Customer Reviews

The New Oxford Book of Christian Verse (Oxford Paperbacks)

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Knowledgeably compiled by academician, poet, and literary critic Donald Davie, The New Oxford Book Of Christian Verse is compact, 352-page anthology of verse, congregational hymns, and anonymous pieces that offer testament to Christian faith from writers across the whole of the English speaking world, with especial emphasis on the timeless works of George Herbert, Henry Vaughn, Christopher Smart, and William Cowper. A moving collection of faith that transcendes era, superb for quiet contemplation, group study, or family sharing. The Holy Ghost: O Holy ghost, whose temple I / Am, but of mud walls, and condensed dust, / And being sacrilegiously / Half wasted with youth's fires, of pride and lust, / Must with new storms be weather-beat; / Double in my heart Thy flame, / Which let devout sad tears intend; and let / (Though this glass lanthorn, flesh, do suffer maim) / Fire, Sacrifice, Priest, Altar be the same.

Even though this may not be the best collection of Christian poetry ever, this is still a good, solid collection.

Davie apparently went for quantity, adding Christian poets you may never have read before, which does add interest. On the other hand, I thought the scanty collections of John Donne, T S Eliot and Gerard Manley Hopkins were really a shame. It does contain a slew of Emily Dickinson poems, however.

George Herbert is very well represented, including "The Pulley". Yet the poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins' "Carrion Comfort" that takes the same theme is missing, with the lyrical tug and release of man and God, just as Herbert's "Peace" is in the book but Hopkins' "When will you ever, Peace, wild wooddove, shy wings shut/ Your round me roaming end, and under be my boughs?" is not to be found. These two poems, so similar and so utterly different, beg to be placed within one volume.

There are no biographies or discussions of the poetry, just the poems themselves.

Still and all, a book worth the money.

I'm reading this as a devotional aid, and finding it to be a heart-stirring, facinating way to start the day. To consider the thoughts and feelings of Christians who lived centuries ago is very refreshing. Highly recommended.

This is an excellent book, of which I had to repurchase for my now 9 year old daughter. She read the binding off of the paperbook version, so we bought this hardcover. I'm thankful it is still in print as it is dificult to find worthy material for my little poet to learn from enjoy.

Although this book covers the majority of great Christian poetry, it leaves out some key authors such as Galway Kinnell. Its choice of John Donne poems is puzzling. Further, there are no biographical or textual notes that would help the reader. I had hoped to use this book for a high school class, but it will not be helpful to my students.

Mama Dai Fell Through the Floor
and Other Cultural Missionary Stories
by Diana Baird

"While serving as a foreign missionary in remote and tropical Papua, Indonesia, Diana Baird experienced action-packed fun and adventure, laughter, heartache, tears, and discouragement.

She relates her collection of short stories, Mama Dai Fell Through the Floor, to memories from her personal journals kept while serving in Indonesia. These journals will challenge those who say they could never go and live in a foreign country. Baird uses true life stories from her first few years of experiencing language and culture in Papua as a personal challenge for the reader.

Mama Dai Fell Through the Floor will have you crying, laughing, and reconsidering your thoughts about foreign culture and language adjustment.

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Mama Dai Fell Through the Floor is also available in e-book and audio book form. Also see Tate Publishing's web page for details.