Pastor Shaun Marksbury

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe My rating: 4 of 5 stars It’s ironic that so many today use the term “Uncle Tom” as a pejorative. The protagonist of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin — a singular, upright, and spiritual man — is a hero who demonstrates the fortitude of character we all wish we had (black or white). In fact, the current stereotype of the submissive “Uncle Tom” doesn’t come from this book but from traveling minstrel shows attempting to discredit her message. That message is ultimately one of universal kinship of man and Christian charity. Stowe sought to put an end to slavery, and given the early and ongoing success of her work, she certainly played her role. Drawing off true accounts to draft her fictional narrative, she inserts a true pathos to her work. While it is not by any means the height of literary achievement, nor is it a perfect presentation, its cultural impact is welcome and well-earned. One of the major characteristics of the book ...

The Lamb and the Fuhrer: Jesus Talks with Hitler by Ravi Zacharias My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the first of the imagined dialogue books I've read by Zacharias. I'm not a huge fan of imagining words into the mouth of our Lord, though Zacharias obviously doesn't do so with malicious intent and fills in numerous biblical allusions. This benefits of reading this conversation arises from pondering the concept of what God expects from politics and nations, and I was surprised to see a few historical sources cited in the text. More than that, though, the conversation proves evangelistic for the reader, as it is Hitler's story we follow most closely. View all my reviews