Reviews Written By: A633NIAR4JJARprovided by Amazon.com |
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 | Tunney: Boxing's Brainiest Champ and His Upset of the Great Jack Dempsey | |
 | "Needs More Information About Tunney's Life and Less About the Era In Which He Fought" | 2009-10-29 |
| This is a fascinating book and I loved every minute of it. But it meanders all over the place. It adequately covers Gene Tunney's youth in Greenwich Village, NY and how he got so good at defending himself from bullies that he ended up fighting for money. You learn about his stint in the Marines, and his burgeoning love for books and reading. You are at ringside for many of his early fights, including the wars with his early trainer and later with Harry Greb and Jack Dempsey.
But the book spends just as muchtime covering Dempsey's life. It also meanders into how Jewish people and Irish people got into boxing. It was fascinating because Cavanaugh is such an engaging writer. But I kept wondering "When will we get back to talking about Tunney? And why does Cavanaugh only devote 30 pages to the last 50 years of Tunney's (and Dempsey's) life? And why does he forget to mention their "dance" in the ring commemorating the 30th anniversary of their celebrated rematch? These criticisms are more than enough to knock the book down a star or two. But Cavanaugh's gift for storytelling makes the book such a compulsive read that I had to give it 5 stars. Recommended for all boxing fans. | ||
 | Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, ISBN 1564559149 | |
| "The Buddhist version of Ecclesiastes" | 2009-10-22 |
| This is one of the most thoughtful books that I've come across. Siddartha is a Brahmin Hindu who is well liked and appreciated by everyone in his village. He has a great future as a spiritual leader of his community. But he has a restless heart that is in search of a deeper meaning of life. So he leaves his father and travels into the woods and lives a monk like existence for a number of years. Then he and his friend Govinda meet Gotama, the Buddha. Govinda becomes a follower of the Buddha, but Siddartha is too restless to be the follower of any one philosophy. He travels into town and becomes entranced by a beautiful woman named Kamala. They carry on a long intimate relationship, and Siddartha becomes rich and fat and lethargic. He feels like a caged bird, longing for more. So years later, he leaves Kamala and his business associate and heads back into the woods where he befriends a wise old ferryman. Years later, he chances upon meetings with Govinda and Kamala, and even finds out that he has a son through her, which she conceived right before Siddartha left her.
Siddartha loves his little boy, but because of his rebellious attitude, even this does not bring Siddartha fulfillment. I think the main message of the book is that you can acquire all the knowledge you want, but the only way to become wise is by trial and error. You have to live your life, follow your heart, make your mistakes, and someday, you will have the wisdom to know what is best. I found the book to be deeply touching, but it was hard not to evaluate it through the matrix of my own Christian faith. The Bible tells us that God gives wisdom to those who sincerely ask for it (James 1:5), and you don't have to make tons of mistakes before you become wise. But the story was enchanting and meaningful and I will probably read it again. Highly recommended. | ||
 | Population: 485 : Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time | |
| "Very Well Written Vignettes Dealing with Life and Death in Small Town America" | 2009-10-03 |
| Michael Perry is a really good writer. He knows how to make you laugh and he knows how to make you cry, and both skills are on display in this well received look into small town America. Perry is a firefighter/first responder/EMT who is on call twenty four hours a day. You get to meet some of his buddies in the fire department, and you will go with as he tends to the needs of hurting people. Sometimes, the people he tries to save make it, sometimes they don't. Through it all, he learns about community, love, life, death, and the search for meaning and significance. The story is bookended by two terrible car accidents, each one ending with the death of a young woman in her early twenties.
I minister in a Wisconsin town even smaller than New Auburn, so I readily connected with the stories and with the people. Some stories will make you laugh (The one about the cross eyed man getting his eyes fixed by having skin from his scrotum applied to his eye was classic. He was cockeyed ever since :) Some stories will gross you out (the fat woman who pukes all over, on the toilet, in the ambulance and in the hospital). But every story is real and reflects the lives of real people. It's fun read and you will feel like you are a part of the New Auburn community. | ||
 | The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel (Hardcover) (Oprah Book Club #62) | |
 | "Too much detail about breeding, slow story development" | 2009-09-18 |
| Edgar Sawtelle is a deaf teenage boy who lives with his dog breeding parents. They breed a fictional family of dogs affectionately referred to as Sawtelle dogs. All is well until a falling out between Edgar's dad and uncle leads to Edgar's father's death. Edgar tries to expose his uncle Claude's guilt, but it backfires, and he is forced to flee into the north Wisconsin woods. Accompanied by three of his faithful dogs, he learns to survive in the wilderness. But he realizes he must go back home and confront his uncle, who has moved in with his mom.
The story is top heavy with dog training and dog rearing details, and you're into the story a good 150 pages before the plot begins to develop. The most interesting parts of the book feature Edgar with his dogs in the wild, but even there, the story could use a little tightening. I won't spoil the ending for you, except to say I found it disappointing. This is definitely not a "compulsively readable American classic," nor is it anywhere near as good as Stephen King says it is. It's all right, but not great. It could have easily been 200 pages shorter with less doggy details. | ||
 | Healthy Aging : A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being | |
| "Well Documented and Contains Excellent Advice" | 2009-09-18 |
| I love Andrew Weil's website and I think very highly of his emphasis on healthy eating and nutrition, so I decided to pick up a couple of his books. This one is "just what the doctor ordered." The first half of the book is mainly devoted to theories about how to slow down the aging process. He discusses stem cell research and how embryonic stem cells might be able to grow new tissues and new organs, but it doesn't slow down the aging process. He also warns that multiplying new cells might also increase the risk for cancer.
