I learned that a snake can eat an egg without cracking it! A snake from Austrailia is the most poisonous snake in the world. A snake can swim in the water. They can also fight in the spring. You should read it too because I learned lots of new facts.

Penner has written a rare history of missions because he neither sanctifies nor demonizes the work and workers in south India. It seems like most of the mission books I've read either attack missionaries as zealous destroyers of culture OR as saints who could do no wrong. Those of us who work in missions know that the story is much more complex than that.

To be frank, I am the only person I know who has good things to say about this book! (I've only spoken with about five people who've read it from cover to cover but I'm picking up on a trend.)

I prefer that my heroes be real people and I don't find it intimidating to learn they have flaws or weaknesses. I also understand that people work within the context of history (an understanding which one of my friends accused Penner of not having). Reading it with my personal framework, I found Penner's book surprisingly inspiring. I can also understand why other would find it hard to read and you should be forewarned if you are a child of one of the missionaries mentioned.

This book has such a narrow potential audience--mostly Mennonites with an interest in India and some missiologists--that I have to commend Penner for taking the risk of writing frankly. A lesser historian and writer would have succumbed to the temptation to write another "feel good" book on missions.

Lastly, I want to commend Penner on his skill as a writer which is much better than most books published at this level.