..Book Reviews..

October 19, 2007

Starship Trooper by Heinlein, Robert

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

The first chapter is amazing. The rest? Not so much.

Xenocide by Card, Orson Scott

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

550+ pages and no climax?!

Speaker for the Dead by Card, Orson Scott

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

Interesting read. Not nearly as good as Ender's Game, but still some good stuff going on.

October 4, 2007

2001: A Space Odyssey by Clarke, Arthur C.

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

I haven't seen the movie before, but I assumed it was all about Hal.

October 1, 2007

The Return by Aldrin, Buzz and Barnes, John

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

Interesting story, but about 150 pages too long.

September 18, 2007

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein, Robert

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

I read this a while ago and had to reread it. Just as good as I remembered.

Foundation by Asimov, Isaac

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

The lack of consistent central characters and a continuing plot got kind of old.

September 17, 2007

Out of the Silent Planet by Lewis, C.S.

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

I wasn't very impressed.

September 15, 2007

The Cat Who Walks Through Walls by Heinlein, Robert

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

It started out interestingly enough, but it just didn't go anywhere.

September 8, 2007

Rendezvous with Rama by Clarke, Arthur C.

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

August 31, 2007

A Clockwork Orange by Burgess, Anthony

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

August 28, 2007

The Road by McCarthy, Cormac

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

You don't read many post-apocalyptic wasteland novels that win the Pulitzer and are featured on Oprah.

August 27, 2007

The Empire by Card, Orson Scott

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Not really sci-fi as billed.

August 25, 2007

Ender's Game by Card, Orson Scott

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon Read more >>

August 20, 2007

Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church by Driscoll, Mark

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

Good thoughts and reflections on running a church, but he did get under my skin quite a bit.

August 12, 2007

The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More by Anderson, Chris

Filed under: Business | Buy on Amazon

July 9, 2007

Be the Change: Your Guide to Freeing Slaves and Changing the World by Hunter, Zach

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

June 3, 2007

A Long Way Down by Hornby, Nick

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

May 29, 2007

The Blogging Church: Sharing the Story of Your Church Through Blogs by Bailey, Brian and Storch, Terry

Filed under: Business | Buy on Amazon

It's your basic how-to book for pastors or church staff considering a blog.

March 19, 2007

Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About God, Dreams, and Talking Vegetables by Vischer, Phil

Filed under: Business | Buy on Amazon

Nice inside peek at the rise and fall of Big Idea and Veggie Tales.

November 2, 2005

Understanding God's Will by Lake, Kyle

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

Don’t be scared away by the boring title.

May 27, 2005

Bono: In Conversation by Assayas, Michka

Filed under: Pop Culture | Buy on Amazon

It's the perfect memoir for a rock star. Rather than sitting down and actually writing a book (or paying a ghost writer), Bono just talked. It seems very fitting for the talkative Bono.

May 16, 2005

Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse by Boyett, Jason

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

It's a tongue-in-cheek apocalypse manual for the trendy young person who wants to know what all the fuss is about the end of humanity.

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April 19, 2005

Post-Rapture Radio by Russell Rathbun

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

With comparisons to Kierkegaard, pull quotes saying things like "so pithy, so smart, and irreverently funny that I almost bust a gut laughing," and rave reviews from folks like Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt and Andy Crouch, it's hard not to like this book. I didn't like it.

April 8, 2005

Searching for God Knows What by Miller, Donald

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

Earlier I called Donald Miller a more Christian Anne Lamott, which seemed like a fitting description for Blue Like Jazz. But I'm not sure if the same applies to Searching for God Knows What.

March 29, 2005

Blue Like Jazz by Miller, Donald

Filed under: Memoir | Buy on Amazon

I've heard people rave about this book, but it took me a while to finally pick it up. I'm glad I did.

March 28, 2005

Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith by Lamott, Anne

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

I love Anne Lamott. She's crazy and nuts and loves Jesus. Her ficiton is good, but her nonfiction really makes you love this dreadlocked freak.

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March 18, 2005

About a Boy by Hornby, Nick

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Will is a terribly hip, selfish British prick. He's 36, lives alone, and does nothing for a living.

