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Display Highlight: Head Librarian Picks

by Sam Nyhus on 2021-05-11T09:23:56-07:00 | 0 Comments

A new book display has recently appeared in the spot just to the left of the library desk: “Head Librarian Picks” (not to be mistaken for Head Librarian Pics, though perhaps that display too will be created one day). As the name suggests, Head Librarian Caleb Harris has selected six books to put on display for the school. Below, Mr. Harris has graciously provided some comments on each book, explaining his selections:

 

Cover ArtHoliness by John Webster
"This book is one of two monographs by the late British theologian John Webster. Until his untimely death in 2016, Webster was a hugely influential proponent of traditional, confessional, disciplined theology, in a theological scene defined by liberalism, progressivism, and distraction. My first encounter with Webster was a brief article by him I read during senior Theology, though I studied his work at greater length during a term-long elective by Dr. Harmon. I would recommend this work as the most accessible yet thorough look into Webster’s mind and mission, though Tyndale has quite a few other holdings by him as well."
Cover ArtDoubting Thomas by Glenn W. Most 
"This fascinating book tracks the reception history of the Apostle Thomas, both in the Christian written and visual traditions. Writing in a similar vein to Gary Andersen’s survey of the reception history of Genesis 1-3, The Genesis of Perfection, Most illustrates how historical understandings of the character of Thomas differ from our own, and thus invites us to reassess some of our most deeply held convictions of this somewhat obscure figure—such as whether he ever truly touched Jesus in John 20."
Cover ArtThe Last Indian War by Elliott West
"Though I have never read this book, I am currently in the process of reading another book by Elliott, Growing Up with the Country, a study of the children of America’s far-western pioneers. In Growing Up, Elliott writes with a historical flair and wit second only to Dr. Schlect, drawing on countless interviews, diaries, scientific studies, and photographs to paint a compelling picture of young life on the far-western frontier, and to argue for the importance of this unique perspective for understanding American history. The Last Indian War is not only Elliott’s most popular book, but it also strikes on a topic that is close to home to us all: Nez Perce-pioneer relations during the American settlement of the far-western frontier."
The Mosaic Polity by Franciscus Junius

"This book is one of only two English translations of complete works by Franciscus Junius (1545-1602), a student of John Calvin and Theodore Beza, as well as a linguist, pastor, and theologian whose Reformed-scholastic approach to theology was hugely influential upon the formation of a specifically Reformed theology. This book represents Junius’ thoughts on the polity of ancient Israel, and how/which features of that polity should be applied to modern politics—a perennial question among Christians, and one which deserves thorough reflection in our modern day and age. Incidentally, Tyndale also just purchased a translation of one of Junius’ most important works, his Treatise on True Theology, which comes complete with a translation of Junius’ own autobiography, written broadly in the style of Augustine’s Confessions. Incidentally, Junius is also one of the two authors of the most significant Protestant translation of the Old Testament into Latin, the Testamenti Veteris Biblia Sacra, first published in 1579. Tyndale happens to own the 1593 edition of this work in its Archives; you can learn more about it in a previous blogpost. (I just completed a translation of six Minor Prophets from this translation for my grad thesis; a copy of this translation is due to join Tyndale’s collection in the fall.)"

Cover ArtThe Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser
"I read books 1-3 of this work (there are six in all) in Dr. Grieser’s Middle English elective during my junior year at NSA. I quickly fell in love with Spenser’s ornate and highly formalized method of storytelling, and found the narrative of book 1—about the Red Cross Knight, his damsel in distress Una, and his terrible dragon foe—particularly captivating. So captivating, in fact, that I dedicated my undergrad thesis to trying to discover an original pronunciation of the work, one that would preserve its intricate rhyme scheme, which is severely skewed by modern pronunciation. (For those interested, this thesis is available for checkout at Tyndale.)"
Cover ArtEast of Eden by John Steinbeck
" I took my first go at this book, at my wife’s recommendation, during my senior year at NSA, but had to stop halfway through because I found it so darn depressing. However, I returned to (and completed) the book a couple years later, and with the additional emotional maturity gained from those years was able to appreciate it for the masterpiece it is. Also, if you’re not willing to put in the time it takes to read a physical copy of this sizeable book, I should mention that it’s available in audiobook format through Tyndale’s subscription to OverDrive!"

As with all book displays, feel free to check out any of these books that interest you!


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