I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

The Works of George Swinnock Vol: 1. I first came across Swinnock when I purchased Trading and Thriving in Godliness: The Piety of George Swinnock in Reformation Heritage’s “Profiles in Reformed Spirituality Series.” I loved his work enough to use Christmas money that year to purchase his five-volume collected works published by Banner of Truth. The first two and half volumes are occupied with The Christian Man’s Calling, an exhaustive application of 1 Timothy 4:7-8. Swinnock is clear, if somewhat monotonous, and Spurgeon was spot on when he said, “George Swinnock had the gift of illustration largely developed, as his works prove…they served his purpose, and made his teaching attractive…there remains “a rare amount of sanctified wit and wisdom.'”

The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God by Tim Chester & Jonny Woodrow. There seems to be, in spite of the gospel-centered resurgence, a gap in publications on the ascension of Christ. Enter this splendid little work by Chester and Woodrow, of Porterbrook Network fame. The book consists of three chapters on Christ as: 1) Ascended Priest, 2) Ascended King, and 3) Ascended Man. With careful attention to biblical and systematic theology the authors eloquently display the undervalued significance of the truth that Christ has ascended on high. This is a vital read.

Putting Truth to Work by Dan Doriani. DA Carson rightly says of this book, “There is not much written that deals thoughtfully and creatively with the theory and practice of applying Scripture” in preaching. Doriani’s book is an exhaustive treatment (coming in at over 300 pages) of the what, why, and how of application. He argues that there are four aspects to sound application: duty (what the text calls us to do), character (who the text calls us to be), goal (what goals the text calls us to pursue), and discernment (how the text tells us to distinguish between character and error). The four aspects can be put through a seven avenues for application, thus Doriani argues – compellingly so – that you could legitimately have 28 different applications to a given pericope. While I do wish the book was shorter, it is a sound and sensitive treatment of a timeless issue. Well done!

Paradigms in Conflict by David Hesselgrave. Paradigms in Conflict addresses ten pressing issues in missiology today. The pressing issues are better understood to be the common dichotomies that divide missionaries and missionary organizations. Things like “Free Will vs. Divine Sovereignty”, “Power Encounters vs. Truth Encounter”, and “Exclusivism vs. Inclusivism.” I don’t agree with all of Hesselgrave’s conclusions, but I think the book proves to be a valuable resource for discipling people entering the mission field. The author is extremely well-verse on the literature and, for the most part, fairly represents the various views treated in the book. I also appreciated his tone of humility in tackling such thorny issues.

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow. Someone told me once that Turow’s book created the “courtroom thriller” genre in publishing. Now that I’ve finally gotten around to reading it I can see why. Presumed Innocent employs many devices in structure and style that have made millionaires out of men like John Grisham and Richard North Patterson. The book is narrated in first-person, making the tone intensely personal and compellingly introspective. A thriller wouldn’t be a thriller without a surprise ending, and although my suspicion was proved true at the end, the twist was nevertheless enjoyable.

The Innocent by David Baldacci. For years I’ve had people tell me I should read David Baldacci. The Innocent was my first dive in the Baldacci catalog and I was satisfied with the outcome. This book is the first in a series that follows Will Robie, a “stone cold hitman” with – go figure – a conscience. Whether or not such a thing is really possible is a debate for another day. The plot line is engrossing, the characters are enjoyable textured, and the outcome is unexpected. Not surprising enough to shock with me with who actually was the villain, but how the villain went about its evil scheme. A quick, fun read.

Zero Day by David Baldacci. The Innocent was good enough for me to pick up another Baldacci book and Zero Day is first entry in a separate Baldacie series. This one recounts the exploits of John Puller, “the best military investigator in the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division.” Now this Puller character I like! He really has a conscience (at least in this first book) and cannot be stopped or hindered in his pursuit of truth. Zero Day finds Puller stumbling across a vicious tragedy that opens up the possibility of a grave assault on our nation’s defense. While the plot stretches the realms of realism, it was the first in a long time that actually surprised me. I look forward to the other books already published in this series.

