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Books I Read in 2018
Orville Boyd Jenkins
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What I read in 2017My reading goal for 2018 is 80 books.
Finished (123)
Anderson, Mac & John J Murphy. Habits Die Hard: 10 Steps to Building Successful Habits. Naperville, Illinois: Simple Truths, 2011. 110p. Read 9-10 May 2018. Inspiration
Andrews, Andy. How Do You Kill 11 Million People: Why the Truth Matters More than You Think. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011. 84p. (This is a poignant and insightful book, as Andrews always produces. He reviews the models of leadership of countries whose leaders and economic systems have affected the world, reviews the negative trends and their cost to the world. He provides insights into negative trends in these systems, evaluating American tendencies over the last few years.) Bought 16 June 2018. Read 22 June 2018. American Politics and Culture
Applegate, Kathryn and J B Stump. How I Changed My Mind About Evolution. Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2016. 196p. Bought 16 October 2018 on Amazon. Read 20-21 November 2018. Science (Faith and Life)
Armstrong, Chris R. Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians: Finding Authentic Faith in a Forgotten Age with C S Lewis. Grand Rapids: BrazosPress, 2016. 264p. Bought 4 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 15-16 August 2018. Theology (Spiritual Formation)
Bakker, Jim, with Ken Abraham. Time Has Come: How to Prepare Now for Epic Events Ahead. Brentwood, Tennessee: Worthy Publishing, 2012. 263p. (Jim Bakker is to be commended for the perspective presented in this book, acknowledging the immediacy of his message to persecuted Christian churches in the Roman province of Asia under Emperor Domitian in the last decade of the first century. Bakker takes a measured, thoughtful and humble approach to this topic, acknowledging there are varying views on many aspect of Premillennialism. He carefully uses qualifying words like perhaps, probably, some people think, regardless of how it happens, and such, showing a spirit of charity. This is refreshing, since many "prophecy" advocates are bombastic, belligerent, indignant, even gleeful, hateful and dogmatic. Even with his welcome practical focus on the Lord's message through the Revelator, Bakker insists on hanging on to the future literal interpretation of events in our endtime future. He, as is common in this endtime approach, never explains the basis for determining that we know somehow we are now at what has to be the end of history, instead of it still being in some future generation. He is careful to note the immediate historical references of Rome, Babylon and the Beast to the Emperor, but still insists on segueing seamlessly into talking about the literalized futuristic Antichrist. I found that amazing and totally unwarranted by the details he does bring out in the text. Read my full review of this book on GoodReads.) Read my full review on Amazon. Bought 9 May 2017 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 1-2 February 2018. Bible
Bennett, William J. Is College Worth It? Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2013. 278p. (Bennett focuses on the high and still-rising cost of college and university education in the USA. He analyzes factors and details the commercialization and marketing of education even by traditional universities. He surveys the recent development of for-profit educational companies, and compares offerings and results, as well as costs of these two approaches to education. Along with this he looks at scholarship and government subsidized loan assistance for higher education, showing alarming trends that put graduates deep into debt, in most cases without the prospects promised for job placement. Additionally he outlines new alternative approaches to education and training in free or low-cost alternatives, and the growing trend toward certification in non-traditional approaches, in direct cooperation with companies and industries. These promising new approaches are growing in popularity, and Bennett reports high standards and very high students/learner satisfaction and good placement in career paths now harder to find in traditional high-cost educational approaches. Bennett includes a set of scenarios, with advice on how to proceed and decide. He closes with an excellent categorized descriptive directory of free or low-cost high-quality alternatives for current education, called "Schools Worth Attending." This was an informative and encouragement assessment from Bennett, a former Secretary of Education and leader of many educational and social ventures over the years. Read my full review of this book on GoodReads.) Bought 3 June 2017. Read 5-10 February 2018. American Politics and Culture
Benz, Rob. The Unfinished Church: God's Broken and Redeemed Work-In-Progress. Wheaton: Crossway, 2014. 172p. Bought 4 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 10 April 2018. Theology (Faith and Life, Ecclesiology)
Berry, Steve. The Alexandria Link. NY: Random House Audio, 2007. Audiobook. Heard 25-31 May 2018. Fiction (Intrigue)
Bevins, Winfield. Creed. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2001. 141p. Bought 9 October 2018 on Christianbook.com. Read 13-16 October 2018. Faith and Life
Blanchard, Ken and Mark Miller. Great Leaders Grow: Becoming a Leader for Life. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2012. 128p. Read 10 October 2018. Personal Development
Boyd, Gregory A. The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. 207p. Bought 29 May 2008 in Irving, Texas. First read 4 June 2008. Reread 13 July 2018. Church & Culture
