5 comments about Nearer, My God: An Autobiography of Faith.

1. Interesting, but not riveting...I would say the best chapters are the first several - Buckley seems to lose his way through the book - what is he trying to convey to us in the latter chapters? He, himself says he took on and then abandoned the project (it sounds like a couple of times) before settling down to write it. His writing is always interesting - delightful 'turn of phrase' springs to mind...IMHO - not up to the Buckley standard (and admittedly - it is a high standard)



2. I'm suprised he's a Mr. Buckley instead of a Dr. Buckley.
   His philosophical defense on Christianity are as complex and as detailed as other leading doctorate Christian Apologetic defenses by such professors as William Lane Craig and Peter Kreeft.
   His book is more than just intriguing; it's a work of deep thought and faith.
   Although the extravagant words that Mr. Buckley uses (Many of the words he use are unfamiliar to Microsoft Word!) can be quite confusing, it's logical structure is superb.
   Mr. Buckley must have some very good knowledge on formal logic.
   I personally like how he seperates his defenses of Christianity and Catholicism, allowing this book to be tolerated for even the most evangelical Christian.
   That's another great aspect of the book, in my opinion. (I am not an evangelical) Mr. Buckley is obviously a conservative Catholic, seperated by the popular Christian evangelism that is sweeping through churches. Buckley put's aside the evangelical dogma, and shows Christianity on how it really is.
   Not by saying that every religion is wrong except for Christianity - the evangelical approach
   but by saying why Christianity is the right religion, and how he possibly could be wrong.
   Christian apologetic books like this make Atheists, like Sam Harris, beg for a chance to slow down and let them organize their thoughts.
   So instead of having Rick Warren and Sam Harris debate on Newsweek, let's see Sam Harris and William F. Buckley bust out their beliefs. But I do believe Mr. Harris would plead for a Dictionary somewhere in the middle of such a debate.
   
   The book is superb and I recommend it for those Christians who feel their faith lacks intellectual and rational standing.
   
   Great Book



3. Written in a gentle way without any super big words pushing you to the nearest dictionary. A statement of faith and belief. But spiritual questions remain which even the super intelligent can not totally figure out. This reviewer found the book enlightening.



4. I am not a Roman Catholic and never have been. My review is by an individual who is critical of the Roman Catholic Faith. The author of this book, William F. Buckley is a devout Roman Catholic and believes in the teachings of his church. The title of this work makes it sound like a devotional; it is not. The cover of the book calls the book an autobiography of Faith; It is not. William F. Buckley does share some personal experience in his life interacting with the Roman Catholic church. He also discusses thoughts of fellow Catholics in his life. It is not explanation or presentation development of faith through life experience or study. This book is about Roman Catholic doctrine. The original working title of this book was Why am I still a Catholic. William F. Buckley felt this title made it seem like he was or should be embarrassed to be a member of the Catholic Church; something he surely is not. The author uses the same intellect and serious thought to his religious faith as he argues his political views.
   
   The Catholic church is the ultimate arbitrator of Truth. This book defends the Pope's obligation to make biblical teaching clearer and easier to understand. The author details the churches' position on developing doctrine. Difficulties between Arnold Lunn, then at the time not a catholic, and friar Arnold. Included in the discussion is papal inerrancy , the inquisition and slavery , eternal punishment, indulgences, difficulty with Biblical interpretation and Biblical literalism. In other places in this work the author defends Mother as the Mother of God, the praying to `the saints', miracles at Lourdes, issues of no woman priests, divorce - annulments, birth control, and remarriage. Obviously I disagree with most everything in the defense of Catholic teaching but is done well. Ordination of Michael Bozell is told about. The principles of being a God Father and how the application in real life is discussed.
   
   Included are observations and experience with fellow Catholics. An example of this is Malcolm Muggeridge.



5. I wanted to get a glimpse of contemporary conservative thinking. After Mr. Buckley passing away I heard that he was a sort of beacon for modern Conservative political thought. There's no better way to get a lowdown on this than to get under conservative skin, i.e. going into the subject of faith, since this is a sort of underlying building block for conservative thought.
   
   Referring to the subtitle "An autobiography of faith", there is very little "autobiography". We get just a glimpse of Mr.Buckley's privileged childhood in the beginning of the book. But the major body of the text is a commentary on someone else's religious writings, filled with very generous quotations. From the initial premise of the book - "autobiography of faith" - I got an impression that it's going to be a personal account of how someone like Mr. Buckley comes to Catholic faith and what strengthens him in his beliefs. What you get instead is a very referential analysis of certain developments in the history of Catholicism and some current religious concepts. For example, Vatican abandoning the Latin liturgy in favor of modern languages (the author strongly disagrees with it), issues of contraception, the influence of church on the state, etc. In general, it leaves a strong impression that this book is written by a journalist, who wanted to mull over the current agenda, not by a person, who wanted to explore and share his personal relationship with God.

5 comments about Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet.

1. Karen Armstrong writes an incredibly accurate portrayal of the life of the Prophet accept without 75% of his life. Muhammad had a life where the entire last half was dripping with blood. Armstrong does a great job of referencing the great, peaceful philosophies of Muhammad while grazing over the slaughter of the Jews of Banu Qurayze for not converting. Islam has the belief of abrogation, which is that it is alright for the Qur'an to contradict itself because the later revelation overwrites the earlier one. The call for Jihad at the end of Muhammad's life is then the law that is to be followed. Muhammad was not a man of peace by any means. Extremely intelligent, and a phenominal leader, but far from peaceful. For a dry but immensely more accurate picture of Muhammad's life, read The Life of Muhammad. This is the oldest account of the life of the Prophet that is still in existance and many historians claim as the most accurate.



2. I would have preferred more direct sources- more quotes, more historical moments- less interjecting of personal ideologies, especially her recovering Catholic philosophical interludes. She also made blunders that led me to question her reliability. For example, she inferred that the Qu'ran is written in chronological order! (The Qu'ran is ordered from longest to shortest chapters).
   
