T Books

Matthew Strebe is a professional consultant so he knows what he's talking about. Book is full of practical, detailed advice about running your own business. He tells you about taxes, incorporation, deductions,etc. Also a very good section on marketing. He tells you about his experiences with mailers, ads, etc.

Smart. To the point.

Money well spent.

Wow! I wish I would have had this book 4 years ago. A must read for anyone thinking about taking on side-jobs or going out on their own. Not only is this book packed with invaluable information but Matt's sense of humor made reading this book an absolute pleasure. Two big thumbs up from this reader! :)

Book covers the business, legal, technical ends of consulting. I feel greatly enlightened after reading it. It was recommended on the Cisco Newsgroup, and I thank the person that told us about it. After reading it, the book will now stand as a reference for me, especially the fine examples of contracts included. A real book written by a real professional, and not stuffy like technical books from experienced people can be. I have nothing bad to say about the book, but everything good. If you have any inkling to become a consultant, or need to know more to help you make the decision, read and absorb this informative how-to manual. It accomplishes what it is supposed to in a somewhat enjoyable/light touch manner, and there isn't any more to say!

I was heading out on my own in 2001 and my younger brother (also a network engineer) had a copy of this book and gave it to me. He's a fan of Strebe's writing style from other books, and although the unfortunate cover art almost turned him (and I until he explained) away, he bought it.

The book is really pretty useful. For retainers, I use a version of his retainer agreement. However, there are some things that my experience has found are different than his experience.

For example, mailing DOES work. I bet he sent a letter. You don't send just a letter. You send a letter and YOUR BUSINESS CARD. Because out of 1000 businesses, almost nobody might need you right now, but if your card ends up in 20 rolodexes or 50 rolodexes from that mailing, over the course of a year you might get ten calls from that mailing. Calls are worth the $37.00, if that's the formula. Trust me. .... I don't do it every month or even every other month but it does work, and him dismissing it out of hand because he tried it once and didn't get any calls is a little irresponsible.

Another thing is, this book is I'm sure quite true for Matthew Strebe's experience, but if you're doing this in the post-Tech-bubble world, you're going to have to expect that it's going to be harder to find the relationships and big jobs than it was during the years Strebe was gaining his experience as an independent. I'm doing okay, my business is growing SLOWLY but steadily (which is what every entrepeneur I've met and talked to since I started doing this has told me is completely normal) and if you have solid skills like Strebe and I do, you'll prevail eventually and it is worth it.

One other thing I disagreed with is that while it is true you don't want to be buddy-buddy with your customers too much, to the point that you get exploited, the reality is that non-tech type people are a lot more touchy-feely and relationship-oriented and they need to like and trust you because you are carrying the keys to their kingdom and they know it. People can say anything they want about the sales process but the reality is I walk out of a business with a deal or a relationship 100% of the time if I connected as a person with the customer, so they saw me as someone who had the experience and character to be mucking around in their stuff, and about 0% if I didn't. You can't get that by putting up a 100% wall between yourself and your customers. Getting by in this business is less about making "big scores" and more about having successful, long-term relationships where they call you and don't resent your fee because they know you're the best they're going to find. In the 90's it was about "big scores." Not any more, and remember that when you're reading this book. I wouldn't be surprised if Strebe has changed his focus a bit since then, too.

....

Overall this book was excellent. The only side of it that I didn't like is that a lot of the TAX/BUSINESS STARTUP information was directed to people living in the US (I figuered that before I purchased it anyhow). The book gets into detail and gives you some confidence in going in alone on this type of business. It's a good idea to read this book before you read others regarding this issue. The other books are 3 times the size and would probably turn the reader off before you get to the next chapter. I really enjoyed reading the book but I decided to start this business more on a part time level rather than quitting my job and going fulltime.

Max Lucado is an artist! He paints pictures with his words. All his books are like that, but this one is superb!

We are using it as a women's group study. It lends itself wonderfully and quite easily to this venue. I have never seen the excitment and participation in a small group that this book has generated. But most exciting is the growth of the each women's understanding of Who God is to her (and who she is to HIM) presented in a unusual perspective. The result has been a steadily increasing sense of awe and trust and surrender ~ and a very obvious deepening of each woman's relationship with Him. I would highly recommend this book as a wonderful small group study.

Thanks, Max, you have blessed us ~ again!

With this book, I was lead through the Lord's Prayer and the House of God and understood more of what it means to live in "God's House." Max Lucado is a WONDERFUL author and such an inspiration! Thank you a lot. This book is a great devotional book, or a great book to just read for enjoyment.
~Kristen

Each Chapter has its very own message, and each really opened my heart with great understanding to God's love. I plan to purchase this book for my family members as a Christmas gift.