Carmody, Denise Lardner and John Tully Carmody. Native American Religions: An Introduction. NY/Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1993. 270p. Bought 25 September 2016 in Arlington, Texas. Read 4-15 March 2018. Religions
Carson, Ben. Think Big: Unleash Your Potential for Excellence. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992. 261p. Bought 1 July 2017 in Arlington, Texas. Read 12-19 April 2018. Autobiography
Carter, Jimmy. Faith: A Journey for All. NY: Simon & Schuster, 2018. 179p. Bought 26 November 2018 on Amazon. Read 26 November - 1 December 2018. Faith & Life
Carts-Powell, Yvonne. The Science of Heroes: The Real-Life Possibilities Behind the Hit TV Show. NY: Berkley Blvd Books, 2008. 277p. Borrowed 26 October 2018. Read 26 October – 15 November 2018. Science
Cavasos, Bobby. The Cowboy From the Wild Horse Desert: A Story of the King Ranch. Corpus Christi: CAVA Publishers, 1999. 271p. Bought 6 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 21-21 August 2018. History (American Culture)
Chryssavgis, John. Bartholomew, Apostle and Visionary: 25 Years of Guiding the Christian East. Nashville: W Publishing (Thomas Nelson), 2016. 271p. (A sympathetic life story lining out the life, training, service and deep commitments of the Eastern Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.) Bought 5 May 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 14-23 July 2018. Biography
Clancy, Tom. Threat Vector. Grand Haven, Michigan: Brilliance Audio, 2012 (print edition 2006). Audiobook. Heard 11-19 June 2018. Fiction (Intrigue)
Clapp, Nicholas. Sheba: Through the Desert in Search of the Legendary Queen. NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. 372p. Bought 23 May 2018 on Amazon. Read 12-20 June 2018. Bible Backgrounds
Crossan, John Dominic. How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian: Is God Violent?: An Exploration from Genesis to Revelation. NY: HarperOne, 1989. 263p. (Crossan performs his expected thorough and clear, readable analysis of the streams of thought that seem to portray two different portraits of God in the collection of documents over several centuries that now constitute what we call the Bible. This was originally published in 1989 and may be available only from used book vendors. I bought it through Amazon. Crossan provides a very enlightening description of the differences between the character of the Hittite and the later Assyrian empires as reflected in their Covenants with the rulers and peoples they conquered or related to as vassals. He explores how later empires, including the Roman Empire at the time of Christ, may be helpful in understanding the portrait of God culminating in the book of Revelation. Read my full review of this book on GoodReads.) Read my full review on Amazon. Bought 5 January 2018 on Amazon. Read 4-12 January 2018. Bible
Crossan, John Dominic. The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction About Jesus. NY: HarperOne (HarperCollins), 2012. 259p. (Biblical scholar John Crossan looks into the role and format of parable in the Jewish culture and scripture traditions, as well as mishnah and Talmud. He compares these findings with parables in the broader cultural context of ancient history, and discerns the uses of and formats of parables in eastern, Mediterranean and modern European culture. This is a very practical study, but very satisfying as a scholarly exercise, as well. Crossan provides powerful and meaningful insights into the meaning and import of the parables Jesus used in his teachings and how the Jewish and Gentile Gospel writers used these parables of Jesus in their testimonies to him as the Messiah. In this process he also provides insights into the identity of Gospel writers, their communities and the events of the particular time in the Roman Empire in which, and events that provide the context and audiences to whom they directed their Gospels. His love of the Scriptures and the message of Jesus are clear in his enthusiastic study here. Read my review of this book on GoodReads.) Read my full review of this book on Amazon. Bought 28 November 2017 from Amazon. Read 3-10 July 2018. Bible (Bible Backgrounds)
Crossan, John Dominic and Jonathan L Reed. In Search of Paul: How Jesus’s Apostle Opposed Rome’s Empire with God’s Kingdom. NY: HarperOne, 2004. 447p. Bought 20 January 2017 from Amazon. Read 1-13 December 2018. Bible Backgrounds: Greco-Roman Culture (Bible)
Cummins, Tim. Power Prayer. Whirlwind Missions, 2018. MP3 audiobook. Heard 19 May 2018. Faith & Life
Deckker, Ted & Tosca Lee. Sovereign. NY: Hachetteaudio.com/FaithWorks, 2013. Audiobook. Heard 3-29 September 2018. Fiction (Fantasy)
Derr, Mark. How The Dog Became the Dog: From Wolves to Our Best Friends. NY: Overlook Duckworth, 2011. 287p. (This book is part of a longterm and ongoing personal study into the genetic sciences and historical reconstructions of the prehistory of humans and other species. This rich title was an excellent history of genetics, tracing the development of the domestication of the wolf into the dogs of today. It was more than that, however, correlating extensive DNA comparison of a wide range of canids and lupine varieties with human DNA historical reconstruction. What could be a boring technical read flows like an exciting novel. Read my full review of this book on GoodReads.) Bought 28 November 2017 on Amazon. Read 22 December 2017 - 4 January 2018. Science (Paleontology, Paleoanthropology, Genetics)
Fea, John. Why Study History: Reflecting on the Importance of the Past. Grand Rapids: BakerAcademic, 2013. 182p. Bought 20 February 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 11-12 April 2018. History
