Where has Oprah Taken Us? By Stephen Mansfield

This book delves into the many influences that have brought Oprah to where she is today. It is very insightful and thorough. I found most of the information intriguing but got bogged down with so much information. She has so many influences and personalities in her life that it is no wonder she has such conflicting and confusing beliefs.

The author presents the material in an easily readable way and the book is divided to make it easy to skip around and read about the individual people and their beliefs. It is divided into four main sections, the first two being the biography of her life, the third the biographies of the people who have so greatly influenced her and the last is about her philosophy and religion as it is today.

Although, I have never held any regard for Oprah or been interested in her life, I was interested in learning about the people and their beliefs that have caused her to adopt so many belief systems. I learned about many influential people, what they believe and their relationship with Oprah; what I think is important to know in order to understand the many ideas floating around that people are putting their faith in. I also learned a little about Oprah’s life and can applaud her tenacity and hard work to get where she is today although it came at the expense of others.

This is an insightful and informative read.

The Beginning Reader's Bible

This is a rather large children’s Bible designed for young children with a selection of stories from both the Old and New Testaments. I like that it uses an easy translation of the Bible to tell the stories rather than paraphrasing or simply retelling the story. Although, using scripture makes it more difficult for those children wanting to read it for themselves. The illustrations are nice but not the best I have seen.

There is a good representation of the most popular and significant stories from both the old and new testaments, beginning with creation and ending with a simple depiction of Heaven from Revelation. The Bible also has several other features typically found in the newer children’s Bibles, such as memory verses and simple projects to apply the lesson. Another feature I like is “Pray God’s Word”. With each story, they have a scripture to be used to pray pertaining to the lesson of the story. I think many Christians today have difficulty praying God’s word and so I think this feature is a gem! In the back of the book are lyrics for several songs, several famous passages from the Bible (like the 23 Psalm) and several lists, like the tribes of Israel, and the ten commandments. It also has a reading checklist and a memory verse list. It also includes a prayer of salvation.

One major flaw is the lack of page numbers. It has a table of contents including page numbers, but none of the actual pages have a number, so one must count as they turn the pages. I find this rather comical and annoying. I think this Bible has a limited life, it is too large and easy to tear for the real young, too big and bulky to be taken to church, and too simple for a child that is beyond a beginning reader. I would want a complete Bible for my child once he is old enough to understand the Word and read beyond the beginning level. The Bible is good for what I was looking for: a Bible for my 5-6 year old that he could look at and enjoy till he is ready for a real Bible. He may even be able to read it soon.

Greater Love by Robert Whitlow

GreaterLove tells the story of Tami, a recent law school graduate trying to decide where she wants to begin her aspiring law career. Should she join a well established firm or venture out with two other graduates and begin a new practice. To add to her confusion, she has two suiters her are pursuing her. After her decision, she is assigned a case that both challenges her faith and puts her life in danger. This is the third book in a series called Tides of Truth.

I haven’t read the first two books in this series, but have previously read books by Whitlow. I liked both of the books I had read, but this one left something to be desired. I am not sure if i am just cynical or not in touch with today’s Christian (I do live in a secular country) but I found Tami’s character and her family to be somewhat unbelievable. Do most mid-twenty -somethings depend so much on their parents to help them make every decision? The first person story telling also bothered me but I am not sure why.

Overall, the book is a light read, as in light on content, light on likability. I don’t know if Tami is in the previous books and therefore a known entity but I could never really like her. I don’t dislike her, just couldn’t really relate to her. I also don’t live in the south (Texas isn’t the south is it?) and so that may also complicate my ability to relate. If I were to give the book a rating from 0-5 with 5 being the best, I would give it a 2.

Jane Austin, Christian Encounters

A new series of books from Thomas Nelson, Christian Encounters introduces or familiarizes us to legendary figures of our past. From writers, important religious figures, to politicians and more, readers are given a concise history of those who can both influence and enlighten us. A biography of the writer Jane Austin is one of 5 in the first series released in 2010.

As a dearly loved and widely read author, Jane Austin's short life was greatly influenced by her faith. The child of a pastor in England, faith and religion were a large part of her large family. She began writing as a child and was a very prolific writer, if only in letters. She began most of her most famous books early in her life and tweeked them over many, many years. She became discouraged by continued rejection, but after finally being published, experienced great success.

If you want a concise biography, this book is suitable. I found it difficult to keep Jane's relationships straight, so many people are referenced. There is an appendix in the back that lists all of the people in her life, both friends and family. It follows her life chronologically although he does jump around some. It is a quick and easy read but may require some referring back to the appendix. I could have lived without some of the quotes, quotations and outside references, but for some, that might be appealing. All in all, if you want to learn more about a famous author with a closer look at how her faith influenced her life, then this is a good choice.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”