedoms. He addresses the disappointing failure of multiculturalism, Angela Merkel's U-turn on migration, and the Western fixation on guilt. Murray travels to Berlin, Paris, Scandinavia, and Greece to uncover the malaise at the very heart of the European culture, and to hear the stories of those who have arrived in Europe from far away.

Declining birth rates, mass immigration, and cultivated self-distrust and self-hatred have come together to make Europeans unable to argue for themselves and incapable of resisting their own comprehensive alteration as a society and an eventual end. This sharp and incisive book ends up with two visions for a new Europe--one hopeful, one pessimistic--which paint a picture of Europe in crisis and offer a choice as to what, if anything, we can do next. But perhaps Spengler was "civilizations like humans are born, briefly flourish, decay, and die."]]> 352 Douglas Murray 1472942248 Daniel 0 to-read 4.11 2017 The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam
author: Douglas Murray
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries Revealing the Mind Behind the Universe]]> 41088454 New York Times bestselling author of Darwin’s Doubt and Intelligent Design scholar presents groundbreaking scientific evidence of the existence of God, based on breakthroughs in physics, cosmology, and biology.


Beginning in the late 19th century, many intellectuals began to insist that scientific knowledge conflicts with traditional theistic belief—that science and belief in God are “at war.â€� Philosopher of science Stephen Meyer challenges this view by examining three scientific discoveries with decidedly theistic implications. Building on the case for the intelligent design of life that he developed in Signature in the Cell and Darwin’s Doubt, Meyer demonstrates how discoveries in cosmology and physics coupled with those in biology help to establish the identity of the designing intelligence behind life and the universe.Ěý

Meyer argues that theism â€� with its affirmation of a transcendent, intelligent and active creator â€� best explains the evidence we have concerning biological and cosmological origins. Previously Meyer refrained from attempting to answer questions about “whoâ€� might have designed life. Now he provides an evidence-based answer to perhaps the ultimate mystery of the universe. In so doing, he reveals a stunning conclusion: the data support not just the existence of an intelligent designer of some kind—but the existence of a personal God.Ěý±Ő±Ő> 576 Stephen C. Meyer 0062071521 Daniel 4 non-fiction, own, christian 4.33 The Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries Revealing the Mind Behind the Universe
author: Stephen C. Meyer
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/19
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: non-fiction, own, christian
review:
Heavy reading, but worth it. This is an excellent book for those seeking to understand the case for the intelligent design of life and the universe. The beginning section on how the Christian worldview historically provided the necessary preconditions for the Scientific Revolution stands out in outlining not only why science and Christianity are not fundamentally opposed, but also why science needs Christianity in order to be a meaningful endeavor. One minor negative for the book is that certain parts are difficult to understand due to their complexity. While Myers explains things well, it definitely still helps to have some science background, as some of the subjects in the book are quite technical.
]]> <![CDATA[The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories]]> 924215
Stories included:

"The $30,000 Bequest"
"A Dog's Tale"
"Was It Heaven? Or Hell?"
"A Cure for the Blues"
"The Enemy Conquered; or, Love Triumphant"
"The Californian's Tale"
"A Helpless Situation"
"A Telephonic Conversation"
"Edward Mills and George Benton: A Tale"
"The Five Boons of Life"
"The First Writing Machines"
"Italian Without a Master"
"Italian With Grammar"
"A Burlesque Biography"
"How To Tell A Story"
"General Washington's Negro Body-Servant"
"Wit Inspirations of the "Two Year-Olds""
"An Entertaining Article"
"A Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury"
"Amended Obituaries"
"A Monument to Adam"
"A Humane Word from Satan"
"Introduction to "The New Guide of the Conversation in Portuguese and English""
"Advice to Little Girls"
"Post-Mortem Poetry"
"The Danger of Lying in Bed"
"Portrait of King William III"
"Does the Race of Man Love a Lord?"
"Extracts from Adam's Diary"
"Eve's Diary"]]> 523 Mark Twain 0195101464 Daniel 3 fiction, short-stories 3.40 1906 The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories
author: Mark Twain
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.40
book published: 1906
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/11
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: fiction, short-stories
review:
Mixed. The $30,000 Bequest and maybe one or two others are really entertaining, but most of the rest of the short stories are just so-so.
]]> Dads and Sons 19150934
Whether your son is still a mischief-making little tyke or whether he’s all grown up, he’ll never stop looking up to his dad. Today, celebrate the strong, lifelong bond between dads and their boys with this inspirational book by family counselor and widely acclaimed parenting expert Dr. James Dobson.

