The Month in Reviews

Introduction

This month I explored strange new worlds including Discworld and learned about loving a forest. I read memoirs a pastor who led his village in sheltering Jews from the Holocaust and of a football player from my home town and the wonderful surprises he discovered when learned who his biological parents were. On consecutive days I read works on the peaceable kingdom from indigenous and pacifist traditions. I reviewed books on believing, intimacy, wisdom, and giving away our deaths. I considered the development of doctrine from Reformed and Catholic perspectives. Finally, I savored one more David McCullough book, a collection of articles and lectures titled History Matters. And I enjoyed a novel set in a fictional northwest Ohio town

The Reviews

Star Trek and Faith, Volume 1, Mark S. Hansard, foreword by Michael W. Austin. Wipf & Stock (ISBN: 9798385235193) 2025. How various iterations of Star Trek explored religious and philosophical ideas vis-à-vis a Christian worldview. Review

Windigo Island, (Cork O’Connor, 14), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781476749242) 2025. Cork, Jenny, and Henry join in a search for a missing Ojibwe girl when her friend’s body washes up on a sinister island. Review

The Future of Synodality, Kristin M. Colberg and Jos Moons, SJ. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9798400800160) 2025. An account of the effort of Catholicism to move to a more open, participative and inclusive ecclesiology. Review

Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, Ross Douthat. Zondervan Books (ISBN: 9780310367581) 2025. A case for committing to a religious faith, illustrated by the author’s belief in Christianity. Review

History Matters, David McCullough (edited by Dorie McCullough Lawson and Michael Hill, foreword by Jon Meacham). Simon & Schuster (ISBN: 9781668098998) 2025. Essays and lectures on the importance of history, biographical vignettes, influences on the writer, and writing process. Review

Shalom and the Community of Creation (Prophetic Christianity) Randy S. Woodley. Wm. B. Eerdmans (ISBN: 9780802866783) 2012. The “Harmony Way” of the indigenous and biblical shalom between peoples, with creation, and the Creator. Review

The Peaceable Kingdom, Stanley Hauerwas. University of Notre Dame Press (ISBN:  9780268015541) 1991. A Christian ethic centered in the character of the rule Jesus inaugurated, lived by the church in nonviolent service. Review

Insane for the Light, Ronald Rolheiser. Image (ISBN: 9780593736463) 2025. The spiritual journey of our final years, learning not only how to relinquish one’s life but to give away one’s death. Review

The Color of Magic (Discworld, 1) Terry Pratchett. (HarperCollins (ISBN: 9780063373662) 2024 (first published in 1983). A failure at wizard school is compelled to protect a rich but naive traveler with a most unusual luggage chest. Review

Galatians and Ephesians Through Old Testament Eyes, Gary M. Burge. Kregel Academic (ISBN: 9780825445187) 2025. A commentary drawing out the Old Testament allusions and references Paul makes. Review

The Asylum Seekers, Cristina Rathbone. Broadleaf Books (ISBN: 9798889832010) 2025. A priest lives with asylum seekers in Juarez, learning about what they fled, the community they built, and their faith. Review

Buckeye, Patrick Ryan. Random House (ISBN: 9780593595039) 2025. Two couples in a small, post-war Ohio town have secrets between them that will shake their lives and the son who connects them. Review

Walking the Way of the Wise (Essential Studies in Biblical Theology), Mitchell L. Chase. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010914) 2025. Traces the idea of wisdom in scripture and how integral it is to walking well with God in covenant relationship. Review

How to Love a Forest, Ethan Tapper. Broadleaf Books (ISBN: 9798889830559) 2024. A forester buys a piece of Vermont forest that had been mismanaged and implements restorative practices. Review

Paul Through the Eyes of the Reformers, Stephen J. Chester. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802878489) 2025. Challenges misconceptions of Reformation readings of Paul and proposes constructive approaches. Review

Runs in the Family, Sarah Spain and Deland McCullough. Simon Element (ISBN: 9781668036280) 2025. An adopted child in difficult circumstances rises to coach in the NFL before finding his biological parents. Review

Knowing and Being Known, Erin F. Moniz. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010037) 2025. Explores elements of healthy relationships. the complexities of intimacy, and how the gospel relates to intimacy. Review