   Her book does not strike me as being historically accurate, but is an attempt to show Muhammad in a positive light- every attack Muhammad made on the Quraysh, Jews, and non-believers were pro-active defensive measures... reminiscent of George Bush's "pre-emptive strikes".
   
   I enjoyed a few passages when Armstrong's personal interludes were kept down to a minimum and the history of a fascinating man and time and place unfolded. But for the most part I felt like I had to read between the lines. I know when I'm hearing only one side of a story.
   
   Definitely not a historical book. Falls into the category of polemics.
   
   If you haven't read an other book on the subject try a different author first.



3. I have read several reviews about Karen Armstrong book many have liked it and others have called her naive . I guess it is how we view her writting skill. First point is that she is not a muslim to have any kind of biasing.I have found her impartial.she has presented query from western perspective as well as islamic perspective. She has presented her work in such a way that it brings out prejudism and threaten their own preassumtions regarding Mohammed and Islam. I have found her work very analytic not lacking any sophistication.
   This book can bring out prejudism and preconcieved ideas that people have developed over the ages living in western world viewing islam through that lense.
   It is how we view a glass half full or half empty. We are looking at same book and presenting different views as we see it.



4. It's been awhile since I read this book, but I must say that it is clear and concise, and informative. I think everyone should read this book, maybe George Bush should be sent a copy (does he read?)
   
   It's imperative to have understanding about the Story of Mohammed, after all, we know he existed, we have no proof that Christ did.
   
   It is simply amazing what Mohammed managed to do to create stability where there was the possibility for factions by the score to develop. Bad enough we must deal with two factions at this time, (and Karen explains where this originated) But we have Mohammed to thank for the fact there are 'only' two.
   It could be worse!
   
   I was glad to see, too, that Karen put the connection together in this book about the Ismael the first son of Abraham, (with the maid servant of Sarah) and Mohammed connection . I was sure there was a connection. It's in this book!
   
   Insight, and education, makes such a huge difference in our perspectives. Karen is a prolific writer who began this writing early in life for reasons explained in The Spiral Staircase. Another great book that helps us to understand the part the brain plays in spirituality. Go on to read, The Brain That Changes Itself. ( not an Armstrong book)



5. This is a good book that attempts to introduce Muhammad in the most positive light possible: Armstrong believes that Westerners do not understand enough about Islam and its founder, and so produces this argument. It is long on reason and seeking to find common ground - essentially in monotheism - between the East and West. No doubt this is an important task, but her approach in my reading is to bend over backward to excuse Muhammad of virtually any negative legacy. As such, this slants the book too much towards good intentions.
   
   In socio-historical terms, Armstrong believes that Muhammad emerged in a culture in crisis, offering a new religious solution that first and foremost worked politically. The Arabs, she says, had developed a tribal culture, whereby relative peace was maintained by the threat of blood feud - if a tribal member was injured or murdered, revenge was exacted on whomever belonged to the offending tribe, beyond the individual responsibility of the person who carried out the act itself. This worked while tribes were separated in the desert, but began to break down with increasing urbanization in 7C: close proximity bred violence, which easily spiraled out of control into endless mob violence. Muhammad's solution was to create a version of monotheism, that united the Arabs to a single purpose, transcending the polytheistic patron gods of the various tribes in their battles. This is a very interesting existential perspective.
   
   Armstrong also describes the unique details of Islam, as Muhammad created it: the Kuran offered a poetic vision that mesmerized many Arabs in an untranslatable sense. The new religion also offered a new kind of submission to Allah, which carried with it an ethical code that she convincingly argues is close to the essence of Islam. I enjoyed her vision of the religion and gained empathy from it for the prayers I have observed personally.
   
   Muhammad's vision was of course not easy to impose on a primitive culture. This is where Muhammad's political genius comes in, a perspective I found fascinating and valuable: he knew when to compromise, but also understood how society was reorganizing itself and so could set political precedents that often caused grave doubts in his followers before revealing themselves as phenomenal strategic successes later on.
   
   Along the way, Armstrong does pose many of the difficult questions, but somehow finds a way to dismiss them by putting them into historical context, comparing them to existing practices in Christendom and elsewhere. This works well, for example, when she argues that Muhammad in fact worked to liberate women (in a relative way). However, it often fails to satisfy, at least in my own reading. He ordered massacres in Jihad (even of Jews in Medina), the text of the Kuran froze many medieval attitudes into an orthodoxy that is proving rigid today, etc. These are serious problems that cannot be argued away as facilely as Armstrong attempts. In my opinion, she did not wrestle enough with a lot of these questions.
   
   The book ends on an interesting note, arguing that the current crisis in Islam began in the 17C, over 1000 years after Muhammad created his politico-religious system. At that time, as science and then industry developed in Europe, Islamic states/empires began to falter, which raised the question of whether God annointed their religion as indisputably superior anymore. This is very thought-provoking and articulated a view I have wondered about for a long time.
   
   Recommended. Armstrong's heart is in the right place, even if it makes her argument a bit too politically correct for my taste. Nonetheless, a worthy introduction to Islam it is indeed, but only as a starting point.

5 comments about Dharma Punx.

1. First off, I'm gonna start out with the (recent) people criticizing this book. To those that say that Youth of the Apocalypse is sooo much better, you kind of sound like a street team member for books, since you mention Noah Levine in your review for Youth of the Apocalypse. Kinda sounds phishy your slamming a seperate author on a different page. 2) To those that whine and moan about the book not having enough discourse on bhudist methods and that there's too much delving into the what Noah went through/experienced. Well that is because it's a memoir (you do know what a memoris is, right?). Says so in plain English on the Cover so there's no trickery here. So I'll just assume you don't speak English too well and i'll say this in caps for you. GO READ AGAINST THE GRAIN FOR A GREATER DEPTH INTO BHUDIST THOUGHT. If you have a problem with the use of swear words or depiction of sexual acts, I suggest you possibly grow out of your preconcieved world and realize this is a story of a man struggling to grow and change while relating to you he's simply a human being hoping for the best.
   
