Saturday, April 27, 2013

The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World, by Melissa B. Kruger

*****

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:
For Kruger, the root of covetousness is, quite simply, unbelief. This is a truth that I am discovering on a regular basis—that my besetting sins result not from a lack of effort (alone), nor from a lack of ability, nor from any other more physical shortcoming: they result from a lack in my faith. When I sin, it is a clear sign that there is some piece of the Gospel that I do not believe, some characteristic of God and His work that I ignore or deny. 
In the case of covetousness, Kruger argues that the root unbelief is three-fold: unbelief in the character of God (specifically His sovereignty and goodness), unbelief in our purpose (that we were created to be in relationship with and glorify God and to be with Him for all eternity), and unbelief in our relationships. If these are the root cause of envy, it follows that the remedy is to increase our belief that God is in fact both good and sovereign, that our relationship with Him matters more than (and will outlast) our circumstances, that He will bring glory to Himself through those circumstances, that He knows which circumstances will maximize our sanctification and long-term joy, and that we can therefore celebrate the blessings received by others. Preach it, sister.
Full review available here.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The Secret of NIMH (1982)

***

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:
“In the beginning,” Nicodemus recalls, “we were ordinary street rats, stealing our daily bread and living off the efforts of man’s work.” Since that time, they have been given the gift of intelligence, received at the hands of the men of NIMH. But with that intelligence came the awareness that certain actions, even if beneficial to the actor, are wrong. As long as the rats continue to steal, they will only ever be smart rats. If they want to be something more, something nobler, they must be not merely intelligent but moral. It is not intelligence or self-awareness that makes a man, but honor and integrity and right living—using that intelligence to learn about and conform to morality. Nicodemus wants to lead the rats to a new, moral life, where they live not as the rats they were, but as the men they can be. 
Jenner, on the other hand, is more than happy to use his intelligence for his own self-interest with no regard for right, wrong, or the interests of others. He is happy to continue stealing from Farmer Fitzgibbons as long as it benefits him, and is even willing to escalate to murder if anyone stands in the way of those benefits. His intelligence thus functions as little more than a kind of elevated animal cunning, and he remains a rat. Because the intelligence of Nicodemus and his followers leads to moral knowledge, and because they submit their intelligence to conscience and in fact put it to work for conscience, they become something more than rats. They are men.
Full review available here.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

The Inner Society, by Melinda Louise Bohannon

***

Social outcast Maggie Kraus is a total fish-out-of-water at exclusive Norfolk High. (Don't ask why she has to go to the swanky school. The plot dictates that she attend, so attend she must.) But the students at Norfolk are more than ordinarily hostile to the (ok, also hostile) Maggie. Like, to the point of inflicting serious physical harm upon the person of those not considered 'worthy' of their awesome school. Rich, powerful, and above suspicion, the 'in' teens are uniformly intelligent, athletic, and unbelievably attractive. They are also cruel jerks ... all except Peter and his super awesome youth group friends (who are still super attractive, rich, etc., but also nice). Can Peter and company help Maggie unearth the horrible secret behind Norfolk's elite Inner Society? (Oh, yeah, by the way, there's a horrible secret behind Norfolk's elite Inner Society. In case you were wondering.)

Ok, here's the thing. I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for a review. I am not required to write a positive review. Which ... is a good thing, for reasons I'll go into in a minute. See, this is not a good book. I feel kind of bad saying so, because Bohannon sounds like a very nice lady and apparently works a lot with troubled teens, and I'm sure this book was a labor of love. But ... it is a ridiculous, kind of terrible book. But in the best possible way. I could not put it down. It was a train wreck in book form, only much, much funnier. And more enjoyable. Because as terrible as this book is, I had an absolute blast reading it. I plowed through it record time, largely because I could not wait to see what craziness happened next.

I think the easiest way for me to explain the awesome/awfulness of this book is to share with you some of my reactions while reading it. Apologies for the length. Here goes nothing [WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS].

