Book Review: Start Here by Alex and Brett Harris
Posted in Academic Pursuits and tagged with Book Review, Teenagers on March 16, 2010Welcome to the Ignorant Historian! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Having read their first book a few months ago, I was excited to receive a free copy of this book from the publisher. While I, not being a teenager or college student, am not really the intended audience of these books, I like to have an idea of what’s going on with the younger generation since I regularly work with children and preteens.
I greatly enjoyed Doing Hard Things and thought it had a lot to offer. As a companion book, Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are hits many of the points where Doing Hard Things was weak or could easily be misinterpreted. Start Here shows evidence of Alex and Brett’s maturity from their teen years, the wisdom that comes with more life experience and time following God.
In Start Here, Alex and Brett continue to encourage teenagers to pursue hard things for God. Yet they offer several reasonable cautions, like don’t pursue something hard to the neglect of the things that God has commanded us all to do (spend time in the Word and prayer, honor our parents, love others as we love ourselves). They also emphasize that there is no reason to do this alone…a “hard thing” doesn’t have to be a solo project. They remind their readers not to take pride in their accomplishments, something they’ve clearly fight in their own experiences.
I think Start Here and their first book Doing Hard Things are great books for teenagers and those who live and work with them. These are great resources to use to encourage teenagers to set themselves apart from the me-first, pleasure-seeking culture they deal with everyday. This is a message young people need to hear–and hopefully one they will hear from their peers even if they won’t listen to adults.
I have one copy of Start Here to give away! If you’re interested, please leave a comment telling me why you’re interested in reading this book (or who you want to give it to). Open to residents of the US and Canada only. Must provide your email address so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway will be open until 5 PM Eastern, March 26th.
March 16th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Thanks for sharing this. Not only do I work with 3rd-6th grade girls in church, the oldest of which will be heading straight into the youth group, with three teenagers right now, I think this is an age-appropriate and relevant book review for me and has encouraged me to pick up a copy. Well, unless I happen to win the giveaway.
Twitter: barwal1
Says:
March 17th, 2010 at 9:48 am
I’m interested because I have teenagers, and they’ve read the Harris brothers first book. Put my name in the hat. Thanks!
March 17th, 2010 at 10:47 am
I would absolutely LOVE to read this book! I read all of their older brother’s books and have been curious about the younger Harris’ boys and the message that they are sharing.
The idea behind the book(s) sound great and so I’m crossing my fingers and hopin’!
March 19th, 2010 at 11:16 am
I’m preparing to start itinerating to be a (m) to the Middle East. I know that youth will be part of my audiences (in some cases my sole audiences) in the stateside churches. I don’t feel I was ever the “average” teen – I’ve pretty much grown up knowing this is what I want to do – so this book sounds like it could give some practical fresh ideas on how to challenge others – especially youth – to listen carefully and act on what God has called and gifted them to do here and now.
March 27th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Entries are now closed. Kayren’s the winner!