5 comments about Broken on the Back Row: A Journey Through Grace and Forgiveness.

1. This book tells the story about redemption and reconcilation with God and man. It is filled with lots of bible principals and if you have been thru divorce and need healing this is a great book to read to inspire you with hope.



2. Thank you, Sandi for writing this book! At times after my own divorce I took on far too much responsibility for it --- and felt like a failure. This book is a wonderful reminder that God loves us --- before, during, and after our mistakes --- or other people's misunderstandings. This is an excellent book that will remind the reader of God's mercy and care.
   
   Barbara Sheldon, M.S.W.
   I also highly recommend: Happily Remarried: *Making Decisions Together *Blending Families Successfully* Building a Love That Will Last



3. Sandi Patti redefined what Christian music was in the 1980s. No longer was it a four-piece band singing three chord melodies that everybody could sing along with. Whether that is good or bad, of course, is the personal judgment of each individual. But in the pantheon of change, it was Sandi Patti, Amy Grant, and Michael W. Smith who changed the face of CCM in the 1980s. (Another change was facilitated by Steven Curtis Chapman in the 1990s).
   
   Until this book came out, the only thing we knew about Sandi Patti was the gossip, both good and bad (mostly bad). But let's give the girl credit - she got right to the point and confessed to the adultery in the introduction. She also told many a story that did not present her in the most flattering of spotlights.
   
   "Broken On The Back Row" is not a therapeutic book in the sense that it will be used as a clinical manual for Christian shrinks. What it is, quite frankly, is the public confession and memoirs of the most talented singer of her era. And what Sandi Patti taught us is that everything has a price. Her price for fame and fortune? The loss of her husband and family, the loss of public trust, and her loss of an effective ministry for Jesus Christ. This book does restore some of the ministry while it leaves the trust in a vacuum.
   
   Many of the stories are heartbreaking, like her leaving her brother in a hospital possibly dying (he recovered) to go do a Christian concert. In most cases but admittedly not all, Sandi puts the blame on herself for what happened.
   
   If Sandi Patti found the God she so deeply sang about and was restored to Him, then that says more than any of her own words can.
   
   So why only four stars?
   
   Well, while I do recommend this book to people, for example, who have endured or inflicted upon another an extramarital affair, it is not for the young hero worshipper (i.e. teenagers) or 'judgmental church person.' Many will never be satisfied with Sandi's confession no matter what she did.
   
   And personally, I'm more than a little hesitant at confessional tell all books because what is the profit motive behind it? I can understand cynics who would say, "Her music career is on the skids so she wrote her life story for money."
   
   While that may be true, let's not forget: she could have whitewashed everything if she wanted. And Sandi comes out looking pretty bad in this book.
   
   Enjoy it.



4. I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound judgmental but Sandy Patty admits to making poor choices (very admirable)and after seeking restoration and finding peace from God, she married the man she had the affair with and lives happily ever after! Am I missing something here, because I just don't get it?? One thing I do get though, is that her career never recovered. But I do give her credit for one thing, though. She has never compromised in her music.



5. This book brings you back to basics. The basics of life and a walk with God. Sandi is not only honest in this book, but she is humble as well. I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with life and daily walk with Christ. Thanks Sandi for bringing me back to basics.

3 comments about Warrior-King of Shambhala: Remembering Chogyam Trungpa.

1. As one who was there, I was very impressed by the accuracy and the balanced view of this account. I too remembered, and shed a tear or two.
   
   Diana Mukpo wrote about Trungpa Rinpoche, as his wife, John Perks, as idiot servant; this is the story from the point of view of a genuine student.
   
   Making it more than just a memoir, Jeremy has woven in the background and rationale for the presentation of the Shambhala Teachings, and illustrates how they relate to the more traditional Tibetan Buddhist teachings.
   
   Jeremy as scientist, convincingly presents the proposition that nowadays we accept scientific materialism as truth, religion, without ever knowing it. This point, illustrated though his own journey and hesitations, might be the most important insight, in terms of benefiting people right now.



2. This is an engaging and compelling look back at the author's life and experience with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. It's well-told, candid, and fascinating, and recommended to anyone with an interest in the subject.



