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[[Category:Spirituality and Religion|*]]__NOTOC__ <!--Remove INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Massimo PigliucciFrederic Seager|title= How to be a StoicJesus, the Man and the Myth: A Jewish Reading of the New Testament|rating= 34.5

|summary= ''Stoicism is about developing I was brought up in a family where religion played little or no part. Culturally Irish Catholic on one side and Welsh Methodist on the tools to deal as effectively as humanly possible with the ensuing conflicts, does not demand perfectionother, and does not provide specific answers.'' For many readers, living in an age of rules to make us happy nobody really discussed religion and the inevitable failure adults around me ranged from lapsed to stick agnostic to them, this is an intensely reassuring sentenceatheist. Pigliucci certainly makes Stoicism an appealing philosophyOther than the odd church wedding or baptism or the school nativity play, one which can sit alongside religious faith but doesnI didn't have to, one which doesnthink too much about faith or what people did or didn't demand Aristotelian heights of intelligence, beauty or riches in order to truly succeed in life, and one which recognises life's messy difficultiesbelieve.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>184604507X</amazonuk>B092BWWG9Y

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dr Mark PearcePeter Owen Jones|title=A Biblical Theology Behind Music, Praise, and WorshipConversations with Nature|rating=45

|summary=Music used in religions and worship itself goes One of the comments made when I was offered this beautiful book for review was that it's not very long. Having read the book twice over, I'm brought back inescapably to the beginning of humankindSpanish proverb that Life may be short, but it is broad. In this book musician and theological academic [[:Category:Dr Mark Pearce|Dr Mark Pearce]] explores case I'm brought to the idea that the length of life is not the point; the point is its Biblical history in a Christian context as well as providing tips and suggestions for those involved in worship in the present daydepth. Peter Owen Jones dives deep.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1524677280</amazonuk>1912992418

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Clair IlesRichard Brook|title=The Thoughts and Inner Journey of Dr. John Dee|rating=3.5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=[[Understanding Human Nature:Category:Clair Iles|Clair Iles]] is, in her own words, a normal person who was educated at a normal comprehensive school. However, sheA User's a normal person who hears dead people. Yes, Clair is a spiritualist with ability Guide to hear from those who have passed on. In the past they had generally been relatives or everyday folk. Imagine, then, her surprise when she felt she was hearing from Elizabethan court polymath John Dee. Over a period of time she could feel his dictated thoughts and ideas in her mind and this book of the channelled words is the result. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1524676691</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Patrice Chaplin|title=The Stone Cradle |rating=5|genre=Autobiography |summary= 'The Stone Cradle' is a remarkable book from the author Patrice Chaplin. It is a biography, the third in a series set in the Catalonian city of Girona. It is also an enduring love story and a journey into mystery and spirituality. The city has drawn artists, writers and philosophers for centuries. Rich in Kabbalistic thought through Azriel, the most famous student of Isaac the Blind, it has always been a home for mysticism and secrets. The magnetism and resonance of the city has had a hold on Patrice Chaplin since she first visited it in the fifties. The series of books detail her journey and her encounters with the esoteric society that have protected its mysteries since ancient times. 'The Stone Cradle' also gives a new life and direction to the mysteries of Rennes le Chateau, the small French village, made famous by the Da Vinci Code and the Holy Blood and The Holy Grail. Linking the two places through sacred geometry to the mountain of Canigou.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>190557083X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Matt Woodcock|title=Becoming Reverend: A diaryLife

