book review - 7 things he'll never tell you

7 things he'll never tell you

{but you need to know}

by Dr. Kevin Leman

Here's another book by an author I've never read before. It's a "relationship" book published by Tyndale House Publishers, and it is a Christian oriented book, by which I mean that it quotes the occasional Bible verse, and has an essentially fundamentalist view of relationships. However, I think that the author does a good job of talking about marital relationships without depending too much on authority (meaning Bible verses) or too much on logic (since the only logic in human relationships is not the usual kind).

I picked it up at the airport when I was looking for something to divert myself for the flight from Dallas to Tucson. I read most of it on the flight. It's really pretty well written, and makes simple points. It's actually written for a woman to read, but I found it accessible without being offensive - no male bashing to speak of, at least none that wasn't good humored.

I finished it up over supper, and found myself thinking of concrete ways I could apply the message in my own life. To me, that's a good sign that the book is easy to read and easy to apply in one's life.

The author is a trained psychologist, radio and television personality, humorist, and speaker. I had never heard of him, but perhaps I don't listen to the right stations. But, the insight and advice given rings true. From my perspective, the advice seems like things that would be helpful in my own life.

I'd recommend the book, and found it enjoyable to read, even humorous from time to time. It took me about three hours to get through it. I'm sure I'll read it again in a year or two.

I can't say that much for most "relationship" books. Most of them I have a hard time getting through in the first place, much less reading them again.

Book Review - The Outer Limits - Volume 1

The four authors involved in this volume are Harlan Ellison, Diane Duane, John M. Ford, and Howard V. Hendrix.

These four stories in volume 1 are associated with the television series, either the original or the revival.

These stories are good examples of the reason I read science fiction. Each has its particular sub-genre - whether that is a war story, horror story, or even a variation on a famous theme - in this case a Frankenstein story and an "it came from outer space" story. But all of these stories are unique and original in their own way. Each makes you think and imagine and reconsider the world around you as if it might not be quite what you thought it was.

I have read a number of Harlan Ellison's works, and his is a staggering talent and imagination. I would highly recommend you read at least a few of his stories.

Diane Duane is a competent writer and I've enjoyed several of her books. They are worth reading, and she seems able to work within and respect whatever world or assumptions she starts with. Perhaps that is a mark of a truly great writer.

The other two authors I am not familiar with, although their work in this volume is very good.

If you are not familiar with the television series "The Outer Limits", it ran in the mid-1960's, and then a decent revival in the 1990's. Although it only ran a season and a half in its original incarnation, it has proven to be a classic and seems to be available every so often on the Sci Fi channel or elsewhere on cable TV.

At the time, I don't think there was anything else like it, or if there were things in the same general bent, they didn't seem to be as serious and thought-provoking. The series is well worth looking up. These four stories are either the stories upon which the teleplays were based or vice versa, stories that were written based on the teleplays.

It's worth a read. I've read it twice myself. The book is published by Prima Publishing.