5 comments about Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham.

1. This book was a "Masterpiece" of a book and I enjoyed every bit of it. I could clearly see that God uses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise for his glory. It will inspire and strenghten your faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.



2. Let me first preface this by saying that I've never actually heard a Billy Graham message but was curious to learn about him given his wide influence both in the religious and political realm. It's obvious why he is so popular he has a great sense of humor and a way of telling storys that while amazingly simple does not insult the intellegience of the listner. Also the fact that his life was good material to work with didn't hurt at all. He's a fascinating character while on one hand he is a throw back to the old school evangelists like Billy Sunday who preached with exuberant energy and strength against the evils of such things as alcohol and secularism but on the other hand he hurdled christianity into the future in the way he worked with several different church denominations and revolutionized evangelism through mass media a feat that has never been equaled sense. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Billy Graham is how such an immedeatly plain spoken individual made such headway with the secular media and goverment heirarchy this is something Billy Graham himself admits belwilderment to on the back cover of the book. His popularity would explain somewhat his influence in government it's clear that politicians thought and rightfully so that his views represented those of a lot of Americans. However there is never really any explanation as to why or how for example he became the first minister to speak at the London School of Business he himself admitted that he wasn't the most intellectual of his peers. Perhaps it is as Billy Graham claims the power of the gospel.
   A couple of the things I admired were Billy Grahams honesty when it came to dealing with such things as money and women. I also personally liked the fact that he didn't try to pretend he was more pompous than he really was he's open about experiences that some ministers would no doubt be embarassed by such as going to movies with a lot of nudity at young age, being hit on by a girl in high school, and acting like a bumbling fool around presidents Truman and Eisenhower. As some people on here have alluded to already it does sort of seem like he was an absintee father. I was a bit disturbed by this as a Christian I think God calls married men to be husbands and fathers first and foremost. I have to admit though I think a lesser man wouldn't have disclosed such details as his young daughter not being able to recognize her mother.



3. i'm very excited with this purchase. I received the product in very well condition and in good time.



4. Unless Billy did a fantastic job in hiding all of the difficult and trying times of his life (as I suspect in the case of his troubled relationship with his son Franklin), WHAT A LIFE this man had!!! Who would not want to have what he had: travels; meetings with the rich, the famous, the wise; success; financial stability; a loving wife; great kids; and most of all, the honor and privilege to lead millions to Christ. Can you imagine the party they'll throw in heaven when he gets there? However, the book was very mediocre in my view. Very seldom the author opened his heart and expressed his true feelings...Lots of anecdotes, details, insignificant (to the reader) stuff; it was not a total waste of time, because you always get the feeling that this man loves his Lord and truly wants to serve Him. Not much to say against that...I just wish he could have made deeper remarks about people and events in general.



5. I really enjoyed this autobiography by Billy Graham. It was a very pleasant read. In this autobiography, Graham shared his life struggles and victories. He tells of his childhood experiences on the farm, and how he grew up in a christian home without atually accepting it. He then explained how his life was changed once he dedicated his life to Christ. As the book continues, the reader discovers Graham's world-wide experiences, and how he helped to bring millions to the Lord.
   
   Although the book was enjoyable overall, some parts of the book seemed a little drawn out and uneccesary. Some events seemed to be a little too insignificant to include in the book. He could have also opened up a little bit, and shared more of his personal feelings. Since it is an autobiography, Graham could have personalized the events a little bit more. But despite its flaws, this book was very inspirational, and I recommend it to all who are interested in learning more about this great christian icon.

1 comments about God's Generals: The Revivalists.

1. This is the third book in a series entitled God's Generals. The first book is about famous pentecostals and the second book is about famous reformers. This book is about about famous revivalists. It includes such people as John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, and Billy Graham.
   
   The scholarship and research is profound. In all three books you can learn from their strengths and weaknesses. Liardon gives an accurate account of church history in his works.
   
   I often return to the first book when I need some encouragement. In my opinion, the first and second book are better than the last. They all are good though.

5 comments about Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows.

