2 comments about Great Souls: Six Who Changed a Century.

1. The brilliance, charm and compassion of David Aikman shows clearly in his narratives of these bigger that life individuals who have left their mark on the world.
   The writing is compelling...the reader is drawn into the text as if he/she were present at the time.
   The moral is of course that the only thing that matter in this life is GOD.



2. very interesting biographies of wonderful people. i give this book as a high school graduation present in hopes that the recipient will become a great soul

2 comments about Timeless in Time: Sri Ramana Maharshi (The Library of Perennial Philosophy).

1. Ramana's biography is a must read for any serious student of Advaita (Non-dualism). There are many biographies of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, the famous twentieth century saint. Among these this book is the best, I think, for the following reasons:
   1. It is neither too short nor too long. The editors took the Indian edition of 'Timeless in Time' and deleted some non-essential items, particularly those pertaining to his devotees. It retains all the key facts pertaining to the life of Maharshi.
   2. It has many pictures, both color and black and white, some of which are published for the first time.
   3. It also contains his key teachings and sayings. All of Ramana's quotes are in red color (as opposed to black color for the rest of the text). This facilitates clear identification of Ramana's quotes.
   4. The paper and print quality of the book are excellent. The publishers, World Wisdom, deserve praise for this work. Each page exhibits the devotion and dedication of the World Wisdom staff involved in this publication. There is a printed design in each page, which is very beautiful. It deserves to be called a 'collector's edition'.
   
   For anyone new to Ramana, I would recommend this book both as an interesting study of his life and also as an introduction to his teachings. Another 'must-read' book to follow up on this is "The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi".



2. Sri Ramana Maharshi's Timeless In Time blends the autobiographical statements of Sri Ramana Maharshi with his teachings and biographical background details by A.R. Natarajan, gathered from direct sources, pairing all this with over a hundred photos and a glossary of Hindu terms to provide an outstanding survey of one of the greatest Hindu sages of our times. Maharshi was known for his simple approach in leading people to spiritual realization and for his peaceful presence: Timeless In Time celebrates his life and teachings and makes for a solid introduction for newcomers.

No comments about Love in a Fearful Land: A Guatemalan Story.

No comments about Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ: His Life and Works, His Epistles and Teachings.

2 comments about The Awakened One (Shambhala Dragon Editions).

1. A wonderful account of The Buddha's earliest traditions that are deeply rooted in Hiduism. The book presents the story in a very straightforward path from prelife to death. Not an introduction to Buddhism itself but simply the stories surrounding the man who was its source. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the most ancient stories of The Buddha.



2. This is an excellent book. Much better for eg. than Paul Carus' Gospel of the Buddha, a perennial bestseller, though it hasn't sold much here. Don't be fooled by the low sales. Kohn manages to convey in extremely readable English, the poetry of the Buddha's life from what is evidently extensive research of the original sources. This is not a book about the Buddha's philosophy, though the when, how and what of his enlightenment is amply covered. It is primarily an account of his life, a biography, and in that, an excellent one. One gets a sense of his life, as also of the times in which he lived. The mythical contexts come alive in a way that one rarely sees, particularly the quaint world-space of the time. All the Buddha's major disciples and those with whom he had significant interactions are covered extensively. The most important thing about this book and what may be seen as it's only limitation is that it is not a scholarly work, but an introduction for the curious seeker.

3 comments about Martin Luther: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought.

1. Nichols uses sound scholarship to make an easily accessible book that is an easy read in providing some of Luther's basics.



2. First of all, please see my rebuttal to the awful one star reveiw in close proximity to mine.
   
   And on to my reveiw...
   Though this is certainly not the best work on Luther, I would venture to say that it is the best popular introduction. The book is layed out nicely. It reads quickly. Covers all of Luther's major epochs and works in a compact fashion. Having read the book, the average high schooler will have a reasonable amount of knowledge about Luther and a desire to learn more. My only complaint is that it would have been nice to have more than two chapters of biography at the front end. Nichol's is a good scholar and is doing a service to the church by writing history in a way that is easy for the layman to digest and enjoy. If you are mildly interested in understanding Luther, I would get this book, a good biography (Bainton or Kittelson), and Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings edited by Lull. Nichol's also has great suggested reading sections and a good bibliography for further study.



3. This is the worst book I have ever read on the topic of Martin Luther by a person claiming to be Reformed.
   
   The book is littered with historical and theological mistakes from start to finish.
   