The Memoirs of Andre’ Trocme’, André Trocmé, Edited by Patrick Cabanel, translated by Patrick Henry and Mary Anne O’Neil. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636081595) 2025 (published in French 2020). His childhood, formative years, pacifism, and leadership in sheltering of Jews during the Holocaust. Review

The Idol House of Astarte (Miss Marple short stories), Agatha Christie. Open Road Integrated Media (ISBN: 9781504082297) 2024 (originally published in 1928, 1932). Miss Marple solves a murder occurring before witnesses with no obvious assailant and no weapon found. Review

Old Testament Wisdom & Poetry (Scripture Connections), Norah Whipple Caudill. B & H Academic (ISBN: 9781087746449) 2025. Introduces the six books: outlines, author, date, message, biblical connections and application. Review

An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, John Henry Cardinal Newman (foreword by Ian Ker). University of Notre Dame Press (ISBN: 9780268009212) 1994 (first published in 1845). Shows that doctrine has undergone development and provides marks of genuine doctrines. Review

Best Book of the Month

Many of the spiritual books I’ve read are written for young adults or those at midlife. But aren’t their new aspects to our formation as we age? In Insane for the Light, Father Ronald Rolheiser argues that our formation here not only involves giving away our lives but also our deaths. He writes, “Giving our deaths away as a gift to our loved ones means that at some point in our lives, we need to stop focusing on our agenda and begin to focus on our obituary, on what kind of spirit we will leave behind.” A profound book and much needed.

Quote of the Month

It is a sad thing for me to witness the attempts to erase history taking place in American society and the contempt for history more generally. David McCullough said this about why history matters:

“But, I think, what it really comes down to is that history is an extension of life. It both enlarges and intensifies the experience of being alive. It’s like poetry and art. Or music. And it’s ours, to enjoy” 

To ignore and denigrate history is to rob oneself according to McCullough.

What I’m Reading

When I wrote last month, i mentioned beginning to read the Discworld novels of Terry Pratchett. Well, I’m on to number two, The Light Fantastic. I love the tongue in cheek way he pokes fun at many of our pretensions.

Then in non-fiction, I’m reading The Gales of November by John U. Bacon. The Edmund Fitzgerald sank in November of 1975, my senior year in college. Gordon Lightfoot’s song etched the story in my mind forever. We lived in Toledo in the late ’70s and met people who knew crew members. A number were from Toledo, including the captain. We also traveled to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during many summers and got up to the Soo Locks, hoping to see a big freighter go through. Bacon gives a history of the Fitzgerald, it’s crew, the last fateful voyage, and possible reasons why the ship sank, though under “the best captain with the best crew.”

On the Christian side, Beyond Church and Parachurch addresses the tension between the church and ministries like the one I once worked with. Angie Ward does a great job on connecting the dots on intuitions I’ve had about how the two may walk together. The Earth is the Lord’s is a deep dive into the Natural Law theory of property, addressing why all should not be held in common. Finally, Mid-Faith Crisis explores how we navigate these crises, whether from tragedy or hardship in our lives, to the failures of the church and its leaders, to the dark nights of the soul.

Speaking of dark nights, Daylight Savings Time has ended. We’re in the season of early sunsets and lowering temperatures. What a great time to curl up with a book. I hope I’ve given you a few ideas.

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: September 2025

Introduction

Wonder. Two of my books this month had wonder in the title. One was on the spirituality of reading and the other on listening to classical music. Two sources of wonder in my life. One of the other sources of wonder in my life is scripture and studies on 1 Corinthians and Isaiah 52:13-53:12 were rich sources of reflection. On a different note, I thoroughly enjoyed a biography of Earl Weaver, one of the most colorful and effective managers in modern baseball. I also spent a good part of the month in R.F. Kuang’s descent into hell, which turned out to be an academic satire.

I was challenged by books on greed, ambition, and downsizing faith. Two books I reviewed address the crisis of sexual abuse in the church. A couple books explored Genesis and Christian attitudes toward science. Want to learn about the ichthus Christogram? I reviewed a book on that. Tony Campolo completed a memoir shortly before his death last November that brought back memories of hearing him speak and his influence on many of the students with whom I worked. Finally, I enjoyed a collection of Dorothy L. Sayers short stories and finished the month with an Agatha Christie Poirot mystery.

