Category Archives: book review

Finding Shelter: A Child’s Memoir of WWII

25 Saturday Jun 2022

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I’m a history buff, or some may call me an armchair historian. I have read dozens of books on theimg_20220624_1547378 Second World War, but none of them have been written from a child’s perspective. That’s why I found “Finding Shelter” by Angelina Fast-Vlaar so fascinating.

Fast-Vlaar takes us back to her rural, childhood home in the Netherlands. This was a happy home. But soon the carefree joy of childhood was tainted by war. The invading German army cast a dark shadow over the family and community. The German occupation brought many restrictions and hardships—hardships that were felt even by young school-age children.

We see all the events of the war through the eyes of a child. There is a growing darkness as this story develops. Eventually, the war begins to go badly for the Germans, and the oppression worsens. After D-Day the school Angelina attends is closed and used by the occupying army. Food is scarce. Hungry people arrive at their door. Day and night bombers fly overhead. Soon with deadly force the war arrives at their doorstep, as Canadian soldiers battle to drive out the Nazis.

Above all this is a story of faith, courage, and perseverance. It’s a unique unseen perspective that I appreciate. Thank you Angelina Fast-Vlaar for your childhood memoir of WWII. It had me enthralled.

The Ripple Effect: God’s Invitation to a Pastor’s Wife to Heal Her Pain & Shame

23 Saturday Apr 2022

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Some books surprise you. This book did just that. As a male pastor, I thought I would have difficulty relating to the experiences of a pastor’s wife. But just the opposite was true. On many points I found myself identifying with author, Danielle Presseault’s lived experiences.

At its core this is a book about inner healing, spiritual warfare, and deliverance. But don’t expect a lengthyRipple Effect biblical treatise on these topics. That’s not the author’s writing style. Instead, Danielle uses a chatty conversational style to tell in story format her need for spiritual and physical healing, her struggles along the way, and her ultimate emergence in victory. This is a narrative that I believe many will be able to identify with, or perhaps long for.

Like many Christians in leadership, Danielle had become adept at portraying an overcoming victorious lifestyle, though she was broken and wounded inside. Eventually that inner brokenness began to manifest in serious health issues. The Ripple Effect chronicles her journey from flat out denial to inner healing, and eventually to her own ministry of bringing spiritual health to others. Of course, there are setbacks and challenges along the way, but in all of it, God and his Word are honored.

I gave this book a five-star rating because I believe it touches on genuine needs within the Christian community and society in general. Our deepest needs are spiritual and Danielle’s forthright telling of her story can help many on their own journey to wholeness. We need to see what inner healing and spiritual warfare look like as a practical lived experience. The Ripple Effect does just that.

An Interview with Author David Kitz

29 Saturday Jan 2022

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By Hilda Young of the Ottawa Christian Writers’ Fellowship

  1. I am reading again your book “Psalms alive! Connecting Heaven and Earth.” You are fascinated with the drama in the Psalms!
    Yes, that’s true. I also love the poetry and imagery in the Psalms.
  2. What gave you the idea of writing a three-volume book about the Psalms?
    Psalms 365 did not begin like most of my other books. It began as a blog. I attended a Write! Canada workshop at the 2013 Word Guild Conference. The workshop presenter urged all of us to begin blogging. At first, I resisted the idea. But after I returned home, I relented and decided to give it a try. But what should my topic be? After trying a few things, I settled on blogging my way through all the Psalms.
  3. Why did you decide to divide it up in three parts? How did you decide on the divisions?
    RGB300Kitz2AWARDThe publisher decided to breakup the manuscript because in its original form it would have resulted in a book of nearly 800 pages. The divisions fell very conveniently at the end of Psalm 51 and Psalm 104.
  4. Are all the three books about the same length?
    All three books are about 265 pages in length. The print is quite large for easy reading.
  5. How long did it take to write and research?
    From start to finish the raw manuscript took about two years to complete. Typically, I would write one devotion each workday of the of the week. Polishing the manuscript and finding a royalty paying publisher took much longer than the actual writing.
  6. Have you been asked to do any presentations about the Bible study aspect of the book series?
    I led a Zoom Bible study of Psalm 51 just this morning.
  7. Have COVID restrictions made an impact on your ability to promote the books?
    Yes, restrictions on travel and church gatherings have made promotion much more challenging. Fortunately, many obstacles can be overcome through online events and social media activities, but I miss the in-person gatherings.
  8. Do you have a favorite Psalm?
    David Kitz (2)

