This is a well made and readable reprint of the 1599 edition of the Geneva Bible. Instead of the 1560 commentary on Revelation, it has the rather vehement and anti-Catholic, but historically interesting. commentary of Junius on that book. The Apocrypha are listed on the table of contents, but were apparently not reproduced, either in the facsimile or in the edition this is copied from.

This Bible would be interesting and useful to people interested in the history of Protestant thought in England, and students of the literature of the period.

The edition is flawed, though, by the ranting prefaces added by the publisher. They seem to have little to do with this edition of the Bible or its historical significance. Indeed, they seem to misconstrue the doctrine of Grace that is expounded in the pages of the Bible itself. They are instead filled with amateur lawyering, bizarre political commentary, paranoid conspiracy theories, and attacks on the Authorized Version based on the character of King James [who, of course, didn't write it]. The prefaces are so disturbing that you may have qualms about supporting the operation responsible for this reprint.

Great Bible. Lousy introduction.

the old print takes some getting used to, but the side notes are invaluable! This is the one Bible I turn to most!

This is a good photocopy of the 1599 Geneva bible. The type style and spelling are original to the period which makes reading this version difficult for the average student. However, the margin notes are excellent and are vital to understanding reformed theology.

Much has been written about the theology of John Calvin. For most, you either love him or hate him. Regardless of whether or not you love or hate him, he is a force to be reckoned with. Calvin was one of the greatest biblical scholars that ever lived. He had an incredible command of the Scriptures in that he did not base his interpretations on one or two passages, but sought to integrate all of the Scriptures' teaching. His commentaries reflect this well as Calvin shows that he is able to combine solid exegesis with pastoral insight (something lacking in many commentaries today). Even Jacob Arminius said: After the reading of Scripture, which I strenuously inculcate, and more than any other ... I recommend that the Commentaries of Calvin be read ... For I affirm that in the interpretation of the Scriptures Calvin is incomparable, and that his Commentaries are more to be valued than anything that is handed down to us in the writings of the Fathers -- so much that I concede to him a certain spirit of prophecy in which he stands distinguished above others, above most, indeed, above all." Calvin's comments are still relevant for Christians today, and serve as an excellent resource for pastors and teachers in the church.

This set would have had 5 stars if it had a better translation. This one is slightly out-dated and poorly edited in some places. If you are on a budget, get this set (I have them on my shelf and use them regularly!). However, if you can afford to go higher with the price, get the paperback series from Eerdmans; It has a higher quality of translation. (However, you will have to be patient with the Eerdmans set as only the NT and a few volumes from the OT are currently available).

Pastors should also look at Calvin's sermons (also available from Amazon) to see a great example of how one can explain and apply the great truths of the Bible to the people of God in their own day and age.

What a brilliant mind! I have been greatly edified by this godly man and his devotion to the exposition of the scriptures. Oh that we had more scholars of his calibur today.
Oh! And I use these commentaries daily in my bible study.

I think others have reviewed these commentaries much like I would, but just to let you know, you can get it for about $200.00 at christianbook.com

I enjoyed this book and the television movie. These young men, led by Joe Hunt, wanted to live the good life. They wanted to make huge sums of money, drive flashy, fast cars, go out with debutantes and girls of high society and live the good life. They thought they could accomplish this by becoming whiz kid stock market investors. This plan went did not succeed. Instead of making money for themselves and their clients, they lost it. All of it. As a result they resorted to murder. They killed the father of one of their kiddie group and another person who had tricked them by making them think they had successfully invested a large sum of money, only to find out it was a phony investment scheme on paper. The murder of this man was to cover the extortion of a million plus dollars from him and payback for tricking them.

Is it just me? I read this book and it's about a rich aristocratic family launching a probe at Halley's Comet in order to set a precedent in laws of ownership of objects in space (so they can then claim the planets without ever visiting them). Nothing in there about making money on the stock exchange or patricide. I know it sounds like I'm knocking the previous reviews but hey guys, that's not the same book!

i have read this book 2x. when i saw the movie i had to get the book, which came out after the movie. what spoiled rich kids will do for money! what joe hunt will do for power and control. it was quite a story... and it was told well! a page turner.