3. Most of us wonder what it would be like to live in an enlightened society. Perhaps we even yearn for that. Jeremy Hayward has written a completely absorbing narrative of his encounter with a warrior-king and the creation of an enlightened society. Perhaps if one of Arthur's knights had written such a narrative it would read like this. Highly recommended for an authentic and heartfelt rendering of his experience.

1 comments about Howard Thurman: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series).

1. In what's arguably his best book, Jesus and the Disinherited, Howard Thurman asks what message Jesus has to give to those whose backs are against the wall. In his Introduction to this new compilation of Thurman's spiritual writings, editor Luther Smith points out (p. 28) that Jesus advises neither blaming the wall nor trying to flee, but instead to respond with love, thereby asserting autonomy over the situation. In a fundamental way, this is the heart of Thurman's thought and activism: liberating oneself, through love, to be fully human; liberating others, through love, to be fully human; and liberating God, through love, to be fully God.
   
   It's a shame that Thurman isn't as well-known today as he was even a short quarter of a century ago. As a Christian pacifist, he influenced most of the leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement. As a college chaplain and teacher, he moved hundreds of students to reflect deeply on the moral life. As a popular and insightful preacher and author, he inspired thousands of listeners and readers to to take more seriously what it means to be a Christian. He anticipated both liberation theology and theologies of the oppressed.
   
   The love ethic so central to Thurman's thought undergirds one of the most notable features of his teachings: its loving embrace of alternative religious perspectives. Thurman was convinced that there are universal truths, but that humans can only encounter them in particulars. We have no sub specie aeternitatus perspective. So God is discernible in particular modes of worship, particular doctrines, particular faith traditions. But no particular can encompass a universal. So while the universal is encountered in the particular, no particular has a monopoly on truth or revelation.
   
   Smith is to be commended for reintroducing Thurman in this lovely compilation.

4 comments about A Holy Life: The Writings of St. Bernadette of Lourdes.

1. An enlightening story about the humble, poor little shepherd girl who encountered the Mother of God and the tremendous impact it had on her life. Details and insights that kept me excitedly turning those pages.



2. In the initial account of the apparitions Dr. McEachern uses the method of drawing lines from various different accounts given by the Saint over several different years in order to present one comprehensive report. If you accept this methodology as valid, you will draw much from this book. I felt a bit uncomfortable realizing I was reading a mosaic of shards shattered and shorn from so many different sources and presented as her complete account, but perhaps such textual criticism does not present a problem to other readers. I would prefer to read the accounts in their entirety, including to the various ecclesial and legal authorities who questioned her, in chronological order, and piece together a conclusive report from that entirety. Here this work has been done for us, leaving only the golden threads from among the whole cloth. I would hope one day to see the fullest tapestry.
   
   After that opening, the compiler of this volume does leave us a fairly representative collection of the Saint's letters, translated. Again I hope one day to see them in the original, including the regional dialect, and in chronological order, as here we find the intriguing and often difficult and treacherous work of translation done for us.
   
   I also found the opening introduction touched by a persistent trait of other reports on this Saint, the disparagement of her family and conditions and education and mind, rather than a charitable embracing and comprehension. I am always uncomfortable to read such judgmental emphasis, yet here find it more balanced and contextualized than in earlier standard texts. The Saint herself suffered this from the first moments she reported the Visions, and for the rest of her life on earth, and accepted this suffering, for reasons she examines in this book, including unmentioned yet infinitely consoling comments by Our Lady herself, who was of similar age and education and conditions. I am not so holy and so feel deeply uncomfortable for the Saint suffering such mistreatment both during and after life, but I must resolve to convert by her very wise and holy and compassionate example, and by her own exhortations shared here in her own, translated hand.
   
   A necessary addition to any Catholic spiritual library, and probably the best we can get for this Saint.



3. In developing my own book on the famous apparitions at Massabielle (Lourdes: Font of Faith, Hope, & Charity, Paulist Press, Sept. 2007), I researched a great number of titles. None of them, however, gave me better insight into the real person of Bernadette Soubirous than A Holy Life. Thanks to Patricia McEachern's careful translation, English-speaking readers can appreciate the oftentimes difficult journey to sainthood through Bernadette's candid letters and journal entries as she lived out her sanctity in the motherhouse at Nevers. A true treasure -- it was like meeting the visionary in person!