The Reviews

The Anti-Greed Gospel, Malcolm Foley. Brazos Press (ISBN: 9781587436307) 2025. Argues that greed is the root of racism and calls the church to economic solidarity, anti-violence, and truth-telling. Review

Paul Planted, Apollos Watered, but God, Christopher Sadowitz and Jim Harries, editors, foreword by Kenneth Nehrbass. Resource Publications (ISBN: 9781666764277) 2023. A theology and praxis of mission centered on vulnerability, weakness, humility, and dependence. Review

The Last Manager, John W. Miller. Avid Reader Press (ISBN: 9781668030929) 2025. A biography of manager Earl Weaver, his baseball career, his strategic innovations, and his feisty character. Review

1 Corinthians: A Theological, Pastoral & Missional Commentary, Michael J. Gorman. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802882660) 2025. A theological, pastoral, and missional commentary designed for all wanting a careful exposition of the text. Review

New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis (The Lost World Series) John H. Walton with J. Harvey Walton. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514004913) 2025. Reviews his work, adds new insights and clarifications, and answers frequently asked questions. Review

Year of Wonder, Clemency Burton-Hill. Harper (ISBN: 9780062856203) 2018. A guide to classical music introducing readers to one selection each day with a short introduction to the composer and work. Review

The God of Monkey Science, Janet Kellogg Ray. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802883193) 2023. An evangelical Christian science educator explores anti-science beliefs and being true to both faith and science. Review

The Cost of Ambition, Miroslav Volf. Brazos Press (ISBN: 9781587434815) 2025. Ambition diminishes us while a life of excellence with proper humility ennobles us and enriches our relationships. Review

Safe Church, Dr. Andrew J. Bauman. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540903976) 2025. Identifies the forms of abuse and sexism toward women in the church and practices of churches where women are safe. Review

Downsizing, Michelle Van Loon. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802884626) 2025. A memoir of a fifty-year evangelical journey and the unhelpful ideas and practices to be downsized to embrace an authentic faith. Review

Hangman’s Holiday (Lord Peter Wimsey, 9), Dorothy L. Sayers. Open Road Media (ISBN: 9781453262535) 2012 (first published in 1933). Mysteries in short story form featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and wine merchant Montague Egg plus two other tales. Review

Katabasis, R. F. Kuang. Harper Voyager (ISBN: 9780063021471) 2025. Two graduate students studying Magick follow their deceased advisor on a journey through Hell, struggling to trust each other. Review

The Ichthus Christogram and Other Early Christian Symbols, J. Daniel Hays. Kregel Academic (ISBN: 9780825448218) 2025. A study of the Ichthus Christogram, showing site examples, and their use. Review

World of Wonders: A Spirituality of Reading, Jeff Crosby, foreword by Carolyn Weber. Paraclete Press (ISBN: 9781640609457) 2025. On reading as a spiritual practice and how books may transform our lives. Review

Pilgrim: A Theological Memoir, Tony Campolo, with Steve Rabey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802884947) 2025. A memoir of Tony Campolo, popular speaker. social activist, and college professor, tracing his theological development. Review

The New Men (Strangers and Brothers, 6) C. P. Snow. Open Road Integrated Media (ISBN: 9781504097000) 2024 (First published in 1954). The tension between two brothers involved in nuclear weapons research during and after World War 2 in England. Review

Lead Boldly, Martin Luther King, Jr with Robert F. Smith (Foreword by Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King). HarperCollins Leadership (ISBN: 9781400244102) 2025. Leadership principles from seven speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. and how they may be integrated into a leadership journey. Review

Accountability, Healing, and Trust, Edited by Kimberly Hope Belcher and David A. Clairmont. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9780814688977) 2025. Papers from a 2022 conference at Notre Dame addressing the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. Review

Thinning the Veil, Shane J. Wood. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009222) 2025. An exposition of the Book of Revelation centered on the idea that it is “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Review

Behold My Servant, John Calvin, translated by Robert White. Banner of Truth (ISBN: 9781800405080) 2025. Seven sermons by John Calvin on Isaiah 52:13-53:12, the fourth “Servant Song” emphasizing his death for the sins of many. Review

Hickory Dickory Dock (Hercule Poirot, 34), Agatha Christie. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780062073969) 2011 (first published in 1955). Poirot’s secretary’s sister is warden at a student hostel subject to a baffling string of petty thefts. Review

Best Book of the Month

I’ve always liked books on books and reading but Jeff Crosby knocked it out of the park. His World of Wonders articulated everything about a spirituality of reading that has knocked around in my brain, told through accounts of books that have had a transforming influence in his life. And every booklover will love his booklists at the end of each chapter.

