Books read and revised Sep 2019

1. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2017 by Lawrence Booth  (Author, Editor)

Treat to catch up on what happened in 2016. I was able to compete my scoring record for matches watched that year.

2. Dictionary of the Hausa Language by Roy Clive Abraham (Editor)

Mine is the 1962 second edition, well worn and used since I bought it in 1970. Standard reference work bu too large for a pocket reference manual.

3.Hausa customs by Ibrahim Madauci (Author), Bello Daura (Author), Yahaya Isa (Author)

To know a people you need more than their language. I wish I had read his when studying Hausa. I goes form birth to death, religion, craft and occupations, sport ,pastimes, superstitions and proverbs. A comprehensive introduction.

4. Hausa A Dunkule by Yusufu Yunusa

Mine is published by NNPC in 1977. All in Hausa. 624 proverbs, 202 with expansions. Second section, 158 with comment then a tail of 792. So a comprehensive collection of proverbs.

5. The Victorians: Twelve Titans who Forged Britain by Jacob Rees-Mogg  (Author)

I cannot think the so many reviewers have panned this book. Are they prejudiced agains he author? Here is account of Victorian heroes , an answer to the cynicism of Strachey. R-M considers he great politicians of the age, Peel, Palmerson, Disrael and Gladstone. He looks a great heroes of Empire, Napier and Gordon. Sleeman who deal with the scourge of he hugs is novel known n Dicey as lawyer and constitutionalist. Albert and Victoria as considered. Pain I am sure id favoured for his Catholicism and Grace as he grew sporting super star. I enjoyed hem all. I think Cardinal Wiseman performed no long lasting miracle curing Helen Gladstone of opium addition. R-M does no know his evangelism from evangelicals, a common error. Missing from his list I would cite Spurgeon and Havelock.

6.Tafiya Mabudin Ilimi by Alhaji Abubakar Imam.

In 1943 a West African Press Delegation visited war torn England. his account was written in Hausa by the then editor of he Hausa newspaper. He visited among other places, Parliament, Birmingham and Epsom. 

7. Kamus Na Turanci Da Hausa by Neil Skinner

Mine is he 1970 edition, an invaluable aid for he student of Hausa.

8. The Institutes of Biblical Law by Rousas J. Rushdoony (Author)

I met he author and have greatly benefited from his writing. A masterful exposition of the Ten Commandments though I dissent from RJR's wish o enact mosaic case law as today's civil law. I am with the Westminser Confession calling for the application of he general equity of he civil law of Moses. But a great exposition.

9. Analysis of the Institutes of the Christian Religion of John Calvin by Ford Lewis Battles  (Author)

Mine is 1980 edition. Battles is my edition of choice for The Institutes and this is a most helpful summary of the contents of the full work. It is a detailed analytical outline. There is also a brief history of the writing of The Insitutes, 1536 to1559.

10. The Puritans And Music In England And New England by Percy A. Scholes (Author)

The Puritans were Philistines against the arts. They closed the theatres. Scholes shows this is not true and the reason to close theatres was their being hot beds of prositution and immorality. A vindication of he Puritans and Cromwell, their chief of men, who loved opera.

11. New Testament: From 26 Translations

Very helpful for study and sermon preparation. Here is where he pained page is superior to a computer. But it is a pity thing older ah he KJV is included, especially yndale and Geneva.

12. Salvation: Full and Free in Christ (Banner Mini-Guides) by Ian Hamilton  (Author)

Clear on he basic concepts in salvation. I wondered at the target audience then saw here are thirteen chapters, one per week if a group follows an academic term of study. If so some study questions would be a help.

13. Edge of Daylight by Eddie Askew (Author), Beth Johnson (Editor)

Beautifully produced and illustrated by he author's own paintings. He and his wife went to newly independent India with the Leprosy mission in 1950. They witnessed the transformation of treatment with the advent of dapsone, the first effective cure for leprosy. He went on o be international director of he mission and travelled the world for it. He does not recount visiting Nigeria. Perhaps he missions working here were too advanced to need further help. Very well written and full of good stories and humour.

14.  Twentieth-Century Dictionary of Christian Biography by J. D. Douglas (Editor)

Brief articles and pretty well up to date. Schaeffer, Stott and Lloyd-Jones are here but no Dick Lucas.

