O Books

Another great book that encourages parents of prodigal's that there is hope...prayer is the best weapon of defense against the attacker Satan who wants to win and destroy our daughter's life...Scripture and prayers very helpful and encouraging..To all parents who long for peace and hope for their situation of a child gone astray this is a great read

This book was the most helpful and comforting book I have ever read. Having a prodigal child is almost like the death of a child. The hurt is almost unbearable. After reading the book I found that God wants to comfort and encourage us in every situation concerning our children. Both of the authors have experienced prodigal children, so they can relate. There are other books on the subject, but THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU if you want a Christian perspective on how to live with your situation.

Great book of comfort and hope. We are still praying and hoping. God isn't finished with our prodigal yet and we are starting to see progress. The book is well-written and it's one we'll keep.

Our Pastor to Families with Adolescents has used this book several times when teaching our Hope of a Homecoming class, where parents with prodigals can meet with other parents of prodigals for support, encouragement, and to gain a biblical perspective on the situation. The pastor also gives this book away to parents that he counsels who are in this situation. The authors have personal experience with prodigals, so they're not just writing "as if," they are writing having been through the difficulties and challenges that parents with prodigals face.

SO many things in this book seemed to be what I and my Prodigal are going through. As always it's the outcome we don't know, but it's the peace you can have while you're in it.

I have read other very instructive D.A. Carson books such as Cross & Christian Ministry and A Call to Spiritual Reformation (Two highly recommended works). This book did not leave me disappointed.

Carson's purpose for the book is explicitly stated from the get-go - this is a book of "preventative medicine" so Christians "will think deeply on the subject of suffering and evil." I think that this is wise counsel. We should think about suffering BEFORE it happens. Make no mistake, however, in thinking one can completely prepare for the shock of suffering. So Carson describes suffering with a frank and vivid analogy - "It is like jumping into a bitterly cold lake; you can brace yourself for the experience all day, but when you actually jump in, the shock to your system will still snatch your breath away" (pg 141). This book will not "solve" all of the dilemmas of suffering, but it does provide a Biblical framework through which to view them.

Carson organizes the book into 3 parts:
Part 1 - Thinking about Suffering and Evil
Part 2 - Parts of the Puzzle: Biblical Themes for Suffering People
Part 3 - Glimpses of the Whole Puzzle: Evil and Suffering in the World of a Good and Sovereign God

I have organized my understanding of his insights into the following broad themes: 1.) What a bad theology of suffering believes/does, 2.) What a good theology of suffering believes/does, 3.) a Biblical Analysis of Providence, 4.) the Suffering of Job, and 5.) Viewing one's Suffering in light of the Cross.

1.) A bad theology of suffering...
o Is only satisfied in one's own temporal security. "We want security; we want it desperately. But it has very little to do with the security of belonging to God..." (pg 25)
o Does not consider that the Bible is full of suffering: Carson says, "We remember the wonderful triumphs of Joseph, Gideon, and David...We are less inclined to think through the sufferings of Jeremiah, the constant ailments of Timothy, the illness of Trophimus, or the thorn in Paul's flesh" (pg 25).
o Does not account for mystery. We may have such a well articulated systematic theology, that "we leave precious little scope for mystery, awe, unknowns." (pg 26)
o Views that God "is limited and [only] involved with human beings in the grand enterprise of trying to relieve evil and suffering" (pg 29) instead of seeing him as sovereign over it.
o Spends all time and energy wondering how to exonerate God of suffering and misses the obvious - that we should be considering how we ought to be responding to the suffering by calling upon the Lord for help. (pg 59)
o Fails to see the many examples of suffering that are without a specific sin that caused it and without any associated miraculous healing: Paul's illness that directed him in the first instance to Galatia (Gal 4:13), Timothy's frequent illness (1 Tim 5:23), Trophimus being left behind due to illness (1 Tim 4:20) (pg 101).
o Does not have a large enough framework: Instead, health and wellness theology "...tries to establish a theology of healing and power encounter without a theology of suffering...a theology of victory without an adequate theology of the cross...a theology of life without proper reflection on death...discusses God's power but rarely wrestles with God's predilection for displaying his power in the context of continuing weakness...encourages triumphant faith, but does not establish a broad enough grid to show that triumphant faith may be exactly what is displayed where there is raw perseverance in the face of incredible suffering...[appropriately] sees sin and suffering as intrinsically evil, but fails to think through how a sovereign God in some way stands behind them..." (pg 111)
o Fails to see that God's true healing is never trivial or ambiguous. "...there is no record of Jesus himself holding a healing service, inviting people to be healed, or offering generalized prayers for healing and inviting people to come forward for a laying on of hands." (pg 111)
o Fails to preach and teach in such a way to make "heaven the Christian's hope and goal" (pg 130)
o Puts trust in other people or other vain confidence (Ps 146:3)
o Arrogantly assumes that "everything that takes place in God's universe ought to be explained to us" (pg 152)
o Is infatuated with moral and spiritual ambiguity. "The pluralism of our age delights in moral ambiguity - but only as long as it costs nothing. Devotion to contemporary moral ambiguity is extraordinarily self-centered. It demands freedom from God so that it can do whatever it wants. But when the suffering starts, the same self-centered focus on my world and my interests, rather ironically wants God to provide answers with sparkling clarity." (pg 155).
o Ignorantly cries for "justice." Carson says of this, "Justice alone will destroy us all. Only the triumph of justice and love will meet our needs; and this triumph is so integrally linked to the very heart of the gospel, the cross of God's dear Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we dare not, as Christians, take our eyes off this perspective." (pg 163)


