2 comments about Out of the Storm: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther.

1. Wilson's take on Martin Luther is certainly interesting in places; however, it's hard to figure out what sort of book he really wants to write. In some places, he tends towards a futile Eriksonesque psychoanalysis of Luther. In others, he attempts overarching statements about the secularization of the Church to few accurate results. This can't be an academic work, since there aren't enough footnotes and references to justify many of his historical accounts, and it isn't really a theology text. Unfortunately, Wilson tries to write an accessible work which wants to be all things to all people but succeeds in none of it. If you're looking for a true biography, a theological analysis, or a psychological treatise, there are better titles available for all of these possibilities. Look elsewhere.



2. A thorough biography of Martin Luther and an in-depth description of his times. This book is not easy reading, even though it's well written. Out Of The Storm is full of many of the complex issues that shaped the Reformation. Often I found myself having to reread passages. Also, Mr. Wilson didn't seem to write his book from a particular perspective. He lets the events speak for themselves; so to me his book doesn't offer a new take on Luther and his times, which might be disappointing to some, but for anyone interested in how and why the Reformation happened I recommend this book.
   
   Randy Kadish

2 comments about John Hyde: Apostle of Prayer (Men of Faith).

1. He earned the nickname "Praying Hyde" by example. He was such an example, that although he wrote little himself, others were compelled to write about him. John Hyde PROVED that "Prayer can never be in excess" (C. H. Spurgeon), that "Prayer is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings" (Chrysostom), and that "Gethsemane is where He died; the cross is only the evidence" (Leonard Ravenhill). If I had to pick a MANDATORY book for intercessors, this would easily reach the top three. I think it entirely ashame that there was only one review listed, and as soon as I've finished this one, I intend to encourage others to submit reviews. If you have a heart for prayer, GET this book, it is worth every penny! Here's another review and excerpt, from my own web site : http://www.justpray.net/uiPrayingHyde.html . It should lead you right back here.



2. If you have been called as an "intercessor," long for revival, or have a passion to see the lost saved, you should read John Hyde's biography. Easily read in an hour, this compelling little book can change your life forever.

5 comments about Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President.

1. This is fine biography traces Lincoln's philosphical and theological development and in so doing helps us understand the secret to Lincoln's greatness, which was his ability to make sense of the Civil War. If you ever wondered where the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln's Second Innaugral came from, this book will show you. This remains one the most interesting and compelling biographies I have ever read.
   
   Raymond R. Roberts Ph.D.



2. A breath-taking account of the life of one of America's greatest leaders. Lincoln's though and personality are an inspiration and a challenge to any thoughtful person. This book inspired me to a greater study of American history.



3. Biographies of Abraham Lincoln have tended to fall into two broad categories. The first category consists of biographies of the "subjective" Lincoln. These biographies are based largely on the many anecdotes and stories people told about Lincoln's life, typically during the early years in Illinois and concentrate on trying to explore Lincoln as a man (He remains an enigma.)The second category of Lincoln biography is the political. This biography focuses on Lincoln's public actions, typically during or shortly before his Presidency and draws on the lengthy public record available during the Civil War years. This type of biographical approach tends to give short shrift to the personal approach.

   In his "Abraham Lincoln, Redeemer President" Allen Guelzo points out these two approaches to Lincoln studies (p.472) and says that his book is an attempt to combine the personal and public approaches to Lincoln. Professor Guelzo, Dean of Templeton Honors Colledge and Professor of History at Eastern Universtiy, writes a primarily intellectual biography; but he tries to explore the degree to which Lincoln's thought formed his political actions.

   Professor Guelzo devotes a great deal of attention to establishing Lincoln's political identity as a whig -- an admirer of both Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. From his early days in public life, Lincoln was interested in promoting economic opportunity by encouraging the free market. He supported ambitious programs of public works and public education, to develop transportation infrastructure, (canals, roads, and railroads) and to promote the growth of industry and of a middle class. The whig approach emphasized public virtue, public morality, the value of hard work, and a unified United States. Guelzo effectively contrasts Lincoln's Whiggish beliefs with the agrarian beliefs of the Jefferson-Jacksonian democrats with their commitment to a nation of agrarian, self-sufficient yeomen and farmers. (Lincoln's father was such a yeoman, and Lincoln wanted none of it for himself.)

   Professor Guelzo traces the beginnings of Lincoln's opposition to the expansion of slavery, in the early 1850's. to his desire to promote the development of upwardly mobile capitalist workers. He tended to see agrarianism as slavery slightly disguised. Lincoln never lost his whig commitments, according to Professor Guelzo, even after the party disbanded and Lincoln became a leader of the Republican party.

