Scott J. Pearson

The Hope of Glory: Reflections on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross

By Scott J. Pearson | August 1, 2021August 1, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

I studied this book with my Presbyterian Sunday School class over the summer of 2021. It contains a long prologue, seven short meditations on Jesus’ seven last words from the Cross, and an epilogue. Meacham speaks from the Christian Episcopal tradition, one that respects the Bible but does not embrace Biblical literalism. At several points, he acknowledges the “mystery” or “uncertainty” of faith. He also talks at length about the value of partaking of regular…

Albert Camus and the Human Crisis

By Scott J. Pearson | July 25, 2021July 25, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

Albert Camus is one of my favorite literary figures of all time. I favor authors rooted in the Christian and classical literary traditions, and Camus fits this description well – even though he made no profession of faith after childhood. (Another fascinating and controversial book contends that Camus sought baptism just before his sudden death.) To me, Camus’ words capture the human condition very well. This biography, born out of college classes Meagher taught, attempts…

Software-Technology

HTML5: The Missing Manual

By Scott J. Pearson | July 24, 2021July 24, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

The advent of HTML5 enabled much advancement in the design of Internet apps. New markup went hand-in-hand with improvements in JavaScript and CSS3. Together, these set the course for web design up to the present (at least, in 2021). This book, though last updated in 2014, still presents the clearest explanation of these technological advances. However, to access this clarity, the reader has to overlook copious references to outdated browser versions along with older (but…

Biostatistics Indie

Best Practices in Data Cleaning

By Scott J. Pearson | July 18, 2021July 18, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

Professionally, I write software used for data collection in biomedical research projects. My current project extends from data collection into the field of interpretation. Combining these demands requires that I learn something about data cleaning. Thus, this book’s title caught my eye. It is an academic book, not a popular book. I usually write in-depth book reviews on what I read, so I am writing one here. This book seems like it began as an…

History Religion-Philosophy

Christ in Camp & Combat: Religious Work in the Confederate Armies

By Scott J. Pearson | July 18, 2021July 18, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

The American Civil War comprises one of the most complex stories in a complex nation’s almost-250-year history. Further, the Christian religion is its own complex entity, even when just restricted to the southern states. In this work, Peterson seeks to combine both subjects in a study of the work of chaplains in the Confederate armies. He does a detailed job in collecting primary sources about southern religiosity during the war. However, on the historical front,…

Management-Business

Decision Making Essentials: You Always Wanted to Know

By Scott J. Pearson | July 13, 2021July 13, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

The Self-Learning Management Series aims to educate those new to the responsibilities of management, likely coming from other fields. This book does a yeoman’s job at providing exposure to foundational concepts about decision making in business. It’s like a textbook, except a bit briefer and a bit more accessible (in other words, less academic). Koscinski, a professor of business, summarizes current thought about decision-making. Helpfully, Koscinski keeps current with the state of thought by mixing…

Religion-Philosophy Society

What Does the Bible Say About Strangers, Migrants, and Refugees?

By Scott J. Pearson | July 13, 2021July 13, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

Please read my post on this book on the Englewood Review’s website. What Does the Bible Say About Strangers, Migrants, and Refugees?By vanThanh NguyenCopyright (c) 2021New City PressISBN13 9781565483767Page Count: 144Genre: Religion/Christianity, Sociologywww.amazon.com

Politics Science Society

Genomic Politics: How the Revolution in Genomic Science is Shaping American Society

By Scott J. Pearson | July 10, 2021July 10, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

Hochschild, an academic political scientist, has been closely following genomic research for the last decade. In this book, she presents a comprehensive summary of where the politics of genomics currently is in America and where we are going. She contends that genomics hasn’t split into traditional left-versus-right camps (yet) primarily because most people tend to be for curing difficult diseases. However, other camps are forming, and she accordingly divides public opinion into Enthusiasts, Hopefuls, Skeptics,…

Biography-Memoir

There’s a Hole in my Bucket: A Journey of Two Brothers

By Scott J. Pearson | July 7, 2021July 7, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

At first glance, two things stand out about this book. First, the featured two brothers are great-grandsons of the famous JRR Tolkien, who wrote The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Although this fact will attract much attention, it is fairly tangential to the unfolding of this tale. The author Royd’s journey takes him on the movie set of The Lord of the Rings, and some characters play small roles in this tale. The book is…

Fiction-Stories

The Vanishing Half: A Novel by Brit Bennett

By Scott J. Pearson | July 2, 2021July 2, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

This story contains themes from many strands of life: race, grief, family, sexuality, LGBTQI+ issues, authenticity, estrangement, speaking lies or truth, and self-determination. None of these predominate in the narrative; rather, they seem to dwell together in just the right amount. Perhaps that’s why it’s won so much acclamation since being published a year ago. Bennett’s tale begins in a small town in Louisiana with an African-American family under Jim Crow. The father was lynched…