2014 – Justin Daniel

This is a list of the books I read in 2014. All the reviews were written in 2014 and are archived on this site in (roughly) the order I read them in.

Book Reviews 2014

The Cross of Christ, John R.W. Stott

September 15, 20192014 / Book ReviewsPeople are always looking for that “quick fix” for their lives: “All you have to do to find true happiness is steps 1, 2, and 3!” Unfortunately, the church has soaked up this harmful practice. Church attenders today, in America, are sadly drawn in by rhetoric that has little to do with the Bible in order to live “your best life now.” What you really need is to know Jesus: who he is and what he did and why it’s important. I am so saddened when I talk to folks who show no interest in theology. Granted, theology has gotten a negative reputation as being something for academics and has little use outside the classroom. However, after reading John Stott’s “The Cross of Christ,” this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Not understanding theology is what is keeping you suckling milk when the academics are chewing on hearty meat. Understanding theology helps us in our sanctification and strengthen and deepen our relationship with God. It was surprising to me to find out most Christians do not know the real reason why Jesus died on the cross (I’m getting to the book soon, I just need to stand on this soapbox for a minute), and the answers we typically give are mostly erroneous. Yes, he loves us, but why the cross? If he simply had to die because he loves us, that seems shallow and superficial. No, God has a hatred for sin, seen in Romans 1:18: “For the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” God’s wrath is against sin. Therefore, to be justified, or declared not guilty, someone had to take the penalty for God’s wrath. Therefore, the reason Jesus died on the cross was to satisfy (propitiation: see Romans 3:23) the Father’s wrath against sin, the exchange being Jesus’ righteousness for your sin. How do we respond to this act of love? We fall down to our knees in worship! But we also consider the sin in our life. When we understand how much God hates sin, then we begin to hate sin. Our theology determines our methodology! These are some of the truth’s found in Stott’s book. This is merely the surface however. This book is eye opening: it reveals what depth of love Jesus has for us, how much God hates sin, both of which are impossible to truly understand given a theology based on superficial presuppositions like “Christ died for YOU on the cross.” This cheapens both Christ’s death and Christianity. Stott’s book has solidified in my mind the need to educate the layman in theology: it is not merely an academic exercise. Understanding the cross is crucial to a correct understanding of who Jesus is and without it, we perpetuate the Church’s steady decline into irrelevance. This definitely deserves a second read because it is sometimes not easy to understand, but Stott presents such a sound argument with loads of evidence considering all the points (which can be confusing at times). I have learned much from Christ’s experience on the cross and the subsequent response we as Christian should have when we discover such magnificent truths. I would recommend you pick up a copy to read for yourself! “If we spoke less about God’s love and more about his holiness, more about his judgment, we should say much more when we did speak of his love.” [...]

The Last Stand Of Fox Company: A True Story Of U.S. Marines In Combat, Tom Calvin