   As far as the book is concerned, the first 70 or so pages are a bit depressing but after this it's quite interesting and more uplifting. It's really an easy read and I was always left wanting to come back and read more, hating the fact i had to sleep. I really enjoyed the mention of the various punk bands of the 80's and the authors relationship to them. This may be why so many people have criticized the book, they may have no connection to these bands.



2. I bought this book for my brother-in-law who was befriended by Noah while he (my BIL) was in recovery from drug addiction. He met Noah while in Juvenile Hall when Noah came to teach meditation as part of the Insight Prison Project and he benefitted greatly. When I brought the book home, I flipped through a few pages and ended up reading the book cover to cover that night. It is an engaging memoir with many branches - the cautionary tale, travel, drugs, spiritual inspiration, music, loss, finding a significant path in life, and more. When I read many of the other reviews of this great book, I was surprised to see so many people trying to make this book into something it was never supposed to be. It is a memoir of ONE man's journey from the depths toward his own version of enlightenment... If you can't indentify with it, if you don't appreciate the punk scene, or if your version of Buddhism involves poverty and chastity you may not enjoy the story, but that doesn't mean this book is a waste of time. Also, again, it is a memoir, not a spiritual guidebook. If that is what you are looking for, be sure to read Noah's new book 'Against The Stream'. Noah does wonderful work and has helped so many people (kids AND adults)... This book provides wonderful insight into the man and into ourselves.



3. Was there even an editor on this book? I kept running into spelling errors and just poorly written passages.
   
   I had high hopes for this book, myself being a "punk buddhist", but I found this was just a story about Noah Levine. All he does is talk about himself over and over. I was so bored. I couldn't even finish it, half-way through I had to put it down.
   
   If you want to read an amazing book on punk and dharma, then you NEED to read Brad Warner's Hardcore Zen. I read this after my failed attempt at Dharma Punx and was blown away. Hardcore Zen is such an amazing book, it's on my top 5 list of most favorite books of all time.
   
   Sorry Noah.



4. I love this book. My husband is in rehab and I brought a second copy for him. He is enjoying the book. Noah shares that there is peace after the storm. He shows that hurting your self is not the way to go against the norm. His book really impacted my life and others.



5. Dharma Punx is a raw, first-hand memoir which I am convinced is authentic, unlike certain other "memoirs" recently exposed as made-up fiction.
   
   This book finally lets me into the mindset of the street punks I routinely encountered growing up in Berkeley - peers of mine who seemingly chose to be homeless. This book also provides excellent references to Buddhist resources (retreats, scholars, temples, ashrams, monasteries) around the globe.
   
   Finally, this book explores mediation and realization/manifestation of one's life work, through the lens of a hardcore punk rocker, from a broken family in the Gen X era, an addict committed to recovery. This story has not been told like this ever before. It's a testament to Mr. Levine's allowing of his inner core of strength to lead his way, through the clouds of doubt and pain and the resulting self-destructive behavior which could have taken his life many times - and many of his very good friends indeed lost their lives.
   
   This book is, to me, a successful manifestation of that commitment to live from a place of peace, self-forgiveness, compassion and the desire to serve. (Again, the author's personal identity is as a punk rocker, dedicated to sobriety, so the book does focus on his efforts to synthesize the punk aesthetic and politic with the 12 steps and the Buddhist/meditative life approach - which will not apply to every reader). NOT an easy life to choose, when so many of us just get into the rat race and keep up with the Joneses until we die.
   
   So, for those of us who are trying to resolve our pain, our doubt, and trying to base our life choices upon our passions, rather than our fears, and trying to develop a true faith from which to live more fully, this book is a major support. Although it's not a how-to book, I gained tools for living my purpose.

4 comments about Sundays in America: A Yearlong Road Trip in Search of Christian Faith.

1. "Sundays in America" is not only a wonderful book, it is a soulful pilgrimage that lifts you up, causes you reflect, makes you laugh, moves you to tears, even leads you to pray. In the end, I felt as though my life was transformed in the same way Suzanne Shea's was as she traveled the country in search of heartfelt faith. Treat yourself and those you love to a heartwarming journey that will change your life and bring joy to your world. Buy this book.



2. The best spiritual stories are the stories of people all around us -- what journalists like to call "real people," as if media professionals normally exist in a realm of plastic replicas. And, perhaps that's the problem with a lot of what passes for American media, these days, isn't it?
   
   Writing as a journalist for more than 30 years, as someone who has circled the globe and also poked around America's most obscure corners -- I understand how rare this kind of book project truly is. As much of American media shrinks, resources to undertake major projects like this year-long pilgrimage through our quirky religious landscape are growing scarcer with each passing year.
   
   And yet -- this kind of pursuit is what defined our greatest writers.
   
   I'm not arguing that Suzanne Strempek Shea claims Mark Twain, Walt Whitman or Jack Kerouac status with this book -- but she's a fascinating memoirist in that noble tradition. This book takes us from New York to Hawaii -- and from Texas to the last holdout of Shaker worship in Maine.
   
   Truth be told -- I didn't have time for this book, but I opened the morning mail and was lost for the next 2 hours! I kept coming back to this book, again and again, as a first choice among a stack of urgent reading.
   
   Here's an easy way to make your choice about this book. If you're a fan of NPR, enjoy Bill Moyers, occasionally chuckle along with Garrison Keillor -- and, especially, if you recall Charles Kuralt with a smile -- then buy this book.
   
   A final tip: It's a great spring read as you're planning your summer, because you may find yourself jotting down details about some of her more intriguing stops.



3. This was a book I had to keep reminding myself to slow down and savor - it's so engaging and so delicious - yet I kept wanting to read on and discover more. After all, this could not be a more timely topic. At a point in history when we are surrounded by spiritual starvation - people leaving churches in droves - and faced again and again with religious fundamentalism at home and abroad, Suzanne Strempek Shea's response is a personal one - she goes out and actively samples church services around the country, experiencing what they have to offer and asking herself if this is what it is all about, truly.
   