Quote of the Month

I suspect many think Calvin sterile and stuffy. I didn’t find him so in the Institutes, nor in a book I reviewed this month, Behold My Servant. Consider this appeal to his readers:

“Accordingly, let us learn to come to this source and fountainhead, so that we may draw from him all that we lack, Our Lord Jesus Christ has sufficient to satisfy all of us. We should not fear that the fullness of grace which he possess will ever run dry; he will give us his part and portion to each one who comes seeking it in him. Let us come boldly, then to our Lord Jesus Christ” (p. 53).

What I’m Reading

My son is a Terry Pratchett fan and he recently passed along the Discworld Novels to me (all 41 in e-book format!). I’m on number One, The Color of Magic. I think I’m in the “getting acclimated” stage and find myself enjoying things more as I approach the end of the first book. Recently, I started Patrick Ryan’s Buckeye, a novel set in post World War 2 time period in a small town in northwest Ohio. Early in my work life, I lived in that part of Ohio and visited a number of those towns. Ryan captures the feel of those places.

I’m just starting The Asylum Seekers by Cristina Rathbone on what it is like to seek asylum at the U.S/Mexico border. I’ve also just begun Gary Burge’s commentary on Galatians and Ephesians in the “Through Old Testament Eyes” series, a series I’ve really liked. Finally. Ronald Rohlheiser is a Catholic author I’ve deeply appreciated. Insane for the Light explores our final years, how we navigate the dark nights of our twilight years and how we may give ourselves away in these years, both in life and death. I’ve seen a lot of books on spiritual life that seem directed to the important mid-life years but few to our elder years.

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: August 2025

Introduction

I began August by reviewing a book on godly play and ended with a book on the magic of knowing what we want–an interesting thematic arc! Along the way were mysteries from some of my favorite writers: Christie, Krueger, Innes, and Simenon. Then there were books on religious freedom, fairness, work hurts, and the hard issues the church needs to be talking about. Turning to more academic theology, I reviewed Kevin Vanhoozer’s marvelous Mere Christian Hermeneutics, a book by Teilhard de Chardin, and a study of the interaction of Christian and Islamic history, politics, and beliefs.

The month’s big book was Chernow’s Mark Twain, which I’m not sure I liked as much as other Chernow biographies. I enjoyed Tolkien’s rendering of three fourteenth century poems I’d not read. Gliff, by Ali Smith caught me by surprise–a dystopian work I found myself thinking about long after I put the book down. Finally, I reviewed a children’s book for those afraid of going to sleep.

The Reviews

Teaching Godly Play, Jerome W. Berryman. Church Publishing (ISBN: 9781606740484) 2009. An introduction to the Godly Play approach to the Christian formation of pre-adolescent children. Review

Tamarack County (Cork O’Connor, 13), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781451645774) 2014. A judge’s wife is missing, a dog is beheaded, and Stephen is nearly killed and Cork must connect the dots. Review

Learning to Be Fair, Charles McNamara. Fortress Press (ISBN: 9781506495095) 2024. The ancient origins of the idea of equity in western moral philosophy and the historical development of the concept. Review

The Late Monsieur Gallet (Inspector Maigret, 3) Georges Simenon. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9780141393377) 2014 (first published in 1931). Gallet’s death seems that of an uninteresting failure until Maigret discovers that nothing about him is as it seems. Review

Swing Low, Volume 2: An Anthology of Black Christianity in the United States, General Editor, Walter R. Strickland II, Associate Editors, Justin D. Clark, Yana Jenay Conner, and Courtlandt K. Perkins. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514004227) 2024. An anthology of primary source writings on Black Christianity in America from the 1600’s to the present. Review

