I believe Dr. Wright is one of the most ingenious professors because he takes all the surveys, polls, questionnaires, and other information gathering results to expose the true facts rather than the agenda-driven half-truths reported out there in media land.
One extraordinary fact that shines clearly is that we humans tend to dramatize and negativize (made up word) our environment. Pick up a newspaper and see what I mean. Wright has sprinkled through his book "Christians Making A Difference". Quite unusual little tidbits of what Christians are doing to reach out to other to literally make a difference in lives and in our world.
This is non-fiction, and I would that every journalist had it on his/her shelf to give perspective before repeating a half-truth or even an outright lie because some analyzer did not understand the poll or questionnaire results. You don't have to read it straight through, but use it as a reference book. You'll be glad you did.
I rate this 5 out 5 stars for non-fiction.
ABOUT THE BOOK
What If the doomsayers have it all wrong?
It's easy to get discouraged or feel paralyzed by what you hear about the terrible state of the world. But what if the media and other prophets of doom have misled us? Could the world actually be getting better?
The answers... and the facts behind them... may surprise you:
Extreme poverty has been cut in half since the 1980's, in developing countries
Life expectancy has doubled around the world over the last 100 years
Literacy rates have soared from 25% to over 80% over the same period
Sociologist Brad Wright uses the best available data to uncover the truth about the world's most important issues, including poverty, sickness, education, morality, and the environment. While admitting there is still work to be done, he shines a light on why so many things are improving and why no one is talking about it.
MY REVIEW I survived the jungle of Corporate America, it isn't too much different than the Serengeti, however I do believe it is much harsher. I believe a study of Nehemiah would do much more for teaching leadership, and a study of Judges would do wonderful things for teaching principles, just as Joshua would teach warfare. I didn't get as much from this book as I'd hoped to get. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood for it, or my heart wasn't prepared for it. Mayhap the lessons taught were ones that I have already learned. It is high quality presentation, and the contents easily digested so I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
As a brutal business environment meets a soft economy, business leaders and managers are looking for sources of both inspiration and survival. This compelling new business fable offers a riveting tale of life in Africa’s Serengeti and what lessons it holds for today’s beleaguered business people and struggling society.
The wisdom of Surviving Your Serengeti reveals that no journey is ever too long, too far or too difficult. It reassures us that nothing is impossible, that we can overcome any obstacle and survive our own serengeti. The 1.5 million wildebeest rely on stubborn endurance and support from the herd to survive; the alligator is opportunistic; the cheetah ruthlessly effective; the giraffe embodies grace, the lion a master strategist, the mongoose is a risk-taker, the elephant is an excellent communicator.
So which animal are you?
What's your survival strategy?
Stefan Swanepoel's life has been a “Serengeti journey”—from his birth in Kenya to schooling in Hong Kong and South Africa eventually, running a New York-based global franchise network with 25,000 sales associates in 30 countries. In all he has served as president of seven companies and two non-profit organizations.
MY REVIEW
The best advice I can give is don't read the last page. It will infuriate you.
This story is the second in the Roland March series. March is a detective in the Houston PD, and rather reviled by his co-workers, and his bosses. But, much loved by his wife. I find it difficult to swallow that he is still struggling to overcome something bad in his past, when he's so good at solving murders that have stumped everyone else.
The story flow is much like The Closer, if you like that TV Show, you'll like the Roland March stories. While I truly detest present tense prose, Bertrand does an excellent job of doing that kind of prose so that you don't feel breathless or short of breath while reading. It flows well.
Bertrand's brand of storytelling is in the same vein as James Scott Bell's mysteries. The protagonist is not a believer, but is drawn ever closer to God as he faces how cruel and crummy the world can be. It is an interesting perspective, and quiet an unusual way to reach the lost through fiction.
You'll be drawn into the story from the first page. As the mystery unfolds, you learn more about March from what he does't say rather than what he does. March is as big a mystery as those that he solves for a living. I'll keep reading these stories because in spite of myself, I've learned to love ole Roland March and I want at least one good thing to happen to him.