2.) On the other hand, a good theology of suffering...
o Explores the parts of the puzzle of suffering, and locates evil and suffering within a certain Biblical "framework." (pg 37)
o Understands suffering in light of the "Bible's Storyline" and meditates on "the price of sin". Carson says, "If in fact we believe that our sin properly deserves the wrath of God, then when we experience the sufferings of this world, all of them the consequences of human rebellion, we will be less quick to blame God and a lot quicker to recognize that we have no fundamental right to expect a life of unbroken ease and comfort." (pg 44)
o Sees suffering from the perspective of the eternal kingdom. "If we can get over our tendency to evaluate everything that transpires from a merely individualistic perspective, and glimpse at least a little of the broad movements of God in redemptive history, we may not only be a little less surprised when we suffer, we may also find it is somewhat easier to `make sense' of suffering: at least it fits into a pattern that Jesus himself predicted." (pg 123)
o Understands that I have, in a sense that I have participated in sin, caused by my own death. W must face up to our corporate as well as our individual responsibility (pg 99-100)
o Understands that Jesus did not treat wars and natural disasters "as agenda items in a discussion of the mysterious ways of God, but as incentives to repentance. It is as if He is saying that God uses disaster as a megaphone to call attention to our guilt and destination, to the imminence of his righteous judgment if he sees no repentance." (pg 61) (c.f. Luke 13:1-5, Amos 4)
o Understands that suffering is part of God's discipline for our good that we might share in His holiness (Heb 12:5-12). It is important to see that at least some of God's means of discipline, all designed for our good, can simultaneously be viewed as calamitous evils (pg 66).
o Follows Habakkuk's example of "taking the long view" in "assurance that God's justice will prevail over the oppressors even though the oppressors are instruments in God's hands to punish..."(pg 69-70) Such a one continues to delight in the Lord and praise (Hab 3:17-19).
o Glories in suffering because we know that suffering produces perseverance as it is mingled with faith and delight in our being reconciled to God (Rom 5:1-4) (pg 71). Rightly accepted, pain "cleanses us from self-centeredness, gives us insight into the nature of this fallen world, prepares us for death, makes us remember the sufferings of Christ and of others." (pg 108). As Welsh hymn-writer and evangelist William Williams testifies that he gained on his deathbed more knowledge of himself, and more knowledge of the goodness of God, than during the pervious forty years of his life (pg 108).
o Views suffering on behalf of Christ as a privilege, a grace granted (Phil 1:29-30) (pg 78).
o Follows Jesus' example of learning obedience by what he suffered. "...though He was Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, and once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvations for all who obey him." (Heb 5:7-9). Carson says, "if Jesus `learned obedience from what he suffered', what ghastly misapprehension it is-or arrogance!-that assumes we should be exempt." (pg 72)
o Runs to the scriptures (such as Psalm 23 an 90) (pg 98)
o Recognizes that death is "no different in kind from what you and your spouse have lived under all your life; that you have been preparing for this day since your conversion; that you have already laid up treasure in heaven, and your heart is there." (pg 106)
o Will certainly grieve in death of a Christian...but not "like the rest, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Him" (1 Thes 4:13-14). It waits for the new heaven and new earth with no more death, mourning, crying or pain (Rev 21:3-4) (1 Cor 15:56) (c.f. 1 Peter 1:3-9)
o Encourages people with terminal illnesses to think about death. It does not rob them of the enormous comforts of the gospel. It engages in helping believers to "die well" (pg 115). It encourages them to think on Rev 4-5 and 21-22, and to "think about God and the salvation He has provided, to develop a certain longing for the new heaven and the new earth, to reestablish the Christian's goal." (pg 131)
o Views the prosperity of the wicked in light of the next world as shown in Psalm 73. As the Psalmist says at the end of the chapter, "Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds" (v 27-28) (pg 127).
o Sees suffering as under God's providence - "To the eyes of faith, there are, finally, no accidents, only incidents, and in these, Paul assures us, God is working for our good." (pg 214) God works out his purposes for us is far greater than our incessant focus on the present.

3.) Providence:
o A Biblical defense of "compatibilism" that says 1.) God is absolutely sovereign and that 2.) Humans are morally responsible.
o Since the Bible affirms this view, "...then it must be the case that God stands behind good and evil in somewhat different ways; that is, he stands behind good and evil asymmetrically. To put bluntly, God stands behind evil in such a way that not even evil takes place outside the bounds of his sovereignty, yet the evil is not morally chargeable to him; it is always chargeable to secondary agents, to secondary charges. On the other hand, God stands behind good in such a way that it not only takes place within the bounds of his sovereignty, but it is always chargeable to Him, and only derivatively to secondary agents." (pg 189)
o In other words, if I sin, God is not to be blamed. But if I do good, it is God working in me both to will and to act. God's grace is manifest and he is to be praised. (pg 189)
o "Human freedom cannot include such liberal power that God Himself becomes Contingent" (pg 190)
o "In Jesus, the divine determining and the perfection of human obedience come together in one person...Here we see "free will" at its best!" (reference to John 10:18) (pg 191). "His obedience therefore provides us with a model of how we ought to respond to the claims of God's sovereignty" (pg 212-213)
o A wrong view of free will assumes that it must entail "absolute power to contrary" (pg 194)
o In the Bible, we see God's will of Decree, Desires, Permission (pg 198)