1. Last week I picked up Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows by Ravi Zacharias and finished it over the weekend. I don't remember the last time I read a book so moving.
   
   Walking from East to West is an autobiography of sorts; in the preface Ravi describes it as a book of memoirs. As the title implies, Ravi begins his life in the East and later moves to the West. But what does the one have to do with the other? One of the most wonderful qualities of this book is Ravi's constant emphasis of the sovereignty of God. Ordinarily, no-one would think that a person who is trained in one part of the world is being divinely-prepared for another. Yet countless times throughout the book Ravi lists God as the great weaver of his destiny, pulling everything together into a beautiful tapestry for his glory.
   
   Ravi's stories are sometimes painful and other times joyful. But even the painful moments have been transformed by Christ for Ravi's good. The most painful event of Ravi's life was his suicide attempt in his teenage years. He felt like his life had no meaning or hope. Yet looking back through the lens of providence, Ravi confesses that it was on the hospital bed after his failed suicide attempt that God reached him through Scripture and changed his life. This is the book's power: It's not just in the good events that the glory of God is most clearly seen, but in both the good and the bad. Ravi's point is that while he was messing up his life, even to the point where he nearly destroyed himself, God was using all of that to set him on a path of meaning and purpose for His glory.
   
   After Ravi's conversion his family moved to the West, to Canada, and he along with them. It was there that God prepared Ravi for a life of ministry. Ravi began to preach all over the world, which did much to confirm and seal God's call on his life, but academically he trained at a Bible College in Canada and then at a Seminary in the United States. Having been born and raised in the East, God now saw fit to use Ravi in the West.
   
   His stories from the ministry field are some of the most God-glorifying anecdotes I've ever read. I cried close to ten times while reading his stories. They are so powerful in their testimony of God's goodness and grace. Without giving anything away I'll simply note that it is impossible to read this book and walk away without acknowledging the reality of God and without appreciating the grace of God.
   
   Like every autobiography, Walking from East to West picks up momentum as it goes on. That may have something to do with the theme of the book: The tapestry that God is weaving together for his glory slowly unfolds with every event. We won't be able to gaze upon the finished work of art at the beginning of the process, but as time goes on we are shown glimpses of what God is doing, and eventually we will see it all. Only God can bring together things that seem to us disconnected, defragmented and ruined. Walking from East to West is, above all, a story of the triumph of God in the life of a man who was raised in the East to then live in the West to then be used in both, indeed, throughout the whole world.



2. Ravi Zacharias is quite well known for his in-depth philosophical preaching. East to West takes a candid look at the heart that shaped the man: his Christian development, his heartaches, self esteem issues rooted in family issues, and his growing up in India. A fascinating look behind the curtain of his life. Genuine, real and quite insightful.



3. I read this and was well pleased with this book. i even lent it to someone to read it because i was so blessed by it :)



4. This is an autobiography that tells of cultural differences, religious differences and really reveals personal and intimate stories of a man who is in the spotlight across the world. If you like good endings, good story-telling, and seeing pieces of a puzzle come together, this book is for you. But more than that, Ravi's story is really amazing!! He was quoted as saying that writing this book brought back a lot of hurt, and one can see why when you read this book. Even historians, I think will be interested in this, as he refers to the war between India and Pakistan, and again, cultural differences from east to west. I cannot recommend a book more highly!



5. 
   This is the story of Ravi Zacharias, the international Christian apologist. The Indian born Zacharias, now based in Atlanta, has a worldwide ministry in defending the truth claims of Jesus Christ. Today he is perhaps the premier Christian apologist. He has spoken in over 50 nations; he has spoken at almost all the major universities of the world; he has discussed the big questions of life with political leaders, academics, religious leaders, and even military leaders; and he has written a number of excellent books on apologetics over the past 25 or so years.
   
   This book contains his remarkable story. His humble beginnings did not seem to make him qualified for such a task. He was not raised as a Christian, and soon was a sceptic. He never did very well in school, nor try very hard to succeed in his education. While his brothers and sisters and peers were all doing very well, he was not. Thus by the time he was a teenager he had become very depressed and lonely.
   
