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Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and Its Fashionable Enemies, by David Bentley Hart
Written by Bill Wortman
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Non-fiction
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 This modest-sized apology of Christianity is unique among all of the books that defend the faith against the recent salvos by the new atheists. Hart is a first rate theologian with a prodigious vocabulary (read it on a Kindle and save yourself lots of dictionary time) and an incisive command of history. He wields these important weapons with wit and a healthy measure of condescension for the “fashionable” herd of new atheists. The book presents a survey of early church history – which many Christians are not very familiar with – and thereby establishes that the “Christian Revolution” was tectonic in its size and influence.
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An American Caesar, by William Manchester
Written by Larry Taunton
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Non-fiction
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 Published in 1978, this is a biography of Douglas MacArthur, a man of extraordinary gifts and accomplishments, with an ego to match. The son of a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient, MacArthur was born in 1880 when the Old West was still a reality. Attending West Point, he would there begin to reveal the genius that would characterize his life and career. Two World Wars, a myriad of successful engagements, seven silver stars, and two Medals of Honor later, he would return to America to be greeted by crowds numbering in the hundreds of thousands—and to a disastrous run at the presidency.
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Can We Trust the Gospels?, by Mark D. Roberts
Written by Bill Wortman
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Non-fiction
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 Bart Ehrman has been the wrecking ball du jour of many people’s confidence in the reliability of the New Testament. This small book (subtitled Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) is an excellent resource if you are looking for a reasoned and sensible retort to Ehrman. Mark Roberts earned his PhD from Harvard University in New Testament Studies, so do not be fooled by the non-technical nature of the book. He has an impressive scholarly background. He writes with pastoral care, but does not skirt from addressing some points of tension. The book is not a defense of Biblical Inerrancy, but of the general trustworthiness of the Gospels. These are two separate, though obviously related ideas. Given how often this question arises, I highly recommend reading at least one book on the subject. Mark Roberts would be the perfect place to start.
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Christianity for Modern Pagans, by Peter Kreeft
Written by Bill Wortman
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Non-fiction
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 Blaise Pascal is rightly regarded as the father of modern apologetics. A contemporary of René Descartes (mid 17th century), Pascal stood athwart the birth of modern skepticism, holding the lifeline to reason and Truth. In this book, Peter Kreeft has collected the most interesting and important of Pascal’s Pensées (“Thoughts”). They are short, lyrical, and powerful. They condense very sophisticated arguments to concise and memorable sentences. Kreeft’s explanations are invaluable, but he asserts emphatically that his explanations are always inferior to Pensées themselves.
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Persian Fire, by Tom Holland
Written by Larry Taunton
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Non-fiction
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 Our readers might interested in Persian Fire, by Tom Holland. I enjoy well-written and researched narrative history, and Holland may be the next Robert K. Massie or Barbara Tuchman. His first book Rubicon was excellent. Persian Fire is a history of the Persian Wars, tracing the rise of the Persian Empire, Greece, and the conflict between East and West. Though not as well-written as his first book (far too speculative for my tastes), the book is, nonetheless, worth the time. Holland is particularly skilled at teasing out the subtleties of historical development, and respects the role of the individual to shape events.
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