The only part of this work I had any trouble with was the cessionaist approach MacArthur takes towards the gifts of the Spirit (12-14). Then, again, it is good to read the thoughts of sound thinking evangelicals-- even when they disagree with you on peripheral issues.

Perhaps the best aspect of this work is that... anytime MacArthur writes, you know he has thought and prayed through his position. And, he will not write something unless he can defend it from the Scriptures. This is helpful when you are unsure about some issue (divorce and remarriage, for instance, and presented in 1 Corinthians 7 f.), and it is honest even when you disagree.

I've read a few in the series of commentaries he offers. I would not buy the entire set (of any set of commentaries, really, because some are outstanding and others fall a bit short). This is one I would definitely grab hold of, if you can fork out the [money] for it.

Many commentaries sidestep difficult passages, intimidating one from asking the hard questions as though one were foolish to do so; MacArthur does nothing of the kind, but tackles the Scriptures head on, asks the difficult questions, and presents what he considers the best solution. In essence, his "no nonsense, ingorance is not bliss" personality is reflected in his writings. He is neither mindless nor beyond comprehension.

The work is thorough, and probably my favorite all-around commentary on Hebrews. It is both practical and scholarly, yet readable and understandable by the serious layman. It is written by a pastor who is also a thinker governed by good hermeneutics. His perspective is conservative, evangelical, dispensational, and non-charismatic. You may not agree with every one of his interpretations, but you will respect the logical approach that went behind them. Top notch.

Though one should be aware that it's a paraphrase rather than a translation, it does convey the message in a terrific manner. It will grab you in ways that reading a more strictly rendered translation may not. I enjoy reading it side-by-side with another translation with which I am more familiar.

In Christ,
Pastor Roger

Think the Bible is boring, you need to read this.

One such neurologist who has been prominent in communicating to the public about the human brain is Dr. Richard M. Restak, author of two previous books, The Brain and The mind, which accompanied the PBS series of the same name. His book on The Modular Brain is especially enlightening on how the human personality can be the product of neuron impulses. He cites many examples of brain disorders that demonstrate that there is no central point in the brain wherein our consciousness resides, and that our brains create all the aspects of our personalities by an imponderable division of labor.

Neurologists have observed, for example, that awareness and consciousness are not the same and are not created from one brain area. The self-contradictory and strange beliefs encountered in patients suffering from "anosognosia" (denial of loss of capacity) are evidence for this. Dr. Restak explains that this kind of denial is altogether different from denials by patients who know something is wrong but try to pretend otherwise. Anosognosia usually occurs in patients with damage to the right hemisphere of the brain, is not accompanied by other symptoms of mental illness, does not occur with injuries to any other parts of the body, and causes "a breakdown in conscious awareness that cuts across different domains."

It can involve not only left-sided paralysis and loss of leftsided awareness but also total blindness. It is hard to imagine how blindness could escape someone's awareness when they are otherwise fully conscious and rational. Nevertheless, Dr. Restak tells of a brain-damaged patient who lost not only her sight but also ability to know that she could not see. Out of frustration with his inability to convince her of her disability, he made the mistake of suggesting that she prove she could see by getting out of bed and walking. "At this," he says, "she promptly leaped from her bed and ran squarely into the nearest wall, breaking her nose in the effort." From cases like this and other evidence explained in his book, Dr. Restak suggests that, "in the presence of anosognosia, beliefs can become modular and exist independently and even in contradiction to one another."

Other facets of our personalities are also investigated with a wealth of examples lucidly explained for the layman. This book brings together a wide range of evidence in support of the modular theory of brain function, a theory which leaves little or no room for metaphysical or spiritual theories of consciousness relating to the "mind-body" problem so familiar to philosophers.

Moreover, I found the application of science to philosophical questions made the science more interesting, the philosophy less bogus, and the reading entirely delightful.

The point is, while much has been learned about the brain, we still have a long way to go. Restak is aware of this, and is very good about giving credit to those in the past who made very educated guesses about what the brain and mind consist of. Restak is another of our good science writers and his area tends to stick with topics concerning the brain. I don't always agree with his arguments, but he presents them well and of course, I am always fascinated by the descriptions of the patients he has seen. I hope he continues to write for us, and that a publisher will put this book out in paperback for a new generation of up and coming neuroscientists and educators to read. It is just as important for educators to know about the brain as it is for doctors because they are the ones who help to wire or rewire the brain, and they can either do great good, or great harm depending upon their teaching methods and their attitudes towards others. Karen Sadler Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

Ted Tatosian Vernon Hills, Illinois

While directed mainly to children 4 to 8 years old, they have touched by wife and I as much as my daughter as we have read them at bedtime. The small price of these books is more than worth the time spent and re-spent in the simple, caring world of Mr. Putter and Tabby.

The "Mr. Putter and Tabby" collection is the best I have found for children. This particular episode has Mr. Putter and Mrs. Teaberry trying to play music more or less successfully but having a very good time at it and being happy to have at least given it a try. When you read it, you can make all sorts of funny 'music' sounds that bring joy to your little one -and are fun to do too...

All the "Putter & Tabby" books are really well illustrated with very expressive characters, and the stories are intelligent, funny, and warm. My child adores them and is always asking for a reading session of "Mr Putter and Tabby". He was 2 when we read our first one and the books are so great that I believe he will still enjoy them when he learns to read. In the mean time, I enjoy them too and haven't tired yet of reading a couple of them every evening. So, although until now I have borrowed these books from the public library, I am now buying the whole collection.