   Although good at sport - especially cricket - and surrounded with many great friends, he still felt very alone, and was constantly saddened that he had not pleased his father. His dad grew impatient with him, telling him he would never amount to anything. This growing sense of failure and despair, coupled with his father's disapproval, and his inner struggles and searching which he could not freely share with others, took its toll. So suicide was the only course of action for young Zacharias.
   
   Shortly after his suicide attempt some Youth for Christ people helped to lead Zacharias to the Lord. The first half of this book details his years as a non-believer. The second half of the book chronicles his time as a believer, as a Christian evangelist, and as a renowned apologist. It includes his move to Canada, and later, the US. It chronicles his early evangelistic missions, and his studies at Trinity Seminary in Chicago, and his marriage to a Canadian woman.
   
   It has been during the last three decades or so that he became convinced that there was a pressing need to reach intellectuals, academics, university students and others with the claims of Jesus Christ. He thus undertook further studies at Cambridge, and has since devoted his life to reaching sceptics and those of other - or no - faiths.
   
   In this moving autobiography Zacharias speaks of many hardships and difficulties along the way, and the costs of serving the Lord. But he sees with hindsight the ways God was directing his paths and using past hurts - even his suicide attempt - as means to bring greater glory to God and to reach many who also are lost, struggling, hurting and in despair. And he notes how strong friends, mentors and counsellors have helped him along the way. As Zacharais says, "There is no greater discovery than seeing God as the author of your destiny."
   
   Zacharias is absolutely right when he says, "Outside of the gospel, there are no answers for humanity's most fundamental questions". This powerful volume contains many stories of changed lives and hope restored. It deserves a wide reading.

5 comments about The Christmas Box Miracle : My Spiritual Journey of Destiny, Healing and Hope.

1. Unfortunately I read this after reading "The Light of Christmas" so I knew most of the story line but it was still worth the read. It is a simple story with a powerful message about the importance of our individual lives and the lives of those who love us. The Christian message of hope in life is prevalent but subtle and doesn't come across as 'preaching' while still delivering its impact.



2. this book is really eye opening as to faith and where it can lead you if you let it.



3. I am a big fan of the Christmas Box books, but when I saw this book I thought UHHHHHH I guess he needs even more money. RPE must have realized that he was a flash in the pan, and was desprate to hang on to his falling fame. This book does have its moments though, but it sounds like a broken record. They were giving this book away.. a free copy with every $10 purchase. I wish RPE would get over himself he's no Charles Dickens!!!



4. I SEEM TO LOVE EVERYTHING RICHARD PAUL EVANS WRITES .VERY WELL RESEARCHED ,I ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP READING TILL I FINISH ,NO BREAKS .



5. A box that will make you cry, make you want to be a better person BUT if you have ever read a book written by Richard Paul Evans, you already know that..
   
   Betty Graham

5 comments about To the Field of Stars: A Pilgrim's Journey to Santiago De Compostela.

1. After reading this book I've ordered several more for friends and family - a great read!
   What I liked most is that while Kevin walked the camino he looked - and acted - pretty much like everyone else. Few seemed to suspect, at least initially, that under that scruffy external appearance walked a deeply devout and religious man. Thus the conversations he relates were not restrained by how people might have expected a priest to behave - nor how one was supposed to behave in the company of a priest. To the other pilgrims he apparently came across a regular guy who liked to drink beer, and when irritated enough, could cuss as well as the rest.
   
   For anyone who has already done the camino, it will certainly bring back fond memories, and make them live again, as you follow the author, trudging from albergue to albergue, blisters and all. If you haven't already done the camino, you should certainly find a great deal in this book stimulating you to get on and do it yourself - without creating any illusions that such a pilgrimage would be like a big picnic!
   
   And finally, even those who are adverse to the idea of walking or biking the camino will certainly be fed spiritually and emotionally, by the many inner reflections that Father Codd shares with us as he walks along the pilgrim way of St. James.



