"A Graphic Guide to Music Therapy" (Bill Matney, Mandy Griffin, Becca Kurtz, and Amy Huxtable)

TITLE: A Graphic Guide to Music Therapy
AUTHOR: Bill Matney, Mandy Griffin, Becca Kurtz, and Amy Huxtable
PUBLISHER: Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2024, (224 pages).

What has music got to do with our health? Why is music included in therapeutic treatments? What is music therapy? In this graphic guide aimed at children, readers learn about the history, various music therapy methods, qualities of music, the treatment process, the therapeutic experience, theories, approaches, and how it can be adapted for general and medical use. Written by a team of four that consists of a Professor of Music Therapy, two Music Therapist practitioners, and an Art Therapist, we get a graphic guide that tells us the basics of music therapy approaches, theories, applications, and how they can be useful tools to improve our quality of life. We learn that music therapy can be used for general health and specialized situations. The authors define music therapy (MT) as the "intentional use" of music to build "shared experiences" that aid our health in  our "physiological, cognitive, communicative, social, emotional, and spiritual domains." They cover various professional definitions and the qualification needs from different countries such as Australia, the UK, and the US, etc. They also clear up some misunderstandings of music therapy. For example, some might think all music therapists are musicians. While therapists know music, musicians tend to focus on performance while therapists use music to facilitate healing. The historical background is quite interesting as it shows us the universal appeal of music through the ages.

"Practices for Embodied Living: Experiencing the Wisdom of Your Body" (Hilary L. McBride)

TITLE: Practices for Embodied Living: Experiencing the Wisdom of Your Body 
AUTHOR: Hillary L. McBride
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2024, (160 pages).

Our experiences do not define us. Our real selves do. Our bodies are not simply what we have but they are who we are. We are more than mere subjective people. We are valued for who we are and not what we do. All that we encounter in this life, the highs and the lows, can all be experienced in the very bodies we have. Unfortunately, many people still have not learned how to appreciate their bodies. In doing so, they fall victim to lies and myths that throw negativity to their physique or biological selves. Lies such as the need to subdue our bodies because they are inherently evil; that some bodies are better than others, or fat bodies are unhealthy, etc. As our bodies get devalued, we become disembodied beings. Disembodiment separates our physical selves from the rest of our mental and emotional faculties. Embodiment brings all of them together. More importantly, we are called not to learn or relearn what our bodies are or represent. We simply need to remember that. These and many more underline the premise of this book, which is to bring back a healthy appreciation of the bodies we have so that we can live well. This also means we need to see personhood in a holistic manner: Emotionally, Mentally, Physically, Socially, and even Spiritually. Besides helping us address lies we tell ourselves, this book also looks at the violence on our bodies, such as stress and trauma; illnesses, injuries, and pain; oppressive forces; self-esteem; etc. 

"Wounded Pastors" (Carol Howard Merritt and James Fenimore)

TITLE: Wounded Pastors: Navigating Burnout, Finding Healing, and Discerning the Future of Your Ministry
AUTHOR: Carol Howard Merritt and James Fenimore
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (190 pages).

Saying pastoral ministry is not easy is an understatement. Many enter the call to full-time ministry at some level of social and economic disadvantage. Well-remunerated pastors are few. Many struggle even to make ends meet. Having written about wounded Christians in all walks of life, there is one group of people that the authors have left out: The clergy. This book is the answer to the many criticisms about excluding the clergy in the woundedness category. From burnout to blatant hurts, healing is a necessary process, and some of us might say, even more so for the clerical vocation. Frequently, those in the ministry of helping others need help themselves. It is widely expected that pastors have to comfort others in their times of grief. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said the other way around. Who comforts them when they are grieved? In some congregations, expectations of pastoral perfection can even lead to unrealistic assumptions that pastors with special calling will automatically experience God's comfort. What if God is using ordinary people to help the hurting pastors? What if we recognize that not everyone is like the Bible heroes of old, like Moses, Joshua, David, etc, where God was their personal Comforter, Deliverer, and Saviour? God can use supernatural means to help, but we should not restrict God from using ordinary people via ordinary means. This book is one ordinary way in which pastors can find a way to heal from their wounds. Written in three parts, authors James Fenimore and Carol Howard write about this process.