   Professor Guelzo also studies the nature of Lincoln's religious beliefs and the importance Lincoln gave to religous questions. As is the case with Lincoln's economic rebellion against his father, Professor Guelzo finds the beginnings of Lincoln's religious thought in a youthful rebellion against the Calvinism and predestinarian beliefs of his father. Lincoln found he could not believe in the revealed God of the Bible, although he knew the Bible well. He could not accept the doctrine of predestination, but he came close to it in a secular way. During most of his life, Lincoln was a determinist who believed that people had little independent choice in what they did but acted in response to outside factors which they did not control.

   According to Professor Guelzo, Lincoln also tended towards the englightenment of John Locke and towards the utilitarianism of Mill and Bentham. His politics and Presidency, of course, have distincly pragmatic characters. Throughout his life, Lincoln remained outside the fold of organized religion.

   According to Professor Guelzo, Lincoln's thought developed as Lincoln confronted at deepening levels the difficulty of the Civil War. The beginning of this development was the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates where Lincoln vigourously attacked the morality of holding slaves. Lincoln's thoughts on providence, for Professor Guelzo, were instrumental in Lincoln's decision to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln told his cabinet he had made a promise "to his maker" to issue the Proclamation and that he could not do otherwise. (pp 341-42.) Guelzo continues his treatment of providential themes in Lincoln with his discussion of the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address.

   There is also a great deal in the book that discusses Lincoln's handling of the War, the border states, his generals, and the Army. Professor Guelzo's intellectual and religous themes sometimes get lost in these discussions, and we are reminded that Lincoln was a pragmatist, a leader and a consummate politician.

   The picture of Lincoln's religiosity that emerges from Professor Guelzo's study has a distinctly modern flavor. (Professor Guelzo sees it as high Victorian.) Lincoln was a person who sought religous belief but could not find his way to an organized religion of his day. He was not, in his mid and late life, content simply with materialism and skepticism but rather developed his own religious thought based upon a rather loosely defined notion of providence and redemption. As personal as his thought was, it helped shape our nation. Lincoln's life, as Professor Guelzo presents it, seems to be a paradigm of many people today who reject organized religion in favor of a search for what many call spirituality.

   On a political level, Guelzo's account of Lincoln stresses that the United States is and has become a unified Nation and that Americans should see themselves, for all their diversity and differences as part of a unified people. I also see the book as a reminder of the value of hard work and economic effort.

   Professor Guelzo has written a thoughtful, provocative study of Lincoln the man, the thinker, and the President.




4. Like a typical biography, Redeemer President goes through its subject's life. But unlike most biographies, Redeemer President centers on the maturation of its subject's thinking. Guelzo shows how some of Lincoln's most famous ideas, such as his reliance on "the proposition that all men are created equal," was part of Whig orthodoxy. To trace Lincoln's development takes nothing away from his genius, of course.

   This was one of the most enjoyable biographies I have read on Lincoln. One might begin with Oates' With Malice Toward None for Lincoln's life as a great story. Then go to Donald's Lincoln for a more modern biography -- lots and lots of facts, but with little attempt to see Lincoln as a product of his own time. Both are very well written, but I prefer Guelzo's over either of them.

   If you like Guelzo's book on Lincoln's thought, you'll like A New Birth of Freedom by Harry V. Jaffa, which Guelzo calls "the greatest book on Lincoln's politics for another generation."




5. Eerdmans should stick to theological tomes, rather than embarassing themselves with yet another propaganda piece for the Yankee cause. Guelzo fails to mention how Lincoln trampled upon the Constitution (Illegal arrests, Intimidation of duly elected leaders (e.g. Maryland State Legislature), and making war upon peaceful states which legally withdrew from the voluntary Union). A Government for the people, by the people vanished [Jeffersonian Constitutional Republic replaced with Consolidated Absolutism] with Lincoln's insistence that the Federal government existed before the States. The right of secession in America, beginning with the Declaration of Independence, was taught for decades until Sen. Sumner thundered from the Senate floor that this was a perpetual Union (Lincoln decided to carry this torch at the expense of 600,000 innocents). Lincoln's Emancipation proclamation was none other than a war measure (slaves were being used to build the capital and slaves were only declared free in Confederate held territory)encouraging slaves to revolt: this did not happen. Guelzo also fails to mention that slavery in the South was dying out and that roughly 10% of her people ever owned slaves. Guelzo failed to point out that the Emancipation Proclamation was illegal since it would have to take a Constitutional amendment to change the Constitution. Furthermore, his book fails to point out that the Emancipation had no jurisdiction in the Confederate States of America since the Southern states were no longer a member of the Union. I'm amazed at how people continue to admire a man who waged war on people who decided to follow in the footsteps of their fathers: Revolutionary War Heroes. The South was right, and the Northern propaganda machine is still filling the public mind with lies. If Abraham Lincoln embodies what a Christian is, then I'm not one, and evangelicals fascination with a man who was not converted until after Gettyburg is dangerous. Furthermore, I have no respect for a man who waged war on my native state: North Carolina.