2. In preparation for walking the Camino de Santiago later this year, I have read several accounts of pilgrim journeys. None has spoken to me as clearly to me as Kevin Codd's book. His humanity shines through the pages as he writes of both external and internal joys and challenges along the way. I read the book over a period of a couple of weeks, at a pace of one or two chapters a day. Nearing the end, I began to feel a sense of what I imagine is the rhythm of the Camino. This is a book that offers a beautiful experience in the reading.



3. Kevin's book really describes the daily routine of the "Camino". The "Camino" is this friendship and fellowship among the pilgrims. It reflects with rich and live details the saga of a pilgrim. And I can affirm it, because I was one the Camino's family members that Kevin mentions on his book. I had the privilege to walk along with him and our other family members. Kevin thank you for this wonderful book.



4. The story of this man's pilgrimage can be a metaphor for our walk of life. The human encounters and the spiritual insights are worth reading many times. I highly recommend it to anyone!



5. If you've ever thought about doing the Santiago De Compostela pilgrimage you should read this book. Fr. Codd's memoirs of his great walk is mostly delightful, funny and sobering. The camino is not a little stroll. There will be pain: blisters on top of blisters, sweat, aching legs and sometimes sickness from bad food or water. The pilgrim hostels are not fancy, it's a cot with clean(?) bedding and at times questionable food. The showers and toilets are spartan, on one occasion there was no toilet at all, just a hole in the floor.
   
   Fr. Codd has a fine sense of humor and a great curiosity about the camino and the people on it that make hte book quite entertaining. Now, Fr. has probably lived in foreign parts too long and he falls into the habit of being apologetic about America when asked questions by the smug, pampered European pilgrims. That annoyed me. He also is too hard on his brother priests that he meets along the way. He gets furious at three priests who choose to say mass without making a fuss over the pilgrims present. Other than those few nuisances the book is lovely and I'm so glad I read it.

5 comments about Through the Narrow Gate, Revised: A Memoir of Spiritual Discovery.

1. As this is a book relating to Catholicism, it is fitting for me to start the review with a confession. I bought this book not because I was interested in it, but because I wanted to read its sequel - The Spiral Staircase - and felt I should read this book first. I was not interested all that much in the story of becoming a nun and my only curiosity was how Miss Armstrong would find anything interesting to say about it.
   
   Well, I was off the mark. Karen Armstrong's recounting of her 2 years in the convent (and subsequent disenchantment with the process) are fascinating. Most of the action in this story takes place inside the subject's head as she tries to wrestle with being human in a place where humanness is to be shed (as one must renounce worldy desires, thoughts, and feelings to be close to God).
   
   Karen Armstrong does a magnificent job of depicting what this conflict is like. The process of becoming a nun, as Armstrong describes it, is a rigorous program of self-denial. One is not to complain, be tired, be mournful, be happy, be questioning, or let onesself feel any of the things that come with the territory of being human. Rather, it was taught that the pinnacle of the spiritual life was the abillty to shed one's humanness, to think and feel only about one thing - God.
   
   Armstrong also tells of a very hierarchal system where to question one's superiors is to question God (as one's superiors are closer to God than onesself; that is why they are superiors). With accuity of word, Karen Armstrong recounts how she was constantly made to feel insignificant and imbecilic by her superiors. At the same time, feeling bad about this was attributed to her weak spirit and - so it was called - her selfishness.
   
   Armstrong's story ends when she voluntarily leaves the convent after experiencing much too much. Here she tells of the schock of living in a 'regular' world after years of physical and emotional seclusion.
   
   This is much more interesting a book than i had originally thought it would be. Owing to Armstrong's ability to describe the internal struggle between her desire to be human and her desire to devote herself to God, Through the Narrow Gate has an incredible forward motion. As The Spiral Staircase picks up where this book leaves off, I cannot wait to read the latter half of Karen Armstrong's remarkable journey.