"Mind Shift" (Erwin Raphael McManus)

TITLE: Mind Shift - It Doesn't Take a Genius to Think Like One
AUTHOR: Erwin Raphael McManus
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Convergent Books, 2023, (160 pages).
 

Are we limiting ourselves from our true potential? In a difficult, drudgery, and sometimes discouraging world, we need inspiration to drive us forward. The author begins with a pessimistic question, "Are people simply structured for failure?" He then questions this very statement with a more optimistic angle, that perhaps, the problem is not the question but more about how we push back against such skepticism. While that is one big emphasis, author McManus's reason for writing this book is to promote" Mental health, mental clarity, mental toughness, and mental agility." In a surprising twist in his reflection on the popular Zombie series of movies, he notes that while most people see the zombies as the real problem, the uninfected ones fleeing or battling the zombies might be the ones who are "consumed by fear, hate, greed, and power." Violence inflicted by humans might even be worse than the zombies. Just like how the issue flips from zombies to humans, readers need to do a mind flip as well. This sets the stage for readers to journey through the 12 mind shifts. What does it take to make a mind shift? McManus shows us the way. In a book about the mind, he begins with the mind. In a world infatuated with achievements, materialism, and success, the first shift reminds us that people should be a priority. Success means nothing if we lose our friends. Learn to treasure our relationships more than using them as a means to our ends. The second shift has to do with fame or the downsides of pursuing fame. Just learn to show up for people you care for, without the pressure of needing fame to fan that desire. The third shift is not to let ourselves be defined by the number of people following us. Losing people is part and parcel of all forms of leadership. Our inner circle of people will always be faithful supporters. The fourth shift deals with the need to demonstrate what we teach, practice what we preach, and do what we say. Most people won't be able to concretize what we say until they see the principle demonstrated in our lives. Moving along, the fifth shift is about self-limitations.

"The In-Between" (Hadley Vlahos R.N.)

TITLE: The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments
AUTHOR: Hadley Vlahos R.N.
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 2023, (288 pages).
 

Among the many kinds of phobia in the world today, the fear of dying remains at the top of the list. News of terminal illness can not only bring about depression to the sick, but it also stresses our family and loved ones in unimaginable ways. Whether it is cancer or some form of debilitating disease, as long as there is some hope of recovery, the fear of dying can be kept at bay. However, when it comes to incurable illnesses that involve entering into hospice care, the mood takes a traumatic turn. Imagine being a full-time staff working in such an environment. This is exactly what author and registered hospice nurse, Hadley Vlahos has experienced. She takes care of and walks with many people living their final days on Earth. Each patient can live up to six months. Sharing many powerful stories of courage, despair, hope, powerlessness, and many emotional moments, Vlahos takes us through the ups and downs of hospice ministry. She shares how she first became interested in end-of-life matters after the death of a personal friend. Through various twists and turns in her life, after some time in nursing school, she ends up working in hospice care. This book is about her learning, experiences, and journeys with individuals in hospice care. There was Glenda, an 86-year-old female whose metastatic melanoma had spread to other regions. She was the first person the author had to practice the checklist on "patient death." Carl who struggled with congestive heart failure seemed to have a sudden ad mysterious surge of energy toward the end. He had become like a grandfather to Vlahos. Then there is Sue who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and didn't want to speak to anyone at first but eventually opens up to Vlahos. Sandra, a 50-year-old breast cancer patient whose cancer had advanced to such a state that her doctor had to recommend hospice care. Sandra was able to maintain a smile despite her illness. Vlahos marvels at how simple things could make such a big difference. There are others with all other kinds of sicknesses like Edith's Alzheimer's; Reggie's end-stage liver disease; and Lily, a dying travel patient, etc. 