3 comments about Nichiren: Leader of Buddhist Reformation in Japan.

1. This book is the best English language resource on the life of Nichiren available today. The author makes use of a broad range of truly scholarly sources, and yet his writing style is so engaging and dynamic that one almost feels like they are actually witnessing the events being described by the author. The author goes to the trouble of making a clear disticntion between the events in the life of Nichiren which are actually historical and the events attributed to his life which are based on popular traditional hagiography. Nichiren is a much misunderstood person; being seen quite often as someone who was intolerant of other religions only for the sake of establishing his own. This book clarifies that Nichiren's intolerance was towards religious and government policies that oppressed the common people. In this regard, the book almost reads like a "theology of liberation." It is well worth the read.



2. This small book contains an engaging biography of Nichiren Shonin, a Buddhist master who founded the Hokke (Lotus) school in 13th century Japan. In addition to the text itself, the book also contains glossy pages showing the life of Nichiren by way of painting, and is a nice addition. The writing-style of this book is quick, enjoyable, and easy to read. It is not overly technical or laden with terms, but does provide historical background to place Nichiren's life in context. One not need be a scholar to understand it, and it is very accessible to the beginning student of Buddhism.
   
   This book contains only the orthodox views and teachings of Nichiren, and is one of the few biographies in English that are reliable on this account. Nichiren's teachings are also explored in this work, and his devotion to the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni comes through clearly. It can be said that this book is more of a devotional piece or a hagiography than an academic work. Nichiren Shonin emerges as a powerful figure at the center of this book, propagating the Lotus Sutra under the most stressful conditions imaginable.
   
   This is an excellent introduction to Nichiren Shonin and his teachings, who is often misunderstood not only in popular culture, but academic circles as well! I do hope to see a larger and more in depth biography of Nichiren published in English in the near future to complement this enjoyable book.



3. This volume on Nichiren, the 13th century Buddhist who founded a revolutionary school of Buddhism, is a work with certain merits. There are wonderful reproductions of rare prints depicting Nichiren in his time. I know of better source information on the life of Nichiren Daishonin available through the Soka Gakkai International organization.

2 comments about St. Francis and the Foolishness of God.

1. I finally bought it, and I'm more than glad I did. This book is not at all what I thought it would be about --- it is so much more. Initially, I thought it would be another book about the life of St. Francis which, of late, I've been quite taken with. This book, though, has more to do with how we can make our faith real --- how we can really respond --- in light of a needy world around us. This is just what the doctor ordered. I say this reluctantly, but reading a chapter is almost better than going to church. I close this book at night with the understanding that I've got to get out there and DO something; I feel like I CAN make some small difference in this world, and that means so much to me. I'm at that point where I WANT to change, WANT to make sacrifices, WANT to be conformed to what God wants me to be. I want desperately not to be an 'average' Christian who longs for the same dusty, lifeless, rusting things the world does. This book reminds me that Francis, in his life, was not afraid to give up personal comfort and familiarity. When he finally overcame the greatest personal obstacle for him --- learning to love the leper -- he was freed from within, freed from that nasty monster that can entangle so many of us. Reflecting on his unique experience, I am compelled to look at my own prejudices, those things about people that keep me from loving them completely. I can't remember the last time a church sermon so compelled me. I highly recommend this book, and encourage you to grow in ways far outside the box.



2. St. Francis and the Foolishness of God is not just about St. Francis, but about themes that touch all of our lives. There are reflection questions at the end of each section and an invitation to share stories. I recommend this book for personal and group reflection.

No comments about The Pigtail and Chopsticks Man - The Story of J.Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission (Champions of the Faith).

5 comments about The Big Book of Martyrs: Amazing but True Tales of Faith in the Face of Certain Death! (Factoid Books).

