Category: books

Book Review: ‘Saving Aziz: How the Mission to Help One Became a Calling to Rescue Thousands From the Taliban’

The decision to exit Afghanistan was one discussed, haggled over, and planned for years. The disgraceful method in which the exit was conducted made it seem as though the decision had been made in minutes. The results of the seemingly non-strategic Afghanistan exit were tragic, costly, and embarrassing―the tragedy, costliness, and embarrassment is ongoing. Chad…


Book Review: ‘Letter to the American Church’: Do Not Submit to Evil

In his best-selling book “Letter to the American Church,” author and radio talk show host Eric Metaxas demonstrates “tough love” to his Christian brethren. Like the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians circa 60 A.D., Metaxas’s passionate exhortation in his 139-page book is a megaphone warning to America’s churches to remember their mission to acknowledge…


Epoch Booklist: Recommended Reading for Jan. 20–26

This week, we feature a history of the Battle of Midway, Mark Twain’s tribute to a saint, and a children’s story on the serenity of a snowfall. Fiction A World War II Love Story ‘Everyone Brave Is Forgiven’ By Chris Cleave Cleave weaves a fascinating love story full of passion and betrayal into the backdrop…


Is Your Life a Career or a Mission?

In “Live Life in Crescendo: Your Most Important Work Is Always Ahead of You,” Stephen Covey set out to answer questions such as “How can you pull yourself out of a midlife crisis?” and “How can you contribute once you’ve achieved success?” Covey died before finishing “Crescendo,” but his daughter, Cynthia Haller, who had worked…


Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Finding the Child Within

My 3-year-old niece loves collecting trash. Whether it’s a piece of shiny plastic, a discarded box, or a pinecone she found outside, she becomes very upset when you take her treasures away. In the mind of a child, a worthless item becomes the most cherished object on earth. This attitude makes gift-giving easy. For Christmas,…


Book Review: ‘Art of the Chicken: A Master Chef’s Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird’: Painting Wonderful Receips

A fair portion of my pantry shelves are devoted to cookbooks. One of my favorite French chefs is Jacques Pépin, and I have several of his. He has authored more than 30. Over the holidays, I was pleasantly surprised to discover  that not only is he a master in the kitchen, but he’s equally comfortable holding…


Ingredients for a Simple Life: Arnold Bennett’s Short Story, ‘Hot Potatoes’

The shame we occasionally feel over our simple and sometimes odd ways is often misplaced. When we embrace these simple ways, we can face life with humility and a healthy sense of humor. Arnold Bennett contemplates this shame over simple things in his short story, “Hot Potatoes.” He shows the need for humility and humor…


When the Little House on the Prairie Met Disaster

Life on Plum Creek that June of 1875 looked bright as a new penny to Charles Ingalls, his wife Caroline, and their three young daughters. For months, the family had lived in a dugout on their homestead while Charles plowed fields for wheat and dug a well near the spot where he planned to build…


Ireland’s Largest Library Is a 300-Year-Old Treasure Trove With 200,000 Rare Books: PHOTOS

A 300-year-old library chamber in the educational epicenter of Dublin, Ireland, has become world-famous for its stunning interior and treasure trove of rare titles, some of them over a century old. For book lovers of all ages, both the collection and the setting are the stuff of fairy tales. The Long Room at the Old Library…


Book Review: ‘At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse’

Walt Larimore and Mike Yorkey have written a masterful retelling of a heroic life. “At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse” is a full story. I mean this is in the complimentary sense that it is a story of a courageous life such as…