   By the end of this book I felt I had not only traveled roads to outlandish and inspiring places, but I also felt I had reached a personal revelation of what spirituality could be, whether or not it was tied to a religion, a creed, or a parcel of dogma. As I read I was amused, astonished, and sometimes shocked by the types of worship she observed, and ultimately I had to admit I was profoundly moved by what she showed me about faith and belief. For when we witness others' faith, we allow our own to grow.
   
   I cannot think of a book that is more relevant to spirituality today in the USA. I shall be giving copies to those friends I know who are sampling churches and chapels, looking for something that feels genuine.
   
   We should be profoundly thankful for this book.
   
   Allan Hunter
   Author of "Stories We Need To Know: Reading Your Life Path in Literature'
   www.allanhunter.net



4. Mormons and mennonites; Quakers and Shakers; Baptists and Spiritualists. A Fifty-two week journey featuring a different religion every Sunday. This was quite a task to undertake, but Suzanne Strempek Shea stays right on course and takes the reader on a yearlong journey across the country as she seeks to understand both the similarities and differences between the ways Christians worship. Attending both megachurches and places of worship where most of the congregation consists of ghostly presences, lapsed-Catholic Strempek Shea also rediscovers what is important to her in a spiritual sense. The book is witty and passionate, and Strempek Shea doesn't shy away from what turns her off and why, and what fills her with the spirit. It took me a bit of time to read this book, as too many religions in one sitting is a bit overwhelming, but each chapter contains both personal and public observations that clue the reader in to what the author was feeling on the day she walked into each church. I like this writer's energy and commitment to her task. I've never read anything quite like it, and I enjoyed it very much.

5 comments about Eternity in Their Hearts.

1. What an excellent book a must read.I also highly recommend reading GODS PROMISE TO THE CHINESE by Ethal Nelson and MYTH OF A CHRISTIAN NATION by Greg Boyd.
   Lets face it americas "what have you done for me lately" cult of Christian prosperity and vanity is having dier consequences for the true gospel message.So God goes else where like HE has always done but He prepared the way long long ago as this book so beautifully reveals.
   He will make a people for himself from every tribe,nation and tongue.
   
   1 COR 1:27 "but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong."
   JAMES 4:6 "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."



2. Another great Richardson book. This one deals in somewhat story form with a life premise of God's grace made known to all peoples. Well worth thinking through the implications for evangelism in today's world.



3. I really enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and provided interesting insights into the preparation many cultures have within their history for the gospel. I would have given it five stars but I also felt the editing was a bit sloppy as per another reviewer.
   
   Traditionally, I would never have read this book, scorning it as some pluralistic diatribe about there being more than one way to Yahweh than through Jesus after reading the blurb. I couldn't have been more wrong in my pre-supposition! I read this book in the end because it was recommended to me by a respected friend. I devoured it in hours... and really was pleasantly surprised by the content.
   
   Richardson never loses the need for all cultures to receive the salvational knowledge of the gospel and Christ from his message. He continually brings back that redemption only lies in Jesus, and places Him at the centre of the teachings of the book.
   
   I also found then end part, as he assessed Tylor's 'evolutionary religion' theory to be fascinating. (I know, I know, I'm a nerd) I have had many atheists espouse this theory in several different derivations and had never realised that refuation was available to the concept that polytheism always outdated monotheism.
   
   Overall, I would happily recommend this book to others especially those considering cross cultural mission work. I believe it would be especially encouraging in this context.



4. The apostle Paul contends that the law of God is written on our hearts so we are without excuse. Don Richardson, in this little book, provides examples of just how God has written that law in the culture and legends of a variety of people groups. His conclusion? That the secret to evangelizing is in seeking out those ancient seeds of the faith already planted by God in the hearts of those we hope to reach.
   
   It is a brilliant response to those who would show similarities of ancient pagan rituals with Christianity as well. The response is, of course there are similarities, God planned it that way.
   
   An intriguing and informative study and well worth consideration to anyone interested in evangelization. This is in fact a reprint and revised version of a rather dated book but the content is still relevant and the revision/reprint is a welcome sign of interest in the topic.



5. This book proves the mandate God gave us in the Old Testament Jeremiah 29:13 King James Version "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." The writer has done a great job describing how all cultures no matter how remote have in their history the existence of the one true God. The same cultures call for the arrival of The Redeemer and also a world wide cataclysmic event dated about 4,400 years ago. If the existence of the identical God, Redeemer and The Flood in diverse cultures around the world who could not have communicated with each other does not convince the non believer of the truth than perhaps nothing will.
   
   Bill Hoidas

5 comments about Jesus Land: A Memoir.

1. Julia Scheeres has tremendous courage. She tells the story of a dysfunctional Christian family where image is everything, and love is basically absent. The parents use religion and morality as a "mental wall" to keep themselves from healing and learning lessons. This is a telling indictment on religion in America today. Faith should enlighten and guide individuals, especially parents, to learn new and often difficult lessons. Instead, faith was used by Scheeres' parents to stubbornly deny the truth of what was going on in their family: sexual abuse, child abuse and racism.



2. Immediately absorbing, Jesus Land is a tribute to the author's younger brother, David, her soul mate. She goes to great lengths to make sure he is safe, indeed she gives up her own freedom to look after him. It will cost her much more in the long run.
   
   At first I thought this family had to be poor. As the story unfolds, you see the children sitting down to a meal of the most awful boiled-down leftover crap you can imagine, flavored with a little beef. But then the author casually mentions her father is a surgeon. Immediately, the reader's perception changes. Why is the family eating slop? And aren't surgeons supposed to be smart, and not radical religious fanatics?
   