September 25, 20192014 / Book ReviewsWhen I was at the School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I took special liberty to Texas to go to my good friends wedding. I had a layover in Charlotte, North Carolina and sat down (exhausted) next to a young man. On the ground he had a book that he was reading through entitled, “The Last Stand of Fox Company” with this iconic image in it. I turned to him and asked, “are you a Marine?” Turns out, he was also on his way to Texas for a wedding, and he was a Marine Aviation Officer. When the stewardess (who saw me clutching my big browed white cover in my hand) realized I was a Marine, she told me to get up and sit in first class. I resisted at first, looking to the higher ranking individual next to me. With a nod, he smiled and said, “go ahead!” I sat in first class for the first and only time that day. The best part of the story is I left my saxophone back in the bin above my seat. As I was waiting for people to vacate the aircraft to return to claim my saxophone, I saw the man lumbering forward, weighed down by my saxophone! Ever since that encounter, I have always wanted to read “The Last Stand Of Fox Company.” This year, I finally got it and read it some time ago (I thought I had already written a book review but I guess I was wrong!). In the 1950’s, the United States went to war when the North Koreans crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea. At first, the North Koreans pushed the US and Korean forces deep into South Korea, before the famous daring puncture into North Korean lines, by way of the Chosin Reservoir, made them retreat. The United States Forces then went on the offensive, chasing them deeper and deeper into North Korea. But the Marines encountered an unknown enemy along the way: reinforcements that were wearing garments that the Marines had never seen before. The Chinese, under the command of Mao Zedong (whom I read a biography about here) came to the rescue of the North Korean’s. This sets the stage for the heroic acts of Fox Company. They were charged to hold Toktong Pass in the cruel Korean winter. They hunkered down in defensive positions, under the command of Captain William Barber. Little did they know they were surrounded by perhaps over 100,000 Chinese soldiers. The book details the harrowing accounts of each of the hellish nights Fox Company spent defending Toktong Pass. They not only had to battle the Koreans and the Chinese, but also the cold: at night time, the temperature plummeted into the negatives. Battle Worn and running low on men to defend the pass, I thought one of the most interesting aspects of the fight was the reinforcements attached to Fox Company. They recruited members of the Headquarters Battalion (cooks, postal Marines, etc.) to help the grunts. This is possible because all Marines are riflemen and are able to answer the call of duty when the time comes. The most notable member of Fox Company was one Private Cafferata. On the first night, the Chinese attacked relentlessly and the members of Fox Company had to repel their offensive. Cafferata batted down grenades during the skirmish, all the while protecting wounded Marines, and singlehandedly held the line. Captain Barber in the book mused the next day that Cafferata must have killed 60 Chinese, although he is only credited with 15. I have included the citation from his Medal of Honor: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifleman with Company F, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division(Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 28 November 1950. When all other members of his fire team became casualties, creating a gap in the lines, during the initial phase of a vicious attack launched by a fanatical enemy of regimental strength against his company’s hill position, Private Cafferata waged a lone battle with grenades and rifle fire as the attack gained momentum and the enemy threatened penetration through the gap and endangered the integrity of the entire defensive perimeter. Making a target of himself under the devastating fire from automatic weapons, rifles, grenades and mortars, he maneuvered up and down the line and delivered accurate and effective fire against the onrushing force, killing fifteen, wounding many more and forcing the others to withdraw so that reinforcements could move up and consolidate the position. Again fighting desperately against a renewed onslaught later that same morning when a hostile grenade landed in a shallow entrenchment occupied by wounded Marines, Private Cafferata rushed into the gully under heavy fire, seized the deadly missile in his right hand and hurled it free of his comrades before it detonated, severing part of one finger and seriously wounding him in the right hand and arm. Courageously ignoring the intense pain, he staunchly fought on until he was struck by a sniper’s bullet and forced to submit to evacuation for medical treatment. Stouthearted and indomitable, Private Cafferata, by his fortitude, great personal valor and dauntless perseverance in the face of almost certain death, saved the lives of several of his fellow Marines and contributed essentially to the success achieved by his company in maintaining its defensive position against tremendous odds. His extraordinary heroism throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Harry S. Truman President of the United States Pretty amazing. I would definitely recommend “The Last Stand Of Fox Company.” [...]

First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps, Victor Krulak

September 25, 20192014 / Book ReviewsI remember at the School of Music during my training early on in my Marine Corps career, this guy in the Army asked me why we needed a Marine Corps. He said something like, “We can do everything the Marine Corps does..” First to Fight is an inside look at the reason we have a Marine Corps. At the end of World War II, there was a downsize of the military and with good reason: the over-burgeoning weight of men and women who joined the war efforts was staggering; as it came to a close, there was no need to continue the excessive size that ballooned during the global conflict. I suppose that the Marine Corps mission has been different throughout history: in it’s early days, Marines would hang from the rigging of ships and distinguished themselves as expert marksman as they protected against the assault of men onto their ship; In the 1920’s and 30’s, the Marine Corps adopted a doctrine on beach landings and assaults that drastically changed their purpose and intent. With the onset of WWII and the island hopping campaigns, this provided the Marine Corps with a lot of work. But during those years of excess directly after the war the Marines did nothing extraordinary, in the eyes of congress and top military leaders, that the Army could not do also. And thus the battle for the Marine Corps’ life had again come into jeopardy. The first half of this book is, frankly, a dry read. The author, retired Major General Krulak discusses those early years after WWII and the struggle to get the Commandant in on the board of the Joint Chief of Staff, which includes the top Generals from the Army, Navy and what was to become the Air Force. He talks about court hearings and a lot of legal mantra that I just didn’t understand. I got the point though: saving the Marine Corps was tough and a lot of people were against it. He then breaks down the Marine Corps from specific angles that isolate it’s strengths and how it is different and unique from other services. Examples from these chapters (the most interesting, by the way) are things like how thrifty and inventive Marines are. He uses anecdotes from his many years of service as illustrations of these traits that make Marines superior and builds an argument of why we need a Marine Corps. Ultimately, he concludes that the purpose of the todays Marine Corps is a response force that can amass a great deal of proficient warriors in little time in order to “police” the world and it’s atrocities. It is because of this reason that Marines need to be ready to fight at any time. I remember hearing a story of the 31st MEU in Okinawa, Japan that was told to prepare during a typhoon to board a ship soon after it had passed in response to the 9/11 attacks. The Marine Corps survives today because it’s mission is made flexible to suit the needs of this great nation and we will continue in this manner until the fight for the Marine Corps life is put on the chopping block again. [...]

