5 comments about From Private to General: An African American Soldier Rises Through the Ranks.

1. A great read from start to finish. If you enjoy history, the military or stories of personal success, this book is for you. General Curry personifies what it is to be an American, and his book elucidates this perfectly. As an American you can accomplish anything by dreaming big, working hard and following after God.
   
   Todd Morrisson



2. This book is an enjoyable read with an inside look at military life from the General's professional and personl life. Teacher's should take note! This would be excellent material for a character education segment of curriculum. It's riveting and heartfelt with a lot of perserverance against all odds thrown in. Your students will be inspired to be excellent and hard working.



3. The extraordinary journey of an extraordinary man! What a great read!



4. Some men are born to greatness and from his childhood, Jerry Curry was destined for great things. With a lot of hard work and determination everything that Jerry set his hand to do was successful. I found "From Private to General: An African American Soldier Rises Through the Ranks" an interesting read from a enlisted point of view. Many times we enlisted men are blind to the difficulties that officers have to deal with. Often when talking with my twin brother who is a "West Point" graduate we discussed how politics often are a part of advancing in rank. What is the old adage; "It isn't what you know, but who you know." And this is so very true of those who compete for higher rank.
   
   On the down side, I felt that many times instead of reading an autobiography, I was reading a dissertation on the evils of racism. There are many powerful lessons that the American culture had to learn since the abolition of slavery. We must learn from our mistakes or be doomed to repeat them. But even with the cards stacked against him, Jerry Curry, by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ was able to overcome and advance. Is not this after all is the primary mission of the military; to overcome and advance.



5. The story of Gen. Curry is inspirational. He describes some of the obstacles he faced in the military because of his ethnic background from the viewpoint of an overcomer, rather than a victim. His integrity and courage stand out. His faith in God is part of the story, but his wife's book, "The General's Lady," gives much more detail on the spiritual side of their family.

5 comments about Power, Money & Sex.

1. I've always dug Deion Sanders.To Me he has been the Most Complete Athlete of His Time.cuz He is a Good Baseball Player&A Great Football Player.but More Importantly The Brother is Very Honest with Himself&His Surroundings.he has come full circle&has Inner Peace.this is a Great Book.



2. Overall, I really enjoy Deion and I was looking forward to reading his autobiography, but I have to say I was somewhat disappointed. It wasn't as 'thorough' as I thought - and his cockiness and self-centeredness really showed. I still enjoy him, and I wish him the best on his journey with Jesus.. I just pray that he's sincere.



3. Let me start off by saying I like Deion Sanders, otherwise I never would have purchased his book. And I admire the fact that the man has come a LONG way and overcome many obstacles to accept Christ into his life.
   However, I do have a major complaint - well, two to be totally honest.
   One, Deion seems to blame all his past problems on others. Even though Deion admits he was hell on wheels and self destructive for a time, he still doesn't take responsibility for many of his actions in this book. The time in Cincinnati, when he played for the Reds, when he got into an altercation with a security guard while he was riding around in a golf cart. Everyone knows Deion made that situation worse than it ever could have been, but in Deion's retelling of the story, the security guard provoked him. There are several more stories like this one, where Deion was involved in something that escalated because the other party in the dispute was out to "get him". I'm not going to say that everything that has happened to Deion is his fault, but let's be real - a lot of it is. I'm surprised, as a christian, that Deion hasn't stepped up to the plate and taken a little more responsibility for his past actions. I'm not judging Deion, but I must admit my disappointment.
   The other problem I had with the book, and this is most likely not Deion's fault but rather the authors, is that his "escapades" are glamourized, instead of downplayed. I've read several biographies written by famous people - athletes, politicians, actors, etc - and they all are guilty of this. I understand the risk you take as a writer, explaining the past deed and attempting to unfold what happened, but doing so in a manor that is interesting to the reader. When this happens, it's every easy to glamourize the story, instead of exposing it for the bad thing that it was.
   Overall, an entertaining read, albeit somewhat short to my surprise.



