Category: Adult Nonfiction Review

REVIEW: All of the Marvels by Douglas Wolk

REVIEW: All of the Marvels by Douglas Wolk

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

The author read 540,000+ pages of Marvel comics – from 1961’s Fantastic Four #1 to 2017’s Marvel Legacy #1 – to see what the full epic story might say if someone had the tenacity to read it all.

The Marvel collection is not designed to be read that way – something that has always bothered me as a reader. The stories work in such a way that people can drop in almost anywhere and go as deep or as broad into the Marvel universe as they want. Wolk describes his reading experience as, “gorging myself on something made for cherry picking and nibbling,” one of MANY excellent metaphors in the book.

Reading this, I felt seen and understood. From the start, but especially in chapter 2, the author acknowledges the drive to know “where to start” and the desire to take in the whole story in order. And just like in my personal experience, he says that desire is likely to end in frustration. In a format driven by the idea that each issue will be someone’s first, searching for the beginning, and the “whole story” just doesn’t work. But Wolk quickly shows readers how this non-linear reading experience can be better than what I was longing for.

This is the sort of review book I would typically read carefully for a few chapters, and then skim through the rest so I could put together a cogent review. And the author even says his book likely should be read like the Marvel comics universe – dig into the chapters that speak to you. But I couldn’t put this down. While there were a few character explorations that didn’t click for me, much of this was fascinating – from the backstories of characters to the revolving door of writers and artists, and the impacts they had on stories, characters, and Marvel as a whole. The writing is fantastic, and the subject matter is captivating. I immediately ordered a print copy for myself and my family. This is an outstanding resource, and when life slows down enough again, I’d like this book to point me to some great comics and stories to enjoy. I think this would be a great addition to high school libraries and classrooms in addition to regular adult collections. Don’t let a Marvel comics fan in your life miss out on this one. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Journey Toward Wholeness by Suzanne Stabile

REVIEW: The Journey Toward Wholeness by Suzanne Stabile

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

The focus in this one is on the centers (Head, Heart, Gut), stress and security moves, and stances. This is a great intermediate level resource for those who have been digging into the Enneagram for a bit. I think beginners could start here, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I think The Road Back to You is a better introduction. Then, once you know your number, or think you have narrowed it down a bit, this could be a helpful second (or third or fourth) resource.

I appreciated the personal stories – Suzanne’s and others’. I’ve followed Suzanne Stabile  long enough to know something about many of her family members. I always enjoy a new story or illustration starring one of her kids or grandkids. The narratives balance out the instructional pieces nicely.

The general information about the centers and stances wasn’t new to me. But her *descriptions* of them are super helpful. And her recommendations for each type feel spot on. As I have said before, when I get to read material written by someone with my same number, I find it especially fruitful. And Suzanne and I share a number, so I got a lot out of this one. I am eager to receive my print copy when this releases so I can dig into it once again.

You can read my reviews of other Enneagram resources here. If you want to see what it is like to read an Enneagram book from someone with your number, check out the 40 Days as a ______ line from Suzanne. Each is written by a person who operates from that number.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up by Chestnut and Paes

REVIEW: The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up by Chestnut and Paes

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Edelweiss and a print copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

I have read a lot of Enneagram resources over the last 4-5 years, but I think this is the first one that has felt like the chapter for my type was written expressly for me. I don’t know if that is a commentary on the quality of this book or the fact that one of the authors shares my number. It might even just be the perfect intersection of this resource and my journey with myself and the Enneagram. But I feel seen and understood and called out at a whole new level with this resource. Each section – and sometimes each paragraph – ties perfectly to something I am experiencing or recognizing. It’s almost too much on target.

The book opens with a brief introduction, but the bulk of it is focused on each of the 9 types. The type chapters start with a brief narrative about little One or Six and the journey to type behaviors and reactions. This piece for my type was different than anything I have read before. I rarely identify with childhood references to my type, but reading this, I felt like someone was in my mind and heart as a kid.

