Wheldon's Non Fiction Reviews

[Wheldon]

Architecture Uncooked
Pip Cheshire and Patrick Reynolds
Published by Random House NZ/Imprint: Godwit

It was the last night we would spend at the bach at Waihi Beach. My friend Kevin’s grandmother had died and her children had decided to sell the property, much to our regret. My group of friends had known each other since the first day at college when we had sat on the floor and the new students had been segregated into classes. We were the only ones left, probably because they suspected we were about to launch ourselves ruthlessly upon our rookie Maths teacher and the school wanted to be able to discipline us as a group.

At various times over the next 20 years we had descended upon the bach. The games of cards, the discussions, the claims and counter claims had continued through the nights. In the mornings, after rising groggily from bed, we had invariably cooked up bacon and eggs and sought comfort in steaming cups of coffee.

The days were filled with swimming and walking and lazing around the beach. At some stage or other of every visit we had walked to the far end of the beach, the sun beating down and inflicting various shades of pink. And on this, our last night, we sat and read the notes we had written in the Guest Book over the years. They were wonderfully silly comments on what we had done and the people who were staying with us at the time. It brought a lot of laughs, but filled us with the sadness of loss that this would be the last time we would sit together in this special place.

The bach had a main house, and extra bedrooms forming an L shape. It was made of wood, and creaked in the wind. Other than that, although we could tell you which bed had the bounciest springs, and where the floor sagged badly, none of our group would be able to put into words the architectural style or history of the building. This is why I opened Architecture Uncooked by Pip Cheshire and Patrick Reynolds with much anticipation. Here is a book written by a man who is clearly in love with New Zealand, its heritage, landscape, and its architecture. It is not just that he describes the design of seven Kiwi baches from the Southern Alps to Northland with clarity, describing both their aesthetic and functional characteristics, but he brings them to life by intertwining his time spent there with his personal history. I have visited some of the locations, but the ones I haven’t, I now feel like I have, so vivid and personal is his writing.

Likewise, Reynold’s photography captures the architectural details, but more importantly, he captures the spirit of the buildings and the landscape, and gives you an intimate portrait of how the baches are living, breathing entities, filled with people currently living there, and, as with my friend’s bach, filled with the memories over the past generations.

It is a wonderfully presented book, the sketches, photographs and text are given ample space within the pages to be fully appreciated; an intimate revelation of a particularly New Zealand experience, that of the Kiwi bach.

[Wheldon]

Wind Driven. The Barbara Kendall Story
Author: Wendy Kinney-Kendall
ISBN13: 9781869790431
Genre: Biography, Sports
Publisher: Random House NZ
Page count: 288
Price: NZ$36.99

Summary: I thoroughly recommend this intimate portrayal of the challenges and successes of one of windsurfer's greatest stars.

Barbara Kendell is an extraordinary woman. She has not only won windsurfing medals at three Olympics, she is a mother, an IOC representative, public speaker and mentor. This biography, written by her sister, tells the inspiring story of an extraordinary woman who overcame her personal challenges and remains at the top of her sport after twenty years of competition.

Back in 1986 the weather forecast predicted severe gale force winds to thrash the Auckland coast. Yacht owners battened down their boats, praying theirs wouldn't be one of the unfortunate vessels that broke free from their moorings and smashed against the rocks. The ferries continued to grind against the wind as they battled across to Waiheke, knowing they might not return that afternoon if the sea became too fierce, inducing varying shades of green on the faces of their passengers. The pilots approached the airport as warily as they might land at Wellington on a relatively mild day, and the motorcycles were soon to be banned from crossing the Harbour Bridge.

Meanwhile down at Eastern Beach, in the Eastern Suburbs, there was a flurry of activity. Cars raced to the beach, their drivers quickly unlashing their windsurfers from the roofs and attaching hurricane masts. The students at Macleans College raised their weary heads from their textbooks and the sight of the first windsurfers flying across the waves instantly dispelled the numbness of studying algebra. Even the teacher came across the window and expressed his amazement at their speed and skill.

Children living around Eastern and Bucklands Beaches grew up either on or in the sea. Backyards and garages were filled with sailing dinghies, Optimists and P-class boats. Then came the windsurfers, and they rapidly became the choice of many, especially as the Kendells lived in the area. They were legends in yachting and windsurfing years before they won Olympic medals.

