Walk the Land by Judith Galblum Pex

Walk the Land: My Journey on Foot through Israel by Judith Galblum Pex ISBN-13: 9780975961957 Trade Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: Cladach Publishing Released: July 28, 2007

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Come with John and Judy Pex as they hike the 600-mile Israel National Trail from the Egyptian to the Lebanese borders. During 42 days of trekking through spectacular scenery, Arab towns and villages, past Jewish, Muslim, Druze, and Christian holy sites, they discover:

• Sights seldom seen by tourists
• Physical challenges and spiritual tests
• Cultural encounters and historical insights
• Lessons about peace, faith, and endurance.

Included are 16 pages of color photos of scenes from the Trail


My Review:
Walk the Land describes the travels of a middle aged couple as they hike the Israel Trail from the south of Israel to the north. It's not a hiking guide--the author didn't directly talk about what to bring or give hiking tips, though some of that information can be gleaned from the narrative. And while you can pick up information about what the land looks like and what hiking it is like, the narrative really focused on relationships.

She talked about how the lessons she learned on the trail were related to her walk with Christ. She talked about the various people they met on the trail and what they talked with them about (which was mainly about the upcoming trail and the fact that the author and her husband believe in Jesus as the Jewish Messiah). And she talked about the challenges of hiking with her husband--since they have very different personalities--and how it strengthened their relationship.

Overall, I found the book interesting and worth reading, though I'd been hoping for a more detailed description of the land. I'd recommend this book to those interested in the culture, the places, and the people of Israel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt from Chapter One.

Success Secrets of Sherlock Holmes by David Acord

Success Secrets of Sherlock Holmes by David Acord ISBN-13: 9780399536984 Trade Paperback: 186 pages Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Released: November 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle funneled much of his real-life genius-and the brilliance of others around him-into Sherlock Holmes, creating a character greater than the sum of his parts. In this quirky and intriguing look at the traits that made Sherlock Holmes successful, David Acord explores how to unleash our own genius.

Not only does Acord give unique insights into the character of Sherlock Holmes and his creator, but you'll also discover:

• How to cultivate a passion for definite and exact knowledge that will help you achieve your goals faster than you thought possible
• Why focusing on the little things is one of the most overlooked keys to success
• The value to knowing what other people don't know
• Why you should step up and take credit (death to modesty!)
• The importance of admiring your enemy
• Why we should all have friends in low places

My Review:
Success Secrets of Sherlock Holmes is a quick read. I've read most of the Sherlock Holmes stories, so I thought I'd enjoy this book. I had expected a humorous book with some good advice woven in, but the author is serious in his admiration of a fictional character and in his belief that mimicking Holmes will gain you success.

Much of the advice was pretty basic (to me), like learn more about your field of study, do things you have a passion for, specialize, and pay attention to detail. But other advice, like taking everything to the extreme and becoming obsessed with your work to the point that you enjoy nothing else isn't exactly healthy advice. You'll end up just like Sherlock Holmes: a lonely man with few friends and with some dangerous habits.

The book also pointed out some biographical details about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the real life people he based Holmes on, but I already knew most of that from the brief biography I read at the front of the 'Sherlock Holmes collection' books that I own.

You don't need to have read a single Holmes story to understand this book, but I think I would have enjoyed re-reading a Sherlock Holmes story more than reading about them (which takes up a lot of the space in this book).


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
In the very first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet (1887), Arthur Conan Doyle introduced readers to the master detective in a highly unusual manner. When the story begins, John Watson has just been released from the British army after serving in Afghanistan and India. He finds himself in London, desperately in need of a cheap place to live. He happens to run into an old army buddy, Stamford, who works at a local hospital. Luckily, Stamford knows someone who is looking for a roommate to go halves with him on a very nice apartment.

There's just one problem, Stamford tells his friend. This man, a fellow named Sherlock, is a little...odd. He works in the hospital's chemical laboratory and spends his days pursuing "out-of-the-way knowledge."

Ascent from Darkness by Michael Leehan

Ascent from Darkness: How Satan's Soldier Became God's Warrior by Michael Leehan ISBN-13: 9780849947032 Trade Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: Oct. 4, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher that was requested through Booksneeze.

Book Description from Booksneeze:
A life of difficulty and disappointment set 33-year old Michael Leehan up for the worst decision of his life—to make a deal with the Devil to follow and serve him. Practicing the dark arts that include ritualistic cuttings and blood sacrifices, while fine tuning his manipulation and control skills, Michael launched into a twenty year downward spiral that included job loss and detachment from loved ones, and even jail time.

