Review - Where Has Oprah Taken Us? By Stephen Mansfield

Where Has Oprah Taken Us? by Stephen Mansfield
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Blurb From Goodreads
An evocative exploration of Oprah Winfrey's religious beliefs, from her rejection of her Baptist upbringing to her controversial rise as "an icon of church-free spirituality."

Born into poverty in Mississippi in 1954 and rising through talent, hard work and despite tragedy-she was raped at the age of nine and lost an infant son at 14-Oprah Winfrey has become one of the wealthiest, most powerful, and most popular women of her age. These facts alone would make Winfrey worthy of study, yet what makes her of even more profound impact on American society is her decision to champion the cause of "New Age Christianity." She is, as "Christianity Today" has proclaimed, "a postmodern priestess-an icon of church-free spirituality." Rejecting her Baptist roots, Winfrey has become a champion of the "Course in Miracles," a seminar in which Christianity is reinterpreted in terms of self-actualization, personal divinity, and self-empowerment. She has also become a disciple of Eckhart Tolle, the increasingly popular teacher of a form of spirituality that blends Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Christianity.

Author Stephen Mansfield explores the Winfrey spiritual phenomenon-much as Mansfield has with figures like George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Pope Benedict XVI, and Winston Churchill.

My Review

Like most people I had heard of Oprah but didn't know much about her other than her role in the color purple (love that film/book) and she does a chat show. So I selected this book to review in order to learn a bit more about her.

The first part of the book focuses on her life, from childhood and upbringing, struggles as a teen, career choices up to present day. What I didn't know or expect was how much religion plays a part in her life and the unique path she takes with it.

The author is very much present in this book and after writing something of Oprahs view on one religion or another he puts his feelings about it afterwords in italics. He explains why he feels the views of Oprah and her religious gurus are wrong and how he feels they contradict each other. I did enjoy the first part of the book but then it was very much about religion and what was available when Oprah was a child, when she was a teen etc and not focusing on her so much. At one point I felt the book should actually have been called Oprahs religious views and why I think they are wrong as a huge chunk of the book focuses on this.

I think some people will find this book and some of Stephen's views perhaps offensive (some will no doubt agree whole heart-idly) and others interesting. I have certainly learned more about the other beliefs and religions out there which is fine but I had picked this up hoping to read more about Oprah so for that reason it's a 2/5 for me.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Review - The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook by Jeff Kinley

The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook: Slaying the Living Dead Within by Jeff Kinley

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Blurb From the back cover

Ben Forman was just an ordinary guy, a young professional starting his first job and falling in love with his girlfriend. Living in the outskirts of a southern city, he didn't think the zombie activity so common in the major cities would hit so close to home. But it was becoming clear that the mysterious infection reanimating the dead would soon be a worldwide epidemic.

My Review

Well from reading the above blurb I assumed this book was purely a zombie novel with a Christian slant on it, that maybe the virus was battled with faith along with the usual zombie ways. It couldn't be further from it and I suppose it is my fault for not researching it better before reviewing.

The book is split into episodes and chapters, episode one which is the start of the zombie story followed by chapter one which is the author discussing where and how we are drawn to wickedness and a brief history of it. We also visit the initial start of sinning with Adam, Eve and the serpent, I actually enjoyed this wee story as it has been many years since I read it or heard it.

The rest of the book is episodes (back to the story) and then chapters with the author telling stories and observations he has had and made over the years, scripture and bible quotes. The zombie story was quite thin and I felt the characters quite weak and not very likable. Had I known the book was going to be so split and focused more on religion I may have liked it better however I went into it thinking it was a great new spin on a zombie war with religion as a tool against them. I really struggled to get through it and although some of the side stories in the chapters were interesting and thought provoking it just wasn't for me so 2/5 for this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Review - One Call Away by Brenda Warner

One Call Away: Facing the Unexpected with Resilient Faith by Brenda Warner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Small extract of the blurb from Goodreads

The remarkable story of Brenda Warner's resilient faith in the face of the unpredictable, both before and during her marriage to NFL quarterback Kurt Warner.

My Review

Can I just say don't read the blurb as it tells you a lot of spoilers and I have recently stopped reading them when doing these kind of reviews as the spoilers are huge!

This is Brenda's story about her life and how she started out and got to where she is now. From heartbreak, family crisis, death and destruction to finding true love and herself whilst relying on her faith through her darkest hours.

Before I read this I hadn't heard of her or her husband (a famous NFL player), and from the small extracts I had read I expected over the top religious content. This wasn't the case at all, you have a moving story of one woman's struggles and life journey and how her faith (tested over and over again) got her through some of the toughest times imaginable. It was actually nice to see how Brenda and her husband got through their religious differences and how her faith kept her strong along the way (some people may find it a bit much but I think it was well balanced).

The story is an emotional roller-coaster and touches on some really hard to read issues however if she had to live through them, surely we can read it. Although religion does have a big part in the story it doesn't shadow the real story and isn't in your face or preaching, it is just one more part of Brenda's life she wants to share.

Whilst difficult to read in some parts (it will pull at your heart strings and maybe remind you of your own losses) it is an inspirational account of one woman's journey through life, love and trials. It is really well written, nice paced and easy to follow so it's a 4/5 for me.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Review - Love you more by Jennifer Grant

Love You More: The Divine Surprise of Adopting My Daughter by Jennifer Grant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What a wonderful and uplifting story of Jennifer Grants journey through life and the process of adoption.

The story goes through many stages. We are introduced to Jennifer's life, how she spent her early years with her husband. Their first home, her faith, their children and the things that happened to decide they wanted to adopt.

We are introduced not only to her children but close friends and some of the people involved in the actual adoption. The journey of what they endured with the process of the adoption, peoples attitudes and comments both during their deciding to adopt and once they got their little girl. Why they chose a child from Guatemala and a child of that age and sex.

The story is so easy to read, infact it is so well written it is like meeting a person and listening to their story of their life, which in effect it is but it doesn't just read like words off a page. The style is so comfortable and easy going that it is like talking to a friend or a friend of a friend.

This is the first time I have read a book on adoption and I worried that maybe it would drone on with procedures and such but it was a beautiful read and I would certainly read another by this author, 5/5 for me.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”



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