|genre=AutobiographyLifestyle|summary=[[:Category:Matt Woodcock|Matt Woodcock]] is enjoying life: successful journalistI am a firm believer that sometimes we choose books, happily married and a new dream home bought and heavily mortgagedsometimes books choose us. The only cloud on In my case, this is one of the horizon is their struggle to latter. Not so very long ago, if I had come across this book I'd have children skimmed it, found some of it interesting, but they it would not have faith 'hit home' in the IVF treatment as way that it's early days yetdoes now. Then comes the funny turn Matt has on the way I believe it came to me not just because I was likely to give it a story one day. This takes him by surprise but the resulting clergy collar comes as a total shock. Hefavourable review [ 's a normal bloke who always thought of himself as more pint than piety believing in a God who's happy for him to remain in the pews. Errrrm… whoops!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781400105</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Kurt Vonnegut and Ivan Chermayeff|title= Sun Moon Star|rating= 4.5|genre= For Sharing|summary= In his own delightfully imaginative way Kurt Vonnegut tells the story of the birth of Christ in this unique and long out of print childrenfull disclosure The Bookbag's booku. Told from the perspective of the new born infant in his first hours of birth, this charming little story feels different to other children's Christmas books whilst at the same time goes back to the basics in exploring the true nature of Christmas.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1609807243</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Jabulani Midzi|title=The Forbidden Tree: History or Folklore?|rating=3p.5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=This is indeed that people chose their own books rather than getting them randomly, so there is a good question that not even Christians can agree on. The spectrum goes from the right wing Evangelical literalists who believe right down predisposition towards expecting to like the creationbook, even if it doesn's 7 days being just t always turn out that, all the way over to the left wing Anglo Catholic liberals, some of whom take issue with the virgin birth and the crucifixion. Staking my colours to the mast, I'm in the middle, believing that the Bible should be taken in historical context, that ' ] – but also because it does contain Old Testament myths and some accounts clearly written in is a one-sided way but book I firmly believe in Jesusneeded to read, the miracles etcright now.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1524661910</amazonuk>1800461682

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Bhakti MathurHill_Atlas|title=Amma, Tell Me About Diwali!The Atlas of Monsters|author=Stuart Hill and Sandra Lawrence

|genre=For SharingChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Klaka had celebrated Diwali There are monsters and it had been great fun - a wonderfulmysterious characters, such as trolls, leprechauns, beautiful day goblins and tonight minotaurs. They're the city is lit up by thousands and thousands stuff of lights. Amma and daddy had given far too many gifts stories to their boy remain mysterious, and Klaka every schoolchild should know all about them. There are monsters and his brother had lit the earthen oil lamps known mysterious characters, such as diyas. They didn't just eat Gog and have a good time - they also offered their prayers for good fortuneMagog, prosperity Scylla and health to GaneshaCharybdis, and the God bunyip. They are what you find if you take an interest in this kind of new beginnings and thing to Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealthnext level; even if you cannot place them all on a map you should have come across them. But Klaka was curious: ''Amma'' he saidthere are monsters and mysterious characters, such as the dobhar-chu, the llambigyn y dwr, ''tell me about Diwali''and the girtablili. To gain any knowledge of them you really need a book that knows its stuff.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>9881502888</amazonuk>A book like this one…

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Cees Nooteboom and Laura Watkinson (Translator)1999731506|title= Letters to PoseidonSpiritual Atheist|author=Nick Seneca Jankel|rating= 42|genre= TravelLifestyle|summary= A serviette, ''Spiritual Atheist'' is a glass of champagne taken outside a fish restaurant in new 'bible' for the spiritual not the open-air Viktualienmarkt in Munichreligious, all taken according to celebrate the first day of spring, prompt Cees Nooteboom into Proustian reverietagline. Upon the paper napkin This is written in blue capitals a taboo smashing book which solves the word POSEIDON, the Greek god problem of modernity and explains how to be a 'spiritual technologist' who has preoccupied Nooteboomcan live and love freely in 's thoughts for several summersspiritual fullness' without relying on a belief in god. The blue colour reminds him of the sea viewed Touching on everything from Mediterranean garden of his villa in Menorca. Taking this prompting as a moment of benign synchronicity'brain science' to AI, he later begins Jankel offers a correspondence with this sea-deity. He seeks 'path to inquire how this somewhat unreliable ancient Greek Olympian sees aeons of time and sends him letters and legenda; meditations and stories meaning', allowing us to be read, both poetic and tragic, from the arts and the contemporary worldmove beyond consumerism towards an ethical life. He is not expecting a reply.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782066209</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Alison Pick1789015200|title=Between GodsBe Your Higher Self|author=Samesh Ramjattan

