Becker Books

This is a really cute book if you want to make a couple of jars of jelly to impress your friends but if you want a basic guide to canning that is practical and always useful, this is not the book for you. Try the Ball Book or "Company's Coming" for no fail recipes and stuff that is not so cute.

I bought four different books in preparation of the harvest season and having no idea what to do with 40L of berries. Of the four, this is the only one that is effectively illustrated, nicely organized and gives you all you need to know in a little more than 120 pages. It covers all the sorts of fruits and veg that most people will be happy with while leaving room for variation and experimentation. I just made a batch of the cranberry conserve that should be fabulous to enjoy during the dark days of winter.

This book is GREAT!!!! If you can, this is the book! I have used so many recipes out of this book already. This is the 1st time I have canned since I was 6 yrs old with my mother making jelly. this book is great.

This cookbook contains all the instructions a beginner needs for canning. Being a total klutz in the kitchen and having a negative amount of cooking talent (i.e. can barely make toast without burning either myself or the toast), I wasn't expecting my first canning attempt to be a success. However, it was, and I now have several jars of delicious strawberry jam in my pantry! I will use this book a lot - it contains a nice diversity of recipes.

A handy book that includes timesaving techniques from microwave oven jams to quick pickles, classic recipes such as Strawberry Jam and Canned Tomatoes as well as exciting new recipes including Christmas Conserves and Four Citrus Marmalade. Recommended.

Janet Sue Terry - author of "A Rich, Deliciously Satisfying Collection of Breakfast Recipes".

A wonderful life story about the woman who helped us all know how to live life at the top. What style, what grace, what spunk - I simply adore her & this was the first book that introduced her to the world. I am traveling to England to tour her homes in 2 weeks & re-read this again along with the other books on her life.

Nancy Lancaster, daughter of one of the fabled Langhorne sisters of Virginia, is a worthy biographical subject on her own. From the time she married until her death at the great age of 97 in 1994, she lived in splendor, most of which she created herself.

Nancy was born in Abermarle county, VA in 1897 at Mirador, the plantation of her grandfather, Chiswell (Chillie) Langhorne. She was raised there and in Richmond until the sudden death of her parents when she was a teenager. The lovely Nancy lived with aunts (Irene, who was the prototype of the famous Gibson Girl and Nancy, who became Lady Astor and was the first woman to be elected to Parliament). She married Henry Field, of the fabulously wealthy Marshall Field family, but five months later he died suddenly of a minor operation. Subsequently, she remarried Ronald Tree, American born, but raised in England. The Trees, if possible, were even wealthier than the Fields. Nancy's goal was to live at Mirador, but Ronald's ties and ambitions in politics were all in England. She spent the greater part of her life in England and became renowned for her brilliant decorating of her grand country houses and her skill as a charming hostess.

The book is part biography (Becker) interspersed with Nancy's own recollections that are printed in boldface. The first part of the book is excellent in giving a real feel of the very conservative upper class South still recovering from the ravages of the Civil War. Nancy draws vivid word pictures of her family and surroundings. She displays a vibrant wit and sense of humor. From the time of her second marriage forward, the emphasis is on her homes and how she decorated them.

Though I am not a big fan of "tell-all" types of memoirs, "Nancy Lancaster" is downright curious in the way factual information is elided or ignored. She was very close to all her famous aunts, yet never mentions when or how they died except for Lady Astor. She states Lady Astor was the "last" of the sisters, and that is the first the reader knows the other four are deceased. Nancy has an older brother, who is mentioned twice in the entire book. We aren't told if he was a black sheep, disliked by Nancy or ran off to South America. Nancy seems to have a fond relationship with Ronald Tree but for unknown reasons divorces him in 1945 and marries (briefly we suppose, as he never is mentioned again) "Jubie" Lancaster.