I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman. He seems to be a divisive figure of sorts in the “gospel-centered” circles in which I live, but Carl Trueman is a gift to God’s church. I find him to be a voice of sanity in American evangelicalism, one who offers incisive cultural analysis and fresh articulation of the Christian tradition. All these things are on display in The Creedal Imperative, which seeks to argue “that the need for creeds and confessions is not just a practical imperative for the church but is also a biblical imperative” (19). I came to the book as a convinced confessionalist, but Trueman put more biblical and theological meat on that skeleton. A book every pastor ought not to miss!

The Yard by Alex Grecian. Grecian debut novel in his “Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad” series is not properly historical fiction, but it is quite close. Jack the Ripper’s famed reign of terror has runs its course and the London police force finds itself scorned by the larger community. Twelve detectives are charged with investigating the thousands of people Victorian London swallows up each year. The Murder Squad’s skills are put to the test when one of their own suffers ghastly death. The Yard was a fun read that broke the mold of the normal detective-ish books I often read that are strong on plot and weak on character development. Grecian offers a solid plot thick with intriguing characters. What most fascinated me was how the story reveals the development of forensic science. You mean they didn’t always know fingerprints are unique and integral to solving cases?!? I look forward to his second installment in the series.

I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

What’s Your Worldview: An Interactive Approach to Life’s Big Questions by James Anderson. Anderson had managed to something increasingly rare in the publishing world: write something utterly unique. As the back cover explains, “Cast in the mold of a classic ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ story, What’s Your Worldview? will guide you toward intellectually satisfying answers to life’s biggest questions – equipping you to think carefully about not only what you believe but why you believe it and how it impacts the rest of your life.” The approach is innovative and satisfyingly simple; the entire book comes in at just over 80 pages. Part 3 on “Worldviews” is where Anderson really shines. He gives specific attention to 21 different worldviews and then expertly pokes holes in all that stand against the Christian worldview. A great tool for Christians and non-Christians alike.

Spiritual Warfare: A Balanced & Biblical Perspective by Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura. There is no shortage of books on spiritual warfare available today, just a shortage of good books on spiritual warfare. A couple of years ago I read a highly reviewed book on the topic and was stunned to find only two scant references to Ephesians 6:10-20 (the longest treatment of the topic in all Scripture!) in the whole book. Thankfully Borgman and Ventura give us a sane and clear treatment of the Christian’s warfare in this aptly titled book. In thirteen chapters the authors explain Paul’s classic teaching in Ephesians 6 with lucidity and warmth. The book isn’t profound like Powlison’s or pointed like Leahy’s, but it is a mighty fine introduction to an always pressing topic.

Outgrowing the Ingrown Church by John Miller. When an author writes a book from his personal experience he treads on water marked, “Risky Business,” for it’s oh so easy to universalize experience: i.e. “This happened to me and it happens to all of you in the same way.” For that reason I am often reticent to read these volumes. Outrowing the Ingrown Church is one such book that navigates the tricky waters of experience with aplomb. This is because Miller’s experience in leading an ingrown church unto missionary focus serves to simply illustrate clear biblical truth. I deeply appreciate Miller’s discussion on the pastor as “pacesetter,” his focus on preaching and prayer, and his emphasis on the necessity of gospel zeal. If your church is ingrown, this book will chart a path toward more faithful mission. If your church isn’t ingrown, this book will help keep you on the course of faithful evangelism.

The Great Commission Resurgence: Fulfilling God’s Mandate in Our Time edited by Chuck Lawless and Adam Greenway. In 2009 president Johnny Hunt appointed a Great Commission Task Force which would examine how Southern Baptists can work more faithfully and effectively together in serving Christ through the Great Commission. The Great Commission Resurgence explores the decline of the SBC and proposes solutions for a new generation. I found the historical analysis to be most intriguing, especially Nathan Finn’s work in charting the Great Commission’s emphasis through the SBC’s history. As with all edited volumes, the quality of chapters varies quite a bit, but on the whole the work is solid. The only real perplexing part was David Allen’s unnecessary preoccupation with the dangers of particular redemption in his chapter on preaching. But for those familiar with Allen, this should be no surprise. Admittedly an intramural book, GCR is a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation on the future of the SBC.

