The Month in Reviews: April 2026

Introduction

One of the treats of this month was to read two excellent self-published works, one a memoir and the other a very substantive devotional work. I revisited a couple of the works of Dallas Willard and a book from 2001 on practicing theology. Sometimes, the backlist books are well worthwhile. I opened the month reviewing a book on demons, and a few days later a book on the Holy Spirit and the arts. The “w’s” were well represented with books on welcome, wayfinding, and work. I finally tackled and completed Tom Holland’s Dominion as well as a lengthy commentary on Matthew.

Then there are the mysteries. In this case an Abe Lieberman mystery and the third installment of the Thursday Murder Club. George Saunders Vigil was one of those books I was thing about when I wasn’t reading it. That was also the case with Josiah Hesse’s memoir of growing up in a conservative evangelical/pentecostal environment in a small Midwest town. We both were influenced by the Jesus Movement, but in very different ways. I think the AI/tech revolution is one of the major changes sweeping our society, so I read a book on the high tech firms behind it and how they have sought political and cultural dominance. Finally, it’s baseball season again and I read Frank Deford’s classic The Old Ball Game and how a great pitcher and a great manager changed baseball.

The Reviews

Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance, Harold Ristau. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540904393) 2025. A biblical and pastoral account of how demons oppress and possess and how ministers may exorcise them. Review

On Fire for God, Josiah Hesse. Pantheon (ISBN: 9780553387292) 2026. A memoir of growing up in a troubled family amidst a toxic mix of conservative Christianity, and escaping it. Review

Matthew (Kerux Commentaries), Darrell L. Bock and Timothy D. Sprankle. Kregel Ministry (ISBN: 9780825458255) 2025. A Kerux Commentary combining exegesis of Matthew with communication insights for teaching and preaching. Review

Naming the Spirit, W. David O. Taylor and Daniel Train, eds. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514013489) 2025. An essay collection considering the different names for the Holy Spirit, using works of art to deepen our understanding. Review

Not Quite Kosher (Abe Lieberman, 7), Stuart M. Kaminsky. Forge Books (ISBN: 9781429912631) 2002. Lieberman juggles two murder cases, one with multiple deaths including a cop, a bar mitzvah, a partner’s wedding and more. Review

Vigil, George Saunders. Random House (ISBN: 9780525509622) 2026. Jill Blaine is a spirit who consoles the dying but her current charge needs no consoling, leading her to reexamine her short life. Review

Stones Still Speak, Amanda Hope Hailey. Revell (ISBN: 9780800746483) 2025. Shows how biblical archaeology helps us understand the context of scripture, sometimes correcting misunderstandings. Review

Knowing Christ Today, Dallas Willard. Harper Collins (ISBN: 9780062311795) 2014 (first published in 2009). Why the knowledge of Christ is real knowledge of true things on which one may base one’s life and confidently speak. Review

The Joy of Solitude, Robert J. Coplan. Simon & Schuster (ISBN: 9781668053423) 2025. A study of the complexities of solitude and how it can enrich our lives and relationships. Review

Enabling Grace, Susan Mathew. Langham Global Library (ISBN: 9781839732782) 2025. A disability reading of Paul’s letters focusing on 2 Corinthians 12:7b–10, asserting the grace of God amidst human weakness. Review

The Tech Coup, Marietje Schaake. Princeton University Press (ISBN: 9780691241197) 2025. An expose’ of how tech companies have seized power from government and the danger this poses to the public interest. Review

The Old Ball Game, Frank Deford. Grove Press (ISBN: 9780802142474) 2006. A dual biography of John McGraw and Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants and their partnership in elevating the game. Review

Worth Doing, W. David Buschart and Ryan Tafilowski. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009482) 2025. Addresses unrealistic theologies and ideas of work that do not reckon with our finitude and fallenness. Review

The Divine Profile, David J. Claassen. Self-published (ASIN: B0FKZQ14Y4) 2025. Thirty-one short reflections on the attributes of God, distilling deep theology into a succinct and accessible form. Review

Spiritual Wayfinding, Deborah Gregory. InterVarsity Press | Formatio (ISBN: 9781514011966) 2026. Thirty-three creative, walking meditations integrating mind, body, and spirit to discern God’s direction in our lives. Review

The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club, 3) Richard Osman. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9780593299418) 2022. The Thursday Murder Club investigates the murder of a TV journalist while Elizabeth must kill an old spy friend. Review

Dominion, Tom Holland. Basic Books (ISBN: 9781541675599) 2021. A history of Christianity describing its cultural and moral impact over two millenia from its shocking beginnings in a crucifixion. Review

She Teaches Me Still, Andrew T. Le Peau. Fill Us Publishing (ISBN: 9798993671819) 2026. A memoir, by her husband of 47 years, of Phyllis Strong Le Peau, a nurse, campus minister, writer, and church leader. Review

Becoming a Person of Welcome, Laura Baghdassarian Murray, foreword by Tod Bolsinger. IVP | Formatio (ISBN: 781514011942) 2025. Hospitality as embodying a posture that we carry with us rather than just an activity at our “place.” Review

Renovation of the Heart, Dallas Willard. NavPress (ISBN: 9781641584425) 2021 (cover image and review are of the 2002 edition). How Christ is formed in us as our hearts are transformed and six aspects of human life are integrated under God. Review

Practicing Theology, Miroslav Volf and Dorothy C. Bass, editors. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802849311) 2001. Essays answering the question of what theology has to do with real life, how our beliefs translate into practice. Review

Best Book of the Month

It is not often that I can remember choosing a self-published book as best of the month. However, The Divine Profile by David J. Claassen is an exception. He writes on the attributes of God and knowing God, arguably the most important of all knowledge. In thirty-one short reflections he distills thousands of pages of theology into a few readable pages without sacrificing substance or orthodoxy. Written by a pastor of fifty years, this book reflects the “simplicity on the other side of complexity” that comes of knowing and walking with God for decades.

Quote of the Month

Another wonderfully profound and succinct statement about God comes at the end of Becoming a Person of Welcome by Laura Baghdassarian Murray. Murray grounds our hospitality with that of God when she writes:

“We can always find our home in God. And our world needs reminders that we can always come home. God constantly welcomes us home, whether he walks toward us or we walk toward him. May we become people who carry welcome wherever we go and help others find their home in God” (p. 125).

What I’m Reading

Leslie Baynes has a scholarly new book on C.S. Lewis and the Bible titled Between Interpretation and Imagination. While we find Lewis’s imaginative portrayals of biblical truth in his fiction gripping, many will find his views on the Bible weren’t quite what theirs are. Baynes also points out that Lewis’s memory of texts, often celebrated, was not without gaps and he made errors in citing others. Then Louis Markos in From Aristotle to Christ shows the ways Aristotelian ideas helped clarify Christian belief among the church’s foremost early thinkers. However, I need a break from heady discussions. Sabino Chialà’s Silence and Speaking Freely is a series of meditations, from the monastic tradition on the relation of silence and speech.

Then, on the fiction side, I’m currently on my third Jane Austen novel, Emma, on my way to reading the novels of Jane Austen this year. There seems to be quite a bit Emma has to learn about the world of love. In my reckoning, she is also oblivious to her own vanity. Lastly, The Prodigal of Leningrad by Daniel Taylor is a fictional account of the siege of Leningrad, lasting 900 days during the Second World War. We glimpse the conditions through the account of a museum docent from the Hermitage, where Rembrandt’s Prodigal hangs. In addition, the story helps us understand the invidious nature of a totalitarian government that restricts even freedom of conscience.