Religious Freedom: A Conservative Primer, John D. Wilsey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802881908) 2025. A conservative case, arguing the spirit of religion and liberty are mutually necessary and best defended by conservatism. Review

Peril at End House (Hercule Poirot, 8), Agatha Christie. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780063376014) 2024 (First published in 1932). “Nick” Buckley has several “accidents” which Poirot believes are attempts on her life by someone in her inner circle. Review

When Work Hurts, Meryl Herr. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010242) 2025. Moving through workplace disappointments and finding healing and hope through Israel’s journey of exile and return. Review

What Happened at Hazelwood, Michael Innes. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9780140026504) 1968 (first published 1946). The master of Hazelwood Hall is murdered shortly after Australian relatives join a manor of people who hate him. Review

Why I Believe in God, Gerhard Lohfink, Linda M. Maloney, translator. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9780814689974) 2025. A New Testament professor testifies to the reasons for his own faith in God in the form of a memoir. Review

The Phenomenon of Man, Teilhard de Chardin. Harper Perennial Modern Classics (ISBN: 9780061632655) 2008 (first published in 1957). A synthesis of evolutionary thought and teleology culminating in a collective consciousness or Omega Point. Review

If on a winter’s night a traveler, Italo Calvino. Mariner Books Classics (ISBN: 9780156439619) 1982 (first published in Italian in 1979). A reader purchases a book only to find most of it is missing and seeks the rest of the story. Review

The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us to Have, Regina V. Cates, foreword by Paula Stone Williams. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802884107) 2025. A pastor imagines what Jesus would want to talk about with Christians in the present moment. Review

Mark Twain, Ron Chernow. Penguin Press (ISBN: 9780525561729) 2025. Beyond literary greatness, the complicated, brilliant, tragic, and sometimes eccentric life of one of America’s greatest writers. Review

Charlie Can’t Sleep!, Rachel Joy Welcher, illustrated by Breezy Brookshire. IVP Kids (ISBN: 9781514010013) 2025. A child’s bedtime fears prevent him from sleeping until his mom reminds him that God never sleeps and will care for him. Review

Mere Christian Hermeneutics, Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Zondervan Academic (ISBN: 9780310234388) 2024. Amid a variety of interpretations and reading cultures, articulates essential principles for reading scripture. Review

Gliff, Ali Smith. Pantheon (ISBN: 9780593701560) 2025. Two “Unverifiable” children meet up with a horse slated for rendering in a courageous attempt to find their way in a dystopian world. Review

Global Christianity and Islam, Wafik W. Wahba. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9780830851959) 2025. A study of the history, political relations, and beliefs of the two religions and how they’ve intersected. Review

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with Pearl and Sir Orfeo, Anonymous, translated by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780358724209) 2021 (first published 1975). Tolkien’s translation of three 14th century poems, retaining rhyme, meter and alliterative schema. Review

The Magic of Knowing What You Want, Tracey Gee. Revell (ISBN: 9780800746223) 2025. A guide to identifying, clarifying, and embodying your desires, turning them into action. Review

Best Book of the Month

Gerhard Lohfink’s Why I Believe in God was my best book of August. This was his last book. He wrote not only of his belief in God as a scholar but as one who loved God. The book closes with these words:  “But above all I look at Jesus. To him I hold fast. In him I will die.” One of the marks of a good book is it makes me want to buy other books by the author. And so I did with Lohfink!

Quote of the Month

Sing Low, Volume 2: An Anthology of Black Christianity in the United States is a wonderful collection of writings of Black Christians throughout the history of the United States. This quote, from William Pannell’s “My Friend, The Enemy” describes the challenge for our majority culture in moving beyond our aspirations to transcend racism:

“No, this man is a friend. He’s against the KKK, abhors violence, supports the Constitution and is for Negro voting rights. We read the same version, believe the same doctrines, probably have the same middle class tastes, but all he knows about me–or cares to know–is what he sees on the 6 o’clock news.… I wear a suit as good as his, yet he sees me looting a clothing store in Watts. He knows something of my temperament as its mirrored in the behavior of my sons, yet he identifies me with the muggings in Washington or Buffalo. To him, the cause of brotherhood, the disintegration of human relations–civil rights!–is my problem. Mine, because I created it and I perpetuate it.”