24 Hours by Greg Iles. I grabbed this book largely based on reviews praising Iles for an unusual depth of characterization and complexity of plot. After reading 24 Hours, to such reviews I must say, “Balderdash!” This book is inanely predictable and humorous in its attempt to pass off an overused formula as novel. The bad guys seem, to me at least, stunningly similar to Milton and Small in Of Mice and Men and the supposed thrills are, well, supposed. If you see this book at the library or book store, just move along.

I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose. My introduction to Ambrose’s classic work first came through Meet the Puritans, where Beeke and Pederson called it, “A classic of Christ-centered divinity.” Then Mark Jones suggested that I consider Ambrose’s Christology for my master’s thesis and I knew I should buy the book. After a few years of collecting dust in my study, I finally grabbed to book, dusted off the pages, and sat down to feast. And what a feast it was! Taking Hebrews 12:2 as his starting point, Ambrose lifts Christ up and simply stares at His glory. He says “looking [unto Jesus] is comprehensive of knowing, desiring, hoping, believing, loving, and enjoying” Him. The work meditates deeply on the person and work of Christ considering everything from His eternity, to His generation, to His birth, death, and second coming. Chapter 2 in Book 4 is typical of Ambrose’s approach: he defines what it means to see Jesus”carrying on the great work of our salvation in His intercession” and then goes on to show how to consider, desire, hope, believe, have joy, pray to, and conform to Jesus in this respect. Only Owen The Glory of Christ or Goodwin’s The Heart of Christ can top this Christological summit.

The Gospel at Work: How Working for King Jesus Gives Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert. It’s been quite a while since I read a book and immediately thought, “I need to get this into as many hands as possible.” The Gospel at Work is one such book. I wholeheartedly concur with Dever when he says, “I want to make this a basic staple in my discipling.” The book is largely built around two primary pitfalls one can have in approaching work:

On the one hand, we can let our job become an idol. Our work can become the primary object of our passions, our energy, and our love. We end up worshiping our job. On the other hand, we can slip into being idle in our work. When we fail to see God’s purposes in our work, we don’t really care must about it. We fail to give any attention to it, or we despise it and generally neglect our responsibility to serve as if we are serving the Lord. (18)

Traeger and Gilbert swiftly show how faith in Christ answers both of these pitfalls, and I am grateful they did it without succumbing to standard “gospel-centered” cliches. They are spot on when they say, “Ultimately the evidence of the gospel in our lives at work is not so much in the things we do but in the freedom we enjoy in the midst of our work” (57). Filled with an uncanny amount of clarity and practicality, I wouldn’t be surprised if this proves to be one of my favorite books in 2014. I’ve already bought several copies to add to our church’s bookshelf.

Dead Eye by Mark Greaney. Dead Eye is the fourth, and latest, installment in Greaney’s “Gray Man Series.” I wondered aloud after reading book three if it was possible for Greaney to offer up more than a one-dimensional thrill ride. I think I would say, after reading this one, “Yes, but barely. Maybe he can provide a 1.5-deminsional thrill ride.” Whatever that is. Dead Eye finds Court Gentry doing battle with a “singleton” (think lone ranger) who needs to save the Gray Man in order to destroy him – let the reader understand. Greaney wrapped up one substantial plot thread while leaving another one dangling oh so close. Less bloated with unbelievable action scenes and possessing more textured character development than other books in the series, Dead Eye gives hope for what’s to come. I believe the next book in the series is slated for release in late 2015.

The Three C’s by Mark Stone. My dad just published a book on career enrichment based on his journey from one career to another back in 2009. The burden of the book is to provide a primer on “how to build, enhance, and protect your career. This plan of action – characterizing, connecting, and communicating – is not the best plan. It is not the only plan. It is just a proven plan.” And, I would add, a commonsense plan. I am really not a part of the book’s target audience as a pastor, but the principles are simple enough to have broad application.