   This was quite a harrowing journey and throughout the book, Julia's bravery shines through. She does not spare herself, however. She is upfront and honest about her own insecurities regarding having black brothers. Kids at that age are trying so hard to fit in, still finding their way. She spends their early years ignoring him while Jerome, the older adopted black brother protects him. Except he can't protect them both from their father. The surgeon has a sadistic streak.
   
   Strong and intimidating, Jerome violates a deep trust and places himself beyond redemption. Unspeakable things occur. Racial revenge? The reader finds himself engaged in a whole new set of philosophical and familial riddles.
   
   And Julia stays huddled over vulnerable David, doing her best to protect him.
   
   I don't want to give any of this book away. It just has to be read. It is a suspenseful account of a family subtly and then violently torn apart. But Julia's honesty and courage brings redemption in the end.
   
   Great read.



3. "Jesus Land" by Julia Scheeres is one of those rare books that one can read in a day, given enough free time. It is lucidly written, engaging, and very troubling. Fans of memoirs/biographies will likely enjoy "Jesus Land," though it reads like a novel, so fiction lovers will enjoy it as well.
   
   "Jesus Land" is about Julia growing up in her Christian fundamentalist household in Indiana in the 70s and 80s, and particularly about the relationship she had with her adopted African-American brother, David. The first part of the book focuses on Julia's experiences at home, and the second part on her harrowing stay at Escuela Caribe, a Christian reform school in the Dominican Republic.
   
   David & Julia are the same age, and so begin high school together. Unfortunately, David is the subject of ceaseless racial taunting, and Julia must keep to herself during the school day to avoid being seen as "the black kid's sister." Yet still, she is seen as an outsider. At home, things are no better. The Scheeres adopted another African-American, Jerome, since they thought that David "would want to play with someone of his own color." Unfortunately, Jerome is highly aggressive, and gets into trouble frequently. The father of the family is abusive, and frequently beats David and Jerome, while Julia is simply scolded. This sets the 2 boys against the white sister. Jerome then begins sexually abusing Julia, perhaps as a way of getting back at the father. The mother is emotionally distant (if not hostile), and resents it whenever the children ask her for something beyond the minimum food, water, shelter, and church that she provides. At their hard-line Calvinist church, Lafayette Christian, they are told lots about sin and repentance, but very little about how to deal with the problems around them. So Julia deals with them in her own way- she siphons liquor and has sex with her new boyfriend, Scott. Eventually, she is caught and sent to Escuela Caribe.
   
   Escuela Caribe is one of the worst places a parent could send a teenager. Everyone there is ranked, from 0 to 5, and must rank up points in categories such as Being Truthful, Being a Helpful and Positive Influence, Respectful to Authority, etc., to move up on the rankings. Only when one reaches level 5 is it possible to go home. The "program" rewards tattling on other people. For example, if a student catches another student cussing, then informs the teachers, then the informing student will get points in the "Being a Helpful and Positive Influence" category, whereas the offending student will be docked in points. Students at the school experience all manner of abuse, and Julia is constantly woken in her sleep to the shrieks of girls with nightmares. Throughout all of this, her one constant is the relationship she has with her brother David. In one particularly touching passage, after David finally learns about Julia's abuse at the hands of Jerome, he slips her a note saying "I know what happened to you is not your fault." In the end, despite all the hardships, Julia and David know that they have formed a bond that could not be broken.
   
   "Jesus Land" is fascinating in so many ways. It is fascinating in its exploration of racism and fundamentalism in the American heartland, the dynamics of a dysfunctional family, and how people can form bonds to overcome bigotry and dogmatism. David, who died in a car crash when he was only 20, was the inspiration for this memoir, and it shows. At the end of every chapter, in italics, there is a tale about David from childhood, giving the reader insight into the character. Despite the grim subject matter, this is not a bombastic, self-pitying memoir (like Jodee Blanco's "Please Stop Laughing At Me"). Scheeres never goads the reader into anger, sadness, or joy, but simply tells the story. And that's what makes it so powerful. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. (See my comment for some links)



4. I found this book to be a very good read; however, I will warn - it is quite depressing. I consider myself to be an eternal optimist, but this book really threw me for a loop. I had no idea it would be so sad, especially from the reviews that I had read. Either way, it's an excellent book, and I am glad I read it!



5. This is a memoir of a little girl's family that adopted two little black boys. The story is disturbing about the hatred and racism that she encountered as well as her two brothers. People were cruel to black people in the late seventies and early eighties in these small little towns in the north as well as the south. This story is set in Illinois. The family was highly religious as the mother spent most of her extra time corresponding with missionaries and her father was a doctor. The father was abusive to the little boys while he was merciful to his girl. But when the boys left home, one ran away and the other was sent away, his angry and wrath turned on Julia. The book recounts the time that her and her brother David spent months at a Christian reform camp. The book was painful for me to read. People hate with gladness. There is a big difference between being a Christian in action and appearance and being a Christian in heart. This book makes you sad at how people treat one another, how Christians treat one another, and how love of one another is the strongest bond in life. This book is a page turner, in the sense of hoping for a better result, a happy ending. The book ends, but you are left to provide happiness in your own life. You will watch how you treat people, that is where the happiness is in the book.

5 comments about Autobiography of a Yogi, 2nd Edition: The Original 1946 Edition plus Bonus Material.

1. I have read Autobiography of a Yogi about a dozen times. I saw an unedited version was released, and so I bought and read this. It is very much worth reading.



2. Great reading. Helped me deal with the passing of my Mother and gave me the perspective I needed to better understand life in general. Open the book anywhere and become engrossed in your reading. Yogananda certainly has no reason to make up the stories he relates...really heavy stuff about re-incarnation and the holy masters who have lived and are living in our time. I sent copies to many of my friends.



3. Alright, this book is too cool. That's it, I'm going to India, to become a Yogi. or wait.... can I have those inner experiences here? hmmmm, maybe my India is right in front of my nose, all around me...



4. This book was highly recommended by a friend as something that would change my life. I expected something else. The author lost me in the first chapters with his descriptions of people seeing and talking to gods, reading minds, predicting the future, levitating, teletransporting, appearing in two places at the same time, fighting tigers with their bare hands, amongst other fantastic stories. Just a little bit too much for me, a long time atheist.
   
