The Lemon Jelly Cake (Prairie State Books)

Average customer rating:

Corny, but good reading

a joy to read

Absolutely delightful!

Refreshing and delightful

Delightful romp.

The Lemon Jelly Cake (Prairie State Books)
Madeline Smith
Manufacturer: University of Illinois Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0252061632

Customer Reviews:

Corny, but good reading.......2007-03-09

The writing carries it through, simple and good. The theme of comparing life to a four-layer cake is pretty thin ice, and the author falls through it a few times. What can I say? I was entertained by the great people in the book; I was turned off by the cake theme.

a joy to read.......2007-02-18

The only bad thing about this book was there is no recipe for the lemon jelly cake. Besides that the book was wonderful. The story takes you back in time to a more relaxed era and when the book ends you are a little sad that you must leave. This would be a great choice for a book club.

Absolutely delightful!.......2005-08-01

This book I could read over and over again. I made me long for the simpler days. Ms Smith painted such a vivid, brilliant picture of small town life way back when horses were considered the mode of transportation and those new horseless contraptions were just a fad that is sure to fade away!

This book has plenty of delightful town antics and I couldn't have been more pleased with my purchase! Too bad that she had to pass so soon and couldn't have written more!

Refreshing and delightful.......2005-07-06

I bought this book recently at a charity book sale. I kept putting it back and picking it up again. I am so glad I purchased it. This book is delightful and a reminder of what childhood and life used to be like.I cannot get thru a chapter without smiling or laughing out loud at Helene's adventures.The author is vivid in her character descriptions. I am so happy to see it is still in print. I consider this a American classic, right up there with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. You will not be disppointed, this is a worthwhile and enjoyable read.

Delightful romp........2003-04-09

Turn of last century, small town in Illinois tale told through the eyes of one of two of the most well known eleven year old girls in town. ( One is the Doctor's daughter, the other is the ministers daughter.) They know the dirt in town, yet are humorously innocent as well.

It is like stepping back in time, via a Disney production, and only being delighted and entertained.

Light fare for traveling back to a gentler time.

Average customer rating:

Lemon City - A Wonderful Escape

Sweeeet! Think Christmas gifts.

Wonderful & Witty!

Lemon City Rules

When Life Gives You Lemons

Lemon City: A Novel (Strivers Row)
Elaine Meryl Brown
Manufacturer: One World/Strivers Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | African American | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0812970330
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Book Description

In this wry fiction debut, Elaine Meryl Brown plunges lucky readers into a gripping narrative of small-town hijinks and big-time hearts.

Rule Number One: Never marry an Outsider. If you do, the boll weevil will bite you back. Rule Number Two: If you can’t be honest, you might as well be dead.

Nestled in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains, Lemon City has ten rules, all designed in the best interests of its tight-knit black community. Granddaddy Dunlap knows all too well what can happen to folks who venture beyond Lemon City’s protective borders. He once had to venture outside town to identify his best friend’s body. So when his firebrand granddaughter Faye, returns from college married to an Outsider, he must act fast to keep her in Lemon City’s safe embrace.

It proves to be a challenge–and not just because the patriarch is distracted by the tensions arising from the heated tomato-growing contest for the annual county fair. Faye’s new husband, Harry, is a slick talker with a roving eye. Faye sees him as her ticket to New York City, where she hopes to fulfill big business dreams, but even the best-laid plans can be thwarted, as Faye discovers that marriage itself isn’t much of a honeymoon. No matter. She packs her bags, fully prepared to head north with or without her husband, when Harry turns up dead. Now the Dunlap family is trying to figure out–before the Thanksgiving turkey gets cold–who did the deed.

Customer Reviews:

Lemon City - A Wonderful Escape.......2005-10-25

Lemon City was the delightful morning sun, the late afternoon sip of tea, the comfy slippers at the end of a rough day!!!
What a delightful story, every time I picked up the Lemon City, I was transformed to another place and time...... and that is exactly what I expect from a wonderful story.

I'm planning to recommend this book to my book club. Can't wait for Ms. Brown's next book.

Sweeeet! Think Christmas gifts. .......2004-10-12

Lemon City is full of sweetness and intelligence. The well drawn characters are full of warmth, wisdom, and of course, their own human impulses - which makes them all the more attractive. I loved getting the feel of an era (Civil Rights) so full of change, from a tight-knit family's perspective. The writing has as much charm and personality as the characters: I loved the writer's unique, fun metaphors, her imagery and masterly style. A winner and good for Christmas gifts!