Based on the bestseller Bringing Up Boys , Dads and Sons is a tribute to all dads who set an example of strength, integrity, and faithfulness for their sons. It’s an insightful collection of wisdom on how to guide and encourage your boy in his own journey through life. And it’s a celebration of the irreplaceable role a dad has in his son’s heart and life forever.]]> 128 James C. Dobson 1414388217 Daniel 4 christian, non-fiction, own 3.90 Dads and Sons
author: James C. Dobson
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.90
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/05
date added: 2025/03/05
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own
review:
Very good. The book contains a lot of great insights on the nature of boys which probably would not have been needed anytime before 1960, but is desperately needed in our current society. It is also easy to read and quite accessible for anyone. Dobson tends to use common sense and his large body of experience with boys rather than explicit Biblical references, which could get him in trouble theoretically, but I think it works well in this book.
]]> <![CDATA[Mishandled: Setting the Record Straight on Frequently Abused Bible Verses 📜 Selected Scriptures 🔎 Verse By Verse with John MacArthur 📖 Grace to You Series � Study Guide]]> 224019442 Setting the Record Straight on Frequently Abused Bible Verses 📜 Selected Scriptures 🔎 Verse-By-Verse with John MacArthur 📖 Grace to You Series � Study Guide.
“Where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.� “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.� Familiar Bible verses like those are often ripped from their context and misapplied. What’s more, the mistaken interpretations are repeated with such confidence and frequency that people come to assume they’re true � when really, on closer inspection, God’s Word clearly teaches something else. For those who believe the Bible is God’s very Word, we have a responsibility to understand and submit ourselves to what it actually says � not to popular misinterpretations and the shoddy applications that follow. John MacArthur’s study guide Setting the Record Straight on Frequently Abused Bible Verses walks you through some of those key passages. You’ll not only gain a more accurate understanding of each, but just as important, you’ll practice going one by one through the steps for proper Bible interpretation. That’s part of what makes this series an ideal resource for either your personal or group study. It’s also the perfect companion to the Mishandled audio series, sold separately. Don’t miss the richness of what God has revealed to us in His Word. Sharpen your interpretive skills and your biblical understanding, and gain confidence to share the blessing of God’s unfailing promises with others.

John MacArthur clears up confusion that many people (perhaps folks you know) have about those memorable verses, as well as these often-misunderstood portions of
🔎 The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11�32).
🔎 The Widow’s Mites (Luke 21:1�4).
🔎 The Ending of Mark’s gospel (Matthew 7:1�6).

ISBN 9781955292122, Grace to You. ALL SALES FINAL � No Returns � No Refunds � No Price-Matching. Be Inspired :)]]> 182 John MacArthur 1955292124 Daniel 0 to-read 4.42 Mishandled: Setting the Record Straight on Frequently Abused Bible Verses 📜 Selected Scriptures 🔎 Verse By Verse with John MacArthur 📖 Grace to You Series ⛪ Study Guide
author: John MacArthur
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Arab Historians of the Crusades (Islamic World series)]]> 287389
Seventeen authors are represented in the extracts in this work, which have been drawn from various types of historical writings. The excerpts are taken firstly from the general histories of the Muslim world, then from chronicles of cities, regions and their dynasties, and finally from biographies or records of the deeds of certain persons. The Arab histories of the Crusades compare favorably with their Christian counterparts in their rich accumulation of material and chronological information. Another of their merits is their faithful characterization, which they practiced in the brief but illuminating sketches of enemy leaders: Baldwin II's shrewdness, Richard Coeur de Lion's prowess in war, the indomitable energy of Conrad of Motferrat, Frederick II's diplomacy. The chronicles are generous, naturally, with their praises of the great champions of the Muslim resistance, especially of Saladin, who towers above all the other leaders in heroic stature. Although, this book gives a sweeping and stimulating view of the Crusades seen through Arab eyes.]]> 362 Francesco Gabrieli 0520052242 Daniel 0 non-fiction, own, to-read 3.88 1969 Arab Historians of the Crusades (Islamic World series)
author: Francesco Gabrieli
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1969
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning]]> 88634
Liberal Fascism offers a startling new perspective on the theories and practices that define fascist politics. Replacing conveniently manufactured myths with surprising and enlightening research, Jonah Goldberg reminds us that the original fascists were really on the left, and that liberals from Woodrow Wilson to FDR to Hillary Clinton have advocated policies and principles remarkably similar to those of Hitler's National Socialism and Mussolini's Fascism.

