The Band That Played On
By Steve Turner
Thomas Nelson Publishers
Retail Price: $24.99

Book Description:

When Titanic collided with an iceberg at 23:40 on April 14^th, the eight members of the band had already retired for the evening. Still, they put on overcoats and mufflers came out to play in the lounge. When most of the First Class passengers had taken to their lifeboats, the musicians simply moved to the deck and continued to play, calming the passengers as the ship sank. One second class passenger said: "Many brave things were done that night, but none were more brave than those done by men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea. The music they played served alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be recalled on the scrolls of undying fame." Survivors' accounts differ about whether their final tune was "L'Automme" or "Nearer My God To Thee." What has never been disputed is the courage of these musicians who deliberately sacrificed the possibility of escape in order to produce a mood of tranquillity at a time of extreme anxiety. But who were they? What journeys brought them to this deck on this icy ocean? Had any of them previously displayed signs of great courage? Who did they leave behind? Historian and biographer Steve Turner delves into the lives of these brave men, revealing eight unique portraits of bravery.

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READING ROOM REVIEW

I've always been fascinated with the story of the Titanic. I've watched all the movies and read most of the books. It intrigues me. So I was excited to get a copy of The Band That Played On to read and add to my collection. I wasn't disappointed. This book is about the band that continued to play on as the Titanic sunk. Rather than save their own lives they chose to comfort others during this horrific time. It delves into each band member and what they stood for and why they made that choice to inspire calm and courage in the passengers during the tragedy. The book also takes a look at how their deaths affected their families and their legacy. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

~Reviewed by Chris O.

Daddy Dates
By Greg Wright
Thomas Nelson Publishing
Retail Price: $16.99

Book Description:

Daddy Dates gives the average Joe easy steps to actively and successfully engage with his daughter and raise a confident woman-to-be.

When faced with the reality of raising four (4!) teen daughters, Greg Wright went on a soul quest.

He came back with a mission: Don't Screw Up.

This funny, insightful, and relatable book poses the wildly original concept that should be a "duh" for most dads-but isn't: In order to raise a confident woman-to-be, show your daughter what it feels like to be treated with love, respect, and true interest by a man who loves her.

Daddy Dates shows the average father how to actually do that. It is written in an original voice and will appeal to both men and women. It is the kind of action-oriented "how to" material that guys enjoy, and so many others will recommend to other dads.

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READING ROOM REVIEW

We all know how important it is for fathers to connect with their daughters. It affects who they become as an adult. This book shows us where the rubber meets the road. Author Greg Wright gives insight, useful tips, and stories from his own life to help fathers become the best dads they can be. The book was well-written and easy to read with lots of great ideas to apply to your own family life. If you want to become the dad your daughters need...and your wife will cherish, then get a copy of this book...and READ it!

~Reviewed by Dave H.

The War of 1812 in the Chesapeake: A Reference Guide to Historic Sites in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia
by Ralph E. Eshelman, Donald R. Hickey, Scott S. Sheads
John Hopkins
Retail Price: $67.00

Book Description:

The War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain was fought throughout nearly all of the country, from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the vast frontier between the U.S. and Canada. No theater of war suffered more than the Chesapeake Bay region, where 11 battles — including Craney Island, Hampton, Bladensburg, and Baltimore — 63 skirmishes, and 86 raids took place. Featuring a comprehensive list of more than 800 of the war's historical sites in the region, this book is an indispensable reference to the second great war for independence.

One chapter each covers Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The authors draw on both American and British accounts in describing battlefields and the locations of skirmishes. The book includes historic maps and drawings, descriptive overview essays, the most complete chronology of the War in the Chesapeake ever assembled, and a thorough bibliographic essay.

Supported by such primary documents as diaries, journals, and newspaper articles, the material compiled in this encyclopedia surpasses any collection thus far brought together on the subject. Local librarians, historians, tour guides, history buffs, school teachers, and genealogists will find this guide to be informative and enlightening.

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READING ROOM REVIEW

This is not only a well-researched and well-documented book, it an extremely interesting read about the War of 1812 that is a great resource for educational purposes as well as personal study. You will find many primary documents and first hand accounts compiled here in an organized and highly enjoyable format. I thought it was well-written and found it very useful in my studies.

~ Reviewed by Dr. John C.

Lacrosse: A History of the Game
By Donald Miller
John Hopkins
$25.00

Book Description:

North America's Indian peoples have always viewed competitive sport as something more than a pastime. The northeastern Indians' ball-and-stick game that would become lacrosse served both symbolic and practical functions — preparing young men for war, providing an arena for tribes to strengthen alliances or settle disputes, and reinforcing religious beliefs and cultural cohesion. Today a multimillion-dollar industry, lacrosse is played by colleges and high schools, amateur clubs, and two professional leagues.

In Lacrosse: A History of the Game, Donald M. Fisher traces the evolution of the sport from the pre-colonial era to the founding in 2001 of a professional outdoor league — Major League Lacrosse — told through the stories of the people behind each step in lacrosse's development: Canadian dentist George Beers, the father of the modern game; Rosabelle Sinclair, who played a large role in the 1950s reinforcing the feminine qualities of the women's game; "Father Bill" Schmeisser, the Johns Hopkins University coach who worked tirelessly to popularize lacrosse in Baltimore; Syracuse coach Laurie Cox, who was to lacrosse what Yale's Walter Camp was to football; 1960s Indian star Gaylord Powless, who endured racist taunts both on and off the field; Oren Lyons and Wes Patterson, who founded the inter-reservation Iroquois Nationals in 1983; and Gary and Paul Gait, the Canadian twins who were All-Americans at Syracuse University and have dominated the sport for the past decade.

