Religion Books

The book arrived sooner than promised, but it is about marriage; and for me, is 41 years too late. If only I had this available to me back when I really needed it, I probably would not have married. Now that I am, I am trapped in a loveless marriage.

I got this book for someone else. T.D. Jakes has been blessed by God with gifts of unmistakable brilliance to help people.

It covers all the major decisions one needs to take in life, and arms you with the necessary steps to avoid regrets. Topics that are covered include marriage, divorce, taking risks, choosing your inner circle and avoid settling for less in your personal and business life- all read by TD Jakes... Highly recommended!

This book is a must read it tells you how to prevent yourself from getting into things that may hurt you in the long run,also how to make life a lot easier by putting down some unwanted baggages.It also tells of letting go and stop blaming others.You will not regret this buy.

Bishop Jakes has created an excellent tool that can be used before making any serious life decisions. This book ranges in topics from business practices to choosing a life partner. The book is written in a conversational tone that allows the reader to absorb the wisdom that is being offered. I recommend this book to anyone who is in a time of transition in his or her life.

After reading numerous parenting books and being a very busy father with very little spare time to read these books, How To Have a New Kid by Friday is clearly the best. The first 5 chapters lay the groundwork and all the examples that follow explain the execution of the principles. I have had a remarkable improvement in my kid's behavior after using the recommendations of this book. Clearly a must have for all parents.

I liked the book, but think that it all can be covered in 1-2 chapters instead of all the pages used. Just like it up to the point....

this is one awesome book that is changing my grand son for the better since his mother my daughter is useing the principles laid out in it.

Every parent should read this book! Well written and humorous. Gives terrific ideas on disciplining your children.

Great book, the author really knows what he is talking about, My mother in law and I both read this and both have benefited greatly. She has her five year old granddaughter and I have three kids 8,2,&1. My dealings with my 8 yr old and 2 yr old have gotten so much better. This is a must read for dealing with stubborn kids!

This book is one of the better books i have read in the past few years. I have always been a big fan of Nooma, Velvet Elvis, Sex God, i even own The God's Arent Angry and Everything is Spiritual, so Bell's new book was something that i was excited to get my hands on, and i must say i wasn't let down at all.
I appreciated all of the links for human history towards the Exodus, and i couldn't agree more with the idea of The Empire, and how it is hard to get kids/adults today to indentify with Christ because they are all children of the empire themselves.
I would call this book a lighter version of "Jesus For President" by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw, whom he sites a few times in this book, as do Haw and Claiborne in their book. I think Jesus for President said what Bell and Golden are saying, just a little more indepth, but that is not to say that i dont love this book, because i do.
With Bell's three book releases thus far i would rank them (and this is hard because the three are SO different)
1. Velvet Elvis
2. Sex God
3. Jesus Wants To Save Christians

Keep it up Rob Bell, your ministry is helping shape the world.

He had me going at first, but making the "Empire" case stretched Bell's credibility too far. Bell presents lots of facts, but facts aren't always the truth. Bell ignores the need to face evil where it rises and joins a long line of apologists who inspire the fear and hopelessness of those who rely on their own powers rather than God's.

I am a Rob Bell fan. After hearing Rob and Don share the pulpit at Mars Hill I am a Don Golden fan as well. This book follows in-line with the rest of Rob's work (writing, preaching, and NOOMA video). Rob and Don continue their message of social justice and the Christians part. Good stuff, and a much needed reminder. It's about time someone of faith deals with politics, even taking on the current administration. I am tired of Christians taking one side only. A side that I believe is wrapped in self comfort and attitudes of superiority. I did want to see this book go a bit deeper in content. I felt that they left some illustrations half done and chapters not completed. That's why I gave it an average rating. I didn't get bored with the book, but I was not compelled to read it all in one night like his previous works. I will say that an average rating for Rob would be a 5 star rating for most other authors! Can't wait till your next book comes out.

new exodus understanding of scripture
well thought through
points to some great resources for further study
even - spoken from a the perspective of man who pastors a diverse church community - soldiers and the non-violent, mohawks and the gray hairs, conservatives and liberals.

