Review by Tina Reads -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?
Posted: 22 Oct 2018, 20:13
[Following is a volunteer review of "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" by William Combs.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Who Told You That You Were Naked by William E. Combs lives up to what it claims to be, which is a "refreshing reexamination of the garden of eden." The book starts from the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden. This, of course, is The Beginning, when Adam, and later Eve, were created. After Combs takes us through the delightful and classic bible story full of imagery, he begins to dive deeper into the seemingly simple plot. Throughout the book, he poses and attempts to answer insightful, complex, and stimulating questions. For example, as he asked in chapter 1, "what is nakedness?" Formerly simple and commonly overlooked concepts become engaging topics of discussion throughout this book. However, despite how deep the contents of the book are, it has a fairly large range, covering the New Testament as well. The book delves into topics such as Jesus' crucifixion, how One can die for all, walking with Christ, and maintaining faith.
I give Who Told You That You Were Naked by William E. Combs 4 out of 4 stars. This book was not just intriguing and interesting because it calls attention to complex theological questions, it was also incredibly engaging and personal. I was delighted to see the personal testimonies included throughout the book. These personal testimonies, ranging from childhood experiences to memories of Combs' wife made the book far more convincing, genuine, and heartfelt. The book was engaging for the audience as well. At the end of each chapter, Combs included a set of discussion questions that can be answered by yourself, with a partner, or in a group. I thought that this was a wonderful idea because not only does it make the book more attention captivating, but it also makes the book a versatile and useful tool in group bible study.
I did not identify any flaws with the writing that made me like this book any less. However, I do believe that there are potential minor adjustments and improvements to be made to the discussion questions. When I went through them, I observed that many of these questions were on the simpler side, with answers that could be identified by simply skimming the text. In order to make the book even more engaging and personal for the audience, I believe that the questions could be referenced both before and after reading to see differences between one's initial thoughts and how the reading changed your way of thinking. Furthermore, making some minor changes to the question can change the direction so that it forces the reader to think deeply rather than read and copy the answer. For example, instead of "what is nakedness?" I would consider "what is nakedness to you?"
The editing of this book was flawless. I did not identify any spelling or grammar errors. I enjoyed the illustration on the cover of the book depicting a tempting and enticing apple, both referencing the classic bible story of the creation and fall of man as well as alluding to the contents covered in the beginning of the book. There were quite a few font changes present throughout the reading, however, I did not experience any difficulty or confusion because of the font changes. They were made very intentionally and consistently in a manner where it actually helped guide my reading in some portions because each different type of reading was assigned a different font. For example, personal testimonies used a different font than the discussion questions.
I recommend this book for all readers, young and old, religious or not. This can be used as a bible study tool or an insightful side reading for those who are religious. For those who are not, this can be read as a theological study or simply as a free read to learn something new about an unfamiliar religion. I believe that Who Told You That You Were Naked by WIlliam E. Combs can and will be enjoyed by an incredibly large audience. It is a capturing and engaging reading, I enjoyed it very much and I highly recommend it.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Who Told You That You Were Naked by William E. Combs lives up to what it claims to be, which is a "refreshing reexamination of the garden of eden." The book starts from the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden. This, of course, is The Beginning, when Adam, and later Eve, were created. After Combs takes us through the delightful and classic bible story full of imagery, he begins to dive deeper into the seemingly simple plot. Throughout the book, he poses and attempts to answer insightful, complex, and stimulating questions. For example, as he asked in chapter 1, "what is nakedness?" Formerly simple and commonly overlooked concepts become engaging topics of discussion throughout this book. However, despite how deep the contents of the book are, it has a fairly large range, covering the New Testament as well. The book delves into topics such as Jesus' crucifixion, how One can die for all, walking with Christ, and maintaining faith.
I give Who Told You That You Were Naked by William E. Combs 4 out of 4 stars. This book was not just intriguing and interesting because it calls attention to complex theological questions, it was also incredibly engaging and personal. I was delighted to see the personal testimonies included throughout the book. These personal testimonies, ranging from childhood experiences to memories of Combs' wife made the book far more convincing, genuine, and heartfelt. The book was engaging for the audience as well. At the end of each chapter, Combs included a set of discussion questions that can be answered by yourself, with a partner, or in a group. I thought that this was a wonderful idea because not only does it make the book more attention captivating, but it also makes the book a versatile and useful tool in group bible study.
I did not identify any flaws with the writing that made me like this book any less. However, I do believe that there are potential minor adjustments and improvements to be made to the discussion questions. When I went through them, I observed that many of these questions were on the simpler side, with answers that could be identified by simply skimming the text. In order to make the book even more engaging and personal for the audience, I believe that the questions could be referenced both before and after reading to see differences between one's initial thoughts and how the reading changed your way of thinking. Furthermore, making some minor changes to the question can change the direction so that it forces the reader to think deeply rather than read and copy the answer. For example, instead of "what is nakedness?" I would consider "what is nakedness to you?"
The editing of this book was flawless. I did not identify any spelling or grammar errors. I enjoyed the illustration on the cover of the book depicting a tempting and enticing apple, both referencing the classic bible story of the creation and fall of man as well as alluding to the contents covered in the beginning of the book. There were quite a few font changes present throughout the reading, however, I did not experience any difficulty or confusion because of the font changes. They were made very intentionally and consistently in a manner where it actually helped guide my reading in some portions because each different type of reading was assigned a different font. For example, personal testimonies used a different font than the discussion questions.
I recommend this book for all readers, young and old, religious or not. This can be used as a bible study tool or an insightful side reading for those who are religious. For those who are not, this can be read as a theological study or simply as a free read to learn something new about an unfamiliar religion. I believe that Who Told You That You Were Naked by WIlliam E. Combs can and will be enjoyed by an incredibly large audience. It is a capturing and engaging reading, I enjoyed it very much and I highly recommend it.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Tina Reads's review? Post a comment saying so!