We begin a monthly review of books in our collection.

Join us for an on-line discussion of our books [here]. All are welcome!

Why Would Jesus Say That?

Daily Reflections for Lent

The United Church Publishing House

Reviewer: Katharina Manassis

... We are probably one of the few denominations where members like me can feel free to write critically about its publications. What a privilege! [more]

Postcards from the Valley: Encounters with Fear, Faith and God

Author: David Giuliano

Reviewer: Helen Jones

As a three time cancer survivor, I can identify with our 39^th Moderator as he talks about his cancer experience in the first section of the book “Do not fear – only Believe”. He shares with us his feelings of lowliness, vulnerability, limitation and beauty on the journey through the valley that has been a source of deepening his experience of the presence of God and of the way of Jesus. [more]

An Imperfect Offering:

Humanitarian Action in the Twenty-First Century

By James Orbinski, M.D.

Reviewed by Katharina Manassis

If you are looking for a prescription for effective humanitarian action in the twenty-first century from Dr. Orbinski, this book will be disappointing. It raises more questions than it answers. If you are looking for a gripping, often disturbing memoir of one man’s attempt to make a difference against seemingly overwhelming odds, this is definitely a book to read. [more]

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose

Author: Eckhart Tolle

Reviewer: Katharina Manassis

“Oh, no! Not another Oprah’s Book Club book!” some people may exclaim.

This is one I actually liked, though. [more]

With or Without God:

Why the Way We Live is More Important than What We Believe

By Gretta Vosper

Reviewed by Katharina Manassis

At the end of this book, I had penciled 37 comments in the margins, many of them questioning or disagreeing with some of its ideas. What an engaging read! [more]

Noah’s Other Son:

Bridging the Gap Between the Bible and the Qur’an

By Brian Arthur Brown

Reviewed by Katharina Manassis

Three major world religions all trace their origins back to Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. You would think that shared history would foster mutual understanding, but as we know all too well, that’s not always the case. [more]

Too busy not to Pray

Author: Bill Hybels

Reviewer: Nicky Slovitt

First of all, I was attracted to the name of this book—it struck me as a very appropriate book for the busy times we live in right now. Many of us have trouble making the time to pray, then a crisis hits and we suddenly find ourselves praying for support! [more]

Dying for a Home, Homeless Activists Speak Out

Author: Cathy Crowe

Reviewer: Margaret Mooney

I found this a good “primer” on the homeless subject. It is an easy read. It conveys the passion of the author ... [more]

The Secret

Author: Rhonda Byrne

Reviewer: Katharina Manassis

Since being touted by Oprah Winfrey as the book that changed her life, “The Secret” has been flying off the shelves of bookstores across North America. I bought a copy last summer to see what all the fuss was about. [more]

Child Honoring: How to Turn This World Around

By Raffi Cavoukian and Sharna Olfman (Editors)

Reviewed by Katharina Manassis

Raffi Cavoukian (a.k.a. Raffi, popular children’s entertainer) introduces the subject of this book by saying “I’m grateful to all those who have taught me about the wondrous ways of the child, and about the child in all of us”. In presenting this ambitiously titled anthology, he invites us to imagine what the world would be like if all fields, from economics to education; from parenting to planetary ecology started from this vantage point. [more]

Common Grace

How To Be A Person & Other Spiritual Matters

(By Anthony B. Robinson, Sasquatch Books; 1st edition, 2006)

Reviewed by Mary Ethel Morton

This book is a series of essays on faith, on relationships and on society. Tony, (I can call him Tony, because he asked me to when we met) is a storyteller with a deep theological foundation. [more]

Spirituality and World Religions: A Comparative Introduction

(By George E. Saint-Laurent, © McGraw-Hill, 1999)

Reviewer: Katharina Manassis

Some books comparing major world religions leave the reader able to recite long lists of religious holidays (a handy skill when looking for excuses for missing a day of work), but with little insight into the experience of believers of other faiths. This one, by contrast, stands out for its ability to take you inside the mind of the believer. [more]

The Da Vinci Code

(Author: Dan Brown, © Doubleday Publishing, 2003)

Reviewer: Carol Caise

Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” was published in 2003, creating controversy from the start. The hype around this novel has increased as we approach the premier of “The Da Vinci Code” movie on May 19^th.

This novel contains all the elements of a good mystery – suspense, intrigue, decoding cryptic messages, along with unexpected twists and turns - through the streets and cathedrals of Paris and London. [more]

Self-Esteem - Your fundamental Power

Author: Caroline Myss (available at the public library)

Reviewer: Melinda Calway

Caroline Myss on her CD book Self-Esteem-Your fundamental Power defines self-esteem as “the manifestation of our spirit engaged in action in our life”. She talks about how our spiritual energy of self esteem enhances the quality of our life, health relationships & creativity. She goes on to explain how we co-create our reality. In this audio book, Caroline Myss had me captivated with her ideas, her passion for the subject matter and how true it resonated in me. I couldn’t stop listening. [more]

Yesterday I Cried: Celebrating the Lessons of Living and Loving

Reviewer: Katharina Manassis

The front cover of the book is inscribed ‘there’s always someone worse off’, and that about sums up the author’s life. When I read two paragraphs to my daughter, her reaction was “Oh mom, it’s so depressing! How can you read that?” My response was ... [more]

Stories Seldom Told

Reviewed by Kathryn Moase

Can you remember what Potiphar’s wife did? Any idea why Lot’s wife looked back? If these biblical questions are difficult, you’re not alone. [more]

The Braggy King of Babylon

Reviewers: Julia & Martin Krumma, Katharina Manassis

(Author: Yvonne Holloway McCall; Illustrator: Jim Roberts

Concordia Publishing House (Arch Books): St. Louis, Missouri, 1969.)

The story is that of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, told in Daniel (chapter 4). The king gloats proudly over his city, Babylon, taking credit for all its splendor. Suddenly, he hears a voice announcing that he will lose his kingdom and live like an animal for the next several years. [more]

Sin Boldly

reviewed by Melinda Calway

No, the author is not inviting bad behavior. Instead, Levan has put together a contemporary collection of short anecdotes about everyday things. These are things that we all think about but seldom discuss openly. For example, “What happens when we die?” Levan doesn’t supply us with all the answers. Instead, he discusses the beliefs of different peoples and religions, as he describes how “Trying to see past death helps us to live now.” [more]

Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time

reviewed by Katharina Manassis

The title is a paradox. You can’t meet someone again for the first time, because meeting ‘again’ implies you’ve met the person at least once before.

Of course, what Borg refers to is meeting Jesus again as if for the first time. The title is meant to intrigue, but also to point out the contrast Borg experienced, and hopes his reader will experience, between the images of Jesus presented to him in childhood and the understanding of Jesus he later developed. Although the book’s main subject is Jesus, it is also a description of Borg’s own spiritual journey. [more]