This is 4 out of 5 stars (except for the last page).
J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years, earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after one hurricane too many he relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota. Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.
ABOUT THE BOOK
It's Christmas in Houston, and homicide detective Roland March is on the hunt for a killer. A young woman's brutal stabbing in an affluent neighborhood bears all the hallmarks of a serial murder. The only problem is that March sent the murderer to prison ten years ago. Is it a copycat -- or did March convict the wrong man?
Alienated from his colleagues and with a growing rift in his marriage, March receives messages from the killer. The bodies pile up, the pressure builds, and the violence reaches too close to home. Up against an unfathomable evil, March struggles against the clock to understand the hidden message in the pattern of wounds.
My apologies to Angela Hunt. I was to review this book last month and failed to do so. I am so very sorry!
This is such an interesting weaving of each sister's thoughts and how they react to the passing of their grandmother. They are certainly Southern Belles, and I relate to them on that level immediately. However, they have nine marriages among them. That is a slew of marriages to be sure.
I so much enjoyed how Angela developed each sister's personality and how they interact, how they scrape against each other, and how they are typical women trying to live their lives to the best within the circumstances they find themselves.
I do not like switching from one character to another in an abrupt manner, or being jerked from one interesting sister only to be plunked down in the middle of another sister's catastrophe. However, Angela Hunt does this in a most intriguing way you hardly notice the shift, and at least you have big letters announcing a new chapter and a different sister. That always keeps the story train from jolting to a halt.
Good story, great beach read. Spend some summer time with these sisters. I'm sure you'll recognize one of them as someone in your own family.
4 out of 5 stars
ABOUT THE BOOK Three grown Southern sisters have ten marriages between them—and more loom on the horizon—when Ginger, the eldest, wonders if she’s the only one who hasn't inherited what their family calls “the Grandma Gene”: the tendency to like the casualness of courtship better than the intimacy of marriage. Could it be that her two sisters are fated to serially marry, just like their seven-times wed grandmother, Mrs. Lillian Irene Harper Winslow Goldstein Carey James Bobrinski Gordon George? It takes a “girls only” weekend, closing up Grandma’s treasured beach house for the last time, for the sisters to really unpack their family baggage, examine their relationship DNA, and discover the true legacy their much-marrying grandmother left behind . . .
I am never disappointed with anything T. Davis Bunn produces. He is a master at draping suspense around his characters who are developed to a poignant degree. You care what happens to them, even the hardened criminals and the sleazy cafe' proprietors.
Bunn has jumped on the Middle East wagon with this tale of missing persons and manufactured evidence. I just love Semeh who precariously walks a thin line as a Christian Iraqi. The intricate thread of faith is woven with delicate hand in this story, but it is stronger than in most other stories I've read by Bunn. I love how faith and reality collide in the Middle East, how danger lurks, ever poised to strike like a cobra and just as deadly.
You will be pleased with this book. It is well worth the money and a definite keeper. But do hold on to your hat, and do have a tall iced tea at your elbow because the sand and heat will suck you dry.
Born and raised in North Carolina, Davis left for Europe at age twenty. There he first completed graduate studies in economics and finance, then began a business career that took him to over forty countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Davis came to faith at age 28, while living in Germany and running an international business advisory group. He started writing two weeks later. Since that moment, writing has remained both a passion and a calling.
Davis wrote for nine years and completed seven books before his first was accepted for publication. During that time, he continued to work full-time in his business career, travelling to two and sometimes three countries every week. His first published book, The Presence, was released in 1990 and became a national bestseller.
Honored with three Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his bestsellers include The Great Divide, Winner Take All, The Meeting Place, The Warning, The Book of Hours, and The Quilt.