How to be Good by Hornby, Nick

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

This is not a feel good romance.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Angelou, Maya

Filed under: Memoir | Buy on Amazon

In the movie Reality Bites, Ben Stiller claims he knows why the caged bird sings in an effort not to look like a corporate doorknob. Winona Ryder laughs, ask him why, and he says something about because it was in a cage.

Soul Survivor by Yancey, Philip

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

The writer who brought us What's So Amazing About Grace and The Jesus I Never Knew gives us a glimpse into the writers and personalities that influenced him.

The Prodigal Summer by Kingsolver, Barbara

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Finally, a convincing argument for the interconnectedness of nature and humanity that doesn't come off as tree-hugging environmentalism.

Among Schoolchildren by Kidder, Tracy

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Kidder puts you in the classroom and lets you see and experience everything that happens in Chris Zajak's fifth grade class in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

A Sort of Life by Greene, Graham

Filed under: Memoir | Buy on Amazon

And a sort of book. What a let-down from what I've come to expect from Graham Greene.

Teaching a Stone to Talk by Dillard, Annie

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

This is a great introduction to the writing of Annie Dillard.

Tuck Everlasting by Babbitt, Natalie

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

This magical tale about living forever is a good thought-provoking read for a Sunday afternoon.

Brave New World by Huxley, Aldous

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

Nothing like the classic dis-topian sci-fi novels.

I Am Relevant by Various

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

If you want to feel like you can accomplish something, read this book.

A Live Coal in the Sea by L'Engle, Madeleine

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

It sounds like a soap opera, unfolds like a mystery novel, and reads like a classic.

The Stand by King, Stephen

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

In my lifetime of reading I've always steered clear of Stephen King, the master of horror, gore, and million dollar contracts. But I'm beginning to see that he has some skills, and I decided to read something by King.

The Jesus I Never Knew by Yancey, Philip

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

I find myself commiserating with Yancey; despite being raised in the church and attending a Christian college, and now even working for a Christian organization, I feel like I have little understanding of Jesus.

Big Trouble by Barry, Dave

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

The current king of humor writing attempts his first novel, and while the results aren't exactly dripping with literary greatness, it is a good read.

The Jesus Generation by Graham, Billy

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

Take a retro ride into Christianity circa 1971 with your favorite crusading hipster, Billy Graham.

The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls by Brumberg, Joan Jacobs

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Anyone who has dealt with teenage girls has seen an overabundance of insecurity and infatuation with the perfect body.

March 17, 2005

All New People by Lamott, Anne

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

This short novel captures humanity in the amazingly descriptive style of Anne Lamott.

Stength to Love by King, Jr., Martin Luther

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

This collection of sermons by Martin Luther King, Jr. is incredibly intelligent and inspiring.

Ophelia Speaks by Shandler, Sara

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Written as a response to Reviving Ophelia, this book features the work of adolescent girls from every region and socio-economic background writing about their lives.

Lion Country by Buechner, Frederick

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Lion Country is the first novel in the Book of Bebb, and serves to introduce characters that Buechner couldn't stop writing about.

Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia by Hornbacher, Marya

Filed under: Memoir | Buy on Amazon

A difficult book about one women's struggle with eating disorders.

Telling Secrets by Buechner, Frederick

Filed under: Memoir | Buy on Amazon

The third in a series of memoirs from Buechner, Telling Secrets covers some of the same ground as Sacred Journey, but this time around delves deeper into Buechner's various roles and the secrets he's kept, especially his daughter's struggle with an eating disorder. It's a quick read and some excellent prose, a fine example of Buechner's long sentences (routinely 100+ words) that somehow don't become long-winded.

The Princess Bride by Goldman, William

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

It's as delightfully wacky and fun as the movie (and if you haven't seen the movie, I pity you), but with more details and goofball comments from Goldman about why he left parts out. After a while you wonder who let him ramble like this, but it's a fun ride. It captures the power of story and is a perfect book to read out loud.

Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury, Ray

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

An amazing sci-fi novel written 50 years ago that is so applicable today.

An Invisible Sign of My Own by Bender, Aimee

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

This is an odd little novel with a main character that's far beyond normal but not quite clinical. Despite the oddities, it's a fun read and full of some extremely poetic writing.

