Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Year of Living like Jesus by Ed Dobson

I don't think I would have read The Year of Living Like Jesus unless it was given to me.

Ed Dobson decided to attempt to live like Jesus for an entire year. He would grow a beard, eat kosher, and anything else a Jewish person alive during Jesus' time would do.

This book is a type of journal where you read Dobson's entries. Later on he gives the daily entries up for more book-like segments on his reflections and experiences.

Dobson drinks beer and discusses God with atheists and shares his faith with people from all walks of life.

You'll discover just how difficult following Jesus to the letter can be.

I think the biggest to-do about this experience was the fact that he voted for President Obama. He notes how much flak he took when that was made public.

And, in his defense, Ed Dobson loves to go against the grain.
The Year of Living like Jesus: My Journey of Discovering What Jesus Would Really Do

This book was provided for review by Zondervan Publishing.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

I'm never too keen on animated films. Especially the more recent ones. But Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is laugh-out-loud hilarious.

At least for the first half of the movie.

Bill Hader is the voice of Flint, an inventor who wants to help feed his town anything but sardines. So he invents a machine that will cause it to rain any type of food he asks.

Anna Faris is the voice of Sam, a television reporter seeking her big break. She's on the site for when the gizmo begins and the sky begins raining food.

The townspeople are exited for the new choices and Flint is the new celebrity, but the only person he wants recognition from is his father, Tim (voiced by James Caan) who doesn't like technology and wants things to go back to the way things were.

As expected, things begin to go haywire and the food begins to mutate. It's up to Flint and Sam to fly up to the clouds and stop the food from falling.

As I said, the first half of the film is hilarious. Like the small jokes found in Horton Hears a Who, you'll need to be quick to catch some of the jokes behind the main action.

I laughed out loud 'till I cried during the snowball fight with the ice cream. Flint had never had a snowball fight so he starts to pelt as many people as he can with ice cream balls.

Last through the beginning of the film and you can just survive to the end.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Single-Disc Edition)

In Good Company

I was looking for a good clean comedy to watch and found In Good Company.

Starring Dennis Quaid as Dan, a Salesman for a sport's magazine, Topher Grace as Carter, the 26 year old who comes in as Dan's new boss, and Scarlett Johansson as Alex, Dan's daughter and Carter's new girlfriend.

The biggest bright spot of this film is the comedy. I'm assuming most critics panned this film (it came out in 2004) because the comedy is clean and not based on college, stoner jokes.

Carter is your typical career-oriented male whose marriage has just ended. He is brought into the Sales Department as head honcho and tasked with firing a larger number of the sales team. Even though Dan (Quaid) makes the most money, Carter decides to keep him on as wingman.

It's your Obi Wan-teaching-Luke plot with the twist of the young boss dating the daughter.

Topher Grace does a great job in this role, much like any role he plays. And Dennis Quaid should remember how he can actually make wise movie decisions (like this one) without having to act in the poor direct-to-dvd movies.(Horsemen)

The only thing I have to say about Scarlett Johansson, is my amazement at how low her voice is!

In Good Company does have some foul language in it but all in all, this is a fun, decent film to rent.
In Good Company (Widescreen Edition)

Friday, April 23, 2010

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

It there any question as to why this book was a Best Seller? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies takes the literary work of Jane Austen and makes it accessible to the late-night horror fan.

Unfortunately, they kept much of Austen's writing style in this version so the plot drags and I was pushing myself to continue reading.

My thought process looked like this: "Just a few more pages and a zombie has to appear and gnaw on some appendage."

Sorta sick once I look back on it.

Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed the prequel.

The story drops you in the town of Meryton and the zombies have been walking around for some time. The Bennet sisters are quite fluent in dispatching the undead along with handling the sophomoric advances of men like Mr Darcy.

Bottom-line: it keeps the social commentary aspects of Austen while adding gruesome details.

The pictures are quite vivid.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

How little things can make a big difference is the basis for Malcolm Gladwell's book, The Tipping Point.

The title refers to that moment when an idea or behavior tips over and catches the attention of people all over the country. It can refer to an illness epidemic, a fashion trend, or even crime rate.

Gladwell points out a number of factors that contribute to The Tipping Point: first being The Law of the Few.

Here we have 3 types of people - Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen. Each have a role to play in getting the word out on a product or idea. Connectors and Salesmen seem easy to understand; Mavens will be a source of knowledge and try to give you what you need.

Next you have The Stickiness Factor. This is where you create something that people enjoy and will come back to over and over again. This could be a restaurant, shoes, or a television show.