- most importantly - Jesus is put front and center.

rob bell's newest book (his third) is his best one yet, i believe. his main premise is that the bible should be read as the story of exile and reconciliation. and he traces this storyline throughout the narrative arc of scripture. peppered with the storytelling that rob is known for (stories from scripture, stories from jewish midrash, and modern day stories), the book wanders through the old testament - starting with "the first book of the bible: exodus" - and into the new, with more and more implications for "our current exile" as the book progresses. it's a deeply theological book, but extremely accessible. it's a "framing" book for followers of jesus, seeking to understand the story of god and how we fit into it. rob doesn't shy away from taking jabs at the "empire" we live in, the spiritualization of violence and oppression, or the mindset of american christianity. i doubt sarah palin would like this book.

personally, i tire quickly of rob's single-sentence paragraphs, found in strings on most pages. it's a neat literary device to use occasionally. but it grows old for me.

but, other than that minor issue (which readers of other rob bell books will certainly recognize - maybe he's attempting to write in twitter boxes of 140 words or less?), this is a profoundly good book that will certainly impact my thinking from here on out.

here are a few choice sentences that captured my imagination:

jesus wants to save us from making the good news about another world and not this one.

jesus wants to save us from preaching a gospel that is only about individuals and not about the systems that enslave them.

jesus wants to save us from shrinking the gospel down to a transaction about the removal of sin and not about every single particle of creation being reconciled to its maker.

jesus want to save us from religiously sanctioned despair, the kind that doesn't believe the world can be made better, the kind that either blatently or subtly teaches people to just be quiet and behave and wait for something to happen "someday."

Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs

Too often we give to our spouse what WE need, not what THEY need. Find out how to give what THEY need. I've read lots of men-women marriage books in search of answers to problems that occur too often between husband and wife. Finally a book with real answers to real problems...not some new psychological gimick! The pieces to the husband-wife puzzle are finally laid out for easily assembly! If you are responsible, your spouse can't help but being "response-able". I wish I'd read this book years ago. My husband is reading it too, because he's seen such a wonderful change in me. This book is a great companion to the Feldhahn books "For Women Only", and "For Men Only". Every marriage counselor should recommend, and follow this book. If every married person followed this book, the divorce rate would drop to an all time low! Fall in love anew with your spouse, as you read this book.

Diana A.

This book is full of great information on the differences between men and women and their vastly different needs and perspectives. I'd recommend it as a must-read for all who want to improve communication and understand their spouses.

This book gives you the secret to happiness in marriage.

And it makes it so easy -
Just one command for the woman AND one command for the man. That's it!

When even just one of those commands is applied, it changes the marriage completely!

I would recommend this to anyone who's married, wants to get married, or is going to get married!

I'm always on the lookout for a Christian book on marriage that is simple and straightforward in its approach. This title fits the bill, offering the basic directive to the husband of "love her" and to the wife "respect him." The author uses Ephesians 5:33 as the cornerstone for his insights, expanding it to many different areas of couples' lives. I recommend this book highly to any married couple wanting simple helps to strengthen their marriage.

My book came to me in perfect condition and in a timely manner. I'm very satisfied.

The Heretic's Daughter is a work of fiction based on the actual family history of the author. Although I'm sure liberties were taken with regards to details and plot lines, for me, knowing that it was anchored in the reality of someone's family tree made it more interesting.

This is not another story about The Salem Witch Trials -- it is the story of a family. The more notable persons from the trials such as Tituba, Ann Putnam Jr., or Abigail Williams are either resigned to a bit part or don't make an appearance at all. This, to me, makes the story more interesting and fresh.

The novel moves along at a good clip, only bogging down briefly in one or two spots, and then not for long. It's a great story about coming of age during the Salem Witch Trials.

There are few books that keep me up at night. The Heretic's Daughter, by first-time novelist Kathleen Kent, was one of them. With none of the insecurity sometimes displayed by new authors who are unsure how to carry a long narrative, Kent effortlessly weaves the tale of a woman, Martha Carrier, and the fate suffered by her family during the Salem Witch Trials in 17th century Massachusetts.

Told from the perspective of Martha's 10-year-old daughter, Sarah, the story is not about magic or spells, but is instead about one woman's courageous stand against tyranny, suspicion, and superstition in a time when such beliefs were considered an integral part of everyday life.

I found that over the course of reading this book I didn't want to finish it. Not because I lost interest, but because I had become so emotionally invested in these characters that I wanted to somehow stave off their fate, all the while telling myself that I was being ridiculous. In our modern world of happy endings and tidily concluded book and movie plots, the knowledge that my favorite character would indeed die at the end, for no reason other than ignorance and malice, was actually hard for me to confront.

