Book Review: Father Hunger by Douglas Wilson

Books about manhood and fatherhood are beginning to pop up everywhere for good reason. Fatherlessness is an epidemic in our culture today. Douglas Wilson addresses this enormous issue with this book.

With very heady information, he walks the reader through the original intent for men and fathers. This leads well into a revelation of the ways the culture has drastically neglected those intentions. That neglect has lead us into several saddening realities in our culture as we know it today. 

The title interested me, which is why I accepted the offer to review the book for Booksneeze and Thomas Nelson. As a new father, there as encouragement in the possibility of good information regarding leading a family.

The larger surprises were found in the amount of discussion regarding sexuality, gender roles, masculinity and feminism. It grew to be a bit much at several points along the way.

There were different ways he handled certain topics, which were very enlightening. His connection of modern atheism to the fatherless epidemic is very intriguing. The connection to education is also very clear and easy to recognize.

On the other hand, there were quite a few topics addressed which felt like a great stretch. There are some generalizations that strike me more as an opinion, which smacks of conspiracy theories and “hell in a hand basket” outlooks. Even with the offerings of advice and challenges to step up as fathers, there remains a lack of restoration.

Finishing the book proved more daunting than I had expected.

Book Review: Billy Graham in Quotes

Not many would ever argue the wisdom and power behind the words of Billy Graham. He has stood with dignitaries of the widest array and never wavered in his presentation of the truth of Scripture. The heart of an evangelist has never been lost on this man.

This book is not a memoir. It is not a biography. It is a collection. It is a book for your reference shelf. It is sorted out in a way that makes it very easy to access exactly what you want each time you pick up the book. The arrangement of topics is not only a vast array; but it is easily accessible at the point when you need.

It is not a devotional book; though one could use it as such. There is so much information for the Christian’s journey beautifully arranged in this book, you could spend moments or years soaking it all in at whatever capacity you wish and need.

As for me, this book will go on my closest shelf for easy access to a depth of knowledge you cannot easily neglect.

Thank you booksneeze and Thomas Nelson Publishing for an opportunity to review such a great book that is both rich and easily used.

Coming Book Review…finally

I had taken a break from book reviews for Thomas Nelson and Booksneeze as it had reached a point that I was reading through their books so rapidly, I was rarely reading anything for myself.

My break is up, and I’m back to it. I will soon be receiving the book Billy Graham in Quotes. I am excited to see what this book might have to offer. Keep coming back to get the official review in time.

 

Book Review: Free Book by Brian Tome

You do not want to like Brian Tome. You do not want to like Free Book either.

You begin the book wanting to dislike his passionately gruff start. He is certainly passionate, but will this be another frustration with YOU, the reader for not being as passionate as the author? Well he is right; your life is unnecessarily safe.

You want to dislike his tactless attack on the things that destroy freedom for you. Like your slavery to different masters and a lack of authenticity! (How dare he call YOU unauthentic?)

You do not want to like being told forgiveness of ‘that person’ is the only way to live a life of freedom. Yet, you begin to understand how important it actually is.

You do not want to like his use of terms like ‘strongholds’ and ‘bondage’ because you are reminded of early 90’s praise songs, but for some reason it all makes absolute sense.

You do not want to like Tome’s seemingly oversimplification of things like those moments your faith is ‘blah’ or ‘balanced’. His insights into what scripture has to say about those times are not the ones you want to agree with, but you have to. The solutions really are more simple than we make them out to be.

You do not want to agree with the different areas revealed in your life where we may have to give some things up in order to experience the life of freedom. You certainly do not want to be told that freedom awaits you in connecting with messy people in Christian community.

You do not want to like Brain Tome or Free Book but you cannot deny the insight into a life of freedom. Once you see the life of freedom and how to present that life to others with grace and truth, you start to like this book a little bit more.

The book was a slower read than I typically like to have. It bogged me down a bit as a reader, and it was not an easy book to read. As a book review blogger for booksneeze.com and Thomas Nelson, I was required to read my free advanced copy from beginning to end, and it was a difficult requirement to meet.

What I’m Reading

The Art of War by Steven Pressfield
A great book about art.creativity.inspiration and overcoming the resistance we impose on ourselves.

Primal by Mark Batterson
Per reccommendation by a good friend of mine. A great challenge to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Free Book by Brian Tome
The next book I am reviewing for booksneeze.com (Thomas Nelson). I have not read enough to give any thoughts here.

Books I always have to thumb through:
The Prayers of Kierkegaard
The Wisdom and Witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Praying with Francis of Assisi


———–

What are you reading?