4.) The example of Job:
o In the book of Job, we find that suffering "falls within the sweep of God's sovereignty" (pg 139)
o Job highlights that there IS such a thing as "innocent suffering" (pg 140).
o Within "certain boundaries...it is better to be frank about our grief, candid in our despair, honest with our questions, than to suppress them and wear a public front of puffy piety" (pg 141)
o There are some things you will not understand for you are not God (pg 153). This is why Job's answer is so appropriate. He does not say "ah, at last I understand!" but rather "I repent". "He does not repent of sins that have allegedly brought on the suffering; he repents of his arrogance in impugning God's justice, he repents of the attitude whereby he simply demands an answer as if such were owed him" (42::5-6) (pg 153). "To those who do not know God, to those who insist on being God, this outcome will never suffice. Those who do know God come in time to recognize that it is better to know God and to trust God than to claim the rights of God." (pg 153)
o The book of Job does not "disown all forms of retribution; rather, it disowns simplistic, mathematically precise, and instant applications of the doctrine of retribution." (pg 155)

5.) Seeing your Suffering in light of the Cross:
o When we suffer, there will sometimes be mystery. Will there also be faith? (pg 156) This faith must be praiseworthy by finding repose in a faithful God (pg 159). "If our attention is focused more on the cross, and on the God of the cross, than on the suffering itself" (pg 173)
o "In the darkness of the soul, Christians have something to hang onto that Job never knew. We know Christ crucified. Christians have learned that when there seems to be no other evidence of God's love, they cannot escape the cross. "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" (Rom 8:32) (pg 171)

As a study on why God allows suffering, this book is not unique. There must be many thousands of books written by believers on this difficult issue. I have read quite a few of these, and I would argue that this volume by Carson is right up there - certainly in the top ten.

This book first appeared in 1990, with this second edition appearing in 2006. Carson seeks to lay out the biblical material to help us get a handle on why suffering and evil exist, and how the believer is expected to deal with these issues.

He provides one of the better treatments of the subject, offering a balanced and judicious understanding of what the biblical material has to say about these topics. It is not a work of apologetics as such, and it does not attempt a lengthy philosophical theodicy. Instead it seeks to help Christians of all walks of life with some biblical, theological and pastoral discussions about evil and suffering.

Carson is right to suggest that we do not give the subject "the thought that it deserves" - at least until we undergo a nasty spell of hardhip. But we certainly need to develop a theology of suffering, if for no other reason than because so much sloppy thinking on the subject persists in Christian circles.

Indeed, Carson begins his volume by looking at some faulty answers to the question of suffering, from both Christian and non-Christian sources. After looking at some of these false starts, he develops in some detail the various biblical themes relating to the problem.

The entry of sin into the world is a big part of the biblical answer, of course. Indeed, the Bible takes the reality of evil very seriously. Much of the suffering that we experience is directly due to the reality of sin. Because many people today have a quite low view of sin means that they fail to fully understand its devastating consequences.

But suffering does not just come into our lives as a consequence of evil choices. Suffering can also be a tool of God's loving chastisement and discipline. But we live in an age which looks aghast at all suffering and hardship, and few of us are willing to let God complete the work he has started in us, which often requires hard times and adversity.

Carson also looks at many of the hot potato issues, such as hell, sickness and healing, whether God judges nations today, and other difficult topics. And then there is the whole issue of the sovereignty of God and the reality of evil. How do these things connect?

Like many, Carson feels that the overall picture gleaned from the biblical data leads one to adopt a position known as compatibilism. That is, the apparently conflicting claims of Scripture are in fact compatible. On the one hand, the full sovereignty and control of God is throughout the Bible affirmed. On the other hand, the full moral responsibility of humans is also affirmed. While it might seem that one rules out the other, Scripture assumes both positions to be true, and that they are not mutually exclusive.

Somehow the choices that we make are genuine and we are therefore responsible for them. Yet it is also the case that God is in charge of this world. These two truths of Scripture are repeatedly expressed, and the best option we have is to accept some sort of compatibilism in response. Plenty of passages can be provided here, where both truths are affirmed - sometimes in the same passage - and Carson examines this material in some detail.

Carson also acknowledges that at the end of the day we must allow some room for mystery as well. We are finite and fallen, so all of our understanding and knowledge will be partial and limited. And there must be a role for faith as well. "God is less interested in answering our questions than in other things," says Carson. These include, "securing our allegiance, establishing our faith, nurturing a desire for holiness".

There are plenty of questions about how genuine moral responsibility and divine sovereignty can coexist. But the biblical data that is available has to be dealt with, and Carson does as good a job as anyone of putting it all together.