4. This book is a wonderful resource for all who want to know Bernadette better. From her writtings one can see the depth of her faith. She saw all that occurred in her life as the will of GOD and she accepted everything that came her way. One learns that Bernadette carried her cross in life with acceptance and love. She suffered greatly and wanted to unite her suffering with Jesus' for the sake of all sinners.

5 comments about Kali's Odiyya : A Shaman's True Story of Initiation.

1. Amarananda has done all of us a great favor by making these secret teachings public. There was no way people like us would ever have known, even though I was born and brought up in India. My first reaction on reading the book was one of fear. My next - I too want to be free!!



2. This is my first ever review of a book here at Amazon. Being a published author myself and having over 200 books on consciousness and spirituality, it is often difficult to find something that truly provides a new level of insight and understanding of things. I found this book provocative in so many aspects that I was compelled to meet the author and work with him on a personal basis. It is truly a rare opportunity to garner insight into aspects of consciousness that anyone whom is interested in this subject matter desires to know about. I recommend this book highly.



3. 3 weeks ago I was thinking about buying this book, because I became interested in Kali or "Smashan Tara" after reading the Aghora trilogy by DR Svoboda, I went to North London and when I went to the ATM to get money for this book £20 was already there.. I bought it with £15 and bought a Kali Ma CD with the rest ..... this is the power of our mother, she will ALWAYS look out for us, and I am ALWAYS in her service ...Jai Ma Kali !!!



4. as an avid reader of biographies, i highly recommend "kali's odiyya". the author provides an intimate glimpse into a culture that revers the divine feminine. this book is a favorite on my bookshelf. it also makes a fabulous gift for friends that enjoy a well presented, enchanting life story.



5. Great book! A must read. Amarananda Bhairavan will be in London September 2006 to give 3 day class on Traditional Tantra and Goddess studies followed by Saraswati Puja.

5 comments about Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna.

1. After two divorces and three children, China Galland found herself "lost in the wilderness of the single-parent family" and struggling with alcoholism. Having left the Catholic church in which she was raised, she turned to nature for solace, but eventually found that her time there simply made her need for a spiritual life more obvious.
   
   In January 1977 she went to a monastery in New Mexico to try to reclaim Catholicism, only to find herself a stranger. The masculine terms of the mass&mdas;Our Father, His body, His blood, God the Father, God the Son--and the Virgin's remoteness, impossible goodness, and inhuman purity fills her with grief and despair. There is no place for her here.
   
   China begins a spiritual quest for the feminine face of God. Her search takes her from the rapids of the Rio Grande River in Texas to Nepal, India, France, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, and Poland--places where the goddess is still venerated today. She explores many aspects of divine femininity, acquainting the reader with the Order of the Woman in the Wilderness, Hindu goddesses Durga and Kali, the Greek goddess Artemis and more. The goddess Tara of Buddhism and the Black Madonna of Poland are the images to which she is most deeply drawn. She leads a group on a pilgrimage in the mountains of Nepal and joins the annual pilgrimage to the Black Madonna of Czestochowa in Poland.
   
   Following the thread of Christian mysticism, China finds people like Meister Eckhart, the abbess Hildegarde and Julian of Norwich, who spoke of God as Mother. She discovers images of the goddess as far away as Kathmandu and as close to home as the Rio Grande Valley. She says, "The darkness of these female gods comforted me. It felt like a balm on the wound of the unending white maleness that we had deified in the West. They were the other side of everything I had ever known about God."
   
   Some of the most appealing aspects of this book were China's encounters with other women during her search. She weaves the stories of Auschwitz survivors, visionaries of Medjugorje, French gypsies, and Mexican peasants into her own. Her book is really an adventure story set in both inner and outer worlds--beautifully written, soulfully told, and wonderfully illustrated with a number of amazing photographs.
   
