With the long-dreaded Seed of the woman delivered at Bethlehem, the prophecy of the Coming One has now been fulfilled. Lucifer realizes that any hope to win the war is slipping away and decides upon a desperate gamble—he will have to face the Son personally. With his demonic host to assist him, Lucifer makes plans to cut the Messiah down once and for all. Boasting that he will “more than bruise His heal”, Lucifer decides to destroy the Son from within his inner circle and sets his heart upon a dark plan that will end on the darkest day in history…or so he believes.

Set in and around Jerusalem, Final Confrontation describes the death match between light and darkness that reaches a brutal and bloody climax at Calvary.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Very satisfied
I got my last book in a series I was reading, it came super quick and yes I would purchase from this person again… perfect.

5 Stars Awesome book
Excellent ending to an awesome series. I just wish it wasn’t over! Couldn’t put it down!

5 Stars Great series
This book, and entire series, is enlightening and movtivational. It is brilliant in its uses of bibilical stories and scripture to create fiction that inspires one’s life today. I haven’t read such a good series in a long time.

5 Stars I LOVED IT
These 4 books were a great read.

They take you through the Bible stories in a very interesting way. I loved the angels in the books, and loved each of their personalities. I hope there are more books to come.

4 Stars Chronicles of the Host 4
I like the way the author writes. Creative imagination and follows scripture very well.

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They call him the Devil . . .

He is the most notorious laird of Scotland: fierce, cold, deadly . . . and maybe even worse. Yet Evelinde has just agreed to wed him. Anything, she thinks, is better than her cruel stepmother. Though Evelinde should be wary of the rumors, she can’t help but be drawn to this warrior . . . for the Devil of the Highlands inspires a heat within her that is unlike anything she has ever known.

They may call him whatever they wish, but Cullen, Laird of Donnachaidh, cares only for the future of his clan. He must find a wife, a woman to bear him sons and heed his commands. He has no need for beauty or grace, but one taste of his lovely bride’s sweet lips and the sultry feel of her skin arouse an untamed passion. Perhaps there’s more to marriage than he thought . . .

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Epilogue please
I enjoy Sands, but whats so hard about leaving readers with a look in the future of the main characters. i hate when there is not an epilogue and I will check to make sure there is one before I buy another book. That why I rated 3 stars instead of 4. Other than that great one day read.

5 Stars The Devil of Donnachaidh
This is a great read. Lynsay Sands’ descriptive ability creates vivid images in your mind. I can just see Evelinde riding her horse with her gown trailing behind her trying to dry it.

I have always enjoyed the hilarity in all Lynsay Sands’ books. I usually read paranormal romance and Sands’ Argeneau Vampire Series were so funny that I picked up this novel for a peak at her historical romances. I was so happy it encouraged me to seek out all her historical romances.

3 Stars Lacks the wit and charm of Sands’ usual style
After finishing a long-awaited historical by Lynsay Sands, I have just one thing to say: What happened to the funny? Sands has always delivered laugh out loud outrageousness, regardless of genre. But although there are a few, small amusing scenes, not one of the made me smile, let alone laugh.

As an historical romance, it’s perfectly fine. The characters are fine, if a bit stereotypical, and the plot is predictable and easily figured out. In short–it’s just another rubber stamp historical without any of the wit, charm and humor that Sands normally puts in her writing.

2 Stars Dullard of the Highlands and his whiny wife
*sigh* I actually enjoy Lynsay Sands usually. I’ve read all of her vampire books and they’re fun, quick reads. This was the first historical by her that I’ve read. I already own “The Brat”, so it might not be my last, but I’m kind of hoping it would be.

The biggest complaint that I probably have is that if I totaled all of the dialogue in this 351 page book, it MIGHT cover 8 or so pages. Seriously, these people don’t talk to each other at ALL. That’s a bone of contention between the hero and heroine, so I’m being a bit tongue in cheek, but only somewhat. I’d rather have prose than dialogue if it’s just unnecessary dialogue, but SOME is always a good thing.

The mystery was just silly. Evelinde is a combination of smart and dumb-@zz stupid. Cullen is a decent enough guy (especially for the time period), but he seems almost… slow. And I’m not talking about his reticence. I’m just referring to how long it takes him to understand what’s going on.

Everyone relies WAAAY too much on their “feelings” of whether someone’s guilty or not. The “decision” that Evelinde makes to solve the mysteries is done completely off-hand, without any thought or care for how she was going to do it. The mystery was solved so easily, and so quickly, that the idea that it may have remained unsolved for 12 or so years is absolutely absurd!

While in her other books this author writes a decent and hot sex scene, the ones in this book seem completely out of place. They are short, the content isn’t within character of the hero and heroine, and there’s no heat whatsoever. They are completely uninspired. And considering how poor they are, there are too many of them. I’d rather have fewer, better scenes, but if they’re going to be bad, please spare me the frequency.

There are only a few things that redeem this book at all, thus earning it two stars rather than one (although it’s still not as bad as some of the 1 star books I’ve read, and I’ve got to give it credit for that).

First was the wedding. That was cute and amusing. I like the idea of her “flopping” like a “fish”. Then again, so many of the phrases used in that regard are out of place in a 13th century novel.

Second were the characters of Mildrede and Mac. They were cute and fun characters. They were probably the most “real” of any in the book. Mildrede having to be “calmed” when Edda was cruel to Evelinde was cute. I liked that Mac became Cullen’s confidant. They’re good foils.

