Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Nero and Paul: How the Gospel of Grace defeated the Ruler of Rome by Kathie Lee Gifford with Bryan Litfin released in March from Thomas Nelson. This creative non-fiction book will help you understand just what it was like to live in the historical times of Nero and Paul. The history in this book is so helpful to better understanding the Bible and relating it to life today. There are maps in the front of Nero and Paul so readers can better see the land they are reading about. Then the two authors have a conversation throughout much of the book that relays the history of this era to the reader from a historical aspect. It is interesting and not at all dry like some history books can be. From the publisher:   Does gaining power, possessions, and popularity lead to happiness and fulfillment? Or does inner transformation and self-sacrificial love bring the most joy and satisfaction?  New York Times  bestselling author Kathie Lee Gifford and scholar Bryan Litfi...

  One of the first Christmas specials that I enjoyed as a child was A Charlie Brown Christmas. It is a fond memory for me and my family watches it nearly every year. Is it a favorite for you too? If so, you may want to know the back story of this special. The Inspiring, Untold Story of the Making of a Holiday Classic: Charlie Brown's Christmas Miracle by Michael Keane is a book about how this special came to be made--against the odds.  The Inspiring, Untold Story of the Making of a Holiday Classic: Charlie Brown's Christmas Miracle is a fairly lengthy book but it is also well told and quite interesting, I think. I liked how easily it reads. I enjoyed the back story quite a bit. It is a book that I just couldn't rush through and takes some time to read. I liked the historical photos in the middle of the book too. This is a book that will appeal to those who enjoy history, to those who enjoyed the Charlie Brown Christmas special through the years, and to the fans of Charles...

The Story of George Washington by Patricia A. Pingry is a part of the "Story Of" reader series from Worthy Kids. This is a great series to get children thinking about United States history. The Story of George Washington helps children see the basics of who George Washington was, learn the basics of the story of the cherry tree, see his influence on the beginning of our country and know that he was our first President. While some of the words may be a little big, as a whole this is a great book. Parents can fill in some of the gaps orally if questions are asked and explain in more details or help children find the answers they are looking for.  With Presidents Day coming up in February, this would make a great book to put in a toddler's library. The book contains about 200 words, is 24 pages long and has brightly-colored eye-catching pictures. The book measures about six inches square so would be easy for small hands to hold and turn the pages. The Story of George Washi...

It has been said before, and also in this book, that everybody has a story. In Before and After by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate, the authors share the real-life stories of orphans who survived the Tennessee Children's Home Society. I was immediately drawn in to Before and After as I started the book. I struggled to put this book down just as I did Lisa Wingate's book, Before We Were Yours. Before We Were Yours is a fictionalized account of orphans similar to the real-life stories in this book. I found these stories to be fascinating. It is hard to believe that anyone could be as unkind and unfeeling as Georgia Tann who ran a black market child adoption business in Memphis through the Tennessee Children's Home Society from the 1920s until 1950. Over 5,000 orphans were cleared for adoption through her agency so literally thousands of orphans and families were affected by this corrupt agency. If you haven't read Before We Were Yours , I would encourage you to re...

Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas by Ace Collins has all the information you need if you want to find out how a Christmas tradition began. This book details how almost any Christmas tradition that you can think of got started. Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas shares how advent began, why holly is important, the significance of the nutcracker ballet, and why we hang up stockings to name just a few of the traditions that I found interesting in this little book. Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas will be a keeper for me in our personal library for future reference. I think it would be a great addition to anyone's personal library and to church libraries. From the introduction in the front of this book through all of the traditions that are detailed, I found this whole book to be quite interesting. It is both interesting reading and a book to reference when you need to as all of the traditions shared in the book are in alphabetical...