1. If you're not a Catholic, this book will hold no entertainment for you. It revels in all the martyrdom myths of Catholicism in all its gory details and with nothing but saccharine reverence for the martyrs and their supposed "great deed". Most sickeningly of all, the book ends with an open invitation to the reader to die for his faith himself!("Who knows why the martyrs and saints of the future will be? Maybe you?") In a world already torn apart by religious battles and strife, such a comment is at best irresponsible and at worst catastrophic. This book does not belong in an enlightened age. Good riddance to it!



2. I picked up the Big Book of Martyrs because I love all of the Factoid Books. As a series, they are irreverent, concise, witty, and always interesting.

   As mentioned by a few other reviewers, the Big Book of Martyrs treats its subject matter with more respect than other subjects covered by the series. Check out the chapter on Princess Di in the Big Book of Scandal to see Paradox Press at its most scathing. But while poking fun at the foibles of the British monarchy can be entertaining, mocking people who died for their faith is tasteless. So I was relieved to see that the martyrs were not depicted as ridiculous.

   However, these are not wholly objective descriptions of the saints' lives. The book seems to have been written by Christians for Christians. I myself am not a Christian, and I was hoping for a more secular approach.

   It is still worth reading though. There are plenty of weird stories, such as the woman who woke up with a beard, after praying to be made unattractive. The beard caused her arranged husband-to-be to reject her, allowing her to keep her sworn virginity intact. St. Christopher's story is pretty strange, as well.

   I do not recommend giving this book to children, since there are some graphic images, such as St. Stephen being stoned to death.




3. While many students might find reading about the lives of early or memorable Christians boring or time-consuming, the stories of religion's greatest heroes must not be forgotten. "The Big Book of Martyrs" is an excellent book to have especially if you have children or young adults who find reading a comic book much more interesting and entertaining.

   Illustrated in the form of comic strips, The stories of many great and memorable Christian martyrs such as Joan of Arc and St. Paul are told in a respectful, interesting manner. Using dialogue and excellent pencil drawings, the lives of these martyrs comes to life as the reader becomes very interested with every page they turn.

   Illustrated by over fifty of the world's top comic artists, "The Big Book of Martyrs" is an excellent companion book to have around when studying theology. It hits all the right spots when covering the lives of every subject featured in the book, and it is overwhelmingly entertaining. The book should be popular with the young adult crowd due to the fact that the book is composed of comic strips, however adults shouldn't rule it out of their reading lists.

   Overall, this is a great book to have. It will provide countless times of very inspirational and educational reading to anyone who picks it up.




4. It is my experience that this is the least popular of the Big Book series, usually because it treats its subject matter with a more serious tone than all the other books. However, being an information junkie who also appreciates good art, I feel that this book does a good job of delivering on both.

   While I have never been accused of being the best of Christians, it is my opinion that this subject matter deserves to be treated seriously and respectfully given that it often involves telling the stories of people standing up for their message of love and peace at the threat of violence (a lesson less tolerant Christians can learn from).

   Many of the saints should not be subject to criticism, regardless of the imperfect record of the Catholic church. That being said, not everyone who has been granted sainthood is really a saint. For example, some were mere barbarians respected by the Catholic church for their zeal in slaughtering innocent people of different faiths. But this book, while being respectful of the title of saint, does not cower from pointing out these occassional pieces of hypocrisy. Also included in this book is a chapter dealing with saints who were purely fictional (and are even recognized as such by the Catholic church) including the still popular St. Christopher (of the medallion fame), but I'd be surpised at anyone taking this as an attack on their faith.

   Since this book is about the history of saints and the process (and politics) of cannonization, it is factual regardless of one's personal faith or lack thereof, but I am sure it appeals to Christians the most. But the interesting stories and artwork are worthwhile for anyone to experience, and, yes, even the nonreligious can find inspiration in tales of people standing up for their beliefs in the face of persecution, including those who have been targeted by the Catholic church.




5. In "The Big Book of Martyrs," Paradox Press takes a look at religion. Many saints of the Christian church have led amazing lives, and this volume covers some of them. It should inspire you no matter what you believe!

3 comments about Bernadette Speaks: A Life of St. Bernadette Soubirous in Her Own Words.

1. Very interesting. Many details about Bernadette and the miracles of Lourdes included. Perfect reading for anyone who has been to the Lourdes Shrine or is thinking of making the trip to Lourdes, France. I highly recommend it.