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

More or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity, by Jeff Shinabarger

***

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:
Fourth, Shinabarger’s analysis of generosity is secular—by which I mean: a compassionate Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, pagan, or atheist could agree with … everything in this book. I find this troubling. While it is certainly true that those outside the faith can be generous and do good things, Christians’ lives should be pervaded by the Gospel such that it is impossible for us to really explain why we do any good thing without reference to Christ the Source of All Good. Christ is the reason we can do good things, He is the reason our sinful hearts want to do good things, and His is the power that enables us to do good things. Yet Shinabarger’s exploration of generosity seemed to be, well, largely secular. Faith lifts right out without disturbing the substance of his points. 
For these reasons, I would argue that Shinabarger’s book, while practically useful, is not actually a Christian book. So if you’re looking to simplify, make do with less, or give more, then by all means read this book. Even better, read it with a friend and engage with the material. Open your Bible and see where Shinabarger is right, and where he’s wrong. What does the Bible have to say about generosity? What sins in your life keep you from obeying those commands, and how can you fight those sins? How does the Gospel inform our attitude toward our possessions, our food, our clothes, and our time? How can Christians spur one another on to love and good deeds in these areas? These questions, and many more, are well worth asking. Shinabarger doesn’t ask them, but I appreciate him at least starting the conversation.
Full review available here.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table (With Recipes), by Shauna Niequist

***

A defense of messy hospitality--of honest friendship, transparent love, and lots and lots of delicious food.

At the back of this book, author Shauna Niequist lists some of her favorite writers, including bestselling author Anne Lamott and author, former New York Times restaurant critic, former Gourmet editor, and reality TV show judge (!!!) Ruth Reichl. I'm not surprised. Their influence is clear. If Ruth Reichl and Anne Lamott had a less-talented baby, and that baby wrote a book, this could be that book. That's not a dig, either--Lamott and Reichl are incredibly skilled writers; to be described as less talented than these ladies is no insult. Niequist does not rise to their level, it's true, but she writes in that tradition, and as she has a pleasant--and occasionally charming--style, the book is, by and large, an enjoyable read.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Jurassic Park 3D (2013)


****

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:
Man, I forgot how much fun this movie is. 
I don’t think I ever actually saw it in theatres. Twenty years ago (yes, it really has been 20 years), I was … ok, not that young, but still young enough that I think my folks may have had misgivings about letting me see a dude get ate up by a T. Rex on the big screen. Sure, I saw re-runs on cable, but there’s no doubt that Jurassic Park is one of those precious few films that really deserve to be seen on a 50+ foot screen. I am supremely grateful to Universal Pictures for giving the chance to rectify this tragically missed opportunity. 
If you haven’t yet seen Jurassic Park on the big screen, go see it. Now. 
If you have seen Jurassic Park on the big screen, go see it now anyway. It’s been 20 years, and you probably forgot how awesome it is. You may think you remember, but you don’t. Besides, this time it’s in 3D, and if you thought the dinosaurs were scary before … well, you’re in for a treat. I almost kicked the guy in front of me, is what I’m saying. Thank goodness I didn’t have popcorn in my lap, or I would have been wearing it. 
Full review available here.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Finding God in the Dark: Faith, Disappointment, and the Struggle to Believe, by Ted Kluck and Ronnie Martin

***

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:
Indeed, both men are extremely open and frank about the sin issues they confronted—so much so that Kluck, at least, sounds at times like, well, kind of a jerk. But then, I don’t know that that’s a bad thing. All Christians are jerks at one time or another, and a book written exclusively for non-jerks would be of extremely limited use. So I applaud the transparency with which Kluck and Martin discuss their sin, even though I was slightly discomfited in reading about it. (Honestly, I think some of the ‘jerk factor’ was a simple result of writing ‘too soon’. Given more time and distance and the benefit of additional reflection and processing, I don’t think Kluck would have included, say, the full text of the rather unpleasant letter he wrote to the adoptive parents who ‘stole’ the kid he and his wife planned to adopt. I also think Kluck would omit the detailed account of the book contract he was denied. I suspect he would focus more on his own pain and disappointment and less on the perceived wrongs committed by others. At the very least, there would have been less heat behind his words. Though I suppose there may be some merit to writing in the midst of the pain—it certainly gives the hurting reader something to relate to.)
Full review available here.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Domination (C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy #3), by Jon S. Lewis

***

Colt McAlister and company continue to battle the forces of evil, personified here (as elsewhere in the trilogy) as shape-shifting aliens with nefarious and deadly plans for planet earth. See, portals keep opening up to allow these six-armed 'Thule' and their ships to cross over to earth from ... whatever crummy planet they currently call home. Wherever the Thule appear, they leave a swath of death and destruction in their wake. Humankind is woefully outgunned, despite the efforts of the super secret C.H.A.O.S. military academy and its crackerjack cadets, of both the human and (friendly) alien variety. Colt and his squad know the odds are against them,but they refuse to give up hope and are determined to put and end to this portal business--and these walking, talking, mind-reading, shape-shifting monsters--once and for all. But Colt is wrestling with an internal demon of his own ...