An energetic, inviting breakdown of sections of Genesis.
A senior pastor’s faith-based attempt to grapple with the origins of humanity.
“Is it possible one can get so involved in ‘religion’ they miss Christ?” asks McClure (Who Do You Say I Am?, 2013, etc.) at one point in his passionate and rhetorically fluid 2016 book, adding an implicit warning about worship-minded Christians who “know the rules but missed the Savior.” This emphasis on faith instead of faith rituals runs throughout this book, a warning against the ecumenical softening of the present age. “I have been amazed at how many church leaders and Christian education directors have told me that study of the Word of God is too hard and requires too much time,” he writes. His contention is that Bible study is not only essential to the Christian life, but also far easier and more natural than many modern-day Christians believe. He goes on to demonstrate this latter point by conducting a patient, accessible reading of the earliest stories in the book of Genesis, with particular concentration on the creation of humans in the Garden of Eden. “The more I consider Adam’s rising from the dust of the earth,” he writes, “the more I am convinced his origin is the key to unlocking the mysteries of creation.” This key is likewise a familiar theme in McClure’s work, this “hunger” of the faithful for a relationship with God, the duty to “allow ourselves to move deeper into God, closer to the heart of God—to be centered in God.” McClure has read widely and knows his Bible from front to back; his book is softened with many personal stories and peppered with quotes from Scripture. The book contains the usual dangers of a jeremiad: McClure’s “back to basics” approach must ignore legitimate complexity in order to land its points. The combination of personal and pastoral, however, strikes a near-perfect balance between instruction and fellowship. McClure’s Christian readers will read with pleasure.
An energetic, inviting breakdown of sections of Genesis.Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-63269-426-3
Page Count: -
Publisher: Deep River Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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