Third was that there was some comedy in it. It was a relatively quick book, and that’s sometimes just what you want. But I’d rather have a quick GOOD read than one that I just… well… don’t like!

Skip this one; read her vamp books instead!

4 Stars Devil of the Highlands
Cullen Laird of Donnachaid didn’t care what people thought of him; all he cared about was protecting his clan. His only need for a wife was to bear his children and follow his orders and nothing more but his needs quickly changed when he met his bride Evelinde.

Evelinde thought her husband to be cold, heartless and frightening from the rumors she heard about him, but if marrying him meant she would be away from her evil stepmother, then so be it. For all she thought her husband to be, Evelinde never expected the strong feelings of passion he evoked in her and the need only he could satisfy.

Devil of The Highlands was good. I found Cullen to be rather likable but wasn’t very crazy about Evelinde. Cullen was the strong silent type and although he didn’t speak much, he is what kept me interested in the story. I liked the mystery aspect of the story and the supporting characters added some comedic relief as well. All in all Devil of the Highlands was an entertaining story and a good read for historical romance lovers.

Ley

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

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User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars What A Read!
It would certainly be wise to take everything Calt says about James with a grain of salt. He seems to have very bitter memories of the Country Blues revival in general, and all of the so-called “white guitar nerds” who befriended and, as Calt states, cheated many of the original Blues musicians whose careers had been brought back to life. I don’t know for a fact if James killed one man or many men, or robbed a bank, or hated all women; all I know is that this is what Calt alleges. The book is still great to read, though, because of its vividness. Calt also puts forth a theory that the beginnings of the Blues lie in a hymn that was taught to slaves. This is also considered quite a questionable theory in the Blues world. In addition to this, Calt has also said some negative things about the great Dick Waterman, who did and is doing a great deal to help the original Country Bluesmen and their living family members, respectively. One thing Calt is well aware of is that James was a genius, at least at his 1931 sessions, and that he never got the fame nor the recognition that he rightfully deserved, with John Hurt being favored by Country Blues fans. This is an excellent read, though the accuracy of the material is questionable, and is really in stark contrast with Elijah Wald’s “Society Blues”, a biography on Josh White, which paints its main character as a wonderful, heroic, gentle human being.

5 Stars A real biography
It’s a crying shame this is out of print and so expensive. It’s one of the best books of any kind I’ve ever read. It made me feel uncomfortable at times, challenging as it does so many predisposed ideas about the blues, treatment of black people and the music business. Calt has strong opinions and obviously his own axe to grind. But his musical analysis of James’ work is masterly and incisive. It’s a timely reminder that a great musician does not necessarily a good person make. If you like your myths about the blues kept intact, avoid. If you are open-minded and crave a good read, seek this book out. But listen to the music first.

4 Stars An in-depth study, but watch for biases…
For those interested in James and his music this is probably the most thorough biography available. Stephen Calt tends to be vitriolic and is often none to kind in stating his opinions about James’ behavior or those of other blues musicians discussed in the book. That’s fine, such bluntness is refreshing from the candy-coated, politically correct “criticisms” often present in biographies.
However, Calt does have one habit that is, in my opinion, a reprehensible practice for a biographer. He tends too much towards conjecture. Instead of stating events, he often extrapolates what people are feeling, thinking, or might have done in a given situation. This kind of “completion” can get in the way of allowing the reader to draw his own conclusions.
All in all though, if you are interested in Skip James you would do well to read this book.

5 Stars No One Said It Was Going To Be Easy . . .
What we have here:1) The lengthy and always compelling transcribed oral-autobiography of Skip James, a brilliant, idiosyncratic (and none too nice) blues musician from Bentonia, Mississippi whose greatest work was done in the 20’s and 30’s. A cynical fascinating tale of violence and feigned redemption, petty compromise and amoral cultural brilliance in the Jim Crow South. 2) A tour-de-force critique of the early 60’s Folk Scene and the misguided, patronizing white college students who “rediscovered” blues musicians like Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Skip James. Told by a man (Stephen Calt) who, to his lingering shame and horror, played more than a bit part. A scathing dark comedy about race, art, America and ostensibly good intentions, which Tom Wolfe would’ve given a kidney to have penned.3) Pages upon pages of detailed technical musical analysis that, alas, is all too often prejudiced by the ambivalence and still festering rage of Calt. 4) A minor yet compelling intellectual memoir in which — twenty-five years after James’ death — Calt tries and fails miserably to reconcile all of the above.The end result is a deeply flawed, mashed together work of incendiary history, cruel insight and all manner of self-delusion. A messy harrowing work of great worth and constant interest.

3 Stars Five star story, two star delivery
No other comprehensive biographies of Skip James exist as of today, so Stephen Calt is your only choice if you want to learn about the man. The detail can be exhaustive at points and the information itself is well presented, but this book is a complete failure as a biography. For whatever reason, Calt adopts an extremely negative and nihilistic tone as narrator for the entire book and is unremittingly condescending to James and southern black culture in general. Calt regularly speaks in hyperbole and presents his own opinion or perception of a given incident as fact. Calt also loves to project himself into the story; this is permissible in first-person situations where he was actually present, but more often than not he wasn’t and is merely guessing at what he thinks happened. This is fine practice in a story, but not in a book touting itself a biography.

