Book Reviews

Summary: Short Introduction to the Trinity.

Last week RC Sproul and his publisher (Reformation Trust) released the entire Crucial Questions series for free on kindle (list and links here.)

I have read Sproul’s Holiness of God and ,with a few reservations, thought it was good. But that has been the only of Sproul’s books I have read.

I read this introduction to the Trinity in bed after my wife had gone to sleep.  It is not long (63 pages) and even then it felt shorter.

But Sproul included a lot of content in that short book.  He looks at what the Trinity is not, by looking at some of the Christian heresies that forced the church to clarify it teaching.

Sproul made a distinction between paradox, mysteries and irrationality and concludes that the Trinity is not a paradox or irrationality but a mystery. (A more complete look at this idea is in the very good book Mystery of God.)

Read more

Summer is a traditional time for reading.  Vacations, beach, pool all give us time to relax, unwind and read.

I have three posts of books so far (Fiction Part 1, Fiction Part 2 and Non-fiction).

Below I have listed books that I have read, a short description, a link to my review and an Amazon link.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline – Bookwi.se Review

384 pages, 1603 of 1830 reviews are 4 or 5-star

Ready Player One is a great science fiction book for people that do not normally like science fiction.  It is set in 2044 when the whole world spends most of their lives in an immersive internet, the Oasis.  The real world is falling apart, but what everyone is interested in is the finding the puzzle in the Oasis, while will give the winner ownership of the Oasis.

Wade (online name Percival) is 18, an orphan and in poverty.  The race to win the Oasis is his only chance to make something of himself.  This was recommended to me first by my sister in law (not a science fiction fan) and later my wife really enjoyed it (also not a science fiction fan).  I have read both on kindle and listened on audiobook.  I recommend both.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett – Bookwi.se Review

352 pages, 544 of 826 reviews are 4 or 5-star

I love beautiful lyrical writing.  Patchett knows how to do that.  This is a story that from the beginning you know is going to end badly.  A number of dignitaries are taken hostage by revolutionaries in a fictional South American country.  The story progresses as one woman and 57 men are held for a long time.  People on both sides begin to see one another as human.  But they are stuck in a situation where there is no good way out.  It is a tradegy (and reading by the beach can help offset the sadness).  But there is also several love stories and wonderful insights into the human condition.  (I originally listened to this on audiobook and the narration is excellent.)

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – Bookwi.se Review

337 pages, 3114 of 3319 reviews are 4 or 5-star

This book was on a number best books of 2012 lists.  It is a young adult novel.  It is about two teens with cancer that fall in love.  I have finished almost 90 books so far this year and it is the best fiction book I have read this year.  I am planning on re-reading it this summer. (I originally listened to this on audiobook and the narration is excellent.)

Read more

Summary: The final of the second series.

Hugh Howey is an independent author phenomenon.  Most authors do not make $15-20,000 a month and decide to turn down a 7 figure advance on a book contract after selling the rights to their books to Ridley Scott.

But Hugh Howey, after a little over a year gets an article in the Wall Street Journal about his writing/marketing prowess.

Third Shift (Pact) follows the same basic mold.  This is the third (and last) of this second series.  Donald (who was sort of tricked into working in the Silo initiative) is again woken up to deal with a problem.

And Solo’s back story is finally revealed.

Read more

Summary: A young woman recounts her affair with the Dean of Starbridge.

One of the things I have enjoyed about reading the Church of England series is learning more about the actual Church of England.  A Dean of a Cathedral is essentially the pastor of the Cathedral.  In Scandalous Risks, Neville (Stephen) Aysgarth has risen from his role of Arch Deacon (assistant to the Bishop that oversees a geographical area of Churches) to the Dean of the Cathedral.

As Dean of one of the most prominent (fictional) Cathedrals in England Neville has risen to become one of the most powerful clergy in the Church of England.  Unfortunately for him, the Bishop of Starbridge is now Charles Ashworth, Neville’s conservative rival.

But Scandalous Risks is not simply a continuation of Ultimate Prizes (#3). It is narrated by Venetia Flaxton.  Young Venetia is 26, wandering around trying to find purpose in life.  Her best friend, Primrose (daughter of Neville) draws her to Starbridge and Venetia finds a number of friends, a job working for the Bishop and eventually an affair with the Dean (Neville).

Read more

Takeaway: Erickson focuses on how to disagree well and evaluate different Christian positions. 

As I have been reading about the trinity over the past two years I have realized that it is actually fairly small questions that are at the root of the big debates.

This makes sense because Christians agree about the vast majority of Christian theology. There is very little debate about the fact that the Trinity has three members.  That all three members of the trinity are God. Or that the Trinity is made up of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

But a relatively small debate has gained importance over the last 30-50 years because of another debate within the church, the role of women.

Read more

This book is free today on Kindle, so I am reposting this review from 2010.

Takeaway: Short, very informative book about the state of beer in the world from a professor of beer.  Not really about the soul or really any other religious thoughts on beer.

I have a somewhat mixed relationship with beer.  On the one hand, I like beer and I drink it fairly often, although in quite moderate amounts.  On the other hand I come from a family that is historically against drinking and from a church background that still has a hard time dealing with alcohol.

My grandmother was raised by an alcoholic father and she dropped out of high school to support her family because he was so often out of work because of his alcoholism.  She later went back to high school, graduated from college, became a teacher and raised 8 children.  She passed on her strong views of alcohol to most of her children and that passed on to many of the grandchildren.

For church background, I do not remember any strong messages on alcohol other than it was not talked about and not drank publicly.  I went to college where we signed a pledge not to drink alcohol as long as we were enrolled.  So I did not really start drinking until my mid-20s.  (I went to seminary at University of Chicago Divinity School where much of the proceeds of the student coffee shop went to parties with lots of alcohol served.  I did not really participate much.)  It was really after seminary that I started hanging with a different church crowd that had a more tolerant view of the proper use of alcohol.

Read more

Summary: An Archdeacon, with a fondness for drink, seeks after his debutante.

The Church of England Series continues to enthrall me.  As I write this I am almost finished with the fourth book of the series I have read in less than a month.

I am normally not a fan of Christian fiction.  But this is not normal Christian fiction.  First, it is oriented around the Church of England in the early and mid-20th Century.  Second, it is primarily about clergy that are in need of spiritual counsel and redemption.

Third it is not Christian Fiction that has a salvation story and then all is right with the world.  Instead, as with the first two books of the series, the redemption story happens fairly early in Ultimate Prizes and then the rest of the book is about how the main character deals with the fact that he got what he wanted.

Read more