    David Kitz

    I have many favorites, but at the top of the list is Psalm 103. It gives me a full, all-encompassing view of God and calls me to a higher level of worship.

  9. Is the photo on the cover of the book from the Holy Land?
    The three cover photos are scenes from present day Israel. They have a timeless quality about them. I am very pleased with the Elk Lake Publishing team. They did a great job on all aspects of the book series.
  10. I notice on your blog that you feature a different Psalm everyday with a photo and commentary. Does the cross pollination of the blog and the books help increase book sales?
    I admit not every regular blog reader is going to want a hard copy of my book, but some do. Also, some purchase the book(s) as gifts for loved ones. The blog also gives the book a broad international reach. On a typical day my blog has 120 views with about twenty of those views coming from in Canada. The rest of the readership comes from fifteen or more countries scattered around the globe.
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Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer has won the 2021 Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild, and for those who love God’s word, it’s an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. For a closer look at Volumes II and III click here.

God’s Fire Starters

23 Sunday Jan 2022

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This compact, 137-page volume delivers a powerful punch.Firestarters

“God’s Firestarters” is about ordinary people who were ignited with passion for the Lord, and in turn, they set scores—and in some cases millions of others—on fire with the love and power of the gospel message.

The book is a compilation of twenty short biographies of Christian leaders who had an extraordinary impact on their generation and the world. Each chapter is about five pages long, and covers the highs, lows, and transformative moments of these world-changing pastors, leaders and thinkers.

The book is chronologically organized as it moves through history beginning with Katharina Luther (1499-1552) and ending with the theologian J.I. Packer (1926-2020). Between those dates we find the stories of eighteen other remarkable men and women who overcame enormous obstacles as they lived lives that powerfully impacted the church and the world.

Authors Ed and Janice Hird have done their homework. Each biography is well-written and thoroughly researched with dozens of endnotes.

These are stories that will build your faith and stoke your courage. I highly recommend this book. It’s a real fire-starter in the best way imaginable.

Loved Like Never Before by Ken Symington

01 Saturday Jan 2022

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A Book Review

The subtitle of this book by Ken Symington is “Discovering the Father Heart of God”. Really, that’s what21273063 this book is all about. Sadly, all too often our earthly fathers are a poor reflection of our heavenly Father’s care and love.

Symington approaches this topic with a great deal of care and sensitivity. The abused or neglected child can find comfort in these pages. The sad truth is our picture of God is often distorted by our relationship with our earthly father. We transfer our father’s shortcomings onto our concept and understanding of God the Father. Chapter by chapter Symington works to correct these distortions so we can see our Father God in a new light—the true light of Scripture.

I found his description of Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son and the father’s love particularly insightful.

This book changed my perspective on the first person of the Trinity—God the Father. For that reason I give it a five star rating.

Book Review: The Third Man—Churchill, Roosevelt, Mackenzie King and the Untold Friendships that Won WWII

20 Sunday Jun 2021

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In many respects, this is a rather remarkable book, as it highlights the pivotal role Mackenzie King played in the55312511 relationship between Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt. As Canada’s longest serving Prime Minister, King was able to act as a bridge between these two strong-willed leaders. This was particularly crucial when Britain was facing Hitler, largely alone, before America’s entry into the war. King played a crucial role in establishing the links that resulted in the Lend Lease Program, a vital life line during this darkest hour.