All readers will not enjoy the heavy emphasis on how she renovated, decorated, and beautified all her homes and gardens. The book lacks enough pictures to show adequately what she has done. I found the book highly readable, but unless you have an interest in early 20th century English society, stately homes and Virginia, you will be disappointed.
-sweetmolly-Amazon.com Reviewer

I could not put this book down! This woman, who most of the public probably never heard of, lived a fascinating life. The world WAS a smaller place long ago and far away....

Robert Becker has written a fascinating book on the life of Nancy Lancaster which I have just read in the summer of 2000. It is even more timely with the new biography of Sister Parrish just out this summer. Becker is an extremely good story teller, with a fine ability to capture the life and times of his subject. My family is from the same area of Virginia, and he has the piedmont Virginia people described in the most believeable way, including expressions of the eras covered. The technique of incorporating Nancy Lancaster's own account in the body of the book is most effective. I was worried in reading the introduction that it might be intrusive, but not so. The book made me think of Eleanor Brown of Mcmillan and Company in New York, and Sarah Hunter Kelly - all decorators of the same generation. Hats off to Robert Becker!!! Nicholas Bragg

Robert Becker's richly detailed look at the British and American "upper crust," and his entertaining account of their private world and its decline, reminded me of an episode of "Masterpiece Theater" or the book "Brideshead Revisited." While I thought the renderings of Nancy Lancaster's decorating and garden designs fascinating, I was most absorbed in the life that went on behind closed doors in the houses, and the people -- Winston Churchill, the Prince of Wales, Lady Astor, David Niven -- who crossed the houses' thresholds. Wonderful photographs also. I was not prepared to like a biography about a decorator and her work, but because of the way Becker wove together the social and political history of the time, and descriptions of the houses she owned and decorated, with the events of this extraordinary woman's life, I couldn't put it down.

I have finshed this book recently and although reading English is not easy for me, I really enjoyed it. The stories were very interesting, often humorous and with some characters that I will remember a long time. For a long book, it was easy to read and never boring. It is always a nice surprize to find a unknown author and book that has so many good qualities with strong stories told very well. Recommended.

I received this book as a gift with few expectations--unknown writer but interesting subjects that I could relate to as a keen traveller. As I read each chapter, the words took me there--to encounters with the people and places so well described. Sometimes it made me pause, lost in thought about an event so passionately told. This is an eyewitness account of the complex and intriguing world we live in. If that is not encouragement enough to buy it, then I don't know what is. Recommended to anyone with a curious and open mind.

I read many non fiction books - and this one was recommended by a friend. I really found it enjoyable, informative and personal. Reminded me of encounters I have had and how they can be told as great stories. Its a book that makes you stop and think and that is a great feature in a changing world where little is what it seems anymore.

I really enjoyed this book. Its hard to place a finger on why but there was an underlying intensity---sometimes anger--which seemed to propel the stories out of the well written pages. True life is always stranger than fiction and this book is about real life on the road. I feel like packing my bags now and travelling to the places described - somehow, the stories took me there and it is not always a pleasant or easy journey. A good book, well written and will pull you in.

Many readers, myself included, often tend to skip the preface and head straight for the first chapter of any new book. This would be a mistake with Someone, Somewhere, the first literary offering from prolific traveller and international development specialist Roman Pryjomko. Roman's preface lays out this author's stall in the clearest and most modest of terms: he has been lucky enough to travel the globe extensively, he enjoys it, he has met all manner of humans in all manner of places...and the most inspiring have been those with the least. Roman is a great thinker and a great doer. He has thought long and hard about the words in the 21 chapters that follow: he has done much as a result of his experiences that have made him a better man. And the good news for the reader is that Someone, Somewhere, whilst being a rollicking good read in the traditional travelogue sense, will probably make the reader a better person too. With this in mind, the reader can dip into the book at any point, for the chapters are not chronological. Each recounts a situation with an endearing combination of local colour, humour, pathos and Roman's own very human foibles. Each finishes with a recap of lessons learned; as such this book is ideal for planes and trains (even the bath!) because each chapter is a self-contained discourse on various aspects, both good and bad, of the human condition. Thus the reader envies Roman his evocatively-described "glass of passable Crimean wine" in Moscow, shares his loathing for a bunch of blinkered South Africans and mirrors his admiration for a young Rwandan who has endured horrors most westerners couldn't imagine. This is not so much the work of a master writer but rather the heartfelt endeavour of a great storyteller. Highly recommended.
Proceeds will help build a shelter for homeless children in Tanzania.