I’ll leave you with this thought of Annie Dillard, whose birthday was yesterday:

“I worked so hard all my life, and all I want to do now is read.”

If that’s you, I hope you’ve found some good suggestions for future books.

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by. and feel free to share this with others!

The Month in Reviews: March 2026

Introduction

Twenty-one reviews in March. The reviews are blooming along with our tulips and daffodils. Among these are books on various parts of scripture: The Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), John and the synoptics, Ephesians, and Revelation as well as a wonderful introduction to the Bible and an introduction to how the church fathers read scripture. Also, I read books on the Christian life, including the writings of Edith Stein and a data driven discussion of faith in the workplace.

I keep working through a couple series, reading another Terry Pratchett and William Kent Krueger book. I also enjoyed Jazz Trash, the second book by a talented local author as well as finished my second Jane Austen novel. Then, on the non-fiction front, I read a book on fact-checking. academic spies in WWII, the Gemini space program, and a history of religious activity at the University of Wisconsin, underscoring its nonsectarian vision. Finally, I delighted in the graphic interpretation of some well-loved nature poems.

The Reviews

Reading the Bible with Ten Church Father, Gerald Bray. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540905147) 2026. How the generations after the apostles interpreted and preached the Bible. Review

Book and Dagger, Elyse Graham. Ecco Books (ISBN: 9780063280847) 2025. The contribution of scholars and librarians to undercover and intelligence operations during World War II. Review

The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking, Second Edition, Brooke Borel. The University of Chicago Press (ISBN: 9780226817897) 2023. The why, what, and how of fact-checking, with guidance on sourcing and record-keeping. Review

Rereading Revelation, Greg Carey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802878120) 2025. A thematic exploration of Revelation’s dangerous call and encouragement to resist idolatrous imperial Rome. Review

Mansfield Park, Jane Austen. Penguin Classics (ISBN: 9780141439808) 2003 (first published in 1814). Fanny Price moves from poverty to live with rich cousins in Mansfield Park, maturing amid their whirl of social relationships. Review

The Authority of the Septuagint, Gregory R. Lanier and William A. Ross, eds. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009727) 2025. A multi-perspectival approach to the question of the authority of the Greek Old Testament, or Septuagint. Review

Annihilation (Southern Reach Trilogy, 1), Jeff Vandermeer. Farrar. Straus and Giroux Originals (ISBN: 9780374104092) 2014. A team of four women investigate a mysterious uninhabited coastal area from which some previous expeditions ended badly. Review

The Fourth Synoptic Gospel, Mark Goodacre. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802875136) 2025. Maintains that John knew of and used Matthew, Mark, and Luke in composing his gospel. Review

The Vision of Ephesians, N.T. Wright. Zondervan Academic (ISBN: 9780310172505) 2025. Ephesians as a vision of the church between creation and consummation as God’s small working model of new creation. Review

The Culture of Interpretation, Roger Lundin. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802806369) 1993. A study of contemporary American culture, how we’ve come to this point, and its implications for Christians. Review

Gather, Darkness!, Fritz Leiber. Open Road Integrated Media (ISBN: 9781497616622) 2014 (first published in 1943). Techno-priests of the Great God control a post-nuclear world, opposed by the Witchcraft, with Brother Jarles torn between. Review

Gemini, Jeffrey Kluger. St. Martin’s Press (ISBN: 9781250323019) 2025. A history of the Gemini program, that prepared the way for the Apollo program in which Americans first landed on the moon. Review

Jazz Trash, Michael S. Moore. Crumpled-paper.com (ISBN: 9798985928945) 2025. Andrew, who cannot play the guitar, is chosen to play guitar for a group that explores the boundaries between jazz and noise. Review

The Glory of the Ascension, W. Ross Hastings. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010617) 2025. Sets forth this neglected doctrine that celebrates a completed atonement and the exalted glory of the Son. Review

Working for Better, Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514011263) 2025. A data-driven approach to understanding the challenges of fostering faith at work identifying five key tensions. Review

The Well That Washes What It Shows, Jonathan A. Linebaugh. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802885487) 2025. An invitation introducing the Bible as both revealing human sin and God’s cleansing work in Christ. Review

Sulphur Springs (Cork O’Connor, 16), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781501147432) 2018. A garbled message from Rainy’s son Peter about trouble sends Cork and Rainy to Arizona to help, threatening their own lives. Review

Sourcery (Discworld, 5; Rincewind, 3), Terry Pratchett. HarperCollins (ISBN 9780063373709) 2024 (First published in 1988). A sourcerer takes over the Unseen University and wreaks havoc on Discworld, and only Rincewind will try to stop him. Review

The University of Wisconsin and The Ideal of Nonsectarianism, Daniel G. Hummel. Upper House (ISBN: 9798987660508) 2022. A history of organized religious activity at the University of Wisconsin. Review

Nature Poems to See By, Julian Peters. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636081748) 2026. An anthology of great nature poems, organized by seasons and graphically interpreted. Review

A Sure Way (Plough Spiritual Guides), Edith Stein, edited by Carolyn Brand, Introduction by Zena Hitz. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636081762) 2026. Essential writings on knowing God, the cross, the resurrection, women’s spirituality, and the way of the cross. Review

Best Book of the Month

The best theological writing does not only inform. It also transforms. So, this month’s best book exemplifies that quality. Ross Hastings The Glory of the Ascension not only sets forth an oft-neglected Christian doctrine. It also left me pausing to savor rich spiritual truth. Then I offered that up in worship.

Quote of the Month

But we not only need to worship. We also need a faith able to sustain us when the world seems to be going up in flames. Edith Stein, who was martyred at Auschwitz, brings worship and resilient faith together in this statement found in the new Plough Spiritual Guide tiutled A Sure Way:

“The world is in flames. The conflagration can also reach our house. But high above all flames towers the cross. They cannot consume it. It is the path from earth to heaven. It will lift the one who embraces it in faith, love, and hope into the bosom of the Trinity” (p. 123).

What I’m Reading

Another writer who challenges me to go deeper in Christ is Dallas Willard. For example, his Knowing Christ Today makes the case that the knowledge of Christ is real knowledge, corresponding to our reality. Then, Amanda Hope Haley’s Stones Still Speak is a delightful introduction to biblical archaeology. Rather than proving the Bible, she sees it as illuminating the context of scripture. While I’ve read spiritual writers on the practice of solitude, Robert J. Coplan explores the psychology of solitude. Specifically, he digs into what makes it good, and not so good.

George Saunders’ Vigil is a recent novel. In it, a woman who has died returns to comfort the dying in their last moments. However, her current charge, a dying oil tycoon, is different. Despite a host of deceased from his past confronting him, he refuses to face his complicity in promoting lies denying climate change. Not only is this encounter different, but it changes Jill Blaine as well. Finally, I am savoring another of Stuart Kaminsky’s Abe Lieberman mysteries. In Not Quite Kosher, he and his Irish partner not only try to solve two murder cases, one involving the death of a fellow officer. Abe also tries to be understanding grandfather for his grandson’s bar mitzvah while supporting his partner’s wedding plans.

So, what was your best read of March? I love to hear what others are enjoying as we take this reading journey together!

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by. and feel free to share this with others!

