Christianity Today

Collected Ghost Stories: Edited by Darryl Jones M. R. James (Oxford University Press)

That the acknowledged master of the classic ghost story was also a devout Christian and one of "the most distinguished scholars of the world," known for his "prodigious" work "on manuscript catalogues, on biblical apocrypha and the writings of the Church Fathers, on ecclesiastical architecture, and on whatever else happened to capture his imagination," seems a conjunction worth pondering. Hence this volume offers both instruction and delight.

Origins: Christian Perspectives on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design Deborah B. Haarsma and Loren D. Haarsma (Faith Alive, revised ed.)

The authors, a wife-and-husband team, are both professors at Calvin College. The first edition of this book, they explain, was directed primarily to "Christians familiar with Reformed theology and tradition." In this revised edition, they seek a "broader audience" without in any way departing from their core convictions. The Haarsmas have succeeded. Christians from many different streams of the faith will profit from this clearly written and remarkably fair-minded survey.

The Dragon's Tooth: Ashtown Burials #1 N. D. Wilson (Random House)

If you haven't yet read N. D. Wilson, this is a good place to start—especially if there's someone in your family who relishes adventurous fiction. This is a "Young Adult" book of the superior sort, meaning grown-ups (at least those not too hardened with age) can enjoy it as well. It's the first installment in a new series, set in our familiar world yet intended—as was Wilson's nonfictional Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl—to open our eyes afresh to the sheer strangeness and wonder of all that we normally take for granted.

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John Wilson is editor of Books & Culture, a Christianity Today sister publication.

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