Book Review: A Rage for Order: The Middle East in Turmoil, from Tahrir Square to ISIS

Here is tonight’s weekend nonfiction book review.

Robert F. Worth. A Rage for Order: The Middle East in Turmoil, from Tahrir Square to ISIS.  New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, April 18th 2017. 272 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is an incredibly insightful book on the Arab Spring and the subsequent rise of extremism and tyranny as the uprising’s aftermath.  The author is a journalist who has spent considerable time in the Middle East both before, during and after the Arab Spring which contributed to the author’s experience and knowledge of things before and after the Arab Spring.  For those who are curious about the Middle East and want to understand more of the current events in that region this book should be on the top of one’s list.

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Review: The Last Days of Stalin

A weekend non-fiction book review.

Joshua Rubenstein. The Last Days of Stalin. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, May 10th, 2016. 304 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

The publisher Yale University Press have published some really interesting works on Stalin including a really good one I enjoyed titled Stalin: New Biography of A Dictator.  In this book the author Joshua Rubenstein explores the death of Stalin as well as the weeks leading up to his death and the weeks following his death.  This book is well-researched, insightful and interesting.  Below are some of the highlights.

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Review: Green Hornet: Reign of the Demon

I appreciate the publishers providing this review copy before its official release date!

David Liss.  Green Hornet: Reign of the Demon.  Runnemede, NJ: Dynamite Entertainment, June 20th 2017.  96 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is another Green Hornet comic book volume that I enjoyed.  I liked that this one is “old school” in that it is situated in the past rather than the present.  Putting the Green Hornet in our contemporary era seems to take away something from the story and I was disappointed when other Green Hornet graphic novels did that.  So I’m glad that one of the latest Green Hornet from Dynamite Entertainment retain the 1930s-40s era of the Green Hornet.  Note: If you don’t want to read any spoiler skip the next paragraph and read what follows after that.

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Review: The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow

A weekend leisure reading book review.  Because even Pastors need a break from heavy theological reading.

Howard Chaykin.  The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow.  Runnemede, NJ: Dynamite Entertainment, July, 2015.  160 pp.

3 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is another graphic novel of the pulp hero name the Shadow.  Most of the stories of the Shadow takes place in the 1930s but this particular volume takes place on the end of the year of 1949 and the beginning of 1950.  There are multiple references throughout the graphic novel that the Shadow has been fighting crime and evil men for over two decades and a major subplot is how long the Shadow would keep going with his fight against evil since there is no end in sight with the amount of evil men who would arise as villains and also because the Shadow’s longtime partner against crime and lover Margo Lane wishes to settle down.  Yet even when the two are on vacation trouble still follows them and the need for the Shadow calls.

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Review: Bloody Crimes by James Swanson

In light of Memoral Day weekend, I thought this would be timely to post this review for this Friday Night’s Non-Fiction Review.

James L. Swanson. Bloody Crimes.  New York, NY: William Morrow and Company, September 28th 2010.  464 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This book is a study of the President of the Union and the President of the Confederacy during the last days before Lincoln was killed and the days afterwards.  The side by side account of both these Presidents was a fascinating angle of the book and one which I appreciated.  There were many moments that I thought the juxtaposition was quite fascinating.

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Review: The Shadow, Volume 4: Bitter Fruit

A light reading weekend book review!  Why?  Because Pastors need breaks and fun read too.

Garth Ennis.  The Shadow, Volume 4: Bitter Fruit.  Runnemede, NJ: Dynamite Entertainment, October 28^th, 2012.  180 pp.

3 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

If you like graphic novels with a pulp, noir and historical feel of the 1920s-50s you ought to give the character “The Shadow” a try.  This is my third volume I read that featured the Shadow because I have come to really this character.  Here’s my thought on this specific volume.

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Review: Worry: Pursuing a Better Path to Peace

David Powlison. Worry: Pursuing a Better Path to Peace.  Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, March 1st 2004. 30 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

This is a counseling booklet on the topic of worrying.  It is a part of a series published by Presbyterian and Reformed called “Resources for Changing Lives” which feature booklets on various biblical counseling issues.  While some of the booklets in the series could be very specific and tailored for particular individuals going through certain issues such as A.D.D, OCD, self-injury and suicidal thoughts, I thought this booklet on worry would definitely be useful to a larger amount of people since every one of us struggle with worrying in one degree or another about something.

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