Fire in the Bones

Title: Fire in the Bones: William Tyndale - Martyr, Father of the English Bible

Author: S. Michael Wilcox

Pages: 255

Genre: Religion

Grade: B

Synopsis: William Tyndale was a genius translator and familiar with numerous languages including Hebrew, Greek & Latin. During his life in the early 1500s, the printing press was a new invention and most people were illiterate.  The bible only existed in Latin, Hebrew and Greek and the Catholic church fought hard against reformers such as Martin Luther and others who were trying to translate the bible into the more common tongues of English, German, French, etc. Many of these condemned heretics were burned at the stake and hunted throughout both England and the European continent. Wilcox makes the comparison between Joseph Smith and William Tyndale and how both were guided by the Lord in their translation work.

My Review: I enjoyed the story, but it was loaded with speculation and conjecture and in my opinion was stretched out longer than necessary.  This book would have made the perfect novella or magazine article series, but was more of a stretch in book length.

Yearning for the Living God

Title: Yearning for the Living God: Reflections from the Life of F. Enzio Busche

Author: F. Enzio Busche & Tracie A. Lamb

Pages: 307

Genre: Religion, LDS

Grade: A

Synopsis: F. Enzio Busche grew up in Dortmund, Germany and was involved in the Hitler Youth before heading out to fight in WWII as a teenager.  In his early 20's he started meeting with some missionaries before being converted and beginning his life of service in the Church.

My Review: This book was fantastic. I felt like I was reading a full book of conference talks and experiences.  The stories and experiences that are shared by F. Enzio Busche are really quite amazing and testify of miracles, ongoing revelation and the importance of listening to the Spirit.  I have felt motivated to do a better job in my own life, which is some of the highest praise that I can give to a book.

The Continuous Atonement

Title: The Continuous Atonement

Author: Brad Wilcox

Pages: 195

Genre: Religion, LDS

Grade: B+

Synopsis: The atonement of Jesus Christ is one of the central tenets of Christendom, but one of the least understood (and I do not claim to really have an understanding, but I'm working on it).  The more that we can figure out how to rely on Christ and apply the principles of the atonement to our lives, then we will quickly realize that we can always rely on the atonement to make the difference.

My Review:  I enjoyed this book. It's more simple and easier to grasp and understand than some of the other books about the atonement that I've read recently.

From the Book: "(Pg. 107) One speaker in Church directs, "You can't do everything. Don't run faster than you have strength". The next says, "Push yourself. You can always do more." One person advises, "Don't worry about what you can't do" at the same time someone else says, "You can do anything you put your mind to." In one hymn we sing, "I need thee every hour," and in another we sing, "We will work out our salvation". In this world of mixed messages, I never can seem to escape the nagging though, "If only I were better organized or if only I tried harder." Satan tempted Christ with the word if. He often comes to me with the words if only."

Following the Light of Christ into His Presence

Title: Following the Light of Christ into His Presence

Author: John Pontius

Pages: 255

Genre: LDS, Religion

Grade: B

Synopsis: Just as the title describes, this book is about following the Light of Christ through personal revelation.  Holding onto the iron rod and recognizing and acting upon the promptings of the Spirit are all keys for doing this.

My Review: The content in the book is decent (although it felt like about 1/3 of the book was just quotes from Bruce R. McConkie), but something about the material presentation just felt a bit off-putting and often came across in a holier than thou style (Not to mention that it took me almost 3 months to slog through).  However, as is usually the case, there was still plenty to think about and ideas and impressions of behaviors to implement in my own life.

The Infinite Atonement

Title: The Infinite Atonement

Author: Tad R. Callister

Pages: 356

Genre: Religion

Grade: B

Synopsis: The Infinite Atonement is obviously all about Christ's atonement.  The book explores the atonement from all sides, including why it was necessary and important, why only Jesus Christ could provide this sacrifice and why the atonement is infinite, eternal and all-encompassing.

My Review: This book certainly helped me understand the atonement better.  However, I found it to be more of a chore to pick up.  It's certainly not a page-turner and it took me more than 2 months to read (not typical for me). I think that I would have enjoyed the book more had I actually studied it and followed the numerous scriptural references in the book.  While I'm not giving the book high praise at the moment, I do plan on studying this book some future day.

The Coming of the Lord

Title: The Coming of the Lord

Author: Gerald N. Lund

Pages: 241

Genre: Religion

Grade: C

Synopsis: Elder Gerald N. Lund explores the prophecies of things that must come to pass before the second coming of Jesus Christ.  Published in 1971, Elder Lund covers scriptural prophecies and prophecies that have been made by modern-day apostles and prophets up to the book's publication.  Most of the prophecies of the second coming that have been made in the latter-days were made during the 19th century, with a smattering of follow-up prophecies here in the last 100 years or so.  Everything has been meticulously researched and documented and the text of the book is based on scriptural references and quotes while avoiding additional speculation.

