I have read and pondered the Book of Job many times in my life. But Mike Mason's book goes to the top of my all time list. It is a devotional but so much more. Mason has obviously rubbed shoulders with Joblike suffering, and he has not lost faith. Rather, his faith had been deepened. He has brought a scholarly and devotional blend to his writing. I have been deeply affected and recommend this book to everyone, seeker and believer alike.

Here is a modern 'classic' about the Bible's oldest book, the Book of Job. Job is a 'true classic' in that everybody can relate to the narrative of Job. Mason does an EXCELLENT job of [and according to his forward, he's learned from personal experience] devotionally and practically opening up the eternal issues of doubt, suffering, faith and the human experience. Although it is not meant to be a scholarly commentary, Mason does better than most 'scholarly' commentators with the questions and answers we find in the Biblical narrative of Job. Everybody shares the things Job went through, the important thing is to see that Job [as Mason brings out extremely well] was moved TOWARD God, not away from God in Job's trials and sufferings. As Mason says people reject Jesus but no one rejects Job. And as Job found out you can't reject the Redeemer! Mason's 'Gospel According to Job' is VERY worthwhile reading for pastors, Bible students and any believer seeking a deeper walk with the Lord. With so much PLASTIC Christianity out there, it is great to find some depth. Recommended highly for anyone who faces LIFE. Another largely unknown excellent work on Job is 'Portraits of Perseverance' by Henry Gariepy [Victor Books, 1989]--I don't know if you can find it anywhere but Gariepy [a Salvation Army pastor] does an excellent job of commenting on the Book of Job in short devotional statements, showing Job as a man [like all of us] moved TOWARD God through pain, suffering and trials.

This is an excellent little book which opened my eyes. It is lucid and accurate. I used it as a text for Old Testament survey and is worthy of broad circulation. Give it to a minister or Bible student as a gift. Worth tracking down!

Around the predominant theme of kingdom of God, Goldsworthy does an admirable job of guiding the reader through the OT.

This seminal theme is portrayed in nontechnical, understandable language for laypeople, yet has the depth of theology to take the reader deeper into the holy scriptures and point them to the crucified Christ.

Useful in this study is his principles of interpretation section which provides at the least a charming intro to the topic, and a most applicable suggested list.

Commentaries on John's Gospel abound like fish in the sea. They can be divided up into three categories. First are the "Must have" commentaries (e.g. Bultmann, Brown). Second are the "Should have" (e.g. Morris, Sanday, Bernard). Third are the "Avoid with your entire being" (I will refrain from identifying these). This commentary on John falls into the second category and is a "theological" interpretation of John's Gospel that is heavily influenced by Calvin's commentary and by Calvinism. It is easy enough to follow and provocative. If you are a sacramentalist, Ridderbos will annoy you beyond imagination (he hardly ever sees allusions to the sacraments) although he always does so intelligently. My own impression is that Ridderbos is a better Pauline scholar than a Johannine one, although there can be no doubt this is an important work. If you want an unorthodox commentary that is not intimidated by any "modern" interpretation or ecclesiastical interpretation of John this is a good buy.

This work on John by Herman Ridderbos is simply magnificant in so many ways. It is trully a breath of fresh air in the ever stagnating pool of Johannine exegesis.

I have nicknamed Ridderbos 'the razor'. And this commentary on John is the prime reason why. Ridderbos does not mess around. He shaves off the 'later reading's into the text', to expose a true flowing narrative of John's words and redaction. Ridderbos wrestles with the theology of the 4th gospel in a way that is almost never seen in America.

In short, this could possibly be the most underrated work on John of the second half of the 20th century. It has challenged my views as few commentaries have. I recommend this work highly.

Rick E Aguirre, Southern California, (Aguirre100@aol.com) <><

I acquired this book many years ago and have re-read it several times since. It is one of the most respected history books concerning the Old West because it relies on contemporary newspaper and similar accounts. It turns up in the bibliography of just about every worthwhile Western history book, and deservedly so.

Some years ago, as a professor of Criminal Justice, I was asked to teach a course about the History of the Policing Profession and while scrambling for research, this was in the days before Internet etc., I discovered Great Gunfighters of the Kansas Cowtowns. I was very pleased with the content and the measureable factual accounts or as factual as they can be within this era. Actual newspaper articles and descriptions written at the time of the event are included in the book along with the exploits of lesser known lawmen/gunfighters of that era. Ben Thompson, Long Hair Jim Courtright, Dave Mather, Billy Brooks, Chris Madden, Squirrel Annie, Bear River Tom Smith are amoung lesser lights highlighted along with Wild Bill, Wyatt Earp and others. The newspaper accounts are quite factual, plus they revealed an evolution of the culture of the era. Great Gunfighters is not a novel, but is a display of the activities of several individuals who by one means or another contributed to both the allure and order of the cowtowns and other western sites.

Building upon a series of lectures given in the early seventies, Rohr and Martos expand on the ideas to look at the books of the Old Testament from a more macro view. From this stepped back view, the authors show how the books fit together, and how the parts of books such as Exodus build a contextual history of the times and how people are brought together with God. Rohr rejects fundamentalist or biblical literalist readings of the Old Testament, choosing to look at what the stories of the bible meant to those who originally wrote and shared the stories, and how they interact with our relationship with God today. This is one of the best series to lay out a good basis for studying the Old Testament and to understand what the bible is trying to tell us. A succinct volume that can be read again and again, it continues to bringing us into a greater understanding of faith and the Bible.