4. I FOUND THIS BOOK TO BE QUITE INTERESTING AND WRITTEN WITH HONESTY. DEION HAS ALWAYS BEEN FLASHY AND FLAMBOYANT. HE PRESENTED HIMSELF AS BEING THIS WAY ALL THE TIME. HIS "PRIME TIME" PERSONALITY IS NOT WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE A MODEL CITIZEN ON HOW TO PRESENT YOURSELF. HE SAYS UNDERNEATH HE IS A CHRISTIAN AND HUMBLE, I HOPE HE IS. I HAD HOPED HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN MORE DETAIL TO HIS CAREER. THIS IS WORTH READING AND ENJOYABLE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DEION AND PLEASE WRITE ANOTHER BOOK WITH MORE DETAIL AND INSIGHT INTO HOW TO LIVE LIFE.



5. I was wandering around a Gold Beach, Oregon book store last week and just happened to pick up Deion Sanders' book. I vaguely knew who he was. For some strange reason, I purchased it. Although, riddled with grammatical and spelling errors, I found his message very compelling. I am just new to the world of Jesus and have had many folks in my life talk to me about living a Christian life, but I have to say that Deion's book really TALKED to me about this issue. More than anyone else. He just broke it down in plain terms and related his story in a way that spoke to me loud and clear. Thanks Deion.

No comments about Dorothee Soelle: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters).

5 comments about And Muhammad Is His Messenger: The Veneration of the Prophet in Islamic Piety (Studies in Religion).

1. HI MY NAME IS MICHAEL i WANT TO BY THIS BOOK BUT PLEASE GIVE ME A REPORT ABOUT THIS BOOK michaelwsaad@yahoo.com



2. Annemarie Schimmel has studied Islam for years, writing many important books particularly on the subject of Islamic spirituality. The aim of this book is to explore the love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Islamic society. With samples of poetry and prose in praise of the Prophet, it captures some of the affection Muslims have for the man they revere as the "Mercy to Mankind." Although some biographical details appear, the book is not a biography per se. Instead the book represents a historical analysis of Prophet Muhammad's unique place in the life of his followers.



3. Annemarie Schimmel's work is well known to the world of religion,and this book is no exception. This book gets into the details of the Life of the Prophet Muhammed and the love and respect the followers of ISLAM have for their Prophet. Obvisouly this book was not a biography of the Prophet Muhammad but it gives enough information, so one can understand the Importance of Prophet Muhammad in th eislamic world



4. item was delivered promptly and in good condition..I was very satisfied with my purchase and would recommend this user to anyone!



5. Professor Schimmel, a German scholar of Islam here presents what could be called a 'traditional view of Muhammad' by that I mean how Muhammad is understood by the vast majority of his followers (i.e. Muslims) how they base their lives on him and how they take inspiration from him.
   
   The professor goes through various traditional religious prayer manuals popular amongst Muslims such as the Mevlid of Sulayman Celebi, the Burda, the Dala'il al-Khayrat and others explaining how they are read by Muslims, the times of year that they are read (such as special occasions like the Prophets birthday etc) and the reasons why they inspire such devotion amongst Muslims to their prophet.
   
   One negative point is that this book (as most of the professors) is largely based upon writings from the Indian subcontinent and Turkey. Practically nothing is included about for example, West Africa or the Sub Sahara which ignores the strong Sufi traditions of the Tijani, Qadiri and Darqarwi orders and their vast body of devotional literature.
   
   The most important aspect of this book I feel is that it gives us in the west a greater understanding of the reasons behind the great attachment that Muslims have to the founder of their religion and also how they actually interpret and practice their religion something I feel that we would not be able to take from for example the various Saudi/Gulf publications that have flooded the market in recent years which tell us an awful lot about what Muslims believe but not how that belief is actually put into practice in the context of the world around them.
   