Throughout, Fisher focuses on lacrosse as contested ground. Competing cultural interests, he explains, have clashed since English settlers in mid-nineteenth-century Canada first appropriated and transformed the "primitive" Mohawk game of tewaarathon, eventually turning it into a respectable "gentleman's" sport. Drawing on extensive primary research, he shows how amateurs and professionals, elite collegians and working-class athletes, field- and box-lacrosse players, Canadians and Americans, men and women, and Indians and whites have assigned multiple and often conflicting meanings to North America's first — and fastest growing — team sport.

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READING ROOM REVIEW

This is an extremely well-researched book on the game of Lacrosse. Not just how it is played in the U.S., but also in Canada and on Indian Reservations. I learned so much about it's complex history over the past 2 centuries since the game began There are plenty of photos of interest as well. If you are fan of lacrosse or sports history in general, you will find this book interesting.

~Reviewed by Dave H.

Redeeming Sociology
By Vern Sheridan Poythress
Crossway
Retail Price: $25.00
Amazon Price: 16.50

Book Description:

Interpersonal relationships are possible for humans because we are created in the image of a Trinitarian God. But if the Trinity is our model for relationships, why is the human condition rife with pain and evil? How are we to think correctly about fallen human relationships and our models for understanding them?

Redeeming Sociology advocates a biblically informed model for human relationships—relationships rooted in the Trinitarian character of God, his governance of the world, and his redemption accomplished in Christ. Poythress examines how the breaking of relationships through sin leads to strife, murder, and oppression among human beings and sets cultures against one another. And he shows how these broken relationships are restored through the outworking of redemption in Christ.

Though typical sociological models for interpersonal relationships may offer some valuable insights, they are handicapped by a fundamental misunderstanding of humanity. The biblical model that Poythress presents correctly diagnoses the problem of human relationships, so it can likewise prescribe a biblical solution that infuses new meaning and power into how we relate to others made in the image of God.

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READING ROOM REVIEW

I found this book of great interest. I did my graduate studies in sociology from a secular college and I feel that I, along with the other students, would have benefited from this book in the course of my studies. Looking at the discipline of sociology from a Christian worldview and a trinitarian perspective gives you great insight into the failure of human relationships and the redemption of the same. While it isn't an easy read, it is well worth the time and effort put into it. I learned a lot.

~Reviewed by Scott K.

Men of the Word
By Nathan Busenitz
Harvest House
Retail Price: $13.99
Amazon Price: $11.07

What is God's calling for men? What character qualities does He value? What is biblical manhood, and how is it cultivated?

The answers to those all-important questions are found in the lives of men of the Bible-men like Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Daniel, and Paul. Every one of them struggled with the same issues faced by men today-which makes them highly relevant role models that define what a real man is from God's perspective. Readers will discover that real men?

• treasure God's Word
• refuse to compromise
• wait on the Lord
• pray with boldness
• lead with courage
• reflect God's love
• serve with humility
• count the cost

This resource is both powerful and down-to-earth practical, providing much-needed clarity and encouragement on the essentials of biblical manhood. Men will find great fulfillment as they pursue all that God desires for them to be.

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READING ROOM REVIEWS

This is a tremendous book by the pastors of Grace Community Church, where John MacArthur has been the lead pastor for over 30 years. While he only writes the forward, a recommendation by MacArthur was enough to pique my interest. I'm really glad I read this book. Yes it was full of short biographies of great men in the Bible, but it didn't stop there. Each chapter had life lessons and plenty of application as each man that was written about represented a particular theme and character trait. While this is an excellent book for men to read, I, as a woman, enjoyed it very much. I highly recommend it.

Ella's Wish
By Jerry S. Ficher
Harvest House
Retail Price: $11.99
Amazon Price: $8.22

Ella Yoder has moved into her dream house. In the stillness of the great house, Ella ponders her options. How is she to survive on her own? How will she ever forget Aden? What is to become of her?

Two would-be suitors soon make their intentions known, but Ella is unsure of her own feelings. As she agrees to take care of Preacher Stutzman's three motherless girls, Ella's heart is touched by their love for her. Could their affection be the answer to Ella's quest? Can God speak through the love of a child?

Readers of Amish fiction will fall in love themselves with Ella Yoder and hope with her that she finds the love and happiness she seeks.

About this series: Readers of Amish fiction will delight in this second book in a series about young Ella Yoder as she copes with the loss of her true love. Author Jerry Eicher's sales now top more than 100,000.

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READING ROOM REVIEW

This is another wonderful Amish novel by author Jerry S. Ficher. This is the second book in the series that is well written and very touching. Ella is a character that is easy to like and your heart goes out to her as she struggles with her grief and tries to rebuild her life in a way that is unique to her own self, not what other necessarily want for her. This book engages you in the story and keeps you that way throughout the book.