The Month in Reviews: February 2026

Introduction

What a great month of reading! There were a number of stellar reads in this group. For example, a book on prayer by Eugene Peterson and three Lenten devotionals. Then there was a wonderful and short children’s book on God’s love for us and an incredibly long but rich study on how early Christians used the Old Testament. I also gained new perspectives from studies of motherhood in the New Testament and of women in Ezra-Nehemiah, as well as from a study of five ordinary heroes who pursued racial justice. Among the outstanding books of the month was a pastoral theology for those working with those bereaved by the suicide of loved ones.

In addition, I delighted in a novel centered in the life of trees and a non-fiction narrative of the life of rivers. I enjoyed another installment of Terry Pratchett, the first volume of Murderbot, and a Michael Innes mystery.

I cannot conclude without mentioning First Nations Version Psalms and Proverbs. The translations of familiar passages into the idioms of the First nations peoples continues to open these scriptures to me in fresh ways.

The Reviews

Answering God, Eugene H. Peterson. Harper One (ISBN: 9780060665128) 1991. Contends that the Psalms, explored here, are necessary instruction in prayer, understood as answering the God who addresses us. Review

You Can Trust a God with Scars, Jared Ayers. NavPress (ISBN: 978164158-9963) 2025. For those wondering if God can be trusted, a study of the story of God’s intimate understanding of suffering. Review

Under Her Wings, Jennifer Houston McNeel. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802885081) 2025. A comprehensive study of the mothers mentioned in the New Testament as well as references to motherhood. Review

Mort (Discworld, Number 4, Death, Number 1), Terry Pratchett. Harper Paperbacks (ISBN: 9780063393233) 2025 (first published in 1987). Mort is apprenticed to Death, who collects dying souls. However, Mort messes up the timeline when he saves a princess, killing her assassin. Review

The Murderbot Diaries Vol. 1 (Diaries Number 1 and 2), Martha Wells. Tordotcom (ISBN: 9781250389824) 2025 (contains works published in 2017 and 2018). The first two novellas in the Murderbot series, All Systems Red and Artificial Condition. Review

God Chose Me!, Lexa Hale, illustrated by Dana Regan. Paraclete Press (ISBN: 9781640609778) 2026. For children 0-3, affirming that they are God’s loving, good creation just the way they are and that their worth is in God. Review

First Nations Version Psalms and Proverbs, Terry M. Wildman, lead translator with First Nations Version Translation Council. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514007273) 2025. A true translation using idioms of the indigenous peoples of North America. Review

There Came Both Snow and Mist (Sir John Appleby Number 6), Michael Innes. Open Road Integrated Media (ISBN: 9781504092074) 2024 (first published in 1940). A gathering of Sir Basil Roper’s extended family and friends is marred when his nephew is shot in his study. Review

God, Where Are You?, Dominique Young. NavPress (ISBN: 9798898020217) 2026. In the midst of pain, God may seem distant. Healing begins when we drop our masks, discovering God’s love and presence. Review

Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter (Second Edition), editors at Plough Publishing. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9780874869262) 2026. A collection of 96 readings from writers throughout church history spanning the season from Ash Wednesday to Pentecost. Review

Meeting God in John: Inspiration and Encouragement from the Fourth Gospel, David F. Ford. Brazos Press (ISBN: 9781587437069) 2026. A Lenten devotional, offering reflections from John’s gospel on meeting God as he is revealed in Jesus. Review

Christ in Our Midst, Editors at Paraclete Press with chant by The Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola. Paraclete Press (ISBN: 9798893480283) 2025. An artfully designed Lenten daily devotional incorporating chant, scripture, reflections, and journaling questions. Review

Is a River Alive?, Robert McFarlane. W.W. Norton & Co. (ISBN: 9781324130734) 2025. A nature writer weighs the question of rivers as living entities with rights as he explores three river systems. Review

In the Stillness, Waiting, Nicholas Worssam, SFF. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9798400802317) 2025. The wisdom of Eastern Orthodox saints on contemplative discipleship reflected in the Jesus Prayer. Review

Israel’s Scriptures in Early Christian Writings, edited by Matthias Henze and David Lincicum. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802874443) 2023. How Jewish scriptures were used in the New Testament and in other early Christian writings. Review

Suicide and the Communion of Saints, Rhonda Mawhood Lee. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802884718) 2025. A healing approach for those affected by suicide, addressing traditional Christian teaching. Review

Ezra-Nehemiah (Wisdom Commentary, 14) Deborah Ann Appler and Terry Ann Smith. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9780814681138) 2025. A feminist commentary with background and intersectional analysis of power, ethnicity, race, class, and gender in the text. Review

The Overstory, Richard Powers. W. W. Norton & Co. (ISBN: 9780393356687) 2018. Eight stories of nine people who lives intersect with trees and forests, whose lives, deaths, and survival are the real story. Review

Ordinary Heroes of Racial Justice, Karen J. Johnson. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009987) 2025. Histories of five individuals and the communities they formed to pursue racial justice and reconciliation. Review

Best Book of the Month

Christ in our Midst is an outstanding Lenten devotional. It integrates scripture readings, thoughtful reflections, journaling prompts and Gregorian chant (via QR code) into a rich devotional experience. In addition. the book includes tasteful line drawings, is printed on quality paper, with a ribbon marker. A feast for the eyes, ears, and heart.

Quote of the Month

Earlier, I mentioned the First Nations Version Psalms and Proverbs. In order to give you just a taste, here is Psalm 1:1-2:

Harmony and well-being rest on those who do not walk the path of the bad-hearted, the ones who do notstand with those who stir up disharmony, those who will not sit in a circle where others are spoken of with scorn and disrespect.

Instead, they take joy in Grandfather’s clear instructions. As the sun and the moon circle the sky, they think deeply about his ways.

(First Nations Version, copyright ©2021, 2025 by Rain Ministries Inc. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. All rights reserved.)

What I’m Reading

I have a couple books, I’m just beginning: The Fourth Synoptic Gospel: John’s Knowledge of Matthew, Mark, and Luke by Mark Goodacre and a classic sci-fi by Fritz Leiber, Gather, Darkness. The Goodacre book is one of several recently published positing a greater dependence upon the Synoptics by John than previously thought. The Culture of Interpretation: Christian Faith and the Postmodern World by Roger Lundin is now something of a classic, published in 1993. In lucid prose, he offers a thoughtful Christian critique not only of post-modernism but its reflection in contemporary culture. Also in the sci-fi genre is Jeff Vandermeer’s Annihilation, an account of four women investigating “Area X.” Things ended badly for previous teams, including the one the narrator’s husband was on. Finally, I’m reading Jazz Trash, a fiction work by Michael S. Moore, an Ohio author whose previous work, Crumpled Paper, I loved.

By the way, I just finished Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen, part of my Jane Austen reading goal. Look for a review soon to see what I thought.

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by. and feel free to share this with others!

The Month in Reviews: January 2026

Introduction

It has been a cold and snowy January here in central Ohio. So I am hibernating in my book fort (at least figuratively!). One result is the twenty-one reviews that appear here. There are some oldies. one title published in 2026, and a number from last year. Finally, I discovered the scholarship of Dale Allison, Jr in a collection of essays on Jesus. I’ve mentioned the discovery of Catholic theologian Gerhard Lohfink. Two of his books appear here in reviews.