Unique, odd, strange? Yes. But that's okay.

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Scieszka, Jon

Filed under: Picture Books | Buy on Amazon

This slightly cracked book is a must have for the quirky individual who likes an irreverent take on the classics.

Holes by Sachar, Louis

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Stanley Yelnats has been sentenced to dig a hole a day, five feet deep and five feet across.

May There Be a Road by L'Amour, Louis

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

This collection of previously unpublished stories from the master of Westerns leaves you wanting something deeper.

Crooked Little Heart by Lamott, Anne

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Reading Anne Lamott's nonfiction is like talking to the ultimate sinner-turned-Christian. She's still rough around the edges and doesn't think that's a problem. In one sentence she swears and the next she marvels at Jesus. It's a little hard to handle for some, refreshing for others.

Blue Shoe by Lamott, Anne

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Mattie Ryder is a 37-year-old, mother of two who recently divorced her cheating husband and moved into her mother's rat-infested house.

The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver, Barbara

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

The Poisonwood Bible isn't exactly Sunday School friendly. It's an exploration of the kind of faith it takes to withstand the heart of darkness.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Juster, Norton

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

By the second chapter of this book I was absolutely giddy. It's one of those children's books that you know is good because adults will enjoy it as much as children--if not more so.

The BFG by Dahl, Roald

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Roald Dahl is a master of children's fiction. We're talking James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The BFG is no exception. It explores giants, dreams, expectations, and the little guy coming out ahead.

Jayber Crow by Berry, Wendell

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Wendell Berry's latest novel is another story from the fictional town of Port William. This time around it's the life story of Jaber Crow.

Fast Food Nation by Schlosser, Eric

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

American as apple pie. Once upon a time that statement provoked images of a warm bubbly pie, fresh out of the oven, round and delicious. Today that image is more accurately portrayed as "a small, rectangular, hand-held, frozen, and reheated apple pie," served in a brightly colored cardboard box.

Enter the Worship Circle by Pasley, Ben

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

In a time when worship has become a marketing concept, Ben Pasley pens a personal and deeply spiritual portrait of what it really means to come before the God of all creation in worship.

The Virgin of Bennington by Norris, Kathleen

Filed under: Memoir | Buy on Amazon

This is a book that's not sure what story it's supposed to tell.

Education of a Wandering Man by L'Amour, Louis

Filed under: Memoir | Buy on Amazon

Louis L'Amour is the master of story telling. He's written 90 novels, 23 short story collections, two works of nonfiction, one collection of poetry, and this final memoir, completed shortly before his death in June of 1988. It's not so much the life story of L'Amour as it's the story of his education.

The Rock and Roll Rebellion by Joseph, Mark

Filed under: Pop Culture | Buy on Amazon

The Rock and Roll Rebellion has a curious purpose: it's written for a genre it argues shouldn't exist.

Word Freak by Fatsis, Stefan

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

'Freak' would be the appropriate word for this book.

Sexual Character: Beyond Technique to Intimacy by Dawn, Marva

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

For a sex-obsessed people we're remedial when it comes to understanding sex. Marva Dawn re-examines our understanding of sexuality and brings a character of ethics that's often missing.

When Bad Christians Happen to Good People by Burchett, Dave

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

How can you not like a title like that?

Praise, Anxiety, & Other Symptoms of Grace by Horstman, Joey

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

I have to start by admitting that Joey Horstman was my college professor. You may think I owe him something, but that's not the case. I graduated and my diploma is safely in my hands. Besides, he hasn't been returning my e-mails.

March 4, 2005

Who Let the Blogs Out? by Stone, Biz

Filed under: Business | Buy on Amazon

Aside from its woefully lame title, it actually gives a decent overview of the blogging phenomenon.

January 24, 2005

Forgiving Solomon Long by Well, Chris

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

A hired hit man with obsessive-compulsive disorder takes out his target--a pastor--and is haunted with guilt.

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January 20, 2005

Bad Ground by Cramer, Dale W.

Filed under: Fiction | Buy on Amazon

His mother's dying words sent 17-year-old Jeremy in search of his long lost Uncle Aiden, a bitter and scarred miner who keeps to himself. It's a coming of age story about forgiveness and finding yourself, set in the harsh reality of a macho mining operation.