Foster, Nathan and Richard. The Making of an Ordinary Saint: My Journey from Frustration to Joy with the Spiritual Disciplines. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2014. 205p. Bought 9 August 2016 in Arlington, Texas. Read 23-25 March 2018. Faith & Life
Freddoso, David. Gangster Government: Barack Obama and the New Washington Thugocracy. Washington: Regnery Publishing 2011. 258p. Bought 6 April 2018. Read 4-8 September 2018. American Politics and Culture
Gardner, Earle Stanley. The Case of the Guilded Lily. NY: William Morrow and Co, 1956. 166p. Borrowed and read 22-23 August 2018 in Lindsay, Oklahoma. Fiction
Garwood, Julie. Shadow Music. NY: Random House Audio, 2007. (A historical action romance, set in the Scottish Highlands in the time of English King John. Believable characters, referencing important events of that era of history.) Audiobook. Borrowed 6 March 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Heard 12-17 March 2018. Historical Fiction
Giblin, Les. Skill with People. Skillwithpeople.com, 2010. 43p. (Practical guide on building relationships and communicating with people. In pithy, outline format.) Bought February 2018 in Frisco, Texas. Read 6 March 2018. Business
Gibson, Charles. Spain in America. Wilmington, Delaware: Scholarly Resources, 2002. 243p. (A detailed of the history of Spain in the Americas. Era by era and culture by culture, the contacts and encounters, methods and systems of the Spanish Empire as it dominated the native peoples of the Americas. This is easy reading, but is full of high-quality content and fascinating cultural and personality color and insight. This book highlights the Latin American region up into the independence period and provides a context for understanding the character of society and government of the Latin areas of the Americas in contrast to the Anglo areas.) Bought 6 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 28 July - 1 August 2018. History
Glenn, Sam. The Gift of Attitude: 10 Ways to Change the Way You Feel. Naperville, Illinois: Simple Truths, 2010. 158p. Read 6 September 2018. Personal Development
Grant, Michael. The Ancient Mediterranean. NY: Scribner's Sons, 1969. 374p. (This was a satisfying and fulfilling read. It filled in a lot of gaps and answered questions I had, and added new insights and details about the prehistory and history of the peoples and geography of Mesopotamia and the countries surrounding the Mediterranean. He brings the story up to the troubles that led to the end of the Roman Empire in the west.) Bought 20 December 2016 on Amazon. Read 23-30 April 2018. History
Greenlee, David. One Cross, One Way, Many Journeys. Atlanta: Authentic Publishing, 2007. 177p. Bought 9 January 2016 on Amazon. Read 6-7 April 2018. Theology
Grisham, John. The Associate. NY: Random House Audio, 2009. Audiobook. Bought 29 September 2018. Heard 19-22 December 2018. Fiction
Grisham, John. The Confession. Random House Audio, 2010. Audiobook. (This was an excellent detailed story with believable personalities. I listened to the full-text audiobook. Grisham focuses on the death penalty in Texas and the problem of convicted and condemned wrong person for a crime. He probes the politically- and racially-oriented judicial system in a fictitious county of East Texas. Just as the wrongly-convicted young black high school football star faces death on Texas Death Row, the real perpetrator, just out or prison and nearing death with a brain tumor, presents himself to a Lutheran minister in Kansas, confessing to the crime, wanting to help save the wrongly-convicted young man. The hours count down as they try to get the situation corrected. Read my full review of this book on GoodReads.) Borrowed 2 February 2018. Heard 4-11 February 2018. Fiction
Halverson, Dean C, Gen Ed. World Religions: Understanding and Reaching Followers of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Judaism, Secularism, The New Age and Other Faiths. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1996. 272p. Read 16-20 April 2018. Religions
Hamilton, Adam. Enough: Discovering Joy through Simplicity and Generosity. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2012. 153p. Received as a gift 21 October 2018 at St Barnabas United Methodist Church, Arlington, Texas. Read 8-25 November 2018. Faith and Life
Hanson Jake. Crossing the Divide: John Wesley, the Fearless Evangelist. Urichsville, Ohio: Shiloh Run (Barbour), 2016. 336p. Bought 4 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 10-11 August 2018. Biography
Harris, Robert. Imperium. NY: Recorded Books Production, 2006. (This was an excellent dramatic portrait, flowing as a memoir by of the personal secretary of the great Roman lawyer, orator and senator, Cicero, his slave and scribe Tiro. An audio book with excellent dramatic voicing of a wide variety of personalities.) Audiobook. Borrowed 26 March 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Finished 13 April 2018. Historical Fiction
Harris, Robert. Pompeii. NY: Random House Audio, 2003. Audiobook. (Harris recreates the conditions and events along with the social and political situation in the Roman Empire at the time of the great eruption of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed the city of Pompeii and the surrounding area. The story centers around a Roman aqueduct that supplies water to all the cities of the region. While providing informative detail on the engineering techniques in Roman aqueducts, the story follows the forensic investigation into the water flow stoppage by the engineer in charge of the whole miles-long underground aqueduct. The discoveries provide important clues to the causes and early signs of trouble on Vesuvius that were overlooked. Very enjoyable, informative and realistic recreation.) Heard 23-24 June 2018. Historical Fiction