One other HUGE issue is Calt’s complete disregard for ethnocentric language. In one particularly heinous incident, on page 325, Calt asserts that an adult James “…was too much the plantation darkey…” to encourage white musicians to explore black music. This term should only be acceptable in a vignette recalling the roots of southern black culture and music; used in this context, it’s simply a racist and condescending judgment of a man for whom Calt seems to harbor a strange Freudian jealousy.

Weird book; weird author; weird musician. I guess it all fits. At least there are tabs for “Devil Got My Woman” in the appendix.

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User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Adequate, but disappointing.
Given the subject matter, Boyd does an adequate job of writing… but the entire book reads more like a paper to be presented to a professional community, rather than something that a layman could get anything useful from. As a senior who’s taken multiple Bible courses, I was able to make sense of it… but only barely. Also, it was mostly a rehash of points made in prior books, with little new material. Overall, I was disappointed. Had this come from an author I had never read before, I would be satisfied, but this does not hold up to what I have come to expect from Boyd’s writing.

5 Stars Biblically sound and challenging!
I just finished “Satan and the Problem of Evil”, and let me say that it was a breath of fresh air! Though Boyd does a fine job of both dismantling five-point Calvinism and advancing the open view of the future, his ultimate goal is give Christians theological and practical resources with which to deal with evil in the world. Boyd’s Trinitarian Warfare Worldview is a marvelous, biblically-based, panoramic theology that is much-needed in our world. Reformed theology is simply incapable of dealing with evil because it 1)fails to take the entirety of scripture seriously and 2)attributes evil to God due to its thoroughly misguided and unbiblical understanding of God’s sovereignty and glory. Calvinism is one part Scripture, another part bad Augustinian theology, and the last part neo-Platonic thought that held partial sway over Augustine (Ever wonder why there’s a striking kinship between the Platonic forms and the eternal decree of Calvinism?). What’s great about Boyd is that he is not just content to deconstruct Reformed theology, but he is doing so in service of the Trinitarian warfare theodicy.

Most striking is that Boyd takes seriously the biblical and pre-Augustine understandings of the works of celestial beings like angels and “watchers”. Boyd appeals to a simple reading of scripture passages dealing with these beings, and he appeals to the church’s understanding of these passages prior to Augustine. In fact, Boyd’s first book in this series, “God at War”, deals exclusively with the war between God and faithful angels and the rebellious creatures in the universe. This war far better (and more biblically) explains much of the pain, bloodshed, and suffering we see in this world than the common, simplistic evangelical views that attribute these things to God’s will. Boyd’s survey of the early church fathers on this is BREATH-TAKING! To supplement your reading on such a war between divine and demonic creatures and how this war accounts for what is going on in our world, please check out Gerald McDermott’s “God’s Rivals”. McDermott is a Reformed theologian who, due to his biblical studiousness and eye for early Christian tradition, comes to conclusions similar to Boyd’s concerning the war in the heavenlies (though the open future and God’s sovereignty are not the focus of McDermott’s book).

Many will bristle again Boyd’s conclusions. Sadly, I think the chief reason why many will criticize Boyd is as follows: If God does not sanction/is not responsible for evil (and He most certain is not!), then that means that God’s people bear FAR MORE responsibility in battling evil in the world. God has equipped Christians will the abiliy to influence the world through prayer, spiritual gifts (they HAVE NOT in any way ceased!), and a revolutionary communal ethic (among a host of other things). In attributing evil to God, we are able to remain under-achievers who limp around the world bearing little to no resemblance to the salt and light, city on a hill that Jesus spoke of. We reject what people like Boyd say because we underwrite our spiritual, moral, and intellectual laziness by attributing evil things to God. This a great read!

5 Stars Boyds’ best — an excellent and compelling read
I’ve read a few books by Boyd in which he explores openness theology, and I think this one is the best. I won’t attempt to summarize his arguments, but areas that stand out in my mind include his discussion about the necessity and efficacy of prayer and his ideas concerning hell (Chapter 12). His section on “natural evil,” which is actually very unnatural, is also especially helpful.

The information is presented in a much more user-friendly manner than in past books. That is, the notes are placed at the bottom of each page for easy access. Difficult theological terms are explained in a glossary of terms and concepts. Boyd also does not fall into the trap this time of citing his own work. (Good heavens, this man must read a lot!) The only problem I have with this book is that now I’m going to have to buy a bunch of other books that he has brought to my attention. Thanks a lot, brother.

5 Stars When bad things happen to good people…..
This is a book that requires a lot of thinking and reflection. It was helpful to have a dictionary close at hand (smile). Dr. Boyd continues on from “God at War” but takes a closer look at the classical positions regarding what it means for God to be “in control”, freedom and the origin of evil, risk and the sovereignty of God to mention a few. He also shares a different perspective to the “blueprint” plan. This book is premised on six foundations that structure this trinitarian warfare theodicy and how God interacts with this world as well as their implementation;

1. Love must be freely chosen.

2. Love entails risks.

3. Love and freedom entails that we are morally responsible for one another.

4. The power to influence for the worse must be roughly proportionate to our power to influence for the better.

5. Love entails freedom and this freedom, within limits, must be irrevocable.

6. Angels and humans are finite beings who thus possess only a finite capacity to embrace or thwart God’s purposes for our lives.

He spends quite a bit of time discussing the open view of the future but whether you agree with his position or not one has to grapple personally with the warfare worldview of Scripture and the trinitarian warfare theodicy on its own merits. It is well worth the effort.