Having lived three years in Bavaria while in the US Army, I was looking for a cookbook that would hopefully have all of the great recipes we enjoyed at various German Gasthouses (restaurants). Schnitzel, Cordon Bleu, Jager Schnitzel, Zeguener Schnitzel, Gulash Soup, etc. Unfortunately this is not the right cookbook for these recipes. They are not even mentioned. If, however, you want home cooked German foods, then this book works.

I bought several copies of this book for relatives while I was over there. But you don't have to go all the way to Bayern! Just to the Amazon! Among this fine book's extra features are: concise but splendid explanations of some key differences between Old Bavarians, Schwabians, and Franconians, and their cooking traditions; and a nice colorful foldout map showing their respective regions; and a Bavarian calendar; and some helpful words about beer, wine, Radlermass, Russenmass, Schorle, Gschwemm, Leberkase, the different kinds of Wurst, and more! Now, if only Amazon had a way of shipping fresh Bavarian beer with this book!

This book not only has great recipes but also is full of the history of Bavarian cooking and culture. I would reccommend this book to anyone interested in preparing dishes rich in ingredients and Bavarian style.

I am very fond of this book, it is simple to use and has real recipies and interesting information about the recipes and how they originated.

I stumbled across this book at a Salvation Army store in Portland and knew right away that I'd come upon a rare find. I sat right down on the cold and dusty floor and started right in reading "A Few Words About Bavaria," the two page intro to Bavaria, then I opened the full color fold out and got an immediate sense of place, then read, "A Few Words about the Bavarians," moved onto how they use spices and herbs, then went to the recipes. I knew I was going to be cooking something up from this book this night.

Our meal started with the Asparagus Salad, prepared exactly ad the book says on page 90. Then onto the Creamed Asparagus Soup (we really like asparagus in our house) on page 36, which was to die for. The main course was the Old Bavarian recipe for Roast Pork on page 53. The dark beer really set that off. Who would have thought of brushing the pork with that. Emmmm, Emmmm good.

Of course, there are some recipes here I'll never try, like the Fried Calf's Brains, for example, but for the most part, most of the recipes here look like they're finger lickin' good. If you see this book somewhere, snatch it up. You won't be sorry.

Reviewed by Captain Katie Osborne

Author Marti Williams takes us on a wonderful journey as she shares countless stories of animals interacting with humans. In this book she tells of communication between many animals and humans. In these communications the animals; dogs, cats, horses, etc. share their feelings, likes, dislikes, worries and such with the person they are communicating with. Interesting! She also gives accounts where lost pets are found, and emotional problems are solved.
I am an animal lover so this book definitely touched a soft spot in my heart. I am not sure that I fully agree with how she communicates with the animals and nature, but I definitely know that everything living share a common bond. If what she is doing helps even one animal to have a better life, I say Amen and thank you to her! This certainly is a very well written book with some wonderful stories and information that I feel will help and touch many hearts along the way. Animal lovers and pet owners will appreciate this read and find it very beneficial.

Probably most folks who will look at this book are already believers in animal communication but even for those like me who are, there is an abundance of profound and amazingly touching anecdotes in it.

My wife and I have called on Marta for help with our cats on several occasions with great success. As a direct result of reading her previous book we can now often communicate directly with them ourselves. This new book is truely a gem and whichever book you read first, you will likely end up wanting to get the other as well! They are easy to read and understand, and make great gifts! Even children who are too young to be able to read on them on their own can learn to communicate with animals; actually learn more easily than adults.

