There is no end to good books and authors that are worth recommending:
Any true-blue Christian booklover will know the words found in Ecclesiastes 12:12: “Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” Ain’t that the truth. But I consider books, reading and learning to be great gifts of God, and I would like to think that all this may well be found in heaven.
So it should come as no surprise that I have a lot of books, I read a lot of books, I review a lot of books, and I write a lot of articles about books. If you have no interest in books and reading, chances are you have come to the wrong website! And if you are unable to read, then you really should not be here at all!
Every now and then someone will ask me about this. They might want to catch up with me over a coffee to talk about what I am involved in, about my website, and so on. They might sense a similar sort of call, and will sometimes pick my brain as to what I do and how I do it, whether it is writing books or articles, or engaging in the culture wars, or having an online presence in which to share truth, and so on.
As one example, an online friend recently messaged me with this remark: “Good afternoon (here), Bill: I’ve been searching your website for an article that describes the method you use when reading a book and what you look for when writing a review. In other words what is your method? I’ve not found anything. But, the topics on which you wrote about even back in the 1990s all look intriguing!”
Because I do have various categories on my site that he seems to have taken a quick look at (“Book, Reviews” and “Books and Reading” and so on), he did find some articles on this, and commented on one of them. I responded to him with this brief comment:
Thanks. Well, it looks like you found one article. I have no real methods. Unlike some who think all reviews must be critical (you gotta find something to critique in a book), I am just happy to alert people to good books, quote from them a bit, and let people know why they might consider getting a copy. Sometimes I will point out areas that I differ on, but at my old age with so many good books I want people to know about, just writing briefly on them is part of what I want to accomplish.
It might be worth responding to that a bit further here for those who are interested. Let me start by saying that the number of book reviews found at CultureWatch now stands at 835. But it should be mentioned that not all of these are full-length and ‘proper’ book reviews.
Increasingly they might be more of a brief overview or outline of a book with some choice quotes offered from them. And there is a reason for that. I have somewhat belated come to realise a key truth: I am not getting any younger. The obvious obverse is I am getting older. I will not be around forever – at least on this earth.
And I must also keep in mind another key truth: new books keep on coming and coming. In addition to countless older books that deserve a mention and some promotion, the printing presses continue to churn out thousands of new titles each year.
Sure, not all these books are worth all that much, but many are. Since I am a non-fiction guy, there is never a shortage of good books – old and new – in areas such as theology, philosophy, politics, history, ethics and so on that I want to have a read of and alert others to.
So with this alarming equation of ever fewer years to my life plus ever more books appearing, I have to decide how best to deal with this. My own personal library comprises around exactly ten times the number of reviews I have penned. I will never catch up reviewing the books that I already own! So sometimes even just penning a reading list or a bibliography of top volumes on a given topic is one way to proceed in this regard.
As to the question about my method of reading a book, well, it depends on the book. While my wife had read 98 per cent fiction, I read 98 per cent non-fiction. With the former you really need to read from cover to cover, otherwise you might miss ‘who done it’ – you might overlook the bit where the butler shot the housewife, or what have you.
But it differs with non-fiction, although it also can depend on the type of book. Many of my volumes are reference works, including nearly 1000 biblical commentaries. Often you can just pick and choose which bits to read in those sorts of books.
Others you do need to read most of, if not all, certainly if doing a proper book review. But even there, learning to read selectively can be quite helpful. Every word may not need to be read. Usually, you are going after the ideas and train of thought being expressed, and sometimes the minutiae of fine detail as in examples and so on can be gone through more quickly.
But sometimes in a dense work of philosophy or theology you have to read carefully, and often read sections more than once to comprehend just what is being said. So HOW one reads will depend to some extent on the sort of book that is being read.
As to my method in writing book reviews, in addition to what I said above, a few more things can be mentioned. On the issue of critical reviews, as I say, I can always find areas where I differ with an author. While I will sometimes point out these issues and show why I think a writer might have gotten something wrong, I do not always feel the need to include some critique or criticism.
Sometimes I just want to promote an author and his book and leave it at that. Others can decide which bits to run with and which bits they might not find to their liking. Often my main aim if I feel it is an important volume that is worth notifying others about is to do just that. I will explain what is found therein, offer some useful quotes, and let those words do the talking.