|genre=AutobiographySpirituality and Religion|summary= Alison PickThere are a lot of self-help books about: it's paternal grandparents escaped Czechoslovakia just before one of the Holocaust by bribing most thriving sections of the Nazis for visas average bookshop, but it's not always easy to Canada; find the rest book you need. Samesh Ramjattan has addressed this problem in ''Be Your Higher Self'', a book which allows us all to make sense of our place in the family died in Auschwitzworld, as most of us only glimpse our true potential and few people ever achieve it. They spent their whole lives trying to pass as Christians Even with hard work and dedication, obstacles present themselves and Pickit's fatherdifficult to understand why or how they can be overcome. Ramjattan offers us a guide to the spirit world, toothe chakras, was reluctant to have anything to do with Judaismkarma and reincarnation as well as information about the age of Aquarius and the ego. Pick only learned he was Jewish through It's a conversation overheard when she was 11.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1472225090</amazonuk>slim book - just 128 pages - so can it provide us with the answers we seek?

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Christopher DellMahnke_Lore|title=MythologyThe World of Lore, Volume 1: An Illustrated Journey Into Our Imagined WorldsMonstrous Creatures|author=Aaron Mahnke

|summary=What does Every country, every town, every village has a folktale – a rainbow mean to you? How would you explain story passed down through generations that often focuses on the creation of dark and unexplained. No matter how the modern world if you had no science as suchmoves on, or the changing there's a still a part of the seasons? What other kinds of natures – chaotic trickeryeveryone that is vulnerable to a good tale. From ghosts to werewolves, evil personae or even the characteristics by way of goats – people your world? And why is it that the answers man wendigos and woman have collectively formed to such questions have been so similar across the oceans and across elves, author Aaron Mahnke delivers the centuries? This highly pictorial volume looks at reader legends from all over the mythologies that formed those answersworld, and locks on to a multitude whilst examining how they've become part of subjects – bloodour collective imaginations, music, godly activity – to show still striking fear into the hearts of many of us what has followedtoday.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0500291519</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Femi BolajiSaxena_Jaya|title=God Tells the Sun to Shine: An Amazing Story of Love Basic Witches|author=J Saxena and ForgivenessJ Zimmerman

|summary=Jacob Before I started this book I was expecting to be thrown into the second born world of twin boys magic and resented the privileges that would come know how to Esau who was, after all only a few minutes older than him, but would get twice levitate by the end of the inheritance from their fatherfirst chapter. Unsurprisingly, Isaac, than that which would come to Jacob. Even in his teens Jacob plotted to usurp Esau’s position. What would happen if Esau died? But Esau I was fit and a born hunterwrong. Jacob thought about killing himHowever, but the stories of what had happened to Cain and Abel came to mind and he I was met by was determined a book that he would not make explores the mistakes which Cain had madeorigins of witchcraft, so he developed an alternative plan teaches you how to dress and took advantage of Esau’s well-known greed: he was always desperate for something act like a witch and contains spells ranging from accepting compliments to eat. Esau is the man who sold his birthright for conjuring up a bowl of lentil stewrelaxing Netflix binge.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1482802120</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Rowan WilliamsWright_Universe|title=The Edge of Words: God Universe and the Habits of LanguageLife but Not Everything|author=Anthony Christian Wright|rating=43.5