   Highly recommended book. I would also strongly recommend Mystical dimensions in Islam from the same author.

4 comments about The Life of Shabkar: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin.

1. Never have I come across such an inspiring piece of buddhist literature. Plan on having your life and your practice changed forever after reading the life story of this amazing yogin.



2. Matthieu Ricard has created a work of art. Remaining true to the poetic beauty of the Tibetan original he has for the first time presented this important work to the west. Also, his notes and appendixes on historical and buddhist backgrounds are invaluable. For the first time the reader is presented with the life of a Tibetan saint and his lineage formerly largely unknown among western students of Tibetan buddhism. A tuely inspiring page-turner !



3. This is the splendid autobiography of Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangrol (1781-1851), a yogi who wandered far and wide expressing his realization, as a fully accomplished adept of the Great Completion (Dzogchen).
   
   From the Foreword by HH the Dalai Lama: "Regarded by many as the greatest yogi after Milarepa to gain enlightenment in one lifetime (...) as source of inspiration to Buddhist practitioners and general readers alike." HH Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche: "As one reads it, one's mind cannot resist being turned toward the Dharma."
   
   This autobiography is full of humor, wit and playful joy, intense self-discipline as well as magnificant flights of imagination. An accessible book full of telling stories, a must-read, must-own for those interested.
   
   "Man -
   If you have any self-respect,
   A heart in your chest,
   Brains in your head, and
   Some sympathy for yourself,
   Regret your past actions and
   Improve your whole behavior.
   It's time! It's very late!
   - Shabkar



4. Considered as one of the master works of Tibetan religious heritage.
   For people who have a connection with Tibetan Buddhism this book is a true treasure. And, dear vegetarians, you are right :-), many Tibetan Buddhists might prefer to ignore the fact, but Shabkar as a non sectarian Tibetan yogi gave up eating meat for the rest of his live when he was 27 years based on his sincere conviction that a Buddhist - at a certain stage - should gave up "the negative act of eating the flesh of beings" (p.232). See also his book Food of Bodhisattvas: Buddhist Teachings on Abstaining from Meat, ISBN 1590301161.

1 comments about Billy: The Untold Story of a Young Billy Graham and the Test of Faith that Almost Changed Everything.

1. I recently was sent a manuscript for the book Billy: The Untold Story of a Young Billy Graham and the Test of Faith that Almost Changed Everything by Bill McKay and Ken Abraham. I've read and reviewed other books about Billy Graham, but not any that restricted itself to the beginning stages of his ministry told in narrative form. This book is meant to coincide with a soon-to-be-released movie titled "Billy: The Early Years." In the book, the authors tell the story of Billy Graham's ministry through the eyes of his one-time partner, Charles Templeton. The scene is a hospital, where Templeton is living out his last days with Alzheimer's. An aging reporter, eager to revive her flagging career, has been told to interview Templeton in order to get some dirt on Graham... be it scandals, hypocrisy, or whatever. She sets up in the hospital room with a camera crew and starts the interview, trying to get Templeton to turn on his former colleague. But much to her dismay and amazement, Templeton's cynicism over what Graham believes and preaches is not enough to overcome the fact that he can find no fault in Graham. He knows that however much he belittles the beliefs he used to share, he can't deny that Graham has accomplished far more that should have been humanly possible given his background and skills.
   
   The flow of the story starts back in Graham's teen years, before he became a Christian. After going forward at a tent-style revival, he decides that he wants to attend a bible college and move into some sort of ministry work. Much to his shock and surprise, he's asked to speak in front of a church. Terrified, he covers the breath of his Bible knowledge in rapid-fire fashion... taking an entire seven minutes. But there's something there, and he's asked to speak in more locations, eventually leading to a full-time pastor position. Along the way, he meets and marries his wife Ruth, who gives up her dream of becoming a missionary to Tibet to support Graham in his ministry. As his preaching and evangelism starts to pick up speed, he's eventually teamed with Charles Templeton, an extremely popular and well-known evangelist at the time. They seem to make a good team, but Templeton's life is getting much darker...
   