My Review:  While the content of the book was interesting and the book itself was well-written and insightful, I had a difficult time reading this book.  It never piqued by interest like I thought that it would and it took me nearly 3 months to make it through.  My personal viewpoint is that while it is important to know and understand what the prophets have prophesied concerning the last days and the second coming, the fact of the matter is that no man knoweth the timing of the second coming.  Another point is that if many of the latter-day prophesies are taken literally, then the prophets of these latter-days were off the mark. For example (and I can't quote exactly who said this, or when it was or what the phrasing was as I don't have the book with me), there were a few times in the 1870's time-range where it was prophesied that there were individuals in attendance that would live to see the great gathering to Missouri and Adam-ondi-Ahman. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that may be a tough one. My suggestion would be to take everything with a grain of salt and use your own judgment and inspiration to determine what you believe to be true.  In the end I think that everything will make sense.

Our Search for Happiness

Title: Our Search for Happiness

Author: M. Russell Ballard

Pages: 128

Genre: Religion

Grade: A-

Synopsis: This book serves as an introduction to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, written by an apostle of that Church.  Elder Ballard discusses the beliefs that members of the Mormon Church have in regards to the apostasy, the restoration of the Gospel, the Book of Mormon, the plan of salvation, the Articles of Faith and missionary work. 

My Review:  This book is a near perfect introduction to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It should be required reading for members and anybody in the media who is attempting to write an unbiased article about the Church. 

Don't Throw Rocks at His Window

Title: Don't Throw Rocks at His Window: Real Advice to Mend a Broken Heart

Author: Julie C. Donaldson

Pages: 97

Genre: Young Adult, Religion

Grade: B+

Synopsis: Broken hearts are a crucial part of growing up. This book is chock-full of advice and stories to help teenagers deal with their broken hearts and to rely on the Savior for support and strength.

My Review: Full disclosure - This book was written by a friend in our ward and the cover design was done by a neighbor from when I was growing up. Obviously I'm not in the target audience for the book, but I found that I quite enjoyed the book. The personal experiences were relevant and funny and the advice (if followed) would certainly help mend a newly dumped (or broken-up) ex-girlfriend's heart. If I ever find myself having to comfort a young lady in this circumstance, this book would make a great gift.

Mere Christianity

Title: Mere Christianity

Author: C. S. Lewis

Pages: 5 discs

Genre: Religion

Grade: B

Synopsis: C.S. Lewis talks about what it means to be a Christian and the principles that all of Christianity are founded upon. The original lectures were given as radio broadcasts during World War II in Great Britain.

My Review: I found Lewis' insights to be interesting and refreshing, but the lectures themselves could be a bit boring. The lectures definitely gave some food for thought.

Lectures on Faith

Title: Lectures on Faith

Author: Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon

Pages: 4 discs

Genre: Religious

Grade: B

Synopsis: Joseph Smith, Jr. and Sidney Rigdon prepared seven "Lectures on Faith" that were included in the Doctrine and Covenants for many years before being removed. The lectures focus on the doctrine and theology of faith and how it applies to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

My Review: I found that many of the lectures were a little dry and that they often dwelt far too long on minor points. For example, the lifespans of the righteous men living between Adam and Noah in the Old Testament are gone over again and again to prove the point on the origin of faith here on the earth. There were a few lectures and quotes that I found simply fascinating, but there were fewer than I expected.

The Purpose Driven Life

Title: The Purpose Driven Life - What on Earth am I Here For?

Author: Rick Warren

Pages: 334

Genre: Religion

Grade: B

Synopsis: Pastor Warren lays out the five purposes of life and breaks them into a 40-day spiritual journey. Using more than 1,000 verses from the Bible and 24 different translations, the book helps the reader to discover the answers to life's most important questions.

My Review: I found the book to be a little more preachy than I was looking for. At the same time, I feel that I have been reminded of some of the things that I need to do to be a better Christian. Most of the book was just okay, but every once in a while there would be a passage that would really get me thinking. I agree with the doctrine contained in about 80% of the book and I am grateful for modern-day prophets, including a living prophet today who has provided us with revelations explaining many of the confusing passages in the Bible. My testimony was strengthened.

From the Book: "(p. 86) Then Jesus changed the situation. When he paid for our sins on the cross, the veil in the temple that symbolized our separation from God was split from top to bottom, indicating that direct access to God was once again available."

"(p. 127) Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can't make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time.
It is not enough to just say relationships are important; we must prove it by investing time in them. Words alone are worthless. "My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action." Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is "T-I-M-E.""

"(p. 148) Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others. Humble people are so focused on serving others, they don't think of themselves."

"(p. 151) If you are a member of a small group or class, I urge you to make a group covenant that includes the nine characteristics of biblical fellowship: We will share our true feelings (authenticity), forgive each other (mercy), speak the truth in love (honesty), admit our weaknesses (humility), respect our differences (courtesy), not gossip (confidentiality), and make group a priority (frequency)."