Brian Books

Anyone who loves nostalgia and basketball should get this book. When I read "He knew Naismith" about John McClendon and "America's Coach" about Dean Smith, I just got chills. To think, the author was able to meet and photograph numerous basketball greats, and it all took place in Kansas!!

There are stories about regular small-town people, too, who, for their moment of time, became a hero for their school and town. Those are the ones many of us can relate to, and in our own minds, relive our own hero-moments.

It is hard to stop reading because the stories are so good, but with the 2-page-per-story format, you can read and savor a little, put it down and come back to it again later.

Concerning the photography, it seems in many of the pictures that the author was able to capture the emotion of the subject and put it right there on paper for you to feel.

If you are looking for a coffee table book, a gift, or just something different to read, this is worth a try.

As a Kansan, I read with great interest and joy Brian D. Stucky's look at vintage Kansas basketball courts and the exciting stories that went along with them. Hollowed Hardwood is a must ready for any Kansas sports and/or history enthusiast...make that any Kansan period.

I you're a history or basketball nut you're gonna love this. I was intrigued by the photos of historic gyms in Kansas, but I was pleasantly surprised by how I was totally captivated by the great stories about the local and national heros that played in them. What a thrill!

This is such an interesting book of 51 different stories....you'll just love it. The author visits with people all over the state of Kansas and writes a great story along with each picture. See Jackie Stiles on the front cover, shooting the ball. The photography is excellent! This makes a wonderful Christmas or birthday gift!

If you've ever cried at a high school basketball game... if you have ever felt like crying at a basketball game of any type... you will enjoy this book! Brian Stucky sensitively describes--in compelling narratives and equally compelling black and white photographs--quite a number of historic gymnasiums in the author's home state of Kansas--a state where the practice of lofting a round rubber ball into an iron hoop has.. over the years... been elevated to (or at least near) the status of a religion.Memories of unforgetable games, unforgetable players, unforgetable (and, occasionally, surprisingly primative) facilities pour onto these pages from the host of eye witnesses the author has managed to enlist in this loving litany.... an homage to a sport he obviously understands from the inside out. The book stands as a testament to the emotional... and, yes, somewhat spiritual... investment many players, coaches, refs, and just plain fans feel for the sport. Brian Stucky has... in these few pages... not only done homage to a truly American past time, but has--in the process--told us something about ourselves, as well.Highly recommended!

The one panel gag cartoon is a classic in comic strip lore and nobody did it better than Hank Ketcham. Ketcham's talent is on full display in the first volume of The Complete Dennis The Menace.

Like the Peanuts collection, this first volume is an attractively packaged hardbound edition and includes a bookmark that is attached to the spine. Instead of chapters, the cartoons are broken in months. There is some background material on how Dennis came to be and information on Hank Ketcham.

Dennis is still in many newspapers. He is handled by Ketcham's former assistance Marcus Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton, the recent winner of the Reuben Award for best newspaper cartoon of the year, is one of the nicest artists in comics today.

All current Dennis readers will enjoy the first appearance of this Menace. Others that have not read Dennis in while; will enjoy the flood of memories of this Holy Terror. So, take some time to visit with your 'ol pal Dennis

I was a little worried when I bought this book as I thought since I had grown up with some of the later Dennis Cartoons, Going back this far might not be as enjoyable as I found it. I had some trouble going back and looking at the old Peanuts. Not quite as good as they became later on in my estimation. However this Book is a masterpiece by Ketcham. Dennis may be Younger but is still as funny as ever. It's kind of cool to watch the characters looks and personalities take on shape. This book has me smiling on almost every page and on many totally laughing until my eyes were watering. If you like Dennis the Menace? You won't be disappointed!

Dennis the Menace was arguably the greatest single panel comic strip of all time (sorry, Family Circus fans). This book reprints every panel from the first two years of the strip's existence. Sunday pages are not included, since those are not single panels and wouldn't fit in the book. This is great stuff; really funny. If you like Dennis the Menace, you'll love this book.

Special thanks to Fantagraphic Books for making this available and to my brother-in-law for getting it for me as a birthday present! This volume features the early days of Dennis Mitchell, his dog and his long suffering parents. You won't see much of poor ol' Mr. Wilson, whom Dennis unintentionally drives crazy, although his wife Mrs. Wilson is in a few cartoons. Dennis' pal Joey and nemesis Margaret aren't seen much either. There's a brief biography (written by Brian Walker) of Hank Ketchum whom also had a son named Dennis. Walker also gives a brief biography of the Mitchell family. And, of course, there's the cartoons: the barbers hate cutting Dennis' hair: "Be fair, Bert, I cut his hair the last time!", babysitters dread him: "I'll never forget the time I sat with that kid! See this scar?", he calls the fire department when Daddy Henry is burning leaves in the yard, he often dresses up as a cowboy: "Hi, gal, I'ma hankerin' for a cookie!", he loves his cookies but hates his vegetables, brings strangers home to lunch: "Hi mom, this poor guy hasn't had a bite to eat since yesterday!", and is untidy, much to mommy Alice's chagrin: "Christmas is over, Dennis. Go in and pick up your toys... and that means every last fragment!" Is he a menace? Not really, just a fun loving, curious kid who needs a lot of attention!