Lucado takes the Lord's Prayer (our Father, who is in heaven...) and breaks it down into many little parts - giving each part a "room" in the "great house" of God. It shed new light on the Lord's Prayer and I haven't looked at it the same.

Absolutely terrific writing. Classic Lucado - descriptive, prescriptive, and very emotionally connected to the reader. It is written in such a way that Max is the tour guide showing you all the rooms and how we can have a place there.

If you're looking to reconnect with God or for a breath of fresh air in looking at Scripture, this is a great book.

I have just finished this book and it was wonderful! Rev. Lucado has a delightful, conversational style that makes for easy reading. It's almost like having your own personal Bible teacher.
How often we take the Lord's Prayer for granted! We repeat the words mechanically with little thought to their meaning. Rev. Lucado puts these timeless words in a new perspective, bringing fresh meaning that will touch your heart. His description of Heaven brings both comfort and longing to the soul. A must read for all Christians whose view of God's Heavenly Kingdom is somewhat blurred!

Disclaimer: I know Tim Darling and was given a copy of the book to review prior to its publishing. When there are hundreds of book on "How to get a consulting job at a Top firm", why another one? That is precisely the point. One can get easily lost in the hundreds of books and references. What one wants is a quick, easy to read and yet comprehensive guide. Tim Darling's book, filled with lots and lots of nuggets does the job.

Getting a consulting job is not just about acing the case interview. The enormous amount of preparation that goes into the process prior to the interview (resumes, networking and mixers, office hours, the behavioral interview stories etc), make the difference. This book does an excellent job going into just enough and relevant detail about the entire process.

Let me share a few reasons as to why I recommend this this book to a 1st year MBA student.

You enter a top B-school. Everything is so different. People always ask, so what is your bottom line contribution? Can you quantify and can you make it appealing to the CEO? You have great stories, but you are in need examples of how to succinctly structure our thoughts and make it appealing as well. The book is full of how-tos.

I also found the book particularly helpful with case interview preparation. I am sure, during your preparation, you were inundated with hundreds of frameworks. However, you might often wonder, is there a big picture that ties everything together?

Tim does just this in his simplistic framework covering 80% of the real life cases interview questions. You will be surprised as to how the thousands of cases you may see/do fit nicely into the structure that Tim uses. After conceptualizing the framework, regardless of the type of case you are given (market entry, M&A, P&L, Growth Strategies), you will be armed with a comprehensive starting point.

So what should you do about the rest of the 20% of the time when curve balls are thrown at you? Tim provides excellent tricks to help guide your thinking so you arrive at that answer which awes the interviewer.

The book has several other nuggets that pretty much guide you through the entire process from soup to nuts.

Finally, the consulting club of Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University was looking to develop a handbook that pretty much hand holds a member from start to when he/she lands into a consulting job. Tim's book covers bulk of what we were looking to incorporate into the handbook.

The obvious comparison to this book is Marc Cosentino's Case In Point, which has been a best-seller in case interview preparation for many years. So perhaps the most obvious place to start a review is to say how this book differs from that.

The focus of Darling's book is on problem solving and how to get your hands dirty with a problem for 15 minutes, then to come up again for air and communicate a coherent, polished recommendation based on it. The problem-solving tips he suggest are simplified - but still surprisingly effective - variations of the problem-solving techniques used by strategic management consultants. Key topics include defining the problem/objective, building a MECE tree to disaggregate the key drivers of the problem, and understanding how to analyze that tree to solve the problem.

Most interesting to me (as someone with an MBA and 2 previous years' experience in a strategic consulting firm) was his explanation of how to use the various industry standard frameworks (such as the 3 C's, Porter's 5 Forces, the Value Chain, the 4 P's ...). In my previous experience, as with Cosentino's book, these frameworks were just thrown into a general toolkit with little guidance offered on how to use them. Do you know how and when to use the 3 C's or 5 Forces while solving a generic business problem? Darling offers his thoughts and they are very lucid and insightful. I don't know that they are the "right" or only answers, but his vision is well worth reading and considering for anyone in business - not just consultants, and certainly not just consultant firm candidates.

This brings me to the contrast with Cosentino's book. Cosentino offers more tools for your toolkit; Darling offers fewer tools with more detailed explanations. Cosentino falls on the side of learning the "answers" to a set of problems ahead of time and demonstrating your poise and polish in presenting them; Darling falls on the side of learning a general problem-solving technique and showing you can be a force in the team room with polish and poise saved for the end of the interview.