Heard, Matt. Life with a Capital L: Embracing Your God-Given Humanity. Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2014. 239p. Read 17-22 April 2018. Faith and Life
Hearne, Kevin. Heir to the Jedi. NY: Random House Audio, 2007. (Set after the first Star Wars movie, Episode 4. Luke Skywalker, a crack pilot for the Rebel Alliance, after his successful destruction of the Empire's Death Star, is flying dangerous and critical missions and making his first tentative steps to the next level of adeptness with the Force.) Audiobook. Borrowed 26 March 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Heard 26-30 March 2018. Science Fiction
Helmreich, William B. Wake Up, Wake Up, to Do the Work of the Creator. NY: Harper & Row, 1976. 210p. Bought 4 January 1982 in Nairobi, Kenya. Read in previous years; reread 17-22 May 2018. Religions (Orthodox Judaism)
Higgins, Jack. Brought in Dead. No publication place or date. Berkley Novel. 307p. Borrowed in Santa Barbara, Florida. Read 8-10 August 2018. Fiction
Hill, Napoleon. Lessons on Success: 17 Principles of Personal Achievement. Lake Dallas, Texas: Success Books, 2008. 109p. Borrowed and read 31 March 2018. Business
Hitzges, Vicki. Attitude is Everything: 10 Rules for Staying Positive. Naperville, Illinois: Simple Truths, 2010. 111p. Bought 1 February 2018 online. Read 16 March 2018. Inspiration
Hoag, Zach. The Light is Winning: Why Religion Might Just Bring us Back to Life. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2017. 214p. Bought 30 May 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 22-24 June 2018. Theology (Biography, Faith and Life)
Hoekema, Anthony A. The Bible and the Future. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979. 343p. (This was a very enjoyable and rewarding read. Hoekema provides an excellent review of major thinkers on the question of the biblical view(s) of the future in each period of history. He thoroughly and incisively evaluates each writer's view of the biblical and theological perspectives on the progress of time and the endtime and transformation of the world into the final age. Hoekema evaluates four major views of the endtime and "millennium," the plants himself firmly in the traditional ahistorical view generally called amillennial. He wrote this book in 1979. I bought it in 1982 in Nairobi, Kenya, because I recognized the value of the topic and its writer. The time frame is the main limitation to the book, since extensive happenings have added to our historical perspective, further supporting the traditional conservative viewpoint of amillennial or versions of that concept of the end-time, from a Christian perspective. The book provided good historical perspective and a satisfying personal read and refresh on the topic. Read my full review of this book on GoodReads. Read the full review on Amazon.) Bought 9 September 1982 in Nairobi, Kenya. On shelf for reference, never read through before. Read 7-10 April 2018. Bible (Eschatology)
Jungel, Eberhard, trans Horton Harris. The Doctrine of the Trinity: God's Being is in Becoming. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976. 120p. Bought September 1980 in Nairobi, Kenya. Read previously with extensive notes; Read again 9-12 May 2018. Theology (Systematic Theology)
Kaku, Michio. Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2010. NY: Anchor (a division of Random House), 2011. 450p. Bought 5 November 2016 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 4-10 June 2018. Science (Nanotechnology, Futurism)
Kasinec, Wendy F and Michael A Polushin. Expanding Empires: Cultural Interaction and Exchange in World Societies from Ancient to Early Modern Times. Wilmington, Delaware: Scholarly Resources, 2002. 243p. Bought 6 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 11-13 July 2018. History
Keith, Chris. Jesus Against the Scribal Elite: The Origins of the Conflict. Grand Rapids: BakerAcademic, 2014. 188p. Bought 9 October 2018 on Christianbook.com. Read 21-25 December 2018. Bible (Bible Backgrounds)
Keller, Timothy. Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything (Study Guide). Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010. 233p. Bought 25 August 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 8-9 September 2018. Faith and Life
Kellerman, Jonathan. Gone. NY: Random House Audio, 2006. Audiobook. Heard 1-6 June 2018. Fiction (Murder Mystery)
Kenneally, Christine. The Invisible History of the Human Race: How DNA and History Shape our Identities and Our Futures. NY: Penguin, 2014. 353p. Bought 13 January 2018 on Amazon. Read 1-5 August 2018. Science (History, Culture)
Kim, Billy. The Life of Billy Kim: From Houseboy to World Evangelist. Chicago: Moody, 2015. 200p. Bought 9 May 2017 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 24-25 July 2018. Autobiography
Koppel, Ted. Lights Out: A Cyber Attack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath. NY: Broadway Books, 2016. 279p. Bought 25 August 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 11-15 September 2018. American Politics and Culture
Lamb, Scott. Huckabee: The Authorized Biography. Nashville: W Publishing (Nelson), 2015. 344p. Bought 3 June 2017 in Arlington, Texas. Read 4-12 May 2018. Biography
Lawrence, Brother. The Practice of the Presence of God. New Kensington, Pennsylvania: Whitaker House, 1982. 94p. Bought March 2018 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 6 April 2018. Faith & Life
