Historical Immigrant Saga

The initial description of The Nesting Dolls by Alina Adams grabbed my attention. Spanning the

life story of four generations of women in a Jewish immigrant family from the USSR, this story sounded exactly like something I would enjoy.

Adams covers a vast sweep of history ranging from prior to World War II to modern day time. She also pulls back the curtains on life in the USSR. The stories of neighbors turning each other in for alleged offenses and how your life was dictated by the government is chilling. Beyond the glimpse into life under Communism, Adams shows the impact of family expectations and how trauma and experiences of previous generations impact future generations. In particular, each woman and man made choices based on what was best for their family rather than what was their heart's desire. While I found the story interesting and enjoyable, The Nesting Dolls did not grab me in as I was anticipating.

I received a complementary copy of The Nesting Dolls from Harper Collins via NetGalley.

The Digital World: Darker than You Realized

The Dark Side of Our Digital World: And What You Can Do about It takes a deep dive into all of the ways technology has become an impervious and seemingly inescapable part of our lives. In four parts, Andrew Weiss considers how  information distracts us, how we suffer from information overload, how conspiracy theories seem to be lurking behind every bush, the realities of disinformation, misinformation, and fake news, and then concludes with what we can do to protect our privacy, defeat trolls, and preserve democracy. Weiss, a librarian at California State University Northridge, presents an extremely well-researched dossier of how technology is in many ways "the genie out of the bottle." Even for those who consider themselves well-informed about technology and privacy issues or "fake news" will be shocked at the ways in which our lives, businesses, and the government are shaped and manipulated by big technology.

Although written by a librarian with an audience of librarians in mind, this book could easily be read by any professional who is concerned about technology and in particular the rise of privacy issues and dis/misinformation. Libraries and librarians in particular are mentioned a few times but not so much that would prevent others from reading and enjoying this book. I see the information shared in this book become the basis for many information sessions and webpages regarding digital privacy, fake news, and other technology related items. Weiss provides wonderful succinct, and often times memorable, definitions that describe the issues our world is facing and makes the important case that information literacy should not be confined to libraries but is key to not only education but the survival of democracy and the free world. The Dark Side of Our Digital World: And What You Can Do about It is highly recommended for librarians, educators, and anyone who cares about democracy and privacy. Be warned that this is not a quick and easy book to read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received The Dark Side of Our Digital World: And What You Can Do About It from Rowmand & Littlefield via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Gospels as Stories

Often when we read or study the Bible, we focus on the meaning of a specific passage or pericope. While knowing that understanding how the passage fits into the overall story of the Bible, it seems like too often we focus intently one one particular puzzle piece rather than looking at the picture as a whole. We often forget that individual books of the Bible are entire literary texts that were originally read as one story. In her new book The Gospels as Stories, Bethel University professor Dr. Jeannine K. Brown emphasizes looking at the whole story.

Brown begins The Gospels as Stories: A Narrative Approach to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John by examining a variety of critical methods used in studying the Bible with specific attention given to narrative criticism. This individual chapter does a wonderful job of both setting the stage for the remainder of the book and providing a wonderful introduction to the landscape of current Bible scholarship. After laying this important groundwork, Brown goes on to expand on various concepts within narrative criticism. Each aspect of narrative criticism is described in a chapter using examples from all four Gospels followed by a chapter which examines that aspect in a specific Gospel. This combination of a chapter delving into the specifics followed by a chapter demonstrating how the information is used in a Gospel provides a wonderful look at how to apply narrative criticism.

Reading The Gospels as Stories reminds you that each Gospel is a story and as such includes a plot and character development. The authors had a particular audience in mind and would include information that connected with the specific audience in order to emphasize specific aspects of who Christ is and his purpose. While and after reading this book, you will wish to sit down and read an entire Gospel from start to finish--in fact, I would encourage you to do so while reading this book. The Gospels as Stories will be a wonderful book for use in a class on the Gospels, New Testament, or Introduction to the Bible. Beyond its use in a classroom setting, Brown's work is readable and accessible to a wider audience of educated individuals who wish to better read and understand the Bible. Highly recommended!

I received a complementary copy of The Gospels as Stories from Baker Academic/Brazos Press via NetGalley.

Peasant's Dream

Take one well-known fairy tale, reverse the gender roles, add a sprinkling of Bible stories, and the writing ability of the ever-so-talented Melanie Dickerson to create The Peasant's Dream which is book 11 in the Hagenheim series.

The book summary for this new release indicates it is "a reverse Cinderella" story. While reading the story, I did not recall this bit of information and did find myself wondering "Which fairy tale is this?" In fact, I found the Bible parallel more apparent until near the end of the story when the fairy tale aspect became unmistakable. Dickerson's books, as they are published by HarperCollins Thomas Nelson Publishing, always have some Christian themes. Most often this includes the characters praying, receiving advise from their priest, and in a general a "clean," unobjectionable book. However, Bible stories are mentioned more frequently in The Peasant's Dream due to the main characters job. The mentions are appropriate due to the medieval setting of the books and not heavy-handed. Previous familiarity with the Bible stories or characters mentioned is helpful in understanding the story but readers who are not familiar with them will be able to follow the plot.