"On Getting Out of Bed" (Alan Noble)

TITLE: On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living
AUTHOR: Alan Noble
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (120 pages).
 

Mental health is increasingly in the news. In the past, the mere mention of mental problems can be taboo. Thus, there is a subconscious effort to dumb down any such talk. That said, times are changing rapidly. At the onset of Covid, talk about mental struggles has come to the fore, primarily because it is experienced in many places, thanks in part to a lockdown world.  This seems to create a greater openness to discussing mental health in a post-covid world. This book is about "mental suffering" which is an all-encompassing term to describe mental afflictions of all forms, both clinical and non-clinical conditions. Author Alan Noble is convinced that for most people, it is less about clinical techniques or medications to solve the mental issue and more about understanding the person's unique situation. The trouble arises when people presume a clinical solution to anything related to mental health. This will be just like a hammer solution that presumes every person is a nail. Another problem is the social stigma that comes with anything mental-related. As the author is not a medical professional, this book is about sharing his thoughts based on Anne Harrison's alternative approach to "mental affliction" that is beyond medical realms. Rather, it is acknowledging the "cultural, social, and familial circumstances" surrounding the person concerned.  The book traces the thoughts of Noble along this line. Noble begins with personal encounters with people struggling with their lives. Hiding behind their external smiling faces, many people do hide their struggles in more ways than one. Some even "choose" the path of suffering. On top of that, they choose their own prescription, thinking that mental issues are problems to be solved, instead of being understood and lived. Noble cautions us about reliance on techniques. He uncovers potential barriers such as "fear of failure," presumptions of "PTSD," over-reliance on "the language of mental health," etc., all of which minimizes the need for simple human touch. This might lead to finding the right prescription for a wrong diagnosis. The author's prescription: Do whatever it takes to motivate one to get out of bed.

"Incurable Faith" (Andrea Herzer)

TITLE: Incurable Faith: 120 Devotions of Lasting Hope for Lingering Health Issues
AUTHOR: Andrea Herzer
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Waterbrook & Multnomah, 2023, (304 pages).
 

"You have cancer!" These three words can easily strike fear even for the most stoic minds. How does one deal with bad news? What if the prognosis is mostly negative? How then do we bear living in an increasingly unbearable situation? Like in a dark and gloomy tunnel, life through chronic illness can be downright depressing. In times like these, hope becomes that crucial light at the end of the long tunnel. One of the ways to remind us of hope in Jesus is through devotionals. Here, author Andrea Herzer gives us 120 devotionals to guide us through hardships any of us might encounter from time to time. These devotionals are conveniently categorized according to length. Section One is "snack size" meaning the devotional is about 1-2 pages long. Intended for people who might not be able to sustain a longer read, they are given in bit-size format for ease of reading and reference. The introductory passage, prayer, and invitation to worship are brief and to the point. Section Two is a little more substantial called "A Marvelous Meal." The passages are slightly longer, about 2-3 pages in length. This allows readers who have the energy to read a longer passage to do so. It gives us more time and space to reflect on the passages read. Section Three contains devotionals that are the most dense of all. It is written particularly for the lonely in mind. It is also suitable for those who want a longer quiet time. 

"The Long COVID Survival Guide" (Fiona Lowenstein, ed)

TITLE: The Long COVID Survival Guide: Stories and Advice from Twenty Long-Haulers and Experts
AUTHOR: Fiona Lowenstein, ed
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: The Experiment, 2022, (288 pages).
 