Even if you don't have a live-in companion, animals are all around us and they love it when you make deeper contact with them. If you love animals, this book is a must have!

This book was so interesting that I read it in two sessions. Parts were funny and parts were sad, but it was all well done and believable. Makes me want to sit right down and learn how to do this myself. Money well spent.

In this book Marta Williams carries forward the concepts described in Learning Their Language. She gives many case histories, examples of how intuitive communication has been critical in the lives of the animals whose cases are described. This is both fascinating and moving. The implications are unnerving, but worth incorporating into your world view.

Marta shares many interesting stories in this followup to Learning Their Language. Understanding your pet is so important, and the more we can learn about and develop positive interactive communication signals the stronger will be the bond we share with our furry family members. Being "in-touch" with
your pet is an important part of enhancing the human-animal bond, and a critical part of a successful holistic health care program. Those clients whose patients I am proud to treat who are most in-tune with their pets have the greatest successes with both preventing and treating diseases.

Shawn Messonnier DVM
author, the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, and 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog

It is a challenge to create a vehicle through which an author can weave the characters he creates and the city he loves. Don Becker has done just that in The Bookers. His vibrant and clear memories of San Francisco and its architecture, culture and personality provide the stage for a loving tribute to his Constance Booker and the city where she raised three sons and loved three men. Though The Bookers is a work of fiction, readers will no doubt wonder how many events are based on Becker's own experiences. That conundrum compelled me to sail through the decades with Becker.

The Bookers is entertaining, fun to read and creates a splendid plateau up to which a reader may ascend and gaze at the magnificent San Francisco landscape. I always enjoyed reading Don Becker's columns in the Journal of Commerce. Not only were they so well written but they, like the Bookers,had a warm human touch. The Bookers would make a terrific movie and, in my imagination, I have even cast it but not only with contemporary actors but past ones also. For instance, to Gregory Peck goes the role of Richard Hamblen, to Cary Grant, the role of Conrad Sutro, and to Katherine Hepburn, the lead role of Constance. I also pick Paul Newman to be Ken Thatcher.

From the pages of the Greenwich newspaper review: Following more than forty years in journalism, Greenwich resident Don C. Becker has written a novel, titled The Bookers: San Francisco Memories, that recounts the special times and places he's lived in.
The book follows three generations of a San Francisco family, with the youngest Booker son Dan, born in 1935, serving as narrator. It begins prior to World War II and tells of the wartime death of Lt. Col. Joseph Booker and his beautiful widow's problems and joys in raising three young sons on her own. It covers her romances and later marriages and follows the jobs, marriages and children of the sons themselves. It interweaves major events of the times, from the Vietnam War to the Cold War to the first bombing of the World Trade Center with Don Becker's experiences. For example, Dan Booker was in the World Trade Center when a truck bomb exploded in 1993, as was Becker who then worked as publisher of the Journal of Commerce.
The book is a nostalgic, entertaining and informative story that captures much of the twentieth century in America.

The Bookers is engaging and heartwarming, a rare feel good book about a successful and interesting family spanning seven decades. You'll laugh, cry and learn a lot about a now by-gone era in magical San Francisco.

It is a real pleasure to read a book without special effects, super heroes or comic book story lines. This is a straight forward novel about fairly normal people trying to make their way through life in a real world. It is a tale about a family that a reader can actually relate to, a saga of a family with many blessings, but lots of problems and diverse outcomes. The story is set in beautiful San Francisco and spans nearly a hundred years of family life. What is really great about the characters is that in many cases they are fictionalized versions of real-life movers and shakers in "Baghdad by the Bay", to coin an old Herb Caen attribute for the City. Blended throughout the story line are the major political and life changing events that shaped all of our lives. The lives of the family members and the big events going on in the world create a harmonic symphony. Religion, politics, sex and adversity are all faced squarely and honestly in a way that most novels avoid. There is not much more that a reader can hope for in any book. This book, which, at some real level, is a "fictionalized" autobiography, shines. Enjoy the sunshine.