Leanse, Ellen Petry. The Happiness Hack: How to Take Charge of Your Brain and Program More Happiness into Your Life. Naperville, Illinois: simpletruths, 2017. 109p. Bought 10 February 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 12-13 February 2018. Science (Neurology, Theory of Mind)
Lectio Divina. Listening for God through Hebrews. Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2005. 74p. Bought 15 October 2018 on Amazon. Read 16 October 2018. Bible
Leston, Stephen. The Bible in World History: Putting Scripture into a Global Context. Urichsville, Ohio: Barbour, 2011. 274p. Bought 10 July 2017 on Amazon. Read 21-26 June 2018. Bible
Lewis, C S. Mere Christianity. NY: HarperOne, 2000. 227p. Gift 28 November 2017 from Paul Johnson. Read 17-20 December 2018. Theology
Lister, Rob. God is Impassible and Impassioned: Toward a Theology of Divine Emotion. Wheaton: Crossway, 2013. 333p. Bought 5 May 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 2-7 July 2018. Theology
Loritts, Bryan C. Saving the Saved: How Jesus Saves Us from Try-Harder Christianity into Performance-Free Love. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016. 204p. Bought 20 February 2008 in Arlington, Texas. Read 7-8 August 2018. Church & Culture
Malley, Gemma. The Declaration. NY: Recorded Books, 2007. Audiobook. (Set in the future when the environment has been degraded and resources have become limited, births have become limited by law. Longevity drugs have been developed, and a Declaration has become the formal constitutional rule that allows couples to marry and individuals to gain access to longevity. To do this they must agree to have only one child. The goal is to maintain the population at a stasis, with the watchword of a Life for A Life. For every life that is born one must die. Stiff penalties are imposed for those who break the declaration agreement or refuse to sign it and have children in contravention. Focus has shifted to maintaining the living and limiting new life. Children born illegally are hunted down and confiscated by the state and kept in homes where they are maintained in prison servitude conditions to maintain themselves as servants of the state. Conditions include cruelty and bizarre and unreasonable punishment, as well as indoctrination on what an abomination they are, how they do not deserve to be alive and how they must work to pay their debt of sin against nature for existing.) Heard 16, 27-28 August 2018. Fiction (Social Sci Fi)
Manco, Jean. Ancestral Journeys: The Peopling of Europe. London: Thames and Hudson, 2015. 312p. (Manco constructs a comprehensive history of our human race over the millennia to reconstruct the pattern of settlement, culminating in a genetic, cultural and linguistic description of Europe in our time. The new scenario laid out now by very recent DNA discoveries and comparisons fills many gaps and provides many confirmations and firms up the timeline already comprehensively proposed by archaeology and other disciplines. Writing as a historian, Manco deftly presents extensive detail from DNA to draw out the connections of ethnicity and language through prehistory. She provides maps and vivid place to place descriptions of the many lines of migration that become clear in the combination of evidence archaeology and linguistics, ancient records and DNA. Details from each of these powerful disciplines were excitingly detailed but very readable. Her vivid descriptions and plentiful maps visually supplement her text laying out the wandering and multiple layering of human wanderings, from the earliest time of our exit from Africa tens of thousands of years ago to the full surface of the globe where humans currently have spread. This is all focused on a historical, genetic and ethnic description of Europe, up to our time.) Bought 5 January 2018 on Amazon. Read 6-9 October 2018. History (Science, Culture)
Mark Gilroy Communications. The Thing I like About You Sweetheart. Nashville: Countryman (Thomas Nelson), 2006. 96p. Bought 2016. Read 9 October 2018. Faith and Life
Maxwell, John C. Dream: See It and Seize It. Lake Dallas: Success Books, 2009. 114p. Read 17 April 2018. Business (Self-Development)
Meyers, Joyce. Battlefield of the Mind (Second Edition). NY: Faith Words, 2011 (original edition 2002). 277p. Bought 6 March 2018 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 25-27 March 2018. Faith & Life
McCall, Andrew. The Medieval Underworld. NY: Barnes and Noble, 1993 (original edition by A M Heath & Co, 1979). 319p. Bought 3 April 2017 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Read 20-27 February 2018. History
McCaul, Michael. Failures of Imagination: The Deadliest Threats to Our Homeland -- And How to Thwart Them. NY: Crown Forum (Penguin), 2016. 296p. (Written by the Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. McCaul reviews and details several areas of alarming vulnerability in our infrastructure and defenses. The power grid and electronic systems, related to cyber invasion, is a major concern, as well as the aging of the various aspects of physical infrastructure.) Bought 25 August 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 15-17 September 2018. American Politics and Culture
McIntosh, Gary L and Samuel D Rima. Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership: How to Become and Effective Leader by Confronting Potential Failures. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007. 254p. Bought 20 March 2018 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 30-31 March 2018. Business
