Christmas Uncut by Carl Laferton

Christmas Uncut: What really happened & why it really matters... by Carl Laferton ISBN-13: 9781908762177 Trade Paperback: 64 pages Publisher: The Good Book Company Released: December 15, 2012 Publisher's Book Page Christianbook.com book page

Source: Review copy from the publisher requested through Cross Focus Reviews.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Scandal. Controversy. Massacres. Mystery... Christmas? This is a book about the real Christmas; the one that has been lost when we turned it into a children's nativity play and took out the difficult bits. The one that got buried under made-up details about donkeys and innkeepers and kings.

And this is a book about why what really happened at Christmas really matters for you--about how these amazing events can transform your life and your future.


My Review:
Christmas Uncut is a short, quick read about what really happened at the first Christmas. The tone was casual and sometimes humorous, but the author kept focused on his point. He accurately portrayed what the Bible says about Christ's birth and the purpose of his birth, life, and death.

Each chapter started with a short, funny story about a nativity play, and he used this to illustrate a point. The author then explained what really happened according to the Bible and filled in some cultural and historical background so the events can be understood better. He then explained why knowing the real story matters--how it changes our perspective of the events. He covered the angel telling Mary that she would become pregnant, the angels announcing Jesus' birth, the shepherds coming to see Jesus, the magi, how Herod reacted, what Simeon said, and why Jesus came in the first place.

While it's an interesting look at Christmas even for most Christians, the book seemed geared toward non-Christians familiar with nativity plays. Overall, I'd recommend this book, especially to those who don't know much about or haven't thought much about what the real Christmas would have been like.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt.