General
Anyway, The Paradoxical Commandments: Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World. Kent M. Keith. (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2001, 120 pp.) (Reviewer: Al Albrecht)
The author did not go to the top of a mountain to find these Commandments. He found them observing human nature, and recognizing, while yet a young man, that the greatest rewards in life come from doing a good job, doing the right thing.
BOWLING ALONE: The Collapse & Revival of American Community. Robert D. Putnam. (Simon & Schuster, 2000, 544 pages) (Reviewed by Al Albrecht, MARP board member and Professor of Communication, emeritus, at Goshen College.)
IN BOWLING ALONE author Robert D. Putnam reported his findings on social change in the United States -- his "America" does not include South or Central America, Mexico or Canada. As a careful social scientist, Putnam supports his assertions, generalization and conclusions by his own research as well as the research findings of many other persons and organizations. He divides U.S. culture into three dimensions: physical, human and social capital. Putnam, however, concerns himself primarily with "social capital," which is social science terminology and defines the term with "Just as a screwdriver (physical capital) or a college education (human capital) can increase productivity -- both individually and collectively - so, too, social contacts affect the productivity of individuals and groups."
Bridging the Generations. Katie Funk Wiebe. (Herald Press, 2001, 228 pp.) -- Our choice for "Book of the Year for Older Adults"
Society today is increasingly segregated by age. Rarely do three or four generations live in the same town, much less the same house.
The Earth is the Lord's: A Narrative History of Lancaster Mennonite Conference. John L. Ruth, author/researcher. (Long-awaited Lancaster Mennonite History is published -- Reviewed by Brinton L. Rutherford, Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society)
After thirty years of preparation and waiting, the complete history of Lancaster Mennonite Conference Mennonites is being published. The Earth Is the Lord's: A Narrative History of Lancaster Mennonite Conference by John L. Ruth was a collaborative project between the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society and Herald Press.
Getting Home Before Dark: Stories of Wisdom for All Ages. Peter J. Dyck. (Herald Press, 2000, 280 pp.) (Reviewed by MARP board member, Charles B. Longenecker, New Holland, PA)
Peter Dyck writes in the same engaging manner in which he speaks. Those who are familiar with his story telling will nearly hear his distinctive
voice in your ear as you read. In 53 short essays he draws heavily from his rich and varied 85 years, as well as from a variety of writers he quotes. The title is taken from J. Robertson McQuilkin's poem, "Let Me Get Home Before Dark," a reflective piece that merits pondering. The book evokes both chuckles and tears. Peter models for us what it is to add life to our years, or as he quips, "The wisdom of life is to die young, but as late as possible." I was pleasantly surprised to find the book especially full of real-life practicality for us in the MARP generation. In the foreword, Jerry K. Robbins comments, "Reading this book is like sitting with a spiritual sage, a mature mentor, who gently prods our conscience, pushes our commitment, and nudges our compassion toward greater holiness, virtue, and caregiving."
An Hour Before Daylight: Memoirs of a Rural Boyhood. Jimmy Carter. (Simon & Schuster, 2001, 271 pp.) (Review by Helen L. Lapp, editor of Pages)
Jimmy Carter's "clean and eloquent prose evokes a time when the cycles of life were predictable and simple and the rules were heartbreaking and complex" are words taken from the inside of the book cover. This "life story" kept my husband Sam reading straight through to the end!
Jaber Crow. Wendell Berry. (Counterpoint, 2000, 363 pages) (Reviewed by Helen L. Lapp, editor of Pages.)
JABER CROW, a recent novel by Wendell Berry, stirred my soul. Berry is author of more than 30 books but this is my first -- although I had read some of his poetry earlier. The novel follows the circumscribed life of a small town barber who had earlier studied theology. But the story dare not be given away in this short review -- each reader will bring to it a different mix of reactions.
John Adams. David McCullough. (Simon & Schuster, 2001, 656 pp.) (A recent release of general interest -- Reviewed by Al Albrecht, Ph.D., Goshen, Indiana, MARP board member)
In his biography of John Adams, Pulitzer prize-winning author McCullough provides his readers with an excellent review of pre-Revolutionary, Revolutionary, and post-Revolutionary history. This covers approximately Adam's years from 1774 — including the time his son John Quincy was the fifth president of the United States — to July 4, 1826, the date of death (also the date when his friend and challenger, Thomas Jefferson, died).
Reaching for the Invisible God. Philip Yancey. (Zondervan, 2000, 301pp.) (Review by John Bergen, reprinted from MARP's quarterly newsletter, Pages. John and Martha Bergen are MARP members from La Riviere, Manitoba. The Bergens serve several months each year in SOOP service.)