   Other people might have a kick out of it, not me.



5. If you have a problem with some of what Yogananda describes in the book, like mind reading, talking to animals, etc., don't blame it on the book. Blame it on your paradigm. (See, I told you "Mission Impossible".) So, before you pick up the book, be sure and drop your baggage.
   
   Originally I borrowed it from a friend to read (thank you Judi), but bought a copy so I would be able to read it again.
   
   Being able to experience what living in this physical world is like through the eyes of a yogi is a once in a lifetime opportunity. He did so much and kept a low profile. My kind of guy.
   
   And, as if that weren't enough, how many Spiritual teachers, not to mention yogis, have a surf break named after them? (Swami's just below Encinatas, CA is named for Yogananda's gold domed temple on the cliffs above.)

3 comments about A Passion for God: The Spiritual Journey of A. W. Tozer.

1. I couldn't wait for this current biography of A W Tozer to be released. Tozer is one of my heroes. His classic, The Pursuit Of God, is about as good as it gets in terms of the heart seeking a deeper relationship with our Creator and Redeemer. Tozer's writings have stirred up within me a great hunger for a more intimate walk with my God. The author, Lyle Dorsett, has done an outstanding job of interviewing family, including all of Tozer's 7 children, as well as pastoral associates and close friends to present an accurate portrayal of a man-on-fire for God but at the expense of his own family relationships. This book is honest, well-researched, and highly recommended!!!



2. A.W. Tozer is a man whose ministry has fascinated me. A man who held closely to biblical, Protestant theology, he was also a man who loved the old Catholic mystics. He had little formal education, yet had the ability to hold the most educated of men and women at rapt attention. He had a single-minded devotion to Christ and the highest respect for the Scriptures. Reading "A Passion for God" has only increased my fascination with him, for here we see more strange and seemingly irreconcilable opposites. Biographer Lyle Dorsett has written a study of the man that deals as honestly with his faults as with the areas that are laudable. And in this case the faults are almost shocking.
   
   Tozer was a man who loved Scripture and loved nothing more than preaching its truths to all who would listen. "A.W. Tozer heralded biblical truth. He loved the Bible and unflinchingly preached what he believed people needed to hear, regardless of what they wanted." Yet he was a man who neglected the mission field in his home. "On and off over the years, Aiden exercised his role as head of the family by encouraging times of family devotions. These never lasted more than a few weeks. As one son explained, the children just did not want it and they were seldom all together for extended periods in any case."
   
   Tozer was a man who dedicated himself to reading, study and prayer and who delighted to be in the presence of God. "There is no way to measure the hours he spent in a typical day or week reading books and wrestling with ideas, but it was substantial. In a similar vein, we know that he increasingly devoted many hours each week praying, meditating on Scripture, and seeking deeper intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ. During the 1930s Tozer read voraciously, and he also developed a magnificent obsession to be in Christ's presence- just to worship Him and to be with Him." Yet he was a man who was emotionally and spiritually distant from his own wife. "By early 1928 the Tozers had a routine. Aiden found his fulfillment in reading, preparing sermons, preaching, and weaving travel into his demanding and exciting schedule, while Ada learned to cope. She dutifully washed, ironed, cooked, and cared for the little ones, and developed the art of shoving her pain deep down inside. Most of the time she pretended there was no hurt, but when it erupted, she usually blamed herself for not being godly enough to conquer her longing for intimacy from an emotionally aloof husband."
   
   These strange inconsistencies abound. Tozer saw his wife's gifts for hospitality and encouraged her in them; yet he disliked having visitors in his own home. He preached about the necessity of Christian fellowship within the family of Christ; yet he refused to allow his family or his wife's family visit their home. For every laudable area of his life there seemed to exist an equal and opposite error. This study in opposites leaves for a fascinating picture of a man who was used so greatly by God, even while his life had such obvious sin.
   
   We are so accustomed to reading that we often give little attention to the book as a physical object. We interact with its words and phrases but think little of the art involved in actually putting together the book. In this case I thought it was only fair to draw attention to the exceptional design qualities of this title. The cover, the design, the printing, the details are all top-notch. The book is a pleasure to read both for the content and the book itself.
   
   Though certainly not an exhaustive biography (weighing in at just 164 pages before the indexes and appendices) "A Passion for God" is nevertheless a good and valuable one. Those who have enjoyed Tozer's writings will find here the life of a man who can and should be much admired for his deep spirituality and for his overwhelming love for Scripture. They will find here also the sad reality that Tozer, as have so many men before and after him, was willing to sacrifice his family on the altar of ministry. They will wrestle with the great irony that as Tozer grew closer to his Savior he seemed to grow more and more distant from his wife and family. His life stands as both an inspiration and a solemn warning.



3. As much as I love Tozer the author, I knew little of the man himself. What a blessing that one of my favorite professors when I was student at Wheaton College, Dr. Lyle Dorsett (now at Beeson Divinity School), who also happens to be a renowned expert on C. S. Lewis, has written a biography of this great Christian leader. Until this biography, I was not even aware that two previous works on Tozer's life existed or else I would have devoured them eagerly. Despite knowing nothing of these older bios, it was my great fortune to write Lyle a few years ago and discover that he was in the process of writing A Passion for God: The Spiritual Journey of A. W. Tozer. When the book made it to pre-order on Amazon, I put in my order right away.
   
   A Passion for God is a difficult book, not something I expected on opening it.The primary difficulty? It contains a mere 150 pages of genuine biographical material, leaving a tad unquenched readers' thirst to know more about the man who has been routinely labeled a genuine 20th century prophet. This is not to say that the scholarship here is inadequate, far from it, only that the private Tozer remains an enigma, even to those who knew him.
   