A thoroughly enjoyable history of the greatest revolutionary party in the history of the Republic. Very readable. However, I was irked by several factual errors, which, in my opinion, are inexcusable in a history book. (For example, former GOP Minority Whip Bob Michel was from Illinois, not Indiana. Richard Nixon died in 1994, not 1993. There are several others that struck me while reading but that I cannot recall now.) One my consider such factual mistakes as "no big deal." However, I cannot help wondering what other errors there are that I am just not aware of.

If you're either a Republican or a political junkie, you'll enjoy John Calvin Batchelor's "Ain't You Glad You Joined the Republicans?" While it doesn't dig deep into the personalities and issues that have defined the GOP, it provides a wonderful study of the party and its robust history. After finishing the book, you'll have not only a greater understanding of the Republican Party, but perhaps a greater appreciation as well.

It's also well-worth the time for the use of political cartoons from throughout the years. Batchelor uses these wonderful treasures effectively, providing not only appropriate art but a study of the art of political cartooning and how it has changed over the past 150 years.

Aint You Glad You Joined The Republicans, is the finest book I have read about our GOP. It is engaging and does a good job telling the history of our party. It is insightful and even handed in it's treatment of the GOP's storied past, from Lincoln to Bush, it is an enjoyable read!

If you're looking for an easy reading abridgement of the Institutes, this is an excellent choice. I enjoyed getting an overview of Calvin's work during devotions and before bed without having to think too hard about "translating the translation" which is so often the case with older translations. The fact of the matter is that there are other abridgements that may do the trick also, but this one does just fine for me. I'll read it again and again. So, if you want a overview of Calvin's Institutes without having to deal with the "intricate" details, think about this one... if you want an exhaustive history/biography of his life and works, obviously this won't do it for you.

This book is an abridgement of Calvin's much larger "Institutes." Tony Lane has paraphrased sections of Battles' translation into crisper, more idiomatic English so as to make Calvin's writing accessible to the contemporary reader. I first read this book as a 16 year old and I found no difficulty in understanding it! The guiding principle of Lane's abridgement is that Calvin's positive theological statements and arguments are, more or less, left in tact, while the (sometimes vindictive) polemics that Calvin indulged in are removed. I personally like this feature, because it enables one to see more clearly how edifying and pastoral Calvin's theology is. Calvin's extensive polemics, in this respect, can have the influence of making the modern reader lose sight of this. Lane follows the standard referencing system for the "Institutes" used in the Battles' translation. This is extremely useful, because when Lane indicates that he has abridged Calvin in a certain chapter or section, one can then go to the Battles' version to see what he has left out! Lane gives the reader enough of the "Institutes" so that one can grasp the flow of Calvin's arguments and penetrate to the centre of his theology. After reading this, I got the impression that I hadn't read a disjointed series of abstracts but a COHERENT arguement. It's Lane's ability to maintain the structure of Calvin's overall argument that makes this abridgement especially good. This book serves as an excellent entry into Calvin for the general (or busy) reader. It's short enough so that the attention span is not strained. As a text for a seminary or college course on Calvin's theology, it's a book that students could realistically read through in a semester. This book, taken together with the abridgements of many of Calvin's commentaries in the Crossway Classic Commentaries series, would provide an accessible (and relatively comprehensive) grasp of Calvin's theology and exegesis for the interested pastor or layperson.

This is the hard core of the much longer Institutes. The translation of the title is slightly different than the Ford Lewis Battles full-bore 2-Vol. set, which goes by "Institutes of The Christian Religion." Perhaps that's refreshing for hard-core students of the Battles version.

I was describing this abridgement to a friend as "pretty much the core of the 15% to 20% of what's left of the Insitutes when when you cut out all Calvin's footnotes ranting against the Catholics and accusing his foes of being dogs returning to their vomit." The friend's reply: "But those are the best parts." However, for those readers who would be put off by the hand-to-hand combat found in Calvin's profusion of footnotes (or more properly, in Dr. Battles's vast multiplication of explanatory footnotes), this volume is helpful. Here we have simply Calvin cut loose from his scholastic bickering conflicts.