Next is The Power of Context and here Gladwell points to New York City and the subway crime rate and how it was lowered.

The Tipping Point is an interesting read for social case studies and people interested in sales. Included in this book is the idea of why 150 is the magic number and why people tend to mimic the actions of others.

While not an attention grabber, this book gives food for thought on a boring day.
The Tipping Point

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren

Brian McLaren continues his journey of promoting the story of Jesus into the post-modern world.

With Everything Must Change, McLaren attempts to prove that Jesus would be a promoter of Social Justice.

I have to say, this book was hard to read. Not because I didn't agree with everything Brian wrote, but that he used the words "story" and "system" too frequently. This idea that certain words are key to post-modern readers is silly.

Brian claims we suffer from a suicidal system that contains 3 interlocking systems: The Security System, The Prosperity System and The Equity System.

See how you can get sick of the repetition?


According to McLaren and his Emergent views, Jesus and people of faith must move beyond "hot button" topics like global warming and abortion. We need to get our nations to spend less on weapons and more on peace-making.

Some people would accuse McLaren as an Obama-socialist hidden in the guise of religion. And he would respond that it's beyond that; the way of following Jesus is more than being dubbed a Capitalist or Communist or Socialist. Those are all different sides to the same coin. Jesus offers us a new coin, as it were.

The book is long. And the repetitions almost destroy an interesting journey through putting our faith into practice. And organizing our religion.
Everything Must Change: When the World's Biggest Problems and Jesus' Good News Collide

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner is incredibly long. This along with some intense scenes left me with a very bad taste in my mouth.

I'll tell you what I thought of as this movie dragged on and on. Remember the Robin Williams movie Bicentennial Man?Bicentennial Man

That's what it felt like I was watching. You follow this character from boyhood to adulthood. Near the end, once he adopted his step-whatever, I thought we'd continue and watch this new boy grow up.

For heaven's sake, enough with the long, boring movies already.

The actual film is interesting. Dealing with what it's like to live in Afghanistan before and after the Russians invaded and the rise of the Taliban, you get a very raw sense of how horrible it must have been for those living there.

I don't recommend this movie unless you loved the book and enjoy long, drawn out films.
The Kite Runner

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith

The library had Dawn of the Dreadfuls available so I picked it up first. This book is a prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (It takes place 4 years before) and it is written in a more modern fashion.

Author Steve Hockensmith shows us how the Bennet sisters learn to be lethal zombie slayers.

Beginning with a corpse awakening during his funeral, the zombie action never lets up.

Mr Bennet attempts to teach his daughters, Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, Lydia and Kitty the ways of the ninja. He soon brings in the help of his Master Mr. Hawksworth (although Mr Hawksworth is hiding a secret)

With the girls trying to defeat the zombie horde through strength, Elizabeth meets Dr Keckilpenny who believes, through study, he can find the answer.

Which man will win Elizabeth's heart: Hawksworth or Keckilpenny? Or will a zombie eat her heart?

This book is a terrific read. It has action, romance and a lot of humor. I particularly enjoyed the head-cleaving in the cemetery scene. "Come join us for a picnic!"

Ah, classic.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls (Quirk Classics: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies)

Monday, April 19, 2010

Coffee Shop Conversations by Dale & Jonalyn Fincher

Coffee Shop Conversations takes us into a light trip into tolerance-based evangelism. They call this, "making the most of spiritual small talk".

With a number of personal experiences in failing to share their faith, husband and wife - Dale and Jonalyn, show how building relationships first is a key in introducing Jesus to your friends.

One negative thing that stood out to me was when they told us how bad it was to read books about other religions and apply that stereotype to anyone we meet who follows that religion. Following this insight, they proceed to give us a whole section on what people following those religions are like and how to speak to them.

A little double-talk in that section.

With that being said, this book is a good read to understand how "churchy" Christians can seem whenever they talk about Jesus and the Church.

They point out, with regards to the Bible, how important it is to understand genre and context when reading and studying verses.

The people who enjoy handing out tracts will not enjoy this book.
Coffee Shop Conversations: Making the Most of Spiritual Small Talk

This book was provided for review by Zondervan.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Will The World End in 2012? by Raymond C. Hundley

Following the craze of End Times predictions and major motion pictures, Dr Raymond Hundley has compiled a list of 10 theories surrounding the year 2012 in his book, Will the World End in 2012?

He begins each chapter with a short, fictional blurb to set the theory in place and proceeds to analyze the prediction.

First up is the Mayan calendar. It is said that the Mayans believed in time cycles. According to their long calendar, the current cycle will end on December 21, 2012.

