Book Reviews

Here's a word on some of the books that I've finished in the last four or five months. I probably have a dozen books of different types that I'm currently "reading," which means I have a bookmark in them and I won't re-shelve them until they get finished. And that doesn't count the numerous reference books that I open up and use on a weekly basis for sermons and classes and such.

Anyway, here's a few of the books that I actually finished recently:

• State of Fear (2004), by Michael Crichton – I don't read a lot of novels but I really enjoyed State of Fear. It helped that a big chunk of the book is one character revealing to another character the lies behind global warming, almost making the novel more of a primer on debunking myths and propaganda. But it's also another solid story from Crichton, a real page turner, but one that will certainly not get him invited to many Hollywood dinners. And I'll bet this one doesn't get turned into a movie like many of his other novels.
• Can I recommend an old one I just re-read again? Lee Strobel's The Case for a Creator (2004) is such a well written book on Creation! It's intelligent but accessible at the same time. I keep going back to it and enjoying Strobel's style of letting you overhear a lively interview with a fascinating expert. It reminds me of Fred Craddock's book, Overhearing the Gospel, which emphasizes the power of being told something indirectly.
• Caro's Book of Poker Tells (2003), by Mike Caro – this was the a surprisingly useful read. Of course it helps when playing card games to know when your opponent might be hiding something, but the material here translates into everyday life too! I've read a couple of books on poker tells (body language under stress) and now I feel like a walking lie-detector. I've especially noticed this during counseling and meetings when people feel a lot of pressure but aren't willing to reveal it to you.
• The Merchant of Venice (1596), by William Shakespeare – One of the best known plays by Shakespeare, I read this last fall and, as the months have gone by, liked it less and less. It just didn't click with me, even though there were several parts worth underlining and I even used one excerpt in a sermon illustration. The story itself is just not a favorite.

Okay, now it's time to finish up all of those other books.