One of the things I enjoy about Dickerson's books is that while they are written for YA readers and are completely clean and appropriate for even early teens, they are written in a manner that holds the interest of even adult readers and she includes just enough sexual tension between the couple. The Peasant's Dream does not disappoint in that regard. A slight change is the non-descriptive reference to the main character's parentage and the emphasis that a person's character and future is not dependent on the circumstances of their birth.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA books. If you have been following the Hagenheim story, you will definitely want to read The Peasant's Dream. If you have not yet read any of the previous books, you can definitely start with The Peasant's Dream but will want to go back and read the previous books.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received The Peasant's Dream from HarperCollins Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

A Feast for the Soul

Recently, I had the opportunity to read the book A Feast for Hungry Souls: Spiritual Lessons from the Church's Greatest Masters and Mystics. After introducing the importance of learning from those who have gone before u s, Susan Muto takes on the gargantuan task of introducing readers to 30 different spiritual giants who have impacted Christian spirituality. She divides the books into several parts focusing on Ancient Masters, Medieval Masters, and Modern Masters. Most, but not all, of those included are Catholic and are frequently saints. However, John Wesley and Dietrich Bonhoeffer are also included.

In each chapter Muto skillfully provides brief biographical and historical information regarding the master being discussed. Drawing from their own writing, she emphasizes what they contributed to Christian spirituality. Each chapter concludes with several reflection questions focused on how the reader plans to engage further with the content as well as additional suggested readings. A Feast for Hungry Souls can be used in numerous settings. For individuals who are not very familiar with the saints listed or who are looking for an introduction to them, this book is perfect. In fact, I would encourage readers to consider using this book as a springboard to then read the writings of each master profiled. Because Muto makes sure to include historical information in addition to spiritual, this work would serve marvelously as a companion text in a church history class or in course focusing on the history of  Christian spirituality.  This book truly is a feast for those who will take the time to thoughtfully work through the contents. I anticipate pulling this book off the shelf frequently.

I received a complementary copy from Ave Maria Press via Net Galley. I was not required to provide a positive review.

Mission 3:16

When I spotted Mission 3:16: God's One-Verse invitation to Love the World, I knew I had to read it for several reasons. First, it combines world missions , a subject I'm passionate about, and John 3:16 a verse everyone knows. Second, Mission 3:16 is the newest book by Paul Borthwick. I have read many of his other books such as A Mind for Missions, Six Dangerous Questions to Transform Your Worldview, and How to Be a World-Class Christian. Being familiar with these books, I knew this title would be wonderful and I was not disappointed.

Since nearly everyone is familiar with the verse John 3:16 and in some ways it is referenced so often that it feels overdone, you may wonder what more could be said or written about it. Borthwick shows that a great deal can be written about it! He breaks John 3:16 down phrase by phrase and in so doing explodes your common understanding of this verse. The central theme of this exposition of John 3:16 as you can tell from the title is missions. However, even more than missions Borthwick unpacks that God's love should inspire and encourage us go out to love the world and share God's love with others. By the end of the book, you will add John 3:15 to your list of favorite mission verses and realize that you didn't know quite as much as you thought.

While Mission 3:16 is thoroughly researched and footnoted, Borthwick has a conversational tone which makes this book very readable and enjoyable. He shares many stories, often from his own experiences, demonstrating how the principles he shares can be lived out. As such, this book is appropriate for a wide audience ranging from college students to adults. I can see it being a great resource for a Sunday School class or Bible study or as background reading for a sermon series. As it is published by Intervarsity Press, I especially can see this book being featured at the upcoming Urbana 21 conference as a Book of the Day.

I received a complementary copy from IVP via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

Replace Digital Distraction with Spiritual Formation

Reconnect: Spiritual Restoration from Digital Distraction by Ed Cyzewski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As I was reading this book at a time when social media was going bonkers, Reconnect: Spiritual Restoration from Digital Distraction was an excellent, thought-provoking book. Cyzewski begins the book by emphasizing the many ways in which social media and technology is addicting and how much it has come to control our lives by digital formation. This section is very well-researched and even includes some excellent insights on the importance of media literacy. Reading this section was quite convicting.

Cyzewski does not leave the reader here to dwell on these issues but emphasizes the need to curtail our digital obsessions so that we can spend time in spiritual formation and relationship building. Throughout Reconnect, Cyzewski frequently reference Thomas Merton's writings. Each chapter includes several questions to help readers consider the material and make practical applications of the information.

During and since reading this book, while I have not cut off my social media use, I have been more conscious of it. I'm making a conscious effort to spend time in silence or prayer instead of glued to my feed. I look forward to spending more time disconnected from technology and reconnecting with others.

I received a complementary copy from Herald Press via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

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