Contrary to what most people think, the Nazis were ardent socialists (hence the term “National socialism�). They believed in free health care and guaranteed jobs. They confiscated inherited wealth and spent vast sums on public education. They purged the church from public policy, promoted a new form of pagan spirituality, and inserted the authority of the state into every nook and cranny of daily life. The Nazis declared war on smoking, supported abortion, euthanasia, and gun control. They loathed the free market, provided generous pensions for the elderly, and maintained a strict racial quota system in their universities—where campus speech codes were all the rage. The Nazis led the world in organic farming and alternative medicine. Hitler was a strict vegetarian, and Himmler was an animal rights activist.

Do these striking parallels mean that today’s liberals are genocidal maniacs, intent on conquering the world and imposing a new racial order? Not at all. Yet it is hard to deny that modern progressivism and classical fascism shared the same intellectual roots. We often forget, for example, that Mussolini and Hitler had many admirers in the United States. W.E.B. Du Bois was inspired by Hitler's Germany, and Irving Berlin praised Mussolini in song. Many fascist tenets were espoused by American progressives like John Dewey and Woodrow Wilson, and FDR incorporated fascist policies in the New Deal.

Fascism was an international movement that appeared in different forms in different countries, depending on the vagaries of national culture and temperament. In Germany, fascism appeared as genocidal racist nationalism. In America, it took a “friendlier,� more liberal form. The modern heirs of this “friendly fascist� tradition include the New York Times, the Democratic Party, the Ivy League professoriate, and the liberals of Hollywood. The quintessential Liberal Fascist isn't an SS storm trooper; it is a female grade school teacher with an education degree from Brown or Swarthmore.

These assertions may sound strange to modern ears, but that is because we have forgotten what fascism is. In this angry, funny, smart, contentious book, Jonah Goldberg turns our preconceptions inside out and shows us the true meaning of Liberal Fascism.]]> 405 Jonah Goldberg 0385511841 Daniel 0 to-read, non-fiction, own 3.94 2007 Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning
author: Jonah Goldberg
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: to-read, non-fiction, own
review:

