Review: Playing for Knight: My Six Seasons with Coach Knight
Playing for Knight: My Six Seasons with Coach Knight by Steve Alford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A couple bucks in a Borders clearance bin and an interesting read. You get a little different perspective on some of Knight’s shenanigans, but shenanigans they remain. The fact that Alford came through the experience and reflected on the positives he learned probably says more about Steve Alford than it does Bob Knight. It was interesting to read his daydream at the end about his son playing for Knight at IU in 2010. I suppose then it seemed Knight was firmly ensconced and would retire with honor after a long productive career at Indiana. I guess we know the rest of that story. Good read for fans of the college game and some interesting bits with other big name players of the day.
Review: God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God’s Love as the Gift of Himself
God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God’s Love as the Gift of Himself by John Piper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Books like this are scarce. The distinction of God Himself as the gift of the Gospel over against the gifts that God gives is an important distinction. Some might think it splitting hairs but they are wrong. God is the goal and the greatest gift of the Gospel. This vital truth is what is missing from so much popular American theology and prosperity proponents cannot even smell where it crossed the road. I highly recommend this book. It is worth several reads.
Review: A Damsel in Distress
A Damsel in Distress by P.G. Wodehouse
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A fun read. For Maud’s place in the story, we didn’t learn a whole lot about her. Reggie was Wodehouse stock and entertaining. Percy seemed a dignified oaf. Albert was a surprise and him nearly getting the upper on Keggs was thoroughly amusing. George was interesting and there was something almost charming about old Marshmoreton. Caroline was insufferable and Alice was barely there.
It was a good story with Wodehousian turns of phrase and thick situations.
Review: History Of Providence, As Manifested In Scripture, With A Defence Of The Doctrine Of Providence And An Examination Of The Philosophy Of T. Brown On That Subject
History Of Providence, As Manifested In Scripture, With A Defence Of The Doctrine Of Providence And An Examination Of The Philosophy Of T. Brown On That Subject by Alexander Carson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Some call it luck. Some call it coincidence. Some call it fate and others call it random. I am speaking of the ordering of the events in the universe. When a writer writes a story, we assume that every element is placed there by the author to serve the story. Even if it is a random, unconnected event, the author has purposely put it there to serve as a random, unconnected event. We expect that in stories but are often blind to it in life.
Alexander Carson goes through the Scripture highlighting providentially significant events. Once you begin to look for them, examples abound in the Bible of orchestrated events. Who is the orchestrator? Who is the author? God is the author who purposes all events to serve His story. Just because we don’t see the connection, that does not mean there isn’t one. This book is an excellent study of GOd’s providence and I highly recommend it.
Review: The Pilgrim’s Progress
The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It would be difficult to overstate the worth of this book. The only detracting comment would be that Bunyan was not a poet. I have read this book many times and am enriched and encouraged every time I read it. I highly recommend it.