15. War of Loves by Bennett David (Author)

The author went from being a gay activist, an atheist hating Christianity to being a committed celibate same sex attracted Christian. His testimony and struggles with his sexuality are the main part of he book. He is very honest. While I do not share his charismatic theology concerning the reality of words of prophecy I do not doubt the reality of his testimony and experience. His is the one book I would feel comfortable giving to someone who is committed to things homosexual. I am in agreement with N T Wright in the foreword. I am no comfortable with him calling himself a celibate gay Christian but I sympathise with his use of the LGBQI terminology. His book has much to teach Christians who want to reject homosexuality but show love to homosexuals. I cannot recommend it too highly.

16.Our World Belongs To God

1988 publication approved by he CRC as a contemporary Reformed confession. An excellent contemporary testimony.

17.ANNALS OF THE DISRUPTION 1843. by Rev. Thomas. Brown (Author)

If you want to hear of the most significant even in the last two centuries in Scotland written by one who was here, this is he book. Why did over 400 ministers in 1843 leave their churches, buildings, manses, stipends for an uncertain future, no longer part of an Establishment funded by he state. Because they denied the authority of civil courts over he life of the church, particularly in the appointment of ministers. Hardship was certain to follow even when most of a congregation followed the minister out of he Church of Scotland and into the Free Church. Persecution and rials. Meeting in the open air. Difficulties in buying land for churches and manses. How to support 400+ ministers, soon rising to over 100 and not only ministers but school teachers who lost heir employment on joining the Free Church? Tenants and servants were threatened with loose leases and employment. Paupers were threatened with the loss of funds if they gave to the Free Church,A remarkable and unique history. One quote I find it hard to believe, 'The landed proprietors of Scotland, as a class, have the most kindly regard for the people on their estates,' p409 quoting the Free Church Report on Sites i.p7, q95. Had they never heard the word, 'clearances'?

18.The Table Talk by Martin Luther, Joannes Aurifaber, et al.

Mine is an 1857 edition. What must it have been like to share he board wit Katy's cooking and the beer she brewed for Luther? Well, here is he sparkling conversation. Plenty of Marin's wit and wisdom from those privileged o here.Preceded by a biography and Luther's catechism.

19. Finding Grace in the Face of Dementia: "Experiencing Dementia--Honoring God" by John Dunlop  (Author)

20. Scots Worthies by John Howie, revised by W H Carslaw

Mine was published in 1871. he introduction makes us through Scottish church history up o the reformation but then we are merely given biographical chapters from Reformaion up op to Stuart Killing times. The book lacks a cohesive historcal narrative to unify it.

21. THE HOLY QUR'AN, text translation and commentary by A Yusuf Ali

I have read i twice. One of he great mysteries is how his is read beautiful in Arabic. Beauty lost in translation? It is not a patch on the Bible for content of literary diversity.

22. Everyday Life in Bible Times by National Geographic Society (U. S.) (Author)

Lavishly illustrated. Worlds of Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon,Jesus, Paul and he arch of empires.

23. THE SECOND GREAT WAR; A STANDARD HISTORY; VOL.2 - PAGES 401-816 Hardcoverby GWYNN MAJ.-GEN. SIR CHARLES (EDITORS) HAMMERTON SIR JOHN (Author)

I also inherited volume one from my father . Well related, illustrated and indexed. A standard work. I wish he had collected be remaining volumes.

24. Wonders of World Aviation ... Edited by C. Winchester. Consulting editor J. Laurence Pritchard by Clarence Arthur Charles Winchester (Author), John Laurence Pritchard (Author)

I inherited two volumes. My father bought them during WW2 and they are a comprehensive record of aviation prior to WW2.

25.Shipping Wonders of the World: a Saga of the sea in Story and Picture [2 vols] by Clarence Winchester (Author)

Another inherited two volumes. Unlike e aviation volumes it does not seem so dated though pre-WW2. Some things are very different e.g he chapter on whaling.


26.Stefan Buczacki's Plant Dictionary by Stefan T. Buczacki (Author)

Very comprehensive. Well illustrated. Common and Latin names. Warnings as to the poisonous.

27.An Introduction to Cactus and Other Succulent Plants y H. M. Roan (Author), S. H. Scott (Author)

I received this as a school prize in 1966 when I was keen on cacti. Now I can pass it on to my grandson who has inherited he interest. You will see he difference between cacti and succulents.

28. Container Gardening by Numbers: 50 Stunning and Easy-to-follow Designs by Bob Purnell  (Author)

Planted pots, troughs, window boxes and hanging baskets, how to plan and organise.

29. Complete Vegetable Gardener by Peter Seabrook by Peter Seabrook (Author)

All the vegetables you may wish to grow and how. including a calendar of activities.

30. Country Quilting by I Stanley (Author), J Wilson, J (Author)

Well presented and illustrated. Chapters on tools and equipment, materials, fabrics, techniques with projects to do.