Weil also states that there is no evidence that eating fruits and vegetables and yogurt extend the length of life as much as it helps the quality of the life that we have. He also discusses HGH and mentions the bad side effects along with good news like increased muscle tone, better sex drive, etc. But none of these things amounts to a fountain of youth. He also mentions botox injections and restricted calorie diets and other anti-aging medicines, but none are proven to help. He finally suggests that we age gracefully by taking care of the body that we have the best that we can. He recommends the anti-inflammatory diet, which is heavy on fruits and vegetables (especially those with anti-oxidant properties), omega 3's (walnuts and salmon), white tea and green tea, and grains and legumes. Weil also recommends exercise (30 minutes a day) eight hours of sleep, relaxation/meditation, etc. But my favorite chapter in the book is when he talks about the value of aging. He notes that cheese is often better when it is aged, as is wine, whiskey, and even trees are beautiful when they are older. In the same way, people often are wiser and more beautiful on the inside, and so we shouldn't be so afraid of aging, even though there is good and bad associated with it. This is a very good book, and I highly recommend it. | ||
 | Healthy Aging : A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being | |
| "Well Documented and Contains Excellent Advice" | 2009-09-18 |
| I love Andrew Weil's website and I think very highly of his emphasis on healthy eating and nutrition, so I decided to pick up a couple of his books. This one is "just what the doctor ordered." The first half of the book is mainly devoted to theories about how to slow down the aging process. He discusses stem cell research and how embryonic stem cells might be able to grow new tissues and new organs, but it doesn't slow down the aging process. He also warns that multiplying new cells might also increase the risk for cancer.
Weil also states that there is no evidence that eating fruits and vegetables and yogurt extend the length of life as much as it helps the quality of the life that we have. He also discusses HGH and mentions the bad side effects along with good news like increased muscle tone, better sex drive, etc. But none of these things amounts to a fountain of youth. He also mentions botox injections and restricted calorie diets and other anti-aging medicines, but none are proven to help. He finally suggests that we age gracefully by taking care of the body that we have the best that we can. He recommends the anti-inflammatory diet, which is heavy on fruits and vegetables (especially those with anti-oxidant properties), omega 3's (walnuts and salmon), white tea and green tea, and grains and legumes. Weil also recommends exercise (30 minutes a day) eight hours of sleep, relaxation/meditation, etc. But my favorite chapter in the book is when he talks about the value of aging. He notes that cheese is often better when it is aged, as is wine, whiskey, and even trees are beautiful when they are older. In the same way, people often are wiser and more beautiful on the inside, and so we shouldn't be so afraid of aging, even though there is good and bad associated with it. This is a very good book, and I highly recommend it. | ||
 | Aging Well | |
| "Well Documented and Contains Excellent Advice" | 2009-09-18 |
| I love Andrew Weil's website and I think very highly of his emphasis on healthy eating and nutrition, so I decided to pick up a couple of his books. This one is "just what the doctor ordered." The first half of the book is mainly devoted to theories about how to slow down the aging process. He discusses stem cell research and how embryonic stem cells might be able to grow new tissues and new organs, but it doesn't slow down the aging process. He also warns that multiplying new cells might also increase the risk for cancer.
Weil also states that there is no evidence that eating fruits and vegetables and yogurt extend the length of life as much as it helps the quality of the life that we have. He also discusses HGH and mentions the bad side effects along with good news like increased muscle tone, better sex drive, etc. But none of these things amounts to a fountain of youth. He also mentions botox injections and restricted calorie diets and other anti-aging medicines, but none are proven to help. He finally suggests that we age gracefully by taking care of the body that we have the best that we can. He recommends the anti-inflammatory diet, which is heavy on fruits and vegetables (especially those with anti-oxidant properties), omega 3's (walnuts and salmon), white tea and green tea, and grains and legumes. Weil also recommends exercise (30 minutes a day) eight hours of sleep, relaxation/meditation, etc. But my favorite chapter in the book is when he talks about the value of aging. He notes that cheese is often better when it is aged, as is wine, whiskey, and even trees are beautiful when they are older. In the same way, people often are wiser and more beautiful on the inside, and so we shouldn't be so afraid of aging, even though there is good and bad associated with it. This is a very good book, and I highly recommend it. | ||
 | Aging Well | |
| "Well Documented and Contains Excellent Advice" | 2009-09-18 |
| I love Andrew Weil's website and I think very highly of his emphasis on healthy eating and nutrition, so I decided to pick up a couple of his books. This one is "just what the doctor ordered." The first half of the book is mainly devoted to theories about how to slow down the aging process. He discusses stem cell research and how embryonic stem cells might be able to grow new tissues and new organs, but it doesn't slow down the aging process. He also warns that multiplying new cells might also increase the risk for cancer.
Weil also states that there is no evidence that eating fruits and vegetables and yogurt extend the length of life as much as it helps the quality of the life that we have. He also discusses HGH and mentions the bad side effects along with good news like increased muscle tone, better sex drive, etc. But none of these things amounts to a fountain of youth. He also mentions botox injections and restricted calorie diets and other anti-aging medicines, but none are proven to help. He finally suggests that we age gracefully by taking care of the body that we have the best that we can. He recommends the anti-inflammatory diet, which is heavy on fruits and vegetables (especially those with anti-oxidant properties), omega 3's (walnuts and salmon), white tea and green tea, and grains and legumes. Weil also recommends exercise (30 minutes a day) eight hours of sleep, relaxation/meditation, etc. But my favorite chapter in the book is when he talks about the value of aging. He notes that cheese is often better when it is aged, as is wine, whiskey, and even trees are beautiful when they are older. In the same way, people often are wiser and more beautiful on the inside, and so we shouldn't be so afraid of aging, even though there is good and bad associated with it. This is a very good book, and I highly recommend it. | ||
 | Night Fall | |
| "A Thrilling Book, and I LIKED the Ending!" | 2009-09-18 |
| I liked this book. John Corey is a detective, formerly with the NYPD, and now with an anti-terrorist group within the FBI. He attends a 5th year anniversary service in memory of those who died on TWA Flight 800 on July 17, 1996. His wife lets him know about some loose ends and some witnesses who claimed they saw a streak of light shoot down the plane. Against the advice of his FBI cronies, he goes undercover off duty, and he discovers an incontrovertible piece of evidence. He is horrified, and he now feels morally obligated to bring it to the light of day. The ending is spectacular. You will wonder "What really happened to TWA Fight 800? Who would want to cover up the truth? What did they have to gain by covering it up? Who was responsible for this disaster? I won't spoil the awesome ending, but I should say that this is definitely a rated R book, with obscenities, bad language, and "worldliness" (for lack of a better word) on almost every page. But the story is fascinating. | ||
 | The Dead Zone | |
| "Stephen King pulls you into the Dead Zone!" | 2009-08-31 |
| Johnny Smith is a twenty something New England school teacher with an attractive girlfriend and a promising future. But a terrible accident leaves him in a 4 and a half year coma. He wakes up to a much different, post Watergate world. But he also wakes up with the ability to see the destinies and the pasts of people he touches. Johnny struggles to adjust to his post coma life. His wacked out ultra fundamentalist mom gives him some sane advice: Don't be like Elijah and Jonah. "Don't hide in a cave or in the belly of a huge fish. God has special plans for your talent."
