Review: Discrimination and Disparities

A weekend reading review…because sometimes Pastors need a break from heavy reading also.

Thomas Sowell.  Discrimination and Disparities. New York, NY: Basic Books, March 20th 2018. 192 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Are you in need of a resource that economically fact check some of the claims of politicians’ and activists on the topic of discrimination and institutional racism and their proposed solution?  This book by Thomas Sowell does the job.  It’s a pretty balanced book and I enjoy the tone of how Sowell write.  I’ve seen some pretty slanderous reviews of this book online but after reading it myself I can’t help but to wonder if some of the people who say it’s really bad even read the book or understand what he’s saying.  Sowell is an African American economist who have spent decades researching, writing and teaching on the topic of economics.  No matter where you land on the political spectrum one should consider what Sowell has to say in this book and just like certain aspects of economics that seem counter-intuitive to our assumptions at first, readers will be challenged to think more clearly and more discerning with the claims of certain politicians’ solutions.

Advertisements

Read Full Post »

Review: Don’t Blame the Mud: Only Jesus Makes Us Clean

In continuing with our blog’s “wee-kids Wednesdays” here’s a review of a Christian Children’s book.

Marty Machowski.  Don’t Blame the Mud: Only Jesus Makes Us Clean.  Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, May 27^th, 2019. 32 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

Are you looking for a good children’s book that talk about the subject of sin and forgiveness of sins biblically?  This children’s book really did a good job giving an analogy of sin being compared to mud and also talked directly about the issue of sin, guilt and Christ and the Gospel.  Yet the author told this story in a way that kids would relate and certainly my daughters felt they could identify with the main character Max.

Read Full Post »

Review: Richard Dawkins

Ransom Poythress. Richard Dawkins.  Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, November 30th 2018. 192 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

No doubt many people today would have heard of atheist spokesman Richard Dawkins.  What does a Christian and Reformed response to Richard Dawkins looks like?  This work is a defense of the Christian faith that deals with Richard Dawkins by also beyond him in dealing with the subject of atheism.  This book is part of the Great Thinkers series published by P&R Publishing and thus far of the three volumes (this work and the ones on Aquinas and Marx) I have read this one is by far my favorite one.

Read Full Post »

Review: Mastering Fear: A Navy SEAL’s Guide

A weekend reading review…because sometimes Pastors need a break from heavy reading also.

Brandon Webb.  Mastering Fear: A Navy SEAL’s Guide. New York, NY: Penguin Group, August 7th 2018. 221 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

How do you handle fear?  If you want to learn about handling fear from someone who has had a career of dealing with risky situations and fear then this book would be for you.  The author of this book is Brandon Webb.  Webb is a former Navy SEAL.  He’s not only a Navy SEAL, a combat veteran (one tour in Iraq, one tour in Afghanistan) but also a sniper instructor for the SEALs who have trained famous SEAL warriors such as Chris Kyle (the top American sniper in history) and Marcus Luttrell, the lone survivor of Operation Redwing in 2005.  From his experience and also his reflection he’s written this book about handling fear.

Read Full Post »

Review: Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom

Stephen R. Platt. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War.  New York, NY: Knopf, February 7^th, 2012. 512 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Do you know what was the world’s bloodiest civil war?  Most people wouldn’t guess it correctly.  Did you also know that this civil war involved a heretical version of Christianity in which the leader claimed to be the spiritual younger brother of Jesus?  In this book Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom author Stephen R. Platt looks at the Taiping Rebellion that took place in China during the mid-1800s.  The account in this book is simply fascinating!

Read Full Post »

Review: Answers Book for Kids Volume 5

In continuing with our blog’s “wee-kids Wednesdays” here’s a review of a Christian Children’s book.

Ken Ham and Cindy Malott. Answers Book for Kids Volume 5: Space and Astronomy.  Green Forest, AK: Master Books, September 27th 2013. 48 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Looking for a book on space for young kids that’s written from a Christian worldview? This volume in the Answers Book for Kids series by Ken Ham is on the topic of space and astronomy!  My kids really liked this and when I asked them to describe the book in one word they said “Cool,” “Fun” and “Awesome.”  One of my daughters enjoyed the discussion about the Black Hole which was new to them while another said they enjoyed the illustration.

Read Full Post »

Review: Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win

In light of Memorial Day.

Jocko Willink.  Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win.  New York, NY: Saint Martin’s Press, October 20th 2015. 320 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

How well do you own up to your own fault and flaws?  Do you often blame other people and your circumstance when you should be admitting your own fault?  This was a good book on leadership by a combat leader in the Navy SEALS.  It wasn’t only just a good book on leadership; it was also a good book of how to be under leaders as well.  The title of the book captures the subject of the material well; it is a book on taking personal responsibility of what you do.  Taking responsibility is a big important mark of a good leader versus a bad leader.

Read Full Post »