My child just loves these books. She enjoys reading them and really learns the stories. I like the notes to parents and the suggestions on discussing the stories with your children. Really a great way to teach your child bible stories and to show them how important it is to spend time with God.

Today's growing interest in all things spiritual has resulted in all kinds of books about Jesus--many of which are simply wrong. This book corrects errors, not so much by attacking them specifically as by carefully showing the reader the many dimensions of who this amazing person Jesus is. The topic is deep and the author is a brilliant scholar so one should expect to be dazzled. You will, but in the end I found it is the subject--Jesus--who dazzles most brightly.

Dr. Mark Roberts has systematically set out who Jesus is, presenting the best scholarship in this well-footnoted book. And he does this in a way that interlaces serious theological insights with captivatingly folksy illustrations--a conversation with his little daughter reveals deep theological truths. We are lead through detailed aspects of the many-faceted Jesus, yet the teaching is easy to follow.

But the Jesus the author presents is not found solely in facts. Rather, as the title suggests, Mark provides information so you can know someone who will capture your heart and your mind. And challenge you to a life radically different from today's culture, one in harmony with God's plan for a more abundant life.

Other than the New Testament, I can't recommend a better read today by which to know Jesus better.

Considering this book was written by a guy who got his undergrad B.A. in philosophy and religion at Harvard and a Phd. in New Testament at Harvard, you'd think that this would be a liberal perspective on Jesus. However, this is a very inspiring look at Jesus, his claims, and his purpose through the eyes of an evangelical preacher and scholar. In addition to some profound points, he also brings out the simple points that we often overlook, and he does so in a fresh manner. While this isn't a ground-breaking account of Jesus, it is a much needed one for those of us who want to understand the Jesus who lives today and not just the "historical" Jesus.

Of the dozens of books published on Mark over the past 15 years, this has to be on anyone's "Top Ten" list. This work is a well-balanced and well-reasoned approach to understanding the author, audience and social climate of the first gospel. Robbins writes in an easily understandable style, and sheds new light on both the Jewish and Hellenistic roots of the gospel. For anyone wanting a better understanding of Mark, this book is an essential read. For those ready to accept the fact that Mark's gospel is a work of divinely inspired rhetorical literature rather than a historical biography of the divine, this is your book. Robbins' other works and journal articles are equally valuable for clarity and depth of insight.

James Dunn is, in my opinion, a model scholar. He begins from liberal presuppositions but his conclusions tend to be quite conservative.

As a liberal, Dunn does not assume that the Bible is inerrant; for each issue he raises, he proceeds to examine the evidence in detail. But despite his liberal presuppositions, he always employs careful exegesis. He does not make unwarranted leaps from the biblical text to supposed extra-biblical parallels, but closely examines the biblical text in its own light before extending his inquiry cautiously outwards.

It is widely recognized that there is a large conceptual leap between Jesus (as presented in the Gospels) and Paul. Jesus lived as a Jew, in obedience to the Law of Moses, and he restricted his mission to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Mt. 15:24). Paul devoted himself primarily to the conversion of Gentiles. He held that Gentiles could be saved apart from circumcision and other works of the Law, asserting that Christ was "the end of the Law" (Ro. 10:3).

Dunn argues that the conceptual link is not as unbridgable as many scholars assume. Indeed, he argues that Jesus' attitude toward the Law constitutes a bridge to later Christianity. In Dunn's opinion, Paul was merely following Jesus' position to its logical conclusion, responding to issues as they subsequently arose in early Church history in a way that was consistent with Jesus' own stance.

For example, Dunn examines Mark 7 in detail. (There Jesus is reported to have "declared all foods clean".) Dunn does not assume that Mark's report is historical, but weighs the evidence pro and con. He ultimately concludes that Jesus made a somewhat ambiguous statement. Mark interpreted it one way; Matthew interpreted it somewhat differently. It was the ambiguity of Jesus' position which gave rise to subsequent controversy in the Church. Yet Jesus did lay a foundation for the position ultimately expounded by Paul.

Such a brief summary does not do justice to Dunn's approach, however. The value of the book is in its detailed argumentation. In addition to his careful exegesis, Dunn builds on the research of E. P. Sanders on extra-biblical Jewish literature -- though Dunn reaches different conclusions than those of Sanders. At various points, Dunn explores the intertestamental history recorded in 1 and 2 Maccabees, he discusses "Jesus, the Pharisees, and sinners" -- in direct response to Sanders -- and he talks about the Hellenists (see Acts 6:1ff.) as a historical bridge between Jesus and Paul. He also attempts to unravel controversies in the early Church -- notably that between Paul, Barnabas, Peter and James (see Gal. 2).