A sought-after speaker in the art of writing, Davis serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Marc Royce works for the State Department on special assignments, most of them rather routine, until two CIA operatives go missing in Iraq--kidnapped by Taliban forces bent on generating chaos in the region. Two others also drop out of sight--a high-placed Iraqi civilian and an American woman providing humanitarian aid. Are the disappearances linked? Rumors circulate in a whirl of misinformation.
Marc must unravel the truth in a covert operation requiring utmost secrecy--from both the Americans and the insurgents. But even more secret than the undercover operation is the underground dialogue taking place between sworn enemies. Will the ultimate Reconciler between ancient enemies, current foes, and fanatical religious factions be heard?
We have all had our share of trials and troubles, and we've all had to wade through them to get to dry land because this is common to man. It began the day Eve was tempted and gave to Adam the forbidden fruit to eat.Insider Thought Tradingis a step-by-step of overcoming adversity.
Jim Bars had a huge mountain to climb to get out of his particular valley of the shadow of death. Of course, just like many of us, he arrived in that valley because of some terrible choices he made.
This is a thought provoking, dedicated study of how he finally looked up into the eyes of Jesus who lifted him from that valley. It wasn't easy, and his quest for wholeness didn't happen overnight. Jim Bars has logged in thousands of hours in research and study of psychology, philosophy, the Bible, and neural-science. This book is the product of his research and personal experiences.
Here you have a step-by-step guide into mental health and body wellness/fitness and quite interestingly Jim spells it -- WHOLENESS. He points out we cannot be whole without Jesus for it is He who makes us complete. You will recognize mental pitfalls that Jim points out because we've all fallen into them. Your mind and thought processes wage a war every day.
What you take away from this book is the "goal is to find joy in the Lord everyday!" How can that happen if you program your thoughts into that negative rut? Why would anyone want a relationship with God if it wasn't filled with joy? What marvelous questions! We Christians need this reminder just as the lost need to know it. When you redecorate your mind with Jesus instead of all the worldly stuff, you are trading your negatives for positives; but your daily battles become harder because Satan hates for a person to have a great relationship with God. When you re-wallpaper your mind with Christ, you are freeing Him to reign in your heart and mind wherein lies great strength for relinquishing Satan and him minions.
Give this book, along with the companion workbook, to every lost person you know. Give it to your loved one who is struggling with defeatist thinking. They will see how to overcome life's most trying troubles through the greater strength of Jesus Himself.
This story starts out with a huge bang, suspenseful and intriguing. While the storyline is compelling and keeps you turning pages, the plot depends upon this "lost" books of the bible: II Acts and the "rest" of Mark. For any plot to work, it must be plausible.
Where these archaeologists found these extra books doesn't make sense to me. When the Council of the Nicene convened they had so many manuscripts to choose from that make up what we know as The Holy Bible canon. I just can't wrap my head around the idea that some obscure church somewhere would have a part of a manuscript written by Luke that didn't make it into the Bible. I would be more apt to believe part of Jeremiah was left out since it is not written in chronological order.
Setting those problems aside...
The book is well-written with good character development. The professor does have a weird sense of humor (the kind I like), but it shows up in inopportune moments (also what I like). But sometimes the humor falls flat because timing is everything with humor. When one becomes used to jokes at the wrong time, they aren't funny anymore. I especially did not like the joke he played on his wife who is afraid of heights. It was cruel and any man who loves his wife and knows her fears is a cad extraordinaire for jokes that feed those fears. I lost interest in the story after that and only read enough to do this review. I thought for sure this would be an excellent book, but instead I found it lacking in finesse and plausibility.
This one gets 2 stars out of 5
ABOUT THE BOOK Harvard Professor Jonathan Weber is finally enjoying a season of peace when a shocking discovery thrusts him into the national spotlight once again. While touring monasteries in Greece, Jon and his wife Shannon—a seasoned archaeologist—uncover an ancient biblical manuscript containing the lost ending of Mark and an additional book of the Bible. If proven authentic, the codex could forever change the way the world views the holy Word of God. As Jon and Shannon work to validate their find, it soon becomes clear that there are powerful forces who don’t want the codex to go public. When it’s stolen en route to America, Jon and Shannon are swept into a deadly race to find the manuscript and confirm its authenticity before it’s lost forever.
