ANGRY WITH GOD

"I regret that I didn't make peace with God sooner.... All I can do now is let you tell others my story so that maybe they won't wait so long." These words from her grandmother inspired Novotni, a practicing psychologist, to write a truly remarkable book in which she tells her grandmother's story of pain and anger as a survivor of the Armenian genocide of 1915–1921. But much more than that, in teaming up with Petersen, a regular author of educational curriculum, she provides Christians with an excellent analysis of anger with God and remarkably practical ways of working through that anger. Accessible to a wide range of readers, the book explains anger with God, its origins and the different ways it develops in people's lives. The authors' conversational writing style sometimes detracts from the weight of their argument, but this informality will probably attract more readers than it discourages. The depth of theological discussion is notable in a work so succinct and engaging. While encouraging healthy expression of anger, the authors give readers the tools they need to move through their anger to a more sophisticated, biblical image of God. Many books on anger and spirituality explore the problem but hesitate to suggest answers, while others offer overly facile "steps to healing." With its practical yet flexible suggestions for genuine growth, Novotni and Petersen's book stands out as required reading for any Christian who has wondered about God's role in the complexity and pain of this world. (May)