It is refreshing, though perhaps somewhat daunting, for us as Mennonites, to see no lesser a man of God than Philip Yancey, confess to all kinds of doubts, and to be confronted by deep theological questions for which he finds no easy answers.
A Rich Heritage: Memoirs, Book I. William R. Hoke. (Order from author, William R. Hoke, 508 Messiah Village, P O Box 2015, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055) (Reviewed by Kerry Hoke, a
granddaughter)
"Do you feel like a nobody? Do you think God could never use you for anything? This book is a testament to the way in which God uses ordinary people to change the world in extraordinary ways. The name William R. Hoke may not mean much to you, but God used William R. Hoke, just a regular person, to impact and forever change the lives of people in this world, particularly in India, for His kingdom. Struggle and rejoice with Hoke as he journeys through life as a boy, as a young man, as a husband, as a father, as a missionary, as a leader, and most of all, as a servant of Jesus Christ. Discover through Hoke's story how God can use average people, you and me, to accomplish His will if we are open to His leading."
William Hoke adds this personal note, "This first volume covers the time of my birth (1917) until retirement from mission service in India in 1980 is an attempt to show how God can guide a person who is willing to follow Him. I was inspired to begin writing several years ago when Dr. E. Morris Sider sent me a letter requesting that I put my life story into writing."
Seeking Peace: My Journey. Atlee Beechy. (Pinchpenny Press, 2001, 206 pp.)
As Atlee Beechy sketches his life story, he invites us to join him in a spiritual pilgrimage -- to become peacemakers and disciples of the Prince of Peace. His story begins in 1914 in the first months of the Great War in a Mennonite home in rural Holmes County, Ohio. It leads to the campus of Goshen College and on to teaching in inner-city Columbus, Ohio, followed by Civilian Public Service as a conscientious objector during World War II.
Theodore Rex. Edmond Morris. (Random House, 2001, 555 pp.) (Reviewed by Al Albrecht, Former Professor at Goshen College, MARP board member from Goshen, IN)
Author Morris makes history come alive with his imagery in recounting the various events and activities in which Roosevelt participated, and so it is an exciting review of the United States at the turn of the 20th century. If you are a history buff, you will enjoy the book. If you are not, reading this book may turn you into a history afficionado.
Fractured Dance: Gadamer and a Mennonite Conflict over Homosexuality. Michael A. King. (C. Henry Smith Series 3)
For more complete reviews of this new book and ordering information, contact your local bookstore or on the Internet: www.PandoraPressUS.com or www.mennolink.org. By regular mail contact: Pandora Press, 126 Klingerman Road, Telford, PA 18969.
To Continue the Dialogue: Biblical Interpretation and Homosexuality. C. Norman Krause, editor. (Living Issues Discussion Series 1)
For more complete reviews of this new book and ordering information, contact your local bookstore or on the Internet: www.PandoraPressUS.com or www.mennolink.org. By regular mail contact: Pandora Press, 126 Klingerman Road, Telford, PA 18969.
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Peace Books to consider for personal and shared enrichment --
Excellent choices for Christmas or anytime gift-ing
366 Ways To Peace: Quotations and Scripture. Compiled by Melodie M. Davis. (Herald Press, 1999)
This compact daily calendar contains a "rich variety of peacemaking comments from the little-known and the well-known, such as Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, Peace Pilgrim, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank." A brief quote and scripture for each day. Peter Dyck, peace storyteller, comments on last page of the calendar: "After a while, this calendar gets to you! It's like listening to great music with a central theme that you keep humming long after the music has stopped."
Gathering at the Hearth: Stories Mennonites Tell. John E. Sharp, editor. (Herald Press, 2001, 215 pp.)
Back cover: "What narratives have molded and nurtured Mennonites? What stories have the power to reshape and transform? These 28 stories reveal Mennonites' core values, who they are and want to be." Each encounter grants insight, courage and healthful humility - as today's Anabaptist believers find their way in faithful living.
The Journey Toward Reconcilation. John Paul Lederach. (Herald Press, 1999, 202 pp.)