Barbara joined her gold medallist brother, Bruce, by winning the gold in Barcelona in 1992, making her the first New Zealand woman to win a gold medal for 40 years. She won silver at Atlanta in 1996, bronze at Sydney in 2000 and was New Zealand's best in Athens in 2004 with a fifth placing. She won New Zealand Sportswoman of the year in 1996, 1998 and 1999; Yachtsperson of the year in 1992 and 1998; and has been awarded an MBE in 1992 for services to windsurfing.

Wind Driven is written by Barbara's sister Wendy. It is an intimate portrayal of this remarkable woman. It portrays not only her remarkable strengths, but also her weaknesses, and how she triumped over them. It shows how important friends and family are in the success of such an individual sport. There are times of depression and isolation, of extraordinary happiness and triumph, of anger and frustration with various administrators. To even be a single woman on the international circuit, lugging 300kg of equipment from one country to another, let alone competing at the very top for over 20 years, is an extraordinary achievement. This is a book to inspire, to challenge and, ultimately, a book that will leave you in admiration of a singularly impressive New Zealand woman.

Reviewed by Wheldon Curzon-Hobson

[Wheldon]

Title: Over the Wide and Trackless Sea: Inspiring Lives of Pioneer Women
Author: Megan Hutching
ISBN13: 9781869507060
Genre: Biography, History, New Zealand
Publisher: HarperCollins NZ.
Page count: 304
Price: NZ$39.99

Summary: An introduction into the fascinating lives of women who journeyed to New Zealand in the 1800’s.

This book offers a valuable insight into the lives of twelve pioneer women who suffered, endured and triumphed in New Zealand.

Their journey by boat from Europe to New Zealand was a long and sometimes perilous one. The European explorers had been certain that their destination existed, mainly because they abhorred a vacuum, and couldn’t believe there could be such a vast expanse of ocean without the existence of a great land. Some also believed that without a land mass south of the Tropic of Capricorn, the world would be tipped upside down, while others were fearful they would burn up whilst crossing the equator, a myth finally dispelled by the Portuguese voyaging around Africa.

Dutchmen Willem Jansvoon discovered Australia and Able Tasman discovered New Zealand, although Tasman thought New Zealand was a promontory of Terra Australis and, as a consequence, interest in New Zealand languished for more than a century because it was considered part of the rather inhospitable Australia.

Captain James Cook put that to right, sailing his ship The Endeavour around New Zealand, discovering an extraordinarily beautiful land that has been termed God’s Own. It became a colony of the British Empire, and thousands came to seek their fortune, or to escape the harshness of their home countries.

Much has been written of the immigration to New Zealand, however the stories of women are still not prominent in published literature. Over the Wide and Trackless Sea, written by acclaimed historian Megan Hutching, provides us with a valuable insight into the lives of twelve of these pioneer women.

Their stories are wonderfully varied, including the privileged of Wellington, the landed gentry of Canterbury, gum diggers and whalers. They are mostly stories of hardship and hard work, of armed conflict and the loss of children. But they are also the stories of wonderful accomplishments and much love and friendship.

Woven together they make compelling reading and provide a multi layered perspective of the colonial history of New Zealand.

[Wheldon]

Author: Ranginui Walker
ISBN13: 9780143010067
Genre: Biography, Carving, New Zealand

Star rating: 4.5

Publisher: Penguin Group (NZ), http://www.penguin.co.nz
Page count: 256
Price: NZ$40.00

Summary: An invaluable insight into the ancestry, life, art and politics of one of New Zealand's greatest master carvers.

It was an inspired choice that Ranginui Walker was commissioned to write this book. He successfully places the extraordinary character of master carver Paki Harrison into an historical, cultural, academic and political context, whilst never letting us forget that this almost mythical genius is very much a man with his personal conflicts, successes and devotion.

Kaupapa Māori is a term used to describe a plan of action, expressing the aspirations and particular Māori values and principles. Throughout history it has meant the values and plans of action decided by Māori, or the values and action plans which express a set of deeper cultural values and worldview. Today Kaupapa Māori is often used as a strategy, or a plan of action to allow Māori to find a voice, particularly within academic institutions. It is also used in relation to transformation and cultural liberation.

For Paki Harrison, a man well versed in tradition, and priviledged in his receiving of the knowedge of history, carving and bushcraft, Kaupapa Māori is central to his work and existence. Whenever approached to create, he would discuss and research the history of the people of the land, their tribal affiliations, and the purpose of the work within the social and political environment.

His questions were at their most searching when invited to Te Awamutu College to work on Te Otawhao. Saddened and challenged by the sight of Māori young people on the streets, those who had been failed by their elders and the education system, he recruited fourteen young men and seventeen young women with no educational qualifications for on the job training for the marae project.