I began the year reviewing a marvelous book on economics from a historical Christian perspective. Then I was inspired by by a memoir of a high school dropout who went on to earn five degrees including a doctorate. I read the first book in my Jane Austen challenge. And I enjoyed two very different books on Ohio towns–Ripley and Urbana. There’s more I could say about other books, but I know you want to see the reviews!

The Reviews

Faithful Exchange, David W. Opderbeck. Fortress Press (ISBN: 9781506467016) 2025. Economic life through biblical and historic lenses with attention to current debates on capitalism versus socialism. Review

Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen. Penguin Classics (ISBN: 9780141439662) 2003 (first published in 1811). Austen’s first novel, contrasting two sisters’ approach to love: common sense judgment versus more emotional sympathy. Review

Prayer Takes Us Home, Gerhard Lohfink, Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9780814688069) 2020. What Christians believe about prayer and the various ways Christians pray and experience God in prayer. Review

Nailing It, Nicole Massie Martin (foreword by Carey Nieuwhof). InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514009741) 2025. A challenge to nail “leadership as usual” to the cross, embracing Jesus’ way of suffering service, and the hope of resurrection. Review

The Study: The Inner Life of Renaissance Libraries, Andrew Hui. Princeton University Press (ISBN: 9780691243320) 2024. Traces the Renaissance study through the lives of bibliophiles, artistic portrayals, and the darker side of bibliomania. Review

Marco Polo, If You Can (Blackford Oakes, Number 4), William F. Buckley, Jr. Mysterious Press/Open Road (ISBN: 9781504018524) 2015 (first published in 1981). Blackford Oakes awaits a death sentence in the Lubyanka as a spy, part of a plot to expose a Soviet mole. Review

The Journey of God, J. D. Lyonhart. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009246) 2025. A re-telling of the Christian story in six movements, exploring questions seekers, skeptic, and believers ask. Review

The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, Number 2) Richard Osman. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9781984881014) 2022. Ibrahim is badly assaulted by a teenage thug and Elizabeth’s ex-husband shows up, suspected of stealing diamonds. Review

The Reformed Pastor (Puritan Paperbacks), Richard Baxter. Banner of Truth Trust (ISBN: 9780851511917) 1974 (first published in 1656). On pastoral care, beginning with care of oneself, and then of the people, emphasizing catechesis through visitation. Review

Interpreting Jesus, Dale C. Allison Jr. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802879196) 2025. Six essays on Jesus addressing eschatology, Moses, miracles, women with Jesus, memory, and methods of attestation. Review

Beyond the River, Ann Hagedorn. Simon & Schuster. (ISBN: 9780684870663) 2004. A history of the Underground Railroad line passing through Ripley, Ohio, featuring the Rankin family and other townspeople. Review

How Did They Read the Prophets?, Michael B. Shepherd. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802885418) 2025. A study of Hebrew and Greek interpretations of the canonical prophets including Christian readings. Review

God Looks Like Jesus, Gregory A. Boyd & M. Scott Boren. Herald Press (ISBN: 9781513815510) 2025. In the life, ministry, teaching, and crucifixion of Jesus, we see the embodiment of what God is like. Review

The Common Rule Youth Edition, Justin Whitmel Early. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010433) 2025. Eight spiritual habits or practices for teens and tweens to help them grow in their faith. Review

The Search for a Rational Faith, Daniel K Williams. Oxford University Press (ISBN: 9780197748039) 2026. Anglo-American efforts to make a reasoned defense of Christian faith amid the rise of Enlightenment reason. Review

The Emperor of All Maladies, Siddhartha Mukherjee. Scribner (ISBN: 9781668047033) 2025 (My review is of the 2010 edition). A biography of the disease, our understanding of its nature, and approaches to treating it. Review

Eden’s Clock (American Novels, Number 12), Norman Lock. Bellevue Literary Press (ISBN: 9781954276390) 2025. A widowed clocksmith commissioned to repair a clock in San Francisco experiences misadventures enroute and meets Jack London. Review

From Dropout to Doctorate, Terence Lester, PhD. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514011485) 2025. A personal memoir underscoring the structural obstacles for Blacks in poverty who aspire to advanced education. Review

Jesus and Community, Gerhard Lohfink (translated by john P. Galvin. Fortress Press (ISBN: 9780800618025) 1984. How Jesus fulfilled Israel’s call, first in the contrast society of the Twelve, and then in early Christian communities. Review

Formed to Lead, Jason Jensen. InterVarsity Press | Formatio (ISBN:9781514009901) 2025. Through reflection on Luke 1-4, proposes a vision of leadership rooted in formation of character and spiritual discernment. Review

Paper Girl, Beth Macy. Penguin Press (ISBN: 9780593656730) 2025. A memoir about growing up in Urbana, Ohio and how the town changed in ways that reflects the struggles of rural America. Review

Best Book of the Month

It took a bit of wrangling, but I was delighted to receive The Search for a Rational Faith by Daniel K. Williams. Williams does nothing less than give a historical account of efforts to offer reasons for believing the Christian faith. Not only that, he does this for the whole of American history, back to the English Puritans. He also suggests the intriguing idea that this has contributed to the relative vitality of Christian belief, particularly in comparison with Europe. Implicitly, it makes the case for the continuing importance of this work. For contemporary apologists, the account helps us to see how we stand on the shoulders of those who go before us.

Quote of the Month

David W. Opderbeck offers a scholarly but accessible overview of the history of Christian thinking about economics. In his conclusion, I thought he captures well the contours of truly Christian approach to economics:

“Freedom for generosity and freedom from the love of money and the lust of the eyes is offered in the waters of baptism and at the table with Jesus in the community of his people. Every -ism, including capitalism and socialism, is here exposed as unworthy of devotion. In every time and place discerning the Kairos and listening to the Spirit of Christ, we are called to act with grace and wisdom, affirming but relativizing private property rights, prioritizing the poor, emphasizing fairness, and actively waiting for the coming of Jesus, when God will be all-in-all” (p. 258).

What I’m Reading

My big reading project right now is Israel’s Scriptures in Early Christian Writings. It is a fairly comprehensive study of how Christians used Israel’s scriptures, collecting essays from top scholars in the field. I’ve got about 400 pages to go! I am also delighting in The First Nations Version of Psalms and Proverbs. The work of translating these texts into idioms of First Nations peoples carries a freshness, helping me see familiar texts in new ways. God, Where Are You by Dominique Young is written for especially for those who experience depression, and wonder where God is. She offers some great journaling prompts!

One of my Christmas gifts was Robert MacFarlane’s Is A River Alive. He writes luminously as he describes an expedition up the Los Cedros River in Ecuador (and two other rivers I’ve not yet gotten to). He makes the case that in worldview and law, we ought to see rivers, forests, and other natural elements as living beings with rights, particularly to their own flourishing. Finally, for fun, I’m enjoying one of those manor house mysteries with Inspector John Appleby, written by Michael Innes.

I wish you health, warmth and good books for these chilly nights (or warm nights if you live in the global south!).

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by. and feel free to share this with others!

The Month in Reviews: December 2025

Introduction

Happy New Year 2026! This is the last retrospective post for 2025. Beginning tomorrow, I will post my first review of the new year. And so we’re off on another year of reading. I began the month with a review of a wonderful book on Advent. And I finished it with a review of a book on Classical Christian Education, a growing movement. A few other highlights of the month included the backlist book that was my book of the month, on the idea of covenant epistemology, a posthumously published book of Gordon Fee’s lectures on New Testament theology, a book on how Dallas Willard read the Bible, and a collection of essays on the popular series, The Chosen.