As a leading New Testament scholar who is at home in the worlds of theology, biblical studies and pastoral work, Carson brings the required skills to pull off discussing such an important topic as this. If you have only room for a few books on the problem of suffering and evil, this book should be at the top of your list.

D.A Carson says that this is not meant to be a philosophical study of the problem of evil, and that it is just a collection of reflections for believers in Christ. Yet after reading the book, I felt that it was something that could benefit everyone. Carson begins by giving some stories from his own experience illustrating the problem of evil in our world. Then he proceeds in the succeeding chapters to discuss what the scripture says about evil and how we can experience the comfort of God in times of grief.

He stops along the way to critique theologies which do not leave room for a theology of evil (John Wimber's theology), and he points people again and again to scripture. Well done!

D.A. Carson is one of the more respected theologians of our day. He is one of the few evangelical scholars who has written extensively both on Biblical exegetical and interpretational matters, and on matters of contemporary worldviews and issues. Many evangelical scholars tend to focus on one or the other, but Carson is highly respected in both areas. This work deals with perhaps the most vexing question that has ever faced the human race, the question of suffering. For what Carson is trying to accomplish here, I think he does an exquisite job.

As Carson indicates at the start of this book, the book is not an attempt to provide a full orbed theodicy that will cover all aspects of suffering or the problem of evil. This is not a book that is devoted to exploring the philosophical origins of evil and how such origins reflect on the existence or nature of God. Carson does devote about two chapters to this, but it is not the thrust of the book, as Carson properly points out at the start. This is a book written to Christians mainly as 'preventive medicine' as Carson describes it.

It appears that what Carson is trying to achieve here is to provide the reader with a rather comprehensive analysis of what Scripture says about suffering, and equally important, what Scripture does not say. I thought that a big strength of the book was Carson's insistence on not going beyond the Biblical text to find more palatable or easy answers to such vexing questions that might make people feel better, but are not especially faithful to Scripture. Carson's mission appears to be to lay out for the reader what the Bible says and acknowledging the tensions that the Bible gives us on many aspects of the issue of suffering without using these tensions as an excuse to throw up his hands and declare incoherency. It is here that Carson's supreme expertise in Biblical exegesis becomes evident, and it is a source of comfort to the reader.

I was very impressed with Carson's willingness to repeatedly tackle tough questions and not shying away from difficult Scripture passages. As he says numerous times, the book is not necessarily offering full orbed answers to every tough question, but it is offering very sound and compelling thoughts where Scripture is clear, and acknowledging a certain amount of mystery over what is not clear, and clearly defining both.

Overall, I felt that the book was extremely balanced and thoroughly grounded in Scripture. This is a book that in my view, properly refrains from the extremes of offering overly simplistic answers that pretend to comprehensively deal with this topic, as well as the extreme of overly appealing to divine mystery as a way of dodging the tough questions. This is the best book I've read on the problem of evil that is something other than a philosophical defense. This is an exegetical defense, and a very good one.

Lastly, it needs to be pointed out who ought to read this book. I don't think an unbeliever will get much out of this, as Carson states. It is a book written by a Christian, for Christians who are not looking to use the issue of suffering to debate the existence of God. Likewise, I don't think it's the first book that Christians who are in the grips of suffering should pick up and read either. As Carson states, this is not a book that's really meant to comfort someone who is in the grips of suffering, but rather a book that is meant to provide a Christian foundation for suffering BEFORE the suffering comes so that Christians will have a better basis for coming to grips with it. Although I do think that those who are in the grips of suffering would profit from this book, I think the main audience for this book are Christians who are looking for a Biblical foundation for suffering. I also think that pastors and lay leaders would also greatly profit from this book since I thought there were a number of outstanding insights geared towards those Christians who are called to minister to those who are enduring suffering. It should also be pointed out that because the book was written 10 years ago, some of the discourse on AIDS is outdated and should be taken cautiously.

An outstanding book for what it deals with.

As other reviewers have noted this book is aimed at Christians and not for those looking for immediate relief from some trial in their lives. However, there is very much to commend Carson's work for those beginning to explore suffering, free will, and God's sovereignty and their many links to Christian doctrine and experience. While Carson says at one point that we may wish to skip Chapter 11 on the Mystery of Providence, I think it is worth the price alone.

There were 3 or 4 places in the book where he ended a section with a statement that I thought needed another line or two of explanation, but these are minor issues of style correctable for me by rereading a paragraph. Carson references Basinger & Basinger's Predestination & Free Will and Carson's comments provide a useful supplement and corrective for some of the views in Basinger. For those who quickly run to some sort of theodicy, Carson makes us pause and consider how great a God we do have. Before jumping on the process or open theological train, please read this. Overall this is a very readable yet challenging coverage of the subject.

Beneath the humble text of this book is deep insight
into human nature and what causes people to buy.

This is not the only book of which I would say:
"If you can only have one copywriting book, get
this one," but it is on the short list of such
books.

Superbly educational. It makes you think. It
seems like a simple course on the surface -
perhaps that was Schwab's gift. At the end of
each chapter he features an essay on a topic
pertaining to the life of a copywriter.

The book is 8.5" x 11". It has enormous margins
in which you could take notes. It would be a
good textbook for a beginning copywriting class
and I think that is why it was written.