A few physical humor references to teeth knocking, baseball bats, and blackjacks were a bit jarring, but the complete reprinting of Hank Ketcham's opus is infinitely superior to the sanitizing that appeared in the you know what blockbuster. Kudos to Fantagraphics Books! After only a few pages, the reader may begin to wax nostalgic for the days when weekly magazines were chocked full of gag cartoons. Brian Walker's introduction actually sheds as much biographical information on the Mitchell family as it does on Ketcham. Good job! 589 panels printed chronolgically from day one. I just hope the kid makes enough money to print many subsequent volumes. Readers may also enjoy Hank Ketcham's "The Merchant of Dennis the Menace."

What has drawn us all to Brian Lumley is here in smaller portions. Having read all of the Necroscope series (most more than once) I wasn't sure if this book of shorts would do him justice. I was wrong. If you long for more of this author this is a fine way to get it.

I think it's time I delved into Titus Crow. He promises to be another great character.

I have been hooked on Brian Lumley's Necroscope since his first book in the series way back when. This book does not disappoint.

Anyone who loves Lumley will love this book. With some hard to find short stories thsi book really delivers the goods. The deeper look into Titus Crow's past what made me buy this book and I was not disapointed. The short stories about Keogh are in fine form. The stories about Hero and Eldin are a pleasent surprise for those of us who love the Dreamland series and were left wanting more. If you are versed in all of the characters' backgrounds you will enjoy the deeper plundge, and for those who are just buying it for one of the characters then maybe this book will spark your intrest in the other heroes of the Lumley Mythos.

This book was excellent. As a long time fan of Lumleys living in the states it introduced me to Hero, a series not on any of our book shelves. I couldn't put it down. When Lumley writes he wisks me away to lands of fantasy, horror and fun. As a writer myself I could only wish to acheive his level of realism in fantasy. Any fan of horror would drool over this and be hooked on Harry and Hero.

HARRY KEOGH: NECROSCOPE AND OTHER WEIRD HEROES is clearly for fans of Brian Lumley and anyone who enjoys Lovecraft. The collection contains eight long shorts/novellas starring four of Mr. Lumley's top guns. Three stories feature Titus Crow (psychic detective). David Hero and Eldin the Wanderer (Agents of the king) travel in Dreamlands in two contributions. Finally the title character stars in three new stories not previously published.

Each tale is well written displaying Mr. Lumley's skill at world building in a realm of horror rarely seen as descriptive; my heart still remains in my throat as a power failure occurred in the middle of a Keogh thriller. This reviewer read the book by lead character, meaning first Crow's trio, then the Hero-Eldin duo and finally the three Keogh stories over several days. Thus savoring a strong collection.

Harriet Klausner

I love how everything is topsy-turvy in the House of M storyline. Wolverine and Mystique are partners working for S.H.I.E.L.D, Wolverine still has a dark secret (a different one, however), the art is very good and the story inspired.

good story even if its not true we learn in an alternate univerese creatyed by scarlett witch how logan met nick fury loved how those 2 hated each other from the start we learn that wolvie and mystique are lovers we also know that logan is a drug addict yeah make him even crazier why don't you still love how nick was killed here and how mystique took his place just to have logan go out and kill the humans again yes loved it death to all humans whoo yeah baby this story freaking rocks.

Brian Michael Bendis' House of M mega-event was one of the better Marvel crossover events the company had come up with in recent years, and World of M is one of the best House of M tie-in's as well. Consisting of stories involving Wolverine, Captain America, Black Panther, and Hawkeye; World of M starts off with Daniel Way's tale of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Wolverine, whose behavior is brought into question by director Sebastian Shaw as he interoggates Wolvie's lover Mystique to learn the truth behind an old incident. Way's tale is interesting and features a great end twist as well, illustrating that not everything has completely changed in this alternate reality world. Reginald Hudlin contributes a Black Panther story which finds T'Challa and his wife Storm at odds with Magneto as Apocalypse makes his plans for Africa (and the world) known. There's appearances from Namor, the Inhumans, Sabretooth, and more familiar faces; but the overall story isn't really much to write home about. Brian Michael Bendis' The Pulse gets a House of M makeover, as thought-dead Avenger Hawkeye finds himself alive in this alternate reality, and seeking a way back home. The real standout of World of M is Ed Brubaker's Captain America story, which finds a Cap that was never frozen in suspended animation, as he recounts how the world changed from his time as a World War II hero to the mutant-ruled world he now lives in. The various art throughout (featuring Trevor Hairsone and Mark Texeira among others) is solid, rounding out a more than solid comic package. All in all, World of M is one of (if not the) best House of M tie-in's available, and is definitely worth picking up if you enjoyed Bendis' alternate reality saga.

Wolverine has many great story lines and this is amoung the best of them all! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes the X-men or comics in general. The whole House of M is incredible, and being a huge Wolverine fan this is my fave.