The net effect is to set Jesus in a broad historical context: Dunn reaches back to critical intertestamental events, carefully considers Jesus' position vis-a-vis the Pharisees, and proceeds forward through the Hellenists to Paul and other early Christian leaders. The broad sweep of the argument is, to my mind, quite persuasive.

The book is not a light read! It consists of a series of articles on individual New Testament texts. Dunn wrote the articles as part of his research for a commentary on Romans (since published in the Word Biblical Commentary series). Each article was published in a theological journal, thus each chapter of this book has been submitted to scholarly review. In compiling the book, Dunn has added a brief appendix to each chapter, in which he responds to the scholarly critique of each original article. Given the detailed nature of the argumentation, and the scholarly audience to which the articles were originally directed, readers may find it a difficult read. It is not necessary to read Greek in order to make sense of the book, however.

The first few chapters of the book focus on the Gospel of Mark; the remainder of the book examines passages critical to the interpretation of Paul's letter to the Galatians.

To a scientific mind, there is no such thing as "the last word" on any given subject. Other scholars vigorously dissent from Dunn's conclusions. But for Christians who are troubled by the radical scepticism of many scholars, Dunn demonstrates that conservative conclusions can be defended in a responsible manner.

An excellent book -- like listening to the author's conversations with Jesus. Read a chapter a day, but think about the chaper for the rest of the day. The book will be read many times. It is not a book you will give away, but you will recommend it to your friends. Not a book for beginners in spiritual life. A well known retreat master is reading it for the third time. Buy it and grow!

Jewel is one of my favorite singers, i read her poems every night and listen to her songs. I got every CD and BOOK on her, i am 16 and she is my idol for about 2yrs so far and counting. I read this book over and over learning about her and what happend in her life. Her Poem book is cool to cuz just reading the words she put in the writings are strong and tell a lot of what happend to her.

This is a fascinating book. I bought it as light reading to take on vacation. I expected it to be folk tales - sort of I.B. Singer goes west. Maybe the Wise Men of Cheyanne. It turned out to be a collection of really interesting true stories about Jews who for one reason or another had significant interactions with various native American tribes. Some fought with the Indians, some were traders, one became an Acoma chief (this is a job for a nice Jewish boy?) I found all of the stories interesting. When I was a kid, my father used to tell me stories about when he was an elephant trainer (before he went to work in the post office). Maybe he wasn't kidding!

Jocelyn Chadwick-Joshua's slim volume packs a lot of power. As an African-American rhetorician and Twain scholar, she eloquently makes the case for book's continued study. Using the lexicon of classical rhetoric, she carefully examines the role of Jim in Twain's book to show that he is elevated to a place of prominence and importance in conveying Twain's message of humanity. She examines closely Jim's words, his dialogues with Huck, and the language of slavery used by the society in the novel as a way of exposing Twain's methods.

If one carefully reads Twain's masterpiece and then thoughtfully reads Chadwick-Joshua's book, s/he must surely see that _Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_ needs to remain an important element in the American landscape of literature. Without Twain's honest look at race in the 19th century, an important part of the American experience would be lost. We need this book, black and white alike. __The Jim Dilemma_ helps us to appreciate Huck and Jim's journey to freedom all the more.

Filled with glorious full colour photos and some of the most amusing anecdotes and interviews from the last thirty years of this incredibly versitile artist and thinker. If possible look for "A Certain Lack of Coherence" for a more in depth review of his writen and political work.

This book, which tells the story of hockey player/enforcer John Kordic is an exceptionally well-researched and thoughtful biography. John's life, and the events leading to his untimely, tragic death, are well-presented by the author, Mark Zwolinksi. The author pens the details of John's life as his team's "fighter" as well as the battles he fought off-ice, in a straight-forward manner, adding personal insights into John's character and the difficulties he faced with alcohol, cocaine and steriods. This is a true tale that "stays with the reader" long after he or she has turned the last page of the book.

The Fight of His Life: The John Kordic Story is truly one of the best biographies-- sports-related or not -- that I have read in a long time. A thoughtful and provocative read, this book is extremely well done; I would highly recommend it!

Valerie Wood is the author of Enforcer (with a forward by Link Gaetz) -- a novel about the lifestyle of a professional NHL enforcer and the toll his role takes on him personally, as well as professionally. Enforcer is available in softcover at Amazon.com