]]> Utopia 18414 Utopia, Thomas More imagines a perfect island nation where thousands live in peace and harmony, men and women are both educated, and all property is communal. Through dialogue and correspondence between the protagonist Raphael Hythloday and his friends and contemporaries, More explores the theories behind war, political disagreements, social quarrels, and wealth distribution and imagines the day-to-day lives of those citizens enjoying freedom from fear, oppression, violence, and suffering. Originally written in Latin, this vision of an ideal world is also a scathing satire of Europe in the sixteenth century and has been hugely influential since publication, shaping utopian fiction even today.]]> 113 Thomas More 0140449108 Daniel 2 non-fiction, own 3.53 1516 Utopia
author: Thomas More
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.53
book published: 1516
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: non-fiction, own
review:
Very....well utopian, I guess. More paints a picture of an "ideal" society that for some will be quite attractive, but for (hopefully) most other people will be quite frightening. The edition that I read has a forward written by an out and out socialist giving a glowing review of the rest of the book, which says a lot about qualities of More's Utopia. While at times the book presents some interesting ideas, many of those ideas have been shown to fail time and time again through history. To be fair to More, he lived before many of the more destructive of his policies had been tried, so he did not have historical examples to observe. One other comment: the book is framed as a report on the society of a newly discovered, isolated city of natives El Dorado style. This gives the writing a little more wonder and whimsy than if More were to simply write a proposal for how society should be organized. But it also strikes me as somewhat cowardly, as More denies that any of the customs and laws that he describes originate with him. It reminds me of when someone asks an embarrassing question, but they say, "I'm just asking for a friend."
]]> <![CDATA[Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation]]> 635485 95 Ronald Reagan 0840741162 Daniel 5 non-fiction, own 4.46 1984 Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation
author: Ronald Reagan
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.46
book published: 1984
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: non-fiction, own
review:
Powerful. President Reagan (as well as the other two writers) show the tragic results of a society devaluing children and allowing for the murder of the unborn. With a particular focus on the eugenicist ethos behind much abortion, the authors dismantle any idea of abortion being a noble or even acceptable action, and one of them points out what a complete betrayal it is for doctors who swore to uphold life to tear it apart instead. It is rare for a sitting president to write a lengthy essay like this. The fact that President Reagan found the time to pen "Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation" demonstrates how important of an issue this was to him and continues to be in our nation. Murder cannot be confined to the womb. It will spread if we continue to allow it. Let us not sear our conscience any further.
]]> All the King's Men 5527 All the King's Men is a 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren. Its title is drawn from the nursery rhyme "Humpty Dumpty". The novel tells the story of charismatic populist governor Willie Stark and his political machinations in the Depression-era Deep South. It is commonly thought to have been loosely inspired by the real-life story of U.S. Senator Huey P. Long, who was assassinated in 1935. Warren won the Pulitzer Prize for All the King's Men in 1947. The novel has received critical acclaim and remained perennially popular since its first publication. It was rated the 36th greatest novel of the 20th century by Modern Library, and it was chosen as one of Time magazine's 100 best novels since 1923. All the King's Men portrays the dramatic and theatrical political rise and governorship of Willie Stark, a cynical populist in the 1930s American South.]]> 439 Robert Penn Warren Daniel 0 to-read 4.08 1946 All the King's Men
author: Robert Penn Warren
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1946
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[1�2 Peter (Saint Andrews Expositional Commentary)]]> 9724771
Pastor and scholar R. C. Sproul has preached through Peter's letters and has now compiled these sermons into one volume. This St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary will enable readers to glean from Sproul's wisdom and perspective on 1-2 Peter.

The St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary series is the result of years of careful preparation and Bible-centered preaching. Delivered from a pastor's heart for his congregation, readers will find this volume readable, applicable, appropriately paced, and thoroughly biblical. Here is an opportunity to sit at the feet of an eminent scholar and teacher, encountering the Word of God. Volumes on John, Acts, and Romans have already appeared.]]> 304 R.C. Sproul 1433522896 Daniel 4 4.33 2011 1–2 Peter (Saint Andrews Expositional Commentary)
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/24
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: christian, own, non-fiction, commentaries
review:
Good. Every one of R. C. Sproul's expositional commentaries that I have read have been insightful and edifying. This commentary is no exception. Sproul shows himself to be a more than competent teacher of God's word, especially in several of the hard to interpret passages that are in 1 and 2 Peter. A great resource for personal Bible study.
]]> <![CDATA[Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary]]> 202099476 96 R.C. Sproul 1642895326 Daniel 3 4.60 Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.60
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/12
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: christian, own, non-fiction, commentaries
review:
Good, but too short. Sproul addresses many of the issues of the letter of the Ephesians with his characteristic teaching style. However, he does not give some of the issues the depth of analysis they deserve or the depth that he normally gives when analyzing a passage. The level of commentary in here is about what you will get in a study Bible, which is not bad, but just not as much as I was hoping for.
]]> <![CDATA[Galatians: An Expositional Commentary]]> 63000661 R.C. Sproul 1642894265 Daniel 5 4.64 Galatians: An Expositional Commentary
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.64
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/22
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: christian, own, non-fiction, commentaries
review:
Loved it. It may be short, but it is no less powerful than the rest of Sproul's commentaries. A great devotional resource.
]]> <![CDATA[Romans (Saint Andrews Expositional Commentary)]]> 6468546 Sproul's sermons at St. Andrew's Chapel are the foundation of these never-before-published expositions on Paul's epistle to the Romans.

Chrysostom had it read aloud to him once a week. Augustine, Luther, and Wesley all came to assured faith through its impact. The Reformers saw it as the God-given key to understanding the whole of Scripture.

