Review by alisonedgee -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?

This forum is for volunteer reviews by members of our review team. These reviews are done voluntarily by the reviewers and are published in this forum, separate from the official professional reviews. These reviews are kept separate primarily because the same book may be reviewed by many different reviewers.
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
Post Reply
User avatar
alisonedgee
Posts: 171
Joined: 19 Mar 2018, 20:30
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 15
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alisonedgee.html
Latest Review: Lemoncella Cocktail by Rene Natan

Review by alisonedgee -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?

Post by alisonedgee »

[Following is a volunteer review of "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" by William Combs.]
Book Cover
1 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


Who Told You That You Were Naked? Is a non-fiction work, of critical analysis of the bible, looking specifically at sin. How sin started in the Garden of Eden and how God has redeemed his children with the sacrifice of His Son. The author of this book is a retired minister.

Starting positively, as does the book. The book starts off very strong, interesting, and thought provoking. The reader is taken through the story of Adam, with the creation of Eve, and through to their eventual original sin. The story is interrupted by the author to point out, and discuss certain elements. Such as, at what point does this sin become the sin? Or what part of the act of eating the fruit is the sin? Is it worse that Adam ate the fruit too? As the warning came from God to Adam, but Eve got it from Adam, and not God. Appropriate critical analysis format.

However, here the cracks start to show. The tagline on the cover of the book is ‘a refreshing re-examination of the Garden of Eden’, it is not. I didn’t find anything refreshing or new about the authors statements, nor were any of them particularly interesting. At one point the writer tells the reader that he is going to put forward new ideas, in his new way of looking at sin. The ideas may have been new to him, but not to the wider world.

This book hits a real turning point about half way through. We go from serious academic study, to the author telling the reader he hopes we will accept Jesus into our lives. He then proceeds to give us a few personal testimonies of the Lord speaking to him and his wife, and how great it is that they have faith. I found this incredibly inappropriate. I found the initial concept of the book interesting, and I could take the bible, as a book, and read a critical academic piece on it. I in no way signed up to be preached to. Where the change of tone happens is quite far in too, so it has to have been intentional. Needless to say this was my least favourite thing about the book, and frankly I found it almost offensive.

The only saving grace of this book would be in the earlier chapters, we discuss how different translations of the bible have influenced Christians in different parts of the world, as to what is taken literally or figuratively, and that was genuinely interesting. I’d also give a commendation to the editor. I didn’t notice a single spelling error, if there are any to be found then they would only be minor. I give this a rating of 1 out of 4 stars. Reason being, I don’t think we can give 0.

******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like alisonedgee's review? Post a comment saying so!
User avatar
Sanju Lali
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 3398
Joined: 08 May 2018, 12:47
Currently Reading: Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody
Bookshelf Size: 445
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sanju-lali.html
Latest Review: The Unfakeable Code® by Tony Jeton Selimi
Reading Device: B00I15SB16

Post by Sanju Lali »

nice review which give insight of this books, giving opinions about the book from different perspective
life is only knowing the unknown, we can do this by reading books easily- Online book club is a great place for this. This is what I believe.
User avatar
Brittany J
Posts: 85
Joined: 23 May 2018, 05:52
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 24
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-brittany-j.html
Latest Review: Final Notice by Van Fleisher

Post by Brittany J »

Good review and thanks for the warning! I won't be reading this one. I feel it almost discredits everything that was written earlier in the book once the tone shifts like that in what is supposed to be a critical analysis.
User avatar
mhiz ola
Posts: 4
Joined: 25 May 2018, 14:33
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by mhiz ola »

great review. it's real hits the turning point about half way through.
User avatar
alisonedgee
Posts: 171
Joined: 19 Mar 2018, 20:30
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 15
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alisonedgee.html
Latest Review: Lemoncella Cocktail by Rene Natan

Post by alisonedgee »

Brittany J wrote: 26 May 2018, 03:58 Good review and thanks for the warning! I won't be reading this one. I feel it almost discredits everything that was written earlier in the book once the tone shifts like that in what is supposed to be a critical analysis.

yeah that’s exactly what i thought, after he tells me to accept jesus i felt the whole thing was just a ploy
User avatar
alisonedgee
Posts: 171
Joined: 19 Mar 2018, 20:30
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 15
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alisonedgee.html
Latest Review: Lemoncella Cocktail by Rene Natan

Post by alisonedgee »

mhiz ola wrote: 26 May 2018, 04:19 great review. it's real hits the turning point about half way through.
cheers, glad you agree
User avatar
Ashiyya Tariq
Posts: 2181
Joined: 17 Mar 2017, 02:17
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 235
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ashiyya-tariq.html
Latest Review: Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War And Its Aftermath by Randy Miller
Reading Device: PDF

Post by Ashiyya Tariq »

I have also read this book. The same event of Adam and Eve is repeated again and again. And I think the status of Eve has been degraded by considering her the cause of sin ( of eating fruit). Thanks for your realistic and critical review.
Make your ideals high enough to inspire you and low enough to encourage you.

📕📖📰📓📕
User avatar
alisonedgee
Posts: 171
Joined: 19 Mar 2018, 20:30
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 15
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alisonedgee.html
Latest Review: Lemoncella Cocktail by Rene Natan

Post by alisonedgee »

hard agree with you there - repeating the same story - one we all already know, was really tedious
Anthony__
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 1166
Joined: 24 Dec 2018, 07:51
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 459
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-anthony.html
Latest Review: Its Saddest Sound by Pirjo Marjut Vega-Brandt

Post by Anthony__ »

yea, I have read this book but I think, the author was not subjective but rather he was objective in his own view. Its a choice to accept Jesus Christ, not mandatory! thank you for the review.
Post Reply

Return to “Volunteer Reviews”