126 - Surprised by Laughter

Surprised by Laughter isn't quite what it first appears to be.  Rather than being a book about the humor of Lewis (which is what I figured) it's about his wit, and serves more as a biography than anything.  Weighing in at 486 pages the book takes an exhaustive look at Lewis' life and writings.  The book isn't bad, but still was a little frustrating considering I was expecting something else.  It is one of the better biographies on Lewis though, so if you haven't read anything about this great man, I recommend you check this book out.

119 - Fyodor Dostoevsky

This book was an excellent read.  I found the author to be insightful and a great writer.  The only complaint was that this book seemed to drag at times.  Dostoevsky was an excellent writer, but not the most interesting man on the planet.  To be honest, it made me wonder if there were some individuals who accomplished great things, but didn't live in a way worth writing about.  Dostoevsky wrote some amazing books, and was a great Christian man, yet his biography was less than incredible.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

118 - Bonhoeffer

I felt pretty sure that I would have difficulty reading the book, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich, but really wanted to know about the man, so I ordered the book on CD. I am so glad I did! The reader, Malcolm Hillgartner, has the best expression, is clear to understand, and handles the German names and phrases with ease and authentic accent. Is is easy to get into the mood of the story and find myself involved with Bonhoeffer's life struggles as I listen to this biography which was written so masterfully by Eric Metaxas. All my life I have heard reference to the ideas or writings of Bonhoeffer from the pulpit, and had no idea who the man himself was. This book makes him so real. The title is a rich summary of Bonhoeffer's life, and I would add to it: Hero.

115 - J.R.R. Tolkien

For several years I've loved Tolkien's writings.  I've read through the Lord of the Rings and really enjoyed reading books about his writing style, and his friendships within the Inklings.  When I got the opportunity to read a biography on the man, of course I jumped at the chance.  However, this biography seemed less complete than a couple others I've read.  It seemed to focus almost exclusively on Tolkien's faith as the key inspiration for his writing, and said nothing of his relationships with family and friends.  From the information I've gathered Tolkien's family and friends played a key role in inspiring his writing.

This book would make a great addition to any collection on Tolkien, however, I wouldn't recommend it as the only book you read on this great man.  His life is much too interesting for a single book.

099 - Johann Sebastian Bach

Many know the name Bach.  However, very few know about Bach's immense faith.  Bach believed that everything he wrote was written to give glory to God.  His biography does an excellent job of delving into the details of not only Bach's music, but also his faith.  It's inspiring to read about such an amazing Christian who also created incredible music.  This trait is very much loss on today's generation.  These days Christian music is just a cheap replacement for "secular" music.  Bach obviously created some amazing music, but also did it with his focus on God.  I would recommend this book to any Christian who is interested in music.  They would find inspiration to excel not just survive.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for a fair and honest review.

098 - Galileo

Mitch Stokes' book Galileo was interesting.  The book offered a unique look into the life of Galileo.  Stokes walks the reader through Galileo's life and highlights his faith along the way.  I'm actually fairly unlearned in the area of Galileo's Christianity.  I didn't realize he had an active and genuine faith, which to be honest make me suspect Stokes' book.  How can this be the first book to talk about Galileo's faith?  Why has it not been mentioned in any other places?  Perhaps Stokes is looking for something that isn't there, similar to those who look at the history of America and see a bunch of Evangelicals instead of the Deists that they were.  Perhaps Christian optimism has jaded the way Stokes sees things.  I'd be interested to find a Galileo scholar who disagreed with Stokes and see their reasoning as well.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.

086 - Pujols

Albert Pujols is an amazing athlete.  This book details Albert's life from birth in the Dominican Republic to World Series and All Star games.  Throughout the entire thing, the authors make Pujols' faith clear and an obvious part in his life.  They show God shaping and preparing Pujols for the man he will become.  We see him grow up physically, talent-wise, and spiritually.  This book is a must read for any baseball fan.  I would recommend it to any Cardinal fan for sure.

I'm also supposed to let you know I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for a fair and honest review.

080 - Defiant Joy

I've always loved G. K. Chesterton.  This book does an excellent job of portraying the man who has influenced so many Christian thinkers.  Belmonte does a super job of showing us the real Chesterton, not just the writer.  We get to see his character through his written word.  The book is excellently written and one of the best biographies I've read in a while.  Highly recommended to anyone who loves G.K. or even for those who have never heard of him.  You'll not just get to see Chesterton's character, but also read about some of his works and his various accomplishments.  I though Belmonte did an excellent job of writing this book.

I'm also supposed to let you know I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for a fair and honest review.

067 - Bum Phillips

A professional football coach who meets Jesus and lives on a ranch.  An interesting story about an interesting man.  Bum lives most of his life as a good man, but it’s not till later that he discovers his need for Christ. 

I thought the book was interesting and a pretty quick read.  Bum is a great man who lived an amazing life.  I enjoyed reading about his experience coaching highschool football and working alongside Bear Bryant.  The only thing I had issue with was when Bum made it pretty clear that “All-star” Christians don’t drink or smoke or curse.  The only problem with this thinking is that it leads to legalism.  However, this thinking is very popular with those who are Bum’s generation.