Stephen King wields an impressive knowledge of the Bible as weaves together a classic psycho-spiritual thriller that you will want to keep reading even when you have other things to do. One of King's classics. | ||
 | Shure SE530 Sound Isolating Earphones (Black) | |
| "The Best In-Ear Phones FOR CERTAIN MP3 PLAYERS" | 2009-07-20 |
| I love these in-ear phones. They are not quite as good in the sound isolating department as the cheaper SE 210s, but they are a leap forward in sound. These are the best sounding in-ear phones that money can buy IF they are married to the proper players. For example, when I use these with my ipod 120 gb classic, the bass sounds a bit muddy and cluttered to my trained ear. Bassheads will probably like this, but it drives me bonkers. I have to to turn down the bass or pump up the treble, and although this improves things a bit, it doesn't sound as natural and vivid as I wished it would. But matched with my less expensive Sandisk Sansa Clip, these phones sound unbelievably fantastic. I can't believe how crisp and clear the trebles and mids are, and how pristine and powerful the bass is. I've had these buds for two months and all I can say is that I love them. Even my family members who have been coerced by me to try them with my Sansa Clip agree they sound fantastic. The SE 530s come with 5 or 6 kinds of sleeves you can put over the speakers. I prefer the thicker black ones, and I like to lube my ear holes with a little lotion so that the buds slide right in. If you have an iPod, I would recommend trying out other in-ear phones before buying these. Maybe the Sennheiser 8's or the Westone 3 True-Fit Earphones. But for most other mp3 players, you will probably love these phones. Make sure you download mp3s at 256k rather than 128k songs. | ||
 | The Historical Reliability of John's Gospel: Issues & Commentary | |
| "John's Gospel Defended" | 2009-07-16 |
| Blomberg does a loose exposition of John's Gospel, providing running commentary along the way, bringing out facts that show that John was more than just theological art. It is also a historically reliable writing. This pleases me as an evangelical, though it doesn't mean I am on board with all that Blomberg says, either. He has a rather lengthy defense of Johannine authorship, which is better at knocking back other contenders for authorship than it is at making his own case. Blomberg relies on the external testimony of others outside the Bible (Polycarp, Justin Martyr), even though the internal evidence within John's Gospel is nebulous at best. I think the Gospel reflects the memories of the Beloved disciple and that this beloved disciple was probably Lazarus, based on a reading of John 11:2-4, compared with the other "disciple whom Jesus loved" texts.
Blomberg also defends the thesis that the cleansing of the temple in John 2 is a separate event from the cleansing mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels toward the climax of Jesus' ministry. Blomberg also shows that the conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well makes good historical sense, and that the Nicodemus of John 3 could be the Nicodemus Ben Gurion of history. Blomberg also highlights the historical accuracy of the geography in John 5, the realistic details of the intra-Jewish debate between Jesus and the Pharisees, and even the likelihood of an informal excommunication policy in John 9:22. Blomberg also defends the idea that the fellowship meal in John 13 was indeed the Passover meal of Matthew 26 and Mark 14. Blomberg also defends the essential historicity of the details of the Passion Narrative. While I would hesitate to say that this book is as great as his other writings on the Gospels, Blomberg does the body of Christ a great service with this book. It doesn't replace the need to use other Johannine commentaries, as this one is selective in nature and highlights the texts that shed light on historically substantial issues. But it is a great aid for the expositor. | ||
 | Icons of Evolution: Science or Myth by Jonathan Wells, ISBN 0895262002 | |
| "Proves That Evolution Has Not Been Proved" | 2009-07-13 |
| This is a mind blowing book for anyone who has always assumed that the evolution theory is a proven fact. Jonathan Wells goes through all the alleged proofs for the theory of evolution and finds more myth than fact. He shows that the Uyler-Myers test proves nothing because it assumes that there was no oxygen on the early earth, and this is by no means clear. Haeckel's embryos have been drawn to look much more like each other than they actually do, Archaeoteryx has been shown to reflect an ancestor of a type of bird that no longer exists, and Darwin's finches grow different sized beaks to the climate and weather rather than to Darwinian evolution.