Throughout church history the study of the book of Romans has been pivotal to understanding Christian life and doctrine. Convinced that "Paul's fullest, grandest, most comprehensive statement of the gospel" is just as vital today, R. C. Sproul delivered nearly sixty sermons on Romans from October 2005 to April 2007 at St. Andrew's Chapel, where he has pastored for more than a decade. These never-before-published, passage-by-passage expositions will enrich any study of this weighty epistle. Part of the St. Andrew's Expositional Commentaries series.]]> 515 R.C. Sproul 1433506858 Daniel 5 4.53 2009 Romans (Saint Andrews Expositional Commentary)
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.53
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/20
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: christian, own, non-fiction, commentaries
review:
Great. I do not really have anything unique to say about this, but if you have not read an R. C. Sproul commentary, this is a great one with which to start. Sproul communicates deep theology in easy-to-read prose. Excellent as a devotional aide.
]]> <![CDATA[Acts (Saint Andrews Expositional Commentary)]]> 9724766
Readers will follow Sproul as he preaches through the book of Acts. The account of the gospel spreading to the Gentiles is the story of the roots of our faith. By God's grace and the labor of Paul and the apostles, salvation has spread to all the nations. Balancing broad and narrow perspectives of each passage, Sproul explores important theological terms and themes, offers perspective from his own wisdom and experience, and engages in practical application.

Delivered from a pastor's heart for his congregation, readers will find Acts readable, applicable, appropriately paced, and thoroughly Bible-centered. Here is an opportunity to sit at the feet of an eminent theologian and teacher, encountering the Word of God.]]> 448 R.C. Sproul 143352273X Daniel 4 4.34 2010 Acts (Saint Andrews Expositional Commentary)
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/29
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: own, christian, non-fiction, commentaries
review:
Helpful and pastoral. This book is especially good as a part of a morning devotional, as the chapters are short and contain great applications. Reading this reminded me of an interaction between R. C. Sproul and John MacArthur on one of those legendary Ligonier Conference Q&A's. Someone commented on how many thousands of sermons MacArthur had given. Sproul quipped that MacArthur "hadn't figured out the secret to preaching yet. See, he preaches 10,000 different sermons one time each, while I preach 10 different sermons a thousand times each." What I love about that joke is that it gets to the heart of R. C. Sproul's ministry. Sproul really did not care about being an innovator or about coming up with something new. Rather, he was content to say the same things, albeit in different ways, over and over again. In this commentary, although there are some topics I have not heard Sproul address before, many parts are familiar teachings of his. This sounds like a criticism, but it is most certainly not. I never tire of hearing Sproul's stories; somehow, they seem to get better with each telling. Christians need to be continually reminded of God's sovereignty, of His holiness, of man's sinfulness, of the value of the church, and of the authority of Scripture. The truth is worth repeating.
]]> <![CDATA[John (St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary)]]> 8144341 425 R.C. Sproul Daniel 4 4.39 2009 John (St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary)
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/29
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: christian, own, non-fiction, commentaries
review:
Excellent. Sproul has so much wisdom to give in every one of his commentaries. One particular area that struck me about this commentary is how extensively he walks through all the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus. Sproul often talks about finding the drama in the text, and that area of the commentary is a great example of this kind of writing. As with all of Sproul's expositional commentaries, I would recommend this.
]]> <![CDATA[Luke: An Expositional Commentary]]> 55161506 595 R.C. Sproul 1642892815 Daniel 4 4.49 Luke: An Expositional Commentary
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.49
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/23
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: christian, own, non-fiction, commentaries
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Mark (Saint Andrews Expositional Commentary)]]> 13329901 430 R.C. Sproul 1567692656 Daniel 4 4.48 2011 Mark (Saint Andrews Expositional Commentary)
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/11
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: own, christian, non-fiction, commentaries
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Matthew: An Expositional Commentary]]> 48618675
Dr. Sproul’s expositional commentaries help you understand key theological themes and apply them to all areas of your life. Drawn from decades of careful study and delivered from a pastor’s heart, these sermons are readable, practical, and thoroughly Bible-centered. Here is your opportunity to learn from a trusted teacher and theologian as he leads you through God’s Word and shares his perspective on living faithfully for God’s glory. This is a series to serve pastors, small groups, and growing Christians who want to know the Bible better.]]> 762 R.C. Sproul 1642891789 Daniel 0 currently-reading 4.88 2013 Matthew: An Expositional Commentary
author: R.C. Sproul
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.88
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dream Psychology: Psychoanalysis for Beginners]]> 426077 160 Sigmund Freud Daniel 2 non-fiction
Obsessed with all thing sexual, Freud sees sex in everything, nothing is safe. Hats and nail files are supposedly common symbols for a male genitals. A man walks through a door, which is an obvious metaphor for, you guessed it, sex. A woman throws herself into a lake in her dream, perhaps she wants to kill herself? Nope, it's a metaphor for sex. Are you walking on a flight of stairs (going either up or down)? Clearly, you are dreaming about sex. And all the time, the author acts like these are the most scientific and widely accepted interpretations in the world. It would be hilarious if I did not know that people took (and some still take) this man seriously. This is the man who came up with the idea of sexual orientation, so sacred to the sexual mores of our modern "you do you" "this is just who I am" "love is love" society. I am sure he TOTALLY knew what he was talking about when he thought up that idea. This book has got to be one of the best examples of the saying "when men stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing. They believe in everything."]]> 3.25 1920 Dream Psychology: Psychoanalysis for Beginners
author: Sigmund Freud
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.25
book published: 1920
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: non-fiction
review:
Intriguing in a "wow, this is so stupid" kind of way. The interpretations of dreams in this book range from the insightful to the plausible to the crazy. Freud argues that all dreams have significant meaning for the real world, particularly in the psychology of the individual doing the dreaming. But while sometimes he does pull some possibly valid interpretations out of his hat, this theory seems unlikely to reflect reality, especially given some of the strained interpretations that Freud then forces himself to give. For example, he says that all dreams are fulfillment of the wishes of the dreamer. But when faced with dreams that are obviously not of events wished for by the dreamer (e.g. a dream where one has to spend time around some hated person or doing some hated activity) Freud usually resorts to highly symbolic interpretations where every item in the dream stands for some other barely related item. But several times he (and I'm not making this up) simply says that the patient wished to disprove Freud's theory that all dreams are wish fulfillment, thus the dream was a fulfillment of the patient's wish. Wow. So brilliant. What an amazing scientific mind. But seriously, who is taking this guy seriously?