   Nichols asserts that Luther himself wrote "Table Talk" in one part of the book. Nichols writes, "Luther, in one of his table talk entries..." page 162. Any novice of church history knows that Luther did not author "Table Talk." This is poor scholarship.
   
   Another mistake is seen when Nichols asserts that the 5-Solas are Protestant presuppositions. This is the type of mistake we expect someone from a completely different religion to make, not one who is supposed to be Calvinistic. Nichols writes, "Perhaps more than any other person, Luther shaped the presuppositions that define Protestantism. Theologians use a series of Latin expressions to capture these concepts. Known as the "Reformation Solas," they include: sola Scriptura, Scripture Alone; sola fide, faith alone; sola gratia, grace alone; solus Christus, Christ alone; and soli Deo gloria, to the glory of God alone. These ideas all take root in Martin Luther's thinking" page 16.
   
   Sola Scriptura is the Axiom of Christianity. It is the belief that the Bible alone is the word of God. It is the only "Sola" that is presupposed. The other 4 are either explicitly stated or logically deduced from the Bible alone. Nichols is therefore wrong. For Nichols to make the absurd claim that all of the "Solas" are presupposed by Protestants is to completely misrepresent Protestant theology. Furthermore, the "Solas" do not take their root in Martin Luther's thinking. Luther merely rediscovered these principles and published them openly. He did not come up with them. John Wycliffe and John Huss, for example, each asserted the Protestant principle of Scripture Alone. Both were persecuted for their profession, and Huss even died the martyr's death for it.
   
   These are two mistakes I came across in my reading of this book. There are many more.

3 comments about Jonathan Edwards: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought.

1. Jonathan Edwards: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought by Stephen J. Nicholas was at the same time excellent and disappointing. The disappointment was my fault and in no way reflects upon the book or the author, for I had begun reading it with unfair expectations. I had not read the cover carefully and thus I thought I was buying a short biography of Edwards and that is not what this book is. After I came to realize what the book was intended to be, I enjoyed it thoroughly. And in this way it was excellent. Despite not being a biography it contained all sorts of great information about Edwards and about the events and writings that shaped his life. It is, as it says in the title, a guided tour to his life and thoughts more than a chronological ordering of the events of his life. More than a biography, this is a gateway into the thoughts, writings and theology of this great man of God.
   
   In the introduction Nichols writes that the book "is not an end in itself; it is not a substitute for reading Edwards. It is intended to help anyone who, like me, has wanted to read Edwards and even has tried to read him, but needs a little help." It might also be said that this book is not a substitute for reading a thorough biography of the man. Later Nicholas says "My hope is that this book will help you to see the relevance and importance of Edward's thought and that through these pages Edwards will help you, as he has helped so many others, to better understand God, his Word, his work in this world, and your place in it." In this regard, the book and the author succeed admirably.
   
   The format of the book is as follows. It is divided into four sections. The first section, comprising two chapters is dedicated to a short overview of his life, from his upbringing in a Christian home to his untimely death from a failed smallpox innoculation. The following three parts, each comprised of three or four chapters, examine his writings and sermons. Part two examines his writings on revival and church life, part three his writings on theology and philosophy and part four several of his sermons. Each is presented in the appropriate historical context and is examined in light of the impact it had in his day and in its ongoing relevance to the church today.
   
   This book is a solid entry-level introduction to Jonathan Edwards, and in particular, to his contribution to Christian thought and theology. I give it my recommendation, not as an alternative to his writings or biographies, but, as it was meant to be, a supplement.



2. Nichols has written an excellent book on the ministry of Jonathan Edwards and will enlighten the reader on how a godly many Edwards really was.
   
   While the book delves somewhat into his personal life, the majority of the text involves his writings on revival, church life, theology, and philosophy.
   
   While I would recommend Iain Murray's book on Edwards for more personal information on the man, I still recommend Nichols' book on what Edwards thought.
   
   An excellent read for knowing more about one of America's greatest theologians!
   
   Highly recommended!



3. This is an excellent book on the life of Jonathan Edwards. Dr. Nichols did an incredible job of depicting his life and thought...reflecting on what it was to be one of the most influential theologians ever!

1 comments about Cambridge Seven, The: The true story of ordinary men used in no ordinary way (History Makers).

1. Hi, this book narrates the story of seven students who felt love for the souls in china and russia, they were called to be missionaries abroad... For me it was really worth reading it. The movement they started is now a worldwide student movement present in more than 150 country members.

No comments about Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners: In a Faithful Account of the Life and Death of John Bunyan.

No comments about The Legacy of Billy Graham: Critical Reflections on America's Greatest Evangelist.