   Dorsett chooses to open his examination of Tozer with the quote, "I've had a lonely life." Indeed, as enormous a spiritual giant Tozer most definitely was, he proved a tough man to know. Even his family felt the distance, especially his wife Ada. Dorsett portrays a man who at once was close to Jesus and yet remote from the others who loved him. Once Tozer left the home of his youth, he eschewed visits, even going so far as to resist visiting his wife's family, despite his mother-in-law being instrumental in introducing Tozer to the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
   
   Tozer himself had been converted in 1915 shortly before his 18th birthday, praying to receive the Lord in the attic of his family's Akron home. Having been born into a poor dirt farming household that later moved to the Rubber City, Tozer never forgot his humble roots. He took his disdain for wealth into his marriage to Ada in 1918; after his death it was revealed that he'd been giving half his paycheck back to the churches he had pastored, had refused a pension in the Christian & Missionary Alliance denomination in which he served for decades, and had taken no royalties on the paperback editions of his bestselling books.
   
   Tozer pastored briefly in several poor churches in West Virginia and Ohio before ultimately receiving a call to Southside Alliance Church in Chicago, where he pastored for most of his life. He didn't like to drive, so his family lived close to the church for years, even after the humble wooden church was replaced with a far grander building.
   
   Dorsett ably recalls Tozer's rise within the C&MA as the leaders of that group rapidly understood they had a winner on their hands. Or more like a blaze. For wherever Tozer went, people caught fire. He went on to be a radio preacher on WMBI, the voice of Moody Bible Institute, and eventually garnered a nationwide audience.
   
   In 1960, Tozer, who lamented his skills in pastoral counseling, accepted a call to do nothing but preach at Avenue Road Church in Toronto, serving for three years before succumbing to a heart attack on May 12, 1963.
   
   A Passion for God reveals much more of Tozer's life than I just summarized. A few worthy notes:
   
   * Both Tozer and his wife battled depression. Tozer once told his younger assistant pastor, Raymond McAfee, "If you want to be happy, never ask for the gift of discernment."
   
   * Tozer was a very staunch pro-American patriot and was deeply affected by World War II, maintaining a special admiration and care for soldiers and their families.
   
   * Fearing that he'd succumb to too many human compliments, Tozer would avoid greeting his congregation at the door of the church after services, preferring to visit his church's nursery and talk with young parents.
   
   * Family devotion times at the Tozer household appear to have been just as difficult to schedule and pull off as they are in some of our homes.
   
   * Students, especially at Wheaton College, Moody Bible Institute, and later at his church in Toronto, adored Tozer and his messages. Tozer returned that affection, maintaining a lifelong soft spot for young people.
   
   * Tozer wrote one of his most famous works, The Pursuit of God, in one day while traveling by train to speak at another church.
   
   * Despite not having much education beyond fourteen years, Tozer devoured as many books as he could read, electing to read widely on many topics, particularly writings of pre-Reformation Christians who had been largely ignored by Protestants of his time. Tozer himself never attended college or went to seminary. He routinely cautioned potential pastors about problems with the seminary system.
   
   * Tozer spent hours in prayer and study in his office at the church, often prostrate on the floor. He even wore a specially tailored pair of pants that allowed him to pray longer while kneeling.
   
   * For years, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tried (unsuccessfully) to get Tozer to come to London to preach at his church.
   
   * Tozer defined workaholism, somehow managing to squeeze life enough for two people into one, yet when not traveling always made it home for the family dinner.
   
   * Tozer later regretted some of the harsh statements he made about movies with Christian themes.
   
   While A Passion for God is a deeply needed book on Tozer, I finished it discontented. When the forwards, appendices, and index are removed, this book is a scant 150 pages. Because Dorsett revisits some issues repeatedly (Ada Tozer's longing for a more intimate relationship with a man much more devoted to God than to his wife, for instance), each revisit adds little to what was already said, diluting the fullness of the material even more.
   
   Sadly, the one truth I hoped would be revealed in this biography never seemed to gel for me: What made Tozer's spiritual journey so profoundly different from all the other evangelical preachers of his time? Nor did I get a good feel for the one defining aspect of Tozer's life that set him well apart from his contemporaries: his love for the mystic writers of Christianity. How and why did he latch onto them when they were largely ignored by others?
   
   Dorsett also mentions that in later years Tozer received some critiques for being overly ecumenical, though he devotes only a page or so to this unusual fact about Tozer. This is definitely an underdeveloped thought considering Tozer railed against the increasing worldliness and liberalism he saw stealing away the heart and soul of Evangelicalism. In what may have been an overdevelopment, Dorsett devotes several pages to racial issues in Chicago toward the latter part of Tozer's ministry there. In truth, Tozer did not have much to say on the issue other than he didn't want to ignore reaching out to the black community of the time, nor did he like some of the contention, both from whites in his church and blacks in the surrounding neighborhood, that was forcing his congregation to relocate.
   
   Leonard Ravenhill discussed his friendship with Tozer in a few teaching tapes I've heard of his, so I was surprised that nothing came of this in the book, especially since I know that Dorsett likes Ravenhill, too. Dorsett also noted that Tozer spoke at several Keswick conferences, though this is not developed at all. I would have liked to have known more about Tozer's affiliations with some of the trends and schools of Christian thought of the time.
   
   Dorsett's writing style is light and easy to read, though a tendency to move forward and backward in time makes the sections on Tozer's childhood and early ministry more difficult to follow than they should be. And while I love Lyle's passion for certain topics within Christianity, he makes his presence as author a bit too obvious on issues near and dear to his heart, something I loved about him when I had him as a professor but others may find intrusive.
   
   A trade paperback, A Passion for God sports an attractive design, with an easy-on-the-eyes typeface and good whitespace. It includes a few pictures, too. For anyone interested in Tozer, it's a worthy read, especially since it shows even a great Christian who knew God intimately can suffer from feet of clay.

5 comments about Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith.