As a result, sometimes folks will tell me that they bought and read a book based on my recommendations. Hey, I should be getting a commission for this! But knowing that some folks found my reviews and recommendations to be of use is usually sufficient for me.
And also of value is when I do a more serious review of some book, and the busy, famous writer actually takes some time to contact me and thank me for my review. Two quick stories on this can be mentioned. Some years ago I reviewed a book on Richard Dawkins written by the Irish theologian and apologist Alister McGrath. Various critics weighed in, with one claiming I did not even read the book. Shortly after that time I met McGrath and he thanked me for what he said was my accurate and useful review!
That got some comments in response, including this one: “Timely, Bill. Thanks. So many authors, so little time. Your effort to share them with us is more helpful than can ever be expressed. Don’t ever give up what you are doing. If only one reader benefits (that may be me) it is worth it.”
That was a kind and much appreciated remark. And just a few months ago this comment came in about the same post:
Dear Mr. Muehlenberg,
My wife Debra came upon your site today and sent to me your kind evaluation of my work. I am deeply grateful. I haven’t been idle in the last few years, either. You and your followers might be interested in a web magazine that Debra and I put out, called Word and Song. Every week, we publish four essays of mine, one each on etymology, Word of the Week; on the Hymn of the Week; on the Poem of the Week; and on the classic Film of the Week. Then we have a podcast on Friday, and for Saturday Debra writes Sometimes a Song, on popular and folk music. We’re trying to reintroduce people to good, beautiful, and true things, with of course an emphasis on the Christian faith, when that applies, as it often does. I’ll paste a link to it below. Meanwhile, keep up the good work, and God bless you and yours!
Needless to say that comment made my day. Often one gets very little feedback at all – from anybody. Or if you do, it can more often than not be criticism and complaint. So to know that your work has not been in vain, and it has done a bit of good, is always helpful and encouraging.
How much more so knowing that the Lord affirms the work that you do for him. Indeed, just after getting that nice comment, I started an article on this. Although I never finished it, I did say this in part:
As great as it is to get some terrific intellect or writer or thinker or Christian taking time out of their busy schedule to thank you or respond to you, all this pales in comparison to getting recognition and praise from above. Yes, it is good to get positive feedback and the like, but our main concern should be to one day hear these words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant…. Enter into the joy of your Lord’ (Matthew 25:23)
As can be seen, I like to promote good books in the same way that I like to promote other things, such as good people and the work they are doing, good ministries, good Christian endeavours, and so on. If in my own small way I can alert others to some of these good things, and it benefits and inspires them and helps them in their Christian walk, it may have done some good.
And this seems to have been a long-standing goal of mine. I recall many years ago when I was still a somewhat new Christian. I had started getting some good Christian books, including theological titles. I would sometimes think that it would be nice to set up some sort of Christian community where folks could come in, I could do a bit of teaching, and folks could have access to my small, humble library.
Well, in a physical manner that did not ever occur, but in an internet age it certainly has been happening online. I can utilise my gift of teaching and reach people from potentially all around the world. And while I may not be loaning out physical copies of my books (hands off you evil book lusterers!), in doing book reviews and penning bibliographies or collections of quotations on various topics, it is taking place – and to a much larger audience.
So that in part is why I do what I do. And I hope to keep on doing it until I am no longer able. One day perhaps failing eyesight or things like that might really slow me down. But until then, be prepared for more book recommendations, more book reviews, and more book quotes. That is what I do!
Bill,
I used to belong to a conservative book club here in the states. They have long ago closed. A church friend commented years ago about your website. I visited and liked what I saw. You are now my go-to reference site for book recommendations! Thanks for all you do for us book lovers!
Many thanks Tom. When I lived in the US long ago I was a member of the Conservative Book Club.
Great information, Bill! Thanks for sharing some very useful information. It is very refreshing to meet a fellow lover of non-fiction books.
Bill,
I used to belong to a conservative book club here in the states. They have long ago closed. A church friend commented years ago about your website. I visited and liked what I saw. You are now my go-to reference site for book recommendations! Thanks for all you do for us book lovers!
Many thanks Tom. When I lived in the US long ago I was a member of the Conservative Book Club.
Great information, Bill! Thanks for sharing some very useful information. It is very refreshing to meet a fellow lover of non-fiction books.
Thank you Dave.