   Templeton is starting to question his faith, and it comes to a head at the end of World War II. He sees a newsreel showing Holocaust survivors, and decides he can't believe in a loving God any more. Graham is crushed by his decision to leave the ministry and study at Princeton. This turning away by Templeton starts Graham down the path of questioning his own commitment. The story moves to a moment in time where Graham struggles with his fears and doubts by himself out in the woods at a conference. The ultimate outcome of that war would end up changing the face of world evangelism as we know it.
   
   Unlike some of the other books on Graham that attempts to analyze all his works and actions, this is a more story-driven treatment of his early life. I'm sure that once the movie is released, I'll find that this book follows very closely to the timing and direction of the film. Still, it's an inspirational look at someone who has committed everything to what he believes. It also shows that particular moments in time can have ramifications *far* beyond what one might expect at the moment.

1 comments about The Spiritual Way of St. Jeanne D'Arc.

1. George Tavard in 'The Spiritual Way of St. Jeanne d'Arc' describes Joan's dedication to spiritual virginity as 'one cannot clean one's conscience too much.' Even though she also included sexual continence, the spiritual virginity is an example for all to follow if we want to love and serve God and our fellow man. It is a constant looking at our life in order to see what we must change. The core of this is her reliance on God at all times. It is an example for all of us who at times in our life feel hopeless when we rely on our limitations. Many of the lives of the Saints are written devoid of any anger or human faults. This book shows Joan's humanness and anger, sometimes bordering on sarcasm, to questions that were misleading and deceitful. It also show's how she integrated her interior life of contemplation with God into her active life of leadership for the liberation of France. Joan of Arc is a timeless model for all men and women to follow. I highly recommend this book as a companion to 'Joan of Arc, Her Story' by Regine Pernoud and Marie-Veronique Clin. Art Dugan

5 comments about My Beautiful Idol.

1. This is an autobiographical journey through five years of transition in the life of the author. Gall originally self-published this work and it is his first published book.
   
   My Beautiful Idol is a story of seeking, recognizing and following God. Gall records his journey of faith and life chasing God's will from a highly paid career in Chicago to Denver and through a series of jobs, ministry settings and relationships. Scattered throughout the narrative are lessons about the reality of poverty, the desire to be loved and God's dream for individual lives. Gall is open with his thoughts, emotions and struggles in his life during the five years that are recorded in the book.
   
   I found the narrative to be moderately compelling, but at times tedious and repetitive. There was insightful wisdom about life and relationships sprinkled throughout the book that I found to be fairly interesting. I recommend this book to those looking for open honesty in the life of another.



2. Pete Gall is a guy who can hang out at our home anytime...Standing, open invitation. Buy this book!!!!
   
   His statement, "The smallest prison in the world is a faith that doesn't let Jesus grow."(p.156) is just one of a myriad of truths spoken throughout this book.
   
   Refreshing, real, poignant --- an incredibly skilled story teller. The down-to-earth practical considerations that Pete shares are invaluable.
   
   This is a textbook for a new paradigm of what it might mean to "become a new kind of Christian. As Pete says, " Mot many of us live in ways that leave us open to interruption. We want the protection of organizations. We want to have "people for that." Specialists in following Christ so we won't have to do it ourselves." (p.282). This quote succinctly captures the essence of the virus that currently infects Christianity in the 21st century....specialists, professionals --- somebody else other than me because I can't find the time to do that or deem myself unqualified. What a hock of hooey. Pete Gall pulls the mask off this sort of clowning around.
   
   Pete leads us to some terribly important vantage points...precipices where he encourages us to look out at the possibilities --- possibilities that require embracing new forms of humility, wonder, unlearning and developing the capacity and hunger to learn what we don't know. Things like this, " Success in life is not measured by what we achieve, but by what we come to admit. It is not measured by how far we journey, how many zombies, goblins or droids we slay, or by our return as champions. It is not measured by how much good I do for the people I get paid to care about. Success in life is measured by what we come to admit." (p.267).
   