The Heretic's Daughter is also about family, about the importance of loyalty, and of the timeless struggle of children to understand their parents. It's a point well-crafted by Kent, told through the story of Sarah's evolving relationship with her mother as she grows older and comes to understand the reasons behind her stoic demeanor. Ashamed and angry of her at the beginning, Sarah comes to not only comprehend her mother's actions, but to admire her, love her, and ultimately, carry her legacy with pride.

Kathleen Kent has written a fine novel, certainly an impressive debut. It was one of those rare times when one finds not only a good story, but good storytelling. I'll certainly be on the lookout for her next effort.

Kathleen Kent
ISBN: 9780316024488
Little Brown and company, 2008
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com , 2008
5 Stars
A must read!...
Kathleen Kent draws on the store of her ancestors in this unforgettable novel. This tale will keep readers turning pages. Kent weaves fact and fiction into a frighteningly real drama.
The Heretic's Daughter is narrated by ten year old Sarah Carrier. Her mother Martha has been accused of witch craft. Martha is stubborn, strong willed, and has a sharp tongue. She gains few friends with her cold exterior. While Kent deftly describes the events surrounding the Salem Witch Trials, this novel reaches below the surface and deals with family relationships. The life of the Puritan comes alive before the reader's eyes .
When Sarah's brother contracts small pox, she is sent to stay with her aunt and uncle. Though relationships between the families are strained, Sarah finds she loves her aunt and uncle dearly. Martha clearly demonstrates that beneath the tough exterior lay a woman that truly loved her children. Sarah is forced to do something repulsive to save her own life. She pens a letter to her family in hopes that someday they will understand.
In reading this book, I felt as thought I had been transported back in time. Kent paints a word picture of the trials and torture the people endured during the 1700s.

The subject has interested me since I was a little girl myself, a story well known. But "The Heretic's Daughter" relates the Salem witch trials fresh and new in young Sarah's voice, and the delicious, oppressive and frightening flavor of the times are brought to readers without flinching. Very well done.

In her debut novel, Kathleen Kent offers a unique perspective of the Salem Witch Trials: the story is told through the eyes of a child, ten-year-old Sarah Carrier, daughter of one of the accused.

The Heretic's Daughter begins months before the Salem Witch Trials. The Carrier family has just moved to Andover, Massachusetts from Billerica, hoping to escape the outbreak of smallpox there. Unbeknownst to them, one of Sarah's older brothers, Andrew, is already infected. When Andrew becomes ill, Sarah and her younger sister Hannah are sent to live with their aunt and uncle, in the hopes that this will spare them from the disease.

On her own for the first time in her life, Sarah quickly bonds with her cousin Margaret. The two girls become inseparable. Sarah also notices a stark contrast between her family life and that of her cousin. Compared to Margaret's family, Sarah's parents - especially her mother, Martha Carrier - seem cold and distant.

When Sarah and Hannah finally return to their family, much has changed. Andrew has been ravaged by the disease, another family member has died from it, and many in the community are suspicious of the Carrier family. Sarah and her mother clash with each other frequently. Rumors begin to circulate about Martha Carrier, slowly at first but gaining strength as events in nearby Salem begin to incite mass hysteria.

At first, Sarah resents her mother and feels that Martha's willfulness and pride are what have damaged their family's reputation in the community. But as the story progresses, and Martha Carrier is arrested for witchcraft, Sarah's attitude towards her mother softens. She begins to admire and love the qualities in her mother that she previously resented. Sarah's anguish over the fate she knows awaits her mother is palpable and heartbreaking.

Kathleen Kent's prose is beautiful, frequently verging on poetic. One of my favorite passages is this description of Martha Carrier:

"It was not defiance only that made me study her so, although our cat-and-mouse-games did become a kind of battle. It was also because she, with a deliberation bordering on the unseemly, set herself apart from what a woman should be and was as surprising as a flood or a brush fire. ... But Martha Carrier was like a deep pond, the surface of which was placid enough but deeply cold to the touch and which was filled beneath the surface with sharp rocks and treacherous choke roots."

While Sarah's relationship with her mother is the driving force for the novel, I found the relationship between Sarah and her siblings to be very touching as well. When Sarah is about to leave to live with her aunt and uncle, she's given a handmade doll. Her departure came about so suddenly that the doll could not be finished before she left - it was missing buttons for eyes. One of Sarah's brothers rips the buttons from his shirt cuffs and runs after her so that Sarah will have eyes for her doll.