I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

Looking Unto Jesus: The Christ-Centered Piety of Seventeenth-Century Baptists by Stephen Yuille. Yuille is an underrated Puritan scholar from Canada who pastors a church down in Glen Rose, Texas. He has published several different works on the Puritans in the last few years and one recent effort is this slim volume Looking Unto Jesus. The book begins with a marvelous introduction where Yuille gives four reasons for why he keeps coming back to the Puritans: they are God-fearing, heaven-seeking, sin-hating, and Christ-exalting. The rest of the work is occupied with two lesser known Puritans, Thomas Wilcox and Vavasor Powell (“The Whitefield of Wales”). Chapter 1 is a reproduction of Wilcox’s A Guide to Eternal Glory and chapter 2 is Yuille’s commentary on the life and work of Wilcox. The patter repeats itself in chapters 3 and 4 with Powell’s Saving Faith Discovered in Three Heavenly Conferences. I found this approach to be novel and useful. For those familiar with the Puritans you could read the original offerings from Wilcox and Powell, and then scan Yuille’s commentary. But for those who find Puritan works daunting, Yuille’s commentary will be a sure guide through the old works. I’d love to see more Puritan titles reprinted in this format. Wilcox’s work is stimulating and Powell’s Conferences offers discriminatory gospel application at its finest.

Churchill by Paul Johnson. I read this not long after it came out in 2010 and had been meaning to reread it for some time. Johnson is a great historian and was a young teenager at the end of World War II, thus he is unique suitable to write a brief bio on The Last Lion. Churchill comes in at just over 180 pages, so those looking for in depth analysis of Winston’s life should consult other sources. But I don’t know of a better introduction to that most famous of 20th century leaders. Johnson offers five lessons from Churchill’s life in the epilogue and this section alone is worth the book’s weight in gold. Every leader would do well to consider Johnson’s analysis:

1. “The first lesson is: always aim high. As a child Churchill received no positive encouragement from his father and little from his mother. He was aware of his failure at school. But he still aimed high.”
2. “Lesson number two is: there is no substitute for hard work…Mistakes he constantly made, but there was never anything shoddy or idle about his work.”
3. “Third, and in its way most important, Churchill never allowed mistakes, disaster–personal or national–accidents, illnesses, unpopularity, and criticism to get him down.”
4. “Fourth, Churchill wasted an extraordinarily small amount of his time and emotional energy on the meannesses of life: recrimination, shifting the blame onto others, malice, revenge seeking, dirty tricks, spreading rumors, harboring grudges, waging vendettas…There is nothing more draining and exhausting than hatred. And malice is bad for the judgment.”
5. “Finally, the absence of hatred left plenty of room for joy in Churchill’s life…He liked to share his joy, and give joy. It must never forgotten that Churchill was happy with people.”

Ballistic by Mark Greaney. The entire world is after Court Gentry, the popular protagonist in Greaney’s Gray Man series, yet the man is impossible to catch. I wondered after reading book two if Greaney hadn’t set “up a trajectory that tempts believability.” Ballistic, book three in the series, proved my fear worthwhile as it repeatedly tries to convince the reader that with Gentry, everything impossible is oh so possible. The action packed book moves is a rapid page turner, but Greaney needs something more than shoot ’em up, bang ’em up virtuosity to make the series compelling. I’ll move on to book four in the hope that Greaney himself can channel the Gray Man and do something unbelievable: offer up more than a one-dimensional thrill ride.

I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

Christ and the Future: The Bible’s Teaching about the Last Things by Cornelius Venema. Back in 2000 Venema published his masterful study of eschatology entitled Promise of the Future, which was a modern reshaping and update of Anthony Hoekema’s landmark The Bible and the Future.¹ Banner of Truth felt the size and weight of Promise of the Future would prevent many church members from feasting on its truth. So they commissioned Christ and the Future, an abridgement that cuts down Promise and the Future by over 50%. Venema deals with everything from inaugurated eschatology to the intermediate state to the millenium to final judgment with clarity and color. This book remains my “go to” recommendation for interested lay members. It doesn’t hurt that Venema is a convinced amillennialist.

Perspectives on Pentecost: New Testament Teaching on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit by Richard Gaffin. Originally published in 1979, this work remains entirely relevant to the contemporary discussion on spiritual gifts. Gaffin’s careful exegesis of the relevant New Testament texts will be daunting for some, but slow reading will be rewarded. The book is short (just over 110 pages) and the tone is irenic, so anyone interested in the debate would do well to wrestle with this one. Chapters 4 and 5, “Prophecy and Tongues” & “The Question of Cessation” will be of unique interest. Regardless of where you stand in the debate on spiritual gifts Gaffin’s work should have a home on your shelf.