Which book or approach is better? Again, I don't know -- but as a pair, they make an interesting enough contrast that any serious candidate should most certainly read both.

This book dispenses with the variety of frameworks that other books offer and instead focuses on a single overarching framework built to handle a majority of case interviews. I personally preferred this approach as it provides a single logical and coherent framework that handled both strategic and tactical questions well. Of course, the best advice is only beneficial if put into practice. Practicing case interviews with others will help internalize the method in this book. There are some cases provided in the book but practicing with a larger variety of cases will show how effective the framework can be.

I received an advance copy of this book for review; hopefully it will be in stock on Amazon soon.

Simply, I'm glad to see a resource out there that will help us put and end to the canned frameworks everyone seems to be applying to consulting interviews (and even consulting engagements?).

Tim's book is about problem-solving and getting to the business economics of an issue quickly. Thanks for taking this on!

I would not recommend this book, especially compared to Cosentino's "Case in Point" book. Let me give a few reasons why:

Considering the price paid ($30) I was a little bit taken aback by the thin content when the book arrived at my house. The book is about 90 pages long, if you're generous. Content starts on page 7, and between that and the end at page 89, there are 12 blank or essentially blank pages (of which several are fill in the box pages for you to do work on the example problems -- do we really need this?), followed by 3 tables/charts for use with the problems, and a few supplemental pages and index. On first opening, I'm sorry to say it gave me the feeling of an elementary school workbook.

The page count of course, in itself, need not be a signal of whether the book is good, but the content on the remaining pages is also rather thin. In the introduction and first chapter, there are a few pages on the lifestyle of a consultant, resume format tips (which you have already gotten past if you're getting this book), networking techniques, all of which are covered better in other books, and not the primary reason for buying this one.

In the 55-60 remaining pages after taking away the above extraneous elements, the example problems are standard fare, and present some interesting, but not mindblowing ways to attack them with a framework. I don't think the single framework proposed is really *that* amazing, the way people have commented here.

Most of all, what struck me when comparing with the Cosentino book, is that in the example problems, aside from the 3 with supplemental charts (which is also odd -- why do relevant charts have to appear at the back, separate from the problems?), they are just lacking the fleshed out problem data for you to practice with. I don't mean they're not specific, but the Cosentino book regularly provides tables of sales figures, market data, example charts and tables, etc with almost every problem. The problems in this book seem a bit vague in comparison, with brief answer outlines and occasionally supplemental data provided. Combined with the 3 charts placed almost as an afterthought at the end, it makes it seem like the problems in this book were just not really compiled from careful examples. You can just see the difference in detail if you compare.

The most amazing thing I discovered after reading the book, which I must point out as a warning to others who rely on Amazon product reviews, is that to begin with, I was wondering how everyone seemed to provide amazing comments on the book here, making it sound like the 2nd coming of Christ, like a lifechanging read. It's ok at best, but consistently 5 stars from everyone?? Well, if you look at some of the Amazon commenters who have given 5 stars to this book, they magically also appear in the back of the book's acknowledgments! Surprised? J.Wu, Sachin Kotwani, Joshua Swartz, among those who've commented here, these are all names found in the book listed as contributors! And who knows about all the other similar glowingly positive reviews all submitted on or around April 8, 2008? The book only came out at the end of March. Did the author stoop to asking his friends to shill for him here? A bit ridiculous, don't you think?

I will be sending this book back for a refund, and keeping the Cosentino book, which costs only $20 for much more content.

Unfortunately, I had high hopes for this book from all the descriptions, but was disappointed on receiving the real thing.

This is a well written, knock your socks book. If you like suspense, then this is the book for you. I highly reccomend it. It's a story of torture and murder that puts you right in the middle of all the action. Bobbie Pfeifer knows exactly what to do to grab you and take you for the ride of your life.

I love it when I read a book or watch a movie and am not able to figure out the ending. This book was so interesting and suspenceful. I really enjoyed it through and through. It truly was something I couldn't put down. I hope there are more books like this in the future.

From the moment I started reading I felt I was there with Jessie. I couldn't put the book down. I will recommend this book to everyone. Bobbie you did a wonderful job.

What a great book. It was recommended to me by my co-worker who was a school chum and friend of Mrs. Pfeifer's. I started to read it out of curosity and ended up devouring each and every word. I recommend this book to anyone who loves an "on the edge" suspense story. I liked the clean cut way in which it's written yet keeps the descriptions accurate. What a great book! I appreciate the non-wordy, not-over discriptive, right to-the-point style of writing you have. The suspense kept me racing through the chapters to very the end! I'm looking forward to your next book. Great Job!

