The Screwtape Letters

 

From Goodreads.com:The story takes the form of a series of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a junior "tempter" named Wormwood, so as to advise him on methods of securing the damnation of a British man, known only as "the Patient".

Screwtape holds an administrative post in the bureaucracy ("Lowerarchy") of Hell, and acts as a mentor to Wormwood, the inexperienced tempter. In the body of the thirty-one letters which make up the book, Screwtape gives Wormwood detailed advice on various methods of undermining faith and promoting sin in the Patient, interspersed with observations on human nature and Christian doctrine. Wormwood and Screwtape live in a peculiarly morally reversed world, where individual benefit and greed are seen as the greatest good, and neither demon is capable of comprehending or acknowledging true human virtue when he sees it.

My Thoughts: I found it very interesting that even though this was written in 1941 it still is so 100% true account of human nature and how we are tempted.

This is a must read for readers

Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines

From Goodreads.com:A new era of exciting adventures and shocking revelations continues to unfold, as the legendary Star Wars saga sweeps forward into astonishing new territory.

Civil war looms as the fledgling Galactic Alliance confronts a growing number of rebellious worlds–and the approaching war is tearing the Skywalker and Solo families apart. Han and Leia return to Han’s homeworld, Corellia, the heart of the resistance. Their children, Jacen and Jaina, are soldiers in the Galactic Alliance’s campaign to crush the insurgents. 

Jacen, now a complete master of the Force, has his own plans to bring order to the galaxy. Guided by his Sith mentor, Lumiya, and with Luke’s young son Ben at his side, Jacen embarks on the same path that his grandfather Darth Vader once did. And while Han and Leia watch their only son become a stranger, a secret assassin entangles the couple with a dreaded name from Han’s past: Boba Fett. In the new galactic order, friends and enemies are no longer what they seem…


MY THOUGHTS: I have to admit I enjoyed the old familiar characters being older and working through life.
The way Jacen Solo was written bothered me. He was to narrowed minded and not at all like I expected a Jedi Master to loose control.

If you are a star Wars Fan read it.

The Eye of the World

From Goodreads.com:The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance
What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

This was a very long read...and a slow start...almost quit during the first part since it moved so slow, but about 1/4 into it and it picked up.

I enjoyed this even if it was a bit wordy. High fantasy at it's best!

The Sorcerer's Daughter

The third stand-alone Shannara novel in the Defenders of Shannara series, following The High Druid’s Blade and The Darkling Child, easily accessible to new readers of epic fantasy.

The daughter of a reviled sorcerer, Leofur is nothing like her dreaded father. When her life-partner, Paxon Leah, leaves on a dangerous mission, Leofur protects Paxon’s sister. When she is abducted Leofur is forced to choose between saving Paxon from a mission gone badly awry, or hiring the services of the best tracker in the world to go after her life-partner’s sister.

This was a good stand alone book by Brooks.
His former works for me time and time again.
If you are a fan of his this is a must read

Miracles and Massacres

From Goodreads.com discription#1 bestselling author Glenn Beck gives us inspiring, courageous, and little-known stories from American history, from the Founders through September 11.

Don’t miss the huge bestseller Miracles and Massacres, history as you’ve never heard it told and incredible events that you never knew existed.

HISTORY AS IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE TOLD: TRUE AND THRILLING. 

Thomas Edison was a bad guy—and bad guys usually lose in the end. 

World War II radio host “Tokyo Rose” was branded as a traitor by the US government and served time in prison. In reality, she was a hero to many. 

Twenty US soldiers received medals of honor at the Battle of Wounded Knee—yet this wasn’t a battle at all; it was a massacre. 

Paul Revere’s midnight ride was nothing compared to the ride made by a guy named Jack whom you’ve probably never heard of. 

History is about so much more than memorizing facts. It is, as more than half of the word suggests, about the story. And, told in the right way, it is the greatest one ever written: Good and evil, triumph and tragedy, despicable acts of barbarism and courageous acts of heroism. 

The things you’ve never learned about our past will shock you. The reason why gun control is so important to government elites can be found in a story about Athens that no one dares teach. Not the city in ancient Greece, but the one in 1946 Tennessee. The power of an individual who trusts his gut can be found in the story of the man who stopped the twentieth hijacker from being part of 9/11. And a lesson on what happens when an all-powerful president is in need of positive headlines is revealed in a story about eight saboteurs who invaded America during World War II. 

If the truth shall set you free, then your freedom begins on page one of this book. By the end, your understanding of the lies and half-truths you’ve been taught may change, but your perception of who we are as Americans and where our country is headed definitely will.

My thoughts.

Be sure to check the notes in the back as a lot of stuff was imagined based on how they interpreted their research. So the end product is more "based on a true story" historical fiction than accurate history. 

I knew some of the stories but some I did not.

I enjoyed this...not sure if i can recommend it but if you like Glen Beck then give it a try

Man's Search for Meaning

From Goodreads.com:Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Between 1942 and 1945, Frankl labored in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience and the experiences of others he treated later in his practice, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering, but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. Frankl's theory--known as logotherapy, from the Greek word logos ("meaning")--holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful.

At the time of Frankl's death in 1997, Man's Search for Meaning had sold more than 10 million copies in twenty-four languages. A 1991 reader survey for the Library of Congress that asked readers to name a "book that made a difference in your life" found Man's Search for Meaning among the ten most influential books in America.

My thoughts:I know quite a few that found this book to be life changing. I did not. If I had read it back in the 70-80's maybe.
The first part details the authors time in Nazi camps during WWII and I found that extremely interesting and thought provoking.
I found myself coming back time and time again to the simple question of what would I have done if put in the same circumstance. I didn't have a solid answer. I have what I hope I would be and od but never will know thank goodness.
The last part of the book goes into the authors  brand of science of the mind. It is now a bit outdated but it was nice to read where he got his ideas from and so much more agreeable than Freud.

The Holy Secret

From Goodreads.com:Many today carry a secret: We do not love what we have been commanded to love. We do not love what is holy. Although we might reverence things that are deemed holy- the temple, for example, and the scriptures, and the Sabbath- we do not love them. Not really. Not with our whole souls.

The Holy Secret is the story of a man who learns how to love what matters. As he does, he learns another secret: Love for holiness transforms life itself. His realization of what he had been missing may lead you to some discoveries of your own!

I listened to this on CD and found it better than I reviewed last time. In truth I didn't even realize that I had read this in 2010 until I logged on here and saw I had done so.
This book is a "story" to bring to light a way to study the scriptures. I still did not hear anything new but enjoyed it more than before.
I do find myself wanting to be like Al in the book. To have that knowledge at the tip of your finger...well I know how to get there! I would recommend a listen or read to help you think about a different way to study and get into the scripture sturdy

Previous Review 2010:Not sure what to say. I know most love this book but for me I was a little bored. I am not trying to brag but there was not anything new to me here. I have dug into my reading as suggested for quite awhile now but I still recommend this to any who want a idea on how to start their study of the scriptures.