Customer Reviews

A Life Well Lived: A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book is easy to read and the author takes Ecclesiastes verse by verse and shows the importance of man needing God in his/her life.

Tommy Nelson once again shows his passion and extraordinary insight into the wisdom literature of the Bible. A Life Well Lived: A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes provides a very detailed and intimate look at this writing from King Solomon. Thanks Tommy Nelson!

This and many other studies by Pastor Tommy Nelson of Denton Bible Church in Denton, Texas, are excellent resources for the growing Christian who wants to better understand the Word of God. The 1-star reviewers on this site appear to be completely missing the point of his teaching style and commitment to expository (verse by verse) Bible study (and may be unwilling to listen to good old Texas Bible teaching!). Give this study a try. You will be blessed!

I highly recommend this book! Tommy Nelson has taken the book of Ecclesiastes & made it relevant to our lives in today's world...
An excellent Bible study for the young & old. You will not be disappointed with purchasing this book!

The review by the author was very insightful for our men's class. We spent 11 weeks studying the book. The study gave a balanced perpective into Solomon's words of wisdom to his people.

At first I was attracted by the topic and the plain, fun style. I gradually became suspicious as dogmatic statements succeeded ("Arguably the greatest movie ever made", "I realize they weren't singing to make good music because it wasn't that good.", "When was last time you heard about a good protest? They just don't happen."), as well as off-topic childish morals: "Also, it's better to tell the truth than to lie. And it's better to work hard than to be lazy. [] So it's best in life to live wisely and morally." "Why do bad things happen to me when I love God and am trying to do the right thing?"

There are too many vague and emphatic calls upon God, good and evil in my taste.
I was scared by this statement: "I firmly believe that man's last 'hope' will be anti-Christ, who will finally cause man to face his need for repentance in Jesus." Is this a Christian belief?

I think this book is meant to be simple and very accessible. In my opinion, it is also simplistic and uneducated.
Now honestly I haven't read past chapter three. I couldn't stand the metaphor of the piano where the black keys feature "sin, evil and pain" because "if you ever played the piano, you know that by themselves the black keys don't sound very good". And still, interestingly: "Without a doubt, the song sounds better with the black keys." How candid! Just for that unfortunate wonderful joke I'm keeping the book.

I bought this book for an atheist friend, but I'm certainly not giving him. The book would confirm his views. Too often, Christians count on the intent to excuse the flaws and really the flaws defeat the purpose.

For rigorous works I highly recommend Stanley Hauerwas instead. After I hurled Nelson's book on the floor I moved on to Hauerwas. It's much more difficult to read but I feel it's a liberating breathe of fresh air. It made me realized how much I was suffocating with Nelson's book.

Besides, Nelson himself would be surprised if he had something to teach us: "I found out that I, a small-town Texas boy, knew infinitely more about Charles Haddon Spurgeon than these guys from London. They didn't have a clue!"

I wouldn't recommend this book. The author's interpretations of various passages are just rehashes of the passages themselves. His explanation of Eccl. 10:10 "If the axe is blunt for lack of sharpening..." is have you ever tried to cut down a tree with a dull axe?
The author is also into capital punishment for children. Over and over he says "go to a baseball game."
If you're serious about studying Ecclesiastes this book won't help one bit.