What a great novel. This is one of those tales that will make you think about the subject long after you've read the last page. The characters are so well developed you'll be pondering how to solve their problems, and you might even want to pray for them. The story is real because everyone has been faced with temptations, it's what we do with them that counts.
Excellent writing, excellent character development, and excellent story/plot development. There's a small twist at the end you don't see coming so the end is very satisfying, too.
You all know how much I hate flipping from one character POV to another, but Whalen does this so well, the reader is never jarred. The reader isn't ripped from one time period to another, or from one familiar character to a stranger where we have to start all over learning characters and personalities never knowing if it is worth it. There are no tricky mechanizations which gives a false flow toward one conclusion then gives you whiplash taking you down another path just for the jarring ride.
The story is about women, for women, but it wouldn't hurt a husband or two to read it. The husband just might learn something.
Marybeth Whalen is the wife of Curt and mom of six children. The family lives outside Charlotte, NC. Marybeth is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries writing team and a regular contributor to their daily devotions. Her first novel,The Mailbox was released in June 2010. Her next novel, She Makes It Look Easy, will be released in June 2011. Additionally, she serves as director of She Reads, Proverbs 31 Ministries' fiction division.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Ariel Baxter has just moved into the neighborhood of her dreams. The chaos of domestic life and the loneliness of motherhood, however, moved with her. Then she meets her neighbor, Justine Miller. Justine ushers Ariel into a world of clutter-free houses, fresh-baked bread, homemade crafts, neighborhood play dates, and organization techniques designed to make marriage better and parenting manageable.
Soon Ariel realizes there is hope for peace, friendship, and clean kitchen counters. But when rumors start to circulate about Justine’s real home life, Ariel must choose whether to believe the best about the friend she admires or consider the possibility that “perfection” isn’t always what it seems to be.
I received this book via Booksneeze and I am so delighted I chose it to review. One of the best, concise, and easily read tomes I've discovered which pulls back the wool that has been pulled over The People's eyes.
Dr. Swain is an unusual, but not so very rare, Black Conservative. She makes a lot of sense and I would love to take one of her classes. I love it that she's reprinted the Constitution at the back along with some other documents our founding fathers composed so that blind eyes may, perhaps be opened. I pray The People of America will one day not settled for interpretations of what someone has said, but truly dissect and discern direct quotes and speeches for themselves.
It is incredibly sad how so many are blindly following a color in this country which has nothing to do with skin color but has everything to do with party colors. If we do not pay attention to what the Executive Branch, Legislative Branch and Judicial Branch are doing, we will have put ourselves under the thumb of a dictator rather than the Republic we actually are.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
Book Description
An insightful analysis of the forces of deception rapidly reshaping America's morals, social policies, and culture, with a call to specific action, written by a thoughtful and courageous Christian social scientist on the front lines of today's issues.
Cultural elites in the media, academia, and politics are daily deceiving millions of Americans into passively supporting policies that are detrimental to the nation and their own best interest. Although some Americans can see through the smokescreen, they feel powerless to redirect the forces inside and outside government that radically threaten cherished values and principles.
Drawing on her training in political science and law, Dr. Swain thoughtfully examines the religious significance of the founding of our nation and the deceptions that have infiltrated our daily lives and now threaten traditional families, unborn children, and members of various racial and ethnic groups—as well as national sovereignty itself--and provides action points for the people of this country to make the political system more responsive.