The Heretic's Daughter is one of the best historical fiction novels I've read this year. Kent's narrative style is so refined that it's hard to believe this is her first novel. If you enjoy excellent, well-researched and compelling historical fiction, this is a must-read.

For me, there was one take home message from the book that made it worth four stars: that religion is not above questioning, nor should it be. This is a powerful message that for me, does not strengthen the idea that there is no God, but rather that there is a God and that God is much bigger, smarter and clever than we have given him/her/it credit for in the past. The more I learn about science, the more I'm impressed. Like a good movie or novel that just keeps getting better and better with every turn of the page, so is life. For me, this book allowed me to look at religion, as a whole, and question it. Debate is a crucial part of learning. Reason and logic are divine gifts.

I disagree with the books conclusion that eventually we will go away from religion, or even replace religion with science, but I do think the book presents a lot of good ideas on how both the religious and non-religious can better understand the world we live in and appreciate the complexities of the universe. To appreciate the world is probably another way to say that religion is not above questioning, nor should it be.

This book is nothing but a diatribe against that which Dawkins himself obviously knows to be true, but refuses to admit. His straw man arguments had already been more than adequately refuted long before this book was written, and he knows it.

Not surprisingly, there is nothing original in these pages. But denying reality is Dawkins' means of making a living, so he releases this pile of regurgitated falsehoods. There is no truth here, only agenda. The only delusion evident in these pages is the idea that Dawkins and his book of foolish tirades are somehow scientific. Funny, but that seems to be the underlying theme of all his writing.

Dawkins clearly seeks to persuade people from intelligently investigating both sides of the issues and, in the process, drag them down with them. But anyone who takes the time to investigate the actual responses to his challenges (as opposed to the untrue statements he fabricates and then attributes to opponents) will discover that Dawkins is a deceiver with none of the integrity or expertise that he wants his readers to believe he has.

The good news is that the only people who will fail to see through Dawkins' lies are the ones who already agreed with him before feeding their minds with this particular volume of garbage.

Zero stars.

Dawkins is at his best when using the tools that he has mastered over his lifetime of academia: biology and bio-chemistry, evolutionary biology. Anyone who has read his "The Ancestor's Tale" can have little doubt about this.

However, as an Atheist myself, I find myself unconvinced by his forays into religious talk. Sure he can destroy arguments against Creationism/Intelligent Design, this is where he shines.

However, he brings nothing new to the table of discourse, no new arguments for the Athiestic position are raised, no new ways of thinking about the problem(s) are presented - 1 star. I will add another simply because Dawkins can write, and write rather well, in my own opinion. Thus 2 stars.

I do think that Dawkins does a serious disservice to Atheists and Atheism in that he advocates it as a "belief that god does not exist"... [this taken right from the little flash video right here on the book's site at Amazon]. Immediately, my thinking antennae starts to twitch. Why haven't men such as Dawkins and Hitchins addressed this fundamental point? I can only assume that they haven't thought the notion of a 'belief that god(s) do not exist' all the way through. With Dawkins advocating such a 'belief' it does nothing in addressing the true nature of Atheism, precisely 'no god-belief' or to put it more directly, to lack god knowledge. In this we Atheists are not alone as no person on earth has any god knowledge or knowledge of god - they may say they do but in the court of reason and thought, god knowledge evaporates (scriptural authority and personal experience lack the qualifications of reasoned knowledge, but as a review it would take a bundle of lines to detail. Besides, it is not the rationale behind this review) - Atheists are the most vocal group who admit to such lack of god knowledge and proclaim it as part of their system of conclusions that there is no good reason to have a belief in god; there may be 'reasons' (not to be confused with rational thought, thinking, agnosticism) to believe in god(s) but there are no 'good reasons' to believe in god and perhaps 'good reasons' NOT to believe in god.

I do sincerely hope that Dawkins and the like of conversion-minded Atheists who have sprung up recently, at some point, address this inconsistancy in their mis-represented (misunderstood?) definition and thus outlook of Atheism but I suspect that until someone can show them the flaw in their statements that directly pertain to a 'belief that there is no god(s)', this will only add to the inflammatory subject of Atheism vs. Theism(s). It has been rightly pointed out many times that a belief that something doesn't exist takes almost as much or just as much time, energy,and thought as a belief that something does exist. To lack belief removes the Atheist from the equation of 'belief' all together and can properly set the debate on its thoughtful course: the rational from the non-rational to the irrational, to the true from the false to the neither true nor false, to the reasoned and unreasoned, to the claims of religion and religious 'belief' and their truthfulness and falsity/falsifiability.