Introduced to this book through our church library, I quickly became absorbed in it first as personal testimony and story and then as guide. "John Paul Lederach shares insight from years of work in international mediation and deep spiritual reflection" reads the back cover. Early in the book Lederach bids us listen to the powerful cries of the Psalmist. "Lord, I am distraught by the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked." (55:9) and asks us to understand the angry prayers: "Destroy their plans, O Lord, confuse their tongues." And stronger calls to "break the teeth in their mouths … let them vanish like water…. The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance done…." (58: 6, 10). Such personal fury and anguish needs understanding if we are to be authentic in our search for peace. Lederach is honest in his refusal to give simple answers, but creative and extremely helpful in pointing the way to personal and national peace living.
Making Peace With Conflict: Practical Skills for Conflict Transformation. Carolyn Schrock-Shenk & Lawrence Ressler, editors. (Herald/Pandora Press, 1999, 194 pp.)
Anabaptist believers -- once again jolted into the reality of being minority voices for peace in many settings -- want to learn how to demonstrate creative, God-revealed ways to deal with conflict. Nancy Heisey writes in her introduction, "In slim, readable, and carefully grouped chapters [this book] offers the information needed by anyone seeking skills for living in more hopeful and healthy ways. … a host of biblical images and stories are called into the conversation,." From the back cover: "Over twenty noted authors shaped by many experiences and cultures tell of lessons taught by walking conflict's holy ground." Making Peace… benefits as a personal guide but is also shaped for use as a resource for enlivened group study.
The Missing Peace: The Search for Nonviolent Alternatives in United States History. Co-authors, James Juhnke & Carol M. Hunter. (Pandora & Herald Press, 2001)
Quoting from Mennonite Weekly (9/6/01) article by June Krehbiel, "Bethel College history professor James Juhnke has wondered for 30 years why war-dominated U.S. history books seldom include stories about peace. His new book… tells some of those stories." Juhnke and Hunter (professor of history at Earlham College) wrote the book as a resource for college freshmen and sophomores and anyone interested in history. The Missing Peace "asks a new set of questions about conflicts in U.S. history, writes Krehbiel, adding these in Juhnke's own words: "Was this war necessary? Who were the peacemakers? Who suggested nonviolent ways to resolve conflicts? When were potential wars avoided? …More and more people are becoming skeptical about the myth of redemptive violence. In a world armed with nuclear weapons, hope for future civilization depends upon people who believe wars can be avoided."
The Pax Story: Service in the Name of Christ, 1951-1976. Calvin W. Redekop. (Co-published by Pandora Press and Herald Press, 2001, 160 pp.)
Who will want a copy of this account? Anyone involved in PAX or similar service organizations; historians; church leaders and pastors; scholars and others interested in experiments in alternative service to war; church study groups; any readers interested in an inspiring account of those who followed Jesus in settings of need. "[The Pax Story involved] more than 1,100 volunteers who served in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and South America. Redekop gives an insider's perspective and raises intriguing questions about this Mennonite program of global dimensions," writes Rachel Waltner Goosen.
Plain Living: A Quaker Path to Simplicity. Catherine Whitmire. (Sorin Books, Notre Dame, IN, 2001, 178 pp.)
"Whitmire has lifted up this central feature of Quakerism - and of human wholeness -- in her lovely and lively book," writes Parker J. Palmer in the foreword. One to enrich the spirit of those who take the faith walk seriously.
Seeking Peace: My Journey. Atlee Beechy. (Pinchpenny Press, 2001, 206 pp.)
As Atlee Beechy sketches his life story, he invites us to join him in a spiritual pilgrimage -- to become peacemakers and disciples of the Prince of Peace. His story begins in 1914 in the first months of the Great War in a Mennonite home in rural Holmes County, Ohio. It leads to the campus of Goshen College and on to teaching in inner-city Columbus, Ohio, followed by Civilian Public Service as a conscientious objector during World War II.
Women Against The Good War: Conscientious Objection and Gender on the American Home Front, 1941-1947. Rachel Waltner Goossen. (University of North Carolina Press, 1997, 131 pp.)
Here is one you may have to try a little harder to find but the book came quickly when ordered from Borders. Likely few of us have discovered and been inspired by the anecdotal evidence gathered here by Rachel Waltner Goossen - published during the years she taught history at Goshen College. This a rare compilation of the experiences of women of peace during World War II. Goosen researched this accounting from letters diaries, scrapbooks, photos and personal interviews "In a time when 12,000 male conscientious objectors participated in alternatives to military service… some 2000 women - most of whom were part of Mennonite, Amish, Brethren, or Quaker families with deeply held antiwar beliefs (serving in over 150 service locations across the country). These women "were profoundly altered by their experience," we read. Some experienced job discrimination upon return. Men and women alike can be inspired by and grateful for this necessary accounting.
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