This is a great book that keeps you reading. My mom loaned it to me and I finished reading it in 24 hours! I usually don't read suspence books but this story is told so very well. I love the way it ends! I will recommend to all of my friends!

I loved this book! I thought after reading "Brides of Prairie Gold" there would be no contenders,and there is. Once again Ms. Osborne takes you on a trip back to a time of historical interest and wraps a love story around it. This was another hard to put down book. I have learned more about the history of our country from her books than I learned in school and she definitely makes it more interesting. Ms. Osborne is in my top five favorite writers category and I never hesitate to buy one of her books.

What I admire most about Osborne's books are the scenarios her heroines end up in. I so admire her imagination in settings for the romances, and that her books are so original.
This book was especially enthralling because there are three heroines, each an individual, and they travel to Alaska in the 1800's for the klondike gold boom. They encounter and overcome many dangers and perils, and Osborne expresses the strengths and weaknesses of different types of women with skill. The premise was particularly interesting in that they were conned & married by the same man, Jean Jacques. The men they meet are superbly interesting and sexy.
My only complaint is that once again, like in the two or three prior Osborne novels I've read (Shotgun Wedding, Prairie Moon), there is a big secret that alienates the lovers and tears there love apart, only to be instantly forgiven and overcome. It is starting to grate on my nerves, this "big secret reveal" rut. It's so formulaic to me.
But again, I can't put her books down, they are far above average. I do wish they were a touch longer and plots slightly deeper. But I love them. My favorite thus far would have to be "The Promise of Jenny Jones", and "Bride of Willow Creek".

A FRIEND GAVE ME THIS BOOK TO READ WHILE I WAS RECOVERING FROM SURGERY. I LAUGHED ALOUD AND FOUND IT TO BE THERAPUTIC.

This story is not part of the usual romance mold where boy meets girl, they fight the attraction and then fall in love. Here, Juliette starts out on a trip to find her lost husband. On the way, she meets Clara and Zoe who are also looking for their lost husbands - who happen to be the same man! The three instantly hate each other but work together towards their end goal. Each woman sees what they hate most in themselves brought out by the other two women. And they also learn a lot about themselves in the process.
In the trek to the Yukon to find their lucky husband, each woman finds the man she really loves. Unfortunately, they are not free to become involved with a man but must reconcile their love with their morals as they decide to avoid or embrace their new feelings. And then the moment comes when each woman must come clean about their past...
A fun story to read with a lot of humor as we see three women discover who they truly are and find what they really want.

What a completely charming book!! Normally, a book that revolves around 3 separate romances would throw me off, but this was just too good!!! I have to tell you this book had some of the funniest lovescenes I have ever encountered...the scene between Juliette and Ben when he was setting the table is one that I wont soon forget!! As much as I loved the romance, and the fun storyline and setting, my favorite part of this book had to be the friendship between the 3 women...they were all so different..Juliette was a riot..Im telling you this is a must read!!

This book is a treasure. What an amazing story of a man who is an overcomer! So many men today never come to the place of realizing what is important in life and how to become better and not bitter. Life throws many things our way which could easily destroy us mentally, spiritually and physically. Mr. Antonetti is a true victor in life's up and downs, battles and adversities. His candor and openess will delight you. You will cry with him during his deepest trials and laugh with him in his highest victories as you traverse his book, thinking all the time .."No one can go through all of this and live... maybe there is hope for me, this man has found the true key to life one that is rich and meaningful".

He is a winner in all senses of the word in my humble opinion and his book is one of love and optimism. Take the time to glean some of the wisdom this man has learned and your life will become enriched by it.

Sincerely,

Reverend Donna Trexler-Geertz
Heart To Heart Ministries

This book is the journey of a person through the challenges of daily life. It reads as if the author is sitting across the dining room table sharing stories over a cup of coffee. Yes, it is inspirational and uplifting, but it is sad at times too. Franco does a wonderful job sharing his journey thus far, his ideas and foundation of life - hard work and dedication. He makes choices in life and goes forward. He looks back at the things in life that helped shape who he is, not with any angst, but with a 'that's life' attitude. When you read the last page you feel like you are saying goodbye to an old friend after a wonderful, wonderful visit.

Even though I cheated by reading the last page of this book ahead of time, after reading the book in whole that last page now brought tears to my eyes. This book doesn't really end in a since that there is still more to the authors lifes adventures ahead. Franco writes an very inspirational book that makes one think about choices and how they effect us over all in the long run. The author seems very much to live in the moment, showing alot of energy and ambition for a job well done. He shows us all how hard work can make a difference in ones life. There is nothing more inspirational then to see the quality of life from anothers point of veiw.