2. Karen Armstrong has written a most marvelous account of her life within a very strict order of English Catholic nuns of the 1960's. Her description of the torments she endured has caused me to regard with renewed respect and affection the nuns who taught me in the 1950's. How odd that we boys who were in class with the nuns for hours each day really had no idea of what kind of lives some of them led in the hours before and after school. The moral, spiritual, and intellectual gifts they bestowed on us daily are inestimable, even though at the time we were probably more interested in whether or not they actually had hair under their wimples!
   
   I've noticed some confusion in these reviews about several aspects of Catholic religious orders of those days. First, despite having no contact for long periods of time with "seculars" - i.e., civilians - Karen was not in a order of "cloistered" nuns. Cloistered sisters do truly cut themselves off completely from the world and, if I can be so bold as to describe them, they live a life governed by "ora et labora" - work and prayer. In fact, though, as strict as they were, Karen's order was primarily an order of teaching sisters.
   
   But there is a much more important concept that many people seem not quite to grasp, and that is that all Catholic youth of those days - at least in my experience - were taught that the most perfect way to be a true follower of Christ was to share in his suffering. That is why those nuns were treated - and treated themselves - as harshly as any Marine Corps recruits would ever be treated - only the nun's harsh treatment was to continue all her life. Certainly, most youth who took Catholicism very seriously must have given thought at one time or another to entering the religious life. We were always told to examine ourselves to determine if we had a religious vocation, but we were also warned that it was not a calling for everyone. In any event, to decide at a young age to become a nun, brother, or priest - to dedicate one's life to doing good - was not understood by many of us to be the same as dedicating one's whole existence to God. When young people make the decision to enter the religious life they often do not know what that really entails. Some religious communities are extraordinarily strict, others less so. The particularly strict order to which Karen belonged was obviously intent on making sure those young girls found out immediately that the religious life was not a game, that sharing in Christ's suffering was not to be an abstract concept but a concrete reality. Those young nuns were to put up with the sadism of some of their superiors in the same way as Christ had to endure the sadism of his tormenters. They were not only to tolerate it but to welcome it and even seek out even more spiritual pain and physical hardship. (As the British often jokingly say about the paddlings they endured in school, "Please sir may I have another?") This concept of self-denial is probably not well understood in our modern climate of "personal fulfillment."
   
   The total abnegation of self, of one's personal desires, of pride, of the hope for friendship and love, was the goal of the harshness they inflicted upon themselves. Their goal was to die to themselves in order to reach God. If you do not grasp this concept I think you'll miss the heroism inherent in the story of Karen and her fellow nuns. Naturally, that kind of life is not for very many of us, as Karen eventually found out for herself. It may be totally misguided or, by modern standards, even pathological, but it's the way some people have reached true holiness.
   
   I'm very happy for myself and for all her readers that Karen Armstrong eventually chose to leave the convent and to follow another path in life. This book is not only a gift from her but, through her, a gift to us from all those other nuns who took - and take - the road less traveled. A truly wonderful and enlightening gift.



3. I thought that this book was very honest, while at the same time providing a captivating and enticing read. I have read many of Karen Armstrong's later books on religion; however, I read this wanting to know more about her past life as a nun. The book details her seven years in a religious order in which she endures the pains of pre-Vatican Council II styled religious life. On the outside world, to which she was oblivious, things such as the sexual revolution and the Vietnam war were occurring. I could identify with some of her stumbling blocks to cultivating a spiritual life, including emotional and intellectual barriers. I now have the deepest respect for such a profound woman, not only in her writing ability but also in her courage and willingness to be so transparent in telling her story. This is a wonderful autobiography.



4. Older book with new foreword. Personal discription of life in convent by well-known religious author.



5. Honest and interesting perspective from someone who has "been there." I would also recommend "The Spiral Staircase" which she wrote after this book.

4 comments about Come Back, Barbara.

1. The father and daughter in this book openly share their journey of separation and reconcilliation after the daughter forsakes all the spiritual values her father held dear. This book is a must for parents who are struggling with how to relate to a wayward child. This is a true story.