January 15, 2005

Killing Bono by McCormick, Neil

Filed under: Memoir | Buy on Amazon

Rock critic Neil McCormick shares his story of pursuing the rock and roll dream while living in the shadow of the world's biggest rock band.

August 20, 2004

What Would Buffy Do? by Riess, Jana

Filed under: Pop Culture | Buy on Amazon

At the beginning of the fourth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xander Harris tells Buffy, "When it's dark and I'm all alone and I'm scared or freaked out or whatever, I always think, 'What would Buffy do?' You're my hero."

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August 5, 2004

So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star? by Slichter, Jacob

Filed under: Pop Culture | Buy on Amazon

Semisonic's Jacob Slichter explores the real world of rock and roll in this self-effacing memoir.

The Christian Culture Survival Guide by Turner, Matthew Paul

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

Former CCM editor Matthew Turner tackles the goofy and godly mess that is Christian culture.

May 28, 2004

Shadowmancer by Taylor, G.P.

Filed under: Sci-Fi | Buy on Amazon

Shadowmancer is the latest craze in the publishing world. It's being hailed as 'hotter than Potter' and has a similar rags to riches story: the author, G.P. Taylor, sold his motorcycle to self-publish the book and has now signed a $6 million movie deal.

May 20, 2004

Nickel and Dimed by Ehrenreich, Barbara

Filed under: Non-Fiction | Buy on Amazon

Nickel and Dimed is classic journalism: an upper-middle class, well-educated, white woman tries to survive in the post-welfare boom economy of 1998-2000 as a low-income worker.

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May 19, 2004

What's So Amazing About Grace by Yancey, Philip

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

When I first read this book I checked it out from the library. Big mistake. I couldn't in good conscience write in a library book, and my bookmark was quickly filled with notes and quotes. I finally just bought the book so I could take notes in the margins and make everything easier.

May 18, 2004

What's So Amazing About Grace (visual edition) by Yancey, Philip

Filed under: Picture Books | Buy on Amazon

This tiny book is overloaded with gripping photos, funky type and arresting illustration. It's a visual translation of Philip Yancey's best-selling book and helps cement the concept with a minimum of words.

May 14, 2004

New Way To Be Human by Peacock, Charlie

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

Have you ever wondered if Christianity is supposed to be more than potlucks and Friday night scavenger hunts? You're not alone.

April 18, 2004

Jesus Sound Explosion by Anderson, Mark Curtis

Filed under: Memoir | Buy on Amazon

Welcome to the evangelical Christian culture of the 1970s.

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March 26, 2004

Walk On: The Spiritual Jounrey of U2 by Stockman, Steve

Filed under: Pop Culture | Buy on Amazon

"Christians are hard to tolerate, I don't know how Jesus does it," said Bono, lead singer of the rock band U2, to which he added, "I'm one of them." There's a lot of frustration in that quote, but there's also a confession of faith.

March 25, 2004

U2 - Into the Heart: The Stories Behind Every Song by Stokes, Niall

Filed under: Pop Culture | Buy on Amazon

Have you ever wondered where it is that the streets have no name?

March 24, 2004

The U2 Reader by Bordowitz, Hank

Filed under: Pop Culture | Buy on Amazon

You can imagine that the biggest rock band in the world has generated a lot of press, and not all of it good. The U2 Reader offers a sampling of that media frenzy, covering some of the biggest issues in U2's quarter century career.

March 22, 2004

Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog by Whiteley, Raewynne J.

Filed under: Pop Culture | Buy on Amazon

If you're any kind of U2 fan you're more than familiar with the dripping spirituality of their music. If you're asking "U Who?" you're either craving a disgusting chocolate drink or clueless about the world's biggest rock band. Either way, Get Up Off Your Knees offers religious insight into the songs of U2.

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February 7, 2004

The Man Comes Around by Urbanski, Dave

Filed under: Pop Culture | Buy on Amazon

The music legend Johnny Cash died in September 2003, leaving an incredible musical and spiritual legacy.

February 4, 2004

Red Moon Rising by Greig, Pete

Filed under: Spirituality | Buy on Amazon

In September 1999 a movement began in Chichester, England where young people began praying around the clock.