It has been more than two years since the pandemic began. Since 2020, people around the world have become more cautious about face masks, vaccination requirements, handwashing, disinfectants, and many other healthcare concerns. Many have gotten covid and subsequently recovered. However, not all recoveries are the same. Some continue to suffer symptoms called "long covid." While the rest of the world chug along, those with long covid symptoms find it the journey long and often lonely. From initial diagnosis to constant anxiety about whether it gets better or worse, even medical professionals are learning new things every day with regard to how to help patients deal with covid, especially long covid. In this book, we hear directly from contributors who have experienced either directly or indirectly the challenges of long covid. In this book, twenty contributors share their stories. Sabrina writes about her loss of smell, headaches, stomach flu symptoms, and a sense of exasperation of not having anyone who could expertly tell her what to do. She tells us that there are a lot more nuances to know with regard to healing and recovery. Many who have struggled with long covid realize they are no longer the same persons they used to be. We learn about what it takes to be a knowledgeable, understanding, and supportive community. We learn about logistical and financial advice. We learn about symptom management, crowdsourced guidance, discerning the theories floating around covid-19, and a host of other issues pertaining to understanding more about Long Covid. Conventional words like healing, recovery, care, disability, patient, are all redefined under the new awareness of long covid. From a first-person perspective, we read about:

"Inner Healing and Deliverance" (Jennifer Eivaz)

TITLE: Inner Healing and Deliverance Handbook
AUTHOR: Jennifer Eivaz
PUBLISHER: Minneapolis, MN: Chosen Books, 2022, (224 pages).
 

Hurt people, hurt people. Healed people, help people. Being human, we often need to be helped first before we could help others. It has been said that Christ came to earth not to make people good, but to make dead people live. The Bible says that because of sin, we died, but because of Christ, we live. Some Christians claim belief but still live superficially. We need to change from the inside out. One way or another, we all need to be healed and to be delivered from the different impediments that prevent us from growing spiritually. Sometimes, there are deeper issues of the soul that need particular attention. This is where this book comes in. Written by one whose life has been changed from the inside out, this book represents the work and experience of an author whose conviction is that Christ heals and there is demonstrable power of the Holy Spirit that we need. Author Jennifer Eivaz asserts that every believer is a minister. Known also as the "Praying Prophet," Eivaz has spent her life teaching the need for inner healing and deliverance. Inner healing is "the healing of the inner [person]: the mind, the emotions, the painful memories, the dreams. It is the process through prayer whereby we are set free from resentment, rejection, self-pity,  repression, guilt, fear, sorrow, hatred, inferiority, condemnation, or worthlessness, etc." Deliverance is "from God and is part of the blessing of being in covenant with Him. It only destroys what is of the devil; it never destroys what is of the Holy Spirit. Since deliverance is a work of the Holy Spirit, it builds up the saints and edifies the Church. It tears down the strongholds of the enemy but builds up the work of God." Both are needed together. 

"Christianity and Modern Medicine" (Mark Wesley Foreman & Lindsay C. Leonard)

TITLE: Christianity and Modern Medicine - Foundations for Bioethics
AUTHOR: Mark Wesley Foreman & Lindsay C. Leonard
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2022, (384 pages).
 

How do we make critical medical decisions that do not have easy answers between right and wrong? Do we accept answers just because everybody is doing it? In matters that do not seem to have clear-cut answers, we need biblical guidance. We also need trained scholars and practitioners to help us interpret biblical principles in our modern contexts. Authors Mark Wesley Foreman and Lindsay Leonard combine their expertise in biblical studies, bioethics, law, and practical theology to give us an updated resource for tackling the controversial issues such as abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, assisted suicide, alternative procreation techniques, genetic ethics, clinical ethics, human experimentation, etc. Calling it "Foundation for Bioethics," the authors narrow down these discussions to legal and moral implications for bioethics. The authors define bioethics as " the analysis and study of ethical conflicts and problems which arise due to the interrelationship between the practice of the medical/biological sciences and the rights and values of human beings." Bioethics essentially cover difficult and complex decision pertaining to:

• Life and Death Issues
• Clinical or health-care issues
• Medical Research
• Social Health-care policy

"You're Only Human" (Kelly M. Kapic)

TITLE: You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News
AUTHOR: Kelly M. Kapic
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2022, (272 pages).
 