Forget CSI and 24! "The Crime Scene: How Forensic
Science Works" tells the real story. This book is a
fascinating look into the who, what, where, and why of
crime scene evidence, including not just the science,
but the psychology behind what can motivate or derail
members of the crime scene team. I especially liked
the real-life crime scene narrative that was featured
in every chapter. This followed an actual homicide
from EMS to court case; the actual 'lessons' of the
text were applied to this real case. I also found
that the 'Frequently Asked Questions' seemed to cut
right to the chase in terms of the chapter's main
findings. Great text for students or anyone interested
in this ever-evolving science. Five stars!

This book has provided great insight into the techniques of forensic science. It is quite obviously written by an expert in the field who has seen many, many cases. No doubt that a reader will learn vast knowledge of the subject.

Great introductory book to the science of forensics. The authors have written a concise and readable text that will speak to those who are considering a career in forensics, high school and college students who need an overview of forensic science--what it is, what it involves and what an individual needs to get there and to lay people who are just curious about the area of forensics. The format is interesting and filled with much information. This is a good read!

I recommend 'The Crime Scene: How Forensic Science Works' as an excellent look "behind the scenes" of crime analysis. The many photos and the chapter-by-chapter fictional case draw the reader in.

Kudos to the authors for translating technical aspects of forensic science into a readable account.

This book did give me some new ideas, but I would not want this to be the book I used to get a basic understanding of CSI. The flow was not done well and it is not easy to follow some chapters. Good supplement if you are in CSI work and already have the basics understood. The book was well worth what I paid for it.

basically ok, it was just scratched a little bit from the outside, so it might need better packinging. brgds

Very useful for new business men and for future visits!

A very interesting, well-written book. It covers both the current status of business and business needs in latin america and also the cultural aspects of doing business there. Most books cover one topic or the other. This one blends both into a good read. Gives good, practical tips on negotiation techniques, dealing with the government bureaucracy, impression mangement, marketing to latin american consumers and business leaders, etc. Makes you think of dealing with the latin american market from a whole new perspective. Buy it if you are thinking about doing business in latin america or even if you are already there.

Thanks to Dr. Becker for explaining in practical and action oriented detail the growth opportunities in Latin America for my small USA based company. After stumbling onto our first Mexican client, my team and I thought we better learn more about how Latin American business operates. Becker clearly highlights the economic and cultural factors that shape doing business in the region, as well as provides many "real-world" tips on how to spot opportunities, avoid pitfalls, and develop long term, profitable customers.

An excellent book that provides current market intelligence on Latin America in an easy-to-read form.

Chris Slocum

I highly recommend this book for anyone doing business in Latin America.

I recently expanded my business into Central and South America and was desperately in need of education regarding the business practices and social customs of these new markets. I am usually more critical in my reviews, but Doing Business in the New Latin America exceeded my expectations tenfold, so please forgive my enthusiasm.

I was expecting a dry and analytical tome in the style of the two other books I had already read: Winning Strategies for the New Latin Markets and Latin America's Economy: Diversity, Trends, and Conflicts. These books were beneficial in their own way, but Doing Business in the New Latin America is in an entirely different league.

With only six chapters and 236 pages, you might think that the scope of the subject matter would be limited, but Thomas Becker has managed to cover every base by presenting only the most cogent and relevant material.

This book is written with a casual professionalism--I felt as if I were having a conversation with a well-informed friend. Topics that elsewhere are lackluster and uninspired are here presented with enthusiasm and even humor. This book was actually fun to read.

I began speed-reading the text, but quickly found so much worthy content that I finished the book word-for-word. My second time through, I marked up the pages for later reference, only to discover that I marked up almost every page so much that my business partner had to order his own copy.