This is another book that is a resource to be returned to often. I highly recommend it.

5 Stars MUCH NEEDED REBUTTAL TO CALVINISM AND ITS REPROCUSIONS
In contrast to the widely accepted protestant view of Calvinistic Determinism, Dr. Boyd has laid forth the early Jewish and Church’s understanding and view of God’s foreknowledge, free agency, and evil as it is experienced. This view is definitely in more harmony with the totality of Scripture rather than the selective and illogical view of Calvinism.

The main premise is that Love Requires Freedom (choice), thus, a holy, righteous and loving God cannot arbitrarily force or cause agents to “love” Him nor suffer damnation if they are not the initial cause of their “choices.” Subsequently, free agents’ choices may cause suffering, as we witness today in the physical and spiritual realm. Since Christ never attributed evil to be an element of “God’s Plan” neither should His disciples today.

Mr. Boyd does, though, get sidetracked addressing various views concerning each premise which is unneeded since once the truth is unearthed, the counterfeits will be clearly exposed. Highly recommended, especially chapters 1-3. [....]

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User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Wonderful story
I initially bought this book for my kids, but I picked it up and could not put it down! It is a very easy read and it is so incredibly inspiring. It is one of those books that really affects you and teaches you about humility, perseverence, and faith in a great way. Very few men compare to the Wonderful Cure of Ars and this little book gives you a good summary of his life during the French Revolution and afterward. It shows how he turned a whole town around and how he affected a large part of France. I am now reading the book to my 5 kids and they love it!!!! I highly suggest reading this book!

5 Stars Great saint book!
Milton Lomask does an excellent job with this book! The story is of the beloved Cure de Ars, or St. John Vianney. It has his life story, and all sorts of wonderful little stories in between. The age range for this book is probably around 10-15, but all will enjoy! It is easy reading, and it keeps your attention very well. So, if you are looking for an easy and fun way to learn about the patron saint of parish priests, this is it!

4 Stars for school it must be purchased
my son had a tough time to find this book, but it is good book, and for school it is necessary, so it is a must buy.

4 Stars A Simple Story of St John Vianney’s Life.
This simple story of the life of St John Vianney, written by Milton Lomasek and illustrated by Johannes Troyer has the young Christian adults as its target. The simplicity of its form and the clarity of its contents would make it an excellent experience for the young people. The life of the cure of Ars is so often told that some of the details are almost lost in legend. In this book he emerges as a most personable and real person, like most of us. The simple language, the narrative style and the fast movement of events make it easily readble.

The clumsy looking farm boy, Jean, born during the French revolution in Dardilly, France opts to be a priest against all odds. But his struggle with the study of the Latin language raises further hurdles on his way. This lovable young man’s journey of life to become the most lovable parish priest of France, ‘cure of Ars’ is an inspiring one. The style of the book makes it also interesting.

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User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Wonderful Stories
Jason Brown writes wonderful short stories. In this collection, he is able to capture perfectly and insightfully the nuances of adolescent experience. BUY THIS BOOK!

5 Stars Fantastic collection
Why the Devil Chose New England for His Work: Stories

This is a fantastic collection. Read Brown’s “Trees,” in which the woods stand as a watchful, powerful central character. All of Brown’s stories are like those woods: deep, dark, and full of secrets, a place you’re drawn to again and again.

5 Stars Moving, wise, full of truth
Why the Devil Chose New England for His Work: Stories

Although all of the stories in Jason Brown’s second collection are set in and around the fictional town of Vaughn, Maine, the emotional territory of the stories is far-reaching. Many of his characters are moving through life in quiet turmoil–enduring, defiant, proud, foolish. Brown’s deep compassion for these flawed characters makes each of their struggles palpable and affecting. We feel the stories viscerally, which is how Brown seems to write them. This is writing from the gut. The best book of stories I’ve read in years.

5 Stars Excellent short story collection
When I bought this book at the Brookline Booksmith here in Boston, the girl at the counter said “this is a great book”. I had bought it based on a short New Yorker review, and also, let’s face it, because of its great title.

The 11 short stories are set in and around the fictional town of Vaughn, Maine. The characters go to Portland, take a train up north towards Quebec, talk about trips to Boston, all of which roots Vaughn into the real Maine. Indeed, the book opens with a map of Vaughn showing it on the (real) Kennebec river.

The book has a historic sweep, referencing actual history (the Plains of Abraham where the British General James Wolfe fought the French in the Battle of Quebec) as well as the history of the book characters and of Vaughn itself. One story starts “I belonged to a large family that had lived in the same town in Maine for over two hundred years”. Reading the stories, many about traumatic events such as a drowning, you know that the protagonists will still be living together, in the same place in Maine, for the rest of their lives. You get the feeling that the place itself has a long memory.

The writing moves from matter-of-fact prose (”A hockey game started near shore, mostly fathers and sons and brothers in plaid jackets and blue caps, choosing sides according to size”), to Maine logging jargon (”Nothing in the river but sinkers and bark cake and raw waste from sixteen towns coating the bottom, methane bubbling up through the water and pulp and booms waiting for a freshet”), to beauty (”He turned around and looked up, as if at a mountain peak or a descending plane, but there was nothing above except a line of high white clouds pulling up over the valley like a cold sheet”).

