Tag: review

The Secrets of Happy Families

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Family1 Comment

SecretsThe Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Tell Your Family History, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More by Bruce Feiler is an easy to read, engaging, and timely book all about families. Bruce’s secrets come from the most unlikely sources. He interviews with a myriad of people from all sorts of backgrounds who apply everything from game theory to business strategy to everyday family life.

The book is set up in an organized fashion. The author sets up the dilemma (traveling with kids), zero’s in on a family who has a unique approach, highlights the source of that approach and then uses his own family as a field test and provides some honest results. The book has a very pragmatic feel and offers several great tips, tricks and tidbits.

I doubt anyone walks away putting this whole book into practice, but I do admit we’ve tried a few of the tricks along the way here at the Hill house with varying results. If you’re looking for an easy and fun non-fiction read with a few tips and tidbits on family life this book is for you. It won’t change your life or your family but it may provide a few great resources to get more out of the areas that you may be missing.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse as part of their Blog Tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

 

As One Devil to Another by Richard Platt (A Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Uncategorized1 Comment

I read As One Devil to Another last week and was blown away at the insight into human nature the book provided.  The Author, Richard Platt, writes in the same style as C. S. Lewis in his book, The Screwtape Letters. The book chronicles a series of fictional letters exchanged between two demons on the nature of deceiving and tempting the human to which one is assigned.

As One Devil to Another is well written for it’s genre and reads faster than one might suspect for a book full of “letters.” There are a few points where the author seems to press his view a bit more than the writing style intends to hold, but for the most part the insight into the human heart is spot on and even creepy.

I really liked this book and highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of C. S. Lewis’ The Screw Tape Letters. As One Devil to Another is also a great read for pastors, teachers, etc. who are looking for a reminder or need a refresher on just how easily we are deceived. I give it 5 Stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

October Baby: Coming to a Theater Near You!

On By pastorjonathanIn Family, Video1 Comment

So I had the chance to check out a new movie the other night with my wife. We went to go see the movie October Baby (due in Theaters on March 23rd). We were initially worried that we were in for a long night of b-rated christian acting but were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the production.

The theme of the movie centers on a young woman named Hannah, who finds out through a medical condition that her parents are not her birth parents and she suffers from her condition as a result of a failed abortion. That is to say that her birth mother attempted to get an abortion, but ended up delivering a live baby instead. Hannah then sets out on a journey to figure out who she is, where she came from, and who her real mother is.

I was impressed with the authenticity with which the abortion issue was discussed. The themes of grace and forgiveness continued to resurface.  I appreciate the fresh perspective on an otherwise tension filled issue. My wife and I will be back opening weekend to take it all in again. Check out some of the video’s below and the website to get more information and see if it’s worth your time.

 

More Books, Less Space: My Journey from the Library to the Kindle Touch

On By pastorjonathanIn books9 Comments

I have a confession to make… I really enjoy reading books.  So I have a decent  library. Ok, actually it’s kind of big. Not too big, but big enough… Well let’s just say that in one of the offices that has my books, we will never have to worry about wall paper.

I’m sure that if we got into a library measuring contest that some of you would put me to shame, but in my estimation and compared to your average reader… it’s a lot!  In fact I hate to actually say this in a public forum, I counted my assets in how many books I owned (I know used books don’t sell for much, but that didn’t stop me from getting an extra insurance policy on them).

So then the kindle followed by the nook and I-pad came along and started ruining my day. All the sudden it seemed possible for someone to have volumes of books that could be readily accessed at the touch of a button or screen. Or even better someone could mention a book and you could look it up right then. The only draw back was… well … it wasn’t a book. There is just something about that new book smell and the feel of the pages in your hands. Am I the only one that feels this way?

Recently I figured out that this e-book stuff isn’t going away and so I determined that I should try and get on board so I got a Kindle Touch for Christmas. The idea of having the same copy of a book I am reading available on multiple devices and the idea of throwing 3500 books into briefcase and being able to carry it are really what swayed me. Now that I have the device… I love being able to see how many other readers have highlighted a section of a book, doing a word search on a book, and even being able to post a passage to twitter or facebook.

I’m still not a convert, but now that I have a device in my hand it’s becoming easier to envision a day when I have instant access to more books and have to worry less about shelf space.

So what about you? Have you made the transition from books to an e-reader yet? What moved you forward or is holding you back? What are some features you like or don’t like about your e-reader?

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”