Building Her House: Commonsensical Wisdom for Christian Women by Nancy Wilson. This book was one of several I gave my wife for Christmas and it is a treat. I raced through it so I could converse with my wife on its content.  Nancy, the wife of Doug Wilson, writes with a direct style and offers exactly what the subtitle proclaims: commonsensical wisdom. Building Her House is broken up into five parts: 1) Service, 2) Family Relationships, 3) Marriage, 4) Mothering, and 5) Attitudes. The chapters are super short and packed with meditative truth; I could see this being a great discipling tool for women. I plan to add a couple copies to our church’s bookshelf.

One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson. I happened across One Summer on Amazon and it sounded so intriguing that I added it to my Christmas wish list. My in-laws graciously feed my book addiction so this was one of several titles I received at their house on Christmas Eve. And oh my, what a read! Bryson walks the reader through life as it was in America during the summer of 1927, a surprisingly potent season in our nation’s history. Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic, Babe Ruth was on the way to his magical 60, Al Capone ruled corrupt Chicago, the enigmatic Calvin Coolidge dressed up as a cowboy, and a Jack Dempsey fight attracted 150,000 fans. Bryson compellingly weaves the various story lines together, even if many of the characters are treated somewhat irreverently. This was the most fascinating book I’ve read in a long time.

On Target by Mark Greaney. On Target is the second book in Greaney’s Gray Man series, which focuses on the exploits of one Courtland Gentry; a man that everyone wants to catch, but no one can (think Jason Bourne). The series’ first installment was thrillingly paced, but the plot line was thin. On Target has a much more engaging storyline punctuated by surprises. The book’s abrupt ended is redeemed by a solid epilogue, but I do wonder if the conclusion sets up a trajectory that tempts believability. I mean, can Gentry really escape a world, quite literally, every known power in the world? We shall see.

I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

You Lift Me Up: Overcoming Ministry Challenges by Al Martin. For years I had heard of Martin’s peculiar power in preaching, but it was only last year that I actually listened to a few sermons and found myself saying, “Now that is unction!” Back in 1990 Martin preached a series of messages at a pastor’s conference on the topic of “Warnings Against Ministerial Backsliding and Burnout” that were received with “unusual benefit” (9).

So it was that 23 years later the addresses were published as You Lift Me Up. Martin offers seven warnings related to ministerial backsliding and burnout: Beware of 1) distractions from devotion, 2) neglecting generic Christian duties, 3) trading off a good conscience, 4) isolating yourself from the congregation, 5) having priorities shaped by others’ perceived needs, 6) hiding your real humanity, and 7) neglecting your physical body. Every pastor, young or old, would be wise to feast on the wisdom Martin provides. His wisdom offers a medicinal balm of correctives, restoratives, and preventatives.

The Lord’s Supper as a Means of Grace: More than a Memory by Richard Barcellos. Every useful book I’ve ever read on the Supper has been from a non-Baptist. So I was excited to see Barcellos, a Reformed Baptist, offer up a brief primer on the reality of the Supper being a means of grace. His “specific focus is to show how the Lord’s Supper is a means of grace.” To show how he turns to three texts: 1 Corinthians 10:16, Ephesians 1:3, and Ephesians 3:14-16. His argument from these texts essentially is, “In the Lord’s Supper Christian’s have real, present participation in the present benefits of the exalted Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.”

I appreciated his chapter on historical theology that showed how the argument is not only a centuries old in the Reformed and Presbyterian heritages, but also the Particular Baptist heritage. The argument is clouded by technical Greek discussion and a fair amount of redundancy, making it largely inaccessible to a church member. To be fair, Barcellos admits he is writing for pastors and theological students (16). So we are still waiting for a popular level, Baptist treatment of the Supper as a means of grace.

No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come as You Are Culture in the Church by John Burke. Burke says our postmodern and post-Christian culture brings five unique struggles into the church and they all need to be deconstructed. The struggles are those of trust, tolerance, truth, brokenness, and aloneness. To answer these struggles Burke says a local church should strive to create a culture of authenticity, vulnerability, understanding, and healing. To show how this can work he gives the reader lots – and I mean LOTS – of illustrations and stories from his church, Gateway Church in Austin. The proposed solutions are predictable, but nonetheless useful in helping a pastor evaluate how his church his church’s “welcoming” culture.