Clyde Bedell's "How To Write Advertising That Sells"
was an inspiration for this text and worth reading
as well - though more obscure these days due to
being out of print for many years.

If you read or listen to contemporary greats in advertising and/or direct marketing, they say this is one of the books that influenced them and helped in their careers. That is how I heard about this book.

Start with the fundamentals. Don't waste time reinventing the wheel.

This book was first published in 1962. But the lessons are still as valuable and as valid today as when first published. This is a great manual on how to write advertisement.

Schwab is considered one on the legends in print advertising. He writing is easy to read, well organized and simple to understand.

This is a how to manual. Mr. Schwab starts with the importance of the headline - if you can't get people to read your ad it has no chance of getting people to buy the product. He gives you step by step instruction for writing good headlines.

From headlines, he goes on to teach about attention getting layout, showing people the advantages of your product, proving your claims, social proof and asking for action.

Schwab talks about the copy length, subheads and AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire and Action).

At the end of each chapter is a quiz on the material presented.

If you want an excellent book on advertising and marketing, this is certainly one. If you have absolutely no experience, you will learn all the basics and concepts from this one book. If you consider yourself knowledgable, this is a great refresher course.

Well worth reading if your job involves advertising and marketing.

This book, though it seems a little bit old in writing style, is very good value. It starts with a list of the 100 best headlines ever written and explains why they were so. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book!
This book goes into "why" not just "how" so you can learn how to do it yourself.
You'll find chapters on understanding the emotional triggers, using facts, using proof, getting people to take action and much more.
The examples are incredible, all the way through the whole book. Every point made comes with an example that proves the point.
Its not quite a Tested Advertising Book however as a book to put on your shelf that you'll open and read many times I recommend it.

I've read dozens of books on advertising. This is one of the best. Actual examples of Direct Mail ads, comparisons between 2 test ads, and posted results add to the value. There are even Headlines you can use as Templates for your own Headlines. Books by Victor Schwab & John Caples are the Classics I would recomend. Certainly worth the investment.

Party books always catch my eye since our family gets together often. However this book not only caught my eye -- I bought it! I also suggested my library buy it, and after reviewing it, they agreed! I am thrilled with the new ideas I can use on old friends and family that have been to more than a couple parties at our house. After awhile it seems like you've served the same food and done the same thing. Instant Parties gives complete, fun ideas for parties with a different twist - not weird - just refreshingly new!! The humor the book is written with encourages your party brainstorm, and if you hadn't planned on giving a party, it will get you in the party mood!! It's a great book.

Are you tired of "sitting around and having pleasant chatter" type parties? This book gives you creative, manageable, fun ideas for parties that your friends will be talking and laughing about for years. If you want the "same old-same old" - buy a different book.

The format is entertaining - so just read it for the fun of it - you can dream of the friends you would invite.

I am planning to buy several as gifts for my friends. I want the whole bunch to bond together by planning and participating in a variety of parties as described in the book.

Great ideas, easily done! An American theme which can be readily adapted to anywhere in the world. We have used several of the themes already, and have had great fun - we've even become popular with our friends for a change. Well written and fun to read - we laughed until we stopped!!!
Highly recommended to anyone with a sense of fun and adventure. To anyone else - you don't know what you're missing!

I live in Key West FL and as you can probably imagine a quite a town for parties. Like most Conchs I hold 2 jobs to cover the costs of living large in paradise so I don't have the time(or the creativity truth be told)to pull off a party that measures up. The 2 parties I have thrown so far using this book has made me quite the center of attention amongst my (rapidly expanding) circle of friends. Two words "BUY IT!" I can't wait to throw the "Done Yer Duty" party after the holidays. p.s. The book is also very funny. Too bad there is not a 6-Star rating available.

It's about time that a party book was written that still allows you to have fun at your own gathering instead of worrying about the weird French dish in the oven. A great, unpretentious book that features creative ideas and is entertaining to read even if you have no friends to throw a party for. These are parties that are quick, easy, and fun that won't stress you out or empty your wallet. I highly recommend it!

I hated the thought of this book ending. This adventure book became one of creativity in survival with some interesting twists and turns, too exciting to put down. When I finished the last page I knew there had to be a sequel....here's hoping to see the next adventure of Millie!

This book was a fabulous account of the growth of a middle aged woman from someone always dependent on her man (father or husband) to a self assured independent individual. I hope no one ever has to go through the process through which she learned her true self, but the story pulls you in and holds you fascinated, always taking a twist that you did not forsee. It was easy to read and made a cold, rainy weekend bearable.

This book was a fabulous account of the growth of a middle aged woman from someone always dependent on her man (father or husband) to a self assured independent individual. I hope no one ever has to go through the process through which she learned her true self, but the story pulls you in and holds you fascinated, always taking a twist that you did not forsee. It was easy to read and made a cold, rainy weekend bearable.

Mildred is MY kind of woman. A real survivor. She uses not only her physical strength, but her mind to overcome the obstacles placed in her path. I really liked the way the book was written in the form of a journal. I found that I could read a while and then if I had to leave it for a day or two, it was easy to pick up the continuity of the story. Mildred was portrayed in a very realistic way and Ms. Purtee's descriptions of the problems she encountered were at times mind-boggling. Good work, Georgia! When is the sequel coming out?