Highly recommended. I pass on the recommendation from the Brookline Booksmith counter assistant.

5 Stars Short stories with the feel of a novel
Full Disclosure: I attended Bowdoin College with Jason Brown, and we had an acquaintance or two in common. I read a profile in the Bowdoin Magazine and then bought his first book, which I loved.

This collection of short stories was dynamite. Dark and powerful, all its stories revolve around the fictional town of Vaughn on the Kennebec River. I would almost call it a novel about Vaughn told from all sorts of angles, from the aging widow to the neglected children. I was particularly impressed with a story about a logger on the last pulp run down the Kennebec.

These are stories that stay with you. I read the entire collection on the train between Boston and Lawrence — after each story, I would stare out the window looking at the double-deckers in Malden or the stark outlines of abandoned mills.

I look forward to his novel.

Just for kicks, compare the map of Vaugn in the collection to Jason Brown’s hometown of Hallowell, Maine.

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The page-turning story behind the 2005 intelligent design case in Dover, Pennsylvania—the case that made front-page news around the world.

“What happened in Dover is a tiny sliver, a broken shard of glass mirroring what plays out across the country. A war of fundamentalist Christian values versus secularism. A battle between evangelical fanaticism and tolerance.”—from The Devil in Dover

In December 2004, following the Dover area school board’s decision to teach intelligent design in ninth-grade biology classrooms, eleven parents sued, sparking a federal constitutional challenge. Lauri Lebo, a small-town reporter who covered the trial, knows not just the legal case and science, but the people on all sides of the divisive battle.

In The Devil in Dover, Lebo traces the compelling backstory of this pivotal case described by some as a perfect storm of religious intolerance, First Amendment violations, and an assault on American science education. In a community divided across unexpected lines, the so-called activist judge, a George Bush-appointed Republican, eventually condemned the school board’s decision as one of “breathtaking inanity.”

Lebo follows the story through its surprising twists, pondering whether this was a national war playing out in a small town or a small-town political battle playing out on the national stage. As a “local girl” with a fundamentalist Christian father, Lebo provides an account that is both fascinating and moving, as she thoughtfully probes one of America’s most divisive cultural conflicts—and the responsibility journalists have when covering such a controversial story.

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5 Stars The Sudden Emergence of Intelligent Design
For Lauri Lebo, it was personal. She grew up in Dover, PA. Her father, whose radio station was on the brink of bankruptcy, became a born-again Christian when a local Christian group came in with cash to broadcast from the station. (This will cause a permanent rift between her and her father). She knew the people in the tightknit borough, as towns in the commonwealth are called. She is also a journalist, so her story of the trial is also professional. She will be vigilant about maintaining her journalistic integrity against the impulse of her personal convictions, pressure from her editors, and interactions with her father and neighbors. Personally, she will find common ground with the plaintiffs, their lawyers, teachers, and evolution. Her writing will reflect how townspeople drift apart, and form new circles and friendships as Dover becomes the epicenter of a landmark legal decision.

Fire requires heat, air, fuel, and the right chemical combination. Alan Bonsell, creationist, and chairman of the local school board, Bill Buckingham, board member and also a born-again Christian, the Discovery Institute which promotes intelligent design (I. D.) which encourages teaching “the controversy,” and Thomas Moore Law Center will provide all the elements for ignition that will divide a community like fire and water. The entire board will provide litiginous combustion by voting for a mention of I. D. and the controversy in the classroom. The science teachers and a number of parents rebel. The ACLU and counselors from Pepper Hamilton in Philadephia represent the plaintiffs pro bono.

The plaintiffs’ lawyers will have to prove that I. D. is creationism, not science, and that the board is willfully attempting to bring what they knew to be creationism in the classroom. With the apparent perjury and ignorance of Bonsell, Buckingham, other board members, they prove their case easily.

During the trial, Bonsell and Buckingham will continue to prevaricate about what transpired at earlier meetings. Minutes from those meetings will go missing. They will accuse two local journalists, one a devout Christian, that they were lying when they reported what they had heard first hand. Judge Jones will refer these “Christian gentleman” to the local district attorney recommending charges of perjury for their contradictory depositions and testimony. Townspeople will not forget that those who accepted Jesus as their personal Savior, bore false witness against their neighbors time and again. The Discovery Institute, as predicted, will accuse Judge Jones, a Republican recommended by right wing Senator Santorum and appointed by George W. Bush, of judicial activism. With the new board, there will be no appeal. The issue is dead. Ann Coulter will claim that liberals found a court that would hand them their decision on a silver platter.

Lebo shows the strain the trial takes on the community. Friends and neighbors of old barely notice each other in supermarket aisles. Four days after the trial ends, the people of Dover vote out every member of the board except Buckingham who resigned months earlier. They bring in an entire new slate of “evolutionists,” more to put the past behind them than for their scientific or religious inclinations.

The real sadness, Lebo notes is how the defense abandoned one of I. D.’s staunchest defenders–Bill Buckingham because he mentioned Jesus Christ and creation in one of the earlier board meetings. They will characterize him as a drug addict and renegade. No one will visit Buckingham when he is hospitalized after the trial, not members of his church, not one minister, not one of his fellow former board members, not even Bonsell. Christian compassion will die with intelligent design.