   A blueprint for the strategic reconstruction of Christian ministry as we presently know it. An incredibly well written story. I have high expectations for Pete's next book.
   
   Bill Dahl



3. Pete Gall is very similar to Donald Miller in many ways. Very funny with a very interesting story. I started this book with the expectations that this would be a good book and I walked away with my new favorite book. I have already got a copy for multiple people. Pete has helped me become aware of some of the false idols in my life. The last 4 or 5 chapters have changed the way I will approach ministry when I graduate. Thanks Pete



4. Author Pete Gall has crafted a tell-all memoir of sorts (even when his secrets aren't exactly palatable by the average evangelical perspective), in which he details his life so far in remarkably transparent and unabashedly honest fashion.
   
   Gall --- who is originally from Zionsville, IN, son to an executive and a housewife, and one of three brothers --- opens his text by describing himself as the "fat blonde guy on the corner in the African print shirt squeezing himself into the yellow taxi." It's 7:15pm, August 1994, and Gall is trying to convince himself and the cabbie that he has revolutionized the hair care industry with one word: "Repeat." When the cabbie begs to disagree with his inflated profit ratio, Gall does what he does best: speaks around the facts with clever words and a lot of false bravado. Seeing through Gall's manipulation attempt, the cabbie clarifies Gall's job description as an advertising copywriter with this simple assessment, "This is what you do, write tricky words?" Gall counters with, "We call it 'creating a need.'"
   
   With this energetic verbal exchange quickly growing to a close, Gall tries to reassure the cabbie that creating a need is a valuable and worthy trade, because in Gall's words, "We're all after something to tell us about ourselves." The author then tries to convince himself of this final statement by describing a program he just watched on the collector crab and how it attaches bits of whatever he finds on the sea floor to his shell to camouflage itself from its enemies. Similarly, he notes, humans do it all the time with products, services, impressions, approaches, tones and movements, to cover or hide what they don't want the world to see and measure them by.
   
   With this weighty introduction laid out, Gall then introduces the reader to his life in Chicago, living in a city he's not too crazy about, involved with a woman who has been seeing another man, and detesting his high-powered position and the projects he is paid to sell. In fast-paced motion, he quits his job and moves west, not knowing where he'll end up. All he knows is that he wants to place God at the center of his life and realizes that trying to sell "needs" to people is soul-sickening at best. Idols, as Gall refers to them, are only good for two things: "Making us feel important and making us feel loved." Enough said.
   
   Gall quits his job and heads toward Denver where his best friend David lives. En route, he stops to see his family, who don't understand his decision to leave a great job without another one in line. Gall quickly finds himself broke, then lands various low-paying service-type jobs where he learns a lot about loving what society generally terms "the unlovable folk," who teach Gall more about Christ and genuine faith than any traditional church could ever do. He discusses his heartaches and failed romantic relationships, trying to understand how much pain can co-exist with a joyful heart, the disjunct between believing and struggling to make it through the day, and not understanding why God isn't talking back.
   
   Readers will value Gall's approachability to sensitive topics often sidestepped by the church. His text is real, raw and so refreshing. And perhaps most important is that, through all his forays, Gall's faith emerges stronger and more solid than ever.
   