As a man, I thought I wouldn't like this book. My wife almost forced me to read it so we could "talk" about it. But after the first few pages, I got hooked and could hardly put it down to go to supper. Again I say, "What a woman!" She's a little paranoid, but has to be, I guess. Anyway, when Mildred finally finds her inner strength and begins to kick butt and take names, i almost yelled out loud. This book had the two things I like most, humor and action. I didn't like one or two of her descriptions, that's all.

I AM STUCK IN THE TUNNEL AND I CAN'T GET THE THREE FIRES TO MEET. AND ALSO I CAN'T GET THE TWO ANIMALS TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE DOOR.

Hi! I'm in the budah temple, and i can't find the book to give to the green budah. I reallllllyyy need help i'm begging. LOL Thanks

Where is the knife in the aztec world ? please. brwnsele40@hotmail.com

I have looked everywhere for this book and I have not seen it anywhere. can you please tell me where and how I can buy it?

No review I would like to know where to find this book

It is refreshing to have such a selection of scholarship addressing different aspects of the new perspective and it si good to have these in one volume, rather than having to obtain several volumes. The breadth of those contributing to the volume add to its interest and its value. This volume will remain as an important reference work for scholars in this field for some time to come

Excellent book! the best collection of articles on New Perspective on Paul in one place. Almost all articles come from the Recformed view, but vary in perspectives. Very useful book for those interested to learn more about NPP.

The two-part series title, "Justification and Variegated Nomism" means the various views (variegated) of the relationship of the Law (nomos) to justification (being declared righteous before God).

Volume I of this series clearly evidenced that there was no one Jewish position regarding the relationship of law keeping to justification during the Second Temple era, thus disproving the assumed uniformity of "Covenantal Nomism."

This volume, "The Paradoxes of Paul" address the issue, "Did Paul really believe that one entered the covenant by grace (accepting Christ as opposed to Jewish birth) but then maintained his status in the covenant by keeping the Law?" The clear answer of this volume is "no." We enter by grace and we are kept in the covenant by grace.

A team of mostly evangelical scholars proves that "the works of the Law" refer not merely to the boundary markers of Judaism (circumcision, etc.), but even to keeping the 10 Commandments. When Paul talks about salvation "apart from the works of the Law," he is saying more than, "apart from becoming a Jew." He is saying that the Law is good, but when one uses it in an attempt to be justified, the Law cannot deliver. We are saved by grace through faith; God justifies the "ungodly," not the law keeper.

The authors, all respected scholars, take us back to the clear teaching of Scripture. If we look at Paul without a pre-existing template, they argue, we find that law keeping has no (positive) bearing on salvation because no one can keep the law. Paul concludes us all "under sin." Although obeying God evidences our forensic justification, it does not accomplish it.

As Moises Silva points out, "Indeed, faith is by definition the abandonment of our works and efforts so that we might rely solely on divine grace..."

The various essays take us through the theological portion of Romans and Galatians with a few stops in Philippians 3.

Besides addressing the issue of salvation by grace through faith in contrast to salvation by grace and works, the authors also address the nature of the atonement, the very real wrath of God that is directed toward mankind, and both the continuity and discontinuity in Paul (before and after his conversion). They also address whether he really was converted or just received a specialized calling.

With great scholars, like Mark Seifrid, Douglas Moo, Peter O'Brien, and D.A. Carson (among others), these essays are well done and devastating, I would suppose, to Covenantal Nomists.

On the negative side, because each chapter is an individual essay, there is quite a bit of repetition within this work.

Also worth mentioning is that this work is not intended for the layman. One could probably get by without Greek, but the reader needs at least a modest theological background, I would think, to follow these arguments.

Volume 1 addresses the various (variegated) views held by the Jews during the second temple period about the relationship of the Law (nomism) to salvation (justifcation). It focuses on the era before and right after the time of Jesus. Understanding the views of this era help us with understanding the background of the New Testament.

D.A. Carson, one of today's greatest evangelical scholars, has elicited the help of many scholars, some evangelical, others not; he is the editor of the two-part series, but most of the material is provided by the illustrious contributors. The overall purpose of this two volume set is to refute the "Covenantal Nomism" (the view that "you get into the covenant by grace, but you stay in it by keeping the Law") of E.P. Sanders. It also seeks to refute the "New Perspective" as to what Paul the Apostle really meant when he spoke of salvation "apart from the Law." Volume one shows that Sanders erred: there is no one view that dominated all Jewish thought before the time of Christ (or shortly thereafter). Volume 2 then completes the project by demonstrating that the "New Perspective" may be "new," but it is not correct. The Reformers really did know what they were talking about.

But whether you are debating the "New Perspective" or not, you will find Volume I rich! You will sharpen your understanding of the thinking of the Jewish world from about 200 B.C. to about 100 A.D. You will delve into the Apocrypha, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud, etc.; those who want to better understand the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith will also appreciate this volume.

Volume I is not intended for the average layman, but a trained pastor can understand this work Although a few parts are dry, other portions are absolutely fascinating.

Does Volume I accomplish its goal? Absolutely.