Harrison so believed in this project that he accepted the work without a salary, just the provision of a basic house, food and petrol. It is a story of resourcefulness, working on a dump site to construct a magnificent structure with extraordinary carving and art that inspired a community and provided skills for alienated school dropouts.

This book may be about one brilliant man, but through his life, art and battles, Walker offers an invaluable insight into the treasures of New Zealand and a way of seeing the world that will inspire and challenge readers.

[Wheldon]

Title: Pure Gold. Embracing God’s Grace
Author: Pam Davis
ISBN13: 9781934068649
Publisher: Authentic Publishing, www.authenticbooks.com
Page count: 180
Price: US$14.99

Summary: A wonderfully clear, concise and personal introduction to the sacrificial and life-changing theology of God’s grace.

Pam Davis, a Christian author and motivational speaker, outlines how God’s grace can divinely change your life.

This short book describes the differences and similarities between God’s grace and gold. It is an interesting comparison given that Christianity, with the current political and financial uncertainty, could be expecting to increase its membership in the Western world at a great rate as people search for answers in religion. In the same way, as the financial markets suffer, one may assume that the safe haven of gold will produce vast profits for its investors. As a result, the mining companies will instantly produce more gold and make more money.

Gold mining companies cannot, however, just dredge up more gold in response to demand. They are discovering ever increasing political, regulatory, environmental and production costs and have to invest more and more to discover new reserves of gold. Likewise, the Western church cannot simply gain more converts because of socio-economic conditions.

The life of a Christian, a church or the mining industry can be likened at various times to a supertanker attempting to move in a new direction. This is often regarded as a negative comparison as the massive ship needs to move slowly and safely. It can, however, be seen not so much as a negative, but rather as a realistic, practical and necessary model.

Some mining companies have attempted to move too quickly, often in scant disregard for the local communities and environment, resulting in violations in health and safety and a backlash from the international community. Mining companies have to invest tens of millions to find the gold, build the infrastructure and then procure permits and funding. This process may take more than ten years before the gold will be produced profitably. In the same way, a Christian may need to invest years of worship, prayer and service before God can reveal a life changing message that succeeds in full surrender and submission. Christians who have attempted to move too quickly often end up confused and angry, they discard the church and, in some cases, their faith.

Pam’s personal story reminds us that, rather than expect to achieve immediate new goals according to personal or world events, changes in people’s lives come about in God’s timing as a result of His investment in their lives. Sometimes this takes many years. Pam struggled with her Christianity until God revealed His life-changing grace at a time when she could both understand and surrender to the message.

Pam explains how the acceptance of the grace of Jesus involves sacrifice, and then grace can flow through into the believer and out to bless others. She describes this revelation of grace in a clear and meaningful way, stripping away the potential complications and giving clear steps towards the receiving and giving away of God’s grace. It is written in the fashion of a friend discussing the issue over a cup of coffee with anecdotes, Bible quotes and discussion topics which are well selected and very helpful.

In an age when the church and society thrive on cynicism and information overload, Pam presents us with a short, positive book that encourages us to simply and purely receive and give away the grace of Jesus and, through that, discover the joy of being truly alive. She outlines how the gold of the world is inferior in every way to the gold of grace, and gives practical steps on how to discover and protect this extraordinary gift.

If it is God’s timing, He may use this book to radically change a reader’s life today. It will be like walking to a river, bending down and, without any effort, finding a gold nugget sitting in the sparkling water. Or it may be that this book is part of God’s investment in the future. Just like a mining company, certain preparations need to be undertaken before the gold is found. Either way, Pure Gold is a positive and inspirational contribution to the literature on God’s love and grace.

[Wheldon]

Author: Wade Bradshaw
ISBN13: 978934068007
Genre: Christianity, Theology

Publisher: Authentic Publishing, www.authenticbooks.com
Page count: 159
Price: US$14.99

Summary: Wade Bradshaw addresses the challenges to an orthodox interpretation of God by a society that is increasingly redefining the role and morality of God.

This book outlines the charge against Christianity in modern Western society: that God, if he exists, is not a good God, and his morality is inferior to that of a human.

This challenge is further compounded by the modern ambiguity of the term God. When surveys are conducted in the United States, the majority believe in some Supreme Being, but this may not resemble the traditional God of the Bible. An increasingly common definition is that God is all good, a goodness that is defined by modern society's relativist and inclusive morality.

