The White Horse King

The White Horse King
The Life of Alfred the Great
By Benjamin Merkle

Thank you Benjamin Merkle for opening up the life of a man whom all should get to know, King Alfred the Great. I hardly knew or remembered anything about these early years of England. All I knew was a few convoluted stories about Vikings, Saxons, and Anglos and various invasions. You really did your homework and gave this generation a great read and a great story. I highly recommend King Alfred the Great to you. He was a strong man, king and most importantly Christian. His innovations in warfare, city defenses, national defense, government, education and leadership were second to none and helped shape not only the future of the great British empire but also the world including America. I never knew that King Alfred was the only English ruler ever to be dubbed 'Great'. Find out why in this book. I could not put it down and finished it in just a few days. Students and adults will enjoy the fabulous stories from the late 800s AD. Parents, this would be a terrific story book to read during family reading after the dishes are pushed aside. Filled with incredible detail with very little speculation on the part of Merkle makes this a book worthy to be read at the college level as supplemental material for any British history, world history or even British literature class. Find out why King Alfred should be considered the father of British lit, the British Navy, modern law, education and bible study. Thank you King Alfred and again, thank you Benjamin Merkle. This goes on my read again and read to others shelf.

Animal bracelets or bust!

How does something like this even happen? Kids all around the south at least are wearing these things out! They are rubber bands people! When you are wearing them you can't even tell what they are and when you take them off they don't do anything but sit there. They serve no purpose whatsoever. Why couldn't I have thought of it first? Drat!

in reference to: Animal Bracelets (view on Google Sidewiki)

The amazing Word of God

Hebrews 4:12-16. The Word puts us in a choke hold, flays us open like a coroner and holds a dagger under our chin as we march to the executioner like a convicted Roman criminal.

Nice Bible giveaway for a great cause

Spread the word and use the Word!

Logos Bible Software is celebrating the launch of their new online Bible by giving away 72 ultra-premium print Bibles at a rate of 12 per month for six months. The Bible giveaway is being held at Bible.Logos.com and you can get up to five different entries each month! After you enter, be sure to check out Logos and see how it can revolutionize your Bible study.

in reference to: Giveaway - Bible.Logos.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Thanksgiving: Uniquely Christian, made in America

This is on our essential list for the holidays. Turkey, pumpkin, cranberries, gravy, Thanksgiving book. We have read this book for years during the month of November to remember, to reflect, to grow...to be thankful. There is also a very nice place in the back with diary pages to record family thoughts of thankfulness that have become cherished memories as well. Don't go another holiday without adding this book.

in reference to: Thanksgiving, Barbara Rainey, Item - Barnes & Noble (view on Google Sidewiki)

When the lights go down in the city

Following five major world changing super powers by spending time walking the streets of their main cities is a nice way to tour history. I gained many insights into the significant impact each empire had on their own times and subsequent generations. Wilson is a good writer, fine historian and excellent story teller. This is not an in depth history of each culture for 200 pages could never tell an adequate story of one of these cities let alone five. But within these pages the reader enjoys a world tour, a trip through time like a carriage ride in Central Park on a crisp fall evening daring a look at views of history like so many interesting quips from the driver. I came away from the book with not so many, "Oh I never heard that before!" but more reminders of how people, cultures and their main cities shape the world we inhabit and prod us to understand their influence on us.

A few notes of interest about Wilson's views on life will, I hope, encourage you to give this book a try. His view of the first city, Jerusalem was indeed very interesting. During King Solomon's reign he believes that the world was their play ground even over to the American continent in search of riches and trading partners. As I read the book I was once again reminded that ancient man was not as primitive as we always assume because they lacked some novel electronic or motorized gadget. Where they lacked in harnessing electricity they made up for in resourcefulness and industry. He continued to lure me in to his story by adding zingers such as ‘the Helen’ being a unit of feminine beauty and “in the long run, stupidity doesn’t work.”

His final words on liberty make for modern application and will allow this book this same liberty to reach modern minds who may indulge in seeing an aspect of history that may challenge many preconceptions. Jerusalem, the model of spiritual liberty reminds us that the city itself is not necessary for liberty. Athens' intellectual liberty encourages us to continue reaching for reason and logical answers in a day of self truth making. Rome with a reminder of the limitations of liberty is a neon sign of repetitious history does so because we forget that it does. London liberty of words lives on to this day as does its many words even in this book and this blog on this book. Finally New York, the liberty of commerce and trade it is indeed. The freedom to earn money, make a living, and do what we please with the money captures our interest and cautions our liberty in excesses and what we are going to allow to bridle our freedom. Stupidity does indeed wear out its welcome in due time.

"The truth will set you free," Jesus said, and if that is indeed the case, then allow this book the liberty to liberate your view of history. Will this book influence anyone in two generations? Probably not. Will these five cities influence anyone in two generations? Oh most certainly. A taste of liberty has a way of moving us off the porch and into the streets of freedom.