I'm sure that my comments will be unconvincing to many and may even appear as symmantical, but having thought through the problem, nature, language and its offhanded and mis-use in language (i.e. "I 'believe' that it will be sunny tomorrow') of 'belief', I hope that Atheists can move to a more complete Atheistic understanding and perhaps move the argument into the necessary arena of persuasion and convincing debate that so far has not taken hold because the ideas espoused by the likes of Dawkins are rarely persuasive to the believer. Once we can move effectively into that necessary human and psychological domain of persuasion through right/correct argument then we might see some practically understood applications of how we can use and constrain religion instead of being used and constrained by religion (i.e. the entire political process and views drip with religious bias and need to be thought out in the absence of religion, as should science).

I don't believe in god, but I refuse to call myself an athiest because, in my experience, avowed athiests tend to be arrogant, strident and condescending. This audiobook has not shown me otherwise. Although it is very well researched and packed full of information, much of it is read in a snotty, superior tone that ridicules other belief systems, and adds nothing to the arguments. (Although, in all honesty, the uppity-sounding English accents add to the perception.) I think I would have preferred to read this rather than hear it read by these two.

Dawkins is one of the most important critical thinkers of our times. His contributions to the field of biology alone secure him among the ranks of great thinkers.
In the God Delusion, Dawkins argues forcefully and effectively for a naturistic worldview. His most interesting and new argument is a response to the belief that somehow, the universe and life are so complex that they require an explanation in the form of an intelligent designer/creator. He challenges this with the obvious point that anything able to design and create something the universe must itself be far greater than the universe, and therefore, would itself require a much greater explanation. Yet, theists assert that God merely is self existent. If this is an acceptable answer, then, of course, the answer that the universe is self existent is also acceptable. Dawkins fleshes this out wonderfully, and this is just one of the many treats inside this book.

Mike Tenenbaum, Author - Blessed Assurance? A Demonstration that Christian Fundamentalism is Simply False. Expanded - Limited Edition.

The author spent a considerable number of years living in an isolated small South Dakota home, and began frequenting monasteries for intellectual stimulation - hardly a good foundation for a vigorous intellectual life. Much stronger alternatives included moving to a larger city or becoming employed as a high-school or junior college instructor, heavy use of the Internet (reading respected sources such as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and posting her own thoughts), and use of satellite TV.

Whatever your spiritual path, or your curiosity about things spiritual, Kathleen Norris is a worthy guide. She chooses a discursive path through her own life. She's honest,frank and remarkably open.

Acedia may be an unfamiliar word, but from the moment Norris first describes it, you will recognize it. The vice of "not caring" is familiar to us all at least occasionally. The effect of acedia on Norris' marriage, prayer, writing, life helps us to understand how relevant her portrayal is for us today.

Her forays into explanations of acedia, its causes and effects are just deep enough. We return to her story with a renewed sense of her life's struggle.

Norris says in the introduction to this book that she's been working on it for a long, long time, gathering materials, reading, and writing. I suspect that what she was waiting for - consciously or intuitively - was an organizing structure. She never found it.

"Acedia & Me" is full of lots of wisdom and reflection on the spiritual problem of depression/apathy/boredom/distraction, as well as a smattering of wonderful quotes and stories from church literature that has been largely forgotten by the church, and stories about her husband's illnesses, and her own battles with depression (etc.) and quotes from modern authors about society's ills, and... anything else that managed to fall into her file marked "Acedia" over the years.

The problem is that it's barely organized at all. And at 327 pages, it's an awful lot of unorganized notes and thoughts. Some things repeat almost verbatim; often variations on the same theme are twenty pages apart. It gets kind of hard to keep plugging through after the first hundred pages or so; while new stuff does turn up now and then, maintaining a sense of progression through the book is almost impossible.

There is an awful lot of great stuff here. Norris has diagnosed a problem in society and written some excellent words of insight and reflection about it.

Too bad she never found that organizing structure.

