Today's Life

book reviews by| December Book Reviews by Todd Rutherford

| December Book Reviews by Todd Rutherford

My Three Heroes by Audie W. Starkey

My Three Heroes, by Audie W. Starkey, is the heartwarming story of a child’s courageous fight with cancer. Mandy is the author’s daughter. Inside these pages are lessons for those who would benefit from such life lessons as overcoming insurmountable obstacles, finding silver linings, and learning to take life one day at a time.

Mandy, the youngest of three children, is Audie’s “baby girl.” The author, who habitually attends all of Mandy’s ballgames, finds his daughter awakening one morning to excruciating pain, crying out, “Daddy, it’s killing me, I can’t hardly move.” This is a pattern that would continue for several days-until the fateful diagnosis that would turn their lives upside down. Mandy had cancer.

This book presents the poignant image of an eleven-year-old forced into an impossible situation and a father who must stay strong for his daughter.

Starkey tells the story as it happened, with an authentic style that will impact the reader to the very core. The message here is that even the bleakest of circumstances can be managed by adopting a positive attitude, as evidenced by the author’s beloved “Doe,” as she literally sang her way into surgery.

Once at St. Jude’s Hospital in Tennessee, Mandy’s treatment begins. The atmosphere there is one of hope-for Mandy, as well as for all the children at the hospital. One riveting passage that appears early in the book illustrates the mind-set there: “Keep your good demeanor, sing and make other people laugh so they will feel good around you. Smile. Eat, even if you get sick, eat again. Drink plenty of fluids, Doe, you can beat this so fight it and hang tough!”

This is the story of Audie Starkey’s three heroes. Mandy leaves a powerful imprint on her father’s life by the way she handles one of life’s toughest hurdles. Enter, hero number two: Starkey’s former football coach, who forty-three years earlier had been there for Audie, helping him to mature from a boy into a man. Coach Delay is there when Mandy returns to school following her cancer treatment, and in fact, was instrumental in having her fellow students send cards and letters to Mandy during her time away.

Ultimately, My Three Heroes is a message of hope, and of living life to the fullest. Despite overwhelming odds, Mandy finds strength to carry on, and forges a strong bond with her father. Starkey shares a number of heart-wrenching episodes that will capture the hearts of readers everywhere. Mandy and her father are convinced that it was their Christian faith that added fifteen years to Mandy’s life, citing Bible verses such as, “And I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the King of Assyria; and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.”

This compelling story is an inspiration for anyone who has ever had to deal with pain, or has ever been touched by terminal illness. For young and old alike, My Three Heroes will keep readers turning pages as they learn how one family found the courage to draw the most out of life in the face of the grimmest of circumstances.

Learn to Study the Bible by Andy Deane

Throughout much of history the Bible has been passed down, and though millions have read and studied it, how many actually thoroughly understand the Bible’s teachings and principles? It is precisely this question that Andy Deane addresses in his book, Learn to Study the Bible, which offers a total of forty different approaches to studying the Bible.

As a pastor, Deane is sensitive to the fact that people learn differently. Using only one teaching method can often lead to confusion and frustration, especially among children and young adults who are new to Bible study.

Learn to Study the Bible is a natural extension of the author’s experience in teaching the Bible to junior high school students. He states in the introduction that “[t]he collective look of bewilderment on their faces was one of the scariest moments I’ve ever experienced as a youth pastor.” Realizing that his students weren’t “getting it,” he was compelled to produce a text that would not only instruct, but also be exciting for youth.

Andy Deane is convinced that when studying the Bible, there needs to be a plan in order for students, young and old alike, to fully appreciate the true power and knowledge that the Bible imparts. Thus, Deane provides forty step-by-step plans in order to “lift the veil of confusion,” and make the Bible easier to understand.

One example of Deane’s didactic format can be seen in Chapter 6, “Daily Bread.” Daily Bread is a biblical reference stating that followers of Christ should read and study scriptures as often as they eat-on a daily basis. Just as food, or bread, sustains the body, so too does scripture sustain the soul. This is also a reference to God’s having sustained “His people for forty years in the wilderness by miraculously providing fresh manna each morning.” The lesson here is that Bible study is a daily necessity for the growth of a Christian. This chapter also presents five basic steps for studying scripture: 1) Choose a passage, paragraph, or chapter to study; 2) Prayer; 3) Visualize the Passage Using the Five Senses; 4) Apply It; 5) Carry Your Favorite Passage with You.

