Inspirational without being patronizing; a well-organized collection.
Christian-themed first-person accounts on loss and redemption.
One man was grievously injured in an auto accident. A married man with two children lost his 10,000-square-foot restaurant and beautiful beachside home in Hurricane Katrina. A young woman’s father died of brain cancer. Their tragedies, which were recorded by debut author Smith, are slightly softened by their unshakeable faith in God’s “ultimate plan.” This faith, and the refusal to let tragedy reign, informs the entire collection. The title refers to how people share the same set of steppingstones through a difficult situation, primarily by placing their faith in God and the notion that it will all work out somehow (although hard work, persistence, and a lack of fear of government agencies play big roles, too). Quotes by historical figures, including Ralph Waldo Emerson (“God enters by a private door into every individual”), and chapter-by-chapter review questions offer readers the chance to get outside perspective as well as write down their “steps.” These steps include “notice the mistakes,” “honor your responsibilities,” and “live up to your word.” Although the book’s tone is serious, there are flashes of humor: the man who lost his restaurant and struggled to collect insurance on his decimated properties ends up inventing the “FEMA martini—’cause it takes a while to hit’cha!” The essays themselves are tightly paced and engaging. Death, loss, betrayal, illness—nothing can keep these people from embracing forgiveness and the will to keep going. Whether stranded along the Gulf Coast or facing difficulties in the plains, in early adulthood or much later along in life, the subjects in this collection offer their own reflections on how to transform a disaster into a personal triumph.
Inspirational without being patronizing; a well-organized collection.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-4624-1164-1
Page Count: -
Publisher: Inspiring Voices
Review Posted Online: Nov. 5, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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