But God had another plan that included a group of Christian men to love him and pray for him—even when it became evident his assignment from Satan was to kill their pastor, Craig Groeschel.

The life Michael Leehan lives today is an incredible testimony of the transforming power of God's mercy and grace, but is also a wakeup call to the church to be fully aware of the spiritual war that is going on all around them, and to the ultimate battle for their souls.

"I am sending you to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." Acts 26:18


My Review:
Ascent from Darkness is a memoir of a man who made a pact with Satan to serve him and who found that pact destroying his life. Still, Michael was afraid of giving up the power he thought his pact gave him, and he wasn't initially interested in surrendering to a God he'd been angry at since childhood. And Satan wasn't about to let Michael go serve his enemy.

It's a compelling story. Michael managed to describe the emotional and life-changing impact of his actions without getting into gory details about Satanic practices. In fact, he's very vague about many of the rituals he did (which I think was very wise for multiple reasons--for example, you can't learn how to do a satanist ritual by reading this book. And the book would have been much darker).

If you have a hard time believing in real, evil spiritual forces, you'll probably have a hard time believing this book. If you think everything bad has a demon behind it that needs to be cast out, you'll probably be disappointed. While Michael makes it clear that spiritual forces are all around us, what he describes is very in line with what the Bible teaches about angels, fallen angels, and how Christ can free those who surrender to Him.

I think this book is important for Christians to read because most don't really think about the spiritual battles being fought around them. Also, Michael talked about how, as a satanist, he'd go into churches and quote Scripture in ways to mislead Christians or try to disrupt Bible Studies by bringing up controversial subjects or by seducing the women. He pointed out something that has long concerned me: how churches tend to get people to say "the sinners prayer" and baptized but then don't make a point of mentoring them in the faith. This leaves new believers vulnerable to lies about God.

This is an excellent book, and I'd highly recommend it.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt from chapter one.

The Geology Book by Dr. John D. Morris

The Geology Book by Dr. John D. Morris ISBN-13: 9780890512814 Hardback: 80 pages Publisher: Master Books Released: 2000, 2007

Source: Bought from a local Christian bookstore.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Rocks firmly anchored to the ground and rocks floating through space fascinate us. Jewelry, houses, and roads are just some of the ways we use what has been made from geologic processes to advance civilization. Whether scrambling over a rocky beach, or gazing at spectacular meteor showers, we can't get enough of geology!

The Geology Book will teach you:

• What really carved the Grand Canyon.
• How thick the Earth's crust is.
• The varied features of the Earth's surface - from plains to peaks.
• How sedimentary deposition occurs through water, wind, and ice.
• Effects of erosion.
• Ways in which sediments become sedimentary rock.
• Fossilization and the age of the dinosaurs.
• The powerful effects of volcanic activity.
• Continental drift theory.
• Radioisotope and carbon dating.
• Geologic processes of the past.

Our planet is a most suitable home. Its practical benefits are also enhanced by the sheer beauty of rolling hills, solitary plains, churning seas and rivers, and majestic mountains - all set in place by processes that are relevant to today's entire population of this spinning rock we call home.


My Review:
The Geology Book is a nonfiction book about geology and how the rock formations we see around us came to be. The author assumed that he had a Christian audience and occasionally spoke in terms of "God created" and the like. He clearly explained each topic and defined the few scientific terms in the text (though there's also a glossary in the back).

There were full color pictures and illustrations. In the back, there's a 12 by 24 inch pull-out full-color poster titled "When the Earth Moves" with pictures from the book. I think 11-year-olds on up can easily understand the information in this book.

The introduction claims that the book will compare gradualism to catastrophic explanations for geological formations, but the author does so only in a very subtle way. I liked how it was handled, but I expected a more obvious comparison after reading the introduction. Overall, I'd recommend this book to children who are interested in learning more about geology from a scientist with a Christian perspective.

Chapter 1 explained the layers of Earth (crust, mantle, etc.). Chapter 2 described the rock types (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic). Chapter 3 talked about the earth surface (plains, plateaus, mountains, erosional features like canyons). Chapter 4 described geological processes and rates (erosion, deposition, fossilization, volcanism, deformation of rocks, formation of metamorphic rocks, radioisotope decay and dating, etc.).

Chapter 5 discussed several ways to date the age of the earth (erosion, chemicals in the ocean, sediments in ocean, atmosphere, magnetic field). Chapter 6 covered the great geologic events of the past (Creation, Flood, Ice Age). Chapter 7 answered ten common questions (how was the Grand Canyon formed?, what causes the geysers in Yellowstone Park?, etc.). Chapter 8 discussed what the Bible says about what the future Earth will be like.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt:
Take a look inside the book.