The Gray Man by Mark Greaney. I have often thought that if I could be one movie character for a day it would be Jason Bourne. So when I see a book series declared to be “Bourne for the new millenium” I am bound to read it. This title is the first of Greaney’s Gray Man series revolving around one Court Gentry, a veritable legend in the covert world. The Gray Man proved to be exactly what I was expecting, and that’s not a bad thing. Are the Gentry’s amazing and many escapes from death unrealistic? Probably. Are the fight scenes somewhat bombastic? Probably. Is the story strikingly similar to Bourne? Probably. But is it an enthralling read? Undoubtedly.

I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

Death By Living: Life is Meant to Be Spent by ND Wilson. Wilson didn’t disappoint in this long awaited follow-up to his much acclaimed Notes from a Tilt-a-Whirl. He says, “This book hangs on a creature’s narrative motion through time (past, present, and future) and is (slightly) more linear [than Notes].” I am not so sure I would call it linear, but it is a collection of marvelous meditations on life, death, and everything in between. I was brought to tears multiple times through laughter, simple reflections on life, and the sadness of a loved one crossing over. As the book concluded a renewed vigor to live this vapor in the wind with passion and purpose thudded on my soul. Undoubtedly one of the best books I have read all year.

Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change by Paul David Tripp. I had thumbed through this book several times, but never got around to reading it until last week. Tripp’s soul-care manifesto is a one stop shop of biblical wisdom for pastors, counselors, and Christians in general. The book can be broken up into two parts with the first section detailing the theology foundation for helping people change and the second section showing a practical method to employ. His framework of “Love, Know, Speak, Do” is mighty helpful. The book is longer than it needs to be (360 pages), which is very Tripp-like, but I would still recommend every pastor read it.

A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible: Playing by the Rules by Robert Stein. I loved the whimsically serious nature with which Stein teaches basic principles for interpreting the Bible in this book. When he teaches on interpreting narratives he does so under the heading of “The Game of Stories”; when it’s poetry he calls it “The Game of Rhythm.” Each section is long enough to cover the necessary bases, but not so long to tempt the reader’s interest. All in all, this is a useful introduction to hermeneutics. It may have been the one I’d recommend if it wasn’t for . . .

40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible by Robert Plummer. I love Kregel’s “40 Questions About Series” because each entry is accessibly exhaustive – 40 questions on a given topic is usually sufficient to his all the high points. Plummer’s entry on hermeneutics is my now go to volume to introduce Christians into the discipline. Plummer covers everything you would want him to with clarity and care. Highly recommended!

The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy. My dad has tried to get me to read Clancy for quite some time, so I finally dove in with the first Jack Ryan novel. Maybe it was because my dad’s rave reviews created unrealistic expectations or maybe it was because I already knew the ending from watching the movie; whatever the reason, I was quite disappointed. The book is bloated with technical naval jargon and Clancy jumps around so much with the narrative that character development didn’t seem to be on his radar. I did enjoy how the Cold War’s ideologies were appropriately collided throughout the novel. Ryan gets surprisingly little spot time in the book, so I can’t help but think that if Clancy didn’t bounce around so much and focused more solely on Ryan and Ramius (the Soviet protagonist) the narrative would have been tighter. I am not disappointed enough to give up on Clancy, I will just stroll in to the next book with lower expectations.

End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James Swanson. Swanson’s first two books, bestsellers I might add, focused on the chase for a presidential assassin and the presidential funeral pageant that followed. So I guess he is uniquely equipped to writ about JFK’s assassination and everything it includes. And I am glad he did. Swanson is one of those rare historians who can write history with the gripping prose of expert storytellers and this trait is on full display in this latest work. I was so absorbed with the interwoven fates of Kennedy and Oswald that I read the entire book in two sittings. Conspiracy theorists will surely want to excoriate Swanson’s simple conclusion that “perhaps the reason (for Oswald assassinating the president) is much simpler and more fundamental and lies beyond rational human understanding: Lee Harvey Oswald was evil” (297). The book abounds with fascinating insights (such as how Jackie started the Camelot Court mythology) and I think would satisfy the JFK expert or novice.