Wells also shows that Darwin's tree of life is based more on conjecture than fact, and that even though we have Neanderthal skeletons, it is far from certain whether or not this represents a species of primate that no longer exists or whether or not there is any connection to any of the other prehistoric hominids. The author also complains about scientists who know that certain drawings and depictions and museum exhibits are inaccurate and yet they still include them in their books or refuse to speak up for fear they may lead the public into questioning Darwinian evolution. Wells also notes that in China, you can question Darwin, but not the government, but in the USA, you can question the government, but not Darwin, as you are likely to be ostracized by the scientific community and be labeled a "creationist." This is a great book. Highly recommended. | ||
 | This Present Darkness | |
| "Prayer Really Does Make a Difference!" | 2009-06-29 |
| I've always wanted to read this book, but never got around to it for one reason or another. This classic debut novel by Frank Peretti does what C.S Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" did for a previous generation: It brings spiritual warfare to the forefront. The book is about the spiritual battle for the soul of the town of Ashton. Rev. Hank Busche and local newspaper editor Marshall Hogan separately uncover a plot by the town bigwigs to bring New Age consciousness and demon worship to the masses. But alternating between scenes involving protagonists and antagonists are scenes where angels and demons duke it out for the soul of the city. There are breathtaking battles throughout the novel. There are also spunky characters like Bernice and sinister characters like Professor Langstrat and Rev. Oliver Young, and Chief Al Brummel. But some of the storyline borders on the cartoonish. Are we to believe that demons attack engine carburetors so that cars break down? On the other hand, the book does a great of showing how the angels of God rely heavily on "prayer cover," that is, the degree of their effectivess is impacted by the power and consistency of our prayers. I loved reading about how Rev. Busche was feared by the demon world because he was always praying. I really wanted to give this book 4 stars instead of five because the cosmic conflicts with demons and angels often reminded me of Ninja turtle battle scenes. The book occasionally lacks the realism of C.S Lewis' aforementioned masterpiece. But the story line is amazing, and after this novel, scores of popular books on spiritual warfare came out. Jerry Jenkins also cites this book as a key influence on many of the later Christian fiction classics that were released, including the Left Behind series. Because of the book's unique historical importance, I decided to give it 5 stars (with reservations). I should also say that "The Oath" is still my favorite Peretti novel. | ||
 | This Present Darkness | |
| "Prayer Really Does Make a Difference!" | 2009-06-29 |
| I've always wanted to read this book, but never got around to it for one reason or another. This classic debut novel by Frank Peretti does what C.S Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" did for a previous generation: It brings spiritual warfare to the forefront. The book is about the spiritual battle for the soul of the town of Ashton. Rev. Hank Busche and local newspaper editor Marshall Hogan separately uncover a plot by the town bigwigs to bring New Age consciousness and demon worship to the masses. But alternating between scenes involving protagonists and antagonists are scenes where angels and demons duke it out for the soul of the city. There are breathtaking battles throughout the novel. There are also spunky characters like Bernice and sinister characters like Professor Langstrat and Rev. Oliver Young, and Chief Al Brummel. But some of the storyline borders on the cartoonish. Are we to believe that demons attack engine carburetors so that cars break down? On the other hand, the book does a great of showing how the angels of God rely heavily on "prayer cover," that is, the degree of their effectivess is impacted by the power and consistency of our prayers. I loved reading about how Rev. Busche was feared by the demon world because he was always praying. I really wanted to give this book 4 stars instead of five because the cosmic conflicts with demons and angels often reminded me of Ninja turtle battle scenes. The book occasionally lacks the realism of C.S Lewis' aforementioned masterpiece. But the story line is amazing, and after this novel, scores of popular books on spiritual warfare came out. Jerry Jenkins also cites this book as a key influence on many of the later Christian fiction classics that were released, including the Left Behind series. Because of the book's unique historical importance, I decided to give it 5 stars (with reservations). I should also say that "The Oath" is still my favorite Peretti novel. | ||
 | Ticket to Ride | |
 | "Nice Memoir of the Beatles US tour of 1964-1965" | 2009-06-18 |
| At first, it looked like this book was going to be a dud. The author would ask the Beatles different questions, and they would say things like "Yeah. Uh huh. Is that what you think?" But the author was the only official American reporter who had insider access to the Beatles while they toured America.. He gives an interesting firsthand account on what Beatlemania was like (screaming fans, girls following the Fab Four to their hotel rooms, the frustration of the Beatles that they couldn't seem to get much alone time. You can see how this could get old after a while and how it convinced the Beatles to stop touring and to focus on their studio albums. One thing I did not know was that George Harrison liked jelly beans, and that when fans found this out, they started winging them at the Beatles while they were performing on stage. The jelly beans in America are hard and solid, so it really hurt to get hit in the head (I guess jelly beans in Britain are softer). Another interesting tidbit was that Kane was there on the plane while Lennon and Mccartney were practicing and writing the song that would become "Eight Days a Week." Kane thinks of this every time the song gets played on the radio. Kane notes that there was so much screaming at Beatles' concerts that you couldn't always hear the music. But the concerts at the Hollywood Bowl and at Shea Stadium are highlights. Some of the Beatles looked back on the Hollywood Bowl concert with fond memories of how well the band played that night. This book is not the first Beatles book a person should read, but it is a nice souvenir and supplement of their American tour. | ||
 | The Piano Tuner : A Novel | |
| "Dull at Times" | 2009-06-18 |
| I had a tough time getting into this one. Edgar Drake is a British piano tuner in 1886. He gets an assignment from the military to go to Burma and tune a piano for a British doctor. So he leaves his wife behind and travels to the other side of the world. To make a long story short, he gets mesmerized by the beauty of Burma and its tribal peoples and cultures, he gets Malaria, he becomes infatuated and fascinated with Dr. Carroll's girlfriend, and you start wondering whether or not the piano tuner is ever going to go home to his wife. The piano tuner also has a great appreciation for the music that he hears. You learn a lot about the British efforts to maintain control of its interests in Asia and how explosive things could get. Daniel Mason does a great job of setting the scene and describing the story's surroundings. But for the most part, I found the book to be fairly dry. I give it three stars. | ||
 | Ticket to Ride: Inside the Beatles 1964 & 1965 Tours That Changed the World | |
| "Nice Memoir of the Beatles US tour of 1964-1965" | 2009-06-18 |
| At first, it looked like this book was going to be a dud. The author would ask the Beatles different questions, and they would say things like "Yeah. Uh huh. Is that what you think?"