Hope Meadows by Wes Smith

Hope Meadows: Real-Life Stories of Healing and Caring from an Inspiring Community by Wes Smith ISBN-13: 9780425178409 Hardcover: 210 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: April 28th 2001

Source: From my grandmother's personal library.

Book Description from Book Cover (modified):
With its tree-shaded streets, Hope Meadows looks like any suburban neighborhood where children of all colors ride bicycles, and where an equally diverse mix of adults sit sentry in lawn chairs. Not visible are the tormented histories haunting the children at play, or what brought them to this little village of big miracles and opportunity to finally understand the joys of a normal childhood.

Built on an abandoned Illinois Air Force base, Hope Meadows is the brainchild of sociologist Brenda Eheart, who envisioned the community as a solution to the problem of revolving-door foster care. Here are children who are considered "unadoptable" by the foster system--often because of behavioral problems--are given the chance to thrive in permanent homes.

At Hope Meadows, seniors find a renewed sense of purpose as foster grandparents. At Hope Meadows, the meaning of community is rediscovered and redefined as a network of caring relationships built upon a shared mission: piecing shattered childhoods back together again. With stirring photographs an inspirational stories of emotional and spiritual healing, this book is a tribute to a town built from the heart up.


My Review:
Hope Meadows is a compilation of biographies about the residents of Hope Meadows. The author explained how the whole idea started (the biography of the founder) and then did the biographies of various families living there--the foster parents, children and grandparents. We learn what the adult's lives were like before Hope Meadows, what brought them there, and about the children in their care.

There were brown-and-white pictures of the various people in the book. The stories were interesting, and, overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in the foster care system, troubled kids, or stories of adoption.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One

Buggies, Blizzards, and Babies by Cora Frear Hawkins

Buggies, Blizzards, and Babies by Cora Frear Hawkins ISBN: 0-8138-0395-0 Hardback: 220 pages Publisher: Iowa State University Press Released: 1971

Source: From library book sale.

Book Description from Book Cover:
Fresh out of medical school at the State University of Iowa, the young and dedicated Dr. Edwin D. Frear set out in 1882 to brave the hardships, struggles, and challenges that characterized the life and practice of the country doctor. His practice took him first to Salix and then to Sloan, two small towns set in the wide-open prairie of northwest Iowa. In later years he taught at the medical college and practiced in Sioux City.

As a child the author often accompanied her father on his medical calls; as she grew older she was able to assist him in his office. This book is largely an account of her recollections of him and his work, with additional material obtained from his diary and other personal and general sources. While some details have been changed, every incident described is based on an actual experience of the doctor or his family.

Capturing a bit of old Americana, Cora Frear Hawkins takes the reader back to the turn of the century - to the favorite old horse and buggy and the first automobiles and rural telephones. Through prairie blizzards and floods, in quarantines and the lighthearted antics of the doctor's children, you will delight in the adventures of a pioneer doctor's life.


My Review:
Buggies, Blizzards, and Babies is a memoir about a doctor (as told by his daughter) who lived in a small town in Iowa around 1900 AD. She tells stories of how things were done and what life (and country doctoring) was like. It's like the "Little House on the Prairie" series, but, while the stories are entertaining, it's more what adults would find funny rather than kids. A different, small black-and-white photo of the family was at the start each chapter. Overall, I'd recommend this book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
Sue Frear, dozing in a rocker by the kitchen stove, was aroused by the sound of the wind whistling around the chimney. She drew her grey shawl more closely about her shoulders and went to the window. Cupping her hands, she shaded her eyes against the reflection of lamplight on the glass, but try as she might she could see no light other than her own in the little Iowa village.

It was late. She looked hopefully for some sign that the snowstorm was subsiding, but it seemed rather to be increasing in fury as the wind whirled clouds of fine snowflakes past the house and down the dark street. She strained to see further, but she could see only her own shadow quivering in the patch of light on the shifting snow and the dim outline of the house across the street where the drifts were piling halfway to the eaves.

But Sue's thoughts were less on her neighbors in the town than on a farmhouse ten miles away, nestled in the edge of the hills, where a young mother fought for her life and that of her unborn child. And somewhere on the bleak prairie that lay between, its once lush grasses now buried under a heavy white blanket, Sue's doctor husband, Edwin, battled the stinging cold and wind in the darkness, trying to reach the young wife before it was too late.

