Sunday, January 27, 2013

Christ Have Mercy

by Matthew C. Harrison

Y'know, back in the 19th Century, American politics was different than it is today. Presidential candidates didn't go about campaigning. They would stay home and write about the issues of the day, relying on others to hit the campaign trail and spread the word. This book has nothing to do with that. It's a look at mercy—the act of giving help to those who need it—as expressed in the Church and in the life of her members. Writing to Christians, Rev. Harrison weaves stories of mercy with the teachings of the church, showing how the former is built upon the latter. But in the process, he got me thinking about politics. You see, when he wrote it, his name was being bandied about as a potential candidate for the presidency of the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. He manages to touch on many issues that were of concern in that election. Made me wonder. Of course, whether he was campaigning or not, the book is full of good information and encouragement to those who want to share the mercy of Christ with others.

 My fellow Americans—check it out!
LibraryThing link

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Saturday, January 26, 2013

Ezekiel 21-48

by Horace D. Hummel

Like I said about the first volume of this commentary, it's a dense, but good book.

Check it out.
LibraryThing link

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Team of Rivals

by Doris Kearns Goodwin

It's for books like this that I started reading presidential biographies. I had already read a Lincoln biography along the road, and had no intention of revisiting his life. However, this book was lauded over at the LibraryThing US Presidents Challenge group and when I saw a copy for two bucks, I couldn't resist. I finally read it in an attempt to make some room on my shelf -- that didn't work out so well.

In one sense, Team of Rivals is four biographies in one. In addition to documenting Lincoln's life, Ms. Goodwin also weaves in the biographies of three other candidates for the 1860 Republican nomination--William Seward, Salmon Chase and Edward Bates. She does an excellent job of making a story of their lives, showing how they were molded by their upbringings and the society around them. More than any other biography I've read, she brings out the personal side of these men, showing how they were able to work together to truly make history during their country's worst crisis. Of course, if you don't care for Mr. Lincoln, you may not be able to finish this book. Ol' Father Abraham comes across as a virtual demigod, just like they told us at school. Ms. Goodwin has no problem extolling his virtues and defending the good intentions in his errors. But the tale was so compelling that I found I had no problem reading it at all.
  
LibraryThing link

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Saturday, January 05, 2013

A Very Big Bang

by Pete Abrams

I've been very remiss in completing my Sluggy Freelance collection. This is only the fourth book I've purchased. (I know, I know. I can read it online, but that's not the same as giggling whilst sprawled on the couch.) This is seventh collection in the series, collecting strips from 2002. In it Riff saves Torg from ending it all, the Dimensional Flux Agitator sends the boys to a puny universe, Zöe returns to Nebraska, the gang move to a new (to them) house and Torg must once again evade a Hallowe'en demon seeking to drag him to the Dimension of Pain.

On-on-on my shelf!
LibraryThing link

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Friday, January 04, 2013

Beat to Quarters

by C. S. Forester

This one's the first book in the Horatio Hornblower saga... or the sixth. It all depends how you count them. This one's the first that was published, but it takes place in the middle of Horatio Hornblower's life. I can't quite recall why I decided to read this after the other first one, but I did. It's a great tale, telling of Captain Hornblower's adventures in the Pacific off the coast of Central America. There are scenes of action and conflict, but also of introspection. I think I'm going to have to make room for the series on my shelf... and then figure out which one of the series to read next.  

LibraryThing link

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