But the author was the only official American reporter who had insider access to the Beatles while they toured America.. He gives an interesting firsthand account on what Beatlemania was like (screaming fans, girls following the Fab Four to their hotel rooms, the frustration of the Beatles that they couldn't seem to get much alone time. You can see how this could get old after a while and how it convinced the Beatles to stop touring and to focus on their studio albums. One thing I did not know was that George Harrison liked jelly beans, and that when fans found this out, they started winging them at the Beatles while they were performing on stage. The jelly beans in America are hard and solid, so it really hurt to get hit in the head (I guess jelly beans in Britain are softer). Another interesting tidbit was that Kane was there on the plane while Lennon and Mccartney were practicing and writing the song that would become "Eight Days a Week." Kane thinks of this every time the song gets played on the radio. Kane notes that there was so much screaming at Beatles' concerts that you couldn't always hear the music. But the concerts at the Hollywood Bowl and at Shea Stadium are highlights. Some of the Beatles looked back on the Hollywood Bowl concert with fond memories of how well the band played that night. This book is not the first Beatles book a person should read, but it is a nice souvenir and supplement of their American tour. | ||
 | The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals | |
| "You'll Question Why You're Eating What You're Eating" | 2009-06-07 |
| What shall we eat? Should we eat chicken once we know how inhumanely chickens are treated on industrial farms? Once you see how animals are killed, slaughtered and eviscerated, do you really want to eat them? If you're hunting for mushrooms, how do you know which ones will agree with you and which ones are poisonous? Should we eat only humanely treated animals off the farm? Should we eat processed foods loaded with chemicals made with corn syrup, corn starch, or glucose and fructoses derived from the inside of the corn cob and now mixed with chemicals? This is the omnivore's dilemma. Michael Pollan spends time on an industrial corn farm in Iowa, watching corn get harvested and sent to a feed mill, which is then purchased by cattle farmers, who then get fat on the corn (even though they are gastronomically designed to eat pasture, not corn). The cows are purchased, then taken to an industrial plant where they are slaughtered, and after a while, the cow becomes ingredients in our Big Macs and in our processed foods and in our supermarkets. Pollan then spends a week on Joel Salatin's organic farm where he is duly impressed with the farm's efficiency and better treatment of the animals, though he grimaces at the prospect of butchering chickens. Pollan then goes vegetarian for a while as he considers the arguments of the animal rights groups. Then he goes boar hunting and shoots his own boar and prepares a completely organic meal at the end of the book consisting of food where he does all the hunting and gathering. It's a good book and definitely makes you think about where your food comes from, how it is prepared, and whether or not you really want to eat it. The most amazing thing to me was learning how many of our foods are made from corn. Almost everything either has that nasty no good for you corn syrup or corn starch, or is made up of processed sugars from the cob of the corn. Makes you want to eat veggies and fruits and nothing else. Read at your own risk. | ||
 | The Phantom of the Opera: The Original Novel | |
| "The Original Opera Ghost" | 2009-05-21 |
| The Phantom of the Opera is about a tortured soul who inhabits the cellar of the Paris Opera House, wanting to be loved and accepted as he is, wanting as normal life as possible. This means being married to a beautiful girl, of course, and Christine is his reluctant love interest. He is called the Angel of Music because of his tremendous singing voice and his gift for musical composition and organ playing. When his opera box is put on the market, he sends a letter of protest to the Opera house managers. The story is told from the perspective of the author and from the perspective of the Persian, the man who befriends the Opera Ghost. We can relate to the Opera Ghost because we all have aspects of our lives that are ugly and we don't want people we care about to reject us. The story is a bit bombastic and unrealistic, but the need to be loved and accepted for who we are shines through this classic novel. | ||
 | The Good Earth | |
| "The Earth is Good, Greed for the things of earth is bad" | 2009-05-17 |
| The title sums up the message of the book as I see it. Wang Lung is a farmer in China in the first quarter of the 20th century. He marries a servant girl named O-Lan, who surprises him with how hard-working and skilled and resourceful she is with all kinds of work. Wang-Lung continuously marvels at the thought that "this is my woman!" A terrible drought leads the struggling young family to move south in order to beg for bread and rice while Wang-Lung pulls a rickshaw to make a few pence so that the family can buy food the next morning. But soon, Wang Lung is not satisfied, and he wants more. He wants more land, he wants more financial security. He wants his sons to be scholars like the boys in town, he wants the respect of the village, and he wants to be great like the House of Hwang. He starts going to the tea houses, and pretty soon, he wants a pretty concubine, which ends up costing him 100 pieces of silver and his household becomes filled with turmoil. Basically, Wang Lung becomes the person he used to despise, a materialistic person who is never satisfied with what he has and one who eyes his prospective foes with suspicion. Seems like the only happy person in the family is the retarded daughter. It's ironic that the family members call her a fool, when in reality, she is the only one who isn't a fool because she is content with what she has! This book is a great and stirring and soulful look at how easily people can lose sight of what is truly important to chase after an apparition, a fantasy, something that can never bring fulfillment. | ||
 | The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, ISBN 0671035770 | |
| "The Earth is Good, Greed for the things of earth is bad" | 2009-05-17 |
| The title sums up the message of the book as I see it. Wang Lung is a farmer in China in the first quarter of the 20th century. He marries a servant girl named O-Lan, who surprises him with how hard-working and skilled and resourceful she is with all kinds of work. Wang-Lung continuously marvels at the thought that "this is my woman!" A terrible drought leads the struggling young family to move south in order to beg for bread and rice while Wang-Lung pulls a rickshaw to make a few pence so that the family can buy food the next morning. But soon, Wang Lung is not satisfied, and he wants more. He wants more land, he wants more financial security. He wants his sons to be scholars like the boys in town, he wants the respect of the village, and he wants to be great like the House of Hwang. He starts going to the tea houses, and pretty soon, he wants a pretty concubine, which ends up costing him 100 pieces of silver and his household becomes filled with turmoil. Basically, Wang Lung becomes the person he used to despise, a materialistic person who is never satisfied with what he has and one who eyes his prospective foes with suspicion. Seems like the only happy person in the family is the retarded daughter. It's ironic that the family members call her a fool, when in reality, she is the only one who isn't a fool because she is content with what she has! This book is a great and stirring and soulful look at how easily people can lose sight of what is truly important to chase after an apparition, a fantasy, something that can never bring fulfillment. | ||