Next is the fear of solar storms. Scientists predict the Sun will produce intense solar activity that will burst through our atmosphere and destroy our electrical systems and possibly cause earthquakes.

Third is the fear that the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland will create a black hole and suck this planet into oblivion.

Fourth, Nostradamus. He made some interesting predictions about the future but are they applicable to us?

Fifth is the reversal of the magnetic poles. Basically what used to be north will now be south and vice versa. Included with this reversal is a huge tsunami.

Then you have the collision with Planet X as told to a woman by aliens, an eruption of a super volcano underneath Yellowstone National Park, Religious End Times predictions and others.

Even though Dr. Hundley professes to be a Christian, he allows each theory it's due credit. After showing the pros and cons of each, he then offers his conclusions.

Some of these theories are probable while others are just silly. I can't tell you which may occur, you have to read the book.

Will the World End in 2012?


This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishing

I review for BookSneeze

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Darkfall by Dean Koontz

Darkfall is a story that never really got off the ground for me. Dean Koontz is hit or miss with every single book. You can never know if the story will be terrific or horrific.

Darkfall was horrific.

Two homicide cops are following the murders of members of a crimelord family. The bodies appear to be chewed and mangled.

Turns out, a voodoo bad guy is out to get the crimeboss and he sends out little demon/goblins to do his dirty deeds.

Because the police are hunting for answers, the voodoo man decides to turn the goblins on them; specifically, the children.

This makes "police man" angry and now it's all or nothing. Which man will die?

Throw in a few vague references about the devil, God, and hell and you've got a very sub-par Koontz novel.

Darkfall

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze

Author Vicki Hinze has jumped into the Christian fiction genre with her first, in a series, thriller Forget Me Not.

I'm guessing the following books will revolve around a crisis center called Crossroads. In book one, we meet the Crossroads Crisis Center's owner, Benjamin Brandt who had everything fall apart; his wife and son were killed. This left him with a lost faith.

We witness the abduction of a woman who, after the assault, forgets who she is but appears to be Brandt's dead wife. (They look eerily alike.)

As they strive to fill in the holes of her memory, there is a ruthless murderer and his goons looking to finish the job.

This book is a hybrid in that, while it is a twist-turning thriller, there is a nice chunk of building romance and faith-affirmation.
Forget Me Not: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center)

This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

You can also find the book at WaterBrook by clicking here.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

After the Hangover: The Conservatives' Road to Recovery by R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.

I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting into when I received After the Hangover by Mr Tyrrell Jr. I thought maybe this would be an action plan for Conservatives.

Then I read the back sleeve.

R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr hates Liberals. He hates people who aren't Conservatives and he expresses himself by calling people names. He's a name caller.

He also doesn't like how politics has lost some of the intelligence that it once had. He sites President Clinton, President George W. Bush, Governor Palin and Vice President Biden as prime examples.

Nor does he like radio talking heads like Ann Coulter. Yet he does like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

Finally, he likes to promote himself, his books and his monthly American Spectator over and over.

He spends much of the book describing how Conservatism is key to everything good. But the only worth that I found came in the final chapter; where he minimally lays out a plan.

He wants to see budget reform - to put a cap on total spending that is below 20% of our GDP.

He wants tax reform via The Flat Tax.

He wants people to be able to to invest 1/3 of their current Social Security taxes in personal retirement accounts (like HSAs).

Also included are health care, medicaid, medicare, education, and immigration reform. He spends about 2 paragraphs each on explanation.

I wouldn't call this a book for anyone but die hard Conservatives or fans of the American Spectator.

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishing.
After the Hangover: The Conservatives' Road to Recovery





I review for BookSneeze

Breathless by Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz has created another novel that deals with creatures that appear otherworldly in Breathless.

You'll follow a number of characters before they all connect in the last few chapters.

They are: Grady Adams and his wolfhound, Merlin. These two live near the woods and are the first to discover the mystical beings.

Henry Rouvroy who visits his twin brother on a farm. Henry is a bit unstable.

Then you meet the veterinarian, the drunkard and Homeland Security all rushing headlong after these creatures.

Like most of his books, Koontz delivers a twisted tale of good verses evil. While the current trajectory of planet earth is heading toward anarchy and chaos, these new beings may be exactly what Someone had in mind to return us to utopia.

But, of course, Koontz leaves the discover of meaning and "the moral of the story" up to each reader.

This book felt similar to his earlier book, Watchers. And I was confused as to why there were so many separate storylines happening. But you will discover what Koontz was trying to teach the reader through each plot line.

Is it possible to have the next step in human evolution without evolution?
Breathless: A Novel