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Stories of a Recovering Fundamentalist:

Non-Fiction - politics
Written by Our Reviewer
Thursday, 23 October 2008
A Recovering Fundamentalist Retraces Religious Roots Reviewed By Stuart Nachbar James Alexander’s Stories of a Recovering Fundamentalist: Understanding and Responding to Christian Absolutism is a first-hand account of an ordained minister’s personal journey into his religious beliefs. Alexander is a former a Seventies Jesus Freak; the disciples later became part of the Moral Majority during the 1980’s. Three years after his marriage to his current wife Irene, he left the Jesus Freaks and joined a Mennonite congregation. One day he speaks with his Mennonite pastor about the Bible and the pastor responds: “You know, I just can’t believe every word of it is true.” Stories of a Recovering Fundamentalist The main question Alexander asks at the preface of his story is: “Can human beings know absolute truth?” He does not attempt to answer that question himself, but rather, he writes about those who try to answer it, and try to find the answers in the Holy Scriptures. In his words, the truth among absolutists, deeply devout fundamentalist Christians, is a “court from which there is no appeal.” Stories of a Recovering Fundamentalist is a timely book, as even fundamentalists are reconsidering their political views in light of economic change in our country. Politicians have tried to use fundamentalist beliefs to try to find voters as well as divide an electorate along so-called moral grounds. However, Alexander points out that moral grounds and Biblical interpretations often change with the times. They are never static, and therefore, they cannot be absolute. Alexander discusses the concept of the “flat Bible,” meaning that every page of the Bible is as so; absolutists believe that the Bible is accurate and true as a guide to life. However, the author also discusses passages in the Bible that cannot be enforced, such as the premise than those who work on the Sabbath must be put to death. The concept is similar to the Originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. On 60 Minutes, Scalia challenged jurists who label the Constitution as a “living document.” He said that the Constitution represented the thoughts of its 18 century authors, and therefore, it is a “dead document” not meant to change with the times. Tag it: ?
Last Updated ( Thursday, 23 October 2008 )
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Career Smart

Non-Fiction - Business and Career
Written by Our Reviewer
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Career Smart: Clear Straightforward Career Advice By Stuart Nachbar I worked with career counselors for ten years before becoming a writer. I had the chance to observe their interactions with students and recent graduates. In large part, their advice on the job search was consistent on research, resume preparation, interview tactics and choosing the best fit based on the job seeker’s interests and personality. This is all part of the path towards a good entry level opportunity. Career Smart Career Smart: Five Steps to a Powerful Personal Brand, by Sherri Thomas, is a reader-friendly guide to younger workers on the next stage of their career journey whether it be an upward move, lateral move, or even a switch to a new industry. Career Smart embellishes two major points: provide something of value to your employer and clients; and, deliver it in such a way that or clients feel loyal to you. The emphasis on loyal is the author’s, not mine. Thomas believes that you provide value and earn loyalty in part by building a powerful personal brand in five steps: define the five core ingredients that make you unique; send the right messages; build relationships with the right career influencers, and strengthen your visibility and credibility with them; and, create a return-on-investment dashboard to measure and build your success. Thomas, who has managed several career transitions herself within marketing and communications positions in different industries, gives advice within each steps that at times seems basic and obvious, but necessary for a worker with limited experience. Career Smart is a perfect book for someone who has spent time in one function such as accounting, computer programming or sales, and wonders what his next position might be. Corporations cut back on providing such direction in difficult times, so Career Smart provides an inexpensive substitute to support a self-directed career plan. Career Smart has exercises that are very easy to do, but require thought. However, anyone who has earned an entry level position should do these exercises after they have worked in their company or industry for two years. Most corporate communities and industries expect you to advance out of your entry level position by then. Tag it: ?
Last Updated ( Thursday, 12 June 2008 )
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