Driveby Book Reviews

It’s been a while, so here are some of the latest titles I’ve perused recently.
Brazil on the Rise by Larry Rohter

My new go-to book for those wanting to know about Brazil. Rohter was Rio de Janeiro bureau chief for the New York Times for many years, is married to a Brazilian, and is a keen observer of all things Brazilian. His chapter on the jeitinho brasileiro is especially insightful.
The Evernote Bible by Brandon Collins

I have mentioned before that I am a huge fan of Evernote. There is not another program that has helped me organize (and syncronize) the chaos that besets my existence. Collins’ easy-to-read little e-book is packed to the brim with tips and hints to help you achieve your full Evernote potential.
A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson

The subject is prayer, and Carson attacks it with customary thoroughness and conviction. This book is chock full of biblical research, theological precision, and practical applications. If you read it, prepare to be convicted, encouraged, and challenged with regard to your prayer life.
This one went on the reading list at our congregation.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

My sixth-grade teacher read us this book during lunch time. I just went back and read it, and enjoyed it much more now than I did then. Pure fantasy story, but with explicitly Christian overtones–although L’Engle loses me when she lumps Jesus in with Buddah, Gandhi, and Einstein.
The End of Reason by Ravi Zacharias

Another book that went straight to the official reading list of our congregation. Ravi Zacharias dismantles the New Atheist’s rhetoric, showing that it is no more tenable than the old atheism.
Our Oriental Heritage by Will Durant

First volume in Will Durant’s masterful History of Western Civilization. Durant was a backslidden Catholic, but his scholarship in many instances opens a window onto Old Testament life and times. My reading of this book coincided nicely with our series on Genesis.
Walking with Bilbo by Sarah Arthur

A delightful little devotional based on the Tolkein masterpiece The Hobbit. As Tolkein wrote from a decidedly Christian worldview, analogies to Christian life are not hard to find. Walking with Bilbo is not too profound, but quite witty and winsome.