Tag Archives: Review

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Book Review: Sherman: The Ruthless Victor by Agostino Von Hassell and Ed Breslin

Sherman: The Ruthless VictorThomas Nelson Publishing Company has released a series called The Generals, biographies of the great generals of American history. Several months ago, I read and reviewed Lee: A Life of Virtue.

I loved it. So when I had the chance to read and review another book in this series, I jumped at it.

This time around, I read Sherman: The Ruthless Victor. Again, I loved it. However, I have to say that I’m not a big fan of William Tecumseh Sherman.

Sherman was one of the first to implement the concept of “total war”, the goal being to leave your opponent unable to continue to fight. Early warfare was structured, armies facing each other across a field of battle, visible to one another. During the Revolutionary War, that started to change, as American colonists adopted native American methods of fighting.

By the time of the Civil War, this was becoming more accepted in war. But Sherman, along with Grant and a few others, began to take this concept one step farther: Not only did they use concealment as they fought; they attempted to annihilate the enemy’s ability to fight back. This meant destroying supply lines, ammunition stores, factories and industry, and anything else that would enable the enemy to continue to wage war.

Sherman took this too far by destroying homes and possessions that didn’t fit into this criteria.

While I’m not a fan of Sherman, I did love the book. It was well written and very informative. It was definitely worth reading. If you are a history buff, especially of the Civil War era, I suggest you pick up a copy and read it. You won’t be able to put it down.

Who is your favorite American general? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in reading the Sherman:  The Ruthless Victor, by Agostino Von Hassell and Ed Breslin, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“

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Book Review: Zombie Church by Tyler Edwards

Zombie ChurchOver the holidays I completed Zombie Church, by Tyler Edwards.

I was skeptical at first; what in the world could zombies have to do with the church? But I was intrigued.

And after the first couple of chapters, I was hooked, I was shocked, and I was scared.

I first met Tyler when he spoke at a week of junior high camp for us. His messages were excellent, but I was really impressed with him as a person. He stayed in the dean’s cabin with me and the other dean, Eric. We spent the hours after the campers went to bed playing Phase 10, laughing at Eric on no sleep, and having a great week. It was great. When he found out that week that I read and reviewed books, he asked if I would be interested in reading and reviewing Zombie Church. Like I said, I was intrigued.

Not too long after that, I received a copy of the book from his publisher.

I was intrigued…
My initial questions were centered around the idea of just how the church could have anything at all in common with zombies, or even B-level, cheesy zombie movies. I couldn’t see the connection at all. But, cheesy or not, I enjoy a good zombie flick as much as the next guy, most of the time. There have been a couple that I couldn’t bear to watch. He even references one of them later in the book, Undead Alive.

Since I couldn’t fathom how he’d connect zombies and the church, I knew I had to read on.

I was hooked…
It didn’t take long, in fact. It was on page 12 that I read a quote from Brennan Manning, one of my favorite authors:

The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny them with their lifestyle.

All of a sudden, I could see the similarity between the church, or at least a portion of it, and zombiism. Just a few pages later, Edwards says this:

When the church neglects the commission of Jesus — stops ministering to the poor and the hurting and stops sharing the love of God with others — then it stops living.

So true.

And very frightening. But more on that in a moment.

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Book Review: Big Book Of History

Big Book Of HistoryAs a homeschool dad, I’m always on the lookout for excellent teaching resources.

The Big Book of History is one such resource. I was intrigued, and my kids were fascinated with it.

It’s simply this: a fold-out time line of history from Creation through today. With tons of information, and very visually captivating images, this resource will be incredibly useful in our history lessons.  Once unfolded, it extends to fifteen feet!  It’s extremely easy to follow and includes lots of sidebars and mini-timelines with additional information.

I’m extremely impressed with the Big Book of History. In fact, I’m considering buying another one to disassemble and hang up in our school room for our kids to access easily.

With access online to a study guide, the Big Book of History will make a great teaching tool for parents, as well as in the church.

I highly recommend that you add one of these to your library. It will definitely come in handy!

What resources do you use to teach history, if any? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in utilizing the Big Book Of History, you can purchase it at Amazon.com, or you can order the panels only.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from New Leaf Press/Master Books as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“

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Book Review: Answers Book For Teens by Bodie Hodge, Tommy Mitchell and Ken Ham

Answers Book For TeensSome of my favorite books are the Answers Books, a series created by Answers in Genesis.

In these books, dozens of questions are answered. Most of them are about creation, or related issues. But there other questions included as well, involving several of the other fundamentals of the Christian faith.

When I learned that Master Books was producing a version of these books geared towards teens, I was excited!

Upon receiving my copy of what I hope to be the first of a series of several, I devoured it within hours.

I was impressed!

Written specifically for ages 13-17, AB4T answers fifteen different questions, half of which are specifically related to Creation issues. The rest deal with questions that frequently plague teens: questions of identity, pain, sex and faith.

Written in an engaging manner, sure to grab and hold the attention of the reader, AB4T is hard to put down, even for an old guy like me!

I’m so impressed with this resource, that I will be purchasing several copies for our youth ministry, making them available for any of our teens who would like read it.

If you have a teen in you home, I would suggest you grab a copy of AB4T for them for Christmas. They will love it! Or, make a few copies available to the youth in your church. It’s a resource that will come in handy.