I also reviewed Rick Atkinson’s latest installment on the Revolutionary War and Louise Penny’s latest Gamache, a scarily prescient book. In addition, I read two environment-related books, one on food supply and one on alternatives to the idea of environmental stewardship. There’s lots of other good stuff here, so without further ado, here are the reviews!

The Reviews

Advent: The Season of Hope, (Fullness of Time series), Tish Harrison Warren. IVP Formatio (ISBN: 9781514000182) 2023. Explores how we may wait with hope around the three advents of Christ, offering themes, prayers, and helpful practices. Review

Preaching in a New Key, Mark R. Glanville, IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010990) 2025. A guide to engaging in Christ-centered expository preaching that is culturally resonant in Post-Christian settings. Review

Am I a Better Christian on Zoloft?, Mark Tabb. Revell (ISBN: 9780800746285) 2025. Mark Tabb asks questions we might hesitate to admit having to other Christians. Review

Brave Companions, David McCullough. Simon & Schuster (ISBN: 9781668003541) 2022 (first published in 1991). Short profiles of exceptional American men and women from biologist Louis Agassiz to writer Harriet Beecher Stowe. Review

The Fate of the Day (The Revolution Trilogy), Rick Atkinson. Crown (ISBN: 9780593799185) 2025. A history of the Revolutionary War covering the period between 1777 and 1780, from Ticonderoga to Charleston. Review

Loving to Know, Esther Lightcap Meek. Cascade Books (ISBN: 9781608999286) 2011. A proposal for covenant epistemology, bridging the subject-object divide with the idea that knowing is a personal, loving act. Review

Experiencing Scripture as a Disciple of Jesus, Dave Ripper. InterVarsity Press | Formatio (ISBN: 9781514013106) 2025. How the approach of Dallas Willard to reading scripture may transform us as disciples. Review

Watching The Chosen, Robert K. Garcia, Paul Gondreau, Patrick Gray, Douglas S. Huffman, editors. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802885463) 2025. Essays exploring the imagination, storytelling, Christology and treatment of persons, especially women, in “The Chosen.” Review

Eating with Jesus, Robert D. Cornwall. Cascade Books (ISBN: 9798385213450) 2025. An argument against restrictions or “fences” around the Lord’s table, welcoming all who will to come and encounter Christ. Review

The Black Wolf (Chief Inspector Gamache, 20), Louise Penny. Minotaur Books (ISBN: 9781250328175) 2025. Having arrested the “Black Wolf” trying to poison Montreal, Gamache realizes this was but a prelude to a greater threat. Review

The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories, Agatha Christie. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780062094391) 2012 (first published in 1997). Nine early short stories, including a Poirot and the title story, an encounter with Harley Quin. Review

Equal Rites (Discworld Number 3), Terry Pratchett. Harper (ISBN: 9780063385542) 2024 (first published in 1987). A dying wizard gives Eskarina his staff by mistake and she wants to become a wizard despite no girl ever having been a wizard. Review

Beyond Stewardship: New Approaches to Creation Care, edited by David Paul Warners and Matthew Kuperus Heun. Calvin Press (ISBN: 9781937555382) 2019. Essays exploring alternative ways to define the relationship with the non-human creation beyond stewardship. Review

The Kingdom of God is Among You, Gordon D. Fee and Cherith Fee Nordling, foreword by Craig S. Keener. Cascade Books (ISBN: 9781666732924) 2025. A New Testament theology drawn from lectures emphasizing the kingdom of God as a framework. Review

We Are Eating the Earth, Michael Grunwald. Simon & Schuster (ISBN: 9781982160074) 2025. Summary: The sustainability of our food system, feeding earth’s population, and the impact it has on our climate. Review

Athens and Jerusalem, Gerald Bray. Lexham Press (ISBN: 9781683597728) 2025. An in-depth survey of the parallel histories of philosophical tradition and Christian theology and their interactions. Review

Grieving Wholeheartedly, Audrey Davidheiser. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010839) 2025. Grieving well can lead to healing and hope as we make space for all our grieving parts to express themselves. Review

You Are Not Your Own, Alan Noble. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010952) 2025. Challenges the modern understanding of identity as autonomous self-belonging and what it means to belong to Christ. Review

Manitou Canyon (Cork O’Connor, 15), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781476749273) 2017. A man disappears during a camping trip and the grandchildren hire Cork to find him days before Jenny’s wedding. Review

Passing the Torch, Louis Markos. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514011300) 2025. An argument for Classical Christian Education based on its aim to produce virtuous, morally self-regulating citizens. Review

Best Book of the Month

Have you ever had a book that sat on your “to read” stack for several years? Then, when you finally got around to reading it, you wondered “where have you been all my life?” That was the case with Esther Lightcap Meek’s Loving to Know. It’s a book on epistemology. She interacts with a number of profound thinkers and makes an argument that knowing is a personal, loving act. I really wish I’d read this book back in 2011 when it was published, while I was working in collegiate ministry. But I hope to use some of this material in March when I speak to the grad group I helped start!

Quote of the Month

Cherith Fee Nordling edited her father’s, Gordon Fee’s, lectures in New Testament Theology, published after his death. This is a gem. Everything but dry and sterile. It pulses with Fee’s passion for the glory of Christ and the coming of his kingdom. This quote gives a flavor of that:

“I suggest to you that the church could be effective once again in the world. This is the passion that infuses these lectures. If I could somehow communicate, inculcate, and instill one passion into our Christian lives in the present age, it would be to stop being in step with our own age, and to live fully as eschatological people. I’m not here with you merely as an academic exercise but with a desire to recapture the theology of the early church, the eschatological hope of the Spirit given already in Jesus and his kingdom that set the church ablaze. Jesus’ coming set the future in motion. The coming age has dawned. With the early Christians, may we await the consummation of his second coming as active participants in that future even now” (pp. 36-37).

What I’m Reading

In the next day, I’ll finish reading William F. Buckley’s Marco Polo, If You Can, in which his version of James Bond, Blackford Oakes, deliberately lands a U-2 in Russian territory, facing a possible death sentence. I’m also thoroughly enjoying Richard Osman’s The Man Who Died Twice, the second of his Thursday Murder Club mysteries. Ron, Ibrahim, Elizabeth, and Joyce make such a fun team of sleuths!

J.D. Lyonhart’s The Journey of God retells the story of the Bible in six acts. Great for people trying to understand the big picture of what scripture is about, written with wit in contemporary language. Interpreting Jesus is a fascinating essay collection by this distinguished New Testament scholars. He explores questions like the skepticism over Jesus’ miracles and whether women accompanied him during his itinerant ministry. Finally, Richard Baxter’s The Reformed Pastor is a Puritan classic exploring the pastoral calling. It is a bracing call to “walk the talk” and what it means to care for God’s people. He pulls no punches!

In addition to these, I have a whole stack of books that arrived over the holidays that I’m eager to get into. I look forward to our adventures together in books in 2026! By the way, you might enjoy my Bob on Books Best of 2025 and my Bob on Books 2026 Reading Challenge. To another year of exploring the good, the true, and the beautiful in books and life!

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by.