Socrates famously challenged Euthyphro by asking if an act was pious because the gods love it, or do they love it because it was pious? Traditional Biblical Christianity argues that God only loves an act if it is good, and that the good act is to be loved because its goodness is derived from Himself. God only loves what is good, and only does what is good, as defined by himself because he is the origin and definition of good. In modern society, however, many are arguing that this logic is flawed because the Creator as defined by the Bible is not good. It is further claimed that the God of the Bible, the Father of humanity, has a remarkable number of similarities to the classic symptoms of an abusive spouse. This charge is backed up by the various crimes of abuse committed by leaders of the church over the previous decades.

The argument concludes that if the Bible represents a God who is not good, then God needs to be redefined. The result is that the God of the Bible is discarded in favour of a more humane, increasingly inclusive, accepting and non-judgemental god.

Wade Bradshaw takes these statements in his stride. He argues that the church should not succumb to such arguments. Instead, it needs to make what he terms the Old Story more comprehensible and relevant to the modern world. In doing so, the God of the Bible is not weakened or changed, but presented in such a way that the modern mind can connect and understand Him.

Bradshaw repudiates many of the charges laid against God and puts forward a number of solutions. He does tend to talk around a subject rather than clearly outlining the issues and potential solutions. Nonetheless, he puts forth many excellent arguments to support God's goodness, despite the accusations of God's immorality, anger, distance and bullying.

Searching For A Better God will leave you with an understanding of the moral challenges facing the contemporary church, and provide you with a comforting sense that God is in fact good, and that there are excellent arguments to support this claim.

[Wheldon]

Authors: Peter R. Holmes and Susan B. Williams

Summary: An indepth, thought-provoking description of how abuse occurs in a church environment, followed by easy to implement suggestions on how to resolve and minimise this abuse.

Peter Holmes (MA, PhD) and Susan Williams (MPhil, PhD) draw on their research, their experiences as co-founders of Christ Church Deal (UK), and their work in Rwanda, to present a handbook that deals with this difficult subject in a personal and positive way.

New Zealander Kevin Biggar decided to push himself to his boundaries by rowing the Trans-Atlantic Rowing Race. In his book, The Oarsome Adventures of a Fatboy Rower, he describes how eighteen months before the race, he had no experience in rowing or navigation, and he didn't have a boat or the second member of his crew. He had to learn, and learn fast, and not only how to get the boat built, raise sponsorship and row well for three months non-stop, but what to do when things went wrong. He had to learn everything there was to know about his boat, the systems on board, the ocean, the weather and a million other things. It was only by preparing for the very worst that he felt confident. It is a testament to his thorough preparation that Kevin and Jamie, his rowing partner, won the race by battling through vast storms and surviving being capsized and losing their navigation equipment.

Maintaining a successful Western church in the 21st century is an even greater challenge given the isues of the decline of church attendance and the prevalence of scandals involving finances and abuse by church leaders. It doesn't mean, of course, that it is any way insurmountable. In the same way that even a novice rower can survive the vast waves of the Atlantic, the church will, undoubtedly survive.

The awareness of potential problems is central to the book. It outlines how all members of a church, given the fallen nature of humanity, and the scars inflicted by modern society, have the potential to create an abusive environment. Their research reveals many of the most common types of abuse and their causes. Holmes and Williams argue that what is required is an awareness of the potential disasters, and an insistence that all members of a church community are treated as valued individuals whose unique gifts and life-stories are sensitively acknowledged as they contribute within a church community.

Out of this framework, they then propose in detail how their Tomorrow's Church would resolve the challenges of abuse and describe the measures that could minimise the likelihood of its occurence. These largely resolve around collective processes and an insistence on prioritising the person ahead of a given church or doctrine.

The book's lengthy introduction explains that some of their potential solutions may not be in agreement with those holding different perspectives on the Christian faith and the authority of the Bible. However, they offer such a wide variety of opportunities to strengthen the role of all church members and minimise potential abuse, that their principles can be adapted to a Church regardless of its particular theological persuasion.

[Wheldon]

Author: Matthew S. Stanford, PhD
ISBN13: 9781934068441
Genre: Christianity, Mental Health

Publisher: Paternoster Publishing
Page count: 261
Price: US$19.99

Summary: A brilliantly written Christian analysis of mental health issues which provides essential insights into the use of contemporary psychiatric and psychological treatments.

This will be the shortest review I have ever written. I could just write, read this book, and leave it at that. If you have ever been involved in Christian counselling or prayer ministry, or if you have acquaintances, friends or family who have a mental illness, then this book is, quite simply, an absolutely essential read.

