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Monday, October 26, 2009, 9:00 AM

Over the past few years Tim Challies has written hundreds of book reviews. Invariably he finds a way to focus on the positive, finding something worthwhile in otherwise lackluster books. But Karen Armstrong’s The Case for God has stymied his ability to find anything worth praising.

Well, almost:

armstrong
armstrong

It is a rare occasion that I find it difficult to point out any redeeming features in a book—when I struggle to find a single positive to write in a review. Unfortunately Karen Armstrong’s The Case for God is one of those books—one that is so monstrously bad, so hopelessly awful, so wretchedly miserable, that it took concerted effort just to finish it. Heck, even the cover stinks—a pile of religiously-significant books hovering at a strange angle over a plain background. I tell you what: I will concede the font. The book is set in Granjon, a very nice, classical font that is very consistent with the earliest Garamond type faces. It is classy and classical but without being antique. But that is as good as the book gets.

Read more . . .

5 Comments

    Craig Payne
    October 26th, 2009 | 9:13 am

    A random thought: For Christian books, why isn’t there a nice standard font named Baptismal?

    Nick Melucci
    October 26th, 2009 | 9:18 am

    I said it before and I’ll say it again…….with believers like Armstrong around, who needs atheists.

    Tweets that mention Um, Well, The Font is Nice » First Thoughts | A First Things Blog -- Topsy.com
    October 26th, 2009 | 10:19 am

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kathie and Londiniensis, H.D.L.M. Schruer. H.D.L.M. Schruer said: RT @Londiniensis The most honest book review I have ever read (re indifferentist ex-nun Karen Armstrong) http://tinyurl.com/yjmbb22 [...]

    Frugal Dougal
    October 26th, 2009 | 1:28 pm

    The boy done good – I don’t have the staying power in the face of eejitry to start anything by Karen Armstrong, let alone finish it!

    Anthony Mator
    October 27th, 2009 | 12:42 pm

    The real rub is that one thing he praises — the font — was most likely the publisher’s idea.

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