It's been fifteen years since Kathleen Norris captured the spiritual imagination of readers with memoirs about leaving New York City for Lemmon, South Dakota (Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, 1993), and drinking deep at the well of monastic spirituality (Cloister Walk, 1996). Having passed her sixtieth birthday, her latest book reflects a maturing vision of what authentic Christian identity might look like for the contemporary pilgrim. Partly a story of love and lament for her husband David who died of cancer in 2003 at the age of fifty-seven, part historical and theological inquiry, and part psychological analysis, Norris weaves these themes around a singular plot about what the early desert monastics called the "noonday demon" of acedia.

The Greek word acedia has a semantic range that is broad, complex, and elastic. Translators pile up the synonyms: torpor, malaise, ennui, listlessness, apathy and even sloth. Acedia figures prominently in the lives and literature of the early monastics who fled the chaos and clamor of the cities, only to discover a cacophony of voices in the human heart. Norris relates how she too has battled acedia since her teenage years, although she did not always know what it was. Trying to identify with precision just what this ancient and arcane experience really is proves elusive.

Is acedia an external attack by the devil? Interior bad thoughts? A temptation you can resist? How do personality types, your inherited neurobiology, family of origin, and developmental psychology inform the analysis? Most important of all is the similarity between acedia and clinical depression. Is acedia a spiritual sin or a medical sickness? Maybe both at the same time? Is this a matter of "do not," "will not" or "cannot" (204)? Norris is acutely aware of this dangerous territory; she knows that in our contemporary culture to distinguish between acedia and depression "can make one suspicious of being in denial, or worse, of judging people who are ill as being morally deficient." She admits that teasing out distinctions is murky and wants to avoid the "false assurances of either/or thinking" (268; cf. 35). But she draws upon her own experiences and the reflections of writers like Evagrius, Kierkegaard, Dante, and contemporary psychiatrists to maintain that whatever their many similarities, acedia and depression are not the same.

Readers can judge for themselves whether Norris succeeds in her task. At times I thought of the joke that when all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. For example, her final chapter is called "Acedia: A Commonplace Book" (289-329); it simply quotes without comment about 125 authors across four thousand years who speak broadly about her theme. A related problem is that the subject dies the death of a thousand qualifications, resulting in a distinction without a clear difference. Norris herself is a wise spiritual pilgrim, but an unintended consequence of her book might be that it encourages popular self-analysis of a complicated phenomenon by sufferers who are far less adept than she is, and who ought to seek professional help (whether spiritual or medical).

Let the scholars howl, says Norris (47). She knows her own story, she knows the early monastics and modern studies, and she's done her homework. She points us toward genuine human wholeness, to greater self-knowledge and less self-consciousness, and to the deep longing of Sarapion of Thmuis (4th century), "Lord! We entreat you, make us truly alive." Acedia and Me might be Norris's most controversial book; it also might be her best one.

This is a really stunning book, poised on the boundary between psychology and religion. What to do about that stuporous state of motionless that is not quite severe depression but is also more than just a temporary sadness or bad mood? It seems to be a problem that afflicts writers in particular, and Norris writes eloquently about it. I felt like she described what therapists have described as dysthymia and my parents see as lack of discipline precisely, insightfully, and helpfully. The interweaving of her exploration of literary and religious sources with her own personal narrative is fascinating and enlightening for the reader. Reading this book gave me hope and courage to face my own difficulties.

This book was not what I expected. It is essentially a story about Christians and the strength of their faith. Although I am not of that religion, I found the story to be interesting, if not inspirational -- which I'm sure is its intention. It is the simply-written story of 3 people drawn together and changed by tragedy and their strong faith.

Outstanding book! While my book club members had mixed reviews on this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has a strong spirituality/religious message, which I mostly set aside. What was compelling to me was the cross-cultural relationship between the two authors, and the power of moving beyond initial assumptions to develop a relationship that transcends race, socioeconomic status, background, and privilege (or lack thereof). It's a true story about what happens when circumstances unleash the best in people, and what's possible when we consciously move beyond our biases and assumptions to really get to know others. It is also a testament to how little we really need to get by. It reads like fiction, and to know that it's a true story makes it that much more intriguing.

This book profoundly impacted both my husband and me. I have recommended it to many, many friends. They have also responded with rave reviews. This true story reveals how living beyond yourself can change our world, one life at a time.

I loved this book. It shows the power of God and how he can transform lives. I could not put it down once I started reading it. It really opens your eyes to look at people from the inside instead of the outside. No matter what we look like, I think we all have a story to tell. Some more powerful than others and it is obvious from this book that you don't need to be rich or have a college degree to be one of the most giving and insightful people there is. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who wants to have their heart touched.

