Mortimer Adler says that the core of good reading can be expressed in these four questions the reader asks a piece of writing: 1. WHAT IS THE BOOK ABOUT AS A WHOLE? You must try to discover the leading theme of the book, and how the author develops this theme in an orderly way by …
Tag: books
Book Review: Poor Richard’s Retirement
Aaron Clarey, Poor Richard’s Retirement: Retirement for Everyday Americans Aaron Clarey is a consultant and independent economist who writes books that are meant to help young men and women make wiser financial choices. His approach is no nonsense, gruff, and often cynical. But despite seeming like a complete jerk, his advice which is free on …
Book Review: The Gospel of Happiness
Book Review: The Gospel of Happiness: Rediscover Your Faith Through Spiritual Practices and Positive Psychology by Christopher Kaczor Introduction I found out about this book from twitter, when James K.A. Smith mentioned anticipating it’s release. I had never heard of the author before, but he’s an ethics professor with his PhD from Notre Dame. The …
Jesus Christ and Mythology by Rudolf Bultmann: A Review
Rudolf Bultmann, Jesus Christ and Mythology New York, NY: Scribners, 1958 Introduction Bultmann really needs no introduction. If you do not know much about him there are numerous articles available online. The main purpose here is simply to review this particular book which is a collection of Lectures he gave at Yale and Vanderbilt in …
Simplify: a review
Back in 2008, I saw a review for Simplify by Paul Borthwick over at Internet Monk, back before Mike Spencer died. I bought the book immediately. I found that despite its price tag ($16.99), it contained a wealth of valuable information. It’s exactly what it says it will be. A book about the practical side of …
Book Review: Stuart Ritchie’s Intelligence: All that matters
Stuart Ritchie, Intelligence: All That Matters. (Hodder & Stoughton, Kindle Edition 2016). As an educator and leader, I try to stay up to date on research into personality and human potential. But sometimes I cannot keep up with recent findings. Stuart Ritchie’s new book helped fill the gaps. Dr. Ritchie is a post-doc researcher at …
Scott Adams and the Six Filters For Truth
In Scott Adams‘ How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big he explains a helpful hierarchy of reliable knowledge, or as he calls them “The Six Filters for Truth.”[1] The Six Filters for Truth Personal experience (Human perceptions are iffy.) Experience of people you know (Even more unreliable.) Experts (They work for money, …
Book Review: Mere Churchianity
Michael Spencer, Mere Churchianity: Finding Your Way back to Jesus-Shaped Spirituality (Colorado Springs, Colo.: WaterBrook Press, 2010). Several years ago, maybe when I was in high school, I came across the blog of Michael Spencer, the Internet Monk. One of Michael’s dreams was to help evangelical Christians find an identity that was simultaneously charitable, Biblical, …
Abraham and Happiness
Gen 12:1-3 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. (2) And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. (3) …
Put Yourself First?
In Scott Adams great little book, How to Fail At Almost Everything And Still Win Big, he says that putting yourself first is crucial for being able to help other people: “In hard times, or even presuccess times, society and at least one cartoonist want you to take care of yourself first. If you pursue your …