We live in a world that is increasingly used to things that are "unconditional" and "unlimited." They say the sky's the limit. So many people have prime preferences for unlimited cell-phone data plans, unlimited parking privileges, unlimited food on the buffet table, unlimited use of the gyms, unlimited downloads, unlimited streaming of movies, unlimited access to facilities, and so on. The truth is, nothing is unlimited. There are real limits to what we can consume. For one, time is limited to a maximum of 24 hours per day. Lifespan is limited. Earth's resources are incredibly limited. So, the word "unlimited" is more about what we can handle at best. We don't like limitations, but we are not only mortal, we are essentially human. Recognizing our limits honestly will help us live more meaningfully. Not only that, limitations are a gift from God, and they help us discover who we are instead of who we are not. This is the key thesis of this down to earth book about humanity. Learning to live with finite disappointment does not necessarily mean we cannot have infinite hope. The more we can realize our mortality and finitude, the better we can appreciate God's blessings and promises on what He could do for us, instead of us struggling vainly using our own wisdom and strength. Only God is sovereign and in full control. We are not and we are definitely not God. 

In this remarkable book about human limitations, we learn that to be human is not something that should weigh us down. Instead, it should help us be thankful and free. Free from unhealthy expectations, vain activism, and especially self-inflicted violence on one's soul. Not only that, unhealthy emotional selves could also inflict inner stresses on our physiological makeup and mental health. Limitations bless us in ways we are often oblivious toward. Kelly Kapic helps us look at these questions in a remarkably positive manner. Questions like:

"Breaking Ground" (Anne Snyder and Susannah Black, editors)

TITLE: Breaking Ground: Charting Our Future in a Pandemic Year
AUTHOR: (Anne Snyder and Susannah Black, editors)
PUBLISHER: Walden, NY: Plough Publishing House, 2022, (400 pages).

If there is any specific life-changing event at the turn of this decade, it would nonetheless be Covid-19. Never before have there been so many deaths, fears, disruptions to the local economy, and global repercussions for the general public, businesses, friends, families, and loved ones. From multinational corporations to non-profits like charities and churches, the arms of the pandemic have spread like wildfires affecting every continent, every country, and every culture. In early 2020, a group of thoughtful individuals came together to ask the question: "What would a post-pandemic world look like?" Refusing to accept a mere "Things will never be the same again," the contributors boldly attempt to see the future through renewed thinking of the many facets of life we have often taken for granted. That is not all. Even after removing the pandemic factor, there remains a deep-seated self-deception among people that they are presumed correct until proven otherwise. That sets the stage for arrogance and pride that refuses to learn, to the detriment of our future generations. We need a way to help us humbly learn from our mistakes and to break new ground for growth and human progress. This collection of essays is written by individuals who hail as cultural critics, scholars, speakers, businesspersons, professors, psychologists, philosophers, poets, political observers, professionals, researchers, venture capitalists, and many more. Written between June 2020 to June 2021, the writers explore issues pertaining to three types of needs, the need to:

"Speaking By the Numbers" (Sean Palmer)

TITLE: Speaking by the Numbers: Enneagram Wisdom for Teachers, Pastors, and Communicators
AUTHOR: Sean Palmer
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2022, (192 pages).

According to the scholar Maurice Nicholl, we all have three "Centers of Intelligence: thinking, feeling, and doing." This is the key concept used in the development of the Enneagram tool, to help us understand more about our personality types and ourselves. From understanding the self, we are reminded of the core essence of life: Relationship and Community. For pastor and public speaker Sean Palmer, the Enneagram is a powerful tool for communications, and more importantly to understand ourselves and how we could play our roles in building the community we are in. Essentially, there are nine ways we could see the world. Yes, that's NINE! It is more than simply a mapping system. It is a lens to help us see what we react to different situations in life. As the saying goes: "We don't see the world as it is, we see it as we are." In other words, we are not what we are but what we see we are. The nine personality types are:

1. The Perfectionist: "What is wrong with the world?"
2. The Giver: "How can I help?"
3. The Performer: "What are my goals and accomplishments?"
4. The Tragic Romantic: "Why is life so disappointing?"
5. The Observer: "What data supports this trend?"
6. The Devil's Advocate: "What if Plan A doesn't work?"
7. The Epicure: "There is always hope!"
8. The Boss: "How do I keep the house in order?"
9. The Mediator: "What can I do to maintain peace?"