I admit that I fled from the thought of a huge cross-character cross-over like THE HOUSE OF M. I didn't buy any of the originals, except for a couple of Alan Davis UNCANNY X-MEN issues, but it's Alan Davis -- he's a true classic. Amazon.com offered THE HOUSE OF M collection in my Gold Box, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Wow. I really missed out. And since amazon.com offered that, and I bought, I'm getting offers almost everyday for the other related HOUSE OF M books. I bought this WOLVERINE collection because I love the idea of a universe where Logan and Mystique are partners working for SHIELD. This book does not disappoint in the slightest. It's the best of a long WHAT IF..? tale that isn't quite a WHAT IF..? tale at all. You get to watch these great Marvel characters in fantastic, alternate scenarios. One of my favorites is watching Sebastian Shaw sitting behind a SHIELD desk debriefing Mystique. So many little scenes like this make this collection a true gem.

And Marvel, if you're reading this, you gotta get Javier Saltares and Mark Texera back on WOLVERINE ASAP!

"The Human Face" is filled with full-size color photographs of faces from cultures around the world, of every age, of every emotion. Photos of faces illustrate chapters on Origins, Identity, Expressions, Beauty, Vanity, and Fame. This book stresses how important "faces" are to our lives -- the first thing a human infant responds to is a face. Findings in science and cultural studies are cited, still the book's language is easy-to-read and breezy. Fascinating. Wish the information was more in depth. Still worth it. You may not look at the people you know in the same way.

This book tells the story of why we are drawn to faces thirty minutes after being born, when even then our eyes can barely focus. This inborn fascination with faces continues as we grow up and become fascinated with the face of the one we love.

Brian Bates brings his experience in psychology and biology to this beautifully bound collection. He has taught imagination techniques for actors, including face and mask work and has directed plays at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

This book is a journey of self-discovery. It explores the social and psychological aspects of the face. It is sometimes said, you never forget a face, but can forget a name. That has often been true for me. Why is it that I can remember a face so well?

We all have seven universally recognized facial expression: anger, fear, happiness, sadness, disgust, surprise and contempt. But we can make up to 7,000 discrete expressions. This work explores beauty in the eye of the beholder versus a universal agreement on which faces are beautiful. The area of sexual attraction and the naked truth behind facial features is interesting for many reasons.

On a bright yellow page the index lists origins, identity, expressions, beauty, vanity and fame. The pages are visually stunning. With colored pages and black writing contrasting with white pages and pictures. The pictures of two individuals from birth to middle age showed how we change over time.

I was intrigued by the "Expressions" chapter. Lady Diana's Eyes told the tale of her life as she moved from innocence to unhappiness. Did you know that the natural smile and the "masking/fake smile" uses different muscles to produce a similar effect. I tried this and it is an interesting experiment. The natural smile seems to use more muscles and includes my eyes feeling more brightened. When I try to produce a fake smile, I feel my face is in fact not quite as alive.

Then, onto what really matters: Kissing. ;~} A few pages on that and suddenly you turn the page and start to yawn...literally. Just the picture of a yawn is contagious. Why? I yawn again and find it difficult to look at the picture and not keep yawning! After yawning three times, I turn the page!

The chapter on beauty includes many famous faces. Julia Roberts, Calista Flockhart, Sophia Loren...they can be found here smiling. This chapter also shows that people who are beautiful are not always happier than everyone else. There are some very revealing pictures of a woman, before and after plastic surgery!

Vanity is a revealing chapter with a beautiful painting of the Greek myth of Narcissus, where a young man was so enamored with his own face, he falls in love with his own reflection.

By the time you reach the last pages, you will know an incredible amount about the human face. A fashionable collection of human faces, to help you understand why we are sometimes so intrigued by the faces of the famous, or of those around us.

Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face!

~The Rebecca Review

great book, good read and some really good pictures. this is such a unique fun book to read i read it over and over again and love looking at all the cool and colorful pictures. this book tells all about the human face from the begining of time and where it originated up until what we are today. it covers many diffrent areas and topics relating to science, beauty, expressions etc... , it has everything you could think of! it covers everything you ever wanted to know about the face. i recomend this book to anyone whos interested in how humans interact with eachother and facial expressions and what we consider beauty and why, or even if you like science! buy this book today, it's worth it.

This book actually surprised me in it's depth and content. It didn't appear to be very long even though it is rather tall. It covers the origin of the human face and goes on to explain why we are fascinated with the face as well as how faces are used in commercials and movies to promote ads, gain sympathy, or provoke anger. It is very scientific yet easy to understand. Quite humorous as well. Very beautiful photos. There is so much in the book I can't begin to list it all. I really learned a lot from this book and I have recommended it to many friends.
I highly recommend this book.

Wow...What an awesome book! As an orthodontist, I found it incredibly interesting. Needless to say, I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the human facination with the face. Also, be sure to check out the video/DVD that was produced after the book. Great fun with John Cleese and Elizabeth Hurley, with additional material. Especially fascinating- the section on facial beauty with Dr. Stephen Marquardt.

I didn't want to put this book down once I started reading. It kept me guessing right up to the very end. The characters really come to life and draw you into the story. I am recommending this book to my friends. It should definitely be made into a movie!

I am so looking forward to reading this novel by Mr. Kennedy who inspired me as a teenager to become a lawyer. I remember my father, who was a city commissioner at the time, urging me to help out Mr. Kennedy by delivering pamphlets door-to-door with Mr. Kennedy while I was in high school and he was successfully securing the title of Prosecuting Attorney. Mr. Kennedy and I walked several miles those during those early autumn weekends.

