Category: Adult Nonfiction Review

REVIEW: The Unfiltered Enneagram by Elizabeth Orr

REVIEW: The Unfiltered Enneagram by Elizabeth Orr

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Convergent Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

When I discovered that @RudeAssEnneagram from Instagram was going to have an Enneagram book, I was eager to check it out. I’ve been working on and through the Enneagram for almost 8 years, and I am to the point where basic books are blah, and I’m always on the lookout for something that can help me go deeper.

The beauty of this book is that it covers the “basics” but in what felt like a completely new way. The author has done a brilliant job with both the voice and the technical writing of this book. Her word choices are brilliant and convey some nuances to the different types that make this resource feel fresh. As I read this it reminded me of some of the irreverence and straight-scoop I loved from Millenneagram, but without the f-bombs that could make that book feel at bit abrasive. Reading this felt like standing at the edge of a pool while someone does a cannonball. You are getting aggressively splashed with a lot of truth – both positive and challenging – right in your face.

But while this is pretty direct, the writing is super conversational. There’s a coaching tone to this that I really liked, with encouragement to lean in, dig deep, and do the work. While with most nonfiction books I struggle to keep moving forward because there’s no narrative arc to pull me through, the writing here drew me into chapters of types that are not closely affiliated with me, just to read the author’s insights and observations about all of the types. And with each chapter, the author is there inviting the reader to explore, consider, and reflect.

My only caution is for those who are new to the Enneagram, or who only know about it because they like funny memes on social media. The frank assessment here may be off-putting for those who don’t recognize the need to do the work, who don’t come ready to be emotionally flayed open a bit for their own long-term good.

This is my new go-to recommendation for Enneagram resources. I would  still advise newcomers to start with The Road Back to You. Listening to some podcasts from long-time Enneagram teachers is another great way to start. (You can also see my reviews of other Enneagram resources at the link above.) But once you see the value of studying the Enneagram for personal growth, you are ready for this excellent resource. Highly recommend! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best!

 

REVIEW: Wisdom for Faithful Reading by John Walton

REVIEW: Wisdom for Faithful Reading by John Walton

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Walton, Old Testament professor at Wheaton College, presents his overall approach to Old Testament (and in some ways Biblical) interpretation here. Readers of his Lost World books like The Lost Word of the Prophets, will be familiar with the general concepts. While the Lost World books apply these principles in a deep dive with a specific section of scripture, this book presents the overall approach. Many examples are given from Walton and other scholars.

I set an intention for 2024 to read one nonfiction book per month, and this was my January book. And then it became my February book as well. While I was tempted to blitz through to the end in order to check it off the list as “done” and meet that goal, I LOVED digging into this content, and I didn’t want to fly through it just to say I finished. I wanted to read and consider each section. I often read a few “chapters” at a time – or just one longer one – and made notes and dog-earred pages and then set it down for awhile so I could absorb it in polite-sized bits.

This rocked my world. It went into excellent, readable details of things I have encountered in other places about the care necessary when approaching Biblical texts with a 21st century mindset. The writing is conversational and easy to understand. I was challenged by what I read and saw familiar passages in new ways. While I could see using this with Biblical scholars, it doesn’t feel “academic.” (Although if your general approach to scripture is a verse or two at a time through a devotional, this will feel academic.) I think readers will need to approach this like any other scholarly work. Take your time with it; read carefully and closely. It may completely change your approach to reading and studying – and understanding – the Bible. I highly recommend it!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Lost World of the Prophets by John H. Walton

REVIEW: The Lost World of the Prophets by John H. Walton

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and IVP Academic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

Dr. John H. Walton is a professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College and author of the Lost World series among other books. I discovered this series while reading another book by Walton this year, and I was intrigued enough to request a review copy. I was not disappointed. This book digs into the prophetic literature of the Bible, and Walton applies his philosophy and approach for Biblical interpretation to this portion of the Old Testament.