The chapters all follow a pattern – the narrative, a list of common traits, patterns, passions, wings, shadow sides, blind spots, etc. Having read a lot of resources, I am used to the content starting to sound the same. This felt like a fresh take on things I have read – nuances and insights I hadn’t caught or heard expressed in such a way before.

The overall premise of the book is developing enough self-awareness through the Enneagram to “wake up.” Too often we operate in “zombie mode,” letting our personalities lead while we try to secure what we crave through these patterns that rarely work as we want them to. And that idea of raising self-awareness to the point of making healthier patterns really appeals to me.

This is going to the top of my Enneagram resources list along with The Road Back to You, Millenneagram, The Enneagram Goes to Church, and Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram. You can read more reviews and discussion of Enneagram resources here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

SABBATICAL: Five Star Books for Adults

SABBATICAL: Five Star Books for Adults

Posted on by Jaymie

This week my sabbatical posts will be links to the books that earned a five star review from me. Today my focus will be on books for adults. This list will include fiction and nonfiction books that I adored. Some of the reviews you will find in the full list include outstanding books that didn’t make it into a Year in Review post like these:

Furbidden Fatality
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
To Fetch a Felon
Bait and Witch
The Color of Compromise
Broken Genius
Storing Up Trouble
How to Raise a Reader
Planet Hulk
Lock In

Here’s the full list: Five Star Books for Adults

REVIEW: Blind Spots by Kimberly Nix Berens, PhD

REVIEW: Blind Spots by Kimberly Nix Berens, PhD

Posted on by Jaymie

[I won a free copy of this book in a contest by the publisher.]

Summary

The author’s assertions include:

  • In America, proficiency declines over the course of learning, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress
  • Students are promoted due to age or time spent, or they are introduced to new concepts without mastering the earlier, prerequisite skills. This puts them further and further behind.
  • Some “interventions” are actually detrimental. When students practice those skills over and over, they become habits that interfere with effective learning.
  • Even the kids at the “top” are failing to reach advanced levels in subject areas. Over 75% of college freshmen need remedial classes in reading, writing, and math.
  • What is often a lack of opportunity to master basic skills is instead labeled a “disability” or given a medical diagnosis. Then the child is medicated and programmed accordingly.

The author instead comes to the world of education and learning as a behavioral scientist. She focuses on observation, skills practice, and reinforcement.

Review

The author is highly critical of the American schooling “establishment” which can be off-putting for someone who has worked in education. While I agreed with some of her assertions about unrealistic expectations of kindergarten and first grade students, about behavior modification over medication/diagnosis in some cases, etc., the delivery was a little too antagonistic for me.

One positive to the author’s criticism of every system from teacher training to social promotions is a sense that every student could succeed if only we gave them the right sort of environment and instruction. And I do love that philosophy.

Out of the 190 pages of content, not including appendices, 130 or so are focused on the “problems” of the system. I see the need to establish a strong case for the ways the current system is broken. But I would have enjoyed more emphasis on solutions. The author gives a lot of page space to her own learning program, but not much that the general reader could apply to their situation. I also would have loved more anecdotes and stories of kids and families who saw change and improvement.

The author makes a good case for a shift in instructional methods, but as both a former educator (Teacher/Librarian) and as a parent, this left me feeling pretty powerless. The case is strongly made that the “establishment” will do its thing regardless of research and data. What’s the average parent supposed to do to help their kids? There’s not even enough practical examples here for a parent to adapt to a homeschooling environment. If anything, this could be an interesting discussion starter. But I’m afraid the antagonistic, accusatory tone will keep educational professionals – from teachers to administration to the “establishment – from getting into ways to make a difference for real kids in real need.

Rating: ♥♥½*

*♥♥½ = Mostly solid to solid – some issues, but I was able to finish.

REVIEW: The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter

REVIEW: The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book releases next week on May 25, 2021.]