Wonderful & Witty!.......2004-10-09

Originally founded by light-skinned ("high yellow, lemon" colored) former slaves, Lemon City, Virginia is cleaver backdrop for Brown's moralistic, social messages. The quirky self-contained and self-educated residents live by a set of 10 rules (upheld as stringently as the Ten Commandments) designed to protect and insolate their residents from the ills of the outside world and its awful sins. The rules are simple:

1. Never marry an outsider. If you do, the boll weevil will bite you back.
2. If you cannot be honest, you might as well be dead.
3. Airing your dirty laundry out in the street will smell up the neighborhood.
4. Do not let the Mojo lady know you got troubles. If you do, she'll give you more.
5. Cheating makes you lower than a dog scratching up a worm in the dirt.
6. What goes around will always come back around and hit you in the head.
7. Help those in need and never judge them by the holes in their socks.
8. Do business at home first, then with outsiders you can invite into your home, as a last resort.
9. Mind your business personally and professionally.
10. Support the community in every way possible and imaginable.

However, during the early 1970's, after generations of peace and prosperity, one of the town's youngest and most prominent residents, Faye Dunlap, acts on desires to become part of something bigger and attends college outside of Lemon City (much to the townsfolk dislike). She embraces the Black Power movement and marries an Outsider (breaking the #1 rule) as ticket out of Lemon City. This sets off a domino effect of events that upsets the delicate balance of Lemon City; every rule is broken with disastrous results. Faye's husband ends up dead and everyone in her immediate family is a suspect. Her hidden agenda is exposed and she must make some tough decisions.

This is a funny, witty, engaging tale about conformity, family love and values, and a sense of community and reciprocity. Brown sprinkles country wisdom and homespun love in the dialogue and evolution of the characters. Plenty of lessons learned can be garnered from this book.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub
Nubian Circle Book Club

Lemon City Rules.......2004-09-15

Yes, Elaine Brown has written a captivating novel, Lemon City.
There are 10 rules for the residents of Lemon Ciy. I would like to sugggest one more rule for Outsiders--buy this book and suggest it for your book club.

I am going to buy several copies and present them as gifts for the holiday season.

When Life Gives You Lemons.......2004-09-12

Nestled in the hills of Western Virginia, Lemon City is a small black-built, black-owned, black-inhabited town that its founders established during the end of the Civil War. There are rules in Lemon City; rules that all townsfolk must abide and live by. The rules range from "Never Marry An Outsider. If You Do The Bollweevil Will Bite You Back" to "Cheating Makes You Lower Than a Dog Scratching Up A Worm In The Dirt." The citizens of this town take the rules very seriously; they have been a beacon along their path to economic and social freedom within the city limits. But not all of the town's inhabitants are able to accept the rules without question. And, thus, the saga begins.

Faye Dunlap and her siblings were raised by her grandparents, two of the most upstanding Lemon City citizens belonging to one of its founding families. Though Faye's bloodlines were impressive within the city limits, she was also engrained with a case of wanderlust, as she constantly wondered what the world outside of Lemon City had to offer her. Faye attended college in another part of the state, working toward both her beautician's license and a ticket to anywhere but Lemon City. She had big dreams of creating her own hair care products and couldn't imagine that fitting into life in Lemon City. So, she did the unspeakable and married an outsider as a way out of her hometown and into the fast-paced land of opportunity - New York City. Plans aren't always foolproof, however, and Faye learned this lesson firsthand upon presenting her family with her new husband.

Elaine Meryl Brown kept me in stitches while I read this fabulous tale about roots, family, and dreams. Brown's writing flows so well that you barely notice it's there; you're too enraptured by the colorful characters and plot. Serious at times, but for the most part light and humorous, LEMON CITY is a story that perfectly describes how to make lemonade out of the lemons life sends our way.

Reviewed by CandaceK
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Book Description

Faeries, or creatures like them, can be found in almost every culture the world over—benevolent and terrifying, charming and exasperating, shifting shape from country to country, story to story, and moment to moment. In The Faery Reel, acclaimed anthologists Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling have asked some of today's finest writers of fantastic fiction for short stories and poems that draw on the great wealth of world faery lore and classic faery literature. This companion to the World Fantasy Award-winner and Locus bestseller The Green Man is edgy, provocative, and thoroughly magical. Like the faeries themselves.

Customer Reviews:

The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm.......2007-05-13

I always love the anthologies that Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling edit, but this is easily one of the best. I haven't been able to put it down.

Fantasy Must-Have.......2007-01-12

I loved this book, particularly "Never, Never" by Bruce Glassco and "The Annals of Eelin-Ok" by Jeffrey Ford. While all the stories involve faeries of some sort, there is much variety and each story has a different feel. Additionally, the wonderful illustrations at the beginning of each story by Charles Vess and the comments by the author at the end of each story make this book an absolute must-have for anyone who loves fantasy.

A Summary of Stories: Minor Spoilers.......2006-08-31

I enjoyed the Faery Reel quite a bit. Something that Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling do well is give you a flavor of many different authors' styles. This anthology is no exception to that. So without further ado, the stories:

THE BOYS OF GOOSE HILL by Charles deLint
An interesting poem about mischevous faires. it is supposed to go to the tune of "The Meet Was at Matthews" by Jimmy Crowley.

CATNYP by Delia Sherman
A short story about a girl living in a fairy New York who tries to win a bet that humans know more than fairies about love. Throw in a personable library database, a boy searching to get to the human world, and boons--you've got the story. I enjoyed it so much that I am going to read The Changeling the newly released book about the main character in this story.

ELVENBROOD by Tanith Lee
A haunting modern-day story about fairies taking young children back to their land. They can't take the child unless one of the parents "sells" them for something better, whether or not the parents are aware of it.

TENGU MOUNTAIN by Gregory Frost
An interesting story with an intriguing basis in legend and history. The story is about a Japanese boy visiting his aunt only to find himself in a sticky situation: he is to be the main course at a feast!

THE FAERY HANDBAG by Kelly Link
A creative story about a handbag that contains a whole fairy world. The main character is forever searching for this handbag because she was supposed to look after it after her grandmother died. She also has personal connection to it by someone who jumped into the handbag.

THE PRICE OF GLAMOUR by Steve Berman
I have to admit I did not care for this story particularly but that is a matter of taste. It's rather dark. Poor Tup is in charge of collecting stolen goods for his demanding boss. In order to disguise oneself as a human, the fey must either have glamour (a sort of powder) or the Sight because all the iron in the city destroys their natural ability to disguise themselves. Caught one day trying to steal glamour, Tup ends up being endentured for 12 years. When Tup has his secret cache stolen, his ticket to freedom, he is determined to catch the thief.

THE NIGHT MARKET by Holly Black
A fast paced tale about a girl trying to save her sister from an elf's curse. Tomasa, the main character, goes to the night market, the fairies' market, in order to break it. Soon the elf does not seem so bad afterall.

NEVER NEVER by Bruce Glassco
"What could I have possibly done to deserve eternity as the plaything for some...juvenile godling? (pg. 235)" Captain Hook asks Tiger Lily. Tinkerbell, because of Peter's requests, brings in new amusefments for him that never leave the enchanted land--such as Tiger Lily's village or Captain Hook's ship. Cursed to live there forever, or at least until madness takes over, Hook is miserable. Tinkerbell takes pity on him and grants him one wish.

SCREAMING FOR FAIRIES by Ellen Steiber
A very facinating tale that is definately grown up in its tone. Two fairies appear to Cherry. She feeds and talks to them. Enter boyfriend who Cherry longs to make love to but is afraid because she is a virgin. The story is definately a glorification of "primal instincts" insisting we all have a connection with the earth and a beautiful chord of intense passion hidden within. It's an interesting sotry in the fact that it makes you feel airy but rather too dangerous in its message to continually read.

IMMERSED IN MATTER by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
A faery mother + a human father = basically faery with specializations
A human mother + a faery father = half faery/half human
An interesting short story introducing the concept that the half faeries are also, deep down, related to animals. Owl, through his desire to meet horses, learns to notice others and learns about the world. See "Flotsam" in Firebirds for a story of a similar nature.

UNDINE by Patricia A. McKillip
All undines capture mortal men and bring them back to their underwater homes. Eventually, if the men don't escape, they die and the undines find others to take their places. This sthort story tells of an undine trying to catch her first man but things don't go exactly as planned.

THE OAKTHING by Gregory Maguire
When the Grandomtoher is left behind after her family abandons their farm she finds herself alone in a village with impending advance of enemy soldiers. She befreinds an oakthing-a twiggy creature that inhabits the oak tree on the farm. The woman learns to fend for herself. This is primarily a tale of death and life, showing the fine lines between the two.