McKeever, Bill and Eric Johnson. Answering Mormon Questions: Ready Responses for Inquiring Latter-day Saints. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2012. 334p. Bought 4 May 2016 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 14-17 December 2018. Religions
Miller, Mark. The Heart of Leadership: Becoming a Leader People Want to Follow. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2013. 128p. Read 10 October 2018. Personal Development
Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew, a volume in the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: BakerAcademic, 2010. 384p. Bought 27 January 2016 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 30 May - 4 June 2018. Bible
Moltmann, Jurgen, trans Margaret Kohl. The Trinity and the Kingdom: The Doctrine of God. NY/San Francisco: Harper & Row (SCM Press), 1981. 256p. Bought 9 September 1982 in Nairobi, Kenya. Read previously with extensive notes, and parts at a later time; Read again 12-14 May 2018. Theology (Systematic Theology)
Monsma, Stephen V and Stanley W Carlson-Thies. Free to Serve: Protecting the Religious Freedom of Faith-Based Organizations. Grand Rapids: BrazosPress, 2015. 198p. (These two authors review the social and legal attitudes and rulings in recent years to compare student organizations on university campuses and non-profit service agencies to contrast the treatment of religious and non-religious, which has resulted in a growing discrimination against organizations with a faith-based mission or foundation. They present campus and court decisions that have treated faith-based organizations in a much more repressive and restrictive pattern than non-faith-based. The discussion and analyses are scholarly and logical, and very insightful about the two different standards of judgement used on a growing basis. Faith-based organizations on campus, for instance, have been required to accept anyone as officers and leaders, whether or not they support their stated basis of organization. Applied to political campus clubs, this would be equivalent to requiring a Republican club to accept a Democrat as member and president or group leader. One or more have actually taken it to that absurd length, effectively destroying the very basis for clubs and organizations to exist. Read my full review of this book on GoodReads.) Read my complete review of this book on Amazon. Bought 4 January 2017. Read 28 February - 4 March 2018. American Politics and Culture
Moody, Josh. Jonathan Edwards on Justification. Wheaton: Crossway, 2012. 158p. Bought 25 July 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 12-14 August 2018. Theology
Moynihan, Robert. Pray for Me: The Life and Spiritual Vision of Pope Francis, First Pope from the Americas. NY: Image (Random House), 2013. 256p. (I was impressed with the personal insights this journalist included in this portrait biography of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Argentine Bishop who became the current Pope Francis. Moynihan has reconstructed a sympathetic portrait that provides an unusual look into the personal faith and devotional concepts and commitments of Pope Francis. The author includes a large selection of various pronouncements, sermons, public statements by Bergoglio during his life, giving us a good opportunity to see the focuses he valued and causes he championed in his native Argentina, long troubled politically and economically. Read my full review of this book on GoodReads.) Read my complete review of this book on Amazon. Bought 1 January 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 15-20 January 2018. Biography
Neville, David J. A Peace and Hope: Contesting Violent Eschatology in New Testament Narratives. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013. 288p. Bought 18 December 2017 in Arlington, Texas. Read 27-31 January 2018. Bible (New Testament Eschatology)
Nuzzi, Gialuigi. Merchants in the Temple: Inside Pope Francis’s Secret Battle Against Corruption in the Vatican. NY: Henry Holt & Co, 2015. 224p. Bought 31 July 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 18 August 2018. Biography
Olson, Jeff. The Slight Edge: Little Things Matter. Lake Dallas, Texas: Success Books, 2009. 93p. Bought 1 January 2018 online. Read 15 March 2018. Business
O’Neal, Lucille, with Allison Samuels. Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go: My Journey from Mental Welfare to Mental Health. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010. 225p. (The mother of Shaquille O’Neal tells the story of her difficult family life and background, and her life with her famous son.) Bought 19 December 2013 in Arlington, Texas. Read 14-21 July 2018. Autobiography
O'Sullivan, Maureen. Cyprus. Athens: Efstathiadis Group, 1998. 119p. Received as a gift 22 June 2018 in Lindsay, Oklahoma. Read 27-28 June 2018. Peoples & Cultures
Painter, Sidney. Mediaeval Society: The Development of Western Civilization. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1951. 109p. Bought 6 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 28-30 December 2018. History (Mediaeval European Culture)
Persico, Joseph E. My Enemy, My Brother. NY: Viking Press, 1977. 252p. (This is the story of the Battle of Gettysburg in the US Civil War. But Persico recreates the personalities and events leading up to the battle from the first declaration of war quickly through a sweep of earlier battles and conditions to the Battle of Gettysburg. He quotes extensively from actual letters and diaries of soldiers and news stories of the times, as well as archive documents. He develops the characters from their own letters and portrays the events they participated in from the descriptions by the soldiers or officers and various historical documents. The resulting dramatic tapestry becomes an emotive engagement of the reader into the pathos of the times and the specific battles and the final climactic, decisive battle of Gettysburg.) Bought 6 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 29 September - 5 October 2018. History
