Wednesday, January 4, 2017
By comparing human body parts to that of different animals, the author communicates the uniqueness of each of God's creatures. Even though they may look different from others, God gave each of us the parts He did. The message is that God loves us just as we are, and is interested in what makes us unique. Its a perfect message for any child, especially as they begin to notice differences between people.
This is a very sturdy children's book that is perfect for the littlest readers. The cover is padded and the corners rounded. The pages are made of thick cardboard and are easy to turn. Each page only has four lines of text, and everything rhymes. The rest of the pages are covered in beautiful, vibrantly colored illustrations. The bright colors and large pictures should catch and hold the attention of any child. I'd recommend this book to anyone with a child.
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 255
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
After the Cheering Stops: An NFL Wife’s Story of Concussions, Loss, and the Faith that Saw Her Through by Cyndy Feasel tells the life story of Grant Feasel, a center in the NFL. His ex-wife Cyndy chronicles his story, mainly during the almost thirty years they were married. When their life together started, he was at the top as a college football star being scouted by the NFL. He died young, his body wracked by addiction, his brain full of CTE, and his family penniless.
Cyndy Feasel describes her life with Grant in a somewhat objective manner. While being clear about the ugliness that occurred between them in the latter years of their life together, she also made it clear that it was a direct result of the CTE and alcoholism Grant was dealing with, even if she didn't realize that was the case at the time. She never crosses the line between describing what happened and slandering Grant.
There were some comments and observations that seemed overly personal, mainly concerning the physical aspect of their love life. Overall though, Feasel stayed within the parameters of discussing the alcoholism and other personality changes brought about by the CTE that was caused by Grant's years playing professional football. She mentions her faith a few times, but not enough that it could be considered a main theme of this story.
Anyone interested in the NFL, specifically the effects on a player's body and family, will find After the Cheering Stops an interesting read. It is an easy and quick read. Those interested in alcoholism and other addiction issues will also find this book an interesting read.
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 255
Monday, December 5, 2016
The Tunnels: Escapes Under the Berlin Wall and the Historic Films the JFK White House Tried to Kill by Greg Mitchell tells the story of several of the tunnels dug under Berlin after the Berlin Wall was built, as well as the official U.S. response to them.
After the Berlin Wall was built, there were many people desperate to escape East Berlin. Many in West Berlin were equally desperate to get them out. This led to the digging of many tunnels under the wall. Several were successful while many more were not. Those involved in the digging were always in danger of being caught or betrayed to the Stasi, the East German police.
One of the most famous tunnels, and the one discussed at most length in this book was the NBC or Bernauer tunnel. The digging of, and escape through, this tunnel was filmed by people from NBC and turned into a documentary. The scrutiny and opposition to showing this documentary in the U.S. was almost as fierce as the danger faced by those actually involved in the digging and escape. In the broader context of the Cold War, the Kennedy administration didn't want anything to happen that could cause an open conflict over Berlin. JFK wanted more than anything to avoid a nuclear war.
While the first half of The Tunnels is a little dry, the pace of the second half is enjoyable. Mitchell is detailed in his description of both the digging of the tunnels and the motivations of the people involved. He also explains the broader context of the tunnels in regard to U.S. policy in the Cold War.
Overall, I'd recommend The Tunnels to anyone interested in the history of Berlin during the Cold War.
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
Thursday, November 10, 2016
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i am found: Quitting the Game of Hide and Seek With God and Others by Laura Dingman is a six week Bible study for women focused on breaking the shackles of shame and replacing with the truth of God's word the lies that hold us in bondage. Each week involves a Bible verse or two to memorize, and five days of study. Each day has questions to answer and scripture to examine. Sometimes the scripture is printed, and other times the reader is directed to use her own Bible. At the end of each week, is a "Truth, Lies, and Action" section that is designed specifically to help the reader identify the lies she believes in regards to that week's topic, the contrasting truths of scripture, and creating intentional steps to replace the lies with truth in our life.