"The Loneliness Epidemic" (Susan Mettes)

TITLE: The Loneliness Epidemic: Why So Many of Us Feel Alone--and How Leaders Can Respond
AUTHOR: Susan Mettes
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2021, (224 pages).

Is loneliness a problem? Consider the research data. A third of American adults admit they are frequently lonely. Within the past two decades, feelings of loneliness have more than doubled. Nearly half of all practicing Christian Millennials have experienced it too. Moreover, the problem is growing, not just in North America but globally. Come Winter, the problem deepens. Rates of depression and suicide continue to rise. Why is this happening? In short, it is due to a lack of meaningful relationships. In pre-pandemic days, loneliness has been a rising concern. In 2020 when the world goes into lockdown, everyone starts to talk about the challenges of loneliness and mental health. Research from the Barna group offers compelling evidence on the extent of the problem. This leads to several other problems such as the lack of intimacy, fewer trust relationships, isolated lives, and other crises pertaining to human relationships. So widespread is the problem that even churches are full of lonely people. So why are people lonely? How is it that even people of faith who go to Church can be lonely? What can we learn from the statistics gathered? How can we address this problem? Is loneliness a Western phenomenon or is it more global? In Part One, Author and Professor Susan Mettes defines loneliness as "the distress someone feels when their social connections don’t meet their need for emotional intimacy." She distinguishes this from "social isolation" and "solitude." The former is about circumstances often unforeseen. The latter is about being alone. In Part Two, Mettes goes into greater detail about factors influencing loneliness such as:

"Designed to Heal" (Jennie A. McLaurin and Cymbeline Tancongco Culiat)

TITLE: Designed to Heal: What the Body Shows Us about Healing Wounds, Repairing Relationships, and Restoring Community
AUTHOR: Jennie A. McLaurin and Cymbeline Tancongco Culiat
PUBLISHER: Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2021, (272 pages).
 

There is much we can learn from the workings of the human body. There is also much that we do not yet know. This does not mean we cannot benefit from the knowledge available to us, the interconnectedness of the body systems as well as how we can use this knowledge to apply to human relationships. Learning about how the body heals gives us profound insights into healing human relationships all around. At the same time, their shared Christian beliefs enable them to relate to healing far beyond the physical domain, especially pertaining to the repair of relationships in a community. McLaurin begins with a dramatic retelling of a serious that happened during a family ski trip. Her husband Andrew was badly wounded and had to be rushed to the hospital. It so happened that the physical wounds coincided with emotional hurts arising from Andrew's work situation. That was a significant moment that motivated McLaurin to apply what she knew about healing to a societal level. Co-author Bem also had her traumatic moments when her husband Julio developed polycythemia. In the midst of her family struggles, many friends and fellow believers flooded them with multiple acts of care and love, creating an environment that facilitates healing and recovery. Going through the four stages of physical healing, a physician and a geneticist share their expertise and knowledge about how the human body functions before and after a wound, and how it heals. The four stages (overlapping but distinct) of healing are:

"Ward Nine: Coronavirus" (Alys Morgan)

TITLE: Ward Nine: Coronavirus: One Woman's Story
AUTHOR: Alys Morgan
PUBLISHER: Cardigan, Wales: Parthian Books, 2020, (150 pages).

We are now in the second year of the global pandemic. Since late 2019, many parts of the world have been locked down, travel curtailed, and in many countries, the mandatory wearing of masks. In the early part of 2020, it was also common to see members of the public coming out regularly to openly support workers in essential services. These are the front-line workers in healthcare, people who face customers regularly, and those in public services who had gone beyond their call of duty to serve others. Most of us see these healthcare professionals and frontline workers from the outside. What about scenes from the inside? What about stories and perspectives that come from the patients of hospitals, especially in those wards that are focused on caring for Covid patients? This book is about the story of a Covid-19 patient admitted to a special ward on March 21st, 2020, and her 48-day journey to recovery.