2. This is an excellent book for parents raising teenagers. The format of the book is such that the reader gets the story from both the parent's side and the daughter's side. This gives the reader insight into the reasoning of the daughter, as well as the viewpoint of the parent. Although the subject matter deals with a wayward child and how the parents and family dealt with the issues involved with that, the principles given in relating to children are a benefit to all parents. I recommend it to everyone, whether you have children who have rebelled against your teachings or not. The principles of interpersonal relationships dealt with in this book are useful in many circumstances. A must read!



3. A group of my Christian friends and I are dealing with a close friend who has recently fallen away from the faith. I can't tell you how encouraging and perspective-renewing this book was for us to read, even though we aren't her parents!

   Jack Miller brings everything right back to the Gospel. The lessons that he and his wife learned showed me "what love looks like." None of us could put it down. It's been a God-send!




4. I cannot possibly recommend a book more highly for "parents in pain," i.e. parents whose children are now older and may have "bolted" from the flock (whether they are still at home or have left the "nest" as well as the faith). For parents whose children remain in the "far country" still unreconciled to their Father - the "Father of spirits) (and their earthly parents as well), this excellent foray into the life of one rebellious teen (Barbara) is very biblically oriented and therefore exceedingly helpful in learning to respond in godly ways to children who may have begun to tred some dangerous paths. There are no pat answers - C. John Miller will be the first to affirm this . . . but there are biblical directions, biblical prayer, biblical postures that parents can take toward their children who have, to one degree or another, rejected their parents faith. Miller is correct: the process of seeing our children return from the far country is an adventure. And God is just as interested in rescuing the parents (from their natural but harmful sense of and supposed need for control, among other sinful behavior patterns) as He is the wayward children. I would recommend this book to every parent who is struggling with the issue of their child resisting their godly shaping influences - even if they have not actually left with their "Father's inheritance" to squander it in riotous living

   Howard Eames, Kansas City, Missouri
   More about me www.faithcommunity.com/fca/

5 comments about The Prodigal Comes Home: My Story of Failure and God's Story of Redemption.

1. I have all Michael English music. It is refreshing to hear a story with such honesty. I could not put the book down. I am seeing him in concert this Friday just a couple weeks after I read the book. Can't wait.



2. This book was awesome! Michael tells about the amazing grace of god in his life. I truly believe he is redeemed. I have saw him in concert this year and just saw him on TBN yesterday (Aug. 14, 2008). I saw him pray and even cry while giving his testimony. I'm a huge Michael English fan, but have never seen him so sincere. I'm so proud of him that he is back to singing. He has such a great talent. His book gives you great detail of everything he went through. Very easy book to read in two days.



3. Michael's "fall" from Christian music in 1994 was a big thing. I still remember walking into a Christian bookstore the day after and finding his CDs marked at a heavy discount and the store owner saying they'd be pulled by the end of the week (I bought a copy immediately). A lot of things have been said about Michael's failure at that point with the affair, but this book brings to light his and Marabeth's attempt to face up honestly for what they'd done. Truthfully, Marabeth could have kept her mouth shut and let her husband think the child was his and nothing more would have ever been known about it, but they didn't. It hurt, but they were honest.
   
   The story gets tragic from there with Michael relapsing time and again into drug addiction. To be honest, I was a little unhappy to learn his two shows on a Christian television network were done while he was high as a kite (did no one in production notice anything?) and his records released then seem a little false as well, but at least he was trying to get on the right track. Now it appears his life has finally settled back into the plan God has for him with a new wife and another baby. I'm glad to see him back.
   
   I remember reading an article a couple of years after the incident and it showed pictures of him. I thought, "Man, he looks like he's put on a lot of weight!", and this book explains what was going on then. His personal struggles took their toll on his life. Michael is brutally honest in this book and holds nothing back. Every failure and shortcoming are brought to light, with no excuses. He was a man who made mistakes, and he isn't afraid to admit it.
   