What amazes me most about Franco is his incredible energy, his drive to succeed. Its unusual, but inspiring.

Truly a " must read" for any person desiring success in life or to help someone else prevail. Immediately you feel Franco's incredible zest for " reaching the top." His strength and endurance amazes the reader page after page. Love of family, friends reaches out to your heart that he is a kind, loving human being with such a strong determination that the reader is consumed by his endeavors. He keeps you asking yourself the question page after page, " how does he do it all?'

Job after job Franco takes on the tast never thinking for a moment that it can't be done. The word, "can't" with out a doubt is not part of his vocabulary.

The journey of his life is intense, keeps the reader heighten with magnified curiosity on what is going to happen next to this man, this person of extreme.

It will leave you uplifted, sad at times but mostly happy that this person decided to let us go on the journey of his extraordinary life.

This Memoir is full of laughter, hopes, dreams and the family and people who shared the ride. This book is wonderful. Not only for its content but because it is written by a man with the gift of storytelling.

This is one of the best books I have ever read! I devoured it in a day. Beautifully written.

The simple title belies a great author and an even greater reading experiance.

The author writes so that you actually *feel* you are there and know the streets and towns and things he speaks of and what you couldn't possibly see with your minds eye--he makes you feel with your heart.

A"MUST-READ" for anyone who has ever had a death made worse, by things left unspoken.

Into That Good Night may well be the best book I've ever read. Having been raised in a small Texas town in the same era, it really hit home. Ron's story of life's experiences, of loves and losses, is a heart felt story that is enjoyable and easy to read. It is a wonderfully written story of growing up when racism was really becoming an issue in the south, of his beloved father's Alzheimers, and much, much more. I highly recommend this book.

THIS BOOK COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED ME. I LIVED IT ONCE, AND NOW I'VE LIVED IN AGAIN THROUGH RON'S EYES. THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE OUR FATHER. HE TAUGHT US INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, HONESTY, AND LOVE WITH HIS QUIET WAYS AND GENTLY DEMEANOR. HE WAS BIGGER THAN LIFE TO ME. IT WAS SO HARD TO SEE WHAT HE HAD BECOME WHEN ALZHEIMERS TOOK OVER. HE HAD THE SAME SWEET DEMEANOR, BUT SOMETIMES DIDN'T RECOGNIZE US. IT WAS HARD, AND RON TOLD THE STORY BEAUTIFULLY. I CAN JUST SEE OUR DAD'S BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES TWINKLE IN PLEASURE. THANK YOU RON FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT. I LOVE YOU...DIANE

A memoir called Into That Good Night by Ron Rozelle,
is the story told from Ron's point of view when he was
growing up in Oakwood and even in his present day
life. It talks about segregation in schools and in
some stores throughout the town where he grew up. This
book shows the change Ron goes through with his family
when his mother becomes sick with lung cancer. Ron
learns to appreciate his family much more as he got
older and started to realize he won't have parents
forever. He ultimately realizes this when his father
looses his battle with Alzheimer's disease. You also
see segregation come to an end in Oakwood as time
progresses. You see the town where everyone knew
everyone suddenly become very lonely and empty after
most of the population got old and passed away. There
weren't many people moving in to Oakwood because it
didn't have many job opportunities.
Ron wrote this book in a then and now format. Every
other chapter switches, describing his child hood and
what happened in the future. It is a little confusing
but you catch on right away. It's very interesting
this way because it keeps you wondering, "What
happened to Ron".
Ron's ability to describe things just painted a clear
picture of what everything was like for him back then
in my mind. He gets right to the point when he rights,
it's not hard to comprehend or anything. That is what
is likeable about his style of writing. He writes in a
very appealing manner. Into That Good Night's main
focus is about Ron's relationship with his dad.
Ron and his father were very close because Ron's
father is a very calm kind of guy. He doesn't show
much emotion where as his mother is described as moody
and not afraid to yell when something makes his mad.
This is why he had more of a connection with his
father because in many ways he was like his father.
Ron is not quick to show emotion either. Ron and his
father form a special bond.
Ron graduates high school and is drafted in to the
military. He gets shipped off to Germany for a year.
In the mean time, his mother's health is decreasing.
She is getting worse and the doctors say she doesn't
have much time left. She started chain smoking when
Ron was a kid and that led her to her deathbed.
Fortunately Ron got to say goodbye to his mom right
before he headed off to the airport to be shipped off.
He felt that finally, he and his mother were at peace
with each other.
Ron and his dad form a strong bond after Ron gets
back from the Army and gets his own apartment. His dad
comes to visit him and they spend quality time
together. A few years later Ron's father eventually
re-marries and lives with his new wife. When Ron's
father gets in his older years he starts forgetting
things. His loss of memory starts increasing and he's
even forgetting simple things like where he is. He is
diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
What is Ron going to do when one of the most
important people in his life is starting to forget who
his own son is. What is it like to die not remembering
what your life was like and what your legacy will be.
This story was very easy to relate to. It is a very
easy understanding and likeable memoir of Ron Rozelle.

