The Imam’s Daughter

Hannah Shah

Zondervan

hardcover, 288 pages, $19.99

978-0-310-32575-8

After 10 years of enduring abuse behind the closed doors of her Muslim home, Shah had determined that it was time to flee before being sent to Pakistan and forced into marriage. After years of keeping up appearances for the sake of her family and her culture, Hannah could take no more and, at the point of contemplating suicide, she mustered the courage to leave the life she had known.

While her escape opened up a new world of unimaginable freedom—revealing to her what love really is and bringing her into a new life in Christ—it did not come without dark hours and sheer terror, as her father hunted her down.

Now married and living as freely as she can under a new name, Shah travels the world speaking to bring awareness to what happens behind closed doors and to bring the promise of a brighter future for Muslim women.

The Imam’s Daughter: My Desperate Flight to Freedom is a powerful story for readers curious about the lives of Muslim women and for those who desire to see God’s love and power in action.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

Anatomy of the Soul

Curt Thompson

Tyndale House Publishers

hardcover, 304 pages, $22.99

978-1-414-33414-1

Psychiatrist Thompson provides an innovative look at the way God has wired the mind in Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections Between Neuroscience and Spiritual Principles That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships.

Drawing on the problems of real-life patients as well as psychological studies of biblical figures, Thompson shows how understanding the workings of the mind leads to spiritual healing. For example, the logical, left brain allows one to know the facts of salvation, but the abstract, right brain permits experiencing God’s love. Likewise, the brain’s lower “reptilian” and “mammalian” lobes provide hardwired emotional responses to stimuli, but the cerebral cortex allows a Christian to override instinct when God requires it.

The chapter structure provides a self-reinforcing progression to advancing God’s mercy and justice through what Thompson calls an integrated life, represented by the acronym FACES: flexible, adaptive, coherent, energized and stable. He admits he is not undertaking anything bold, like proving God’s existence via neurons, but is just challenging believers to examine their walk with Jesus in a new and scientific way.

—John D. Leatherman

The Wisdom of Pixar

Robert Velarde

IVP Books (InterVarsity Press)

softcover, 168 pages, $15

978-0-830-83297-2

In The Wisdom of Pixar: An Animated Look at Virtue, Velarde offers a thoughtful perspective on Christian principles as presented in some of the most popular animated films in recent years. Cars, Up and Finding Nemo are just a few of the films he examines to find themes that support Christian values.

While careful to point out that Pixar does not tie all its films to theology, Velarde draws sensible conclusions and connections between the Christian life and many Pixar characters and plotlines. The themes of hope and imagination run throughout many of the films—Remy from Ratatouillebecomes fascinated with humans because of their creativity, for example.

Velarde discusses the creativity of God and how humans created in His image also have the gift of imagination. Other themes such as justice, humor, love and even technology are explored in depth.

Concise chapters and discussion questions make this book accessible for group studies.

—Bonnie Bruner

The Homecoming

Dan Walsh

Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 320 pages, $14.99

978-0-800-73389-6

A sequel to The Unfinished Gift, Walsh’s The Homecoming continues the story of Shawn Collins and his son Patrick as the pair navigate a new reality without wife and mother Elizabeth. Shawn’s relationship with his father, Ian, is repaired,yet Shawn’s military duties during World War II keep them apart.

Readers will be happy to see character Katherine Townsend again, in a new role as Patrick’s nanny. Mrs. Fortini returns, too, offering food and friendship to all. The family must cope as Shawn is ordered stateside to speak at War Bond rallies—a job many would relish, but which he dislikes. How can he keep tabs on his son, and what about his father’s failing health? And how can he understand his feelings for Katherine?

From a historical perspective, The Homecoming is entertaining. In fact, Walsh’s best writing occurs when he describes Shawn’s crash landing of his B-17 in enemy territory. The book flows slowly, though readers will soon become immersed in the drama of World War II and the Collins family.

—Ann E. Byle

Connecting Like Jesus

Tony Campolo and Mary Albert Darling

Jossey-Bass (Wiley)

hardcover, 256 pages, $21.95

978-0-470-43102-3

While the 21st century offers many ways to communicate—smartphones, Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, Instant Messaging—paradoxically, these technologies can leave people feeling alienated and disconnected.

In Connecting Like Jesus: Practices for Healing, Preaching, and Teaching, sociologist and preacher Campolo and communications expert Darling have combined forces to bridge the gap of interpersonal distance. Their goal: to help people “relate to others in ways that deeply satisfy the deepest needs of our souls.” Divided into three parts—Connecting Like Jesus, Practices of Soul Healing and Practices for Teaching and Healing—the book focuses on important themes, including self-awareness, overcoming fear and redeeming conflict.

Connecting Like Jesus is an essential resource for churches and religious organizations. Yet it has broad appeal and will aid students, seminarians, counselors, church leaders and lay people. In sum, it will intrigue any reader interested in how the Holy Spirit can break down walls between people.

—C. Brian Smith

The Soul of Spider-Man

Jeff Dunn and Adam Palmer

Regal Books

softcover, 144 pages, $9.99

978-0-830-74752-8

The Soul of Spider-Man: Unexpected Spiritual Insights Found in the Legendary Superhero Series follows a trend of authors using popular stories to illustrate biblical lessons. Taking their cue only from the films and not the comic books,Dunn and Palmer trace Director Sam Raimi’s trilogy about the wall-crawling superhero, inserting biblical narratives where possible.

The wisdom of Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben and his catchphrase “With great power comes great responsibility” is driven home, as are lessons about love, fear, sin, bitterness and death. Since the awkwardness of Spider-Man alter-ego, Peter Parker, has resonated with young viewers, the authors have a wealth of material to mine.

Written for younger teens, The Soul of Spider-Man is divided into short chapters with simple terminology, and will provide a helpful resource for youth groups.

—DeWayne Hamby

Chasing Superwoman

Susan M. DiMickele

David C. Cook

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-1-434-76462-1

In Chasing Superwoman: A Working Mom’s Adventures in Life and Faith, working mothers receive the support needed for the daily struggles they encounter when multitasking between work, family and a relationship with God.

Sharing her experiences as a working professional and a mother, DiMickele addresses the emotional issues mothers face in meeting the expectations others put on them and the demands they place on themselves. She empathizes with her readers on the common concerns of guilt, fear and insecurities, time management and raising spiritually developed children. She also acknowledges how, often, the church fails to meet the needs of working moms, but encourages them not to isolate themselves.

DiMickele helps mothers know that, with God’s grace, they can do their best, —and that the working mother does not have be a superwoman.

—Nicole Anderson

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