This book, a true story co-written by a homeless man and an art dealer, deals with incredibly important social and moral issues in a relaxed but intimate way. Your views on homelessness, suffering, forgiveness, and faith will be challenged and sharpened by reading this book. Understanding gained by reading this book can be life-changing for you, as well as the world.

Twin brothers, Alex and Brett Harris, have weaved together principles and examples of faith in action in a book aimed at teenagers, but useful to Christians of all ages. They challenge us all to fight against low expectations in our society and culture, and do hard things, as the title of the book exhorts. At the age of only 19, they speak from experience. After reading the book, their website can be accessed to follow-up on their examples.

What a terrific book! Although it's written for teens, I found the information quite inspirational for even old people like me!

I plan to give it to my teenage grandson; he'll love it! Every teenager on your gift list should have a copy of this easy to read book.

I loved this book! These two incredible teen authors break the mold of the "typical teenager" and share their wonderful advice to other teens on how to prove the "lazy teenager" stereotype wrong.

A MUST READ FOR ALL TEENS (AND SOME ADULTS TOO!)

I picked up this book at my cousins house while I was visiting PA. It belonged to her young son (17 yrs). I could not put it down. When he ask if he could read "his" book I felt guilty and ordered my own. I plan on sharing it with every teen I know.
This is a great book for all teen leaders to read and share. It is very inspiring, even for retired folks like me.

There is much in this book to like. The writing style is very fluid and catchy. It is a very easy read but also one that has the ability to stir up your heart. The first part of the book, at least in my opinion, shines the brightest. The second and third section are necessary to help us see what The Rebelution looks like but I was sold on the first part. The Myth of Adolescence and A Better Way are two really great chapters. These teens know their culture and are impacting it in a profound way.

As a youth pastor I made an effort to get this book in the hands of every one of our teenagers. We went through this book in our Sunday School meetings and most of the students liked it, and some were excited about joining The Rebelution. This book, or at least all of the principles behind it, needs to catch on in our churches and within our youth culture.

What I Disliked:

This book will not solve all of the problems within teen culture nor is it meant to. However, there does seem to be something that is missing with this book. It pains me to say it because I expected the exact opposite, but the thing that seemed to missing was a Christ-centered, gospel-centered, appeal to rebel against low expectations. By no means is the gospel left out. The Harris brothers are always quick to point to God and many of their stories include the living out of the gospel. But there is a sense in which the gospel seems to take a back seat to social change. Would they consider someone a Rebelutionary that started a grass roots political campaign but never came to know and share in the glory of Christ? It is clear that their intent is to "do hard things for the glory of God" but does that really happen when unbelievers are merely creating social change?

Should You Buy It?

If you are an old codger that disdains and is bothered by the plight of youth culture then you need to read this book to see why teens are the way they are and what you can do about it. If you are a blissfully ignorant teenager then you need to read this book. If you work with teenagers and are beating your head against the wall this might be a good book for you. Simply put, if you have ever seen a teenager then this might be a good read for you. In my opinion this book is a seed of something really great. Be a part of it, buy the book.

I commend Kate's former BBF, Beth Carson, for being able to translate Kate's gibberish, strange thinking and insane comments into readable prose. Unfortunately, water doesn't rise higher than its source, so Ms Carson had to dig deep to find anything of value, and that well was nearly dry. Equally unfortunate is that we must take Kate's word for everything. Anyone who has even passing interest in Kon (Jon & Kate) knows that some of their statements and actions have been less than Christian or even less than honest.

I suggest taking your $12 and giving it to charity. This book will be in the dollar stores before long--probably marked at 50¢.

Kate Gosselin (of the TLC show Jon & Kate Plus Eight) is candid as she shares her thoughts on her two pregnancies - the first with twins, and then with sextuplets.

As a reader, I appreciated her honesty as she faced being pregnant with six, against the odds. I loved reading about how the six youngest were named. Also, it was eye-opening to read about the medical complications Kate and six little ones faced, as she and Jon were also raising three-year-old twins. It was interesting to read about how the family came to cope with the new demands of their large family, through their faith, and the help of their family, friends, and volunteers.

If you're looking for current updates on the Gosselins, know that this book only covers the years from when Jon and Kate met and were married, to about 2005, when the family first moved into a bigger house. However, the book is very well-written and emphasizes the family's gratefulness to God, and the many people who helped them, through the early, difficult times.