|summary=This, Rowan Williams' first book since standing down as Archbishop of Canterbury, is based on a series of lectures that he delivered as Gifford Lectures in Edinburgh in 2013. Gifford Lectures are famous for their examination of developments in natural theology; I often wonder - usually after a branch moment of theology that argues shaking my fist at the existence of God based news on reason TV - what my manifesto for life and naturesociety would look like were I to write it down. In I have all sorts of thoughts about these lectures Rowan sort to examine how things, from the metaphysics of who we as human beings develop use are and process languagewhere we come from, particularly when it comes right down to detailed critiques of quite insignificant government policies. I've never done such an exercise - mostly because I lack the use of language around faith time, the patience and our perception and understanding of Godthe diligence required. It seems like an enormous task.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1472910435</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1850788332|title=Like a Tramp, Like A PilgrimRosie: On Foot, Across Europe Note to RomeSelf |author=Harry BucknallClaire Connor and G P Taylor|rating=43.5|genre=TravelGeneral Fiction|summary=What links London and Rome? Their capital city status for one, In the first of course. One has a St Paul's cathedralfive book deal Claire Connor, writing in partnership with GP Taylor, brings us a modern romance based loosely on the other a St Peter's (although pedants will say not)story of Ruth from the Bible. They both have a football team who wear red and white. OhThis is total chick-lit, and from the ancient pilgrim route called the Via Francigena – although the pedant will again say that that strictly starts at that other pilgrimage sitefirst few pages I thought it was just going to be a very light, Canterburyfunny romance story. As for Harry BucknallHowever, the Via starts at St Paul's story quickly takes a depressing turn and should end at St Peter's. Whether or not Harry himself will connect the two cities – and entirely on foot – rest of the book is the subject as much an exploration of this travel bookgrief as it is a romance novel.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408187248</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Santiago_Returning|title=An Atheist's History of BeliefReturning Home|author=Matthew KnealeStephan Santiago|rating=43.5|genre=Politics Spirituality and SocietyReligion|summary=I’ve been an atheist since I was old enough [[:Category:Stephan Santiago|Stephan Santiago]] has experienced life in a way that's led him to take believe we're all on a view on the subjectsoul journey back home – that place we inhabited before we were born. (Many atheists would argue that we’re all atheists at birth, but that’s not This book is a subject guide as to how we can optimise this journey for a book review)ourselves, those around us and our children. I did have to take Religious Studies at school but have entirely forgotten almost everything I learned!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099584425</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Reverend Adam SmallboneWilbourne_Shepherd|title=The Rev Diaries|rating=4.5|genre=Humour|summary=Adam Smallbone wasn’t always a vicar. He used to work for the Bristol Housing Department, enabling his father-in-law to tell everyone he worked 'in property'. From there, his initial calling was to a rural church in Suffolk which did nothing to prepare him for this, his current London inner city parish. Indeed, he's not prepared for Adoha (the Nigerian parishioner with 19 grandchildren and 'the bottom Shepherd of God') or Colin, the homeless alcoholic who has adopted Adam and his wife Alex (Mrs Vicarage to Colin). But then Alex also has a lot to get used to; after all, she didn't actually marry a vicar.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718178394</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|title=Burqas, Baseball, and Apple Pie: Being Muslim in AmericaAnother Flock|author=Ranya Tabari IdlibyDavid Wilbourne|rating=4.5

|summary=I can’t imagine it’s that easy to be [[:Category:David Wilbourne|David Wilbourne's]] CV looks like a Muslim in most areas career path for people who are hard-of the USA-humoured. Even if you don’t ‘look like’ a Muslim Banker, teacher of Ancient Greek, vicar, even if you don’t drop to your knees bishop…none of these are jobs normally connected in the direction of Mecca 5 times our minds with a dayjovial twinkle. Yet in David's case, even if you give your kids arguably Jewish nameswe'd be totally wrong to assume. And being openly Muslim cannot have got any easier in The current Bishop of Llandaff takes us by the wake hand to show us episodes from his life as vicar of 9/11. This book examines one Muslimthe character-American family’s life and the constant challenges they face from friends, neighbours and teacherspacked Yorkshire parish of Helmsley proving that tears of sorrow are equally shared with tears of laughter.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230341845</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Pigliucci_How|title=The Atheist's PrayerHow to be a Stoic|author=Amy R BiddleMassimo Pigliucci

|summary=This book appealed ''Stoicism is about developing the tools to me for a couple of reasons; I have recently completed a workshop on mindfulness and have been attempting to put some of deal as effectively as humanly possible with the ideas into practice throughout my daily lifeensuing conflicts, does not demand perfection, and I love nature and spending time outdoors cyclingdoes not provide specific answers. Therefore'' For many readers, this seemed living in an age of rules to make us happy and the perfect choice inevitable failure to learn more about combining the two and exploring fresh perspectives in my everyday lifestick to them, this is an intensely reassuring sentence. I began reading this hardcover with high expectationsPigliucci certainly makes Stoicism an appealing philosophy, particularly as the book was beautifully laid out with unique artwork and philosophical quotes included. Howeverone which can sit alongside religious faith but doesn't have to, although there were some insightful ideas and inspiring thoughts presented amongst the five chaptersone which doesn't demand Aristotelian heights of intelligence, overall I was a little disappointed beauty or riches in what the book had order to offertruly succeed in life, and one which recognises life's messy difficulties.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782401024</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Pearce_Biblical|title=Rogerson's Book of Numbers: The culture of numbers from 1001 Nights to the Seven Wonders of the WorldA Biblical Theology Behind Music, Praise, and Worship|author=Barnaby RogersonDr Mark Pearce