The author sees Bonsell and Buckingham as pathetic figures. Bonsell will insist that Lauri “doesn’t get it,” that evolution is a theory not fact, even though Bonsell sat through the entire trial listening to the overwhelming scientific evidence presented. The $2,000,000 cost to the community will not dissuade him from being disruptive at future board meetings, or from acting as if he was somehow vindicated. Buckingham will insist that Jones knows nothing about the Constitution because it does not mention “separation of church and state.” He will remain adamant. Lebo will remember Bonsell for his tenderness to his wife who suffered from breast cancer, and Buckingham for his love of the Philadelphia Phillies and bluegrass music.

Intelligent Design will disappear from Dover and a number of other states and municipalities that were thinking of bringing it into the classroom. A new “Panda-style” book that once substituted creationism with I. D. is now being drafted substituting intelligent design with sudden emergence. The people of Dover will be left to mend their differences and animosities.

Lebo quotes Romans 1:22 at the start of Chapter 9: Professing themselves to be wise, they become fools.

It looks like they will always be with us.

Coincidentally, it’s April Fools Day-once again.

4 Stars Devil is in the details
The Devil in Dover is another view of the most important and one hopes final (no such luck, I am sure) trial about the New Creationism, ID. This book contains some excellent blow by blow coverage of the trial. Some other books have covered this event as well or better, while others (some brilliantly sarcastic) have covered the entire topic or reviewed the historical battle between Bible-goggery and science, but this book offers a very personal view, as if you are sitting in the courtroom listening to every word. It may be too much of a personal thing, being a heady blend of biography and trial coverage, but it seems to work well for this author.

The most chilling statement comes near the end of the book, after the Creationists had been destroyed on the stand by the revelations of consistent lies, underhanded dealings, and complete ignorance of their own chosen subject matter. The author says: “I wish I believed that those who so confidently marched Dover into a federal courtroom represented a rare and isolated breed of American, that what happened could only have played out in Dover. But the truth is, this could have happened just about anywhere.”

This is sadly very true. The War Against Science continues, day after day, in small backwater after backwater. Ignorance always rears its ugly head.

5 Stars Monkeys on a School Board
Great book. Reads like a mystery. If you’ve seen the movie or read ‘Inherit the Wind’ you will understand that the battle is not over. Free thinking is always under attack. Fanatics have no ethics and religious fundamentalist (read fanatics) have no idea what their religions actually teach. Fundamentalists are dangerous be they Muslim, Jewish or Christian. Ideology trumps both common sense and evidence. Your freedom is to believe as they believe or else. Friendly persuasion – what’s that?

3 Stars More a biography than a summary
The book isn’t what I was expecting, and didn’t match what I was looking for, but is nevertheless a decent book for what it does set out to be.

It’s fairly light on the actual arguments made for and against evolutionary origins of species, which was mainly what I was hoping for; instead, it primarily focuses on the individual lives, personalities, motivations, flaws and strengths of the various people on both sides of the conflict, and including herself.

She does do a good job of establishing the repeated dishonesty of the members of the Dover school board, all the more amazing that they seemed utterly unaware of having committed perjury, even when directly confronted with the proof of having lied under oath, and their ridiculous double-speak, insisting that intelligent design had no ties with religion while at the same time condemning its detractors (many of whom were deeply religious) as religion-intolerant atheists.

I can’t help but think that the book would be much more effective if it were written to appeal more to those who needed to be persuaded that intelligent design is not in any way a scientific theory, which is in fact the case for a very large portion of the US populace. As it is, much of her text seems to assume that you already understand this, and so she is essentially “preaching to the choir”.

4 Stars Good Look at Human Side of the Debate
In The Devil in Dover, Lauri Lebo does a very good job of presenting the impact of the Kitzmiller et al v. Dover Area School District trial on the people of Dover, PA, including herself. I believe she is effective because she takes a journalistic and personal approach to look at the human side of the trial. Her qualifications and strengths don’t allow her to prepare a book that breaks down and comments on the scientific strengths and weaknesses of each side in the intellectual design versus evolution debate, but that is our gain. Instead Ms. Lebo breaks down and comments on the impact on human lives. How communities breakdown and form coalitions based on beliefs, which is often not supported by knowledge of the underlying basis of their position (e.g., though it shouldn’t, it amazed me that none of the Dover School Board members knew anything about intelligent design though they supported it completely). As we read, we can begin to appreciate that the same breakdown is probably avoided by a mere thread within our own communities and that we are all probably just a small push away from Dover.

I strongly recommend watching the Nova DVD “Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial” in conjunction with reading this book. The DVD and the book complement each other perfectly and make each other whole. The book and the DVD allow you to see that all parties involved on both sides include people we can easily recognize as our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and, just like Ms. Lebo, our family. While Ms. Lebo excellently captures the human side, the DVD provides a visually stimulating presentation of the science side as you get to see the scientist (or a surrrogate) on both sides explain their arguments.

Ms. Lebo presents a nice example on the extremist nature of the battle in an example that does not involve ID or evolution. At the York County Fairie Fest, a Pastor Grove stood outside the festival with signs informing children that the fairies were going to hell. A local person named Larry Sanders stood next to him dressed as Jesus telling the children that Jesus loved fairies. What pushes people like Pastor Grove to scare children in such a manner is incomprehensible to me but thank you to people like Larry Sanders for taking on the fight.

Thank you also to the good citizens and parents of Dover who also took on the good fight against intelligent design. As Ms. Lebo points out, the next round probably will involve the term “sudden emergence”. Your strength though hopefully will make the next battle easier for people to enlist and quicker to resolve.