 | The Good Earth (Oprah's Book Club) | |
| "The Earth is Good, Greed for the things of earth is bad" | 2009-05-17 |
| The title sums up the message of the book as I see it. Wang Lung is a farmer in China in the first quarter of the 20th century. He marries a servant girl named O-Lan, who surprises him with how hard-working and skilled and resourceful she is with all kinds of work. Wang-Lung continuously marvels at the thought that "this is my woman!" A terrible drought leads the struggling young family to move south in order to beg for bread and rice while Wang-Lung pulls a rickshaw to make a few pence so that the family can buy food the next morning. But soon, Wang Lung is not satisfied, and he wants more. He wants more land, he wants more financial security. He wants his sons to be scholars like the boys in town, he wants the respect of the village, and he wants to be great like the House of Hwang. He starts going to the tea houses, and pretty soon, he wants a pretty concubine, which ends up costing him 100 pieces of silver and his household becomes filled with turmoil. Basically, Wang Lung becomes the person he used to despise, a materialistic person who is never satisfied with what he has and one who eyes his prospective foes with suspicion. Seems like the only happy person in the family is the retarded daughter. It's ironic that the family members call her a fool, when in reality, she is the only one who isn't a fool because she is content with what she has! This book is a great and stirring and soulful look at how easily people can lose sight of what is truly important to chase after an apparition, a fantasy, something that can never bring fulfillment. | ||
 | Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages | |
| "A Manual on Preaching That is Easy to Follow" | 2009-04-30 |
| There are many good preaching textbooks worth purchasing, but this one is the best because it is written in simple language with clear and easy steps to take. Robinson states that "Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers (21)." But Robinson goes on to say that expository preaching at its core is more of a philosophy than a method. Whether or not a person may be called an expositor depends on how he or she would answer this question: "Do you, as a preacher, endeavor to bend your thought to the Scriptures, or do you use the Scriptures to support your thought?"20 He says we must through study discover the central idea (the big idea) of the text. He counsels that in order to do this, we must select the text, study the text, and determine the exegetical idea of the text (p.51-70). He understands that there will be times (Easter, Christmas, special occasions) when we will need to present topical sermons, but more often than not, the text does not say what we wish it to say, and we have to make sure that the thought of the Scripture shapes the way we present the topic. He then talks about submitting the exegetical idea of the passage to three developmental questions: What does this mean?" "Is it true," and What difference does it make?" 79-96. "Is it true" seems rather rhetorical. After all, evangelical Christian believers will certainly say "Yes, this is true." Don Sunukjian rephrases the three developmental questions this way: "Do we buy it?" p. 87. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him?" A person could be thinking "My son is dying from leukemia. I have a hard time buying the idea that God might be using this for good. What good could come from my little boy's suffering?" After running the central idea of the text through the three developmental questions, Robinson urges the rewriting of the exegetical big idea in a memorable timeless way. Then the minister must determine the purpose of the sermon, or what he or she would like the parishioners to do as a result of hearing this sermon. Then the minister must decide how this idea should be handled to accomplish the sermon's purpose. Perhaps there is an idea to be explained, or a proposition to be proved, a principle to be applied, or a subject to be completed, or a story to be told. 107-125. Having decided how the central idea of the sermon should be expounded, then the outline can be written. Then expositors can fill in the outline with anecdotes, quotations, illustrations. After this, the introduction and conclusion may be formed, followed by the manuscripting of the outline. There is a helpful conclusion about style. He discusses vocal clarity and gestures and preaching without notes. This is a great book and if I could only have one book on how to preach, this is the one I would choose. Donald Sunukjian and Bryan Chappell and Ramesh Richard have great textbooks, too, and they have areas in their books where they refine and sharpen some of the things that Robinson posits. But Robinson's book is the easiest to read. You'll also appreciate the exercises and practice sessions he extends at the end of each chapter. | ||
 | The Falls : A Novel (Oates, Joyce Carol) | |
| "Well Written, marred by less than likable people" | 2009-04-09 |
| Ariah is a newlywed on her honeymoon with her minister/husband Gilbert Erskine. But the morning after their disastrous honeymoon night, he throws himself into the Niagara Falls. Ariah remarries shortly thereafter, but she is convinced that she is a cursed woman. She certainly comes off as a bit of a psycho. Her new husband, Dirk Burnaby is a decent guy, a hard working lawyer, with whom she has three kids. Dirk invariably becomes buried in his work, and he takes an unpopular case where he sues the local chemical companies for polluting the area and causing alarming rates of cancer and other diseases and ailments. Ariah suspects him of having an affair (he isn't having one), and she suppresses her emotions after her husband is murdered by people hired by the local corrupt politicians. The book is called The Falls not only because of the mythology surrounding the Niagara Falls as a suicider's paradise, but because the book is about the fall of Ariah Burnaby into depression and denial, the fall of Dirk Burnaby to workaholism (and eventually death), the fall of the aforementioned Gilbert Erskine, the fall of the community into the hands of corrupt mob bosses and sinister politicians and policemen, and the fall of Nina Olshaker into oblivion. The books is expertly crafted and well written. I just wish that Ariah was a person I could root for. She is simply a self-centered neurotic. I suppose the kids are decent. The tension in the book rests with whether or not the kids will find out the truth about their dad and whether or not Juliet will end up a neurotic like her mother. | ||
 | Joshua | |
| "I Believe in the Promised Land" | 2009-03-13 |
