The Band That Played On ~ Book Review

I received "The Band That Played On", by Steve Turner, for free from BookSneeze.com in return for my honest review of the material. If you are interested in receiving materials in exchange for honest reviews, please check out BookSneeze.com. 

This is not your typical book about the Titanic.  In fact it is about the 8 band members that were assigned to the Titanic on it's maiden voyage.  There isn't much known about these men but author, Steve Turner, researched their lives before they ever went aboard.  Not only did he research these 8 men but he gave us the history of the company that hired them as well.  It's an amazing book and I would recommend this book to history buffs and non-history buffs as it is very well written.

I found a video on Amazon.com that I've linked to here.  That and with the product description below you'll understand how amazing this book is.  I really can't wait to read more of his books in the future.

Product Description

When Titanic collided with an iceberg at 23:40 on April 14^th, the eight members of the band had already retired for the evening. Still, they put on overcoats and mufflers came out to play in the lounge. When most of the First Class passengers had taken to their lifeboats, the musicians simply moved to the deck and continued to play, calming the passengers as the ship sank. One second class passenger said: "Many brave things were done that night, but none were more brave than those done by men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea. The music they played served alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be recalled on the scrolls of undying fame." Survivors' accounts differ about whether their final tune was "L'Automme" or "Nearer My God To Thee." What has never been disputed is the courage of these musicians who deliberately sacrificed the possibility of escape in order to produce a mood of tranquillity at a time of extreme anxiety. But who were they? What journeys brought them to this deck on this icy ocean? Had any of them previously displayed signs of great courage? Who did they leave behind? Historian and biographer Steve Turner delves into the lives of these brave men, revealing eight unique portraits of bravery.

Book Review ~ Love: Cultivating Spirit-Given Character//a six-week study

I love my new car.

I love the book that I just finished!

We love the movie that we just saw.

Oh my gosh I love your shoes!

But is this really love? In the book Love: Cultivating Spirit-Give Character explores the first Fruit of the Spirit.

My Review:

First off...I really enjoyed reading this book/study.  My favorite part actually came in the introduction.  He states, "Paul listed it first because it is a prerequisite for the other fruits of the spirit.  Without love, there is no joy, peace, patience, and so on.  Without God's love, we can never live up to our God-given potential."  This is so true and yet so forgotten!  Without love we have nothing.  This book/study was designed to be used in a group format but can also be used as an individual study.  In this study you will explore different aspects of this fruit.  Some of the aspects covered are Love Forgiveness, Love--Unconditional Longing of God and Love--God's Passion for His World.  Truly an amazing study and I can't wait to use it with my Sunday School class.  I would recommend this study to anyone...group or individual.

From the back cover:  

Love.  It's perhaps the most overused and misused word in our language today.  We love our cars.  We love sports.  We love Montana in the spring.  Somehow, we've come to understand love as a feeling that ebbs and flows or a "place" in life we're fortunate enough to land.  Yet the Bible paints a dramatically different picture of love.

Love is a characteristic of God.  Calvin Miller invites us to dive deeper into the biblical concept of love as the result of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us -- illuminating and transforming every selfishness so we can begin to reflect the image of Christ.

Love is one of the nine studies in this significant series on the fruits of the Spirit by author Calvin Miller.  Each six-week study guide is designed to focus your spiritual life on being like Christ by thoroughly exploring a different fruit of the Spirit.

You can get this book by either clicking the link provided below or by shopping my Amazon Store which is a tab above.  Enjoy!





Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review ~ The Truth of the Matter

From the backcover:

Ever since he woke up in a terrorist torture chamber--with a year of his life erased from his mind--Charlie West has been on the run.  He has one desperate hope of getting his life back: trade down the mysterious agent named Waterman. But in fact, reaching Waterman--and recovering the secrets lost in his own memory--will only increase his danger.  Because a team of ruthless killers is rapidly closing in on him, determined to stop him from finding the answers.  And the truth of the matter is more incredible...and more deadly...than he could ever imagine.

Book Description (from BookSneeze):

Charlie is certain that if he could just regain his memory, the chaos around him would make sense. But the truth of the matter is even more incredible than he could imagine.