Doug Moo offers a great exegetical and expositional commentary with the PNTC series offering on James. Well worth the buy, if you don't have a solid commentary on James. Nothing too crazy, and lots of compelling argumentation for his positions.

I have five critical commentaries on James (Lenski, Bruce, Woods, Martin, and now Moo). This one will more than likely be the primary source for me when I study the book in a critical fashion. He is thorough and that is what I want. If you are a preacher looking for something quick and in summary form, a smaller work might be more useful. For me, as a preacher, if I am in the circumstance where I need something quick I am already in trouble. I like the Pillar Series. Not long ago I read of one's review that was overly critical of the work on the epistles of John - I do not subscribe to that sentiment at all. It is a good series!

If you are looking for an answer to a question raised about the meaning of the book of Phillipians, you could not find a better treatment. This is a wonderful resource and fine treatment of the text. I used it in a series of sermons, and found it very easy to acess and get the gems of the book.

`The Epistle of James' by James B. Adamson, 1976, 227 pages in the series The New International Commentary on the New Testament; `The Letter of James' by Douglas J. Moo, 2000, 271 pages, a volume in the series The Pillar New Testament Commentary; and `James' by Ralph P. Martin, 1988, 240 pages, A volume in the series Word Biblical Commentary are all `full featured' and recent commentaries on the first of the short `catholic' epistles in the New Testament.

I find it amazing how different the material is in these three volumes. After 1800 years of commentary, one would expect a fair amount of uniformity in thinking about this short letter, but there is a remarkable range of differences in emphasis among the three.

Those of you who are familiar with the world of biblical commentary will recognize that all three are part of major series of commentaries. Adamson and Moo belong to series dedicated to the New Testament, while Martin's volume is an offering of a larger series on both Old and New Testaments. And, each volume is organized in a way to match the editorial style of their series. This is most clearly seen in Martin's volume, as his work is organized in virtually the same way as the much larger work on Paul's Epistle to the Romans by the distinguished scholar, James D. G. Dunn. This is no surprise, as Martin is the New Testament editor for his series, the Word Biblical Commentary.

Ranked by scholarly detail, Martin has the most and Adamson has the least, with Moo somewhere in between; but don't take from this that Martin is heavy on the Greek and Adamson has no original Greek. All three are specifically written for the scholar and assume that the reader either knows classical Greek or is willing to slog through all the Greek words and expressions. The irony here is that while Martin is the most heavily scholarly, it may also be the most accessible to the lay or strictly pastoral user, since this series divides scholarly observations into the `Comments' on each paragraph, while more general thoughts are spelled out in straight English in the `Form/Structure/Setting' section and later in the `Explanation' section following the `Comments'. Adamson organizes all his `special' or more technical topics in `Excursus' sections following his main commentary. I found this just a tad distracting, especially when I discovered some mistakes in references to these Excursus sections in the main text.

All three authors give us their own translations of the text, and all three agree on where the difficult phrases are to be found. If I were to pick a volume purely on the basis of their translation, I would prefer Adamson, as he seems to give translations that best resolve these difficult sections. But, in all three cases, the authors agree on where the difficulties lie and, in general, the nature of the difficulties.

In the three authors' introductory chapter on the author, themes, and canonical status of the letter, all three agree on the major points. They uniformly agree, for example on the belief that the letter does, in fact, represent the thoughts or writings of James, the brother of Jesus, who was head of the Christian Jews in Jerusalem up to about 62 CE. They also agree that the final form of the letter was rewritten and polished sometime in the early 2nd century, CE. The authors are also uniform in their citing Martin Luther's misunderstanding of James; however, I would give Luther credit for seeing scriptural support of many Roman Catholic doctrines, even if any sound reading of `James' shows that this support is probably stretching James points just a little too far.

On the major themes of the letter, I generally prefer Martin's emphasis on the three topics of `Wisdom', `Perfection', and `The Piety of the Poor' to the other authors' interest in theology and the law. James is clearly spending less times on these typically Pauline topics than he is on lessons for a Christian life.

Among all the other differences, it is most remarkable to see all the differences between how the three authors structure an outline of the short letter. If you didn't know better, you may think they were talking about two different writings. This is just a symptom of the fact that `James' is much less a theological argument a la `Romans' and much more a collection of lessons on prayer, right Christian behavior, and the implications of faith. This is consistent with the fact that the letter has much in common with the Gospels, especially the Gospel of Matthew (See Martin).