The book is divided into two sections:
Forsaking what we once knew Re-embracing truth and justice in policy choices It also covers key topics such as:
America's shift to moral relativism
America's religious roots
Abortion's fragile facade
Historical and biblical views on families and children
Erosion of rule of law, national security, and immigration
MY REVIEW
I was instantly drawn into the story of Pompeii, but when the girl slave decided to switch places with a boy slave heading for gladiator training I just lost all interest because of the historical inaccuracy. Gladiators were well known for their honor and allegiance to their lanista, and female gladiators were so highly prized they lanista would pay just about any price to have one. Ariella could have easily petitioned him to become one. Apparently, it was done so much so...
Ultimately, in A.D. 200, Emperor Septimius Severus outlawed such female demonstrations when he issued a decree banning single combat by women in the arena, for “[a] recrudescence among some upper-class women, and the raillery this provoked among the audience” (Gardner, 1986, p. 248).
This is why I've had such a problem with this plot. Higley has visited these places. She has studied these cultures. She could so easily have braided the plot to include historical fact. Although, to be fair, the girl was a runaway slave and had to keep her identity secret albeit she was found out anyway. We can't run from our demons. Only God can send them to the pit so they won't harangue us any more.
I have a heavy portion of the motivational spiritual gift of teacher. This means that I have a huge problem with good writing that has some historical, or any other, errors. I have a tendency to toss the baby out with the bath water so I must work on this. Take that as your grain of salt in this review.
The girl changing places with a boy and pretending to be a boy is a good plot twist, and Higley didn't dwell over long on that situation but brought her into the hero's home early in the story. The introduction of the villain was also done very well. Character development was a bit slow, but probably necessary for a little tension in the beginning. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and if you like 1st Century stories, you'll like this novel.
A fiction aficionado since grade school, T.L. Higley, author of Pompeii: City on Fire (B&H Publishing House, June 2011) started her first novel at the age of eight.
Now the author of nine historical fiction novels, including the popular Seven Wonders series, Higley isn’t just transporting readers: She’s transporting herself, too.
“My Iifelong interest in history and mythology has taken me to Italy, Greece, Egypt, Rome, Turkey, Jordan and Israel, where I’ve gotten to study those ancient cultures in rich detail,” says Higley. “It’s my desire to shine the light of the gospel into the cultures of the past, and I figure what better way to do that than to visit the cultures themselves?”
In addition to her accomplished novelist career, Higley is a business entrepreneur and a mother. In fact, for Pompeii, she brought her daughter along with her to Italy for the research trip.
“We gave it to her as a graduation present, not only because Italy is terrific, but because I believe in exposing children to global cultures,” says Higley, who became a student herself again this year. She’s now a graduate student at American Public University, earning her master’s degree in Ancient and Classical Studies.
When Higley isn’t traveling on research trips, writing her novels, or studying for class, she operates four online retail companies, including KoolStuff4Kids.com – a family-run business that began as a way for her oldest daughter to make some extra money for camp. Today, it is a go-to site for parents, children and teachers all over the country, looking for beads and other kid-friendly craft supplies.
Higley lives with her husband and her three other children (aforementioned daughter now in college) just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Pompeii, a city that's many things to many people. For Cato, it's the perfect escape from a failed political career in Rome. A place to start again, become a winemaker. But when a corrupt politician wrongfully jails Cato's sister, he must oust the man from power to save her.
For Ariella, Pompeii is a means to an end. As a young Jew, she escaped the fall of Jerusalem only to endure slavery to a cruel Roman general. She ends up in Pompeii, disguised as a young man and sold into a gladiator troupe. Her anger fuels her to fight well, hoping to win the arena crowds and reveal her gender at the perfect time. Perhaps then she will win true freedom.
But evil creeps through the streets of Pompeii. Political corruption, religious persecution, and family peril threaten to destroy Ariella and Cato, who are thrown together in the battle to survive. As Vesuvius churns with deadly intent, the two must bridge their differences to save the lives of those they love, before the fiery ash buries Pompeii, leaving the city lost to the world.
Watch the book trailer:
If you would like to read the Prologue of Pompeii, go HERE.
