Shaw Books

This book captures the articles surrounding the great revival in Southern Wales; you get a glimpse back in time of what people were talking about then as the wave progressed. The effects and ripple effects spread across the country, and in some cases, across the world. A good sense (as can be felt through reading a book) of what the people experienced in the early 1900s.

One caveat. Even though the book is an excellent collection of articles, it is extremely broken up because of this and reading straight through may seem patchy. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

"In a library archive in Surrey can be found the last words Andrew Reed ever wrote. They sum up his philosophy, that true gospel compassion, true gospel charity should look to the needs of the whole person; that individuals should be cared for holistically, both body and soul. They are words of Scripture written in a spidery hand with failing strength, but then underlined with a firmness and resolve showing that in his dying days his conviction and spirit were undimmed: 'The greatest is charity.'" To Andrew Reed these words were more than a mere motto, but were words that drove his life.

That Andrew Reed's name is not better known among Evangelicals is sad, yet it is probably exactly how he would have wanted it. A man of extreme humility, Reed dedicated all he did to the service of his Savior. He desired no praise and honor among men but only to serve the Lord.

Andrew Reed was both a philanthropist and a pastor who lived through much of the nineteenth century. He pastored a single church for fifty years, building it from a declining congregation of sixty to a thriving church of around two thousand. All the while he was engaged in establishing charities. In 1813, while he was still in his early twenties, he established the London Orphan Asylum and followed that in 1827 with the Infant Orphan Asylum. In 1847 he founded the Asylum for Fatherless Children and later in life the Royal Asylum for Idiots, and the Royal Hospital for Incurables. His charitable ministries were dedicated to extended help to the helpless, to those that society had chosen to overlook. These charities brought hope and life to countless thousands of men, women and children.

Dr. Ian Shaw does not, as so many biographies do, neglect the shortcomings of his subject. There were several occasions in Reed's life where he allowed his enthusiasm to cloud his judgment and his biographer writes honestly about these times.

Andrew Reed was a godly man and one God saw fit to use in mighty ways. Reed's legacy continues to live to this day as four of the charities he founded continue their work today, though in a form appropriate to our modern context. Evangelicals would do well to read his story and to learn from his example of putting his faith into action. The book closes with just this type of challenge.

Many of the needs identified and addressed by Andrew Reed have now diminished, or are met by government agencies. Yet the world remains a world of need. In Africa, there are now around eleven million AIDS orphans, calling for vast philanthropic work by enlightened individuals to provide orphanages for their care. Across other continents, millions of orphaned, unwanted or abandoned children live on the streets of major cities, pray to hunger, disease and exploitation for sexual purposes. Around the world, the need for enlightened, compassionate care for those with severe learning disabilities is as great as ever, as are the needs of those suffering from severe physical disabilities, or degenerative and terminal illness. In the face of such needs, moved by his Christian compassion, Andrew Reed would not have stood idly by.

This biography is well-written and, as with most biographies of great Christians, is inspiring. There is much that we can and ought to learn from Andrew Reed. If he is still a stranger to you, buy this book, read it, and get to know this great man of God. You will be better for it.

The Green Earth: Poems Of Creation is a volume of free-verse poetry that celebrates nature and growing things. The warm, sparkling lines resonate in the joy of life and an abiding faith in God the Creator and his wondrous gifts. Overleaf: After a breathless dawn the wind blows free,/upturns the silver poplar leaves. They glance,/pale faces, restless, up and down the tree./Life poplar leaves, the words within me dance,/but does some secret hope pervade my heart?/And might I be content for youth to play its part,/then reach its nadir at the end of Fall?//Perhaps my words glisten against their will./Soon, will their transient luster turn to yellow--/a gold, translucent foil -- enough to fill/the cracks of footpath, hill, and rock hollow?/Come Fall, word-weary minds dream of recess--/the lightness, and the light, of leaflessness.

Excellent guide for group study. Great open-ended questions that elicit lots of good discussion.

This book was a good read for me; being that I am a 13 year old. It is hard to find books for my age group for black teens, so hats off to someone finally taking an interest in us...thanks Ms. Damita

Excellent performance commensurate to what one would expect from Robert Shaw. Wonderful interpretation. Performance is more intimate than many others.

This book is the best of Jan Hart's collection. It should be made into a movie. The great illustrations are by Charles Shaw. The original story is a description of Mrs. Hart's grandmother's immigration from Russia to the USA. It is created for young readers. It is 18 chapters and 110 pages of text, with a glossary of Yiddish terms at the end.

If you love Hawaiian quilting--this is a volume you shouldn't miss. This is not a "how to" manual. It is a history of classic Hawaiin quilts accompanied by color plates that left me spellbound. The designs are incredible and well worth study. I've held a fascination with the possible direct connection between early Hawaiian quilts and the Baltimore Album quilts of the the Eastern coast. This may be the only book with color plates of some of these beautiful early quilts that would offer clues to this connection. My favorite designs in this volume are Anthurium by Mary Manoi and Coconut and Pineapple by Meali'i Kalama. It is of no consequence to me that this is not an instructional manual as I do not anticipate ever being able to quilt one of these masterpieces. It is, however, a one of a kind book and I urge you to treat yourself while it remains in print. Mary Z. Cox

Worth to be read. For some might be hard to believe the facts described in it, but for people with the right attitude in approaching it, it may work wonders. Besides, for anyone that read of or about Sundar Singh, know that he is a most trustworthy source.

As a kindergarten teacher, I found this book to be a wonderful supplement to my classroom. The students really enjoy using this book to help them during journal time. This reference book has encouraged my students to not only practice their writing, but it is also helping them with their being reading skills. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has or works with young children.