What I’m Reading

I’ve just begun R.F. Kuang’s new Katabasis. In it, a couple of graduate students descend into Hell, which so far looks a lot like academia! New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis by John Walton with his son, J. Harvey Walton reflects the development and revision of Walton’s ideas fifteen years after he began the “Lost World” series. Janet Kellogg Ray is a Christian who is a science educator who explores the roots of the anti-science attitudes of American evangelicals around evolution, vaccines, and climate science. The book is provocatively titled, The God of Monkey Science, a pejorative someone applied to the work she does.

Then I have been reveling in the riches of Michael J. Gorman’s commentary, I Corinthians: A Theological, Pastoral, and Missional Commentary. Lastly, Year of Wonder by Clemency Burton-Hill is a kind of devotional for classical music lovers, with a daily selection of classical music with a brief, chatty commentary on the composer and the composition. I like that she includes a number of women and lesser known composers.

Today is Labor Day in the United States. I hope it will be a good chance to catch up on some reading. If not, the earlier sunsets and cooler nights of early autumn invite us to cozy up with a good book.

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: July 2025

Introduction

Looking over the books I read this past month is a bit like looking at a wildflower planting in full bloom. There is such a wide variety represented, among which are a number of books to engage the mind and delight the heart. My reading ranged from American intellectual history to oral histories of early major league baseball players. I began the month with a marvelous history of Black Christianity in America and finished it with an exquisitely illustrated children’s book on the theme of caring for God’s creation.

My readings explored both a narrative of someone who remained a Christian while interviewing numerous skeptics and of a pastor who has come to doubt orthodox Christian beliefs. I read biographies of John Hancock and St. Teresa of Avila. Then I reviewed a couple of well-researched and written books on marriage and sexuality. While reading some longer books, I appreciated a concise commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, a booklet on faith and science, and a novella by Graham Greene. So walk with me through this garden of reviews!

The Reviews

Swing Low, Volume 1: A History of Black Christianity in the United States, Walter R. Strickland II. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009369) 2024. A history of African-American Christianity tracing stories of social uplift and the lives of faithful Black Christians. Review

Kingdom through Covenant, Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum. Crossway (ISBN: 9781433553073) 2012, 2018. (My review is of the first edition, the link to the 2nd edition with revised and updated content.) A biblical-theological exploration of covenants, how they are related and unfold the reality of God’s kingdom. Review

1 & 2 Thessalonians: A Life in Letters, Johannes W. H. van der Bijl. Langham Global Library (ISBN: 9781786410962) 2025. A narrative commentary based on Acts and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, on the first half of Paul’s second missionary journey. Review

John Hancock, Willard Sterne Randall. Dutton (ISBN: 9780593472149) 2025. A biography going beyond the flourishing signature to the critical role Hancock played in the American Revolution. Review

Corridors of Power (Strangers and Brothers, 9), C. P. Snow. Open Road Media (ASIN: B0DCPBFBZT) 2024 (first published in 1964). An ambitious member of Parliament challenges Britain’s nuclear policy in the aftermath of the Suez crisis. Review

The Marriage You Want, Sheila Wray Gregoire and Dr. Keith Gregoire. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540903761) 2025. Building a rich marriage partnership marked by balance, affection, responsibility, and emotional connection. Review

The Glory of Their Times, Lawrence S. Ritter. Harper Perennial (ISBN: 9780061994715) 2010 (first published in 1966). Oral histories by twenty-six former players from the early days of baseball, playing from the 1900’s to the 1940’s. Review

Sexuality and Sex Therapy, Second Edition, Mark A Yarhouse and Erica S. N. Tan. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010976) 2025. A resource for Christian therapists, counselors, and the church affirming the blessing of our sexuality. Review

The Life of the Mind in America: From the Revolution to the Civil War, Books One Through Three, Perry Miller. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (ISBN: 9780156519908) 1965. The first three books of an intellectual history of the influences that shaped the American mind. Review

Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese. Vintage Books (ISBN: 9780375714368) 2010. Twins Marion and Shiva were born amidst tragedy involving their mother’s death and father’s flight. Review

Why I’m Still a Christian, Justin Brierly. Tyndale | Elevate (ISBN: 9781496466938) 2025. After two decades of interviews with atheists and skeptics, the author explains why he still follows Christ. Review

