A Tiger In Eden

It is not very often that opinion at our "Slim Tomes" Book Club is unanimous.  This book prompted one of those rare occasions.  We all disliked it.  I found the main character annoying, the "transformation" unconvincing and the conclusion fulfilling.  Flynn played with lofty ideas but his superficial treatment of grief, remorse and the desire to start anew was so badly done that it was annoying.  Overall a banal book that did not even redeem itself with the humor promised by the reviews on the cover.  The only good thing - it was a short little book and a quick, easy read, so it did not waste much of my time.  I don't think I will be reaching for a Chris Flynn book again anytime soon.

A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey

I have started reading 6 of McLaren's books, and now I have finally finished one.

"Started" because by the time I get about a third of the way in I shove the book away in disgust because his writing style drives me mad! He frequently and elaborately refers to and second guesses what the reader's response might be to what he is saying. And my main response is to think "Just get on with it". Anyway, at least he has found an outlet in his fiction to carry on the conversations he likes to imagine himself having with his readers.

At least now I feel I have some idea of what his ideas/position/theology are. I can identify with many of the points on which he differs from orthodox Christianity. Some of his ideas are both refreshing and challenging.

Now I need never read another Brian McLaren book in my life (though I am not entirely sure why I thought I needed to in the first place).