Summary and Review

This is a straight-talking exploration of menopause from the author of The Vagina Bible. The author is an OB/GYN who has gone through the menopause transition, so she has both personal experience as well as professional. She covers everything from the history of the thinking about menopause to the biological processes and common symptoms and also the not-so-obvious health changes associated with aging and the hormonal changes of menopause.

The thing I appreciated most about this was the feeling that I was sitting down for coffee with someone who would pull no punches, but who also had no agenda. The author very clearly calls out the darker, bleaker parts of women’s health and the patriarchy. I loved that honesty (although the information was also infuriating). And while the medical pieces may feel technical at times there is also some humor to balance it out.

This is too technical to be a “favorite” book for me, but at the same time it feels perfectly positioned to be read by millions of people who menstruate – those approaching middle age and wondering what’s coming, those in the transition wondering what’s normal, and those who have reached menopause who are now considering how it will impact their future health. This could be the weirdest, or the most brilliant, book club selection ever! If you are “of a certain age,” I recommend you pick this one up! (Some language, frank conversation about biology and biological processes)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = Excellent resource

REVIEW: The Enneagram Goes to Church by Todd A. Wilson

REVIEW: The Enneagram Goes to Church by Todd A. Wilson

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

“If I would have known the Enneagram, I would have been a much better pastor.”

This is the confession that launches this resource about the role the Enneagram could play in the Church. The author comes to the discussion from a standard evangelical background. He works from the assumption that the reader has at least a passing knowledge of the Enneagram – this is not a resource for beginners. There is a chapter on triads, stances, and orientation to time, but it is there to give readers a common background and language for the rest of the book, not as an introduction for novices.

The content includes a look at the nine types as pastors as well as in leadership roles. There’s a chapter on the types related to preaching and teaching as well as chapters on worship, congregational care, and conflict. There’s also a great discussion at the start of the book about whether or not the Enneagram even belongs in the church. The author’s bottom line to readers, especially pastors, is to pursue self-awareness which in turn will help in all aspects of pastoring.

Review

This is an exceptionally good resource. The tone and writing is conversational, and the content is applicable in many settings, not just in churches. (Personally, I though the author came on pretty strong at first, and when he revealed his type in the book, that made more sense. I was quickly able to settle into his writing style, though.) The teaching is solid as it relates to pastors and pastoral roles, but it could also apply to teachers (especially the chapter on preaching) and helping professionals (especially the chapters on conflict and congregational care). I got a TON out of this, and I don’t fit into any of these roles right now.

It was fascinating to me to apply the content to my current and past church experiences. It was easy to see where this information could have helped heal some of the hurts we have seen in our churches over the years.

The material here is challenging in all the best ways. There’s lots of references here to church history, scripture, and Enneagram leaders and teachers, which I enjoyed immensely. This is a must-buy resource for me, and I am looking forward to reading through it again! You can read my reviews of other Enneagram resources here. (There is one use of the word “tribe” in the book as an expression of a like-minded group, which might be offensive to some readers.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

 

REVIEW: Enneagram Empowerment by Laura Miltenberger

REVIEW: Enneagram Empowerment by Laura Miltenberger

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This opens with introductory information on the Enneagram including four pages per type in an overview. The book also introduces concepts like wings, stances, centers, and subtypes. I was sad to see it comes with a quiz. As I have said before, your Enneagram type is notoriously hard to discern with a quiz. Quizzes work well when evaluating observable behaviors. But the Enneagram is all about motivation. You may have several types who eschew conflict, but their reasons for doing so will differ. When I took the “quiz” here, I had five numbers with the same overall score. The goal of the quiz is to help readers narrow down the 9 types to 2 or 3. For me, I would have had 7 from the quiz.

When it comes to the introductory material, I would not recommend this book to Enneagram novices. Other than the quiz, there’s nothing “wrong” with the material at all. The introductory material is just pretty thin. I feel there are other resources that are better – The Road Back to You and Millenneagram to name a couple. They spend more time on the basics. (You can read my reviews other Enneagram resources here.)