The Weather Book by Michael Oard

The Weather Book by Michael Oard ISBN-13: 9780890512111 Hardback: 80 pages Publisher: Master Books Released: 1997, 2006

Source: Bought from a local Christian bookstore.

Book Description from Back Cover:
The earth was created to be the dwelling place of man. It is a complex world and its weather patterns affect our lives every day. Whether you live near the equator, a polar region, or somewhere in between, knowledge of the weather is important.

The Weather Book will teach you:

• Why our exact distance from the sun allows life on earth.
• How the weather on the other side of the earth affects you.
• How clouds form and how to identify the different types.
• What the difference is between a cold and warm front.
• Why you can often see lighting long before you can hear thunder.
• How to build your own weather station.
• How to survive in dangerous weather.
• What the greenhouse effect and the ozone hole are.
• What Noah's flood and the Ice Age have in common.
• How weatherpersons forecast hurricanes and tornadoes.
• How to read a weather map.
• What our responsibility is to the environment.

Learning about the weather is fun! It will change the way you look at the clouds in the sky. You'll have more of an understanding about what is going on miles above your head. And when you hear a weather report on television, you'll understand so much more about the world around you!


About the Author:
Michael Oard was a meteorologist with the National Weather Frozen in Time Service beginning in 1973 and lead forecaster in Great Falls, Montana.


My Review:
The Weather Book is a nonfiction book about various types of weather and what causes that weather to occur. The author assumed that he had a Christian audience and spoke frequently in terms of "God created." He clearly explained each topic and defined the few scientific terms in the text (though there's also a glossary in the back). I think 11-year-olds on up can easily understand the information in this book.

There were full color pictures and illustrations. In the back, there's a 12 by 24 inch pull-out full-color poster with pictures from the book. Overall, I'd recommend this book to children and adults who are interested in learning more about the weather and the forces that cause the weather.

Chapter 1 explained how the earth shows special design by God. Chapter 2 talked about climate zones, what causes weather, weather trivia (hottest, wettest, etc.), how to read a weather map (like those printed in a newspaper), the jet stream, and El Nino. Chapter 3 explained the water cycle, cloud types, the elevation of those clouds, warm fronts, cold fronts, fog, and the dew point.

Chapter 4 talked about thunderstorms and lightening. Chapter 5 talked about hail and wind damage. Chapter 6 talked about hurricanes. Chapter 7 talked about winter storms. Chapter 8 talked about St. Elmo's Fire, Foehn winds, the lake effect, and ball lightening.

Chapter 9 talked about the clues to the earth's climate in the past--including the ice age--and how Noah's Flood explains the Ice Age better than secular explanations. Chapter 10 talked about the climate in the future, including global warming and the ozone layer. Chapter 11 talked about various weather instruments (thermometers, weather balloon, cloud photography, etc.) as well as how a child can make a weather vane, barometer, rain gauge, and do a condensation experiment. Chapter 12 talked about how Christians ought to relate to the environment.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
God used His infinite wisdom to create this earth. From the smallest to the largest feature of creation, He displays His intelligence, love, and careful attention to detail.

God placed the moon 240,000 miles (384,000 km) away from the earth--exactly the right distance to cause small tides in the ocean. If the moon were a little closer, it would cause severe tides and flooding. If it were only 50,000 miles (80,000 km) away instead of 240,000 miles, the tides would cover most of the continents twice a day. If the moon were farther away, much of the ocean would become heavily polluted. Tides mix the ocean water. The mixing helps to keep the oceans fresh by exposing more of the water to sunlight and by dispersing pollution. The amount of water in the ocean is important as well, because the oceans are large enough to dilute pollution.

Did you know that the sun is 400 times the size of the moon, and its distance is 400 times the distance of the moon from the earth? That is why the sun and moon, the greater and lesser lights of Genesis 1:16, look the same size in the sky.

The earth spins on its axis at just the right speed--once around every day. If it spun slower, the light side would be too hot for life and the dark side would be too cold. If the earth spun any faster it would cause fierce winds to blow.

If the earth's tilt were smaller, the higher latitudes would be too cold and an ice age would develop. If the tilt were greater, surface temperatures would fluctuate wildly, more so than today, making the climate more unstable. The tilt gives us our summer growing season. God has provided a time for us to grow our food everywhere on earth, except for the North and South Poles.

God placed just the right amount of water vapor and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Our ocean is the right size to maintain the proper balance of water vapor in the atmosphere. These gases cause the earth to act like a giant greenhouse. If there were much less of these gases, the earth would be too cold.

Take a look inside the book.