Have you read the original Answers Books? If so, what did you think? Would you consider AB4T for the teens in your family? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in reading Answers Book For Teens, Answers Book 1, Answers Book 2, or Answers Book 3, you can purchase them at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from New Leaf Press/Master Books as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“

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Book Review: Charlie And Trike In The Grand Canyon Adventure by Ken Ham and Karen Hansel

Charlie And Trike In The Grand Canyon AdventureBeing a father of five can be a full time job.

One of the benefits of that job is getting to read to my kids. I love spending time with them, and reading to your kids has several benefits, both to you and to your children.

Recently, I read Charlie And Trike In The Grand Canyon Adventure to my three older kids. It’s a cute story about a monkey and a triceratops who hike deep into the Grand Canyon with a mysterious tour guide. As they examine rock layers, fossils and local wildlife, they arrive at some stunning conclusions about the origins of the Grand Canyon.

Normally, when I review a book, I give my opinions about it. This time, however, I thought it appropriate to allow my kids to express their thoughts concerning Charlie And Trike In The Grand Canyon Adventure.

Titus (Age 7)

TitusJR – Did you like Charlie And Trike In The Grand Canyon Adventure?
Titus – Yeah!

JR – What was your favorite part?
Titus – The part when the Captain saved him (Charlie).

JR – Who was your favorite character?
Titus – Charlie the monkey.

JR – How do you think the Grand Canyon was formed?
Titus – The flood.

JR – Should your friends read this book?
Titus – Yeah!

Lydia (Age 9)

LydiaJR – Did you like Charlie And Trike In The Grand Canyon Adventure?
Lydia – Yeah!

JR – What was your favorite part?
Lydia – The part when Charlie fell into the river.

JR – Who was your favorite character?
Lydia – The Captain.

JR – How do you think the Grand Canyon was formed?
Lydia – Noah’s flood.

JR – Who do you think should read this book?
Lydia – I think Kayna and Belle should read this book!

Hannah (Age 12)

HannahJR – Did you like Charlie And Trike In The Grand Canyon Adventure?
Hannah – Yep!

JR – What was your favorite part?
Hannah – The part where the captain saved Charlie.

JR – Who was your favorite character?
Hannah – I liked Trike.

JR – How do you think the Grand Canyon was formed?
Hannah – When God sent the flood.

JR – Who do you think should read this book?
Hannah – I think younger kids that are just starting church and that don’t understand should read this book.

And there you have it. Three kids, three exuberant expressions of enthusiasm for Charlie And Trike In The Grand Canyon Adventure!  I fully recommend that you grab a copy of this book and read it to your kids.  It will be worth your time!

If you have kids, do you read stories to them? How have you seen your relationship with your children grow from this? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in reading Charlie And Trike In The Grand Canyon Adventure, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from New Leaf Press/Master Books as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“

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Book Review: Average Joe by Troy Meeder

Average JoeEvery once in a while, a feel good book is just what I need to read.

Normally, I prefer to read material that either engages me, as certain fiction authors do, or challenges me to grow.

Average Joe didn’t really do either of those things. But it did fill me with encouragement. And every once in a while, that’s just what I need.

I have a confession: Sometimes I feel like a failure. Sometimes I feel like I just don’t measure up. I wonder what my wife sees in me when there are so many other marriages that look more appealing. I wonder what my kids think about their dad in comparison to the fathers of their friends.

I find myself falling short.

Neither my wife nor my kids will tell you that I’m a terrible husband or father. But I know that I’m not the man I want to be. I’m average.

And that’s what Average Joe is all about. Troy Meeder issues a call to men, helping them to understand that God uses “ordinary” people to do extraordinary things.

Meeder doesn’t give any instructions on how to get past our culture’s perception of what men “should be”. He hasn’t examined why we feel this way, or why we shouldn’t.

What he’s done is give us example after example of “average” men from his own life and from the Bible who have been used by God.

Stories like that are worth hearing. Stories like that bring me the encouragement that I need occasionally.

Do you feel like you don’t “measure up” to cultural expectations of manhood? What do you do to fight this? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in reading Average Joe, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Multnomah Books as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“

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Book Review: Be The People by Carol M. Swain

Be The PeopleBe The People is a book that every person in America needs to read.

Subtitled A Call To Reclaim America’s Faith And Promise, this book establishes a rallying point for Americans to reclaim the foundations our forefathers built this nation upon.

Dr. Carol M. Swain has issued a challenge for us: to either step up and reclaim our nation, or let it slide forever into history.

Dr. Swain takes a close look at several key issues that America is facing, some of which we’ve been dealing with for decades. Regardless of where you stand politically, Dr. Swain offers answers that are worth attempting.

Dealing with explosive issues such as religion, abortion, race, immigration and family, Dr. Swain hits us right where we live. She exposes how the majority of American people are not satisfied with the state of our nation, a fact that the media refuses to acknowledge.

Dr. Swain’s examination of several key issues facing America today is exactly what we need to hear. Sounding a call for the American people to reclaim our nation, Dr. Swain has given us a choice: either take action, or allow apathy to completely destroy our nation.

I know which choice I prefer. Do you?

Do you agree with Dr. Swain’s assessment of America? What can you do about it? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in reading Be The People, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“