Obsessed with all thing sexual, Freud sees sex in everything, nothing is safe. Hats and nail files are supposedly common symbols for a male genitals. A man walks through a door, which is an obvious metaphor for, you guessed it, sex. A woman throws herself into a lake in her dream, perhaps she wants to kill herself? Nope, it's a metaphor for sex. Are you walking on a flight of stairs (going either up or down)? Clearly, you are dreaming about sex. And all the time, the author acts like these are the most scientific and widely accepted interpretations in the world. It would be hilarious if I did not know that people took (and some still take) this man seriously. This is the man who came up with the idea of sexual orientation, so sacred to the sexual mores of our modern "you do you" "this is just who I am" "love is love" society. I am sure he TOTALLY knew what he was talking about when he thought up that idea. This book has got to be one of the best examples of the saying "when men stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing. They believe in everything."
]]> <![CDATA[The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations?]]> 318395 286 James R. White 1556615752 Daniel 0 4.32 1995 The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations?
author: James R. White
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1995
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: to-read, christian, non-fiction, own
review:

]]> Till We Have Faces 17343
Set against the backdrop of Glome, a barbaric, pre-Christian world, the struggles between sacred and profane love are illuminated as Orual learns that we cannot understand the intent of the gods "till we have faces" and sincerity in our souls and selves.]]> 313 C.S. Lewis Daniel 5 4.19 1956 Till We Have Faces
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1956
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/15
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: christian, education, fiction, own
review:
Wow. A powerful story with all sorts of implications about what love is, how we relate to God, and how we easily we can deceive ourselves. Some parts of this book are quite strange at first glance, but if the reader can get past that, there is a host of literary riches waiting to be found.
]]> <![CDATA[The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine]]> 672493
Here is a masterly study of the inner life by a heart thirsting after God. Here is a book for every child of God, pastor, missionary, and Christian. It deals with the deep things of God and the riches of His grace.