Charlie West was an ordinary high school kid who went to bed one night and woke up in the clutches of terrorists and wanted by the police for murder. He also woke up with no memory of the events of the past year.

Now Charlie has found the one person who knows what happened . . . and who can help him remember. But remembering is painful--as well as dangerous--and figuring out what to do with this new knowledge may be Charlie's toughest challenge yet.

My Review:

I have only read this current book which is the third book so far in The Homelanders series.  I normally do not read a book out of order but from what I had read in other reviews is that it was a book series that was so well written that you didn't need to start with the first one.  So when I saw that it was being offered as a book to review for Thomas Nelson's BookSneeze program I thought that I would give it a try.  They were right! The author, Andrew Klavan manages to tuck all of the previous important details into the book, without making it feeling like a recap. This is an amazing book filled with so much action that I felt like I was on a roller coaster.  I'd give you more insight but then I would be giving parts of it away.  What the backcover and book description say above is enough.  I will definitely read the first two books and await the 4th book that is due out on Aug 2, 2011.




Note: This book was provided to me free of charge to review through the Booksneeze bloggers program. The opinions in the review are my own; my only compensation was the book.

The Revolutionary Paul Revere - Book Review

Product Description
"Quick in the saddle and fast out of town." Watch one of America's most remarkable heroes come alive through fast-paced prose and gripping storytelling.

The Revolutionary Paul Revere starts at a gallop and never slows down. Follow Revere's adventure-filled life from childhood through the French and Indian War; from the prerevolutionary economic disasters through the incendiary tax fights and riots; from military occupation of Boston through Revere's part in the Boston Massacre trial; from his role in the Boston Tea Party through his early service as express rider for the Massachusetts patriots; from the tragic death of his first wife through the whimsical pursuit of a new love; from his role as waterfront spy through his famous midnight ride; from his participation in the worst American naval disaster before Pearl Harbor through his eventual vindication.

Learn about Revere's life in the Freemasons and the secret political clubs of Boston. Discover his role in Massachusetts' ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Get the inside picture of his business dealings, and see how he transformed himself from poor artisan to wealthy industrialist, making everything from kettles to cannons. Revere's life story is the quintessential American story.

My Review

The book is a quick and easy read that follows the life of Paul Revere from the immigration of his father, Apollos, in 1716 to Revere’s death in 1818. Miller highlights every day events in Revere’s life that propelled him into the limelight. For example, his work as a goldsmith granted him access to key people in his community which led to his joining the influential brotherhood ~ the masons.

I don't always enjoy reading biographies because usually they are fact filled and boring. Sorry but that's how I feel. I was surprised when I read this book because it was more like a novel than a biography! It was refreshing and informative to read and kept my interest to where I didn't want to put it down. The book has 22 relatively short chapters, each with a one word title followed by a heading that briefly summarizes the chapter’s emphasis.

I was very much surprised with the captivating story of Paul Revere.  From humble beginnings, he worked hard to improve his standings and eventually attained recognition and success. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a gripping account of life in colonial Boston.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Purchase the book

Everyone Communicates Few Connect

Every single one of us communicates every day, whether it be in person, on the phone, in a text message, emails, someone reading your blog or maybe even social media.  But at the end of that communication has it ever left you feeling as though you never really did connect with that person?  In John C. Maxwell's new book Everyone Communicates Few Connect: What The Most Effective People Do Differently he explains how to actually connect with those that you are communicating with.


From the moment I started reading this book I was hooked.  It amazes me that no matter if you are trying to communicate with an individual or a large group Maxwell will walk you through it.  At the end of each chapter you will learn how to apply what you just learned.   One of my favorite lines from the book is:  "Yes, people are people.  And wherever you find them, they desire to connect with others!"


Maxwell's book is divided into two parts: Five Principles and Five Practices. Some of these include finding common ground, keeping your communication simple, capturing people's interest and staying authentic in all your relationships.  This book is a great resource for anyone who needs to communicate, which is pretty much everyone.This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson as part of their BookSneeze program.  I was not required to write a positive review.   To see my full disclosure just click here.