Sisters of Scripture: Mentors in Womanhood

Cook (The Real Deal) examines stories about the women of the Bible, from Eve to the Virgin Mary, and uses their examples to provide guidance for young women. Each chapter is structured around a biblical woman's story and features a scriptural passage, a summary of the story, advice the reader can apply to her own life, questions for reflection, and a prayer. This is not an academic examination of sacred texts, and Cook does not provide a thorough theological or historical analysis. Rather, she focuses on what she considers to be the relevance of biblical stories for modern women on issues such as sexuality, race, marriage, motherhood, relationships, body image, and self-confidence. Cook endeavors to connect with her audience by using an informal, conversational tone, though her overuse of parenthetical asides makes the work disjointed at times; it feels more like a first draft than a final, polished product. (Apr.)