2. As a biography, this is quite nice -- very detailed, highly readable, lots of photos. A good account of the life of St. Bernadette. From that standpoint I can certainly recommend it. But from the title and the description, I expected it to be comprised entirely of verbatim excerpts from the writings of, and interviews with, St. Bernadette herself, strung together to create a flowing narrative. I was looking for the most complete volume of the visionary's own description of the Lourdes apparitions, and of her subsequent life, in her OWN WORDS. This is anything but that. So apply caution when choosing this book.



3. This is book is written in the format of a novel, but with Bernadette's actual words. This was a very satisfying hagiography, because it gave, I feel, a realistic portrait of Bernadette. Often, saints' biographies tend to make the saint out as more angelic than human.The author, for the most part, avoids this annoying habit.There are also many interesting photos, which add to the feeling of the "authenitic" Bernadette.
   In sum, I would definitely reccommend this book for anyone truly interested in the life, words, and spirit of the peasant girl from Lourdes who was graced with the presence of the "the Immaculate Conception".

2 comments about A Legacy of Faith: Things I Learned from My Father.

1. In this delightful book, A LEGACY OF FAITH: Things I Learned From My Father, Ruth Graham honestly and tenderly shares what it was like growing up as the daughter of Billy Graham. Ruth, the third and youngest daughter, talks about what it was like to have a world-famous, traveling evangelist as a dad and the lengths to which her parents went to give their children a normal upbringing.
   
   In six well-written chapters, Graham explores different lessons she learned from her father, including love for the world, grace and loyalty. From an early age all of the Graham children were schooled in the business of giving. One of her first Christmas memories is putting boxes together for the needy within the surrounding area. In fact, any gifts sent to the family were immediately given to those in need. Graham recounts a time when a generous patron sent the family a beautiful soda fountain and admits that was a hard gift to give away!
   
   She also describes her mother's efforts to create a normal life for the children when their father was gone so much of the time. She talks about the excitement of her father's homecomings and the gifts he always brought back from his various trips. While home, Billy Graham spent long hours in his study reading, researching and preparing for the next set of meetings. While always welcome to interrupt, Ruth admits she limited any interruptions to a minimum --- not only during those times of study but throughout her growing up years. This was done with some regret.
   
   Graham writes, "My father has set a high standard in giving himself wholeheartedly; I have sought more of a balance and tend to be more restrained. It may be that seeing my father give so much to others when I was a child caused me to become reserved in loving. I think I felt that he gave away so much of what was mine --- attention, concern, love and time --- that I became protective of my heart. I was not willing to give everything away."
   
   In these tender moments, Graham acknowledges some of the pain that accompanied being the daughter of an evangelist to the world. She says there were certain times when she felt she needed her daddy but he simply wasn't there. Yet she acknowledges that it must have been just as difficult, if not more difficult, on him as he prayerfully handed over his family to the care of God time and time again.
   
   Yet Ruth doesn't just reminisce about her father and mother. She also shares glimpses into her own life, which includes two marriages that ended in divorce. She talks about the shame she felt, but also the unwavering sense of love and support she received from her parents.
   
   Overall, A LEGACY OF FAITH: Things I Learned from My Father is a wonderful keepsake book. The layout and design make it an enjoyable afternoon read or even a book to keep out for guests. It's filled with a rich assortment of photos from Ruth's childhood as well as from her father's years in ministry. This is the first time a Graham child has ever shared personal thoughts about growing up with Billy Graham as a father, and it's a book you won't want to miss.
   
   --- Reviewed by Margaret A. Feinberg



2. THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL BOOK AND THE LIFE LESSONS THAT RUTH GRAHAM SHARES IN THIS VERY INSPIRATIONAL PUBLICATION HAVE BEEN A REAL BLEESSING IN MY LIFE AND ARE TRULY LIFE CHANGING.THIS IS VERY FAST READING AND THERE IS ALOT OF NEW INFORMATION AND PHOTOS SHARED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME BUT MORE IMPORTANT ARE THE VERY SPECIAL PRINCIPLES THAT THIS SPECIAL FAMILY MEMBER HAS PASSED DOWN FROM HER DAD(BILLY GRAHAM)THIS BOOK OFFERS ALOT OF HOPE AND COURAGE AND WILL OFFER ALOT OF STORMS. THIS WILL MAKE A WONDERFUL BOOK FOR A FRIEND, FAMILY MEMBER, A PASTOR, AND A SOLDIER SERVING OVER SEAS. THIS WOULD MAKE A WONDERFUL DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR A BIBLE STUDY FOR THIS BOOK AT MY CHURCH.

3 comments about Muhammad: Islam's First Great General (Campaigns and Commanders).