The chapter: Using Cultural Literacy to Hone Your Competitive Edge (alone worth the price of the book and the investment of time) explains not only the current and relevant customs and rituals of Latins, but gives them context by explaining the origins and evolution of those customs. I found these stories to be as fascinating as they were useful.

I was horrified to learn that many of my new Latin relationships were already tainted by numerous easily-avoided faux pas and that I had missed opportunities that this book made clear to me. Still, my business has only begun to capitalize on this vast new market and the lessons I learned in this book will, I'm certain, be incredibly beneficial.

The entertaining quality of this book does not overshadow its pragmatism. There are negotiating and selling tips (that are contrary to anything you've ever learned in the U.S.), communication methods, risk avoidance strategies, management practices, and brilliant applications of old-fashioned business approaches to an entirely new market.

I particularly enjoyed the contrasts between the business styles and social norms of our two cultures, often presented in crystal-clear tabular format. I was surprised to learn, for instance, that the U.S. fascination with individualism is not well received in Latin America, where collectivism is the norm, especially among workers.

The comprehensive index makes this book an excellent reference source. A Latin associate mentioned guayabera (a style of shirt) in an e-mail referring to dress codes and I found four references to this word in the book.

I learned so much from this book that I came away feeling like an expert in Latin American business. I won't say that this is the only book you should read on the subject, but I will say that if you were only going to read one, this should be it.

I loved this book. I am originally from Brighton, Illinois and this story has been a living part of my life. From the time that her first went "missing" we were thrown into the drama of a small town crime. I have read this book several times and still get chills from the readings. I personally believe that Rob had his hand in the crimes as well but that's just my own opinion. I still follow the story whenever it is highlighted and everything that is said can be tied back into the book and my actual memories. I guess you could say that I'm one of those who slows down to view the wreck.

Another book was written about her, "Precious Victims" by Don W. Weber, Charles Bosworth Jr. This case was done on TLC's "Medical Detectives" and Court TV's "Foresic Files".

This book is a well-written, in-depth accounting of the life of Paula Sims, who suffered from post-partum psychosis exacerbated by a domineering abusive jerk of a husband. He had no respect for women, as he probably did not respect himself, and put Paula under intense pressure to meet all of his many demands before she met the needs of their children. Paula's first child, Loralei, was mysteriously kidnapped at age 13 days. Paula later admitted that she drowned her. When she had a boy, Randy, she was relieved because now her husband had a son, which he much preferred over a daughter. This took some of the pressure off of her. However, if she was busy taking care of Randy, her husband Rob warned her to hurry up, and said that HE, her husband, came first. What a guy. When Paula gave birth to another little girl, the pressures started building up, and she began having obsessive thoughts again about her baby girl. Reading in between the lines, I almost got the feeling that Paula felt subconsciously encouraged by Rob to "get rid" of the girls, and that she then would be rewarded by him as having done something good.

This book conveys Paula's state of mind, and how she could commit these acts because at the time, she felt as though there were no alternatives available to her. Rob kept her isolated, she had no support system, and she was very depressed due to her circumstances (living under Rob's rigid rules), the death of her brother (to whom she was very close), and childhood sexual abuse by her grandfather. It was as though Paula never had a chance. If she had never married Rob, her life would have been completely different. I wonder how her son Randy fared after being raised by such a weirdo. I'm afraid Rob would want him to be just like him, and see absolutely nothing wrong in it.

I liked this book very much, though I didn't hold much hope for it at first. It's a riveting read, the author has a talent for holding your interest and making the book enjoyable, even though it's about a young mother, abused by her husband and who had been molested by her grandfather as a child, who murders her two infant daughters several years apart and claims each was abducted from her house under her nose. The one problem I had was about the husband. There was plenty about him up until the murders, and then he is portrayed mainly as a detective magazine fan who thinks he knows more than the cops do about solving crimes. You read that Paula confesses to the author after being found guilty of the murder of her second baby, from prison. But I ended the book feeling there was not closure in the role of the husband. I almost felt that he caused her if not forced her to rid them of their daughters. (Their son, the middle child, had been allowed to live. But, the author is so talented this was very easy to read to the last page.