Stanford takes the major issues of mental illnesses and describes their symptoms and their known causes according to the latest research and in the context of the agape love of Jesus. He outlines intricate brain disorders in the simplest of terms, without compromising essential detail. He then describes what drugs and psychological techniques are used and their positive and negative outcomes.

Stanford is an uncompromising, Biblical-based Christian who has a PhD, and presently serves as the director of the Doctoral Program in Psychology at Baylor University. This book is both fascinating and practical, providing spiritual insight into this most difficult of subjects. It is an absolutely fabulous reference tool for those with any interest in the area of mental health.

[Wheldon]

Summary: A theological book that successfully wrestles with the Biblical issues that many place in the too-hard basket.

This book is one for those who enjoy wrestling with theology. Whereas many books use such a title as a teaser to merely put forward the easy answers to life’s hard questions, Wright genuinely grapples with the issues presented in this book and invites the reader to join with him as he works his way through them.

Wright is the International Director of the Langham Partnership international, he is the chair of the Lausanne Committee’s Theology Working Group and chair of the Theological Resource Panel of TEAR Fund. His work comes out of many years studying and teaching theology, and it is encased within that theological and intellectual standing.

In saying that, it is not written in an inaccessible fashion. If you have ever had the joy of studying philosophy within a university setting, you will understand what I mean when I say some philosophical writing is incomprehensible to the lay person. Wright is not in that basket, but he is in the intellectual basket, and you may need to adjust your reading speed and take notes as you go as he sometimes makes several very important arguments on the one page as evidence for a single point he is making.

The book addresses four of the harder issues found within the Bible. The first is the mystery, offence and defeat of evil. Personally I was not particularly taken with his argument, but these chapters were filled with such a breadth of understanding on the topic, that it was more than worthwhile reading to gain a number of valuable insights. Wright then very successfully addresses the issue of Israel’s invasion and destruction of the Caananites. He clearly describes the alternative interpretations and then argues for the Bible’s description and justification of the events.

Next up is the Cross. This is a very well constructed theological explanation of what happened to Jesus on the Cross, why it was necessary, what exactly happened, and the consequences. Then finally, Wright addresses the end of the world. This is where he is at his most successful, putting forth a thoroughly Biblical interpretation of what will happen at the end of the world. He dispels a number of myths and encourages the reader to move past the modern-day hype and understand what God is actually saying in the Bible.

This book was written for discussion in small groups and additional resources are available online. I would encourage the reader, however, if planning on reading it as a chapter study, to first read it as a complete whole, for it is by doing this that the deep faith of the writer and the whole of his argument, expressed through all of the different issues, is fully revealed.

[Wheldon]

Author: Mark Gungor
ISBN13: 9781416536055

Publisher: Atria Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
Page count: 283
Price: US24.00

Summary: A funny, personal and very helpful book that helps you to understand how to incorporate both conflict and happiness into a successful, satisfying marriage.

This book is based upon Mark Gungor’s highly successful seminar, Laugh Your Way To A Better Marriage. However, it is best to get one thing straight to begin with: Mark is a very funny guy, but, as he admits, this book is not at all about laughing your way to a better marriage. It encourages laughter, and he has a good time laughing about various issues, but if you thought this was going to be a philosophy based upon laughter, then you’ve been a little misled by the title.

That aside, it is a terrific book. We have a pre-marriage course that runs at our church and I’ve already offered it to the people who run it to have a read. Gungor takes the myths of marriage and explains why they are just that, myths. However, he loves marriage, he revels in its possibilities, and encourages the reader to do just the same. Whereas some books take what is negative about marriages and leaves you with a feeling that marriage is not all it is hyped up to be, and should be avoided at all costs, Gungor takes the negative and explains why God created such negatives and opposites in order to make successful marriages.

He does so in a laid back style of writing, as though he were sitting at a bar joking with his friends about their marriages and how they can get them back on track. Not that there aren’t serious bits, and not that there isn’t good theory to back it up, it is just his approach and his humour are what set this book apart from the many books on marriage available at the bookstore.

It covers in some depth how men and women are created differently; how they think and act differently, and how this must be understood in order to communicate successfully and enjoy each other’s company within a marriage. He lingers a little on sex, again outlining the different ways in which males and females tend to approach sex and how, if this difference is understood, sex can be a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.

Finally, Gungor looks at how to have healthy arguments and how the imposed necessity of divorce is a myth perpetuated by modern society, whereas couples who stay together, tend to succeed even through their times of pain.

All in all, a great read, taking the negatives of marriage, explaining them in the context of gender differences, and coming out the other end with a wonderfully positive outlook towards marriage and life itself.