Platt, David. A Radical Question/A Radical Idea. Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2012. 112p. Bought 15 October 2018 from Christianbook. Read 5 December 2018. Church & Culture
Prabhavananda, Swami and Christopher Isherwood, trans. The Song of God: Bhagavad-Gita. NY: Harper and Bros, 1951. 191p. Bought 22 January 1971 in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Portions read in previous years, and read through again 23-24 February 2010. Reread 25-28 September 2018. Religions (Hinduism)
Prince, Derek. Pulling Down Strongholds: Mighty Weapons for Spiritual Warfare. Charlotte, North Carolina: Whitaker House, 2013. 118p. Received 30 March 2018 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 10-11 April 2018. Theology (Bible, Spiritual Warfare)
Queen, Ellery. Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Vol 67, No 6, June 1976, NY: Borrowed and read 6-7 July 2018. Fiction
Rah, Soong-Chan and Gary Vanderpol. Return to Justice: Six Movements that Reignited Our Contemporary Evangelical Conscience. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2016. 224p. (They focused on key personalities and events and distinguished between various religiocultural themes and political movements that have constituted or influenced this movement to clarify the complexity, and even uncertainty, of this label. I had met some of these personalities, and read books by more, and was aware of many of the names. But I grew up and entered ministry in a milieu totally unaware of all but the historical use of the term Evangelical other than to identify Protestantism in general. Read my full review of this book on GoodReads.) Bought 16 January 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 24-26 January 2018. Church and Culture
Rahner, Karl, trans Joseph Donceel. The Trinity. NY: A Crossroad Book/The Seabury Press, 1974. 120p. Bought 11 September 1980 in Arlington, Texas. Read previously with extensive notes; Read again 30 April - 3 May 2018. Theology (Systematic Theology)
Reeder, Caryn A. The Enemy in the Household: Family Violence in Deuteronomy and Beyond. Grand Rapids: BakerAcademic, 2012. 236p. Bought 18 December 2017 in Arlington, Texas. Read 4-12 January 2018. Bible
Rutherford, Adam. A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes. NY: Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2016. 419p. Bought 21 May 2018 from Amazon. Read 18-26 September 2018. Science (Genetics, Cultural History)
Schreiter, Tom “Big Al”. The Four Color Personalities for MLM: The Secret Language for Network Marketing. BigAlBooks.com, no date. 94p. Borrowed and read 5 November 2018. Business
Schwartz, David J. The Magic of Thinking Big: Acquire the Secrets of Success ... Achieve Everything You’ve Always Wanted. NY: Fireside (Simon & Schuster), 1965. 238p. Bought 17 December 2016 on Amazon. Read 5-6 July 2018. Business
Sheppard, Trent. Jesus Journey: Shattering the Stained Glass Superhero and Discovering the Humanity of God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2017. 256p. Bought 25 August 2018 in Arlington Texas. Read 22-25 October 2018. Theology (Bible)
Spong, John Shelby. Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy: A Journey into a New Christianity through the Doorway of Matthew's Gospel. NY: HarperOne, 2016. 394p. Bought 17 May 2018 on Amazon. Read 22-26 May 2018. Bible Backgrounds (Bible)
Stone, Richard. Mammoth. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Perseus Publishing, 2001. 242p. Bought 20 March 2018 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 31 March - 5 April 2018. Science (Paleontology, Genetics)
Thompson, James W. Moral Formation According to Paul: The Context and Coherence of Pauline Ethics. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011. 256p. Bought 4 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 5-6 August 2018. Theology (Moral Theology, Bible, Faith and Life)
Tickle, Phyllis with Jon M Sweeney. The Age of the Spirit: How the Ghost of an Ancient Controversy is Shaping the Church. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2014. 184p. Bought 9 October 2018 on Christianbook.com. Read 25-28 December 2018. Theology (Philosophy)
Tov, Ro'i, ed Corinne Lynch. The Cross of Bethlehem: The Memoirs of a Refugee. Lexington, Kentucky: http://booksurge.com, 2009. 336p. (The overall story of intrigue and perfidy is attractive, but the author's style is plodding and self-distracting. The mass of detail along the way is self-interrupting and not well-defined to provide a sense of continuity and movement through the plot. It is hard to maintain interest. It could have used a good style edit. Some sentences stand out for their confusing syntax. This is the first of a two-book series by an Israeli Jew who became a Mossad agent, after working in electronic intelligence. He claims he was quashed and suppressed and finally Mossad put out an unsuccessful hit on him because of his questioning and growing opposition to the deceit and assassinations or other crimes committed by Mossad then blamed on others to stir up situations as a subterfuge they could benefit from. I laid it aside and the picked it up periodically to read some more. Finally, it was clear that it was not retaining my interest, so I gave it up in June 2018.) Received as a gift September 2017 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read some November-December 2017, resumed February 2018, and read it intermittently, till retiring it 21 June 2018. Autobiography (International Intrigue)