The crimes were horrible and strange: two infant girls kidnapped from the same family in a two and a half year period in two different towns by a masked, gun-wielding man. That was what Paula Sims told the police. The truth is even stranger and more horrible: each baby girl was drowned by her mother, who then disposed of them.

This stunning truth is contained in the last chapter of Dying Dreams, where Paula Sims, convicted of the murder of her second daughter Heather, confesses to the author about each murder and body disposal, though she denies freezing the Heather's body [there is some forensic evidence that this did happen] before dumping the body in a trash can at a rest stop. I have been reading true crime for over eight years and cannot remember any other work that contains a confession from the criminal.

The rest of this book also benefits from Paula's many conversations with the author. Her life is described in much greater detail than the other book on this case, Precious Victims. She also describes several summers of sexual abuse at the hands of a grandfather and bad cases of postpartum depression after each of her daughters were born. Neither of these factors excuses her crimes, but the postpartum depression is mitigating and was never brought forth in her trial. The largest factor for her murders is plainly described here: her loveless marriage to an ultra-fussy, malcontented, verbally abusive, control freak named Rob. The most poignant moment for me was the recollection of Paula's hospital roommate describing her calling Rob and apologizing for having given birth to a girl. His attitude toward baby girls [and women in general] seems to be a contributing factor toward the murder of each child.

This book is well organized and plainly written, and the author interviewed many of the people connected to this story. This is the rare true crime book that, when you have finished it, you feel as though you know who, what, where, when, how, and, most importantly, why the crime occured and all the circumstances that led up to and surrounded it. Amazingly, at the end of this book, you've heard most of those things from the criminal herself.

This book is a wonderful piece of literature written to the glory of God on a topic that is soooo important for Christianity, particularly Lutheranism. Very well-written and recommended for anyone!

Becker provided a vital and interesting investigation into Luther's concept of reason. What is so useful is finding out about Luther's use of reason as magesterial vs. ministerial.

Being educated and catechized in the medieval theology Luther knew the center as Reason around philosophy, which still dominates RC theology (see Ratzinger's "Principles of Catholic Theology).

Many misinterpret and thus misuse and abuse Luther and his theological offspring by taking him out of context concerning Reason and Christianity. Becker's book is antidote to this.

This book is one of my favorites. I recommend it to many people that I talk theology with, and has shaped my thought significantly.

Becker, in this book, studies Martin Luther's thoughts on Reason and it's relationship to Faith. In the process, you learn how Martin Luther went through his mental machinations and came to conclusions. This book is not for the faint of heart. It's kinda philosophical. But Luther is humorous, and to the point.

Lutherans approach theology in a different way than most Christians do today, and this book chronicles why, points out their presuppostions, and how Lutherans approach God inductively through what Scripture teaches about Himself. Becker's final chapter does a good job at summing up why Lutherans answer debated Christian doctrines like "the Incarnation" and "Predestination/Free Will" differently than most Christian denominations.

Read this book to understand how confessional Lutheran thought ticks, their presuppositions, and be challenged. If you are a theologian (armchair or professional), read this book and learn how to bust theological moves like Luther did.

Siegbert W. Becker's "The Foolishness of God" is an absolutely astounding book from start to finish. Becker gives insight into almost every aspect of Lutheran theology. From the bodily presence of Christ in the Eucharist to the paradoxical nature of the bondage of the Will. As I'll point out, Becker delves into the realms of these concepts and never seems to forget to include how they fit with his whole theme of reason.