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He has recorded with the biggest stars in the music business. He wrote many of the hits that made Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs one of the richest men alive. On the surface, the multi-million dollar empire that Puff built looks like the stuff of dreams. But after working with Puff for a decade, Curry discovered that Bad Boy Entertainment is not, as Puff promised, a place where dreams come true. No, rather it is a shell game comprised of contracts designed to rob artists of their time, dreams and publishing rights. Dancing With the Devil reveals startling new details about key events in the fast paced, controversial (and sometimes deadly) world of Hip-Hop. In revealing the dark side of the industry, Curry hopes to provide a road map for reforms necessary to prevent artists ending up in poverty, in prison or in the grave.Mark Curry has appeared on the following albums: Gangsta Shi- Dangerous MC’s American Dream Mark Curry has appeared on the following single:Bad Boy for Life

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5 Stars Puffy: Literally a Bad Boy
Did you ever want to know what it’s like rolling with Diddy and being a part of the world-famous Bad Boy Records? Mark Curry gives you his experience with the mogul in Dancing With The Devil: How Puff Burned the Bad Boys of HipHop. Curry fans away the smoke and dismantles the mirrors with his debut release as an author. What you will find is the good, the bad and gritty lifestyle that Diddy provides to those artists unfortunate to get caught up in the Bad Boy empire.

If you grew up listening to HipHop during the Bad Boy era, Dancing With The Devil will give you an intriguing history of rap music during that time from a person lived it. Curry’s attention to detail and ability to weave his personal experiences and research makes this book easy to read and hard to put down. This is more than an expose from a disgruntled artist. Dancing With the Devil is a journey that separates the fact from the fiction. This book shows you the music industry for what it is — harsh and cut throat. If you can go online, Google and YouTube will be your best friend as you journey with Mark Curry through the maze of music, murders and mayhem.

Once you finish with this book, you will have taken a trip that few have the heart to speak about. Dancing With The Devil is more than a one-sided account of a wannabe artists mad at the world. You will have a thorough understanding of why artists such as The L.O.X., Faith Evans, 112, Total, etc. are no longer a part of Bad Boy’s roster. You will hear those Bad Boy classics in a new light once you gain the understanding of why Diddy added his chatter to songs and his presence to the videos.

You might even feel sorry for current Bad Boy artists such as Danity Kane (or what’s left of them), Day 26 and Da Band. The infamous contract signing scenarios take on a new meaning once you are aware of Diddy’s history of jerking people with terrible deals. Curry acts more like a journalist than anything else as he sifts through tons of information and personal experiences to show how the music industry can promise you diamonds with intentions of giving you coal.

Curry’s Dancing With The Devil can easily be considered Bad Boy Records’ version of Fredericks Dannen’s The Hit Men.

Joey Pinkney Dot Com

Book Reviewer

5 Stars Informative and Page turner
The book was a page turner. It was very descriptive when explaining how Puff operated. It was upsetting how a lot of his artist, either left or did not come out with an album. I enjoyed the book because it gave you a peek at how the music world operates. How artist can be taken advantage of if they dont know what they are getting into or signed to the wrong label and influenced by the wrong people.

1 Star Anyone Could Have Written This…
I am about half way through this book and struggling to finish it. The first half is more about people he knew/knows and they’re all mentioned by nickname. There’s little bits and pieces on his life but not much. I’m now at the part about biggie and tupac, none of it is from his experience. If your either a biggie or tupac fan you know everything he’s RE-writing in the book has been public knowledge from the start. There are no “I, We, I saw” or anything like that. Like I said in my title, if you want to sit down and gather information from blogs, and tell stories about your friends from the younger years, then you too can write a book about bad boy. So glad I bought this from a seller on amazon and not mark’s site.

4 Stars Eye-Opening…..You can tell Mark Curry has no reason to lie.
I’ve been a loyal Hip Hop fan since I was a 7-year old kid (nearly 23 years now). I was especially into the Notorious B.I.G and the Bad Boy family since 1994 and I’ve followed them every since. After reading this book, alot of my “unanswered” questions about some of the things that happened within the label and the artists. My friends and I used to joke about the fact that Puff was the biggest “artist” on his own label (after Biggie passed) and it shouldn’t be like that. When you have a pool of talented artist in your camp and your so fascinated with becoming a huge star in your own right, why waste and burn the people that are helping you achieve that? Although they say you should believe everything you read, I alomst feel compelled to believe 99.9 percent of what Mark Curry wrote in this book. It all fits together like a puzzle and it makes too much sense, especially if you’ve followed the Bad Boy family for as long as I have. The book was definitely a page-turner and kept my attention throughout. The only negative thing I found about the book is how the writer would jump around back and forth from timeframe to timeframe. Other than that, It was a really good book.

4 Stars Expose Of Sean Combs
I am certainly not the typical reader for this book. I’m not a rap or hip hop fan in any way. I read this at the suggestion of a friend. I was not disappointed. Books such as this can tend to be self serving as the author is likely to attempt to cast himself or herself in the best possible light. This author admits to being artistically talented, selling drugs and stealing. In general, I would say that he goes overboard excusing the crime and murders that are fairly common to this culture. His attitude seems to be “hey, you do what you have to do to survive.” But, there are a lot of people who’ve had things pretty tough and they haven’t resorted killing,robbing selling narcotics. In any event, it certainly seems that he has exhaustively compiled a very damming indictment against Mr. Combs, his business practices,the originality of his talent and his lack of morality. It’s interesting that so many “street smart” people seemed to have been so easily scammed by Mr. Combs. By the way,in spite of all the inside juice that’s disclosed, it’s a quick read.