I never did become an attorney, however I did put a crooked attorney in prison and made case law in Florida. So some of the tenacity stuck!

I also happened to be in the particular store, of the Hampton Mall on May 16, 1981 when those heinous, fatal shots were fired. So this book should be a particularly delicious read.

My father has since passed on, but my mother and I do look forward to figuring out the mysteries contained within the pages of Mr. Kennedy's novel.

Ken Edwards it the flawed and heroic character that is fun and interesting to follow. In the genre of interesting characters, it would be great to follow Ken Edwards' legal (and maybe romantic??) career. Hopefully, Mr. Kennedy will bring Edwards back in his next novel.

Best book I have read in ages!!! A real page turner. Can't wait for the next book. Simply put ..... just a fun read!!

I could not put the book down. Loved the characters and the humor throughout the book. The ending was a complete surprise! I don't remember reading anything that I enjoyed so much.

Barb Thomson
Runaway Bay
Jamaica

The book, In the Time of the Drums, by Kim L. Siegelson, is a story about the relationship between an island-born slave boy named Mentu and his grandmother, Twi, a woman who had grown up in Africa before she was captured and sent away to work on the island where the story takes place on the east coast of America. It is through her stories, secrets, and teachings of the songs played on the drums that Mentu finally understands what it means to be strong in the face of despair.
If I could come up with a word that could describe this book, it would be "descriptive." All of the words seemed to leap out at me with tons of imagery. I could actually see Mentu, Twi, and the island where they lived from my dorm room. The image of the island and its people that Brian Pinkney, the illustrator, drew also matched up perfectly with the life I envisioned Twi and Mentu having, from the look of the island and thatched roof huts to the clothes that they wore and the goat-skin drums that they played. All of these elements contributed greatly to the descriptive nature of this book and made it one that is a must-read for all young readers ages 8 and up.
I also liked the fact that this book focused on the theme of keeping one's heritage and culture alive at all costs. In a society where students of different cultures become "Americanized," it is important for young readers to value the differences they see among themselves along with their similarities. While similarities can bring all types of people together, it is our differences that make each individual unique and important in a multicultural society.

This book is rich in illustration and in story. The book resonates like a powerful drum beat. The author tells a tale that seems passed from generation to generation. This is a great read for Black History Month. This is a book you will read again and again to your children. The suggested age for readers of 4 to 8 is really too limiting. Children of all ages will enjoy and be moved by this book.

Siegelson writes lyrically and gives a lovely sense of Georgia's coastal islands. The mix of history and folk tale presents well to children, and seems to capture their interest and imagination. The book is a pleasure to read aloud and held the attention of both my ten year old and my six year old.

In the Time of the Drums is an excellent story of the Gullah heritage. It tells of a people who have not forgotten. Young Mentu is told of a time by his grandmother Twi, when he will be "strong-strong." Twi, a wise, respected elder of the community, leads her people home. Mentu is "strong-strong" as he passes the heart-felt beats, and stories that can't be forgotten to descendents, and to us.

Siegelson has a mastery of words that is incredible. The rhythm of the words becomes immediately apparent as you read and it is definitely something you'll want to share right away. Brian Pinkey does a wonderful job, as usual, and the lines of his drawings echo the rhythm and lyricism of the story. I think it is interesting and appropriate to the story (you'll understand after you read it) that althought the story is based in historical fact, it is not limited by it. If you are an african-american parent, buy this book. If you are not an african-american parent, buy this book. I will be watching for the next by Kim Siegelson. Signed, a Children's Librarian in Oklahoma.

This was one of the most life changing books I have ever read.
Highly recommend it.

Dan Millman pulls valuable concepts from a variety of disciplines. This book does not delve into specific training methods, but rather expounds a philosophy of training. The author integrates concepts from sports psychology, physiology, and the martial arts. The Inner Athlete contains several enlightening perspectives on different aspects of athletic training. I have been following his suggested modifications for stretching exercises for about two weeks, with excellent results. This book will be valuable for any athlete, regardless of level of attainment.

What a great book...I am interested in all kinds of sports and have always believed that sport should be more than just physical training and with this book I found someone who shares my thoughts....

From the book: Dedicate your training to your life and not your life to your training...

When you read this book you will realize that the truth has always been in you, you just did not see it. Learn to see and let your heart lead the way. I love this book.

I finished the book and instantly wanted to start reading it again. Dan has helped me with my own nemisis by reminding me that being stuck on a skill is a result of not having developed the requisite skills and strengths. But the concept that I love the most and has been that of building strength by relaxing the opposing muscles so you spend less time fighting yourself. As we all learn about life through sport (well, many of us anyway) I have discovered that it is not just in athletics that I tense all the wrong muscles. I have begun seeing how in my life I fight myself and by just relaxing the right areas of my life I have been able to handle much greater degrees of stress with a peace and equanimity this book helped me to realize.

This is one of those books I'll read over and over again and gain something new from each and every time. And my poor friends are all sick to death of having me quote it to them as they come to me with their struggles.