   I was inspired by China's determination to forge a spiritual life that not only included, but celebrated, her womanhood. It parallels my own search, though mine was not so adventurous or far-flung! I suspect many women yearn for feminine images of the Divine. This book supplies a wonderful array of those, presented by a woman compelled to find a vision of God that worked for her. Since her story is so deeply personal, it is much more accessible and enjoyable than many of the didactic texts available. China was born in Texas and has been a university lecturer, wilderness guide, journalist, and long-time student of Buddhism and comparative religion. She now works as a research associate at the Center for Women and Religion in California and is married with three grown children. Another work by Galland is the non-fiction book, Women in the Wilderness.
   
   by Carolyn Blankenship
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



2. Journey to Sobriety: Journey to God the Mother
   
   China Galland is a writer, a mother of three, an alcoholic and a pilgrim, and "Longing for Darkness" is an account of her pilgrimage toward wholeness and healing.
   
   This book is firstly an account of China Galland's spiritual journey toward sobriety. Secondly it is an account of her journey to and through Buddhism, of both Tibetan and Zen flavors, to the recovery of her own Catholic spiritual heritage, abandoned in the wake of patriarchal authoritarianism and misogyny, only to discover through the former's female deity, Tara, the strong, resilient, resisting feminine spirit inspiring the Black Madonnas of her own ancestry, blending the two traditions.
   
   China Galland found a spirituality that satisfied her longing for the female face of God. "Longing For Darkness" is an absolutely compelling work, impossible to set down once one has begun the journey with the author. Her complete honesty about her inner being, her wllingness to place herself in a position of total vulnerability, to live in the moment, makes this book unique. Wherever the author journeys - whether to the Shrines of the Black Madonna in Poland, Switzerland, and southern France or to the temples of the Green and White Taras in Himalayan fastnesses or to the Temples of Kali, the Black Mother, in Delhi, she encounters people of deep faith and learns from every tradition, discovering that all of these variant images of God the Mother are but collateral descendents of a common ancestor and synthesizing her own way, a path strewn with flowers but without a name.
   
   Though this is by no means a scholarly work on the historical derivations of the Maternal God (nor does it wish to be), it does provide a large amount of useful and interesting data, elaborating the dynamic interchanges between East and West since ancientmost times. Could Tara, Durga, Kali and the Blessed Virgin Mary and the host of Mother Gods of pre-Christian Europe all trace their ancestry to Astar/Astarte/Ishtar of ancient Persia, and could she herself be but a later manifestation of Isis, the black Mother God of the ancient Egyptians?
   
   It is a possible, if not probable, thesis, but that is not the point of this book. Its work is not the elaboration of her Divine ancestry, but of her availability and her universality. There is a wonderful Sanskrit hymn translated in "Longing for the Darkness," which I quote here:
   
   "Alas I do not know either the mystical word or the mystical diagram, nor do I know the songs of praise to thee, nor how to meditate upon thee nor how to welcome thee, nor how to inform thee of my distress. But this much I know, oh Mother: that to take refuge in thee is to destory all my miseries."
   
   I have no wish to take the author to task for leaving undone something she's not undertaken to do, but I would have loved to have read something in this work dealing with the many images of the Dark Mother existing in various Afro-American traditions, particularly the treatment of Ezili Danto (or Danto, as she is more commonly known in the Voodoo/Voudoun tradition) whose ancestry is directly traceable to the Madonna of Czestochowa; indeed, the image of Danto re-presents exactly the two scratches on the face of the Polish icon left from a vandal's sword attack in 1430 and in Haiti attributed to Ezili's battles with her rival deity, Freda.



3. china is the way i always considered mary a friend but from way back china guided me back from way back and beyond i'am very grateful .thanks great read it was hard to put down.



4. If you are looking for scholarly answers to the possible connection between the Black Madonnas of Europe and the Tibetan Tara and Indian Kali, this book will probably frustrate you. Galland's approach is to take us along for the ride as she explores both psychologically and physically the places of the Dark Mother. Not exactly travel writing, and not exactly spiritual memoir, her book combines some of both styles. Sometimes you may wish she spent less time describing the flowers on her walks and the twists and turns of her own anxieties and questioning. But she is a more or less pleasant travel companion, so if you want to cover the same ground, this is not a bad book.
   