The Month in Reviews: November 2025

Introduction

Cornucopia would be a good description of the books I reviewed this month. For example, there were new novels by Ian McEwan and Wendell Berry. Then I ranged the extremes from Paul Kingsnorth’s ominous Against the Machine to Charlie Mackesy’s reassuring Always Remember. I explored weighty matters like liberal education (written by a conservative arguing in its favor) and a natural law vision of property rights. Of course, I found time for a George Simenon mystery and a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel.

Then on the Christian book front, I read a book on racial change in the church, Dorothy L. Sayers and cinema, a book that I thought broke new ground on matters of faith and science, a study of the Psalms, and a book about “mid-faith crisis.” I also read a biography of George Whitefield and a memoir of a Palestinian Christian family over five generations. Lastly, I read a wonderful new history of the Edmund Fitzgerald published in time for the fiftieth anniversary of its sinking in 1975.

The Reviews

What We Can Know, Ian McEwan. Albert A. Knopf (ISBN: 9780593804728) 2025. A researcher in 2119 seeks a lost poem read at a famous dinner in 2014, reconstructing the circumstances of the dinner. Review

Pietr the Latvian (Inspector Maigret, 1), Georges Simenon. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9780141392738) 2025 (first published in 1930). Maigret tracks an international criminal appearing in a number of guises, not always sure he is tracking the real Pietr. Review

The Wages of Cinema (Studies in Theology and the Arts), Crystal L. Downing. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514008805) 2025. A Christian aesthetic of film in conversation with Dorothy L. Sayers’ ideas on creativity and artistic integrity. Review

Let’s Be Reasonable, Jonathan Marks. Princeton University Press (ISBN: 9780691193854) 2021. An conservative argument for liberal education rooted in John Locke’s idea of the cultivation of reason. Review

The Gales of November, John U. Bacon. Liveright (ISBN: 9781324094647) 2025. A new history of the Edmund Fitzgerald, its final voyage, crew and captain, and the possible reasons for its sinking. Review

The Sacred Art of Slowing Down, A. C. Seiple, foreword by Chuck De Groat. Tyndale | Refresh (ISBN: 9798400506321) 2025. Explores ways to become aware of our inner state, to tune into our bodies, and tend our souls. Review

The Light Fantastic, (Discworld, 2) Terry Pratchett. HarperCollins (ISBN: 9780063373679) 2024 (first published in 1986). Saved from falling off Discworld, Rincewind, Twoflower, and the Luggage try to avert its destruction by a red star. Review

One Star, Three Kings, Rebecca Grabill, illustrated by Isabella Grott. Paraclete Press (ISBN: 9798893480122) 2025. Imagining the journey of the Magi, blending scripture and history as they follow the star and seek the newborn King. Review

Beyond Church and Parachurch, Angie Ward, foreword by Jerry E. White. InterVarsity Press | Missio Alliance (ISBN: 9781514009574) 2025. A proposal that moves beyond siloed, competitive relationships to a collaborative model of missional extension. Review

The Earth is the Lord’s (Emory University Studies in Law and Religion), Liam de los Reyes. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (ISBN: 9780802885203) 2025. Property rights in view of natural law over against Lockean theory, and its application in Catholic Social Teaching. Review

Marce Catlett: The Force of a Story, Wendell Berry. Counterpoint Press (ISBN: 9781640097759) 2025. A story spanning three generations beginning Marce’s disastrous experience of selling his tobacco at a loss in 1906. Review

Beyond Evolution, Sy Garte. Tyndale | Refresh (ISBN: 9798400501364) 2025. Rather than evolution hindering belief, observes a reluctance in biology to follow evidence warranting belief in a Creator. Review

Kingdom Racial Change, Michael A. Evans, David L. McFadden, and Michael O. Emerson. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (ISBN: 9780802883728) 2025. Three men tell their stories, analyze them using sociology, and propose strategies for Christians pursuing justice. Review

The Divine Dramatist (Library of Religious Biography), Harry S., Stout. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (ISBN: 9780802801548) 1991. A biography of George Whitefield focusing on the drama of his preaching and his impact on American religious life. Review

Mid-Faith Crisis, Catherine McNeil and Jason Hague. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010365) 2025. When the foundations of one’s faith are shaken, it appears an endpoint, but may be a transforming experience. Review

Daughters of Palestine, Leyla R. King. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (ISBN: 9780802884992) 2025. A memoir of five generations of daughters of a Palestinian Christian family and a journey from Shafa ‘Amr to Texas. Review

Against the Machine, Paul Kingsnorth. Thesis (ISBN: 9780593850633) 2025. An account of the rise of techno-capitalism and the threat it poses to humanity and to the Earth. Review

Always Remember, Charlie Mackesy. Penguin Life (ISBN: 9780593994825) 2025. The boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse continue their journey together and learn what it takes to get through storms. Review

The Message of the Psalms, Walter Brueggemann. Augsburg Fortress. (ISBN: 9780806621203) 1985. Provides a framework of orientation, disorientation, and new orientation as a rubric for reading the Psalms. Review

Best Book of the Month

John U. Bacon’s The Gales of November not only tells the story of the tragic final voyage of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Bacon also researched the stories of the twenty-nine men on the boat, it’s reputation as the “Queen of the Great Lakes.” He helps the reader understand the terror of a Lake Superior storm. While not landing on a cause for the sinking, he explores the factors that could have contributed to it. In addition, he tells the story of Gordon Lightfoot, the song that captured the imagination of so many, and what it meant to fam0ilies of those who died. Summing up, Bacon’s telling lives up to the greatness of Edmund Fitzgerald, honors those who died, and keeps its story alive for a new generation.

Quote of the Month

I suspect people will either think Paul Kingsnorth’s Against the Machine over the top Luddism or a prescient warning. I probably lean toward the latter camp. I think there is something worth considering in this subheading and opening sentence in one of his chapters:

“What Progress wants is to replace us.

“Perhaps the last remaining question is whether we will let it.”

What I’m Reading

I just began reading Beyond Stewardship, an edited collection of articles. Many recent Christian writers on the environment (including Pope Francis) argue that the idea of stewardship is inadequate to encompass our calling to care for God’s world. I look forward to what new ideas this collection of essays proposes. Then, Watching the Chosen, another essay collection, got me to watch The Chosen. I am heartened to find that a number of the contributors came to this series with the same skepticism I did, and like me, most changed their minds from the first episode on. One aspect of The Chosen is the depiction of a Jesus who welcomed all to his table. In Eating with Jesus, Robert D. Cornwall raises questions about the “fences” we put around the Lord’s Supper Communion or the Eucharist depending on your church. He wonders if we should place restrictions on who may partake when Jesus was so open.

On the fiction side, I’m about halfway through Louise Penney’s Black Wolf which picks up where The Grey Wolf left off. Gamache’s team wonders if they were mistaken in identifying and charging the person who they thought the Black Wolf. Is the Black Wolf still out there? Is there something far worse than the poisoning of Quebec’s water supply in the offing and could it go beyond Canada’s borders? Those are all questions at this point. Finally, I’m enjoying The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories by Agatha Christie. These are early short stories, written as she was perfecting her craft–a feast for Christie fans.

In the next couple weeks, I’ll be putting together my ‘Best of the Year” post, but there are several on this list that might make good gifts for the booklover in your life!

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by.