FOXWIFE by Hiromi Goto
Quite an interesting story about an unlucky girl named Yumeko. She seems to find bad luck wherever she goes and the day the story takes place is no exception. When her boat capsizes she soon finds herself in the midst of a wedding procession for kitsune and becomes their prisoner.

THE DREAM EATERS by A.M. Dellamonica
This story starts out bizarre and confusing. From what I can gather, Mo and Liz are both girls from a group home. Mo, through stealing some money, starts her own business,-Lopside Fashions-which takes off. Now one of Mo's friends, a little girl named Peg, has disappeared, spirited off by fairies. Mo and Liz are determined to get her back. Together they go to Kasqueam, a fairy city that co-exists with their own. There fairies store dreams for it is through dreams that fairies are able to gain items. But Mo and Liz aren't about to let the fairies steal Peg's dreams.

The description of fairies is to be particularly noted. Fairies live one day (even though it is a very long day) and can grow 30-50 feet tall. They are born in the morning and reproduce at twilight. Their eggs are "incubated" in human lungs, inhaled when humans breathe.

THE FAERY REEL by Neil Gaiman
A poem about a man, when young, split his soul in two. While one part stayed in the human world the other lived in faerie.

THE SHOOTER AT THE HEARTROCK WATERHOLE by Bill Congreve
A young man is hired to stay at an oasis-like area in the Australian wilderness in order to shoot animals not native to Australia. His employers hope that the young man will stop invading animals before they reach the agricultural areas. And so the young man lives out a fairly boring existence until he accidentally shotots and kills a strange woman. And thus begins the young man's rigorous examination of death and life. Interesting themes dealing with life, death and the supernatural. Great symbolism with water. I understand why this story won an award.

THE ANNALS OF EEALIN-OAK by Jeffrey Ford
Facinating and creative story about fairies that inhabit sandcastles (Twilmish they are called). A Twilmish lives only as long as the castle exists so they must choose their castle wisely. They usually look for castles which are made by children by hand, don not have sand crabs, have a protective wall in order to hold back the sea, and ones that are already named (pg. 473). This story is mostly comprised of a "diary" of a certain Twilmish--his adventures, activities and contemplation.

DE LA TIERRA by Emma Bull
The authoer obviously put some thought into the story. De la Tierra is a tale of old and new. Somewhat nebulous, the story hints at right and wrong but never states it clearly. The tale involves a modified human doing the "dirty work" for shapechanging fairies. These fairies, in order to protect their way of life, hire hitmen to take out fairies who do not blend in with the urban world.

HOW TO FIND FAERY by Nan Fry
A poem not only describing how to find a fairy but also how to appreciate the magic found in nature and ourselves.

An amazing book full of unique fairy stories.......2006-06-12

This compiliation of fairy stories is amazing! I enjoyed all of them greatly. I liked Tengu Mountain, The Price of Glamour, Never Never, Imersed in Matter, The Shooter at the Heartcock Waterhole, and The Annals of Eelin-Ok the best. At first I wasn't going to read it because it was so long, but I liked it so much it took me 3 days to read 350 pages. I couldn't stop! I liked this book so much because the stories are all so different and unique. The faries are all so different, and so I never got bored. Never Never was the same plot as Peter Pan, just told in the point of view of Captain Hook. If you want to read a book that is fun, interesting, and a great journey, read the Faery Reel.

The Faery Handbag by Kelly Link.......2006-02-26

"The Faery Handbag" by Kelly Link has won the Hugo Award and Locus Award for Best Novelette.
It has now been nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novelette.

FAERY REEL: Tales From The Twilight Realm (ages 12+up) (q)

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FAERY REEL: Tales From The Twilight Realm (ages 12+up) (q)
Ellen & Windling, Terri Datlow
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJKLKQ

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The Children of Segu
Maryse Conde
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Protecting Our Rivers and Lakes (The Junior Library of Ecology)
Rosa Costa-Pau , Elvira Soriano , and Jordi Segu
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 079102105X

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The Children of Segu
Maryse Conde
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVJ1ZU

Book Description

American religion—like talk of God—is omnipresent. Popular culture is awash in religious messages, from the singing cucumbers and tomatoes of the animated VeggieTales series to the bestselling "Left Behind" books to the multiplex sensation The Passion of the Christ. In The Transformation of American Religion, sociologist Alan Wolfe argues that the popularity of these cartoons, books, and movies is proof that religion has become increasingly mainstream. In fact, Wolfe argues, American culture has come to dominate American religion to such a point that, as Wolfe writes, "We are all mainstream now."