Volume II, "The Paradoxes of Paul" address the issue, "Did Paul really believe that one entered the covenant by grace (accepting Christ as opposed to Jewish birth) but then maintained his status in the covenant by keeping the Law?" The clear answer of this volume is "no." We enter by grace and we are kept in the covenant by grace.

A team of mostly evangelical scholars proves that "the works of the Law" refer not merely to the boundary markers of Judaism (circumcision, etc.), but even to keeping the 10 Commandments. When Paul talks about salvation "apart from the works of the Law," he is saying more than, "apart from becoming a Jew." He is saying that the Law is good, but when used in an attempt to be justified, the Law cannot deliver. We are saved by grace through faith; God justifies the "ungodly," not the law keeper.

The authors, all respected scholars, take us back to the clear teaching of Scripture. If we look at Paul without a pre-existing template, they argue, we find that law keeping has no (positive) bearing on salvation because no one can keep the law. Paul concludes us all "under sin." Although obeying God evidences our forensic justification, it does not accomplish it.

As Moises Silva points out, "Indeed, faith is by definition the abandonment of our works and efforts so that we might rely solely on divine grace..."

The various essays take us through the theological portion of Romans and Galatians with a few stops in Philippians 3.

Besides addressing the issue of salvation by grace through faith in contrast to salvation by grace and works, the authors also address the nature of the atonement, the very real wrath of God that is directed toward mankind, and both the continuity and discontinuity in Paul (before and after his conversion). They also address whether he really was converted or just received a specialized calling.

With great scholars, like Mark Seifrid, Douglas Moo, Peter O'Brien, and D.A. Carson (among others), these essays are well done and devastating, I would suppose, to Covenantal Nomists.

On the negative side, because each chapter is an individual essay, there is quite a bit of repetition within this work.

Also worth mentioning is that this work is not intended for the layman. One could probably get by without Greek, but the reader needs at least a modest theological background, I would think, to follow these arguments.

After slogging through volume one of this two volume series I realized that I could have read the summary chapter of volume one and gained enough insight to start this gem (instead I slogged, and slogged). This volume, predicated on the first, lands a quick, hard right onto the chins of the New Perspective crowd. It will take some time for the NPP folks to answer all the arguments against doing away with justified righteousness without works and the understanding that Judaism contained some elements of meritorius adherence to the Law. Do read some New Perspective authors, but make sure to include this and Seyoon Kim's volume on the Old Skool views that still have weight.

The idea behind the book is great, but it lacks the satirical bite of The Wandering Jew. As a "realistic" novel it suffers from the fact it has only one source, the Bible

An amazing portrayal of an honest man caught in the forces of a history driven by less-upright minds.

An eminent scholar is asked by King Salomon to write a true - nothing but the truth - biography of his father King David.
The scholar's research reveals a not so quite divine portrait of the late king. It is heavily stained by incest, sodomy, treachery, lechery, manslaughter, bloodbaths and opportunism. In one word, it exposes a satanic character.
King David followed the advice of his counsellor: 'In order to reign you should have but one goal: power, and love only one person: yourself.'
The scholar discovers also some very compromising facts about the present king.

He recognizes all too well that he lives in a split world: 'I do not say what I know; I say what I don't think; I think what I don't say; I want to say what I should not think. I am a dog turning around and around trying to catch a flea on my tail.' 'Truth is the daughter of ill fate.'

His report becomes a tohuwabohu: a rewrite of a rewrite ... until he looses his job.
The king's command of a true biography turns into an order for censure. There should be a yawning abyss between reality and what his subjects should believe: 'Do as I say, not as I do.'

This novel was (and is) an extremely intelligent attack on the 'newspeak' of one party-communist regimes, which wield(ed) complete control of the communications sector.
But the problems it tackled are even more actual and widespread today. Our world is dominated by big media monopolies, which are controlled by the powerful, who in turn control the government. These powerful people are not interested in the truth, only in 'their' truth.
Sabotage or direct liquidation of free objective journalism is rampant all over our planet.

This novel is an extremely clever and magisterial exposure of the all important 'the media and the powerful'-issue.
A must read.

Being the account of the life and times of the Biblical King David, this historical novel, masquerading as an official report from King Solomon's designated historical interpreters, shines a brilliant light on the Biblical David as well as on the process by which fact becomes "historical truth". Imagining the court of King Solomon, a somewhat small-minded, self-seeking, albeit reasonably clever, Near Eastern potentate, Stefan Heym here conjures for us a picture of a reluctant scholar sucked into the maelstrom of politics and revisionism by which governing bureaucracies have historically secured their rule. Called to Jerusalem by King Solomon to help glorify the memory of his father, David, and establish the regime's bona fides, Ethan of Ezra, an actual Biblical personage credited with writing one of the psalms, must seek out the varying threads of King David's life from those who have survived him and meld these with the official records and documents of Solomon's court, all with an eye toward creating a legendary king who will give legitimacy to the rule of the petty tyrant, Solomon. Ethan does this at continued risk to his own life and to what is his, driven by an insatiable desire to ferret out and preserve some semblance of truth. All the while, he must find ways to compromise and get away from the court intrigues in one piece. The King David he discovers is not a particularly lovely specimen of humanity and it is Ethan's challenge to preserve a glimpse of this true David, through the smoke and mirrors of the official history he must write. Satiric and ironic by turns, the tale has one real flaw: its characters, though sharply realized, remain aloof from us, people we see but do not greatly care about. However, the book is so well written otherwise, the ancient world of the Bible so brilliantly evoked, that this deficiency does no harm to the book itself. This one is finely wrought as it lays out a convincing tale of how the Bible we have may actually have come to be and of what must really lie beneath the surface of the confused and folklorish tale of David that has come down to us from its ancient authors.