Walton’s basic premise is that scripture should be viewed through the lens of its original context. Who wrote it? Who was the original audience? What was the author’s intension for writing? (“Writing” being used loosely here as the written Bible we have today was compiled over time from what was originally an oral tradition, etc., etc..) Walton uses a metaphor of a “cultural river” that I found particularly helpful. Our 2024 cultural river of social media and technology, for example, is very different from the cultural river of 1924. That’s easy enough to conceptualize. But it’s even easier to see how the cultural river of Biblical times is different from our own.

The writing in this book is conversational and easy to follow. While I initially read this as an electronic ARC, I definitely would prefer this in print (which is why I pre-ordered a copy a month ago). I am not sure how different the ARC formatting and final e-book formatting might be, but the footnotes alone would push me to a print version, much less my own tactile preferences for writing in and underlining nonfiction. That said, readers of either version will not need a special university or seminary education to follow this material, although I could also see this book working in a classroom setting.

The content includes things like:

  • discussion of how the Covenant between God and Israel makes Old Testament prophecy distinct from prophecy of other people groups of the same time
  • discussion of the role of prophet as God’s spokesperson and not as a predictor of the future
  • differentiation of the oracles initially delivered by the prophet, usually verbally, and the compiled, written scripture we read today

One struggle I personally have with nonfiction in general is perseverance. Without a story to pull me from page to page, I often will set down a nonfiction book part way through and never pick it up again. I can so easily get distracted by other things and lose momentum. Not so here. The writing is engaging and the content is fascinating. I can’t wait to get my print copy in my hands so I can start working through it again, marking up the pages and digging into the rich content. I have been a Walton fan since I watched several of his teaching videos on Zondervan Academic during the pandemic. But haven’t read much of his work until now. I read this while I was also working through his 2023 book,  Wisdom for Faithful Reading (review coming soon). The two together were a perfect pairing.

Walton’s Lost Worlds series is now 7 books long, but this is my first exposure to it. And I loved it! The content made me think in all the best ways, wrestling with new ways of looking at familiar passages and new ways of approaching the Bible in general. I can absolutely see using this in a classroom setting, but I think it could also be interesting as a resource for a small group or Sunday school class. I never felt like I needed to have read the previous Lost World books to understand this one, although I will say Wisdom for Faithful Reading would be an excellent precursor as it lays out Walton’s approach in a more general way. I absolutely think readers will get the most out of this if they have at least an “intermediate” level of scripture knowledge and exposure – I would *not* hand this to a new Christian or someone new to studying the Bible. I think this works best with folks who are familiar with the full arc of the Biblical story. I will definitely be checking out the other Lost World books now!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read!

REVIEW: Saints AND Sinners by Kat Armstrong

REVIEW: Saints AND Sinners by Kat Armstrong

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

[I received a free electronic review copy of these books from Netgalley and NavPress in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

These books are the third pair released in the Storyline Bible Study series. I picked up my own copies of the first set – Mountains and Valleys – when they first released because the covers are gorgeous and the content was intriguing. And that’s about as far as I got with them – I checked out the layout, loved it, and they have taunted me from a pile ever since.

Because I liked the set up of these so much, I immediately requested the review copies of this third set, following Sticks and Stones.  And the set up and content continue to impress me.

The titles are somewhat tongue in cheek – Saints focuses on 5 Bible stories and personalities who might be on some list – if only in their own minds – of “saints, ” but the studies show where they fall short. The “sinners” list includes those who are shunned in the Biblical record as “sinners” but who are drawn out by Jesus for some other purpose.  For my review, I read all of the set up information as well as one full study in each book. And that teaser made me want more.

The studies are set up in four steps/sections – context, a close reading of the text, building understanding and making connections, and finally responding. There’s also an element that connects the stories in each study to the larger story of scripture in the books that have come before. I find the structure thoughtful, logical, and intentional. The writing tone is conversational and easy to read. I could honestly read these cover to cover, but so much would be missed by blitzing through what is here.

Bible studies tend to collect on shelves at my house and rarely get finished, but these feel like exactly the sort of studies I am looking for right now. I plan to work through the whole collection. As of this writing, the author and publisher websites don’t say anything about what might be next after this release, but I will be watching for something new in this impressive series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it!

