Book Reviews – Page 156

The Bible: A Very Short Introduction by John Riches

October 14, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: Still not the book I am looking for on the bible.

Last week I stumbled on the Very Short Introduction series and was very impressed with Mark Noll’s book on Protestantism. This week I ventured in again and was much less impressed. The bible is a hard topic. But I was really put off by the focus and direction. The first chapter was on approaching the Bible as either classic literature or sacred text took me a while to get over. I actually had to go back and re-read it after reading the whole book. After the second reading I was not as irritated once I had some context, but I think it shows some of the editorial problems of the book.

Fyodor Dostoevsky (Christian Encounters Series) by Peter Leithart

October 13, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: Biography is not historical fiction.

I am a fan of Dostoevsky. I have read several of his book and want to read more. I have another Dostoevsky biography that I purchased a while ago but I have not gotten around to reading yet. So I was really looking forward to reading this book.

The Christian Encounters Series is intended to be a series of basic Christian biographies that are to be informative, show the person’s Christian background and show how we can be Christians in a number of backgrounds. I like biographies and I tend to read pretty heavy biographies, but I also enjoy simpler biographies. A well done biography does not need to be long, but it does need to have a clear focus.

Whose Bible Is It?: A Short History of the Scriptures by Jaroslav Pelikan

October 12, 2011 by Adam Shields

Cover of "Whose Bible Is It?: A Short His... — Cover via Amazon

Takeaway: The Bible has a long history.

I started listening to this because I am looking for a book on the history of the canon and how we use scripture to recommend as an introduction. Before this week I have told people that I have read and enjoyed this book. But once I was into it a little but I realized I have not actually read this before. I thought I had read it, and maybe I had started it, but I had not read it.

Jaroslav Pelikan is an important scholar of the history of Christianity. I first read him in a Christian history class in seminary. Some day I will get back and read the rest of his series of five books on the history of the development of Christian doctrine. Pelikan was a professor at Yale from 1962 until his retirement in 1997. He was also a Lutheran pastor for most of his life until 1998 when he converted to the Orthodox Church.

The High King by Lloyd Alexander (Prydain Chronicles #5)

October 10, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: The final story is strangely satisfying.

The High King is the last of one of the best-known Young Adult fantasy series before Harry Potter. It won the Newberry Award in 1969. This was about the same time the Lord of the Rings trilogy took off in the US (the last of the Lord of the Rings books was published in 1956).

The High King is the most like the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It has the most action; it is the most focused on large-scale battles. It is the most exciting, and up until this reading, it was my favorite of the series. It is still an excellent book, but Taran Wander is more interesting as a character study. I like the action books, but they are what is driving my reading. I first read the series first in the mid-1980s and was in its target audience.

Luke’s Gospel From Scratch by Donald L Griggs and Paul W Walaskay

October 7, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: A basic introduction to Luke that is not simplistic or reductionist.

Regular readers of my blog know that I am working through a six month study of Luke. There are links to other books I have read an reviewed on Luke below.

I took Jerry Bridge’s suggestion to really delve deep into a book instead of surface reading scripture. So from July through December this year I am just reading Luke. The most important discovery I have made is that just reading will only get you so far. You NEED to use commentaries and other helps if you really want to understand a passage.

Protestantism: A Very Short Introduction by Mark Noll

October 6, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: The common thread of Protestantism is diversity, focus on scripture and change.

I first heard of Protestantism: A Very Short Introduction on a podcast from Books and Culture magazine. I am a regular reader and listener to their short weekly podcast and have first heard of a number of books that I have enjoyed from them.

I am also not familiar with the Oxford Short Introduction series. But after having read this one, I will read more. There are more than 200 books in this series over a very wide range of topics. I cannot speak to the series as a whole, but I like the idea of a series that is oriented toward short books on a wide range of topics written by top scholars in the field and oriented toward an educated reader.

Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander (Prydain Chronicles #4)

October 5, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: At some point, growing up means finding meaning and joy in work and yourself.

Taran Wander is my favorite book of the series. In many ways, it is different from the rest of the series. Is it still a book focused on a quest, but instead of saving someone, defeating an enemy, or finding a magical device, it is about Taran finding his heritage.

As a young teen (probably really a tween), there are several points in the books where I actually learned something that I used later. Taran wanders through Prydain to seek out his parentage because he wants to propose to Eliowayn. But she is a princess, and he is an orphaned Assistant Pig-Keeper.

The Night of the Living Dead Christian by Matt Mikalatos

October 4, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: There is no other author quite like Matt Mikalatos

We need more theologians that use an allegorical/satirical look at monsters to get their theological point across.

I very much enjoyed Matt Mikalatos’ first book Imaginary Jesus (my review) and I have passed it on to several people. So I had high hopes for the second book.

In both books a semi-fictional Matt is the main character. In Night of the Living Dead, mild-mannered Matt, in his self-appointed role of neighborhood watch coordinator, sees his neighbor turn into a werewolf and then see his neighbor’s wife leave him. Matt, accompanied by the previously introduced Mad Scientist and his robot, attempt to cure the neighbor (Luther) of his werewolf problem.

Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander (Book 3 of Chronicles of Prydain)

September 29, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: Part of growing up is realizing the role of romantic love.

Purchase Links: Paperback, Kindle Edition

The Castle of Llyr is the most romantically focused of the Pyrdain Chronicles. Taran is charged with accompanying Princess Eilonwy to her relatives so that she might learn how to be a princess (and not a scullery maid as she has been doing at Caer Dalben). As Eilonwy prepares to leave Taran realizes that he does not want her to go.

Once again there is another foil of about Taran’s age that helps Taran understand how to grow up in a different way. Prince Rhun is very nice, very honorable, but incapable of doing anything correctly. He bumbles everything. And Taran learns that Rhun’s father wants to marry him to Eilonwy.

The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander

September 28, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: The bad things we do, can often be seen better through others. Or, I never noticed how annoying that thing I do was, until I saw you do it.

The Black Cauldron may be the best known book of the Prydian Chronicles because of the Disney movie. But I have never seen it. As I was glancing around I saw that a 25th anniversary edition of the movie was released last year. That makes me feel old. I am pretty sure I was reading this series before the movie was released and just never saw it. My memory is that most people did not think it was all that good. But maybe I will watch now.

This book picks up fairly soon after the Book of Three lets off. Taran and Eilonw are at Caer Dalben and have settled into their routine. Prince Gwydion (the crown prince and war leader for Prydain) has called a council to solve the problem of the Cauldron born (basically zombies). They are going to go into the heart of Annuvin to steal and destroy the Black Cauldron to prevent Arawn (the bad guy’s leader) from being able to create any more of these zombie soldiers.