Part One of the book describes all the activities prior to her entering Ward 9, the NHS Wales and Mind. It all began with caution. With impending city lockdown, public facilities like libraries were all preparing to close. People were told to avoid gathering in public and to stay home. The news throughout the country was about the lockdown. Soon Alys Morgan was working from home. Some people were panic buying. People were starting to wear masks when they venture outside. Ten days later, her daughter Caitlin got sick. Soon, Alys got the sniffles, which coincided with the British Prime Minister who was moved into the Intensive Care due to Covid-19. By mid-April, it was Alys turn to get sick. As her illness struggles linger longer, her daily notes grew shorter. Soon she had to be hospitalized. She has been infected by the dreaded coronavirus. Even in her weakened condition, she manages to put down her observations in writing. She writes about how she was admitted to hospital. She remembers the different nurses and doctors checking her blood pressure, taking her temperature, monitoring her overall health, and the presence of so many different medical specialists. It was a surreal moment when she saw her ward description: "Ward Nine. Coronavirus: No Unauthorised Entry."

"Viruses, Pandemic, and Immunity" (Arup K. Chakraborty and Andrey S. Shaw)

TITLE: Viruses, Pandemics, and Immunity
AUTHOR: Arup K. Chakraborty and Andrey S. Shaw
PUBLISHER: Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2020, (224 pages).

If the year 2020 was known as the year of the pandemic, the year 2021 would be known as the year of the vaccines. For the past couple of months, most of us in society cannot avoid the topic of viruses, pandemics, vaccines, quarantines, etc. With social media so freely available, information and misinformation could spread like wildfire. Once out there, it is impossible to retract or remove it from circulation. Even medical professionals often differ in their interpretations of the best approaches to take.  Since the declaration of Covid-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, large parts of the world have shut down global travel and implemented widespread restrictions on people movement. There is a need for more reliable and scientifically tested information. In fact, the best way to address fears and avoid pandemonium behaviour is to share reliable and trustworthy information as quickly as possible. This book is a contribution toward this cause. The authors are not only medical professionals but also on the teaching faculty of renowned schools like the MIT and the University of California, San Francisco. They begin this book by reminding us that pandemics are nothing new. There were serious influenza-related breakouts back in 1918 (Spanish Flu), 1957 (Asian Flu), 1968 (HK Flu), and 2009 (H5N1). The history lessons include the two eras: Pre-Vaccine and Vaccine eras. Before the discovery of vaccines as a defense tool against viruses, people resorted to all kinds of non-scientific speculations about the causes of the diseases. Even the name "influenza" was derived from the popular idea that illnesses were caused by the Italian word for "influence of the stars." Gradually, the thinking shifts from helpless acceptance toward observations of why people recovering from illness were not infected by smallpox. This led to theories such as the "expulsion theory" and "acquired immunity." With the discovery of cowpox as protection against smallpox, the stage was set for more research on "vaccinia," the Latin name for cowpox. Thanks to the work of Edward Jenner (1749-1823), the threat of smallpox was addressed in a large scale. We learn also from history that vaccinations were controversial then, not just today. Readers will slowly join the dots of healthcare and medical advancement to give credit to van Leeuwenhook's microscope, Robert Koch's postulates, Louis Pasteur's research on the anthrax vaccine, and how our present work derives much from Pasteur. The modern challenges include the search for a solution against coronaviruses and contagious diseases. Readers learn about the way viruses work; the way human cells replicate; the differentiation of the body cell into DNA, RNA, and Proteins; and how cells reproduce. They then describe the manner viruses enter our cells to make us sick. Knowing the genome and viral DNA/RNA aids in finding ways to battle them. They explain the reasons for the pandemic in a post-agrarian culture. 

"Covid-19 Helpers" (Beth Bacon and Kary Lee)

TITLE: COVID-19 HELPERS: A story for kids about the coronavirus and the people helping during the 2020 pandemic
AUTHOR: Beth Bacon and Kary Lee
PUBLISHER: Durham, NC: Blair Publishing, 2020, (36 pages).

