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Book Review – 7 Women by Eric Metaxas

7 WomenBiographies are some of my favorite books to read these days. Often, I enjoy reading full length biographies. But sometimes, a simple snippet is enough to whet my appetite.

Such is the case with Eric Metaxas‘ new book, 7 Women. Based on the same premise as his earlier book, 7 Men, in this book, Metaxas takes a look at seven individuals, in this case women, and what made them great.

The seven women he briefly examines include Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Hannah More, Saint Maria of Paris, Corrie ten Boom, Rosa Parks, and Mother Teresa.

In each case, Metaxas looks at the life of these women, and strives to determine what it was that made them great. He could have included a lot of women who did great things, things that men had already accomplished, but that wasn’t his goal. These individuals were each unique in what they accomplished, regardless of gender. So what made them so great?

Each of these seven women command a chapter in the book, and each one is riveting. After reading each mini biography, I thought that Metaxas couldn’t top it in the next chapter, but he managed to make each and every entry into this book incredibly interesting. I was spell-bound through each chapter, and I will seek out more information on several of these lives in the future. My interest has been piqued.

I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of 7 Women and read about these great individuals. You will be inspired. You will be challenged. You will be encouraged. And you will enjoy it.

Question: Who are some of the lives you enjoy reading about the most? What biographies would you recommend that I read next? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

If you are interested in reading 7 Women, by Eric Metaxas, you can purchase it at Amazon.com in print or for Kindle. You can also pick up a copy of 7 Men, both in print and for Kindle as well.

I received this book free from Harper Collins Christian Publishing as part of their BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Coffee Break – 09.21.2015

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 1866, H.G. Wells, pioneer of science fiction, is born in Bromley, England. In 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit was first published. And in 1942, the U.S. B-29 Superfortress makes its debut flight in Seattle, Washington. It was the largest bomber used in the war by any nation.

Coffee Break

Brewing Ratios For Dummies – Understanding how much coffee to use compared to water can be confusing for many. This article gives a good breakdown of the coffee to water ratio, and how to understand it.

The Proper Way To Eat Hot Dogs – So many people mess this up… Who knew there was proper etiquette for eating hot dogs?

The Beauty Of Everyday Foods Shot With A Macro Lens – Since we’re on the topic of food, here are a few great shots of foods close up… Very close up.

Edge Of Stability – This is an incredible collection of some timelapse storm footage. It is stunningly beautiful.

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Memorize Scripture: Philippians 2:23-24

Paul is sending Timothy to the Philippians, and soon. His desires, however, and even his expectation, is that he himself will be able to go to them as well.

You can see his desire in Philippians 2:23-24:

Philippians 2:23-24

Paul is sending Timothy to the church in Philippi. Timothy is concerned for the believers in Philippi. His efforts for the gospel are first-rate. He is the logical choice to send.

And, in fact, Paul expects to do just that, as soon he sees how things will go with him. Just what he means by this is uncertain.

The most obvious conclusion is that Paul’s legal problems are being referred to, and that may well be the case. He is in prison, and needs the help that an outsider, such as Timothy, could give. And with his trial looming in the uncertain future, it may be expedient to only send Timothy once things in that area have been nailed down. The added benefit to this is that Timothy would be able to bring the Philippians news of Paul’s continued imprisonment or imminent release.

Another consideration, though, is that Paul may have been referring to personal needs, or a concern for the church. It may surprise many that at this point, Paul is probably in his 70s or even 80s. And prison is no easy thing for anyone, even without the frailties of age. Granted, Paul’s imprisonment in Rome may have been more of a “house arrest,” but he still would have needed the assistance Timothy could give, and he may not have had anyone else that he could depend upon.

7 Women

7 Women by Eric Metaxas (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2015)

A couple of years ago, I read 7 Men, a book containing seven brief biographies of great men. Digging into what made these men so great, author Eric Metaxas did a phenomenal job of creating interest in each of the men depicted, and I followed up with other biographies of some of them.

Now Metaxas has released 7 Women. This book does the same thing. It identifies seven great women, and discovers what it was that made them so great. So far, the book is excellent. And I plan on posting a full review in a week or two, after I finish reading it.

In the meantime, you can pick up either 7 Men or 7 Women on Amazon. Enjoy reading it!

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Book Review – Our Man In Charleston by Christopher Dickey

Our Man In CharlestonOver the past few years, biographies have become one of my favorite genres to read, especially historical biographical sketches. And, my favorite period is the history of the United States, from the earliest days up through the twentieth century.

And, right in the middle of that spread is the US Civil War.

Most of my reading of this particular portion of the US era has been focused on the westward expansion and the events surrounding that effort. I’ve read little more than an overview of the war period itself. However, that has just changed.

During the 1850s and 60s, Great Britain established a consul in the American South, in Charleston, South Carolina, with the main purpose of alleviating several laws that restricted British trade with the cotton producing southern states, especially in regards to blacks, slave or free, and the slave trade itself.

In Our Man In Charleston, Christopher Dickey goes into great detail in examining the life and times of the British consul, Robert Bunch, and the rapidly changing atmosphere in pre-war Charleston. Bunch is one of a handful of British diplomats in the US, but very quickly becomes perhaps the most critical, as he forwards crucial information across the Atlantic, and updates his government on the state of the US and, eventually, the short-lived Confederacy.

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Coffee Break – 09.14.2015

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history, several significant things happened: In 1866, George K. Anderson patented the typewriter ribbon. In 1899, in New York City, Henry Bliss became the first automobile fatality. In 1969, Genesis played their first gig for money in Surrey, England. It was at a cottage owned by a Sunday school teacher. And in 1972, “The Waltons” premiered on CBS-TV, and became one of my grandfather’s favorite shows.

Coffee Break

Espresso Myths That Need Busting – Many of these I have known for years. But I often overhear them in coffee conversations, especially the third and fourth ones listed.

Footprints In The Sand – I have never really like that poem. It has always come across as slightly (ok, largely) cheesy. This take on it, however, is amusing.

15 Religion Treasures At Yale – Though not all of these are Christian treasures, the history represented here is stunning.

Japanese Paper Marbling – Paper artist Tadao Fukuda creates beautifully marbled papers by hand. The art is called suminagashi in Japanese and involves layering swirled ink on top of water. This video shows how intricate and interesting this art is.