SWM The King of Vinland's Saga

This is another masterpiece from Stefan Heym, the pseudonym for Helmut Flieg. The author is an East German/American Jewish writer, known for his controversial political standing, and as an advocate of "real socialism" he has been a victim of totalitarism and western democracy alike. In "The King David Report," Hyem has retold the old biblical/legendary/historical story of King David. The main character, who personifies the author, is Ethan of Ezra, a wise, truthful man who has been entrusted by King Solomon to write the official version of King David's life and deeds. Ethan is the intellectual who must face the conflicts of time and who is tormented by the limitations which are set to his writing the truth, who soon realizes that learned men are an annoyance to the people and a bother to the servants of the King. To what extent should he expose the truth of King David's life, who setting aside his political glory can also be accused of being a murderer, adulterer, and a machiavellic leader? How does history deal with a King whose only purpose was power, who only loved himself, whose God was made exclusive to himself and justified his crimes in the name of the Holy One? Ethan soon realizes that the outlaw will cover his tracks rather than leave behind accounts of his exploits, and a high price is to be paid by those who are willing to bring forth the truth.

How are we to deal with historical undesirable matter? Tell it all, tell it with discretion, or don't tell it. Heym's intention is to extrapolate the story of King David to events taken place in our recent history, something that comes out quite easily for the reader. But despite oppression, torture, false witnesses, perversion of the facts, plariarism, and the death of the innocent, the author is a positive, optimistic thinker. He believes that it is impossible to entirely divorce history from truth and expect it to remain credible. "As the sun breaks through the clouds, truth will break through words..."

"The King David Report" has a complex structure, a well-documented background, and a clear ironic transparency. It is a well-elaborated piece of literature, which must be seen as a historical novel, a biblical account, and a political satire.

This book is the best Xena book I have read, maybe even better than the official one. It contains their biographies and a complete script of one of Lucy and Renee's conventions. It also lists the most websites and groups. The episode guide was very informative. It contained some mistakes that the author found with the show. This book is worth every cent!

I was one of the people Nikki Stafford interviewed for this book. Sadly, the fan survey she conducted had to be cut from the final version, but a great deal of information was still included. Nikki's research into the show, its stars, and the fans who built an international community around Xena: Warrior Princess in the early years is unsurpassed.

Some other books have since come out which seemed to me to be nothing more than blatant attempts to capitalize on the success of one of the most popular syndicated television shows in history. This book always struck me as something different. But maybe that's just because the author took the time to see what the fans thought and cared about.

One thing in this book that stands out from the others is that Nikki bothered to comment on the different episodes. This is better than the official book!! I like the way that there is a personal voice in the comments, and the way that the author dared to criticse it, and add some suggestions as well. Brilliant work!!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was very informative and by most accountants accurate. I would suggest this book to any Xenite! :) BATTLE ON!!

this book is great.it has every thing you need to know about xena.it has a chapter on the broodway production of grease that lucy was in.what lucy and renee were like as kids.it also has two or three pages of comics.if you love xena you'll live this book.

Simple, straithforward and to the point (hitting the mark). Good advice that does not just sound good, but is being presented in a very practical hands-on way. Very well written, very practical to implement (take your own step-by-step actions). A definite good buy and destined to become a classic.

As someone who coaches independent professionals on how to find new clients, I especially like the advice in this book on targeting. If you don't have a target you spread yourself too thin. There is much to be gained from this book. -- Henry DeVries, founder, New Client Marketing Institute

It's difficult to market a service - you're marketing the invisible. It's even more difficult to find a services-specific book on marketing. Anthony Putman cuts right to the bone with his ideas, approach and presentation. This is the best marketing book I have ever read. And, I have bought dozens to give to my friends in the service industries.

Of all the books I've read on "Marketing Your Services" this has to be the best. The reason is that Putman gives the most comprehensive, in-depth and holistic view of marketing I've ever seen in print. He looks at marketing your services not as a chore you need to get through but as a fun and challenging activity to improve the success of your business. Everything is covered here, from finding your niche to taking care of clients. The style is fun and informal and includes many stories and real life examples. This is a "must have" book if you want to attract new clients.

I read lots of business start-up books since I help people start successful businesses for a living. Finding a book written by someone who has something new to say is rare. This is a book which is not just a recycle of someone else's work.

Most books are written for product-based businesses so the 4 p's of marketing are applicable, but service businesses are really different. You can't taste, touch, or otherwise inspect a service before you buy.

Putman's chapter on pricing justifies the price of this book by itself. The book is also helpful in dealing with price objections, a critical part of any business. While it's pricing component is not new, the method provides a great baseline for your business.

I particularly liked the method by which Putman helps entrepreneurs creates benefit statements. People don't buy based on a feature list.