The One with Shepherds, Why This Jubilee?

127. Title & Author: Shepherds, Why This Jubilee? by Elder Jeffery R. Holland (76 pages)

Genre: Nonfiction--Religion & LDS

Completed: 11 December 2009

Summary & Review:

Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presents three essays on the importance of Christmas and the reasons we celebrate it. He examines the humble beginnings of our Savior, the power of Christmas hymns, and how the message of Christmas brought comfort to him the Christmas day his father his died.

This was an excellent book that helped me refocus on the true reason for Christmas. Elder Holland's words were clear and powerful and he brought unique perspective to the Christmas story.

This was a Christmas present from my parents who sent it to my while I was in the Philippines.

Rating: 9.0

The One with The Bourne Sanction

126. Title & Author: The Bourne Sanction by Eric Van Lustbader (687 pages)*

Genre: Fiction--Thriller

Completed: 11 December 2009

Summary & Review:

Jason Bourne is recruited by his friend and mentor Professor Spector to help stop an eminent terrorist attack by a group called the Black Legion. During WWII, Heinrich Himmler created a special band of Islamic soldiers to fight against Stalin's Red Army. This band was called the Black Legion. Unfortunately, this group did not vanish at the end of the war, but rather they turned their sights away from Stalin and onto New York.

First of all, why was this book so long? It should have been 300 pages shorter. The sheer length for a story like this made the pages crawl by and caused reading it to feel like a chore. Additionally, Van Lustbader used this book as a platform for a strange grab-bag of causes. Everything from waterboarding to the holocaust to discrimination against Muslims was addressed here. For the most part, he really had to stretch and make strange jumps in the story to be able to cover all those disparate topics.

Rating: 4.5

The One with Glenn Beck's Common Sense

125. Title & Author: Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against An Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine by Glenn Beck (167 pages)

Genre: Nonfiction--Politics

Completed: 29 November 2009

Summary & Review:

In an era of unprecedented governmental control over the lives of American citizens, Glenn Beck lays out his argument against increased Federal intervention in the liberties of the people. Included after Glenn's comments is the original Common Sense by Thomas Pain in its entirety.

While this new version of Common Sense most likely will not become the spark that Paine's version was for change in this country, it was still a thought-provoking book. Beck offered a fair look at America today and insightfully addressed some of our most pressing problems, such as the unfathomable government spending and the exponentially growing national debt, rather than whining about asinine issues, like the evils of SUVs and incandescent light bulbs, as so many do today. On the whole, I agreed with what Beck had to say, although I think he tried too hard to show us that he was upset with both parties by disproportionately pointing out mistakes Republican lawmakers have made.

Rating: 8.0

The One with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

124. Title & Author: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (271 pages)

Genre: Fiction--Fantasy & Adventure

Completed: 20 November 2009

Summary & Review:

Lucy and Edmund Pevensie, along with their abrasive cousin Eustace, are transported back to the world of Narnia aboard Prince Caspian's ship, the Dawn Treader. Caspian and his crew were on a quest to find the end of the world and Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace decide to come along. They encounter numerous magical islands, some pleasant, others very dangerous, before coming to the end of the world where only Lucy, Edmund, Eustace, and the brave mouse Reepiceep are allowed to continue on.

This is my favorite book of The Chronicles so far. It was such an effective mix of what has made this series so enduring: the fun of adventure and fantasy coupled with deeper layers of meaning below the surface. This book had powerful stories about redemption and submission of one's own will to God's that made this unique mix very compelling.

Rating: 9.0