Thomism: Becker uses Luther's rejection of Thomism (the theology of Thomas Aquinas for anyone who may not know) in order to support his thesis on reason. Becker says of Luther, "[he] consistently held instead that natural theology is always uncertain, inadequate, misleading, and legalistic" (page 50.) Luther outright says that those who try to explain the existence of God with reason and without the Word err greatly. Becker makes perfect sense out of Luther's rejection of Thomism. This chapter can be summed up with this quote of Luther's: "So reason must make idols and it cannot do otherwise."

On Biblical Truth: One of the more intriguing chapters of the book, is Chaper IV, "Reason as Judge of Biblical Truth." In it, Becker attempts to explain the Lutheran position on Biblical inspiration and belief, in the light of reason. Although it's quite interesting to hear his take on biblical inspiration, the following page presents one of the more interesting quotes of the book: "Luther was convinced that the better a person understands the Word of God the harder it is for him to believe it" (page 94.) This quote presents one of the more challenging aspects to tackle in the entire book. However, Becker only deals with this about half as well as he probably could have. However, he still presents an intriguing idea. He suggests that Luther did not mean "reason" as we know it, but rather the German word Vernunft, which means "common sense." This seems to be a fair enough explanation for Becker, because he just continues along with his theme.

The Eucharist (Holy Communion): Yet another interesting aspect of the book is Becker's take on the Lutheran doctrine of the Eucharist in the light of reason. Luther says that reason can tell us that the Bread is merely Bread and the Wine is merely Wine, however, reason knows that the Word of God defies all understanding. Reason, Luther would have probably said, would be the reason why so many churches today (even so-called "Lutheran" churches) teach the idea of "open communion" and the representation in the Sacrament. They teach that the bread is merely bread, and that the wine is merely wine, for how can it be both the bread and the body and the blood and the wine. And how can Christ be at the right hand of God and in the sacrament at the same time? Luther taught that it was this kind of doctrine that got man in trouble. When the Christian begins to rely more on reason then on the Word and faith. Becker provides some really interesting insight on this and it's yet another reason to pick up this book.

The Bondage of the Will: One of Luther's most interesting (and maybe even flawed) ideas is the Bondage of the Will. This is probably the weakest area of the book for Becker, although it's probably the most interesting. Becker leaves something to be desired here. Although he explains what reason Luther used to explain his concept of the Bondage of the Will, he never delves on anything beyond that. But maybe that was Becker's whole goal. Although, I wanted more on this topic, I think I'll have to read "On the Bondage of the Will" by Luther in order to get some more insight. However, what Becker does write is still interesting and true to the thesis, despite being ultimately unsatisfying.

These are just a few of the many areas of Lutheran theology and doctrine that Becker touches upon in his fascinating book. I highly recommend it for the concerned Lutheran or the inquisitve Christian. Becker provides interesting ideas as to many of the various aspects of Lutheran theology, although there is still much to be desired (hence the four stars instead of five.) Again, this is highly recommended reading. 4 1/2 Stars

What a splendid book! Originally, this book started as Becker's doctoral thesis in 1957, but was, eventually, expanded into a book. Thus, a couple of examples in the book are outdated-but the rest of the book is timeless. Becker's primary point of the book is that our reason is contrary to God's way of doing things. "To make the gospel reasonable to unconverted man in an effort to bring about his acceptance of that gospel is therefore the height of folly. Such efforts can only result in a change in the gospel, consequently a destruction of the gospel." (Pg. 230)

Becker no only delves into Luther's thoughts on human reason, but also how Scripture seems to contradict. For instance, the Bible mentions in many places that "once saved, always saved" as some like to say. Yet Scripture also says, "take heed, lest you fall." Both are correct and true--yet how are we to reconcile these seeming different doctrines? Part of this is understanding the Law-Gospel dynamic, which Becker probes into as well.

This is one book to reread every few years like C.F.W. Walther's The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel. May it find its way onto every Christian's bookshelf.