King’s role is often overlooked along with Canada’s major contribution to the war effort.

Author Neville Thompson draws extensively from King’s personal diaries. In many respects the diaries give us an intimate look into the lives of these three wartime leaders. Their friendship was strong, genuine and abiding despite some marked differences in policy.

This book is ideal for those who value a close-up look at history, and how it unfolds at the upper echelons of political power, or those who have a keen interest in these WWII leaders. In many respects, the book is deserving of a five star rating, but it lacks the polish and top level editing needed for that score. Yet for those who treasure Second World War history, it is well worth reading.  

Fast Eddie’s Thoughts on “The Soldier Who Killed a King”

07 Tuesday Apr 2020

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I’ve read this book and enjoyed it. It is biblically accurate and any dramatization never went beyond the realm of reality and plausibility. The thorough research behind the writing is quite obvious.

Kitz keeps a tight pace through the narrative and keeps it true to the spirit of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection without ever getting preachy.

I wished there were more books like this. It’s a historical fiction, for sure, but there was nothing within the fiction that would contradict what the Gospels in the Bible describe.
Best of all, the book is intended for general readership and not restricted to Christians. For anyone who would like to enjoy an immensely readable, dramatic, emotional, and accurate account of Easter and the time leading up to it, I highly recommend “The Soldier Who Killed a King.” For Christians, it’s a great read for Lent and Easter.

Time Machines Are Available

21 Saturday Mar 2020

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This Amazon book review is deserving of a quick read.

If you had a time machine, to what time and place in history would you travel? For me it has always been my desire to be an eye witness during the Passion Week. And now in reading David Kitz’s The Soldier Who Killed a King, I feel like I’ve been there! This high action historical fiction is a marvel of storytelling filled with suspense, perceptivity and wonder. It’s a story of God’s pursuing love. I highly recommend that you read this book—that you jump into this time machine!—for a heart-stirring, life-changing journey back to where hate and death were conquered by Love and Life.

Lyle Johnson — founder of NextLevel Ministries

To learn more and purchase in the USA click here.
To learn more and purchase in Canada from the author click here.

 

An Antidote for the COVID-19 Blues

17 Tuesday Mar 2020

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So… you’re stuck at home. COVID-19 has you in isolation or something approaching isolation. You have spent countless hours surfing around social media sites. You’re tired of depressing newscasts and dire warnings. You need a break from it all.

Here’s a suggestion. Maybe it’s time to take a trip—not just any trip. This is a journey to the Holy Land—not the Holy Land of today, but the Holy Land during the time of Jesus. In fact, let’s visit during the most pivotal week in human history—the week of Palm Sunday through Easter Monday.

Let’s see the events of that pivotal week through the eyes of the Roman centurion who knelt at the foot of the cross and made this confession, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (See Matthew 27:54.)

That’s the premise behind my passion of Christ novel, “The Soldier Who Killed a King.”

So what do others think of this book? Well, the reviews are in and the scores are high. With 62 reviews on Amazon.com “The Soldier Who Killed a King” scores 4.8 out of 5 stars on the Amazon rating system. In Canada with 51 reviews posted the score is even higher at 4.9 out of 5 stars. Numbers like that are rare in the literary world.

Here is a sample of a 5 star review:

‘The Soldier Who Killed A King’ is one of the very best books we’ve ever had the privilege to read! Insightful, captivating, inspiring, historically accurate, so very satisfying and engaging… A heartfelt ‘thank you’ to David Kitz for having written this most incredible account of the crucifixion of Christ… A great read for this time of the year as we approach Easter!  — Don & Jan MacGregor 😊😊

Despite an international travel ban, now might be the very best time to take that trip to the Holy Land.

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To learn more and purchase in the USA click here.

To learn more and purchase in Canada click here. To purchase directly from the author use this link.