One last difference I detect between the three is the fact that Martin makes more connections to modern theology of, for example Dietrich Bonhoffer, while Moo and Adamson have more citations to the great reformers, Calvin and Luther.

If I had to pick only one of these, I would go with Martin's volume in the Word Biblical Commentary series. If I were interested only in pastoral interpretation, I would go with Moo or the article `The Letter of James' by Luke Timothy Johnson in `The New Interpreter's Bible', since both refer heavily to the standard NIV and NRSV translations. If your interest is in a scholarly study of the letter, you will probably want all three.

This is Moo's second commentary on the epistle of James. He wrote his first one in 1985 as part of the Tyndale series. This commentary is the result of fifteen years of reflection on that work. The content of this commentary makes it evident that this is the mature thought of a noted scholar on the letter of James. Those fifteen years left him more convinced "that the heart of the letter is a call to wholehearted commitment to Christ" (x).
Moo provides a lengthy introduction to this epistle (46 pages worth). This introduction includes the history of James in the church, nature and genre, authorship, theology, occasion and date, and structure of James. Concerning authorship, Moo holds that James, the bother of Christ, is the author. He presents arguments against this traditional view and then answers them. The section on the theology of the book is a feature more commentaries would do well to include. He dates the writing of the letter around the middle of the 40s AD. This is important because the date of writing has great implication on the relationship of the letter to Paul's teachings. Moo does not place a ridge structure on the letter. Instead, he finds "several key motifs" which "are often mixed together with other themes in paragraphs that cannot be labeled as neatly as we might like" (45). Denying the assertion of some commentators that the letter has no unifying purpose, Moo argues that the central concern of the letter is spiritual wholeness of the readers (47).
Moo's analysis of the text is insightful. His word studies are well done. He presents a wide range of possible meanings but uses the context to determine which meaning is James's meaning. Moo also does a good job in showing James's relationship with Paul. James is not writing against Paul. James means something different by faith than does Paul. They are addressing different problems.
The format of the commentary is user friendly for the most part. One helpful aspect is that Moo's introductory notes precede the verse by verse exposition of major points and most sub-points. Moo transliterates Greek words making the commentary usable to those who do not have the advantage of knowing Greek. One slight critique concerns the chapter divisions. The chapter divisions of the commentary are based on the chapters of James. This is fine, but the table of contents is broken down by his outline. One would whish the editors would choose a method of division and stay with it. The only other criticism is that Moo's writing style can be difficult at times. These two minor criticisms in no way change the fact that this is a masterpiece. It is short at only 251 pages not counting indexes. Anyone from a layperson to a scholar will benefit from this commentary. This reviewer would recommend it without hesitation (something he does not do often).

The Ann Graham Lotz's book on "Just Give Me Jesus" was a conduit that provided the strength and encouragement to a homeless person.... I was just an instrument on God's behalf, that while serving the homeless people at a homeless shelter I encountered a man who had read one of the "tracks" I leave out for people to read, on the powerful message of Jesus Christ and how they can save their lives through his amazing grace. On the back of the track was a short summary about the book "Just Give Me Jesus". This homeless person wanted me to pray with him and after doing so, he pointed to the picture of the book and said while reading the track he got goose bumps and would like to read this book. I told him I would try to get him the book and will bring it the next time I come to serve. I ordered this book off of Amazon and took it to him. He was shocked I remembered and was overjoyed about receiving the book. Several others whom are in the same situation as he, also expressed a desire to read it. Their hunger and thirst for the hope that only Jesus can give was such an inspiration to me and a powerful message.... Praise God for answered prayers! It was such a blessing to me to be able to give this man this book.

Jen

I have gotten the book but have read only a couple of chapters. The book was in very good condition when I received it and I am thankful I was able to get it at a good price.

Thanks, Amazon!!

Donald (Shirley) Schlegel

I read this quite a while ago; It was my first book by this author. I never forgot her, either. Then I saw her on T.V. one day, and I noticed that her eyes were on fire by the Holy Spirit, and her adoration of the Lord encompassed every word she spoke. This author is genuine, and her writings have a tender way in which they woo and lull the reader into a deeper walk with Jesus. I simply love everything Anne Graham Lotz writes. Thank you Anne, for making our tumultuous world easier to bear with your sweet words.

Carrie Lynn Jones
Author of It All Began... When Jesus Gave Me Sneakers

This book is incredible!! It's the first book I have read of Anne Graham Lotz and it will not be the last. I love her writing and relate to her on so many levels! The more I learn about Jesus, the more I agree with Anne - Jesus is all I want and all I need!

