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Book Reviews

My Favorite Books of 2015

This isn’t a “best books” list because, obviously, I didn’t read all the books published in 2015. But it is a collection of my favorite books from the over one hundred I read this year. Hopefully it helps you find a few you’ll enjoy. Or maybe suggest a good gift idea. So here goes:

Best science fiction has to be The Martian by Andy Weir. I haven’t seen the movie but the book is so good I’m not sure I want to!

Best biography, with an honorable mention for business book, is Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest …

Book Reviews,

Roadmap to Reconciliation

My friend Brenda Salter-McNeil is a blessing to me and D’Aun. So it is a joy to announce her new book, Roadmap to Reconciliation: Moving Communities into Unity, Wholeness and Justice. I loved this book so much I’m making it the twelfth in my Journey of Hope series.

In our hearts, all of us want reconciliation. With our spouses, kids, parents, coworkers, neighbors. Especially in light of recent events where we have seen tragedy upon tragedy. But few of us know how to be proactive about reconciliation. We simply do not have a roadmap to reconciliation we can get …

Book Reviews,

The Tank Man’s Son

It’s November and I’ve yet to post a book review in my Journey of Hope series. I had a book in mind but decided to shift gears with a memoir that touched me.

You know I’m writing a book, right? What you might not know is that I’m writing it with David Jacobsen. David told me about his collaboration with Mark Bouman to write The Tank Man’s Son: A Memoir, so I picked up a copy.

Wow, what an amazing story. Mark’s childhood was unique. Really unique. His Dad was one of those unusual characters who would’ve been …

Book Reviews,

Making Hope Happen

Shane Lopez has been called the preeminent expert on hope. In his book Making Hope Happen: Create the Future You Want for Yourself and Others, he explores the anatomy of hope as he looks at what hopeful people have in common. In many ways this book is a self-help book about how to manufacture hope in yourself.

In keeping with my past Journey of Hope reviews, here are a few quotes:

“Hopeful people share key beliefs that underlie their approach to any challenge. These beliefs have a power that distinguishes hope from optimism, wishing, and other ways of viewing …

Book Reviews,

Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes

I like to think I’m culturally intelligent. That’s probably the first hint that I’m not. But still, I’ve traveled the world, worked on global initiatives, and tried my best to educate myself on cultural sensitivity.

Then I pick up the book Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien and I realize just how much more I need to learn.

The authors, both accomplished Evangelical theologians, show how we interpret Scripture through the eyes of our cultural bias. No surprise there, right? But they take on some …

Book Reviews,

Don’t Blink

There’s a book coming out in November that is worth pre-ordering today. My friend John Merritt, who I have known for over 20 years, has written Don’t Blink: The Life You Won’t Want to Miss and he graciously sent me a pre-publication copy. All my readers who want to expand their love for life as they grow closer to God will enjoy John’s insights.

John was my pastor for nearly a decade and we partnered in all kinds of ministry projects. We traveled from the forests of Tahoe to the jungles of Belize and on to the beauty of Hana. …

Book Reviews,

Psychology of Hope

Have you ever wondered if we can manufacture hope by changing the way we think? And what is it that we would change to generate more hope?

These aren’t necessarily the questions C.R. Snyder asks in his book Psychology of Hope: You Can Get Here from There. But he definitely offers insights into what makes hope attainable. This review is a continuation of my Journey of Hope book reviews for 2015.

Snyder finds very hopeful people and analyzes what makes them the way they are. The results are intriguing. As with all my Journey of Hope reviews, I’ll quote …

Book Reviews,

A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War

If somebody said, “I want to write a book that is so aligned with your interests you would have to read it,” they’d pretty much come up with this book. History, theology, sociology, and two of my all time favorite authors. What’s not to like? Joseph Loconte wrote A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-1918 for me. I’m sure of it.

The First World War was a significant turning point in history. In a thousand years people will probably think it was more …