Book Reviews: Two Men's Stories

ARRESTING GRACE by Michael Joel Green begins with a man named Michael getting pulled over and arrested by police for driving under the influence. The book is Michael’s story of his night in jail, the humbling experiences as a result of his arrest, and his romance with a beautiful girl named Jessie. It is all told first person, very well written, and definitely believable. There is a lot of philosophizing in the book. It’s Michael’s story.

            I had a few problems with ARRESTING GRACE, almost all of them to do with faithful Christians being completely comfortable hanging out in bars, dancing in clubs, being part of the rock scene, and enjoying those surroundings. I had to question if these atmospheres had something to do with Michael’s drinking problem in the first place and how good it was for him, after his DUI and repentance, to be frequenting the same places. I also had a problem with Jessie’s immodest dress, since she seems like a lovely Christian woman. Her dress didn’t seem to jibe with the rest of her life. 

            Never does the book portray drunkenness in a good light. There’s no bad language (though the author uses two crude words my parents would never have let me say).

            I’m pretty sure that this is an autobiography where the names have been changed to protect the innocent (and guilty) parties. If so, I am glad for Michael’s attitude, his allowing the DUI experience to teach him instead of making him bitter, and for some of the other valuable lessons he learns throughout the book. Overall, it’s a thoughtful and transparent book that will help others. I personally would not recommend it, though, because of the problems stated above.

BETTER TO BE BROKEN by Rick Huntress is the true story of an Air Force serviceman whose life is completely changed in a freak accident at work. He becomes paralyzed from the chest down. This is the wonderful story of a very human person who experiences an extremely difficult situation. It reveals with great honesty his character, his fight to keep up a “good front,” the loyalty of his wife and family, and how God used this horrible accident to break and heal Rick’s heart. Rick’s story is told in first person and is well written. His sense of humor—even about some of the not-so-funny things that happen to him—was great. I would recommend it to anyone, disabled or not. Excellent and sensitive. My only criticism is that it was too short!