   What I enjoyed most was her description of an annual pilgrimage in Poland from all parts of the country to the shrine of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa. Who knew that a million people spend two weeks every year walking, praying, singing and camping as they return to the Madonna who represents their nation? Who remembered that Lech Walesa was inspired by this Madonna and that Solidarity banners were flown by these pilgrims in spite of being illegal. I was inspired to recall that a non-violent spiritual movement is what brought freedom to Poland.
   
   I also took comfort in the fact that after abandoning her devout Catholicism and practicing first in the Zen tradition and then the Tibetan tradition, China Galland found herself also drawn to re-integrate her own spiritual heritage. Her experiences in Poland and Medjorge Yugoslavia are as important as her visits with the Dalai Lama and Tara initiations.
   
   Though the book is a bit dated, most of the issues she raises continue to be relevant. I read this to help me understand The Secret Life of Bees better as a teacher, and it certainly does that. I wonder if Sue Monk Kidd may have read it too.



5. If you are aware that you are on a personal journey, then it will touch you that China Galland shared hers with us. This book allows the reader to accompany her on this journey that spans more than a decade through many continents and countries on a quest.
   
   China Galland tells us the story of her recovery and reveals herself in a very human, intimate way.
   
   I have never read anything like it. It inspired me as I struggle through some of the most difficult parts of my journey. Sometimes we find that things are the hardest right before we have a breakthrough, when we are on the verge of something. . . Like the expression, "it is always darkest before dawn".
   
   Next, I will re-read Paulo Coehlo's The Alchemist.
   
   This is not for the faint-of-heart, cultureless, or close-minded.
   
   Enjoy!!!

4 comments about David Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Fight of Faith 1939-1981.

1. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is not a household name today, even though he died a relatively short time ago. I knew of him as a brilliant thinker, a physician who became a pastor of Westminster Chapel in London near Buckingham Palace. I've heard and appreciated some of his sermons, and I have some of his books. It wasn't until I heard Tim Keller continually refer to him that I decided to learn more.
   
   The result is a deep appreciation for an incredible ministry. Reading biographies of great men is inspiring, and this one is no different. I benefited from seeing accounts of Lloyd-Jones as he pastored a church in London during the worst of World War II, with bombs exploding nearby; as he dealt with difficult deacons and patiently pastored a church while allowing God to change hearts; as he became known for his preaching ministry and began to speak all over the world; and as he dealt with controversies that continue today. You can't help but read all that he went through without learning as you think through the issues and weigh what you would have done.
   
   But what really struck me as I read this volume is the benefits of being out of step with the times. It's popular today to say that we live in a new day, and that everything has to change. But things weren't all that different when Lloyd-Jones was alive. Many within the church were arguing for new approaches. For example, one person argued in 1976 that his method of preaching was out of date:
   
   "What one must question, however, is this: is our age ever going to accept monologue again? Does it not seem that our generation is demanding, and insisting on the right of talk-back?...One way communication may have been sufficient in the past. Nowadays there is feed-back, and right of reply, and letters to the editor: must the preacher be the sole exception to this general trend?"
   
   Lloyd-Jones, however, never lost confidence in the power of the Word proclaimed, and the results were profound.
   
   Other trends in his day included increased reliance on business methods and entertainment in an effort to become more effective. Lloyd-Jones resisted these trends. As a physician, he had diagnosed the problem differently, and more entertainment and better methods would never be enough. "The modern church was bypassing her primary need," writes Iain Murray. "She was adopting 'methods of big business and advertising' instead of praying for a visitation of God." His focus was not on new methods, but on preaching and applying the gospel and relying on God's power.
   
   Iain Murray's biography is not hagiography. You do get a sense of where Lloyd-Jones struggled, and he seemed to be aware of these areas as well. But I can't tell you how much I appreciated reading of his life and ministry, and how much I learned as a result. Every pastor could benefit from reading these books.