In The Pursuit of God, Tozer sheds light on the path to a closer walk with God.]]> 128 A.W. Tozer 0875093663 Daniel 0 own 4.36 1948 The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine
author: A.W. Tozer
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.36
book published: 1948
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Her Hand in Marriage: Biblical Courtship in the Modern World (Family)]]> 547276 116 Douglas Wilson 1885767269 Daniel 4 christian, non-fiction, own
Interestingly, from my research this book was published in the same year as I Kissed Dating Goodbye, so a compare-and-contrast of these two books would be fascinating. I imagine Her Hand in Marriage would come out on top as a more sustainable portrayal of courtship, but comparisons in other areas would enlighten as well.]]> 4.06 1997 Her Hand in Marriage: Biblical Courtship in the Modern World (Family)
author: Douglas Wilson
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/01
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves: christian, non-fiction, own
review:
Short and punchy. Wilson outlines the main principles behind the Biblical courtship movement in a helpful and persuasive way. While he purposefully (and probably wisely) avoids delving into the particulars of how that looks exactly, the author gives enough examples and guidelines to give his readers the flavor of what he is describing. Wilson's writing style is, as always, quite digestible for the casual reader but still has depth for the more careful consumer. Some questions remain about the idea of a woman always being subject to her father (or always being in his household) until she is married, but Wilson does a good job showing how he gets this principle from several passages of the Bible. Personally, I require and desire more study on this topic.

Interestingly, from my research this book was published in the same year as I Kissed Dating Goodbye, so a compare-and-contrast of these two books would be fascinating. I imagine Her Hand in Marriage would come out on top as a more sustainable portrayal of courtship, but comparisons in other areas would enlighten as well.
]]> <![CDATA[America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great]]> 13160142 224 Ben Carson 0310330718 Daniel 0 non-fiction, own, to-read 4.14 2011 America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great
author: Ben Carson
name: Daniel
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> Decision Points 8099187
George W. Bush served as president of the United States during eight of the most consequential years in American history. The decisions that reached his desk impacted people around the world and defined the times in which we live.

Decision Points brings readers inside the Texas governor’s mansion on the night of the 2000 election, aboard Air Force One during the harrowing hours after the attacks of September 11, 2001, into the Situation Room moments before the start of the war in Iraq, and behind the scenes at the White House for many other historic presidential decisions.

For the first time, we learn President Bush’s perspective and insights on:

His decision to quit drinking and the journey that led him to his Christian faith

The selection of the vice president, secretary of defense, secretary of state, Supreme Court justices, and other key officials

His relationships with his wife, daughters, and parents, including heartfelt letters between the president and his father on the eve of the Iraq War

His administration’s counterterrorism programs, including the CIA’s enhanced interrogations and the Terrorist Surveillance Program

Why the worst moment of the presidency was hearing accusations that race played a role in the federal government’s response to Hurricane Katrina, and a critical assessment of what he would have done differently during the crisis

His deep concern that Iraq could turn into a defeat costlier than Vietnam, and how he decided to defy public opinion by ordering the troop surge

His legislative achievements, including tax cuts and reforming education and Medicare, as well as his setbacks, including Social Security and immigration reform

The relationships he forged with other world leaders, including an honest assessment of those he did and didn’t trust

Why the failure to bring Osama bin Laden to justice ranks as his biggest disappointment and why his success in denying the terrorists their fondest wish—attacking America again—is among his proudest achievements

A groundbreaking new brand of presidential memoir, Decision Points will captivate supporters, surprise critics, and change perspectives on eight remarkable years in American history—and on the man at the center of events.]]> 497 George W. Bush 0307590615 Daniel 0 non-fiction, own, to-read 3.80 2010 Decision Points
author: George W. Bush
name: Daniel
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]> The New World Order 86000 318 Pat Robertson 0849933943 Daniel 0 non-fiction, own, to-read 2.98 1991 The New World Order
author: Pat Robertson
name: Daniel
average rating: 2.98
book published: 1991
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: non-fiction, own, to-read
review:

]]>