book reviews
by Arnold D. Ehlert, Librarian, Biola College
A Functioning Faith by Billy Simmons
ordered days, life began to backfire.” So reads the beginning of the synop s is on the book jacket. T h is is a very honest and realistic portrayal of a person runn ing from herself and from God. It is quite re fresh ing to find a novel that captivates the read er’s attention because of its literary style and plot. M atsu Craw ford’s ability to weave together the details of different lives as they become en tangled and enmeshed w ith each oth er is interesting to the point of mak in g it a difficult volume to set aside. The only apparent weakness (if one could term it such) appears in the abruptness and preaching atmos phere that prevails when the central character of the story is confronted and presented w ith the claims of Christ. In a sligh t way it disrupts the otherwise even flow of the story. F o r some, however, it w ill have the impact necessary t o i n v o k e a strengthening affect upon their lives and others to arouse an inqu iry into the claims of Christianity. A very sa tisfyin g and realistic confrontation of a man w ith C h ris tian ity is the encounter between the leading character and her husband as she begins the path of leading him to the Saviour. Both men and women w ill enjoy reading th is w ork and one shouldn’t hesitate sharing this w ith non-Christian friends. — 188 pages; cloth; Zondervan Pub lish in g House, Grand Rapids, M ich .; $3.95 — Re viewed by Norm an W right. BOOK ENDS_____ (A Review of Current Publications) NO TIME FOR LOSING by Fran Tarkenton; 158 pages/ plus eight picture pages on "tips for quarter backing": cloth: Fleming H. Revell Co., Westwood, N.J.: $3.95. Mamed to the pro bowl squad in 1965 and 66 the autobiographer has had a six year record with the Minnesota Vikings. During that time he completed 1,024 passes in 1,889 attempts. His testimony for Christ has given him a place of leadership among Christian athletes. THE AWESOME ROWER OF THE LISTENING EAR by John Drakeford: 126 pages: cloth: Word Books, Waco, Texas: $3.50. As director of the counseling center for the Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, the author sug gests that one of the most important things we can do today is to listen to others. While there are many sounds and voices on which we need not spend time, others should be cultivated. In "Adventures in listening" the author points out a forgotten factor in leadership along with some new "medicine" for sick marriages. These are all categorized in the area of "listening." THE WORK OF THE USHER by Alvin D. John son. 64 pages; paper; Judson Press, Valley Forge, Pa.; $1.00. Seven phases of this impor tant job. THE KING'S BUSINESS
Based upon a study of the Epistle of James, the pastor of the Central Bap tist Church of Carthage, Texas, has as h is p rim ary emphasis the main problems which face the church not only today but also in the times when, under the insp iration of the Sp irit of God, the Apostle wrote. The use of Greek terms is done in a helpful manner so that the aver age layman can readily understand and make practical use of the per tinent words on which the author dwells. 144 pages; c lo th ; W o rd Books, Waco, Tex.; $3.50. The Living Story of Jesus by Kenneth N. Taylor Based on the popular “L iv in g Gos pels,” a paraphrase of the Bible pre pared by Kenneth N. Taylor, this children’s publication shows how the Lord Jesus C h rist carried on H is m in istry du ring the crucial three years of H is incarnation. Prepared especially fo r youth, the book is filled w ith excellent illustrations, many of which are colored. It is slanted to ward the elementary school age and would be ideal fo r fam ily devotions. Action is clearly emphasized w ith more lengthy discourses left out. Scripture references are used fol low ing each lesson, along w ith the approximate dates which the author suggests concerning the story. U n paged; Regal Books, G /L Publica tions, Glendale, Calif., and Tyndale House Publishers, W h e a ton , 111.; $4.95. To Make the Wounded Whole by Matsu Crawford “ To Make the Wounded Whole is a novel fo r the adult reader, show ing the struggle of the soul in a person who has drawn a convenient veil of forgetfulness over her past sins. Isa belle Zimmer deliberately pushed her past and its mistakes, its hurts and its poverty, into her subconscious. M a rry in g a psychiatrist was a great help in this, fo r her husband, K a rl Zimmer, did not believe in sin, in God, in anything except the power of a well-trained professional psy chiatrist. A t the very height of Is a belle’s seem ingly secure and well-
ged mountain trails, transformed lives and an unusual man—D o n Vicente Gomez. From Colombia, South America, comes this intense account of C h ris tian men and women caught in a cross fire of hate and political turmoil. The fearless proclamation of God’s mes sage in an atmosphere of turbulence and disorder. A n amazing factual ac count, vivid in its telling and inspiring in its message. v V V $3.95 at Your Bookseller 1 1 I I or writ* to Moody Press, Chicago 60610 | Reach Children! T H E A R T 1 T R O U B L E k — a tra ct fo r l h B O Y S A N o d G I R L S ^ f l 6 p a gai-— 3 co lo n SO fo r $ 1 .0 0 pastpaM IB M far $17.50 paatpaM C H U R C H P R I I S Bax S S I filandaia, California THE KING’S BUSINESS a perfect gift for friends
ANGOLA BELOVED by T. Enos« Wilson $3.95 Here is a sp e ll binding book about much -in -th e -n e w s country of Angola. Struggles an d ac c o m p lis h m e n t s , hardships and joys, fr u s t r a t io n s and fruitfulness in a pio neer mission station — told with humor, warmth, and the in sight of 40 years' experience. Sketches by J. B oyd N icholson
From Your Christian Bookstore or L O I Z E A U X B R O T H E R S Dapt. KB, P.O. Box 70, NOptimo, N.J. 07753 34
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