MY REVIEW
This is a wonderfully written story for teens and pre-teens. I have read and reviewed numerous for teen novels and this one tops them all. I could so empathize with Cleo, as well as her mom. The things that teen do all because "everyone does it" hits so close to home with this book.
While it is about a young girl, teen boys would do well to read it, too, if for no other reason but to get inside a teen girls head to see what makes her tick, to understand how they thing. The way Carlson peels back the layers of Cleo's thoughts brought back so many memories for me, I almost cried.
The story draws you in from the first page and keeps you turning through out. It would be an excellent book club or bible class study for no other reason than to stir up discussions on how each of our actions have consequences--some good, some bad, and some really terrible.
I give this one 5 of 5 stars!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from preschool teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past eleven years, she has published more than 150 books for children, teens, and adults, with sales close to three million and many titles appearing on best sellers lists.
Several of her books have been finalists and winners of various writing awards, including The Gold Medallion and The Rita Award. And most recently, she is in the process of optioning some of her books for film rights.
Carlson’s passion for writing has been greatly focused on teens. Informed and aware of the challenges and struggles teens face today, she writes young adult novels that she hopes will change lives. Her popular series Diary of a Teenage Girl (Multnomah) has sold more than 300,000 copies. Her TrueColors series (Nav Press) focuses on hard-hitting issues such as suicide, addiction, and cutting. Her series The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor explores the paranormal from a godly perspective. And her latest series, The Carter House Girls, offers readers a cleaned-up alternative to the popular Gossip Girl books.
She has two grown sons and lives in Central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. They enjoy skiing, hiking, gardening, camping and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains. www.melodycarlson.com
Just as Siri Mitchell delves into lifestyles of women in the 1890s and early 1900s, Elizabeth Camden has given us a telescopic look at the political times of that same time period. Industrialization has developed into an almost modern scope but humane treatment of workers had not advanced as quickly as industry. Against this backdrop, Camden has woven a story with deep emotions of anger, resentment, love and forgiveness. A good read, well written and a satisfying love tangle.
Romance is not the only attraction. She also delves into how events in our youth can carry heavy burdens into our adult life often distracting us from healthy maturity. Take a trip back in time to an age of journalistic breakthroughs and industrial powerhouses with Clara and Daniel. You won't be disappointed.
A research librarian and associate professor, Elizabeth Camden has a master’s in history from the University of Virginia and a master’s in library science from Indiana University. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband in central Florida.
A word from Elizabeth: I am a college librarian in central Florida by day, but by night I can be found pounding out inspirational historical novels the moment the sun goes down. I love writing books about fiercely intelligent people who are confronted with profound challenges. As a rather introverted person, I have found that writing is the best way for me to share my faith and a sense of resilience with others.
As for who I am? I love old Hitchcock films, the hour before sunset, a long, sweaty run through the Florida countryside, and a glass of good wine. After spending my entire adult life on a college campus (either as a student or a librarian) I have finally been able to pursue my ultimate goal of writing professionally.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Female journalists are rare in 1879, but American-born Clara Endicott has finally made a name for herself with her provocative articles championing London's poor. When the backlash from her work forces a return home to Baltimore, Clara finds herself face-to-face with a childhood sweetheart who is no longer the impoverished factory worker she once knew. In her absence, Daniel Tremain has become a powerful industry giant and Clara finds him as enigmatic as ever. However, Daniel's success is fueled by resentment from past wounds and Clara's deeply-held beliefs about God's grace force Daniel to confront his own motives. When Clara's very life is endangered by one of Daniel's adversaries, they must face a reckoning neither of them ever could have foreseen.
When Clara Endicott and Daniel Tremain's worlds collide after twelve years apart, the spark that was once between them immediately reignites into a romance neither of them thought possible.
But time has changed them both.
Daniel is an industrial titan with powerful enemies. Clara is an idealistic journalist determined to defend underprivileged workers.
Can they withstand the cost of their convictions while their hearts, and lives, hang in the balance?