This book is an easy read, as are all of Dan Millman's books. I read the first edition of The Inner Athlete 6 years ago at the age of 20. It inspired me to enrol in a beginner's gymnastics class for adults, probably because I wanted to be just like Dan. It proved to be a life-changing decision. I had retained some of Dan's advice, such as the Law of Accommodation - how our body more readily produces results when we don't place demands or set goals. I stuck to practicing the fundamentals, and was satisfied with doing handstands and simple drills that I understood were the foundations of talent. Those who had started the class at the same time as I had began practicing handsprings after only a few weeks.

After a year, my classmates were still struggling with their handsprings. It didn't look like much fun, as they were sprawling on their butts half the time. Those who felt discouraged moved on to working on back-flips. In the meantime, I was getting better at handstands and my muscles were growing more supple. I would watch my classmates intently during practice. I paid close attention to the instructors who tried to help them, but I stayed on the sidelines and flirted with girls. When I wasn't doing that I stuck to my drills, stretching, and handstands, which I also incorporated into my morning exercise routine at home.

Then one day a guest instructor from Russia who was impressed with my ability to do handstands insisted that I do a handspring. I declined at first, but he insisted. Not wanting to be rude, I went through the motions for about 10 minutes with him. Finally, he sent me flying in a handspring that had me airborne for what seemed like an eternity. I was astonished and after a few tries I managed to do it without help. Within a week I was turning handsprings as well as the instructors. I was utterly amazed. My classmates were less enthused. Two of them quit shortly afterward. I bumped into one of them a few months later. She said she was "too busy" to come to practice. She had worked really hard, and I felt bad because I think my sudden improvement had discouraged her. Little did she know that my new-found ability was a natural result to having applied Dan's advice on Developing Talent.

I think anyone who applies the wisdom in Dan's book will develop wonderful results over time. Some people attribute such success to patience and persistence. That may be true, but that is to oversimplify. You need knowledge of how the process of skill-learning works and you need a good teacher. The Inner Athlete provides you with helpful keys that you can apply to almost any endeavour that involves skill training.

Thanks to the simple logic in this book, I have unlocked a world that had been closed to me for so long. I cherish the memories of the times when I moved like a total spaz. If only you had seen me at my first piano-lesson, my introduction to jazz-ballet or on my first day at swim school. I now enjoy a high level of skill in these areas, and to me the process seemed effortless.

With a back injury I incurred in an accident 2 years ago I am now confined to swimming, but that is no obstacle. The Inner Athlete deals beautifully with how to cope with setbacks. I work on the areas that I can, and have recently become a valued member of a swim team. So far, no medals, but the coach doesn't have to drag me out of the pool anymore.

My friends and I (all women) just recently started an investment club and this book was just great. It provided useful forms, guidelines and warnings on how to setup your club and who should be in your club. A lot seems like common sense and lot isn't. We took this book with it's nice forms, etc. and ran with it. Today we have a bonafide investment club, filed our taxes and have been making investments that make us happy (not necessarily rich).

Like some of the others I bought other investment club books but you really don't need them. This one will do just as well and it's entertaining to boot.

My friends and I at my work place were interested in starting an investment club but we were not sure how to do it until one of the women said: "Aha, Motley Fool has put out a book about it!" So, we ordered the books, highlighted everything, and got excited about starting a club. And we did it all because of this book.

My sister and I were looking for info on starting an investment club for our family and we turned to the Motley Fool book. It was great for everyone in our family as we are all novices to the investing game. It was easy to read and everybody got through it before our first meeting. A big, big help!!!!

In starting an investment club it's important that everyone involved has a good idea of what to expect from a club. In signing agreements and feeling as though you are going to be bound to a group for a long term endeavour, this book helps to ease the anxiety that goes along with the club forming experience.

As with any other Motley Fool book this one has a reasonable balance of good, clear concise information, and foolish humor.

As a primer for beginners, this book is the best I've seen. It has lots of samples of forms and the agreements and by-laws. It is written at a level that any investor should understand what is going on.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in starting an investment club.

I have read both Starting and Running a Profitable Investment Club: The Official Guide from the National Association of Investment Clubs and The Investment Club Book in addition to this book.

While the other two books are very thorough and very well done, this one is the easist to read and understand.

I recommend all new Investment Club members to try this book.

If you are looking for a reasonably thorough explanation and defense of imputation (of Christ's righteousness), you can't do much better than Vickers. If Piper's book left you wanting a more detail about the issues and scriptures in question, this book is just the thing you need. Very readable, too!

Perhaps you have heard the word justification defined this way: justification is God's treating me just as if I had never sinned. But is this true? Does justification merely equal forgiveness of sins--as amazing as that is--or is there something more? Do we need an external righteousness that is not our own?

These are questions of eternal significance. In Jesus' Blood and Righteousness: Paul's Theology of Imputation, Brian Vickers argues that the question of whether Scripture teaches the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer is not a mere academic debate but a matter that concerns the heart of the gospel and salvation (p. 15). Vickers states his argument on page 18: "The contention of this book is that the imputation of Christ's righteousness is a legitimate and necessary synthesis of Paul's teaching." He has produced a persuasive and rewarding book defending this Scriptural doctrine.