| David Howard does a great job expounding the book of Joshua and emphasizing its theological message. This is exactly the kind of commentary I look for when I'm preparing a sermon. Howard comes to conservative evangelical conclusions throughout the book, beginning with the introduction. He believes the book of Joshua was written no later than the time of David and probably earlier. He believes that the Exodus happened in 1446 BC and that the events in Joshua occur around 1400 BC and later. Howard also rejects the notion that Joshua should be grouped with the first five books of the Old Testament, noting that Joshua should be considered a the first of the Former Prophets. He contends that the central message of the book is Israel's inheritance of the land in fulfillment of God's covenant promises. Howard highlights the emphasis on obedience to God's word in Joshua chapter one. He concludes that the emphasis on prosperity and success in verses 7 and 8 refer not so much to financial success as it does to success in life generally speaking. Howard also concludes that while it was wrong for Rahab to lie in chapter two, what she should have done instead is less certain. He dismisses the idea that God blessed her decision to lie about the spies, but that God overlooked and forgave this so that she is remembered more for her faith than for her lie (Hebrews 11). There is also an extended discussion of the parting of the waters of the Jordan River. This confirms to the community that God is with Joshua in the same way He was with Moses. Howard also discusses the identity of the commander of the Lord's army in Joshua 5. He believes that this commander is more than just an angel, but that he is unlikely to be an theophany of Yahweh, since he is distinguished from Yahweh. Howard is unsure about the idea that the commander is to be identified with the Angel of the Lord, but he doesn't get any more specific than this. He also discusses the important of the holy character of God, and of the need for the land to be cleansed. The gross sin of the Canaanites called for them to be devoted to the Lord in destruction. This is hard for the modern reader, but it emphasizes that God is a holy God and that He only puts up with flagrant disobedience for so long. Howard notes that we see this again in Joshua 7 with the judgment on Achan. By disobeying the command to devote the possessions of Ai to the Lord, he too displayed a flagrant disregard for God's holy character. God does not play favorites. Howard notes how God's land promises come true in chapters 8-10. There is a lengthy discussion of whether or not the sun and moon literally stood still for nearly a day. After considering most of the possibilities, Howard surprisingly concludes that it is poetic language: The sun and the moon stood still in awe of what the Lord had done for Israel. Many readers are bored with the land assignments described in chapters 12-21, but Howard says that this represents the heart of the book. This is where you see God's promises to His people coming true: City by city, wadi by wadi, town by town. As these places are assigned one by one to the children of Israel, we see the glorious unfolding and fulfilling of God's covenant blessings to His people. It wouldn't have been boring to them! They had been waiting for this all their lives! Chapters 22-24 contain some parting words from Joshua to his people. This was a great exposition of Joshua. The strength of the commentary is that Howard gets it. He understands the message of the book and drives it home clearly and forcefully. The weakness of the book is that it is naive about inter and intratextual issues. There are so many places in Joshua where there are repetitions (then the land had rest from war) that there needed to be more discussion about literary theories. Howard rejects the JEDP theory of composition, as well as the idea of a Deuteronomist historian, but I would have liked a tad more discussion on the composition of the book. But other wise, this is definitely a terrific commentary and I recommend it to all pastors and theological teachers. | ||
 | The Letter to the Ephesians | |
| "Rich, Rewarding, Reliable" | 2009-02-25 |
| This is a great, focused, commentary on Ephesians. Peter O'Brien doesn't try to interpret Ephesians based on its rhetorical conventions, or on how it relates to our lives today. This is a straight forward, solid, verse by verse exposition of the epistle to the Ephesians. The introduction takes up around 80 pages or so and has a strong argument in support of Pauline authorship. He acknowledges that some have noted that there is an emphasis on realized eschatology as opposed to the future eschatology of the earlier epistles. He also is well ware of the lack or personal reminisces and the lack of an intimate knowledge of the Ephesian people, which seems inexplicable, seeing that he spent several years living with them and ministering to them. Yet O'Brien feels that denying the Pauline ascription that the text has creates more problems than it solves. The original text probably didn;t have the reference "to the Ephesians," making this a circular letter. Also, its dependance on "the more Pauline" Colossians argues in favor of Pauline authorship here as well. Also, the emphasis on speaking the truth in love throughout this epistle would be a lot of hogwash if someone was pretending to be Paul. And if Paul was allegedly already dead, as some suppose then why does Paul ask for prayer for himself in Ephesians 6? Moreover, the alleged stylistics differences between this epistle and earlier Paulines are a bit overdone and exaggerated. Paul wrote Ephesians! O'Brien identifies Ephesians 1:9-10 as the key to the epistle. He notes that the central thought is God's cosmic plan to make His people unified and mature in Christ. 1:3:14 functions as a one long blessing to God for choosing us and predestining us. One area where I disagreeed with O'Brien was in verse 11, where he contends that this a reference to Jewish people being predestined, where to me, it refers to the Ephesians, who may be both Jewish and Gentile. He points out that the seal in 1:14 is a sign of ownership and protection. He points out that chapter one climaxes with Christ seated with God in the heavenlies, far above all other authorities, and yet in 2:6, we were seated with Christ when we were saved. Awesome! O'Brien seems to have Calvinist leanings in his understanding of predestination and in how God prepared works in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10), but he never allows his personal predilections to intrude on his reading of the text (and I lean toward an Arminian take on these texts). In Ephesians 3, O'Brien contends that the gospel itself was not the mystery, but the manner in which it was revealed was a mystery. Making Jew and Gentile one in Christ was the mystery part. In chapter four, O'Brien observes that Paul begins to make his exhortations. We need to put on the new self that God created for us in Christ. At the end of chapter four (4:31), O'Brien highlights the different emphases in the words bitterness (a state of sharp resentment), rage (outbursts) anger (seething), brawling (shouting back and forth), and slander (blasphemy) and malice (attitude of wickedness). Bringing out the meaning of the Greek text was very helpful for me. In chapter 5, O'Brien says that Paul mentions being filled with the Spirit instead of being drunk not because the Ephesians were a bunch of drunks, but that drunkenness was an example of the old life that needed to be put off, and that we should instead be controlled by God. I am questioning O'Brien's take on Ephesians 5:21, where he says "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" means submitting to those who are higher in authority than you are, and that it is not referring to a mutual submission. So wives submit to husbands and children to parents, and slaves to masters. But he does make clear that those holding positions of authority are commanded to be loving and fair rather than being bossy. O'Brien also mentions that the mystery in verse 31-32 is the union of Christ and the church as typified in marriage. The book concludes with a stimulating discussion of the armor of God. O'Brien observes that the themes of salvation and the word and faith and prayer have already been highlighted earlier in Ephesians. This is one of the best commentaries on Ephesians that you can get. Not too short and not too long, and very helpful. The main areas for improvement would be for O'Brien to focus more on the structure of the text and to the rhetorical and literary conventions used by the author. Also, more of the social and cultural background would have been illuminating. | ||
 | Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphones (White) | |
| "Wonderful sound, can use on the train without disturbing people" | 2009-01-31 |
| Some people have complained that these buds don't sound very good. Here's what you gotta remember: a. The Shure SE210s come with six different choices of earbud cushions. Use the ones with the biggest holes. The bigger holes give you the bigger sound. b. You gotta jam these babies DEEP into your ear so that it creates the classic earplug seal. Once you do these two things, you get the great sound. c. Your earbuds will only sound as good as your source. MP3 files on your ipod are not going to sound as crisp and powerful as listening to a cd, unless you rip with the Apple Lossless version (it takes up more memory on your ipod, but it's worth it). These earplugs/buds don't have the woofer and tweeters of the SE530, but they sound terrific anyway. You hear instruments and throat sounds and words that you can't hear on cheap, store-bought buds. Fleetwood Mac's remastered Rumours album never sounded better than on these buds! Moreover, the detail you can hear in each song is incredible. Listening to James Taylor's classic live version of Steamroller Blues, I could hear voices in the crowd that I couldn't hear on other phones. Not only that, you can crank these babies up, and your wife won't hear a sound! They are perfect for plane trips, train trips, and bedtime. They are also nice when I'm on the treadmill, because they block out the noise. The downside? I don't think earplugs are all that comfortable for long term wearing. I get that earplug air pressure feeling in my ears that I can only handle for so long. Others won't mind this at all, but I prefer over the ear phones whenever possible. Another downside is that the best sounding ear bud cushions may or may not be a good fit for your ear. My wife likes the white funnel shaped cushions, but the holes are so narrow that they muffle a lot of the music's richness. I couldn't believe the improvement in quality when I switched to the cushions with the wider holes. These are the best sound isolation buds I own. The sound isn't always as crisp and clear as the sound is on my beloved Grado SR125s, but they are powerful and they are my phones of choice for travel and nighttime listening. There's no denying the sound quality here. Great highs and mids, good, but not overpowering bass (if you follow my two suggestions), and a great overall listening experience. If you like buds and plugs, these are definitely worth getting, (especially if you can find them on sale, because Shure is well known for creating earbuds that reproduce the sound the way the original artists meant for you to hear it. | ||
 | SR125 | |
| "The Best I Own. Incredible Sound!" | 2009-01-31 |
| I tried the Grado Sr 60, the Sr 80, and the SR 125 on a hi fi stereo, and as you can surmise, the higher the number, the more detailed and crisp the sound. Mind you, all three models sounded wonderful, but for these audiophile ears, I wanted to get the best I could honestly afford (and the best headphones I could afford without being soundly rebuked by my better half). The sound quality on these are phenomenal. Clear and crisp, powerful without sounding distorted, these are the Grado SR 125s. Listening to Neil Diamond's Hot August Night was a truly wonderful experience. These phones sound like $500 speakers. I felt like I was at the Greek Theatre listening to Neil live. Listening to a hi fi stereo is of course even more incredible than listening to an MP3 player, but that probably goes without saying. A couple of minor quibbles: The cord is awfully long, the plastic looks kind of cheap for something that costs $150, and on an ipod, you gotta crank the volume (or maybe I'm just getting deaf). These are not sound isolating or noise cancelling, so you won't want to wear them in bed with your spouse trying to sleep. You should also keep in mind that your Grados will only sound as good as your source. MP3 files on your ipod are not going to sound as crisp and powerful as listening to a cd, unless you rip with the Apple Lossless version (it takes up more memory on your ipod, but it's worth it). They sound better with a stereo than with an ipod, but I love them dearly. Highly recommended. | ||
 | A Rabbi Talks With Jesus | |
| "Dr. Neusner goes back in time to Meet the Jesus of Matthew's Gospel" | 2009-01-09 |
| I thought the book was a neat idea. Let's go back in time and hang out with the Master as he teaches the Sermon on the Mount and other assorted lessons. The book is 161 pages long, and Neusner takes 36 pages to tell us what he's going to do and why he didn't focus on the other gospels and on other teachings and stories of Jesus. Obviously, this is necessary, but I felt it took too much space and too much time. Moreover, I had some issues with some of the things Dr. Neusner shared in this section. He mentioned that he couldn't bring himself to dialogue with the Jesus of John's Gospel because John and the Johannine Jesus abhorred the Jews. But it could be possible to see John's Gospel as reflecting a "sharp family disagreement" between the Jewish Jesus and Jewish leaders. The books division of Jesus' ministry according to the Jewish calendar is strange indeed for a supposedly anti-Jewish work. The same goes for the sharp disagreements the Matthaen Jesus has with the Scribes and with the Pharisees. When we get into the book proper, we see that Neusner agrees with many of Jesus' teachings. The stuff he really struggles with are the teachings which showcase the authority of Jesus, like when Jesus says "You have heard that it has been said, but I say to you," or when he says "Leave everything and follow me," or when He says "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath," or when He says "Something greater than the temple is here." Neusner cannot envision anything greater than the Torah given by God on Mount Sinai, and so he is great puzzled by Jesus' unique authority. At this point, I wanted to say "Nu? Is not the uniqueness of Jesus Christ the main theme of Matthew's Gospel? We see this right from the get-go: His unique genealogy, His unique conception, His unique birth narrative, His unique baptism, His unique encounter with the devil, His unique teachings, and yes, His unique authority. Neusner also struggles to grasp how Jesus can declare all foods clean when we have the food laws in Leviticus and Numbers. It goes back to the main issue: The unique authority and person of Jesus. Dr. Neusner also wishes that Jesus would have used the plural form of "you" more often. He wanted Jesus to speak to Israel corporately and not just to individual people within the community. In fact, this is one of the other big reasons why Neusner chooses not to follow Jesus. I would say that everything written in the Scriptures has implications for our individual lives and our corporate lives and while there is a lot of eschatological teaching directed at the individual, there are texts where Jesus does address the community (Luke 19:19-43 for instance), and he does this without rehashing and reprising all that was written in the Torah (Exodus 21-24). I couldn't help but think of how Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3 that even when Moses is read in the shuls, a veil covers the hearts of those who hear, and only in Christ is the veil taken away. I realize some may cry "foul" at this, but I couldn't get that scripture text out of my head as I read Neusner's book. I feel sheepish, because the truth is that I deeply respect him as a careful scholar of Judaism and writer and editor of over 900 books. He is a wise and learned man. I recommend this book and thank Dr. Neusner for writing it. | ||
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