These and other practical learning tools will guide and teach what can often be a difficult subject. Deane’s Learn to Study the Bible is a pragmatic way for believers to approach Bible study on a regular basis with the goal of better understanding scripture. By applying the author’s suggestions and methods, students will see results in their personal lives as they practice and share their faith and interact with others. To be sure, this is a must-have text for students of the Bible, young and old.

Republic of Vietnam, 1963-1967: Years of Political Chaos by Vinh-The Lam

Republic of Vietnam, 1963-1967: Years of Political Chaos, by Vinh-The Lam, is an historical book shedding light on the issues surrounding the United States having sent troops to Vietnam in 1965, resulting in a period of political turmoil. Lam’s experience and expertise in this area of history speaks volumes, as he has published several journals and texts on this topic. His intended audience is varied, but mainly focuses on those studying, teaching, and researching modern Vietnamese history.

The fact is that Vietnamese and U.S. history merged in the mid 1960s, and the question that is often asked is, “Why did the United States get involved in a war between nations halfway across the globe?” Republic of Vietnam does an excellent job of explaining the issues and conflicts, and answering this and many other relevant questions surrounding the war in Vietnam.

The period from 1963-1967 is filled with bloodshed and constant upheaval. The book characterizes this period best in its opening paragraph, “During the period from the November 1,1963 bloody military coup overthrowing Ngo Dinh Diem regime and putting an end to the First Republic to the inauguration of President Nguyen Van Thieu and Vice-President Nguyen Cao Ky on October 31, 1967 ushering in the Second Republic, the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) went through a time of politically extreme chaos.”

Offering a unique viewpoint, this book is written from the perspective of a Vietnamese, not from an American. Indeed, the book is an “as-you-see-it” run-down of facts and coups coming from the mind of a renowned historian and librarian. Lam’s primary point of emphasis-and blame-is on the Vietnamese military leaders, whose lack of responsibility and complete incompetence led to years of tragedy, death, the displacement of over a million Vietnamese nationals, culminating in defeat at the hands of North Vietnam.

Having been a part of this era, Vinh-The Lam describes the political disunity and dysfunctional leadership system, stating that, “The apparent political consensus of the Ngo regime was only a screen hiding the boiling political aspiration inside. When the screen was removed, this boiling political aspiration, together with personal ambition of political leaders, was pouring out like a tornado, creating uncontrollable upheavals.” In other words, political leaders only had their best interests in mind, instead of the interest of the people.

Ultimately, Lam uses imagery and detailed descriptions of events to deliver an accurate version of the times. He also supplements his own arguments with memoirs and other classified documents of South Vietnamese leaders. Referencing a previously published book of his, Bach Hoa Tai Lieu Mat Cua Hoa Ky Ve Viet Nam Cong Hoa (Declassifying US Documents on the Republic of Vietnam), Lam establishes credibility and delivers authentic accounts of incidents that led to war.

The facts and themes in this comprehensive and highly informative book will resonate with readers on a number of levels. To be sure, Republic of Vietnam, 1963-1967: Years of Political Chaos, by Vinh-The Lam, will connect with many people from different perspectives, including those who lived through that era, or who are studying the era, and those who simply want to be appropriately informed about the actual reasons behind the Vietnam War, and why the U.S. sent troops to Vietnam. ISBN 978-0-9809558-3-5. Published: Nov. 2010. Price: 25.00 dollars (US or Canadian; please add 8.00 dollars for mailing cost in Canada or 11.00 dollars for mailing cost in US) Money order and/or Personal check should be made payable to: Vinh-The Lam and sent to: 585 Britannia Avenue, Hamilton, ON L8H 2A, Canada.

The Last Watcher Series By D. B. Clifton

Ever since J. K. Rowling decided to put the Harry Potter series to rest, the publishing world has been anxiously

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