I loved this book. It gave me so many other views of how a true Christian should follow after Jesus. It was an eye opener when it came to the world view versus a Christian view of life and the tribulations that comes along with it. I am so blessed to have read this book, and highly recommend it for ALL women of faith that is struggling with their purpose and why God created them. Just Give Me Jesus is all about a woman's purpose and her role in society. Anne Graham Lotz hit it right on the point. I am a changed woman because of this book. Jennifer Rankins

I really enjoyed this fictional portrayal of the woman at the well. Her strength came alive, not just her shortcomings. It made you think, about your past, present and your future. And it most important lesson of all was that it is not where you are it is where you are going. My thought process was challenged by Hendricks portrayal of Christ which was as I found out later his intention.

This book is wonderful. The women's guild at my church featured it as a topic of a book discussion last year. We had the pleasure of taking part in a telephone conference with the author Obery Hendricks. He was very gracious. It was a wonderful experience. The reader gets an understanding of how women and minorities were marginalized in society during Biblical times.

This is a touching story of a young womans journey from her joy of life to near-death despair around to a greater joy of life.
It truly celebrates the strength of womanhood. The descriptions were vivid and the personalities so real, I felt I knew all of the characters. Because all women have experienced Maryam's life in some form, this story will touch your heart in an unbelievable way. I loved this book!

In this glorious tale of redemptive love BEFORE we know what it is, Maryam flowers despite the heartships and trials of her life. Hendricks is a master storyteller who gives us the depth of anguish from both the men and women, while not excusing the pain that the men are causing the women in this Novel. Given to me by a Pastor who shares the stories of women in the Bible with his congregation, I read it from front to end without stopping, finding the message that God loves us even when we don't see it. Worth reading, but more, worth its use as a Bible study tool. Wonderful story with a dynamic ending!

This is a gripping, at times lusty, tale based on the life story of the Samaritan Woman. LIVING WATER is not a stereotypically lightweight, biblical novel. It's for readers who are ready for a challenge and willing to look for truths presented in nontraditional forms.

Author Obery Hendricks, a seminary "professor of biblical interpretation," calls this, his first novel, "an African American retelling of the New Testament story of the woman at the well who was married to five successive husbands at a time when women did not have the right to choose either marriage or divorce." Ethnic overtones are evident in some characters' nicknames (Sonny Boy and Big Mama) and patterns of dialogue ("Oh Lordy, we're in trouble now" and "Don't he talk sweet"). But there are deeper parallels: The ravages of slavery and harsh control influence the heart of the story --- the Samaritan men being humiliated and beaten down by the Romans; the women being powerless property of the husbands who have lost respect for themselves and take out their frustration on their women.

The book opens with a short, startling death scene of the Samaritan woman's fifth husband. Then Part 1 is a flashback, from prenuptial childhood up to that pivotal, bloody mess. She --- her name is Maryam, though significantly we aren't told this for 250 pages --- is a spunky, in-your-face kind of kid who sadly learns, from her kindhearted grandmother, Ma Tee, that spunk is not acceptable for girls. "Atop the coarse woolen tunic that is [the girl's] usual attire is now draped a stale, heavy garment of carefulness. Ma Tee has tried her best to craft it to her size, yet it does not fit. Still, she will dutifully struggle to wear it, though its weight will sag her heart to its knees." And this narrative comment comes even before she's married to and beaten down by her first husband and abandoned by numbers two, three, and four.

This is a feminist story, but not drastically so; it is egalitarian more than man bashing. The big cast of characters --- five (or is it six?) husbands, three father figures, a brother-in-law, Messiah Jesus, and more --- include bad men and good; similarly with the Samaritan women. In a supplemental reader's guide, Hendricks explains that the Samaritan woman's journey "to be free of male domination and mistreatment was also my own journey to free myself from the roles of dominator and mistreater."

Theologically conservative readers may rankle at some feminist theology, but, again, this is not as radical as it might be. Hendricks interprets biblical passages (mostly from Proverbs, once from Luke) that personify Wisdom (a feminine Hebrew word) as being descriptive of "the woman-side of God."

For a novel that is replete with social commentary applicable to any age --- including a chapter on an itinerant, fraudulent faith healer --- LIVING WATER is an engaging read. Part 2 --- in which Maryam claims her name, takes up with a man who loves her and treats her well, and becomes a disciple of Jesus --- includes powerful scenes of redemption, even unto the last page, which drew a tear to my eye.

--- Reviewed by Evelyn Bence