Less Than Perfect by Ann Spangler

Less Than Perfect by Ann Spangler ISBN-13: 9780310341727 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Zondervan Released: Aug. 7, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through BookLook Bloggers.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
What can the Bible’s most flawed men and women reveal about who God is and how he reaches out to less-than-perfect people? Whether considering the murderous Herodias, the scheming Jacob, or the doubting Sarah, Ann Spangler approaches both familiar and lesser known characters with fresh eyes. We meet each of these individuals again as if for the first time as Spangler offers a dramatic retelling of their lives, insight into the historical and cultural context of their time, and key takeaway points for our lives today. Each chapter includes questions for discussion or reflection, making Less Than Perfect ideal for individual or group Bible study.


My Review:
Less Than Perfect is a Bible study that mainly consisted of a narrative retelling of the lives of 30 people. Each chapter focused on a different person, but sometimes the stories overlapped--like the story of Adam and the one for Eve--and some things were repeated. The facts from the Bible create the bones of the story, but cultural details and potential motives were also woven in as the events are described by the person the chapter is about. Each short story was followed by a few pages describing cultural and historical background facts that provide insights to the events. Finally, there were 3-5 questions to prompt the reader to think about the person, what happened, and how we might act in a similar way. These questions can be used in a group study, but the book reads like a personal study to me.


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 using Google Preview.