This book presents an overview of the great themes which are common in many Old Testament books. The book is easy to read yet inspires the reader to see in these ancient writings deep truths which are still relevant today. Most powerfully the authors site multitudinous examples of God's abounding love for mankind. It is very inspirational.

hey, i don't even have kids & i luv this book! (that should tell you something right there ... )

the back cover says & i quote: "Written in the bouncing rhythm of the easy-to-read books you loved as a child, each tale has a lasting Christian message on an important topic ... and it's fun to read!" (actually the message is not overtly christian -- the word "God" is only mentioned twice & jesus is not mentioned at all: "God gave us animals we can eat," & "No one but God can speak for the trees or the wind, or the waves, or the clouds, or the breeze" -- this would make a good interfaith children's book for anyone who believes in god, not just for christians.)

i just love the lilting rhyme of this book & i love the message of a greenie who is, quite frankly, a meanie & who is obnoxious & pushy about his ecological beliefs ... but all turns out well in the end! it's a great lesson about how we can all be concerned about the environment without being pushy & hypocritical.

i wish this book was still in print ... (heavy sigh)

This book is about a boy-creature who notices air pollution around his home town. He is then befriended by The Greenie (who looks suspiciously like John Muir) and recruited into eco-activism. But the Greenie goes way too far (as do many modern groups) when he tries to prohibit eating meet, wearing leather, and even going to parks and the beach (only wildlife allowed). Finally the Greenie becomes physically ill and sees the error of his ways. Environmentalism is good when practiced sensibly and in moderation. This book provides a good way to teach children that we can be good stewards of what God has given us without going to either extreme (wasting resources or restricting our freedoms). --- Paul H!

It's hard to buy for my father but when I read this book I knew he would love it. It was so real. He just turned 50 a couple of years ago and he was so down. I wanted some way to let him know that he was still a very important part of my life. The poems are just fantastic. You can understand them. And they are about real life.

I bought this book for my parent's anniversary and had to read it myself before I gave it to them. It touched my heart. My favorite story was about an older man who washes his wife's hair and has since they were first married. It was so beautiful that I cried. I also enjoyed the poems and photographs. Some of them reminded me of my grandparents. I always enjoy the books from Papier-Mache.

Who'd ever think I'd be buying a book called Growing Old, but when you need it, you need it. It helped my dad. And it's complete.

In spite of the "put off" title, this book is filled with valuable information about the problems we all face as we grow old. It was of real use to me as my parents began to fail - I suspect I'll keep it for my own old age. At least he tells you it doesn't have to be a bummer to grow old. I hope he's right.

Patrick Dearen, author of several works on West Texas themes, relied upon archival holdings, county records, interviews, period journals, and family accounts to piece together this story of a fascinating character who became a builder of Texas. The author has written an admiring account of a Texan who as a family man, business entrepreneur, cattle rancher, and all-around solid citizen, left an indelible impression upon his adopted state. May his tribe increase! -- WEST TEXAS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION YEARBOOK, 2002.

Mayer Halff's name may be unfamiliar to anyone unacquainted with Texas history or the range cattle industry, but he was one of the most important cattlemen in American history. . . . Every year he sent thousands of head of cattle to market. Dearen describes the vicissitudes of the business, especially in the uncertainty of the Pecos River region, where prolonged drouth ruined many a rancher and killed thousands of cattle. . . . The reader will learn a great deal here how the cattle business operated in the late 19th century and how well Halff did in it. . . . Halff had a vision of what he wanted to accomplish, and by the time of his death in 1905 he had accomplished it. Dearen does a fine job of sharing Halff's vision with the reader. -- WESTERN STATES JEWISH HISTORY.

This wonderful biography of Mayer Halff who immigrated to Texas at the age of fourteen from Lauterbourg, France in about 1850, should be read by everyone who likes the history of early Texas and of the Old West. Mayer Halff was a pioneer Jewish merchant first in Liberty, Texas, and later in San Antonio. But his most interesting role was that of being one of the first men to develop the cattle industry and ranching in Texas. Those scenes we have all seen so often in movies and television of the cattle drives and cowboys were the result of men like Mayer Halff. In 1861 Halff led one of the early cattle drives from Liberty to Lyon's Point, fifty miles from New Iberia, Louisiana. Later he participated in and helped develop the large cattle drives up to Dodge City, Kansas, and other places, in the 1870s and the years that followed. Eventually, Halff owned or leased several ranches including the huge Quien Sabe Ranch which would encompass five to six hundred square miles across Midland and Glasscock counties. During this period Halff's Quien Sabe would maintain 10,000 to 12,000 cattle. All in all a great story of an important man in early Texas.

The story of Joseph is well known. What is not well understood is how God was directing Joseph in every circumstance of his life. The way Alistair presents the story of Joseph, will let you see in your own life how God is also in control of ALL of your life's circumstances too.

You will see your life and your future from a more relax perspective once you realize and understand that God is in control making the decisions that are best suited for you. I truly recommend this book for anyone interested in finding God's providence in his/her life.

To be honest, when our assistant pastor announced that our study group was going to use this book, I didn't think that the book had much to offer me. I was VERY wrong! Alistair Begg does a wonderful job of telling the story of Joseph, Jacob's favorite son. (Anyone thinking that today's families are all mixed up should see how Jacob's family beats anything we hear about in our day.) Many of us have been through hard times, but I doubt any of us have experienced the hardships that Joseph dealt with. Every chapter is full of lessons for our lives, no matter what problems we are struggling with. Begg's writing is clear and easy to read, yet very convicting. Highly recommended!