Tverberg, Lois. Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus: How a Jewish Perspective Can Transform Your Understanding. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2017. 286p. Bought 14 March 2018 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 8- May 2018. Bible Backgrounds: Culture
Varela, Lorraine Marie. Love in the face of Isis: Seven Prayer Strategies for the Crisis in the Middle East. Minneapolis: Chosen, 2016. 158p. (Lorraine Varela presents a practical challenge to Christians to take Jesus seriously and love ISIS in a practical way in our own attitudes. Even ISIS must be the object of love if we are to follow Jesus. She focuses on numerous examples of terrorism and how those terrorized responded in love to ISIS persecutors and those about to murder them. Stories also relate conversions of Muslims, including ISIS members, in response to dreams and visions. Some readers will note the flighty character of some of her effusive wording, or may be put off by some of her sometimes jargonish English syntax. But Varela has heard the perspective of Jesus' teachings that are usually glossed over and spiritualized, reminding us that these are not just figurative but really meant as the way to live in kingdom faith. Her insights and challenges, her passion and the stories demanded my attention. I hope other readers can find a way to connect with her content, as she presents information, inspiration, challenge and practical, serious guidelines to develop and implement an attitude consistent with Jesus' practical teaching about the Christian life. Read my review of this book on Amazon. Read my review on GoodReads.) Bought 10 October 2017 in Arlington, Texas. Read 19-20 February 2018. Faith & Life
Vennema, Dennis R and Scot McKnight. Adam and the Genome: Reading Scripture after Genetic Science. Grand Rapids: BrazosPress, 2018. 225p. Bought 13 October 2018 on Amazon. Read 22-25 November 2018. Science (Genetics; Bible, Bible Backgrounds)
Volf, Miroslav and Ryan McAnnally-Linz. Public Faith in Action: How to Think Carefully, Engage Wisely, and Vote with Integrity. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2016. 240p. Bought 17 April 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 8-12 June 2018. Theology (Social & Political Ethics)
Wall, Robert W and David R Nienhuis, eds. A Compact Guide to the Whole Bible: Learning to Read Scripture's Story. Grand Rapids: BakerAcademic, 2015. 276p. Bought 6 February 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 15-17 May 2018. Bible
Walton, John H. The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate. Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2009. 191p. Bought 18 October 2018 on Amazon. Read 17-20 October 2018. Bible
Ware, James H Jr. Not With Words of Wisdom: Performative Language and Liturgy. Washington, DC: University Press of America, 1981. 243p. Gift from the author Apr 5, 1985, in Austin, Texas. Read 11 October - 20 November 2018. Theology (Philosophy)
Warren, Kay. Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough. Grand Rapids: Revell, 2012. 259p. Received as a gift 14 March 2018 in Cedar Hill, Texas. Read 17-22 March 2018. Faith and Life
Wear, Michael. Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House about the Future of Faith in America. Nashville: Nelson Books (Thomas Nelson), 2017. 273p. Bought 16 June 2018. Read 25-27 July 2018. American Politics and Culture
Webb, Stephen H. Taking Religion to School: Christian Theology and Secular Education. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2000. 253p. Bought 9 August 2016 in Arlington, Texas. Read 20-24 January 2018. Philosophy (Theology)
Weiner, Tim. One Man Against the World: The Tragedy of Richard Nixon. NY: Henry Holt & Co, 2015, 369p. Bought 25 August 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 25 August - 1 September 2018. Biography (American Politics and Culture)
White, Heath. Postmodernism 101: A First Course for the Curious Christian. Grand Rapids: BrazosPress, 2006. 176p. Bought 6 February 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 14-18 February 2018. Philosophy
Wills, Gerri. Rich is Not a Four-Letter Word: How to Survive Obamacare, Trump Wall Street, Kick-Start Your Retirement, and Achieve Financial Success. NY: Crown Publishing, 2016. 256p. Bought 25 August 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 1-4 September 2018. Finance (American Politics)
Wytsma, Ken. Pursuing Justice: The Call to Live and Die for Bigger Things. Nashville: W Publishing (Nelson), 2013. 325p. Bought 28 October 2016 in Arlington, Texas. Read 17 August 2018. Theology (Living in Justice)
Yancey, Philip. Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church. Colorado Springs: Waterbrook, 2001. 330p. Bought 3 June 2017 in Arlington, Texas. Read 18-21 August 2018. Faith and Life (Moral Theology, Christian Formation)
Young, William P. The Shack. Newberry Park, California: Windblown Media, 2007. 248p. Bought 22 August 2008 in Shelly Beach, South Africa. Read previously in 2008. Read again 5-6 December 2018. Faith & Life
Zahn, Timothey. Survivor's Quest. NY: Random House Audio, 2004. Audiobook. Heard 13-20 May 2018. Science Fiction
Zahnd, Brian. Water to Wine: Some of My Story. Lexington, Kentucky: Spello Press, 2012. 197p. Bought 13 May 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Read 27-30 March 2018. Faith & Life (Biography, Theology)
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