2. After twice reading this second volume of Murray's wonderful biography on Martyn Lloyd-Jones, words still fail to describe how much it has meant to me. Lloyd-Jones was perhaps the greatest preacher of the 20th century, leaving a legacy worthy of the eight hundred pages in this book! He restored expository preaching to the modern pulpit, recovered the theology of the Reformation for a new generation, fostered a hunger for the reviving work of the Holy Spirit, revived an interest in historical Evangelical literature, and labored for true unity among Evangelicals. All of this and more is documented in this very readable and instructive book. Pure delight!



3. I bought this book (together with vol 1)almost 8 years ago & I remembered that I literally devoured the book. He was one the Christian who made greatest contribution in my spiritual life.

   Murray portrays him as the great man of God he was & the many contributions he has made to Christendom. No one can read this biography without gaining some benefit. Although the book is bulky, it never seem the case to those who are acquainted with the subject.

   Now I am going for round 2 of this book which should attest to the value I have with regard to this book.




4. A giant of our times such as Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones surely merits a two-volume appreciation as magnificent as that which Iain Murray has penned. The factual details recounted in this biography are not only of the most crucial significance in understanding evangelicalism in the twentieth century; but they make compelling reading. At the same time, the character of the man shines through in every page. Reading the account of the final few days of his life, I almst felt as though I were losing a dearly-beloved grandfather. But the pages of this book do not speak so much of the activity of man as of the activity of God, who raises up leaders in every generation. Those who sense a true spiritual calling into the ministry should most certainly read and reread this account of a preacher who should be reckoned as a worthy successor to George Whitefield and Charles Haddon Spurgeon; the greatest British preacher of the twentieth century.

5 comments about Holy Roller: Growing Up in the Church of Knock Down, Drag Out; Or, How I Quit Loving a Blue-Eyed Jesus.

1. Shake my family tree and numerous holy rollin' preachers, - and preachers' wives, missionaries, and plenty of acting out preachers' kids -a few snake handlers, and plenty of back sliders will fall out. That's one of the reasons why I recognized so much in Wilson's wacky, seemingly implausible (but, trust me, it isn't) memoir.
   
   This is a book that requires you to sit back with a glass of tea, turn off your brain, and just enjoy. There aren't deep revelations here. Wilson's childhood can be described as chaotic, but filled with love. Her relationship with Chief, her paternal grandfather, is touching, and the family members, neighbors, visiting missionaries, and shrimpers that populate her memories are interesting and somewhat crazy and somehow believable.
   
   Wilson introduces readers unfamiliar with the holy rollin' life to the wonders of speaking in tongues, rogue snake handlers, and people whose faith is unshakable even in the face of contrary "evidence." The sinners sin big and the believers look for miracles. This is a fun, touching little book, and although there are no deep secrets revealed, I enjoyed reading about Wilson's experiences in her church and community and especially within her unique family. I do have to say that I wish Anthony Perkins would pop up and let us know what he thinks of his place in this story. I think he'd be pleased.



2. Diane Wilson's irreverent memoir takes off at breakneck pace from chapter one. The pace is, in fact, always breakneck and this works very well -- sometimes. When we are in the child Diane's head -- when it's her voice narrating -- the child is very vivid indeed. The problem for me was that Wilson dips into other character's heads -- including her own as an adult looking back ruefully, and the voice stays the same. This leads to a certain flatness: the lack of connection to the characters that other reviewers have noted.
   
   There are plenty of people whose reading preferences do not include character-driven work and Wilson's humor, keenly critical eye, and voice will allow them to greatly enjoy this interesting book. For me, however, it's about characters and I had a very hard time finishing.
   
   In the end, I was glad I took the time to read this -- there are some good insights to a life that is certainly unfamiliar to me. But I don't think I would recommend this one to readers like me -- who prefer varied pacing and richer characterizations.



3. This memoir by Diane Wilson isn't exactly an experience I would choose to pass on to many people that I know. It isn't so much the writing or the subject matter, but rather the lack of relationship that a reader establishes with the memoirist.
   