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User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars They did’nt live happily ever after in this one:)
If your tired of all the unrealistic ‘and they lived happily ever after’ crap, this is it. This book is a spliff laced with hard reality. O’Flynn is a drunk Irish American Elephant hunter living in Mozambique, who crosses paths with the ruthless Askari in German Tanzania.
This book is like a reminder that in life hapiness is always short lived. And he sets it up so well!
If this is the first Wilbur Smith book you’re gonna read, your not wasting your time.I give this book 3 stars just because I’m comparing it to other Smith books I’ve read. O.k, i’ts not his best, but It’s still good.
Get this experience under your belts kids, you won’t regret it.

5 Stars Books by Wilbur Smith
This author always writes a wonderful book about the African continent.

I have, thanks to Amazon, most of them. bet

4 Stars Mass Produced Novel
Not one of my favorite Wilbur Smith novels but a middle of the line novel by him. Too fanciful a plot lacking any of the historical fiction that I enjoy in most of his Africa series books.

2 Stars The only Wilbur Smith book I will never read again.
I have read Wilbur Smith’s books for years and have (almost
always) enjoyed them greatly, even tremendously (”The Sunbird”).
However, this book is the exception; Mr. Smith must have written it during a very difficult time in his life because it is
almost incredibly depressing in that at the end EVERYBODY DIES!
I have also long been interested in the Great War in East Africa,
and I thus had high hopes for this book. But… it was just too
dark & depressing.
Although other books have had dark & depressing elements (and
even endings), none has been so downbeat. I have kept it just to
remind me that even Wilbur Smith has a klinker to his credit.

5 Stars Part comedy; part reality.
This is one of Wilbur Smith’s best. I laughed 3/4 of the way through it. It was then I realized that the story was very subtely based as much on WWII, and what the Germans did to families at that time, as it was on WWI. The story became very serious and the comedy was no longer applicable in the last quarter of the story. But that doesn’t mean I lost interest in that part of the book. The ending was perfect. Smith is an expert. If you want to read fairy tales where everyone lives happily ever after, this book is not for you. It’s reality. If there is any doubt about that, read some of the stories that were written by the survivors of WWII.

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For seventeen years, Elaine served her master, Satan, with total commitment. Then she met Dr. Rebecca Brown, who served her master, Jesus Christ, with equal commitment. Elaine, one of the top witches in the U.S., clashed with Dr. Brown, who stood against her alone. In the titanic life-and-death struggle that followed, Dr. Brown nearly lost her life. Elaine, finding a power and love greater than anything Satan could give her, left Satan and totally committed her life to Jesus Christ. In this honest, in-depth account of Satan’s activities today, you’ll see how to recognize and combat the many satanists who regularly infiltrate and destroy Christian churches; recognize and combat satanic attacks; and recognize those serving Satan, and bring them to Jesus Christ.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Excellent Book!
This is an excellent in depth book that lets the reader know how Satan works. I have personally spoken to the author and she is wonderful.

5 Stars Must be required reading for all who “think” they are true Christians!!!
Most Christians live in a fairy tale world and have no concept of the Satanic powers that threaten them even though the Bible warns them constantly of the spiritual wars they face. Like it or not we are currently entering into the Tribulation. The world government is being ruled by Satan through membership in the Illuminati. This book briefly refers to how the Brotherhood feared the Satanic powers of the Illuminati.

If you want a deep understanding of just how threatening the powers of Satan are to the so-called “contract” Christians (those who think they are ready for the Lord’s return because they attend Church on Sunday and have a mediocre part time relationship with the Lord) then you MUST read this book.

It will describe very clearly the evil powers of these principalities true Spirit-filled Christians are at war with today. It will humble half-baked Christians and hopefully warn them they MUST get right with God and commune with him and the Holy Spirit every hour of the day. If not they may be killed by the forces that come upon them in the end-times because they have inadequate protection from these Satanic powers.

I pray that every Christian that thinks they are ready for these wars to humble themselves and understand they will come face to face with Police, Government, and US Soldiers very soon that are being driven by the forces of Satan’s army. If they are not fully protected, they will be viciously tortured and killed.

Become right with the Lord now – 100%!

5 Stars Good Book
I don’t care what anybody says, be it devout pastor, evangelist or whatever. This is a good book full of lots of information. It is not a matter of is it real or isn’t it. Check all things with the word of God. Know that people are people. If you are led to this book then get it, but if you are feeling doubtful about it then don’t get it. Pray and seek God. All useful knowledge comes from Him. Absorb what you can use and toss out what you don’t need.

5 Stars A MUST GET!!!
This book will change your perspective on how we live our lives as christians and force us to look inwardly and at the world with greater biblical based descernment

4 Stars He Came To Set The Captives Free
This is a fantistic book for those of us who must engage in spiritual warefare with invisible entities! This book taught me more of what I was, and still, must do battle against. Dark forces, elementals, spirits,inter-dimensonal shadow people, demons and nephilim spirits. This book chilled me to the bone! Very informative!

This book is a must read for occultist and christians alike!

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