   During the weeks after Michael's admitted affair, another famous Christian artist (this one a woman) also admitted to having an affair on her husband, got a divorce, and stepped out of her ministry for years. The press never really touched this one, even though she'd won awards as well. It just shows how Michael was singled out by the press and raked over the coals, which didn't help his situation.
   
   I read this in one day, and it held my attention throughout. It's a great read and an honest look at the struggles the celebrities we dub "super Christians" go through behind the scenes.



4. Great testimony, The story of forgiveness, redemption and restoration in a man, made real by a faithful God. Great read !!



5. This is the most awesome truthful book that you can read. Michael doesn't mind telling his pain, heartaches,divorce and failure because he knows that we serve a mighty GOD and he would one day be back in the spot light again. This is one man that I would truly love to meet because he has been through problems that alot of us have been through ourselves. It's ashame that just because he's in the spot light his problems have to be exposed. But this is OK with me because I know that he is an awesome person. Keep doing what you're doiong Michael and I wish the the very best out of life and I know that GOD will continue to bless you in many ways. I am grateful for your true christian friends that stood beside you during your ordeal. You will always be the best in my eyes....

5 comments about Am Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce.

1. This sounds like it was a speech, transcribed, and then read by someone else to cheesy music. The book was repetitious. It did way too much hinting at what was coming next. In Piper's sermons it works fairly well, but in such a short book, it was a little annoying.
   
   The book was a short attempt of explaining how Wilberforce's theology made Wilberforce so successful and increased his endurance for doing good. This was interesting, but it seemed pretty light weight to me. I'm sure there are better biographies out there. I know Piper does a magnificient job of explaining the concepts written in this book elsewhere.
   
   All that being said. It was an interesting look at Wilberforce's life and work.



2. I am not a history buff by any means, so it was safe to know that I had no clue who William Wilberforce was. I picked up the book because I am sucker for both John Piper and biographies.
   
   This book was intriguing being it is so small and wasn't in one of Piper's "Swan Biographies," and was on someone that I wasn't familiar with. I didn't know what to expect from a small biography, and to be honest, wasn't expecting much.
   
   The biography really is just a mere introduction to the life of Wilberforce and his convictions. He was a young rich man in British Parliament that ended up, through a close friend, surrendering to Christ. After his conversion he was wondering whether politics was a calling or curse from God and was thinking of leaving his post in parliament. That all changed when he met with another pillar of the faith in John Newton on December 7th, 1785. Newton challenged him to stay within the confines of parliament to change it for the glory of God and Wilberforce did just that. He not only was the sole reason for the abolition of slave trade in Britain but he was also the reason behind the complete abolition of the practice of having slaves as well.
   
   This small biography gives insight to the man and his mission to do all things to the glory of God. It is well intentioned and a great introduction to "tease the mind" to want to learn more of this man's convictions.
   
   For this reason I would recommend the reading to anyone, but don't expect this to be a very deep biography or one that will give you all the ins and outs of the circumstances of the life of this defender of glory and righteousness. But, I also don't think that was Piper's intention, but his attention was to get the reader to be introduced to another dead man that stood for Christ, another man that we can imitate, as he imitated Christ.



3. If you want a brief biography of Wilberforce this is the one to read. It is short and easy to read and tells you what motivated the great reformer. It was his evangelical Christian faith which he evidenced in a joyful personality despite his long struggle to abolish the slave trade, his personal infirmities and problems with his errant eldest son. This was a man who was transformed by his Christian faith. He could probably have been prime minister, but he eschewed personal advancement. If I have one small criticism it is that Piper has produced something of an hagiography with no really critical evaluation of Wilberforce. For this one should read Tomkins. For the answers to Wilberforce's critics, read Hague.



4. Nearly universally, the inquisitive mind is better served to delve deeply into a subject matter through literature rather than taking the quick, easy, and intellectually dishonest route of cinema.
   
   I had high hopes to get some further insight into the trials and tribulations of the Father of The Abolitionist Movement through Piper and Atkins work.
   
   Unfortunately, a similar book (if it exists) by Marvel Comics would have relayed as much information and in doubtless a more entertaining fashion.
   