If you skim over this list, you will recognize that I’m in a season of working through vintage series–Brian Jacques’ “Redwall,” Ngaio Marsh’s “Roderick Alleyn,” Margery Allingham’s “Albert Campion,” and Ellis Peter’s “Brother Cadfael” are all represented here. I read several books on evangelicalism including Edith Blumhofer’s history of the music of the Billy Graham Crusades and its impact on evangelical worship, a forthcoming work on the movement of deconstructing faith, resulting in many departures from evangelical churches, and finally, Karen Swallow Prior’s fine study of the evangelical imagination. There are two complementary devotionals here–a verse by verse set of reflective prayers from the book of Hebrews, six days a week for the year, and a wonderful little 90 second devotional based on the lectionary for Year B.

In the history department there is a study of the life of Ramesses II, perhaps Egypt’s greatest Pharoah, and a new biography of David Tod, perhaps the most illustrious citizen to hail from my hometown of Youngstown, serving a pivotal role as state governor of Ohio for two key years during the Civil War. I read a thoughtful proposal for police reform from a former police officer and a book on discipleship through the lens of justice. Rounding out the list is a Ronald Rohlheiser classic on spirituality, one of the best I’ve read in this genre, a thoughtful book on lament, a very helpful book on reading the Psalms, and a novel set in Paris that was a delightful surprise. As always, the link under the title will take you to the publisher’s page and the link saying “Review” will take you to the full review.

The Holy Longing (Fifteenth Anniversary Edition), Ronald Rolheiser. New York: Image, 2014. A discussion of Christian spirituality rooted in an understanding of desire and the incarnation. Review

Just Discipleship, Michael J. Rhodes (foreword by Brent A. Strawn). Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2023. A study both of what the Bible means by justice and how we become people who practice justice. Review

Ramesses II, Egypt’s Ultimate Pharoah, Peter J. Brand. Columbus, GA: Lockwood Press, 2023. Drawing heavily on archaeology, this lavishly illustrated work describes the life, historical and cultural context, and physical record of this arguably greatest of Egypt’s Pharaohs. Review

Mystery Mile, (Albert Campion #2), Margery Allingham. New York: Bloomsbury Reader, 2018 (originally published in 1930). Campion is hired to protect a retired American judge investigating the Simister crime syndicate, yet even a remote coastal community is not safe from their sinister efforts. Review

Salamandastron (Redwall #5), Brian Jacques. New York: Ace Books, 1994. The Badger Lord of the mountain fortress Salamandastron faces the overwheming forces of the Corpsemakers led by Ferahgo the Assassin and his son Klitch while Redwall Abbey is laid low by a deadly fever. Review

Sundays on the Go Year B, Albert Haase, OFM. Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2023. Taking the lectionary readings for each Sunday in liturgical year B, offers a brief reflection, prayer, and question to ponder, also including readings for solemnities and special feasts. Review

Rethinking the Police, Daniel Reinhardt. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2023. A study of the history of policing in the United States and how a culture of dehumanization has developed, offering recommendations for reform rooted in servant leadership, community-based policing, and procedural justice. Review

The Leper of Saint Giles (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #5), Ellis Peters. New York: Mysterious Press/Open Road Media, 2014 (Originally published in 1981). A wedding arranged between two landed families between a powerful old baron and an orphaned girl in charge of her avaricious uncle and aunt fails to happen when the groom doesn’t show because he lies murdered along a trail. Review

The Deconstruction of Christianity, Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Elevate, (Forthcoming, January 30,) 2024. A study of what the authors term the “deconstruction movement.” why this needs to be taken seriously, and how to respond to loved ones who are “deconstructing.” Review

The Political Transformation of David Tod, Joseph Lambert, Jr. Kent, OH: The Kent State University Press, 2023. A biography of Governor David Tod from Youngstown, focusing on his political career and his transformation as a “War Democrat” from support of popular sovereignty to supporting the Union war effort and ultimately Emancipation. Review

Hopeful Lament, Terra McDaniel. Downers Grove: IVP/Formatio, 2023. Out of a string of experiences of loss, the writer, a spiritual director writes about grief, lament, and the hope inherent in biblical lament. Review

The Evangelical Imagination. Karen Swallow Prior. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2023. A consideration of the images, stories, metaphors that constitute the “social imaginary” of what it has meant to be an evangelical. Review

Overture to Murder (Roderick Alleyn #8), Ngaio Marsh. New York: Felony & Mayhem, 2012, (Originally published in 1939). A comedic play in a small village to raise funds for the church to buy a new piano turns into a murder mystery when the pianist is shot when playing the opening notes of the prelude by a gun concealed within. Review

Songs I Love to Sing, Edith L. Blumhofer (foreword by Fernando Ortega). Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.: 2023. A history of the ministry of Billy Graham, focused on the music, the key roles of Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea, and the wider influence of the musical practices of the Crusades. Review

Bastille Day, Greg Garrett. Brewster, MA: Raven/Paraclete Press, 2023. A brief love affair with a beautiful Muslim woman who he rescues from a suicide leads Cal Jones to come to terms with losses and traumatic memories and to discover that he is not alone. Review

Treasuring the Psalms, Ian J. Vaillancourt. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2023. An orientation to both lay readers and churches to how to read and appropriate the Psalms, approaching them canonically, Christologically, and personally. Review

The Most Holy Place, Jeremy D. Vogan. Staunton, VA: LightPath Publishing, 2023. Day-by-day prayers based on a verse by verse reflection on the Book of Hebrews. Review

Book of the Month. I was so impressed with Ian Villaincourt’s Treasuring the Psalms, one of the most helpful books I’ve come across for making sense of the Psalms as a whole and how we read and apply individual Psalms in our lives and as worshipping congregations.

Quote of the Month. I found Ronald Rohlheiser’s The Holy Longing to be one of the most profound books on Christian spirituality I’ve read. This quote explains what he means by “holy longing” and reflects profound insight into our nature as human beings:

“Spirituality is about what we do with the fire inside us, about how we channel our eros. And how we do channel it, the disciplines and habits we choose to live by, will either lead to a greater integration or disintegration within our bodies, minds, and souls, and to a greater integration or disintegration in the way we are related to God, others, and the cosmic world.”

What I’m Reading. I’ve just added to my reading stack Reading Karl Barth by Chris Boesal. I’m ashamed to say how little of this formidable theologian I’ve read! Maybe this will inspire me. Jared Patrick Boyd has an interesting book title Finding Freedom in Constraint which addresses how spiritual practices function as constraints revealing our inner desires. Sounds like shades of Rohlheiser! I’ve had Thomas F. Madden’s Istanbul on my “to read” pile for several years. Digging into it, I’m realizing what a pivotal role the city has played through history. On a lighter note, I’m midway through Margery Allingham’s Look to the Lady, the third in her Albert Campion series and am fascinated in the brilliant, eccentric character she has created in Campion. Finally, I’m reading Emily Hunter McGowin’s Christmas: The Swason of Life and Light, which looks to be a refreshing theological reflection on this day on which we celebrate the incarnate son, Jesus amid all the commercialization and hustle and bustle of the season.

An Extra:

For those of you who are intrigued to know more about Daniel Reinhardt’s ideas in Rethinking the Police, I interviewed him for our Emerging Scholars Network Conversations series. Watch the interview on YouTube!

Happy reading, friends! Hope this list offers reading ideas for you as well as those on your shopping list.

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book.