This is a delightful children's book to describe the Covid-19 situation. The year 2020 has been devastated by the pandemic. Globally, every family has been affected one way or another. Travel has been strictly curtailed while lockdowns are happening in many major cities. From shopping malls to supermarkets, schools to workplaces, all of our social interactions are potential opportunities to spread the disease. We need to practice social distancing. Governments around the world have been scrambling for vaccines as a way to protect the medical infrastructure. Wear masks and avoid social gatherings. Why are governments going to such extremes to deal with this disease? Such things can be strange for a child. For the little ones, they might be wondering: 

• What is Covid-19?
• Why must I wear masks?
• Why can't I visit and play with my friends?
• What about a sleepover?
• Why are schools closed?
• What happens if I catch Covid-19?
• How do I protect myself or my friends?
• Why do I need to wash my hands with soap and water?
• Why do I need to sneeze into a tissue or my elbow?
• What is the right way to wash my hands?
• What are vaccines and why are they important?
• How does staying at home help with the battle against the coronavirus?

"God and the Pandemic" (N. T. Wright)

TITLE: God and the Pandemic: A Christian Reflection on the Coronavirus and Its Aftermath
AUTHOR: N. T. Wright
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020, (96 pages).

The year 2020 will be best remembered as the year of the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the earliest books reflecting on a Christian response is John Piper's "Coronavirus and Christ." In that book, Piper offers six answers; that we should remember God is still at work; that he rules; that we ought to repent while we can; and that we should not lose hope. Our hope is not in odds or in healing but in Christ alone. However, as a reader, I sense that book seems to be written in a hurry to be published at the start of a worldwide lockdown earlier this year. 

Instead of asking why, author and theologian NT Wright helps us deal with the question of what we could do. Like how Christ put his own life on the line for us, we ought to find ways to help one another as much as we could. Wright puts it very well that we ought not to be stoics just to fit into the system. Neither should we be like Epicureans who just accept the random things in life and just enjoy whatever we have left. He also cautions us against taking the platonic lifestyle that seems to elevate the afterlife over and above our present world. Worse, some people would even jump to conclusions to play the blame game. The two superpowers are famously at each other's throats with regard to assigning blame regarding the virus origins. Some would even claim the pandemic as the Armageddon. This book is to offer a Christian alternative to such philosophies that many of us practice unwittingly. Like any good biblical scholar, Wright begins with the Word of God. 

"The Virus in the Age of Madness" (Bernard-Henri Lévy)

TITLE: The Virus in The Age of Madness
AUTHOR: Bernard-Henri Lévy
PUBLISHER: New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2020, (128 pages).

If we look at the year 2020, most people around the world would agree that life has changed forever. Social distancing is everywhere. People wear masks when they venture outdoors. A lot of people work from home. Air travel has been curtailed. More people are buying take-out instead of dining in. Schools are operating at less than normal capacity. Universities shift classes to online platforms. Welcome to the new normal. For some, this is a crazy phenomeon where entire lifestyles need to change because of a microscopic virus. With keen observation, author Bernard-Henri Lévy notes that the madness is not the virus but the reactions caused. Busy cities emptied out into ghost towns. Popular restaurants shut down. Pollution decreased as the number of stay-home workers increased. Violent demonstrations in HK and terrorism in other parts of the world too seem to have disappeared overnight. Most interestingly, we see how the little virus brings out the behaviours rarely seen under normal circumstances. They also bring out our appreciation for "invisible" group of workers such as caregivers, delivery personnel, garbage collectors, freight shippers, online workers, and so on. In a world that is shivering with fear, how about taking time to deal with the "innermost metaphysics" within us? There are a lot of things to be concerned. What we take at face value is often something that is deeply troubling. The author offers this book as a way to question conventional wisdom and the uncritical acceptance of top-down advice, especially from the politicians and the newly elevated social status of medical or health experts.