Parts of this were a bit odd, and he goes up the stairs three at a time sometimes (needs to show his work more), but it was interesting and provocativParts of this were a bit odd, and he goes up the stairs three at a time sometimes (needs to show his work more), but it was interesting and provocative....more
A good read, and very informative. Pinheiro shows the important role that religion (Protestant/Catholic) played in the Mexican-American War. A lot of A good read, and very informative. Pinheiro shows the important role that religion (Protestant/Catholic) played in the Mexican-American War. A lot of careful detail here recording how Americans of all political stripes thought religiously in the first half of the 19th century. He shows that despite many marked differences, anti-Catholicism was a unifying strand. And it could not be ignored that the war was between a Protestant power and a Catholic power, and so there you go. My one criticism of the book is that while he shows in copious detail what Americans thought about Mexico and their religion, he gives very little information that would indicate whether these assessments were right or wrong. The way he writes, if an American soldier wrote home saying that the culture was primitive and backward, and the religion was idolatrous and superstitious, I wanted to know, "Well . . . was it?" With that information missing, the implication is that the Protestant Americans were in the grip of primal denominational bigotries writ large -- but I think more was going on than that....more
A short review here will have to suffice. I read this book in order to submit an extended review of it to Books & Culture, which I will do shortly. ThA short review here will have to suffice. I read this book in order to submit an extended review of it to Books & Culture, which I will do shortly. The short review is that this book was a detailed history of the rise of reconstructionism, by someone not himself a reconstructionist, and was surprisingly free of screeching....more
I recently included a "bucket book" in my line-up of books I am reading. These are books I really ought to have read by this time in my life, but whicI recently included a "bucket book" in my line-up of books I am reading. These are books I really ought to have read by this time in my life, but which, alas, I have not. This book, The Life of Samuel Johnson, was the first in this roster that I have completed. Having done so, it continues to strike me as a really good idea.
Boswell mentions near the end of the book that those who took the time to read "may be considered as well acquainted with him." I think this is quite true, and gaining the acquaintance was genuinely rewarding. It was also a pleasure to run across so many of Johnson's bon mots in their original setting. Despite being such a massive book, or perhaps because of it, this was a truly rewarding read. ...more
I enjoyed this very much. It is a bit too rah-rah in places, and I read an early version of it (1901), written before the author was bedazzled by BartI enjoyed this very much. It is a bit too rah-rah in places, and I read an early version of it (1901), written before the author was bedazzled by Barth. At the same time, it was heartening to be reminded yet again how much good Calvinists have introduced into the world....more
This was a very fine and scholarly treatment of one of the great events in the history of the world -- the cessation of public sacrifices under ConstaThis was a very fine and scholarly treatment of one of the great events in the history of the world -- the cessation of public sacrifices under Constantine. Or, rather it is about the background to this event, which would be the currents of faith and thought that made such an event possible....more
Very fine review of economic thinking in the antebellum North. Capitalism was just making it into the big time, and it is very interesting to see how Very fine review of economic thinking in the antebellum North. Capitalism was just making it into the big time, and it is very interesting to see how different groups of Christians grappled with the problem created by massive amounts of new wealth....more
Butterfield is a superb writer, and is obviously learned. Reading this book was like watching someone put five coats of high gloss paint on a rotten bButterfield is a superb writer, and is obviously learned. Reading this book was like watching someone put five coats of high gloss paint on a rotten board. Relativistic to the core. Put me down as a whig....more
Once you discount for the dispensational perspective (or not, if you are a dispy), this book is full of fun and fascinating historical tidbits. I enjoOnce you discount for the dispensational perspective (or not, if you are a dispy), this book is full of fun and fascinating historical tidbits. I enjoyed it....more
Louie Zamperini and my father, Jim Wilson, were friends, and so I have known the outlines of Zamperini's story my whole life. Somewhere in the photo aLouie Zamperini and my father, Jim Wilson, were friends, and so I have known the outlines of Zamperini's story my whole life. Somewhere in the photo archives around Moscow, we have a baby photo of me, taken by Zamperini. I am drooling in that picture, something I have contrived not to do with more recent photographs.
Though I have been familiar with this story for a long time, Hillenbrand's telling of it is magnificent. This is a book to reinforce everything you knew doctrinally about man's capacity for both depravity and heroism. This was a deeply edifying read. Highly recommended....more
Very helpful book -- shows some of the complications of the Reformation era, not to mention little known facts about that time. My favorite from this Very helpful book -- shows some of the complications of the Reformation era, not to mention little known facts about that time. My favorite from this book is the fact that John Foxe attributed the success of the Reformation to "players, printers, and preachers."...more
This was an extraordinarily helpful book. It begins with a short biography of Calvin's life, and then the rest of the book is organized around Calvin'This was an extraordinarily helpful book. It begins with a short biography of Calvin's life, and then the rest of the book is organized around Calvin's writings. For example, there is a section on his commentaries, a chapter on the Institutes, a chapter on his debates with Roman Catholics, a chapter on his correspondence and so on. The book was interesting to read through, and it will no doubt prove to be a fine resource book as well....more
This is one of the most satisfying books I have read in a long time. It is one thing to reject, as I have for many years, the idea of the "Dark Ages,"This is one of the most satisfying books I have read in a long time. It is one thing to reject, as I have for many years, the idea of the "Dark Ages," but Stark demonstrates just how "undark" they were. Leave it to secular thinkers to tag the most advanced human society to date as a period of blind superstition. And this book is potent evidence against those who want to represent free markets as an Enlightenment concept, one that Christians should leave behind. What we now call capitalism was alive and well for almost a millennium before Adam Smith. And Christians invented it. As they say, go, fight, win. ...more
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