Book Reviews

Portofino: A Novel (Calvin Becker Trilogy) by Frank Schaeffer

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Takeaway: Frank Schaeffer’s autobiographical novel has the unique ability to tell difficult truths without making the characters completely unlikable. Just over two weeks ago Edith Schaeffer passed away at the age of 98.  About six months ago I had read Frank Schaeffer’s memoir, Sex, Mom and God.  So when I read Frank’s tribute to his mom … Read more

Back on Murder (A Roland March Mystery, #1) by J. Mark Bertrand

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Back on Murder (A Roland March Mystery, #1) by J. Mark BertrandRoland March used to be a rising star as a homicide detective, but after a family tragedy knocked the wind out of him, so to speak, he’s lost the respect of his colleagues and been relegated to working the bottom of the barrel cases in his department. Until, that is, he sees some evidence at a crime scene that nobody else catches. Grafted into the investigation, March’s instincts lead him to connect two seemingly unrelated cases—a drug-related murder/kidnapping in the hood and a high-profile missing person case involving the daughter of a megachurch pastor. March and his new partner continue to dig, and he eventually uncovers evidence of internal corruption by his arch-nemesis in another department.

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Camilla by Madeline L’Engle

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I am on vacation this week, so this is a ‘best of’ review. Summary: Coming of age novel the way coming of age novels should be written.  All about realizing that the world does not revolve around you. The book description on Amazon does not do this book justice. It is a coming of age … Read more

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

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Takeaway: It seem a rule of life that great people are also greatly broken people. Steve Jobs is one of the few books that I have read recently that is being widely read by a number of people in my life.  I keep asking people what they think about it and while there are a … Read more

A Little Exercise for Young Theologians by Helmut Thielicke

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A Little Exercise for Young TheologiansSummary: A classic book of advice for young pastors and theologians.

I have previously read A Little Book for New Theologians: Why and How to Study Theology, which is intentionally an update of Helmut Thielicke’s classic.  I saw that the original was on kindle for less than $5 and decided to read the original as well.

A Little Exercise for Young Theologians is short.  I read it in two short sittings.  Most of the chapters are only 3 or 4 pages long.  Much of it is advice of a similar sort to the updated version I had already read. (I would advice reading both, but with some time between.)

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Taking God Seriously by J. I. Packer

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Taking God Seriously by J. I. Packer

Takeaway: What we believe and how we act is important to who we are as Christians. (Just wish the book was more about that.)

I really want to like this book more than I did. I agree with the main point, that in order to live a holy life, and to have strong church, we need to pay more attention to catechesis (the teaching of the faith.)  And I am encouraged that Packer rightly treats teaching as broader than knowledge to include teaching toward right action as well.  This right action includes a good explanation of the sacraments of baptism and eucharist.

The problem with the book isn’t the ideas (or the actual content of the teaching), the problem is that Packer spends a lot of the books sounding like a grumpy old man complaining about those kids on his lawn.

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Creating With God: The Holy Confusing Blessedness of Pregnancy

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Creating With God: The Holy Confusing Blessedness of PregnancyTakeaway: Pregnancy, as spiritual discipline and holy work, is often not as valued in the Evangelical world as it should be.  This book does much to rectify that.

A couple week ago, while Paraclete Press was having a $2.99 sale on all of their kindle books I picked this up.

Regular reading of this blog should know by now that I read in large part to process.  I read fiction both to relax, but also get different perspectives on how the world works.  I read theology and biblical studies to work through issues of faith, believe and understanding.  I read history to process how the world has come to be and how we have and have not learned from our mistakes as a society.  I read economics and social sciences to process how human behave, interact and work.

So it is only natural that I start reading about pregnancy as an expectant Dad.

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