Vickers desires to avoid the twin extremes of seeing too much in a particular text by importing ideas into it (eisegesis) and seeing too little in the text by failing to see the big picture (ignoring the interpretation of Scripture by Scripture). As a corollary goal, he hopes to show that "Protestant theology, particularly the Reformed tradition, has not been dominated only by systematicians who cared little for exegesis" (p. 18, footnote 4).

Vickers states that the book does not thoroughly examine all of the concepts related to imputation. Topics such as righteousness and union with Christ are not given an exhaustive treatment but are dealt with in light of their implications for imputation. He also informs readers that the book overlooks much important historical material to focus on the matters of exegesis related to imputation. Finally, this book does not contain a section devoted to a study of the New Perspective on Paul, although Vickers gives extensive bibliographical listings and interacts with proponents of New Perspective views in various sections as these ideas relate to imputation.

To give context and frame to the discussion, chapter one sketches the history of the doctrine of imputation, beginning with the Reformation and continuing to the present. The chapters that follow are an examination of key texts relevant to imputation and contain rigorous exegesis, technical language, and copious footnotes. Vickers concludes with a synthesis of Paul's teaching and a final chapter on the importance of the doctrine of imputation. Each chapter closes with a helpful summary.

Vickers demonstrates that the doctrine of imputation was not fully developed by the Reformers but was refined by their followers in writings and church creeds. He argues that imputation, though often associated with covenant theology, is not restricted to a covenantal framework (p. 34, footnote 36). He shows that modern theologians can be found across the spectrum, including those who embrace traditional views and those who deny imputation but finds that the traditional view is a neglected doctrine in modern times (p. 44). Vickers notes that "the inductive and descriptive nature of biblical theology" can provide "a guard against unfounded deductions" from particular texts, but it can also pose a danger by preventing any kind of synthesis of various texts (p. 69). He argues for the legitimacy of systematic theology, particularly in regard to imputation.

Chapter two focuses on Paul's quotation of Genesis 15:6: "Abraham believed in God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3, English Standard Version). Vickers shows that Paul's understanding of Abraham is at odds with Jewish tradition that sees Abraham's works as the ground of his justification. By studying the context of Romans, Vickers concludes that Abraham is ungodly, and he receives imputed righteousness through faith apart from works. Vickers sums up his conclusion on imputation in Romans 4:

Romans 4:1-8 is about the appropriation of righteousness, and that righteousness, as a status declared by God, is most clearly linked in this text with the non-imputation of sin, i.e., forgiveness. This status is brought about by the reckoning of faith as righteousness. Faith is not itself the righteousness, but as is made clear in the context, faith is the instrument that unites the believer to the object of faith. The object is thus the source of the righteousness that is reckoned to the believer (p. 111).

Chapter three discusses Romans 5:19 ("For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous," ESV), as well as its immediate context of 5:12-21 and other sections of Romans. Adam and Christ, as representatives of the human race, determine by their actions the status of those they represent. Vickers concludes that this passage presents the basis for the counting of the believer as righteous in Romans 4. He writes:

The righteous status, made possible by Christ's obedience, is applied to the believer when he puts his faith in God. Christ's obedience "counts" for the status that is secured at the cross, and appropriated by faith, through which comes the declaration of the actual status, "righteous" (p. 157).

Second Corinthians 5:21 ("For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God," ESV) is the focus of chapter four. Vickers argues that Paul draws heavily on the "Servant Songs" in Isaiah (such as chapter 53), which prophesy of Christ's sufferings while placing them in a sacrificial context. This shapes the meaning of the phrase "made sin." Furthermore, he says:

From first to last this is an act of God, who made Christ a sacrifice for sin by causing the sins of others to be counted to him. The twin statements, "a new creation" and "become the righteousness of God," both centered in the phrase "in Christ" and dependent on his representative death, indicate that just as sin was reckoned to Christ, so too is Christ's sacrificial death counted for righteousness to those "in him." God counts them as righteous because they have Christ's righteousness, they have Christ himself, and he has them (p. 190).

In chapter five, Vickers offers a synthesis of imputation taken from the texts examined in chapters two, three, and four. His position is strengthened by looking at the relation of other texts to imputation: 1 Corinthians 1:30, Philippians 3:9, and Romans 9:30-10:4. He finds that Paul teaches that Christ's righteousness is imputed to believers, His obedience having counted for those united to Him by faith. God has acted "through Christ on behalf of sinners, who though undeserving are forgiven and declared righteous as a free gift from God on the basis of Christ's substitutionary death" (p. 232).

Vickers concludes that the imputation of Christ's righteousness is a doctrine derived from a biblical-theological study of Paul's writings and, therefore, is the teaching of the Scriptures.

Jesus' Blood and Righteousness will challenge many readers, particularly those not acquainted with Hebrew and Greek words and grammar. The book is highly technical in some places, and the footnotes may become wearisome. However, Vickers has done his homework. He has produced an in-depth biblical-theological study that is well worth the effort to mine its gold. Educated readers, particularly pastors and seminarians, should obtain this book and study it.

Jesus' Blood and Righteousness effectively bridges the unnecessary gap many try to create between biblical and systematic theology, revealing the need for both and the legitimacy of a synthesis of the various pieces of the puzzle, based on proper exegesis. Vickers admits that there is no single text that explicitly states that Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer, but, with thorough exegesis, consideration of objections, and interaction with other scholars, he convincingly demonstrates that the doctrine of imputation is nonetheless a scriptural teaching that Christians cannot afford to discard.

