A Bounty of Books

How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics in A Divided Age by Jonathan Leeman examines how Christians should engage in the public square in today's extremely divisive political culture.

Leeman uses various groups in today's society such as the local church, Bible, and government to talk about how Christians should handle politics in America. Each chapter focuses on one of those aspects and defines both what that particular group or thing is and is not responsible for. The church has a different God ordained function than the government does. In the same way, a pastor has a specific focus when it comes to leading his/her church than he/she does in his/her personal life. There are things that all Christians should fight for or against and others that we should be willing to peacefully disagree with other believers about.

How the Nations Rage is helpful in that doesn't tell the reader exactly how to think about any particular political issue. Instead, it provides a framework of realms of responsibility both corporately and individually that serves as a helpful guide. Anyone interested in how Christians can thoughtfully engage in American politics today would benefit from this book.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255R

The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency by Chris Whipple examines the modern chief of staff and how every presidency since Nixon's has been shaped by the position. Good or bad, the chiefs of staff have been one of the most influential factors in the legacy of each presidency in the modern era.

Whipple uses mainly primary source material to tell the magnificent tale of the modern chief of staff. He conducted numerous interviews with the chiefs as well as two former presidents. He also had access to previously unpublished material granted him by the individuals involved. How a chief shapes the presidency is the overall theme of this book and the thread that ties each individual story together.

It is the chief of staff's job to protect the president's time. How well he does that plays a significant role in the president's success. He is also to manage the staff and stop anyone trying to go around the proper channels, or trying to execute plans that are just bad ideas such as the Watergate break-in, or the Iran-Contra affair. The chief has to be able to be 100% honest with the president and manage many strong personalities at once.

Whipple tells the story of each chief both from their perspective as well as those who worked with them. At the end of each chapter, I was left wanting to know more about these men and their relationships, as there is only enough space to discuss the high (or very low) points of each chief's time in office. The Gatekeepers is very readable and easy to understand, even for someone who isn't familiar with politics. Part biography, part modern American history, The Gatekeepers is a great read for anyone interested in either.

Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in America by Michael Wear tells the story of one young staffer in the Obama White House. Discussing both personal experience and policy, Wear attempts to put faith and politics, and their relationship to one another, in proper perspective.

Wear worked for both Obama presidential campaigns and worked as a staffer in The White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships during Obama's first term. Wear briefly describes his life before entering the political sphere, before moving on to chronologically discussing events he was involved with in the first campaign and term of the Obama administration. He then covers key policies involving faith and the faith community including abortion and same sex marriage. He then moves on to his involvement in the second presidential campaign and then ends with a broad discussion of how politics and faith can work together.

As a whole, the tone of Reclaiming Hope toward President Obama and his administration is even handed. The first half is almost all positive and almost has a feel of there being no room for criticism, but the second half addresses controversy and legitimate criticism, giving the book as a whole balance. The discussion about faith and politics is constructive and beneficial for any person of faith in America. Recognizing that ultimate hope lies with God, His people still have to engage with the structures of power here on earth. Wear seems to have managed that balance well in his own life, and has made a career of helping others do so as well.

Overall, I'd recommend Reclaiming Hope by Michael Wear to those interested in the faith of President Obama, and/or anyone interested in the intersection of faith and politics in America.

Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

When Lions Roar: The Churchills and the Kennedys by Thomas Maier is an examination of the relationship between two dynastic families of the twentieth century: the Churchills and the Kennedys. When two families as powerful as these two have as many connections and relationships as the Churchills and Kennedys did, it is bound to not just provide interesting fodder for gossip columns, but to be historically significant as well.

The relationship between the Churchills and the Kennedys spanned three generations, two continents, and one world war. While the families briefly met socially in the late 1930s, their relationship really started when Joseph P. Kennedy was appointed the U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James. When Lions Roar gives some background information on the patriarch of each family, but the majority of the book centers on the official roles that brought these two families together, and how those roles and relationships affected the relationship of the U.S. and Britain. It chronicles both the public and private ups and downs of the relationships mainly among Joe Kennedy Sr., Winston Churchill, Randolph Churchill, and John F. Kennedy, though other family members and their interactions are also mentioned.

When Lions Roar is a fascinating read. It is very well written and though it is full of detail and quotes from both spoken and written texts, the pace never gets bogged down. Maier focuses on two main relationships throughout this book. The main focus of course is on the relationship between the two families. However, there is a secondary focus on the relationship within each family, particularly that of father and son. How the two fathers interacted with their children was quite different. Towards the end of the book, Maier briefly explores how these different types of interactions produced very different kinds of sons.

Anyone interested in either family will find When Lions Roar a satisfying read. So will those interested in the relationship between the U.S. and Britain, especially leading up to and during WWII.

Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255