The book didn’t have too much spiritual depth and rather was more along the lines of a book written for his children.  There were several points in the book where as I read I figured the section was written for Bum’s family rather than just any reader.  

I received this book free from Lucid Books via Books4Bloggers, which is a bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

057 - The Father I Never Had

I was really excited about reading through Joel's book because I lost my dad at a young age and wanted to read his story. The first thing I noticed is that the book flies by. One minute you're starting it the next your finishing it. It's a super quick read and perfect for the occasional reader since they can probably get through it over a vacation. Another thing I noticed was the writing style. Joel is a decent writer who uses illustrations constantly. The writing isn't necessarily deep, but this isn't intended to be an encyclopedia. Joel's words evoke incredible emotion (almost bringing me to tears on a couple occasions).

One of the only problems with Joel’s book is that near the end the illustrations get old and occasionally are a little cheesy. I won’t hold it against him because he’s from Texas and they can’t help but use alliteration and cheesy illustrations occasionally (that was a joke, by the way). I really did enjoy the book and would recommend picking a copy up for any young man you might know who is growing up without a dad. It’s a tough situation to be in and I think they would connect with a great deal of the emotions and feelings Joel writes about.

I received this book free from Lucid Books via Books4Bloggers, which is a bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

051 - Lee

“Lee – A Life of Virtue” by John Perry was a decent read. I enjoy some history and am always fascinated by the lives of those claiming to follow Christ. Robert E. Lee was an amazing man who did many great things. He accomplished many great things in his life and did many great things for our nation. The only read problem I had with this book was simply the fact that it wasn’t any better than any other biography. I could have picked up any biography on Lee and gotten the same thing. I would only recommend this book to someone who hasn’t ever read a book on Lee and wants to do so. Otherwise, there are better books out there to be reading. Not really a waste of time to read through, but not the best use of time. I’m interested in reading some other books and finding out which Lee book would be the best to recommend, because this one seems to land right in the middle of the pack.

Also, I’m supposed to let you know that I was given a free review copy of the book, but that has nothing to do with whether or not I liked it.

050 - Patton

I received a free copy of the new book “Patton” published by Thomas Nelson, and I couldn’t be more disappointed. This book takes an amazing war general and tries to turn him into a devout Christian. Most biographies on Patton barely mention his faith, let alone make it vital to the book. However, most biographies on Patton aren’t published by Christian Publishing companies. The book was a decent read, but you could tell that the publisher was trying to prove this general was a Christian rather than simply tell his story.

Also, one thing that intrigues me considering this is a book published by a Christian company is why they never approached the idea of Patton justifying his lifestyle with his beliefs. I don’t have a problem with a Christian serving in the military, but for a man like Patton I wonder how he reconciles the two. This book probably isn’t worth reading, let alone buying unless you’re an absolute die-hard Patton fan.

Also, I’m supposed to let you know that I was given a free review copy of the book, but that has nothing to do with whether or not I liked it.

048 - William F. Buckley

William F. Buckley was an interesting man. To be honest, before I requested the biography on his life I had never heard of him before. Buckley was an inspiring character and the book about his life was well written. Jeremy Lott did an excellent job of helping his readers understand Buckley’s life. To be honest, there are a great deal of issues I have with Buckley (considering he started what would later be hijacked by the religious right). However, I still thought the book was interesting. I was intrigued that Buckley was painted in a super positive light, and I’m not sure if I think he was a perfect as the author makes him out to be.

Also, I’m supposed to let you know that I was given a free review copy of the book, but that has nothing to do with whether or not I liked it.

047 - Anne Bradstreet

I’ve read several biographies over the years. I’ve worked through many great books on great people. I’ve always wondered if it was possible to write a bad book on a great story. Again, I’ve seen another excellent book on an excellent life. Anne Bradstreet was an incredible person with many life lessons to teach us today. D. B. Kellogg did an excellent job of showing the readers exactly what kind of person Bradstreet was. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a good read on an inspiring life.

Also, I’m supposed to let you know that I was given a free review copy of the book, but that has nothing to do with whether or not I liked it.

011 - Tortured For Christ

I have owned this book for several years, but have never gotten around to reading it. Now I have. And to be honest, I'm not sure what took me so long. This book was one that I couldn't put down, but at the same time was tough to read. The book is the story of the life of Richard Wurmbrand who was a pastor in Romania who was captured and tortured by the Communists. This book was written merely days after his release from the country. It is moving and powerful. The stories of Wurmbrand's life are miraculous and unexplainable. The way God uses him is something many of us only dream about. But throughout the entire book Wurmbrand gives God credit for everything that happens. He blames the Communist system for his imprisonment, not the Communists. In fact, he shows perhaps the best example of Christ's love for his enemies that I have ever heard or seen.

This book has left me wanting more. More stories. More of God moving in my life. More copies of the book to give out to anyone who will read it. I would recommend this book to Christians. Anyone who follows Christ and wants to read the story of a man who is passionately pursuing God. Incredible read.