The Transformation of American Religion represents the first systematic effort in more than fifty years to bring together a wide body of literature about worship, fellowship, doctrine, tradition, identity, and sin to examine how Americans actually live their faith. Emphasizing personal stories, Wolfe takes readers to religious services across the nation-an Episcopal congregation in Massachusetts, a Catholic Mass in a suburb of Detroit, an Orthodox Jewish temple in Boston-to show that the stereotype of religion as a fire-and-brimstone affair is obsolete. Gone is the language of sin and damnation, and forgotten are the clear delineations between denominations; they have been replaced with a friendly God and a trend towards sampling new creeds and doctrines. Overall, Wolfe reveals American religion as less radical, less contentious, and less dangerous than it is generally perceived to be.

"Offering neither a cynical attack on religion nor a starry-eyed celebration of its triumphs, Wolfe presents a commendably balanced view, honoring the role religion has played in our nation's past while helping us see more clearly the present state of religious affairs."—Los Angeles Times

Customer Reviews:

"And counting . . . ".......2006-07-25

Scholars debate the number of "Christian" sects scattered across the planet. Wolfe doesn't attempt a count for the United States. Rightly so, the situation in that country is far too dynamic to pin down securely. If his chronicle is any indication, there may be more sub-forms of "Christianity" within those borders than can be found around the entire globe. Wolfe's travels and interviews are assembled here in a lively and descriptive account of why "Christianity" in the US precludes either definition or classification. It is, in many ways a ground-breaking and interesting book. It's certainly a stimulating read. Just keeping track of the breakaways and schisms, local or regional, is a mind-bending exercise.

If the US prides itself on anything, it is the theme of "individuality". As a politically democratic heritage has demonstrated, ideals and beliefs there are too fluid for dogmas to take root effectively. In religious matters, although these are rarely studied in detail, the passion for individual decision-making is intense. Wolfe, who visited and interviewed countless ministers and adherents of various faiths, demonstrates that personal choice has both been expressed and addressed in highly varied ways. His account is as detached as possible, since value judgements on his part would be meaningless. A circumstance, he grants, that is partly due to his Jewish Hungarian background. Whatever his method was - and only one group demanded that he declare himself - it shows here as impersonal and highly effective. Given the broad sweep he had to make, gathering in Protestants of many stripes, Roman Catholics, Jews and Muslims, he's produced both a detailed and comprehensive account. By the time you've finished this book, you find that few, if any, of the interviewees duplicated the words of any other. Individualism, indeed!

Wolfe opens the book with what many still believe is fundamental to "faith" - humans are depraved and only the "believers" can count on some form of redemption. In short, people are divided into those who are "saved" and everybody else. The "state of grace" endorsed by the early Puritans, was believed to have set some people apart. Wolfe argues that this separation is no longer valid - if it ever was - and that there are too many forms of "faith" accepted by too many people to sustain the idea of separation. In order to learn this, Wolfe surveyed the "fundamentalists", "evangelicals", "mainline" and "megachurch" leaders and members to obtain their views. He sat in churches, meeting halls, homes and any place where the faithful might gather. He also dealt with those few who remain apart from "organised religions" and spoke directly to their particular deity. He deals with such questions as "fellowship", "sin", dogmas - which label(s?) "doctrine" and "morality". All these "scare quotes" are needed because, again, similarity of views is lacking. If nothing else has been shed in religion in the US, it is any form of absolutism.

Among the many changes that have transformed US religions practices, the application of market forces is looming ever larger. Tom Lehrer once sang "You really gotta sell the product" ** to church leaders seeking new members and retaining old ones. Christian church leaders have taken this advice to heart. Selling "faith" has led to adoption of a wide variety of techniques, from the "rock mass" to putting the crucifix behind the alter in storage in the church basement. On the one hand, this has had effective results. Many people have become "switchers", often more than once, jumping from one faith to another seamlessly. If a church - even the building itself - the officials, the rules or doctrines, others in the group, fail to appeal, the communicant simply goes elsewhere. Scandals within churches, raising the issues of what is "morality" and who's qualified to pronounce on it, may scatter members. On the other hand, it may bring people together to resolve an issue to their satisfaction, apart from whatever senior members of a hierarchy might decree.

