2 stars (dissapointed...) - i could only read an hour of this. the 1st 3 chapters are on the bible code. the rest is probably just as bad.
5 stars (The Bible as a Whole) - I was exposed to this book as I was visiting Regent College and talking with Gordon Fee in his office there. It was about a week prior to the release of the volume and he was excited about it. Dr. Fee pointed out that this was actually mainly his own project and Dr. Stuart acted primarily as a consultant for the Old Testament material. He explained his vision in very canonical terminology. He wanted to create a reader's guide to the Bible as a whole and explained that this is more of a one-person project in order to give the book unity. Verses are descibed in relation to surrounding passages. These passages are included in the individual book of the Bible. The books are a part of larger section of Scripture (e.g., Genesis is part of the "Narrative of Israel in the Biblical Story"). These sections combine together to make the whole of the Bible itself. There is an overview to the whole Biblical story and one for each section. The chapters about the individual works of the Bible have the following setup (using Genesis as an example):ORIENTING DATA FOR GENESIS-Content (brief synopsis)-Historical Coverage (estimation of time the events take place)-Emphases (short list) OVERVIEW OF GENESIS (few paragraphs to summarize material) SPECIFIC ADVICE FOR READING GENESIS (a page or two of advice) A WALK THROUGH GENESIS (divides the book into sections and gives short commentary on each section) The chapters end with a brief concluding paragraph which reiterates the books role in the whole of the Bible. This book is extremely accessible for the layperson wanting a guide to reading the Scriptures. All too often verses and passages are used apart from their biblical story and this guide is a wonderful reminder of those dangers as well as a helpful tool in changing our perspective. Of course it is helpful if you have read How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by these authors, but it is not necessary. I have a degree in biblical studies from Messiah College and whenever I am about to jump into a new book for personal Bible study, I find myself consulting How to Read the Bible Book by Book as a starting place.
4 stars (A good guidebook for the Bible) - This book provides specific guidance for reading each book of the Bible by providing an introduction and summary of each book. This title also tries to tie together the big picture and how each book fits into that overall story. This is helpful because many of us at times get lost in the details. I recommend using this book with How the Read the Bible for All its Worth by the same authors in order to get the most benefit. | 