It only seems less Calvinistic to read through this so easily.

Hearing Calvin criticised for having people burned at the stake is like hearing America criticised for fighting communist and nazi fascism in the 20th century. The Catholic Church tortured, mutilated, imprisoned, repressed, oppressed, and burned at stakes untold millions of human beings; and they kept the Word of God away from all the rest of the human beings unfortunate enough to be living under its thumb. The Protestant Reformation heroically did away with this oppression and murder of Christians and Calvin crystallized the theology (i.e. in this case what the Bible says) for all time in the Institutes of the Christian Religion. Go to the Bible first as always. You CAN now because of men like Calvin who risked their lives to bring the Word of God to the everyday man and woman and child who is inspired to read and learn God's Word. For help after the Bible itself the Institutes are simply a primary, foundational explication of the Word of God written with a common, non-specialised audience in mind. The demogoguing that goes on regarding it has mostly to do with the fact that Calvin was uncomprising in presenting what the Bible itself says, and he doesn't bring it down to the level of vain understanding of a human being, but takes it right up to the ceiling where it becomes mystery and then leaves matters there. This means he presents many things that are not easy to grasp by those looking for a connect-the-dots explanation of deep mystery and that can be propagandized endlessly by those who either do not believe the Word of God is inspired or who have a problem with any Christians who are not of the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox churches and who know that very few people have the time or inclination to actually read the massive Institutes. Read the Bible first and last, though, and thank the Protestant Reformation that you are able to do that.

Calvin has been misunderstood by many -- including many believers who never read this book. ...It brought me to tears of repentance and renewed sense of God's great love and power. It expanded my thoughts of God in my heart. God became greater and bigger through this book, thus my worship of God became more profound and sincere.
1. This book is utterly God-centered. In this book, Calvin repeatedly emphasizes that men are created for God and His glory alone. Therefore, he rightly proves from the Scriptures that: creation, predestination, salvation, and our life before Him are all for that end (glory of God).
2. This book exalts the Gospel of Christ above all things. So we see why he was so harsh against Roman Catholic Church in his time, where Gospel of grace has been replaced by indulgence and superstition. In the Gospel of Christ, Calvin points out our weaknesses and God's great mercy. Actually, some were saved by reading this book during Puritan era.
3. This book uses the Scriptures masterfully. It shows that Calvin only made his point when the Scripture warranted it. Therefore, it is powerful in its assertion and authorative.
4. This book is ultimately life changing if read properly. It did me. Calvin emphasizes self-denial for all christians. He challenges believers to take up the cross and explains what that means in our thoughts, in our relationships, in our life, and in our worship.

NOTE:
(a) Many believers dislike Calvin because they do not believe in the Reformed doctrine of Predestination, and because of it they dismiss all other Calvin's teachings that are truly edifying. But before Calvin, Reformers like Luther (see, Luther's "Bondage of the Will") and Huss also taught it and emphasized it. Calvinistic predestination is not Calvin's creation, but was widely held because it was Scriptural.
(b) For those who believe that Calvin burnt people on the stake b/c they differed with Calvin are mistaken. People bring up Servetus who was burnt on the stake, but failed to know that it was not Calvin's doing. Servetus denied Trinity, during that time, denial of Trinity meant death (i.e., "Codex of Justinian", in Roman Catholic Church, consequently, Servetus was wanted by Roman Catholic Church to be burned as well). It was the Little Council members of Geneva who decided it. Calvin actually wanted a more merciful death -- beheading, but the Council rejected Calvin's plea. Calvin throughout Sevetus imprisonment, debated with him so that he may win him to true faith, so that he may not die.

This book will help you to grow in your knowledge of God and your devotion to God. This book has been time-tested, and it has many witnesses whose spiritual life is better because of it.