Some people in the US have viewed recent ties between religion and politics with fear and distrust. Others, of course, applaud it. To those doubtful, Wolfe counsels patience and understanding. There are simply too many versions of religion in his country to ever seriously threaten the political structure of the US. Any government showing favouritism to any given sect[s] will be vigorously opposed by all the rest. Since each has its own version of what "religion" is all about, commonality of views sufficiently bound to overthrow the tradition of "separation of church and state" is doomed to failure. Since the diversity of opinion about relationship with the various deities is so great, a similar spectrum typifies views about politics. There is no foundation for categorisation in either realm. As Wolfe points out, "Christianity" has been "Americanised" making it too diffused for common ideas, beliefs or actions. That may give comfort to some, or distress to others. It is, however, the reality of the situation. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

** "Vatican Rag" - 1965

Poor Form - Lacks Original Research.......2006-02-02

As the reviewer from Jackhorn, KY stated, this book lacks original research. If you read the section on the "house church movement" and then go to the website for The Homechurch Homepage, you will see that Mr. Wolfe hacked away at many of the articles on the site to obtain his "research." For the many quotes he used from the website, not once were any of the authors contacted by Mr. Wolfe in order to do any original research. If he had done so, he would have come away with a different take than he wrote in his book.

The American Faithful Lose Their Focus.......2006-01-03

The Transformation of American Religion: How We Actually Live Our Faith by Alan Wolfe is a fascinating study of how the faith of Americans has changed and is practiced in this 21st century. It is an objective sociological study by a self-professed agnostic and non-practicing Jew. Wolfe is not hostile to religion and admits admiring those with a strong belief.

It is always a plus to come across a readable academic study. Professor Wolfe shows how faithful Americans, in the Judeo-Christian sense, have gone from a God focused practice of faith to a faith were the focus is on self and God is a tool for a kind of sentimental self-defined morality.

The writer also covers the faith experience of new immigrants to the United States and does reflect on Islam and new religions like Mormonism. He observes the struggle for orthodox Islam against "Americanization" of that faith.

What comes across in this study is that how people label themselves is not necessarily the faith they practice. This is probably not news to the keen observer of the "churched" but the book does one a service in verifying what one observes in scientific terms.

My only negative about this work is that the author overlooks those bastions of serious orthodox study and practice of Judaism, Catholic and Reformed theology. Dr. Wolfe tends to think orthodox belief will be all but gone in a few years. I disagree, and believe this is where the future of Judaism and Christianity can be found. Overall I recommend this work for any serious student of religion in America.

Fascinating and thought-provoking.......2004-05-04

This book is a must-read for any person who wants to take an intellectual look at modern American religions. I happen to be a "believer" in one of the analyzed faiths (Protestantism--both mainline and evangelical, Catholicism, and Judiasm) and I found his analysis to be insightful, occasionallly disturbing, amd very thought-provoking. Although Wolfe calls himself an agnostic, of sorts, he is respectful to the people and views he analyzes and uses an even handed tone to both praise and critique the current state of religious belief in the US.

As a person interested in theology I found his discussion of modern doctrine, sin, and worship to be completely fascinating. This book does not set out to change anyone's core beliefs about God, but it very well may change your view about how the church approaches God, worship, and evangelism.

Although I am a lay reader, I have read quite a bit of theology and was comfortable with some terms that Wolfe takes a bit for granted. A person who has trouble distinguishing between the terms "evangelical" and "mainline", or thinks that a church using rock music might be called "liberal" could have difficulty with the text. Wolfe could have included a short glossary at the end of his book; this may have made this important text more accessible to lay readers.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Conscience, published by Catholics for a Free Choice on March 22, 2004. The length of the article is 1288 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Celebrating a lack of vision.(book review)(Book Review)
Author: David Anderson
Publication: Conscience (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2004
Publisher: Catholics for a Free Choice
Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Page: 44(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The superficial in pursuit of the superficial.(The Transformation of American Religion: How We Actually Live Our Faith )(The Public Square: A Continuing ... Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life

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The superficial in pursuit of the superficial.(The Transformation of American Religion: How We Actually Live Our Faith )(The Public Square: A Continuing ... Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life
Richard Neuhaus
Manufacturer: Institute on Religion and Public Life
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, published by Institute on Religion and Public Life on December 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1514 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The superficial in pursuit of the superficial.(The Transformation of American Religion: How We Actually Live Our Faith )(The Public Square: A Continuing Survey of Religion, Culture, and Public Life)(Book Review)
Author: Richard Neuhaus
Publication: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2003
Publisher: Institute on Religion and Public Life
Issue: 138 Page: 65(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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