Monday, April 18, 2011

Book Review: Bad Girls of the Bible

I don't know that I would present myself as an expert on the Bible, but when it comes to the Scriptures, I am certainly not a novice, either. I suppose in that is probably one of the biggest reasons why this book did not pull me in in the manner that it could have. That said, it a still a terrific book worthy of any library. Liz Curtis Higgs uses her trademark "girlfriend" manner of writing in an effort to make this book accessible. It came across as a tiny bit forced at times, and I do think that in a number of years some of her cultural references will be dated. I absolutely love her fiction, so I was a little surprised that her non-fiction style was so different and not as much to my taste. Writing style aside, she opens each chapter with a modern day re-telling of each Biblical character. Some of these were excellent, others seemed a little contrived. The meat of the book is when she goes through each account in detail, breaking down the Scriptures and explaining each little nuance of the story. I already knew much of the information, but for someone that has not had as much exposure to the Bible this book is full of terrific facts presented in an easy to understand way. She closes each chapter by encouraging you to relate to the historical figure personally and apply the lessons that she learned to your own life. Finally, there are questions for you to pursue further study. Overall, I think this book has far more pros than cons, and I would easily say that many of the things that I did not care for are matters of personal opinion. I think especially for newer believers this book will strike more than one chord. It was still an easy read, and I do not feel my time was wasted. As it was one of Higgs' first nonfiction books, I wonder in part if perhaps her more recent publishings are a little more polished. Still, there were several stand-out chapters. The chapters on Rahab and "the Sinful Woman" were my favorites. You can't help but be moved by the change wrought on their lives by the grace of God and Higgs' makes that contrast even more startling. I encourage you to read it for yourself- it would be impossible not to feel personally connected to one of these women. After all, God made sure that they crossed the pages of His Word for a reason. Higgs just helps you to make the connection more swiftly.
Take a minute and please rank my review!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review, by the publisher, Waterbrook Multnomah. All views expressed are my own.

1 comment:

  1. My FAV Liz book by far, so far!! ;)

    Praying for Carson and your family....

    ~ Jen

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