Few books written by mere men are this worthy of the time it takes to read them. From beginning to end, every thought, and often each word, is worthy of contemplation as Calvin's great mind for the word of God shines through - even in this translation from the original Latin. Be prepared for hours of study and searching Scripture as this work will drive you deep into the Bible to hear the unblemished Lamb speak to you. You may find even years after setting this book down that you will be occasioned to refer back to it as the Spirit applies Scripture to your heart and you remember the words of Calvin in this work. Many things you will read may appear at first to be incorrect, unreasonable, and heretical; but the value in this work is its ability to reclaim the Scripture from the world and our views of it. Few books will challenge you so.

John Calvin delivers a thoughtful bit of advice on each section of all three letters. When Paul drops pearls of wisdom that most of us would miss, Calvin picks up on them. He had a very apt knowledge and his ability to take verses in context and explain what they mean, and why, is astounding. It has been very helpful in furthuring my faith. Somethings may never leave. And I hope that the knowledge I have gained form this reading is one of them.

90 Days with the Christian Classics is perfectly suited for once a day dosing! For each day there is a portion of the Bible connected to a passage from a Christian author of yesteryear. My only disappointment was some difficulty in identifying the sources cited for each authors. The lives of the authors cited spans over 1000 years, so these are words from history for our age! Pertinent biographical information on the authors is also included briefly. The editors have done well to anchor this work with substantial amounts of Bible excerts. The Bible, which is the best selling book of all time, is truly a treasured echo from history for our age! The hard padded book cover is magnificent and will serve well when readers bring it along on their travels.

This is well written, but I can not recommend it. I should say that there are many parts that have the flashes of brilliance, and other sections that remain confusing and contradictory. Perhaps some might say this is because it is all told in the first person, the ravings of a mad man. Perhaps it is that I simply don't want to read the ravings of a mad man.

The title belies the text. The People's Republic of Antarctica itself is no more than a footnote- it more is the story of the life of Grim Fiddle, taking place mostly on the Atlantic Ocean in various places. I enjoyed the descriptions of life on the waves, for I enjoy the waters of the deep. But I picked up the text hoping to hear about a Republic in Antarctica, as there is so little future history or imaginations that continent. Instead we follow Grim as he lives in Norse legend from his birth in Scandinavia as an American-Swede, down the length of the Atlantic Ocean to the Falklands and other islands of the South. Throughout there is portent of greatness about Grim, and one expects much to come out of it. One ends up with dissapointment.

This tale is dark, and one keeps hoping for some Joy, some recompense, but the desire are stifled. Yes, it goes in places you would not expect, and I commend Batchelor for his work and effort in that regard, and in others. But the lines between what one expects and what one ultimately receives are not clearly drawn. It may well be the revelation of the mind of a mass-murderer- but if so, we the readers come to identify and relate to a Grim, in his first thirty years, and he suddenly becomes an evil man and destroyer of peoples. Yes, there are some glimmers of this earlier on, but there truly is no transition to this change- you are suddenly presented with the new Grim, and the only explanation is a confused interlude tale told in epic Nordic style.

But I speak too harshly of this book. For Batchelor truly opens up the mind of the man, Grim. You move with him and the events that occurred. And it is a harsh tale, but realistic, of the depths of depravity of man. There is much to be said on the question of what *will* we do with all the refugees, the huddled masses on our teeming shores, that increase year after year in this new century.

I hold this against the story: it is told as confessional, but without real remorse. Better yet, there is remorse, but not real anguish, nor the repentence that can be seen in renewed Hope. It is depression, and I declare that depression is not Reality- Hope is present, and is powerful. The author would fashion in one's mind a falsehood that rings of Truth.

If this review was at all confusing, it was told in the same style as the book.

Writing from the point of view in the early 80's and fresh from the chaos of the 70's oil crisis Batchelor naturally used this experience to build his world which in SF terms would be classified as a "near future" narrative.

More accurately his book is that rare animal in the XX century a political fiction talking about the issues of freedom and personal responsibility in the face of antiutopian fictions like 1984 or The Brave New World and actual political utopian projects like the Soviet Union or Third Reich.