1. I am an active member of the Mormon Church, come from good old pioneer stock, was married in the temple and my Father is a former Bishop and Stake President.
   I absolutely LOVED this book. I grew up in Provo and Martha Beck has older siblings who were my age. How she described living in Utah, getting married in the temple and other aspects of being a Mormon couldn't be more accurate.
   I have also read much about SRA (satanic ritual abuse) and what Beck described in her book is identical to many other victim's memories who grew up in the Catholic Church, Jehovah's Witnesses and other religions.
   I have read John Beck's review and find it to be extremely bitter, distasteful and misleading. Martha is very kind, gracious, and complimentary to him and his parents in the book. Someone in the church (along with someone in the Nibley family) must have gotten to him. His review must have hurt Martha a great deal which I'm sure was John's intent.



2. Anyone who knows both Hugh Nibley and Martha Beck knows who is telling the truth--it isn't Mrs. Beck.



3. I'm always intimidated to write a review for a really good book because I'm afraid I won't do it justice. This woman is one hell of a writer. If her father had one half of her talent for language I can understand how, through the "apologies" he wrote, he would be able to keep people faithful to a religion that is KOOKY at best. I'm sure this story of Martha's successful journey through her dark night of the soul into true spiritual peace and understanding will be a beacon for others who have experienced any kind of personal tragedy or challenge. The insider's view of the history and workings of the Mormon Church is enough of a reason to read it.



4. I found Martha Beck's book very healing. Having grown up near Provo Utah, I could really understand and identify with the situations and challenges she talked about. Seeing Mormonism from a more objective viewpoint I could let go of some of the guilt I have felt and understand why some of the beliefs just didn't feel good.
   Thank you Martha, I can't believe you really said that.



5. I honestly have nothing to say about whatever supposed "anti-Mormon" slant the book has. I knew all the back-story stuff about Mormonism when I started reading the book; that wasn't what interested me. I had no idea who Martha Beck's father was or that he was some bigshot in the Mormon church - that didn't interest me either.
   
   What did interest me was Martha's heartfelt and candid exploration of going through remembrance of her childhood sexual abuse, through anger and bewilderment to forgiveness. Regardless of what anyone else (and it's usually someone with an ulterior motive) has to say about the veracity of "recovered memories," they do happen. I was molested as a young child, by a male babysitter, and did not fully remember the details of the incident until I was much older. I did not have my revelation as a result of therapy; it happened one night as I was alone in my room reading. I did end up in therapy as a result but my therapist did not focus on "recovering" any more details of the incident; she only wanted to discuss what I was able to remember unassisted, and help me to move past it. Reading Martha's recollections brought back terrible and wonderful memories for me, of my own journey through anger into forgiveness. Perhaps people who have not had the experience cannot understand, but really there is no reason for someone to make up or embellish memories of sexual abuse, and it shouldn't be difficult to understand why people would repress memories of it. It's not exactly the kind of thing you want to remember.
   
   This is a wonderful book, full of humor and love and Beck's amazement at her own awakening. Beck speaks with a voice that is so honest, so raw, so open that it was impossible for me to doubt one word of what she said. The fact that her siblings, ex-husband etc. tried to cast aspersions on what she said (one of her siblings attempted to do this by saying that Beck had been 'melodramatic as a child' - gee, I wonder why?) says, to me, that there is truth in her story; otherwise why would people be so eager to discredit it? If it was made up out of whole cloth everyone would have laughed off the allegations and that would have been it. The fact that so many people put forth such concerted effort to slander Ms. Beck and her account lead me to believe that she is telling the truth, not that she is a histrionic attention-seeker. My mother had a similar reaction to Beck's mother when I told her about my remembrance - saying at first that she "had always known" something had gone on, but then telling me that abuse is "not that big of a deal" and that I should just try not to think about it ever again. My therapist helped me to understand that many mothers react this way to abuse revelations because it's easier for them to disbelieve and/or discount than to face the idea that they failed to protect their child from something horrific - especially if they themselves suffered abuse as children.
   
   The main reason why I would recommend this book to any other survivor of childhood sexual abuse is because of its focus on freedom, and letting go. As long as you hold hate and anger in your heart about your abuse, or toward your abuser, you cannot be free. If you live your life from a place of anger, eventually that anger - and therefore the abuse - will begin to define you as a person. And who wants to be defined by abuse, or by their abuser? Abusers take much from their child victims, but they do not take away their ability to get clear of the abuse and define themselves. Abuse victims do not have to forgive - just accept, and move forward. By the same token, if you do not face your memories and come to terms with what happened, you cannot be free either. I wholeheartedly believe that Martha's intent in this book was not to slander anyone or ruin anyone's life; she is doing what she felt she needed to do to get free of what happened to her. I could actually care less about the Mormonism stuff in the book, although people who are anti-Mormon will find plenty of fuel for their fire in here - I highly recommend this book to people who are struggling to come to terms with the fallout of their own abuse memories. Beck's story is one that is easy to relate to, and her attitude about moving on is ultimately incredibly healthy and positive. Kudos to her for having the courage to tell her story.

5 comments about Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II.

1. This is one of the BEST books I have ever read. The evidence of God's work in the lives of the people in the book is amazing and inspiring!!



2. An inspiring story of a young missionary woman and her complete surrender to the Lord under unbelievable adversity. God's tenderness and mercies are real in her life and it encourages every believer to move into such intimacy with the Lord. One biography you will not want to put down!



3. What amazing faith in God this young
   woman had. I could only hope to be that brave and strong.



4. Evidence Not Seen is one of those books that make you just go wow! This is a must read for any Christian especially with so much made for TV christianity going around. This book is about the real thing. Darlene shares with us her experiences as she and other missionaries try to survive in a Japanese prison camp. She shares her close personal relationship with God and how He is there in her times of trouble and need. When you finish this book you will know that she serves and Awesome God and so can you!



5. Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose is a beautiful story of a missionary wife who gave her life to God and through her trust witnessed His work in her life and the lives of those around her. She sacrificed her comfort to reach out to others and glorify God, and was blessed for it innumerably. Darlene's courage is challenging, encouraging, and inspiring.