Where this resource shines, though, is in the information on empowerment. The author splits the book into two sections – self-empowerment and relational empowerment. Self-empowerment includes things like self-care and empowered thinking, while relational empowerment includes boundaries, etc.. The author gives both general information on these various topics as well as Enneagram-type specific examples and suggestions. I found the Enneagram-specific pieces fascinating.

I am not sure I personally would get enough out of the empowerment pieces to add this to my Enneagram library. BUT I could see therapists and spiritual directors (although there is no faith component to the book) who work with people of a variety of types in empowerment tasks getting a LOT out of those pieces of this resource. I will definitely recommend this one to my helping-professional friends for their work.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard edited by Chip Carter

REVIEW: Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard edited by Chip Carter

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This gift book/reference book includes quotes from one of Star Trek’s most well-known and well-loved captains, Jean-Luc Picard, both from The Next Generation TV series and movies as well as from the new Picard series. There are also photos of the character throughout the book.

The quotes are separated into five sections – philosophy and humanity, history and science, literature and the arts, exploration and adventure, and finally politics, leadership and diplomacy.

In my review copy, all of the quotes included the name of the episode where they came from. Only some of them included the name of the show and the season number as well. I assume that the printed versions include this information for every quote. There is no context given for the quote, other than the episode name, but sometimes the quote is given as part of the conversation it was part of.

I think this will be a fun resource for Star Trek and Picard fans. Some readers are going to recognize the quotes immediately. Others will recognize the episode titles and be able to fill in the context on their own. Still others will use the episode citations to go back and revisit the moments for a refresher.

I was sad that there was no indexing or cross referencing for the quotes. I would have liked a way to see which quotes came from which seasons or maybe which ones were said to or about a specific character or alien race. As it is, this is a fun stroll down memory lane for Star Trek fans. I’m not sure newcomers will get as much out of this except maybe as a prompt to watch a specific episode to find out more about a particular quote. But with only a few words or a few lines, I’m not sure it would be enough to draw novices in.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½=Good+

BONUS REVIEW: Getting to Know God's Voice by Jenny Randle

BONUS REVIEW: Getting to Know God’s Voice by Jenny Randle

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This is a 31-day journey broken into three “acts” designed to help readers discern the voice of God and the move and prompting of the Holy Spirit. The first act helps the reader get in the proper position and mindset to hear from God. It also outlines ways God speaks. The next two sections dig into potential obstacles and take a deeper look at the topic. The book leans towards the charismatic in its approach to the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Each day includes a teaching section, a challenge/response, a prayer, and a journaling prompt. Sometimes the response is to dig into a passage of scripture. In those cases, the journaling prompts follow a Bible study pattern that readers could then apply to their study outside this book, which I thought was a great idea. The tone of the writing is conversational, like meeting a mentor over coffee. The author includes anecdotes which are engaging and applicable to the material. Some were downright inspiring.

Personally, there were a few small things that were jarring for me as I read through this. The author has chosen to use “Holy Spirit” as a proper name, like you would Jesus or God, dropping “the” in 90% of her usage. Her rationale for this makes sense, but every time, it pushed me out of the flow of the writing. Another stylistic choice was calling the challenge or response sections “hearing aids.” It’s a clever play on words, and will work for some readers, but it may not for others. I am not part of the community of disabled individuals, so I can’t speak to how the hearing impaired might read this terminology. Finally, there were occasional moments where the author comes off flippant or sarcastic in a way that was more abrasive than amusing. For full transparency, I did not read this in pieces over 31 days like the author intends. So it is quite possible that in smaller doses, these things would not have been as obvious.

Earlier this year I read Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer. Similar intent, but a very different delivery. The nonfiction prose approach, and my affinity for the author already, was a great fit for me. If I was to make a recommendation for a resource for learning to listen to and hear from God, that would be my first choice. But, for readers who prefer a devotional approach, this could be a good resource for that journey as well.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥=Good/solid/fine