1. Although the authors many military history books and his international recognition have been familiar to this reader, the new information provided in this book, earned my appreciation.
   A new presentation of the Prophet as a military leader put the conflicts which are being played out in our days appear in a clear historical light providing precedents.
   The book is a very important contribution to understanding Islam since it is the only book from the military history of this leader



2. Muhammad: Islam's First Great General is not a typical biography Muhammad, prophet and founder of the religion of Islam. Military historian and retired U.S. Army officer Richard A. Gabriel presents a close examination of Muhammad as a military genius, who introduced innovations that would transform armies and warfare throughout the Arab world. With a keen eye upon the connections between social, economic, and cultural environment in which Muhammad lived and the religion he founded to Muhammad's military achievements, Muhammad: Islam's First Great General is an exceptional chronicle of how a brand-new religious movement survived its tumultuous birth through eight major battles, eighteen raids, and thirty-eight other military operations in its first ten years alone. Also covered is Muhammad's masterful application of nonmilitary methods including bribery, alliance building, and political assassination, to fortify his long-term position and goals, even at the expense of short-term military objectives. Muhammad: Islam's First Great General reveals how Muhammad's talents and inspirations enabled his successors to defeat the armies of Persia and Byzantium, and establish the foundations of the Islamic empire, and is a singularly fascinating study of historical warfare and leadership. Highly recommended.



3. This is a scholarly attempt to look at the life of Muhammad, the founder of the religion of Islam, in a whole new light. The author intends to examine his military accomplishments, and freely admits his lack of qualifications with regards to the religious aspects of the Prophet's life. Those military accomplishments were considerable, and the ensuing discussion of the Prophet's life, through his military exploits, is interesting.
   
   The author begins with an overview of Arab warfare prior to Muhammad's epiphany. He spends several chapters outlining Arab politics at the time, and is especially careful to discuss military organization, tactics, and strategy, as much as he can. One difficulty is that during this era, warfare tended to be of the follow-the-leader variety, with little in the way of formal military organization, no standardization of weapons or equipment, no uniforms, no real organized units with a formal chain of command, pay structures, ranks, and that sort of thing. All of that, more or less, existed during the Roman or other ancient periods, but wouldn't re-emerge until towards the end of the Middle Ages. Instead, Arab warfare was essentially tribal, low-intensity warfare, rather like what the American Indians or African tribesmen practiced in later eras. Wars went on constantly between neighboring tribes, but could go on for years with ritualized battles and campaigns in which few, if any, warriors were killed. Instead, the tribes relied on these "wars" to provide opportunities for warriors to exhibit their bravery, and as an aside, they raided their neighbors, stealing livestock and women.
   
   Muhammad, rather like Shaka Zulu, changed the way warfare was conducted. In Shaka's case we're not sure why what happened occurred: some outside sources attribute his actions to influence from a white man, while African sources insist that his ideas were homegrown. Regardless, Muhammad's transformation is easier to trace, and Gabriel makes a point of it: he didn't come up with something new. Instead, he transformed one form of warfare into another, with devastating results.
   
   At this time, Arabs only engaged in war to the death when there was something called a blood feud occurring. Such events could last for years, even generations, but they tended to be rather vicious. Essentially, in Arab society, there was no objective right or wrong. Instead, everything was based on the tribe you belonged to. You didn't steal from those in your tribe (but you could steal from others). You didn't kill members of your tribe (but others were fair game, provided you were brave enough to defy their tribe). When someone from your tribe was killed, your highest duty in life was revenge the death by killing the killers, which in turn could of course lead to that tribe wanting revenge against you. The only way out of this was to pay money to the relatives of the dead.
   
   Muhammad transformed Arab tribal warfare by making all wars between Islam and non-Muslims blood feuds. This meant that while he was alive, anyway, warfare between him and non-believers only stopped temporarily. He believed that fighting must continue until either the other side surrendered, or they paid that blood money for the insult done to Islam (by not joining it). This sort of warfare, where things were brutal and you showed no mercy to the enemy, was completely confusing to the Arab pagan societies around the original Muslims, and it conquered them in short order during about a decade.
   
   This book is interesting, and it spends a lot of time discussing tactics, organization, and equipment used by the Muslims and their opponents during the era. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone not interested in military affairs: it's pretty dry and workmanlike as far as the writing goes. The author's a professional soldier who now teaches at Canada's military academy, and it shows in his writing. Nevertheless, if you're very interested in Muhammad or in military history, this is a good book.