|summary=One book, split into two testaments, regarding a holy trinity, the principal part known from four writers, Music used in a world abutting another where five pillars are important, up against a world where a six-pointed star holds so many meanings… It's obvious from just a quick dash through religions and worship itself goes back to the most schoolboy-friendly parts beginning of religion that numbers are importanthumankind. This In this book, although counting down from multitudes to that late-comer zero, brings them all to us, with brief notes about why they all hold relevance where whichever country, civilisation or religion is concerned. In the end, I'm sure it's musician and theological academic [[:Category:Dr Mark Pearce|Dr Mark Pearce]] explores its Biblical history in a lot more user-friendly, interesting, Christian context as well as providing tips and will be a lot more popular, than suggestions for those involved in worship in the original Book of Numberspresent day.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781250995</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|titleisbn=Inventing the Enemy: Essays on EverythingIles_Thoughts|author=Umberto Eco|rating=4|genre=History|summarytitle=Imagine a sumptuous Italian feast in the sunlit-bathed ancient countryside near Milan. Next to you a gentleman talks and eats with furious energy. He tells of Dante, Cicero, and St Augustine and quotes a multitude of obscure troubadours from the Middle Ages. He repeats himself, gestures flamboyantly, nudges you sharply in the ribs, belches and even breaks wind. His conversation contains nuggets of information but in the flow of his discourse there is a fondness for iteration and reiteration. He throws bones over his shoulder The Thoughts and when he reaches the cheese course - definitely too much information on the mouldy bacteria! When you finally get up things the elderly gentleman has said prompt your imagination. You are better informed, intrigued and prodded to examine his discourse again and again, even if only to challenge what you have heard. Such are the effects Inner Journey of reading Eco’s essays in ''Inventing the Enemy''Dr.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099553945</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|title=Sisters of the East EndJohn Dee|author=Helen BattenClair Iles

|genre=Historical FictionSpirituality and Religion|summary=Katie Crisp had never intended to become a nun. Raised by non-religious parents[[:Category:Clair Iles|Clair Iles]] is, in her family frowned upon organised religion and when Katie started secretly going to churchown words, they strongly disapproveda normal person who was educated at a normal comprehensive school. When Katie ran to the aid of a stroke victim However, she had 's a vision that changed her lifenormal person who hears dead people. She saw herself dressed as Yes, Clair is a nun spiritualist with a large silver cross hanging ability to hear from her neckthose who have passed on. In the past they had generally been relatives or everyday folk. She decided to follow Imagine, then, her calling and join the community of St surprise when she felt she was hearing from Elizabethan court polymath John the Divine, Dee. Over a group period of Anglican nuns dedicated to nursing time she could feel his dictated thoughts and midwifery. She thus shed ideas in her old identity mind and became known as Sister Catherine Marythis book of the channelled words is the result.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0091951771</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Woodcock_Becoming|title=Anti-JudaismBecoming Reverend: A History of a Way of Thinkingdiary|author=David NirenbergMatt Woodcock

|summary=Wm[[:Category:Matt Woodcock|Matt Woodcock]] is enjoying life: successful journalist, happily married and a new dream home bought and heavily mortgaged. Paul Young The only cloud on the horizon is their struggle to have children but they have faith in the IVF treatment as it's debut novel ''The Shack'' was a revelation in many waysearly days yet. Whilst many disagreed with his theology, it was refreshing to see such an overtly faith based book Then comes the funny turn Matt has on the bestseller listsway to a story one day. Personally, I found it This takes him by surprise but the resulting clergy collar comes as a very moving story and whilst I thought it helpful on some points, it tended to skim over otherstotal shock. Now we get to see if Young can repeat his success with his new novel, ''Cross RoadsHe's a normal bloke who always thought of himself as more pint than piety believing in a God who's happy for him to remain in the pews.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444745972</amazonuk> Errrrm… whoops!