   Diane Wilson attempts to make her childhood in rural Texas, among true Holy Rollers, a relatable experience but it just isn't somehow. Told through the voice of a child it starts out well but I soon found myself lost out on a shrimp boat wondering what character I could ground myself with. I couldn't find one. In the myriad of unusual people Diane encounters I never felt intrigued enough to follow any of them past a superficial relationship. Yes, I laughed, at the sermons and the strange religious practices, the snakes, the shouting, and the corrupt context it all revolves in but I didn't care how it ended. Wilson tries to wrap her readers up in a town murder mystery involving shrimpers, preachers, Indians and a cowboy game warden but unless you can in any way relate to any of the above it simply isn't interesting enough to believe in. The only thing that drew me into this book was the fact that I grew up with Bible thumping' Grandparents and I found the Sunday sermons quite amusing as voiced by Wilson.
   
   Like I said I wanted to believe but I just didn't. Had Wilson chosen to immerse her readers into the feelings of the characters rather than a net of events I might not have felt so trapped by the experience and would have been willing to dive into the muddy waters with her. Sadly it took a miracle for me to finish this book and/or to find any redeeming qualities.



4. Coming from a suburban Southern upbringing, attending a straightlaced and stiff Church of Christ on Sundays, these tales seemed a bit outlandish to me. So I read a few to my husband, who was raised in little backwoods Pentecostal churches in Missouri and Arkansas.
   
   Nope, he said. That's about right. (Wow.)
   
   If you are from this background, as one reviewer was, this will be familiar, nostalgic territory for you. If not, your eyebrows will raise and you'll laugh out loud and marvel at the diversity of our nation.
   
   Her style's not that easy to read, as others have noted; but the stories are worth the effort. Fun read.



5. Not to bad. Entertaining and at times funny. Well worth the read, but, does seem to drag a bit. OK for days you have nothing better to do.

No comments about Abraham Lincoln: A Man of Faith and Courage: Stories of our Most Admired President.

5 comments about William Wilberforce: A Hero for Humanity.

1. The story--or at least the legacy--of William Wilberforce is one that should be standard issue in all history courses. He is highly unknown in the US, perhaps because his greatest work came after its separation from Britain. But even I, who studied Political Science with strong philosophical and international emphases, had not heard of him until over 4 years after I graduated. Very well written book about the man who championed the cause and accomplished the abolition of the slave trade, and later the total abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire. Belmonte captures the essence of the man and his life through a text rich in its use of sources and first hand accounts, with appropriate use of personal insight and conclusions. True to the subtitle, Wilberforce is duly shown as a hero for humanity, a champion for everything human, and a role model for all who desire to make a real difference in this world. Couple with the movie "Amazing Grace," this book provides a rich look at a man who was the wealthies man of his time in all the ways that truly matter.



2. I read a lot of biographies, and have to say that while I am a fan of William Wilberforce and the movie Amazing Grace, this biography is not on my favorites list. Primarily, I disliked the structure of the book. It is written topically instead of chronologically having sections on his early life, his political life, his influence, his family life, etc. For example, the book has 10 chapters, and his marriage to Barbara Spooner isn't introduced until chapter 8! This made the book feel like a collection of essays instead of a typical biography. I won't read it again.



3. This was a fabulously written and researched book. The depth of the original documents that were touched made it authoritative and the writing style was captivating. The descriptions of his personal and family life and how he related to his peers was particularly valuable to me. I also gained any insights into the reading list of Wiliam Wilberforce which is always a window into a man's soul. Highly recommended.



4. This is a great introduction to the life and pursuits of William Wilberforce. His deep love and concern for humanity is fantastic.



5. I was truly unaware of who William Wilberforce was before reading "Amazing Grace" by Metaxes. Then I found "Real Christianity" by Wilberforce and now I am almost finished reading "William Wilberforce: A Hero for Humanity." The book, "William Wilberforce: A Hero for Humanity", is a can't put-it-down kind of read. It brings in notable contemporaries of Wilberforce which richly adds to the fiber of the text. Wilberforce's "Great Change" made him a mighty force for Biblical Christianity. I believe it should be a strongly suggested read for all politicians at every level of government (village, town, city, state, and federal). We need to see a moral turnaround in our beloved U.S.A. seen in the hearts of its citizens. Morality cannot be legislated. I give the book a five stars (thumbs) up.