   Go get the DVD of Amazing Grace, and if that doesn't satisfy your curiosity, find another book to relieve your inquisitive nature on this topic.



5. William Wilberforce, for those of you who are as clueless as I was when I started reading this book, was the British parliamentarian who spearheaded the campaign to abolish the slave trade, and then slavery itself, in the British Empire. This book is the story of this man who fought persistently, even when he suffered defeat after defeat, for a cause he knew was right.
   
   But this little book (76 pages) isn't so much about the historical facts of Wilberforce's life, although it includes many of them, as it is about the faith (or the religious affections, to use Wilberforce's own quaint language) that made him the force that he was. What changed him from the lackadaisical parliamentarian that he was as a young man first elected to parliament at twenty-one? How did Wilberforce's faith influence the causes he chose to pursue? How did it help him persevere in despite defeat? How did it make him a man about whom it was said, "His joy was quite penetrating?" What was the content of his faith? What set him apart from the Religionists (another of Wilberforce's own words) of his day? These are the questions John Piper is seeking to answer in this book.
   
   When I first saw the size of the book, I was disappointed that it wasn't thicker, since I really love reading a thorough biography; but after finishing, I've decided that it's better as a short book with a narrow focus. For one thing, that makes it accessible to those who don't have the time or inclination to tackle a longer biography. For another, its focus sets it apart from the other biographies of Wilberforce, and there are many. In addition, in a longer and more detailed biography, the lesson of this bookthat sound doctrine is necessary in order to persist in fighting for social justice because good fruit over the long haul comes from a healthy rootmight have been lost.
   
   As you can probably guess by now, Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce is a book I recommend. I enjoyed it; I learned from it. What more could I ask from a book? It prodded me to consider some things I hadn't considered previously, and I'm still thinking about the lessons in it.

5 comments about Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About Dreams, God, and Talking Vegetables.

1. I was handed this book to read as I have made many people aware of my long train ride and constant need for new things to read. I love veggie tales but had no understanding of the company or its history, other than my sister taking a tour after winning a contest years ago. So I didn't know what to expect or why it would be worth publishing.
   
   What a pleasant surprise!!! This has become one of my favorite books and I have since purchased many copies for gifts and lent my own copy out multiple times. Phil's writing style is easy to read and he is fantastically funny no matter how good/bad/normal/technical the content is.
   
   There are many lessons to be learned through the roller coaster ride that the author and his company, Big Idea, went on. This is a must-read for anyone considering joining or starting a full time ministry, or for anyone about to embark in a leadership role of any kind. For the rest of us who grew up mesmerized by CGI, its a great and funny book.



2. This was a fascinating read. The story of the building and collapse of a Christian business giant was intriguing, but I think what was more important was what Mr. Vischer learned about his own walk with God, and what he's attempting to share with others.



3. As a Christian business person and long-time fan of Phil Vischer, I had high hopes for this book. It did not disappoint. Part business book, part autobiography, and part spiritual reflection, this book has helped me to better articulate a philosophy of a God-driven business. Some of Vischer's thoughts have influenced the direction of our company, by pointing us toward the Henry Blackaby approach of waiting for God and joining Him in the work He's already doing.
   
   This was a quick read, and very inspiring. I highly recommend it.



4. I just got finished reading this and was totally blown away. I really appreciated his honesty and openness about what happened to Big Idea and this reaffirmed my feelings about the other so-called business books out there: it's easy to look like a genius when you study successful companies and draw contrasts, but the same methods don't work for every company.
   
   Phil is a great storyteller, and I'm pleased to have been let into his world for a few hours.



5. As a Veggie fan since the inception of VeggieTales, I found this book riveting. The story of the spectacular rise of the Veggie kingdom and the lessons Phil V. learned along the way was interesting because I knew only parts of the whole story. The leadership lessons at the end were something I can apply to my specific situation. When some authors attempt to pass on wisdom they have gleaned, the book gets dry and boring. That didn't happen with this book, it was well-written all the way to the end. I can't wait to see what Phil Vischer comes up with next!