Black Coffee, (Hercule Poirot 7.5), Agatha Christie (stage play), Charles Osborne (novelization). William Morrow (ISBN: 9780061739323) 2004 (Stage play, 1930; Novelization, 1998). Poirot is too late to help Sir Claud, who has been fatally poisoned and his secret formula stolen by someone in his household. Review

Becoming the Pastor’s Wife, Beth Allison Barr. Brazos Press (ISBN: 9781587435898) 2025. Examines the connection between the decline of female ordination and the rise of the role of pastor’s wife. Review

The Divine Milieu, Teilhard de Chardin. Harper Perennial Modern Classics (ISBN: 9780060937256) 2001 (first published in 1957). How we grow into godlikeness in our active work and our passive diminishment, toward the uniting of all things in Christ. Review

Black Knight in Red Square, (Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov, 2), Stuart M. Kaminsky. Mysterious Press/Open Road Media (ISBN: 9781453269589) 2012 (first published in 1984). Rostnikov’s team races to stop a terrorist organization from causing mayhem at an international film festival. Review

True Conservatism, Anthony T. Kronman. Yale University Press (ISBN: 9780300277036) 2025. A call to a humane conservatism that embraces enlightenment ideals without enlightenment prejudices or oversimplification. Review

Doubting Faithfully, Keith Long. Independently published (ISBN: 9798553814663) 2020. A memoir by a pastor who came to doubt Christianity and how he has proceeded from there. Review

Loser Takes All, Graham Greene. Penguin Classics (ISBN: 9780140185423) 1993 (first published in 1955). On a honeymoon in Monte Carlo, Bertram’s gambling successes force a choice between love and money. Review

Paul, Apostle of Grace, Frank Thielman. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802876294) 2025. An introduction to the life and world of Paul based on Acts, his letters, and other sources including archaeology. Review

Does Science Make God Irrelevant? (TGC Hard Questions Series), Hans Madueme. Crossway (ISBN: 9781433597978) 2025. Proposes that science and faith may coexist as allies and that Christian assumptions make science possible. Review

The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila (Lives of Great Religious Books), Carlos Eire. Princeton University Press (ISBN: 9780691164939) 2019. An account both of St. Teresa’s life and of her autobiography recounting her encounters with the divine. Review

Abigail and the Waterfall, Sandra L. Richter, illustrated by Michael Corsini. IVP Kids (ISBN: 9781514008928) 2025. Abigail’s family hikes to a waterfall, sees the creatures that live there, and learns to care for their home. Review

Best Book of the Month

I chose Abraham Verghese’s Cutting for Stone, a book from 2010. I loved his more recent The Covenant of Water. This story involves tragedy, betrayal, and redemption, set in Haile Selassie’s Ethiopia. Verghese has a distinctive “voice” and an ability to evoke a sense of place.

Quote of the Month

After coming across him most of my adult life, I’m finally reading some Teilhard de Chardin. I came across this quote in The Divine Milieu:

“God, in all that is most living and incarnate in him, is not far away from us, altogether apart from the world we see, touch, hear, smell and taste about us. Rather, he awaits us every instant in our action, in the work of the moment. There is a sense in which he is at the tip of my pen, my spade, my brush, my needle – of my heart and my thought.”

What I’m Reading

Speaking of de Chardin, I’ve moved on to his The Phenomenon of Man, his effort to integrate evolution and Christian eschatology. I’ve just begun, but I sense I will find this less “orthodox” than The Divine Milieu. I’m also reading a new book by Meryl Herr, on When Work Hurts. Specifically, she discusses various workplace struggles and disappointments and how we might think Christianly about work and calling in light of them. I’m also reading a couple of mysteries: Agatha Christie’s Peril at End House (Poirot and Hastings!) and Michael Innes’ What Happened at Hazelwood.

Finally, my BIG reading project is Ron Chernow’s Mark Twain. I’m 400 pages into this 1000+ page work. I had not realized the grief Twain brought on himself and his finances in his various business ventures, something he would have better avoided. Nor had I realized how significant his part was in the publication of Grant’s autobiography. I expect I’ll be reviewing this book late in August.

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