In the end, Vickers accomplishes his goal to show the legitimacy of imputation as a synthesis of Paul's teaching, demonstrating that good systematic theology is based on proper exegesis. The book has reinforced for me the need to study the Bible carefully and to interpret Scripture with Scripture, so I neither read too much into a text nor miss the forest for the trees. It has also spurred renewed gratitude to God for the gift of Christ's righteousness imputed to us through faith that unites us to Him. What grace that God counts Christ's obedience as ours! What good news we have to share! Truly, as Edward Mote penned, our "hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness."

Towards the end of his book, Brian Vickers writes, "The present work relies on a mixture of exegesis and synthesis to argue for imputation. Hopefully this synthesis is based on exegesis, because the goal has never been to argue for imputation on purely `theological' or traditional grounds, though the question derives from traditional Protestant, particularly Lutheran and Reformed, categories" (p. 225). After coming to the end of this densely written tome, one agrees heartily with Vickers that his work blends exegesis and theological synthesis to defend more than sufficiently the traditional doctrine of the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer in justification. Though not exactly traditional, i.e., lining up at every point with the classic Reformed model of imputation, Vickers' conclusions about this crucial doctrine is thoroughly biblical, grounded in a deep study of the Hebrew and especially Greek of the pertinent texts, and Christ-honoring to say the least.

Vickers' book is divided into five main sections, and a conclusion. He begins aptly by tracing the "loose trajectories" of the discourse on imputation "through theological traditions." He begins with Luther and traces the arc of discussion to 20th century German liberal theology, the New Perspective on Paul, and those who are solidly Reformed in their soteriology but for various reasons do not hold explicitly to the doctrine of the imputation, to the believer, of Christ's righteousness in perfectly obeying the Law. In fact, one criticism against this book would be the lack of space devoted to the idea of Christ's perfect obedience counting for the believer.

Aside from that minor criticism, the book more than ably wades its way through the deep waters of rich "justification texts," namely three: Rom 4:3-8, Rom 5:12-21, and 2 Cor 5:21. He begins with Abraham and the reckoning of righteousness. His main points here are (1) that "faith is not itself the righteousness" but rather the instrument that "unites the believer to the object of faith," and that object is the only source of righteousness (p. 111), and (2) forgiveness is one aspect of Paul's doctrine of justification, not synonymous with it. This is a point that he emphasizes as he seeks to unfold the comprehensive nature of the biblical doctrine of justification. In the section on the foundation of righteousness, he concludes that "the ground for the status `righteous' had to be attained before it could be applied" (p. 157). Easily the longest chapter in the book, it goes into great detail on Rom 5:12-21, dissecting the Adam-Christ complex and confirming the word for "being made" in the Greek refers to "status, not personal actions (p. 156). This status is conferred upon a believer because of the representational nature of Christ for all those who are one with Him.

The provision and imputation of righteousness make up the final two chapters. In the former, he examines the OT background of the phrase "made to be sin" in 2 Cor 5:21. He concludes that it refers to a sacrifice for sin because of its relation to the language and concepts concerning sacrifices in the OT (pointing to the LXX translations of Lev 4:3 and 5:6 and how hamartiacan be used for both "sin" and "sin offering"), the greater context of reconciliation (again Leviticus cited as support for the concept of reconciliation in sacrificial contexts), and the context of 2 Cor 5:21 (which focuses on the vicarious nature of Christ's death--"one died for all," v. 14, and "not reckoning their sins to them," v. 19, and the perfection of His sacrifice--"who knew no sin," v. 21). He also tackles the debate over the phrase "the righteousness of God." While examining and overturning various exegetical options, Vickers deals at length with the view that this concept refers to the covenant faithfulness of God. He concludes, "It is more accurate to say that God's covenant faithfulness is an expression of this righteousness, or that it manifests his righteousness, rather than being his righteousness" (p. 182). He also states, "The forensic element of 2 Corinthians 5:21 argues forcefully against the covenant faithfulness view" (ibid). In the final chapter, the author examines, in synthetic fashion, the common threads in the three major imputation texts he has already studied. Upon concluding this examination, he takes up the discussion on the "active" and "passive" obedience of Christ. He states that all obedience contains both elements, and that Christ's obedience was passive in that He voluntarily accepted God's wrath against sin and active in that He willingly bore the just penalty for sin (p. 197). All this to say that the obedience of Christ to God on the Father, supremely demonstrated (or culminating) in His death on the cross includes both "the provision for the forgiveness of sins and a positive standing before God" on the basis of the Lord's perfect obedience, not just in death, but in life as well.

Vickers nicely ends his book tackling several other key objections to the traditional Protestant doctrine of justification. He tackles the arguments that this doctrine amounts to nothing more than a legal fiction, that it is a systematic not a biblical idea, that Christ's positive obedience is nowhere specifically stated as being imputed to the believer, and that imputation leads to antinomianism. In a short space, he ably refutes these objections and defends the traditional understanding of justification. His refutations themselves are noteworthy demonstrations of blending rigorous exegesis with theological synthesis and harmonization of various texts and doctrines.