It is easily recognizable that Batchelor is writing from a Libertarian perspective and that would allow me to label the book as a 'Libertarian fable' however this book is much more.

Taking Sweden in the early 70's as the location of his books beginning the writer appropriates the heritage of Norse mythology and epic poems for his flawed hero and this imagery stays with the reader throughout the book in tone, names and a whole chapter that takes place during a 'berserk' war fury during which the Hero Skallagrim Strider commits many crimes.

However Batchelor posits his crimes against the political crimes of those who convicted not just the hero but millions to a fate worse than his. The metaphor of the 'road to hell is paved with good intentions' is aptly used here.

In the end the Hero is given a sort of a political redemption by becoming a "Republic of one" incarnating the libertarian ideal of personal responsibility and freedom in the wastes of Antarctic islands.

Fascinating read that will stay with you, slightly dated due to the basic premise of a breakdown in world social order by Oil crisis, racism and religious fervour. Otherwise, to the point, asking the most fundamental questions about the political animal-Man.

I'd like to second an earlier reviewer about the book being stuck in his psyche- I read it about 7-8 years ago (not as long ago as him :>) and it keeps reappearing in my mind. It's well-written, although at times it can get a bit heavy-going. It's an adventure story, an introduction to Jeremy Bentham's Utilitarianism, a peek at what could happen in the future ( reminded me of Piers Anthony's Orion Rising- another fascinating read, though not as dense as TBOTPROA)and more. I picked it up in the days when I was big science fiction fan, and I'm happy to say that I mistook it for a standarrd sci-fi novel, when it's much, much more than that.

To a certain degree I can enjoy zany antics just as much as the next guy. And I am glad that Wambaugh at least tries to put some humor into his novels. But sometimes one has to wonder if he is trying to model his humor on (or is it after?) the Three Stooges. I enjoyed reading this novel, but I am not about to take it seriously. I wonder what would happen if Wambaugh ever co-authored a mystery novel with Patricia Cornwell in which one of his versions of a cop worked closely with Kate Scarpetta (in her current paranoid, very near nervious, and very mental, breakdown condition) in trying to solve an intriguing and highly invoved case.

Wambaugh has a flair for scriptwriting equal to Quinton Tarantino at his best. He's brutal, sly, topical, sharp, intense and outrageous all at the same time. This novel can be a bit silly at times, but never does it become stale. "Finnegan's Week" should appeal to readers of a wide variety of tastes, and I'm surprised that Wambaugh doesn't have a larger following than he has. His plots weave in and out, and he always finds a unique way to bring it all together at the end. His razor-sharp wit sets him apart from the rest of the thriller writers out there. A great, fun read with a superior style.

Wambaugh delivers as usual in this funny, exciting tale of an cop who's an aspiring actor (and who's facing midlife crises as only an actor wannabe can) while in the middle of investigating a truck theft that turns out to also involve a theft from a Naval warehouse as well as a load of missing toxic waste. His case brings him into contact with two tough and sexy Policewomen, each with her own private and professional agenda. Will Fin Finnegan (the cop-actor-hopeful) get the part he's trying out for? Will he survive a week filled with too much booze, a murderous sociopath business owner, a druggy biker turned trucker, and two beautiful women who both seem as interested in him as they are in the case at hand? This is typical Wambaugh in that the horrors and sadness of the crimes and victims are not treated lightly, yet (like the good cops who frequent his novels) our only salvation from evil is to laugh at his sometimes mordant humor and wit. One of Wambaugh's strengths is his ability to gradually make his characters sympathetic and likeable, sometimes even when they're not the good guys. I rate this as one of Wambaugh's best novels, and that's saying something, since in my opinion he's never written a bad one. I wish he would recover his muse and write some more fiction in the vein of this novel and FUGITIVE NIGHTS. It's been a while since he's come out with any novels. A shame, because no one else writes about police life in quite the same way.

A five star rating for the humor, characters, and the suspense.