by Scott P. Mages ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 8, 2020
An erudite but highly readable analysis of a universal symbol of Christianity.
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Debut author Mages explores the history and symbolism of the Christmas crèche.
Although Nativity scenes have become a time-honored tradition among Christians of all denominations, this book seeks to “retrieve the manger scene from its comfortable niche beneath the tinsel-laden tree and hold it up to the light.” With painstaking attention to the minutiae of Nativities, Mages offers a refreshingly detailed look at a cultural artifact that’s long been admired for its simplicity. The author begins with a history of the Christmas crèche from Pope Sixtus III’s fifth-century wooden replica to the forerunners of today’s Nativity scene, which is traditionally attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. Subsequent chapters look at cultural differences in crèche design, from the German/Austrian traditional emphasis on detailed landscapes to the contrasting styles of Neapolitan and Provençal crèches, which, respectively, feature figures clothed in bright colors and “peasant garb.” The author offers chapter-length analyses of the symbolism behind the designs of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the Magi. Even the animals, which modern Christians may overlook as merely part of the mise-en-scène, are given their proper due, as Mages surveys the writings of St. Augustine and other Christian patriarchs who suggested that each animal has a specific, symbolic purpose. The book is written by a Christian author with an expressed purpose of challenging readers to reflect on the Christmas season, and it includes some critical insights. It highlights, for example, the contradiction between the Magi’s following a star to Jesus and the Old Testament’s ban on divination and astrology. Like crèches themselves, the book is deliberately ecumenical, careful to highlight Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant thinkers. It’s also well researched, as evidenced in its impressive endnotes and bibliography, and it expertly walks the line between sophisticated analysis and accessibility. Unfortunately, although it cites numerous examples of crèche art and styles, it provides only a handful of generic images, depriving readers of visual examples.
An erudite but highly readable analysis of a universal symbol of Christianity.Pub Date: July 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-973694-20-5
Page Count: 244
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by David Grann ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 18, 2017
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.
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Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.
During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorker staff writer Grann (The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession, 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
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by Marilynne Robinson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2024
In this highly learned yet accessible book, Robinson offers believers fresh insight into a well-studied text.
A deeply thoughtful exploration of the first book of the Bible.
In this illuminating work of biblical analysis, Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist Robinson, whose Gilead series contains a variety of Christian themes, takes readers on a dedicated layperson’s journey through the Book of Genesis. The author meanders delightfully through the text, ruminating on one tale after another while searching for themes and mining for universal truths. Robinson approaches Genesis with a reverence and level of faith uncommon to modern mainstream writers, yet she’s also equipped with the appropriate tools for cogent criticism. Throughout this luminous exegesis, which will appeal to all practicing Christians, the author discusses overarching themes in Genesis. First is the benevolence of God. Robinson points out that “to say that God is the good creator of a good creation” sets the God of Genesis in opposition to the gods of other ancient creation stories, who range from indifferent to evil. This goodness carries through the entirety of Genesis, demonstrated through grace. “Grace tempers judgment,” writes the author, noting that despite well-deserved instances of wrath or punishment, God relents time after time. Another overarching theme is the interplay between God’s providence and humanity’s independence. Across the Book of Genesis, otherwise ordinary people make decisions that will affect the future in significant ways, yet events are consistently steered by God’s omnipotence. For instance, Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers, and that action has reverberated throughout the history of all Jewish people. Robinson indirectly asks readers to consider where the line is between the actions of God and the actions of creation. “He chose to let us be,” she concludes, “to let time yield what it will—within the vast latitude granted by providence.”
In this highly learned yet accessible book, Robinson offers believers fresh insight into a well-studied text.Pub Date: March 12, 2024
ISBN: 9780374299408
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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