Overall, Vickers' book has taken the exposition of the doctrine of justification one step forward in our current times where it is being undermined by the New Perspective on Paul. The frightening reality that its eclipse is being ushered in and greeted by conservative evangelical theologians should not draw us out of the battle for truth, but determinedly back into it; armed with the Bible and with volumes such as this one, we are equipped with exegetical and theological insights that appeal not to theology and confessions and creeds but to the Word of God itself in the original languages. It is an academic piece, one that requires patient, methodical reading/engagement. The payoff of being enriched once again by the great justification truths emanating from some crucial portions of Scripture more than validates one's time with the book. - Jason Park, Christian Book [...]

Vickers does an excellent job arguing for Paul's theology of Imputation. What makes this work so great is his interaction with New Perspective and other Protestant views contrary to historical Reformed views. I would suggest this work for anyone who interrested in the subject (which has been an important one in the last 10-15 years).

Anyone who has been paying attention to Evangelical theology in North America knows that the doctrine of Justification has become quite a hot topic. Not only has the "New Perspective" on Paul offered a challenge to the traditional Protestant formulation (e.g. James Dunn, N. T. Wright), but so have some dissenting voices from within the conservative sector of the evangelical fold (e.g. Robert Gundry).

In 1999, when Christianity Today published "The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration," Robert Gundry responded by saying, "the doctrine that Christ's righteousness is imputed to believing sinners needs to be abandoned" and "that doctrine of imputation is not even biblical" (source). The opinion that Gundry expresses has become somewhat of a standard view among scholars of the New Testament, and this departure has caused no little controversy among evangelicals who continue to regard the doctrine of imputation as a crucial biblical teaching (see the exchange between Gundry and Thomas Oden in Books & Culture as well as the essays by Gundry and Carson in Justification: What's at Stake in the Current Debates?).

Brian Vickers enters this fray with Jesus' Blood and Righteousness: Paul's Theology of Imputation. Vickers is a New Testament scholar by training, but he goes against the tide of his guild by defending the traditional Protestant formulation of the imputation of Christ's righteousness, though he does so in a way that interprets key Pauline texts in a non-traditional way.

After a brief introduction, chapter one introduces the reader to the history of interpretation of the key texts--a history that begins with Martin Luther and traces through the modern day. Chapters two through four consist of Vickers' exegesis of three Pauline texts that have had a central place in discussions of imputation: Romans 4, Romans 5:19, and 2 Corinthians 5:21. In each of these texts, Vickers contends that there is a subject, an action, and a result.

........................SUBJECT....ACTION............RESULT
Romans 4:3.........Abraham....Faith................Reckoned Righteousness
Romans 5:19........Christ.......Obedience.........Made Righteous
2 Corinthians 5:21.God..........Made Christ Sin..Became Righteousness

Though the subjects and actions are different, all of these texts result in righteousness to the sinner. Chapter five synthesizes the Pauline teaching with respect to imputation and answers objections to the tradition formulation of the doctrine. Chapter six concludes with a summary of the book's arguments and a recapitulation of the book's thesis that Paul teaches Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer.

I noted above that Vickers argues for imputation in a "non-traditional" way. What I mean by that is that he comes to his conclusions through an exegesis that is decidedly non-traditional. Vickers writes, "No single text contains or develops all the `ingredients' of imputation . . . Taken alone, not one of the `key' texts that have played such an integral role in the historical discussion [of imputation] argues decisively, or explicitly, for a full-orbed doctrine of imputation" (pp. 18, 235). For Vickers, not even Romans 4 (in which logizomai figures so prominently) teaches the full-blown doctrine of the imputation of Christ's righteousness.

Thus, even though traditionalists may like Vickers' theological conclusion affirming imputation, they may chafe at some of his readings of particular texts. But Vickers' approach to these Pauline texts should not diminish the fact that his argument taken as a whole comprises a thoroughgoing defense of the traditional view. Vickers is showing that even though Christ's righteousness is never explicitly named as that which is imputed (as Gundry charges), the doctrine is the necessary correlation of a synthesis of Paul's teaching.

Traditionalists will continue to debate Vickers' description of the imputation of Christ's active obedience. In traditional formulations, Christ's active obedience refers to the life of obedience to God's law that Christ rendered in His incarnation. Such obedience to God's law is the obligation of every person, but no person ever achieves it. Vickers thinks that Paul does not necessarily have this total obedience to the law in mind when speaking of Christ's obedience in Romans 5:19. Rather, Paul has in mind Christ's obedience to the point of death on the cross. This obedience cannot be neatly separated from Christ's total obedience to God's law, but this singular act of obedience on the cross is nevertheless the focus in Paul. Thus Vickers suggests a redefinition of Christ's active obedience (pp. 196, 198, 226-28) that may not fulfill the so-called "covenant of works" (which is a central feature in covenant theology).

Vickers has done a masterful job in Jesus' Blood and Righteousness. Not only is it an indispensable introduction to the issues at stake in the current debate, it also offers a compelling interpretation of Paul that affirms the traditional formulation of imputation. There are very few books like this one, and anyone who is concerned about having a biblical theology should give this volume careful consideration.