REVIEW: Unlock Your Menopause Type by Dr. Heather Hirsch

REVIEW: Unlock Your Menopause Type by Dr. Heather Hirsch

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Considering how little seems to be known – or discussed – about something every aging person who menstruates will go through, it’s nice to see another book release that talks honestly about menopause. The “hook” for this book is the author’s way of grouping common menopause symptoms into types. It’s not a perfect system – people can fall into more than one category. So you might have to read more than one section to get a good idea of what options are available to you. But it’s pretty brilliant if you have ever read something about menopause and thought, “That’s not been my experience.” The experience of menopause differs from person to person.

The overall tone of the book is conversational – another one that feels like talking with an expert over coffee.  I especially appreciated the chapter on myths and misconceptions. It’s also affirming in that you will likely read about others who are experiencing some of the same things you are. You aren’t alone! The chapters on the types are more technical than the introduction, and there may be some readers who want to take the book to their personal physician to talk through the author’s recommendations. Each type is described with at least one anecdote, and then author makes recommendations for typical treatment options that might work for readers who find themselves in a particular type.

To be honest, one draw back to this book for me is the thought of having to convince a medical professional to take this material – and my feelings about it – seriously enough for this to be useful. If my doctor hasn’t read this, how can I go to him and say “I think I have this type and this doctor recommends this course of action” and expect to get very far? But if you have a relationship with your doctor that’s more open and collaborative, I could see using this as a starting point for addressing any symptoms or difficulties you are experiencing.

I also thought The Menopause Manifesto was an excellent resource. If you are approaching this stage in life, I’d probably start with Manifesto to equip yourself with information. If you are already experiencing some of the symptoms of perimenopause, this might be a good resource to add to your arsenal of information.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great resource!

REVIEW: I Swear by Katie Porter

REVIEW: I Swear by Katie Porter

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crown in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will release on April 11, 2023. This is another week with an adult review on Friday instead of something for kids or teens. Sorry! There’s just a lot of books for adults grabbing my attention these days.]

Summary and Review

This is a memoir of Congresswoman Katie Porter’s time in the US House of Representatives (so far) and how she got there in the first place. This covers everything from her childhood on an Iowa farm to her college years to her work as an attorney and professor as well as how she ended up running for Congress.

I was intrigued (and frustrated) by her experiences as the only single mother in the House of Representatives as well as a somewhat idealistic newbie in Washington. Congress is the playground of politicians, most of whom are past the years of parenting or who have spouses or paid staff to manage their families or personal interests. They can play political games and focus on the next election and the one after that because someone else can pick up the slack for them. Katie doesn’t have that. She also didn’t want to phone in her work. She ran to make a difference, and she was there to dig in and make things happen.

I adored the sections of the book where she highlighted her now-famous use of a white board in congressional hearings. Her direct, logical questions have made for some of the most entertaining television of the last 6 years. I also found the chapters on recent events – the insurrection, the global pandemic, etc. – captivating. Even a few years later, I couldn’t get enough of her front row seat to these events.

This is at times humorous, inspiring, and infuriating. The storytelling is more topical than chronological, which I found to be a great feature. I picked this up because I wanted to know more about Congresswoman Porter. If the book had been chronological, I might not have stuck with the early life recollections. But by keeping this more topical, those early experiences were shown for how they informed and influenced the person Katie would become. And that was fascinating. There are a few shots taken at prominent members of the GOP. I’m not sure those were necessary to the story, and they might alienate some potential readers. I believe that content is there to show Katie as a politician who pulls no punches and speaks her mind and challenges those who need challenging. But I think the rest of the book made that point already without taking shots at a few of those folks. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Tell Her Story by Nijay Gupta

REVIEW: Tell Her Story by Nijay Gupta

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and IVP Academic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

Dr. Gupta explores the women named in the New Testament as leaders of the early Church, but first he goes back to the Old Testament to review the Biblical record of Deborah and the creation story. As he moves forward in time to examine roles of women in the Roman world, he explores evidence of a full range of responsibilities from wife and mother to business owner to cult priestess. Then he looks at the women in Jesus’ life before moving on to the women who help launch the Church.