The structure of the study is very user friendly. Each day's "workload" is quite manageable and allows for deep thought and introspection. This study is drenched in and founded on scripture and it's truths. The brief personal stories that are at the beginning of each week's content are relevant and relatable. Overall, i am found is a very well written and helpful study that would benefit any woman willing to put the time into it, either individually or in a group.
I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Moody Publishers Blogger Review 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, See Part 255
A Mile Wide: Trading A Shallow Religion For A Deeper Faith by Brandon Hatmaker is about how the Christian faith is meant to be much broader and deeper than how the average American Christian lives. The title comes from the old saying "a mile wide and an inch deep." In contrast to that, Hatmaker contends that the Christian faith should be both a mile wide and a mile deep.The main strength of this book is its attempt to broaden the typical definition of faith. We should break out of the go to church on Sunday and live just with Christians mode. If we see through the gospel lens, any moment with any person can be a gospel moment. If we live on mission, any moment can be missional. Getting outside of our comfort zones in terms of the kinds of people we are in relationship with, and the opportunities we seek out to serve can only strengthen and increase our faith.
Hatmaker uses examples from his own somewhat unorthodox life and church to illustrate the above points. The second half of the book is much stronger than the first half. While the average person may benefit from reading A Mile Wide, it may be most helpful to those in some kind of leadership, or those specifically seeking ways to broaden their faith experience. Each chapter ends with a list of several discussion questions that would be useful either in a group setting or individually.
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 255
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Love, Henri: Letters on the Spiritual Life by Henri J. M. Nouwen is a collection of letters written over the course of the last twenty odd years of Nouwen's life. The recipients of these letters vary greatly and cover the spectrum from close friends to people he doesn't know who have written him with a criticism or a thank you to one of his books.
Edited by Gabrielle Earnshaw, this collection of letters offers great insight into Nouwen. Each letter is introduced by a short explanation about the recipient of the letter and his/her relationship to Nouwen, as well as any relevant details to a particular situation mentioned in the letter, or that was going on in Nouwen's life. There are also footnotes throughout the book that offer further explanation as needed. The result is that even without the letter written to Nouwen, the reader has all the information necessary to appreciate what he writes. There is no sense of feeling lost or of missing something.
Nouwen was a prolific letter writer. He was honest about his struggles, and most of all gracious with those he was writing to, regardless of the depth of relationship. His character shines through in this collection of his letters. They are put together masterfully, and this is a must read for anyone who appreciates Nouwen's life and writings.
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
Monday, October 3, 2016
Alberto Gonzales has lived the quintessential American story. The oldest son of parents who had very little formal education, Gonzales grew up in a two bedroom house that didn't have running hot water. His parents raised all eight of their children in this house. After graduating high school, Gonzales spent some time in the Air Force. He then attended the Air Force Academy before graduating from Rice University. He then went to Harvard Law school and spent a number of years at a prestigious law firm before going to work for George W. Bush who was the governor elect of Texas.
Gonzales' career would be linked to Bush's for the next several years. When Bush was elected president, Gonzales moved to D.C. to serve as White House counsel for four years. After Bush's re-election, Gonzales served as the U.S. Attorney General until his resignation.
In True Faith and Allegiance, Gonzales gives an inside peek into the tumultuous years of the Bush presidency. He clearly presents what happened as he remembers is, refuting many popular assumptions and media reports about some of the most controversial events including the use of torture in the War on Terror, and the decision to invade Iraq. It is clear that Gonzales always has been, and always will be, a staunch supporter of George W. Bush and his policies.
Regardless of one's political leanings, True Faith and Allegiance is an interesting look at our government at an unprecedented time in history. The decisions and policies Gonzales was a part of creating shaped the world we live in today. This book is easy to read and understand. I would recommend it to anyone interested in modern American history.
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 255
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