Reviewing the list of books I read this month, what stands out is a lot of mysteries–two Cadfael’s, the first in Margery Allingham’s Campion series, and a previously unknown (to me) author Giles Blunt with detectives Cardinal and DeLorme in northern Canada. Some other standouts include a study of the history of dispensationalism in the U.S., John Irving’s latest, and supposedly last long novel (it is), a book on difficult conversations on race that was followed by one modelling a fictional dialogue on homosexuality and the Bible, what can also be a difficult conversation, and finally, a wonderful memoir by a bass player who spent his life in jazz ensembles and the theatre scene around Chicago, playing with a number of jazz greats. I’d also highlight Can You Just Sit with Me?, a sensitive book on walking with the grieving, Benjamin Laird’s book on the New Testament canon, and a forthcoming book by Jeff Haanan on Working From the Inside Out, a marketplace-focused book on spiritual transformation–concise yet rich!

Saint Peter’s Fair (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #4), Ellis Peters. New York: MysteriousPress.com/Open Road Integrated Media, 2014, (originally published 1981). The murder of a merchant from Bristol during Saint Peter’s Fair is the first of a string of break-ins culminating in another murder; even while two young men vie for the attentions of the merchant’s bereaved niece. Review

The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism, Daniel G. Hummel (Foreword by Mark A. Noll). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2023. A history of the origins, rise, and eventual decline of dispensationalism within American evangelicalism, and its impact on the wider American culture. Review

Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul, Dorcas Cheng-Tozun. Minneapolis: Broadleaf Books, 2023. How highly sensitive persons can also contribute to social justice efforts in ways consonant with their personalities. Review

Can You Just Sit With Me?, Natasha Smith. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2023. An extended reflection for Christians permitting ourselves and others to grieve well and how we may accompany those who are grieving. Review

Witness In The Academy, Rick Mattson. Madison, WI: InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, 2023. Offers both a framework for thinking about Christian witness among graduate students and faculty and a host of practical resources aiding in that witness. Review

The Last Chairlift, John Irving. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2022. The son of a former slalom skier tries to make sense of the ghosts he sees, the father he never knew, and the different ways people love, and fail to love. Review

How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race, Kwame Christian. Dallas: BenBella Books, 2022. Makes the case for the importance and unavoidability of workplace conversations about race, how we may overcome our fears, and offers a framework of practical skills in engaging these conversations. Review

Four (and a half) Dialogues on Homosexuality and the Bible, Donald J Zeyl. Cascasde Books: Eugene, OR: 2022. A fictional dialogue between four students representing four different interpretive approaches to the Bible regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage. Review

The Crime at Black Dudley (Albert Campion #1), Margery Allingham. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018 (originally published in 1929). A house party at a remote mansion results in the death of its one reclusive resident after a “lights out” game with a 15th century dagger, followed by the party being held captive by the head of an international crime syndicate. Review

Beguiled By Beauty, Wendy Farley. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2020. A book on the contemplative life encompassing all of life as well as specific practices, written on the “borderlands” of Christian faith. Review

Working from the Inside Out, Jeff Haanen. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, (Forthcoming December 12) 2023. In a disintegrating world, outlines how five dimensions of inner transfornation can, in turn, transform our outer world of work and our life in society. Review

What Jesus Intended, Todd D. Hunter. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2023. Written for those who have been disillusioned by the church and bad religion, offering hope that the rediscovery of Jesus and his aims can sustain and restore us. Review

King: A Life, Jonathan Eig. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023. A new biography of King that focuses not only on his civil rights leadership but his personal life and struggles. Review

Colour Scheme (Roderick Alleyn #12), Ngaio Marsh. New York: Felony & Mayhem, 2013 (first published in 1943). A struggling New Zealand spa by some sulphur springs becomes the scene of espionage, the visit of a famous stage actor, and murder. Review

Creating the Canon, Benjamin P. Laird. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2023. A survey of the scholarly discussions about the production, formation, and authority of the New Testament Canon, including the composition and circulation of the books, the role of theological controversies and councils, and the importance of apostolicity. Review

Pauline Theology as a Way of Life, Joshua W. Jipp. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2023. A study of Paul’s theology as an invitation to a flourishing life through participation in Christ, observing parallels and contrasts with both ancient philosophy and modern positive psychology. Review

The Virgin in the Ice (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #6), Ellis Peters. New York: Myterious Press/Open Road, 2014 (originally published 1982). Three missing refugees, an amnesiac monk left for dead, and a dead young girl encased in ice amid civil war and marauding bands challenge the skills of Cadfael and Hugh Beringar. Review

Forty Words for Sorrow (John Cardinal and Lise DeLorme Mystery #1), Giles Blunt. New York: Berkley Books, 2000. When a missing teenager’s body is found in a mineshaft, John Cardinal is re-assigned to a case he’d been pulled off of and is joined by Lise DeLorme, who is also investigating him for corruption. Meanwhile, facts point to a serial killer when another body turns up and another missing youth is traced to their community. Review

We Survived the End of the World, Steven Charleston. Minneapolis: Broadleaf Books, 2023. For a culture facing apocalyptic times, Charleston proposes we might learn from the prophets of the Native peoples of North America, who brought messages to help their own people face the apocalypse of the colonists and their successors. Review

Making the Low Notes: A Life in Music, Bill Harrison. Saint Louis: Open Books Press, 2023. A memoir of an accomplished former bass player, from his beginnings of learning to play an upright bass, learning from and studying with other players, playing with jazz greats, and the physical and financial challenges of making it. Review

Book of the Month. This month, the honor goes to Jonathan Eig for his new biography on Martin Luther King, Jr., King: A Life. Drawing on recently available materials, he goes deeper into the inner life of King, the FBI’s surveillance of King and the dynamics among civil rights leaders, including Abernathy’s steadying role in King’s life.

Quote of the Month. This quote from which Giles Blunt’s title Forty Words for Sorrow is drawn, expressing how often there are really no words for the inconsolable sorrows we confront:

“Eskimos, it is said, have forty different words for snow. Never mind about snow, Cardinal mused, what people really need is forty words for sorrow. Grief. Heartbreak. Desolation. There were not enough for this childless mother in her empty house” (p. 37).

What I’m Reading. I just finished Ronald Rolheiser’s The Holy Longing, exploring the relationship between our desires and our spiritual life. I think he is as insightful as any on the relationship between our sexuality and our spirituality. I’ve been working through a long, but lavishly illustrated volume on the life of Ramesses II by Peter J. Brand. Michael J. Rhodes thinks about how the Bible’s teaching on justice may be integrated into the church’s efforts to form disciples in Just Discipleship, a book that combines good biblical study with practical applications drawn from his experience in a multi-ethnic church on the south side of Memphis. Sundays on the Go takes the liturgical readings for Sundays in year B of the lectionary cycle (there is one for year A as well) and offers 90 second devotionals–a short reflection, prayer and question for each Sunday. For fun, I’ve just begun Salamandastron, the fifth in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques after a couple months away from the series, and the second in the Albert Campion series, Mystery Mile.

Like the squirrels in my yard collecting food for the winter and building nests in our trees, I’ve been collecting up new books to read and review in the colder months. I feature some in my “Book of the Day” posts on social media (Facebook, Threads, Instagram, and X). Just look for @bobonbooks on any of these sites. Is it a hibernation instinct to store up books for those cold winter nights, or just an excuse to buy books? At any rate, I hope I’ve offered you some ideas for your next trip to the bookstore or library!

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book.