I had a teaser of some of this material a couple years ago when I heard the author speak. I was fascinated by what he shared and eager to hear more. The writing here is super engaging. There are plenty of reference notes for those approaching this topic and material as scholars. But there’s tons here to enjoy if you just picked this up to augment your own Bible study. I did a lot of underlining as I read, and came across references to other resources I might want to look at on my own.

Reading this made me want to pull a group of women together with this book and an unmarked Bible to dig into the passages with fresh eyes. I think it would be a moving, memorable study experience. I highly recommend this whether you are looking for a text book or reference for academic work or if you are looking for something for personal study.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Enneagram Life by Elizabeth Bennett

REVIEW: Enneagram Life by Elizabeth Bennett

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

The full title of this book is Enneagram Life: Personal, Relational, and Biblical insights for All Seasons, and the author has also published a set of 60-day devotionals by type. So this comes from a Christian perspective.

This Enneagram resource was a fascinating read. The structure of the book – assigning content to different life stages – was clever and unique. It’s not often you save the topic of wings, for example, until the end! There are also some references to non-Enneagram things like birth order and introversion/extroversion and gender, but as they relate to the Enneagram, which was interesting. (The gender chapter references only male/female.) I learned a lot from working through this material, although I did stick mostly with my own number rather than reading broadly for each section/chapter.

My favorite section was the chapter on workplace stances. It gave me a fresh perspective on my workplace and co-workers. I will definitely be revisiting that material.

I don’t know that I would recommend this as a starting resource for Enneagram newbies – it includes some higher tier material like subtypes pretty early on. But I think after something like The Road Back to You, this could be a good second book. The author and I seem to both like this idea of starter material vs higher tier information as she has a tiered list of recourses at the end of the book as well.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Gospel for Helpers by Tyler Zach

REVIEW: The Gospel for Helpers by Tyler Zach

Posted on by Jaymie

My YA review scheduled for today turned out to be a bust so instead I thought I would tell you a bit about a new Enneagram devotional I picked up this month. I have reviewed two of Tyler Zach’s previous devotionals in this series, but I have been waiting for it to be my turn – and that time has arrived!

I compared my husband’s copy of the book for his number to mine, and was pleased to see that they were different. This isn’t the sort of deal where every book follows the same outline, wedging in stuff for each type. And the entries I have read so far have been right on target. In fact, I have left each reading feeling  seen, understood, and valued, but also challenged or encouraged in some area of growth. There are spaces at the end of each entry for the reader to answer reflection questions. There’s also a prayer and a suggestion of how to respond to the material for that day.

If you have an Enneagram fan in your life, I think this devotional would make a great gift. There are devotionals for all of the numbers except 5, 7, and 8. I expect we will see those release in 2023.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Story of You Workbook by Ian Morgan Cron

REVIEW: The Story of You Workbook by Ian Morgan Cron

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and HarperOne in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

This is a companion workbook for The Story of You, an Enneagram resource from Ian Morgan Cron that released last year. I thought the book was fantastic!

The purpose of the book and the workbook is to examine the stories we tell ourselves (related to Enneagram type) and correct the less functional ones. The author says learning your type is the “appetizer” while transformation is the “main course” and purpose of studying the Enneagram.

While the full book explains the SOAR process for all nine types, the workbook is designed to walk the reader through the process individually.  There are sections of the workbook that briefly address all 9 types alongside the journaling questions.

I appreciate the emphasis on self-awareness with the questions and with the examination of both positive and negative traits. The questions are challenging and made me want to sit down and start writing.

This is absolutely the sort of book where you will get out of it what you put in. If you want to explore the concepts and put the book on a shelf, go with the full book that released last year. But if you want to go toe to toe with yourself to actively pursue personal growth, you want to grab this workbook – and maybe your own journal or notebook – and a dive in.

Occasionally I will consider a workbook like this  and think I’ll read the book from the library and buy the workbook for my personal work. I feel like this approach to the Enneagram lends itself more to having the full book at hand. I think the concepts described and the examples in the book will help workbook users along the way.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read.