   --- Reviewed by Michele Howe



5. spiritual memoirs are a tricky genre -- they can be fantastic or horrible. i suppose this is true for all genres; maybe it's just that writing a spiritual memoir takes a combination of messiness and will that is hard to find. but some of my favorite books fit this description:
   dangerous wonder and messy spirituality, by mike yaconelli
   take this bread, by sara miles
   traveling mercies and grace (eventually), by anne lamott
   blue like jazz, by donald miller
   
   yaconelli talked about certain books being his friends. in that vein, these books are my friends.
   
   that's what pete gall has accomplished with my beautiful idol: he's crafted a wonderfully written, messy, hopeful, humble, self-effacing, and funny reflection on his own bumpy journey. it's ghastly at times, and gorgeous at times -- just like my life.
   
   gall's story starts in young adulthood, as a rising advertising star in chicago, livin' la vida loca. he experiences some great discomfort in the direction of his life, and senses he was made for something more, something deeper. and -- at this point -- something more grand.
   
   what follows, in the next few years (the book really only covers a few years of his life), gall's pursuit of jesus, and the calling he senses in his gut, slowly smashes down his grandiose notions about what this more/deeper life will look like. gall painfully acknowledges the idols he worships, deconstructs them, and discards them. of course, that's never an easy or simple process, and it's full of set-backs, confusion and waiting.
   
   it's this waiting that is particularly fantastic in gall's story. he doesn't figure anything out quickly, and has a string of jobs and ministry setttings, girlfriends, living situations, and belief sets -- with a few a-has along the way.
   
   great stuff. my story is very different than pete gall's. but, as with all good spiritual memoirs, this book held up a mirror to my own journey.

3 comments about St. Andrews Seven.

1. The St. Andrews Seven chronicles the rise of an emphasis on overseas missions among several students at St. Andrews and their Professor. Then, as now, there were those who felt that the Christian faith was not academically respectable, yet these students were both accomplished scholars and men of faith. Their effects on the establishment of overseas missions and colleges, especially in India, and the rigors of student life, faith and politics at St. Andrews in the 18th century are an inspiration for students even today.



2. A pastor friend gave me this book a year ago. I started reading it on a recent trip and couldn't put it down. God used this book to challenge me to excellence in my study of the Bible, communicating God's Word to people around me, and the power of prayer. Don't miss another key point in this book: these believers studied, prayed, discussed and served together. Not only will St. Andrews Seven give you a snapshot of early Scottish Missions, it will also challenge you to live all out for Christ in fulfilling His Great Commission at the start of the new millennium. I highly recommend it and other biographies published by Banner of Truth (look it up on the web)and sold by Amazon!



3. I just received this book a month ago for my birthday and have already read it twice! It has easily shot to number two behind Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret on my list of Ridiculously Awesome Books on the Missionary Task.
   
   "Seven" is the story of six young students and their professor who were at the forefront of a season of missionary zeal in Scotland in the early 1800's. The book tells their story compellingly and succinctly, letting the profound testimony of these students lives leave you speechless. To give you a hint at the caliber of these students, one of them dies at the young age of 18... and the biography his friends write of him takes two volumes. How many of us at 18 had accomplished enough for a chapter in a biography, let alone a volume, let alone two volumes???
   
   Here's some quotes that hit me in the gut... maybe they'll whet your appetite and you'll go buy this book, read it, get convicted, and become a missionary:
   
   "They are a rebuke to those who never get past dabbling with the world-wide mission of the Church."
   
   "They also saw that faith must be personal, but its practice should not be private."
   
   "Our response to Christ's commands should be determined by what we can do in His strength, not by what we might fail to do in ours."
   
   "It is by dint of steady labour - it is by giving enough of application to the work, and having enough of time for the doing of it - it is by regular painstaking and the constant assiduities - it is by these, and not by any process of legerdemain, that we secure the strength and the staple of real execellence."
   
   "From seven to nine in the evening I am engaged with J. Urquhart in collecting, under specific heads, all possible information on the subject of missions, both from Scriptures, under the titles of precepts - prophecies - promises and examples, and from all other books whatever we can lay our hands on; the object of this is, with our united prayers, to seek a sober determination of the enquiry, whether or not we ought to embark on this enterprise." (From the journal of one of the students, John Adam)
   
   "Only one thing seemed to matter: to discover God's will and do it."

No comments about The She-Apostle: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Luisa de Carvajal.