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Danaan ElderhillChaplin_Stone|title=The Magic Book of CookeryStone Cradle|author=Patrice Chaplin|rating=3.5

|summary=Back ''The Stone Cradle'' is a remarkable book from the author Patrice Chaplin. It is a biography, the third in the seventeenth century a series set in what was then the Kingdom Catalonian city of Bohemia there was Girona. It is also an enduring love story and a coven of witches. As was common at that time witches were hunted journey into mystery and they had to hide their beliefsspirituality. The Friends of Euphrosynecity has drawn artists, as they called themselveswriters and philosophers for centuries. Rich in Kabbalistic thought through Azriel, turned to this deity (she's one the most famous student of Isaac the three graces Blind, it has always been a home for mysticism and there to remind us to have fun) in their time secrets. The magnetism and resonance of need and developed rituals which could be assimilated into social gatherings, allowing them to hide the city has had a hold on Patrice Chaplin since she first visited it in plain sightthe fifties. Their book - The Magic Book series of Cookery - vanished along books detail her journey and her encounters with the coven when they were discovered but Danaan Elderhill wants us to benefit from esoteric society that have protected its mysteries since ancient wisdom - times. 'The Stone Cradle' also gives a new life and direction to the mysteries of Rennes le Chateau, the small French village, made famous by the Da Vinci Code and its funthe Holy Blood and The Holy Grail. Linking the two places through sacred geometry to the mountain of Canigou.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B0092BX6O0</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Charity Seraphina FieldsVonnegut_Sun|title=I am not a BuddhistSun Moon Star|author=Kurt Vonnegut and Ivan Chermayeff|rating=34.5

|summary=In his own delightfully imaginative way, Kurt Vonnegut tells the story of the birth of Christ in this unique and long out of print children''I am not a Buddhist'' is an individual through Buddhism and its principles seen s book. Told from the point perspective of view the new born infant in his first hours of one on the path. Charity Seraphina Fields attempts - through her own musings on birth, this ancient Eastern philosophy - charming little story feels different to explain why Buddhism is better suited other children's Christmas books whilst at the same time goes back to the rich West than basics in exploring the poorer Easttrue nature of Christmas. For Fields, the question isn't ''Why am I suffering without all those things I want?''. The right question is actually ''Why am I still suffering even though I have everything I want?''|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1475085664</amazonuk>

{{newreview|author=Eamon Duffy|title=Saints, Sacrilege and Sedition|rating=4|genre=History|summary=In the introduction Move to this book Eamon Duffy, Professor of the History of Christianity at Cambridge History, points out that all too often historians have written about the English Reformation from strongly polarised views. Taking two extreme examples, he cites one which states that the people of England, formerly happy medieval Catholics, were forced by King Henry to abandon their religion, and England was never merry again, alongside another which speaks of the English being oppressed by corrupt churchmen until King Henry gave them the Protestant nation for which they longed. On the following page, he suggests that it had long been an axiom of historical writing that the success of the Reformation in England was an inevitable consequence of the dysfunction and unpopularity of late medieval Catholicism. Such remarks were evidently made by writers with an axe to grind. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1441181172</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Timothy Radcliffe|title=Take the Plunge|rating=4|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=There appears to be more Christian literature around than ever before at the moment. I don't know whether this is a response to Richard Dawkins' ''The God Delusion'', which has meant that Christian writers and publishers have increased their outputs, or because I'm noticing it more. Timothy Radcliffe's ''Take the Plunge'' is taking a more or less opposite view to that of Dawkins, exploring the importance of baptism in everyday life and arguing that there is no aspect of life that cannot be touched if you are baptised and therefore living with faith.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1441118489</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Youssef Ziedan and Jonathan Wright (translator)|title=Azazeel|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=An archaeologist in a time and place close to that of modern troubled Syria discovers thirty scrolls. These are the writings of a Coptic Christian monk born into Roman dominated Egypt in AD391. A door thus opens into an ancient world and the emerging vista stretches from the present into the distant past, as if eliciting an omnipresent dimension to reality. The fluent evocative prose flows like a meandering river or a ribbon connecting continuously the present moment with the ancient world. A panorama emerges dominated by Rome and Constantinople and extends to Alexandria, Jerusalem and Antioch.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848874278</amazonuk>}}[[Newest Sport Reviews]]