Rainbow 6, Tom Clancy

September 25, 20192014 / Book ReviewsI got onto a serious fiction kick in June and July. And that’s ok. What I am discovering about fiction is that it doesn’t all have to be a fantasy that serves no purpose but to quench your desire for adventure and excitement amidst the mundane: rather it can serve a specific function that addresses and serious issue in society or tackle a taboo topic through a series of convoluted plot twists and character development. And sometimes a fiction book is just for fun. And that is what Rainbow 6 was. “6” is a call sign that designates the commanding officer of different units/commands. The group “Rainbow” was formed by John Clark (or, Rainbow 6) formerly of the CIA, to be a counter terrorist operations group that responds to various threats around the world. Based in England, Clark and his team of the best warriors from special forces units around the world train under the guise of secrecy to be an autonomous cohesive group that surpasses even the elite. There are several storylines that occur that don’t make sense at first in this book and becomes clearer as it progresses. There is a story arch about a ex-KGB intelligence officer that recruits terrorists for certain missions in Europe; the selection and training of Rainbow is a story in itself; a group of scientists gather bums off the street for some secret tests in New York; a mysterious pharmaceutical company is planning something interesting among others. Without giving away too much of the plot, these more informative sections are interlaced between the response of Rainbow to a terrorist threat where they kick some serious tush. All in all, this is a pretty good read for those who just need an escapist fantasy read. I enjoyed the intertwining of the stories (even though it might have been a little confusing at first) that climaxed into an intelligent conclusion that was really quite satisfying. I suppose you can’t go wrong with Tom Clancy [...]

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History, Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim Felice

September 25, 20192014 / Book ReviewsIn October, I went through a phase of reading the stories of former service members and their time in combat. Clint Eastwood is producing a movie called “American Sniper” that is based off of the events in this book, as it follows the career and life (as the subtitle says) of the most “lethal sniper in U.S. Military history.” This book will appeal to the military history buff and the layman who wants to read about the brave conditions these heroes had to endure. In the beginning of the book, Kyle tells a story about his time in Iraq, where he saw a small child received a bomb and began walking towards the Marines he was protecting (you can see the reenactment of this in the “American Sniper” trailer). He speaks of this kind of ethical/moral debate throughout the book and seems to have a clean conscious in regards to the people he has killed (in one interview he calls them “savages“). In all, Chris Kyle lived a very interesting life. From becoming a Navy Seal to all the many deployments to Iraq, he narrates the story of his life and dictates how he became one of the most deadly snipers in the history of our nation. He attributes a lot of his success to luck and being in the right place at the right time. One such story is the longest confirmed kill of his career, which came at an incredible distance of 2100 yards (21 football fields). Other stories he tells include his partner waiting in the nest for hours without a kill; he took over in relief and put rounds down range that illustrates how “lucky” he was. Kyle had established for himself a reputation among the arabs in Ramadi that coined the nickname, “the Devil of Ramadi,” and at one time had an $80,000 bounty on his head. But his career really took off before that in Fallujah, where he participated in both being an excellent sniper, and took turns clearing houses with the Marines. The long narratives of the situation are broken up by anecdotes of particular situations he was in that are of importance or are more rememberable. This helps the flow of the book read like an exciting fiction novel instead of a dry biography. Kyle’s story is filled with twists and turns as he documents trouble at the home front with his wife and children. The phrase “service member” designates that a man or woman is a part of the United States Military and that he or she is involved with “serving” their country. Part of this “service” (as I, a fellow “service member” have come to realize) is the sacrifice one makes for his country that impacts the family sphere. Kyle, with help of vignettes from his wife, show how much Kyle sacrificed for his country by placing his family as number two to his country. He struggles throughout his time as a Seal trying to be a family man but fulfill the obligations to his country. This is a struggle many service members wrestle with: even more so as a Seal where deployments are the golden standard. While this is a very entertaining book (I read it in just a couple of days), this whole genre of American heros telling war stories in book form really bothers me. What is most annoying is how poorly it is written. As you can see from the title, two other writers helped Kyle pen his thoughts. This is significant of the whole genre: it seems like any time a service member wants to document their experience in combat, they need a team of editors and writers to help them out. And even then, why is the writing so awful? While the stories Kyle tells are interesting, it is overshadowed by the thought, “did he really write this?” But if that doesn’t bother you like it does me, pick up a copy of “American Sniper” before you see the movie! [...]