Ellen Davis provides a healthy reminder about the importance of preaching the Old Testament. For example, she notes how throughout the centuries the Psalms were commonly preached on. Yet today a sermon on a psalm is rare in many traditions. This book would be improved by including more meat about exactly how to carry out some of her recommendations.
Okay, so I admit that since I am a student of Dr. Davis', my opinion is hardly objective. Nevertheless, this is one of the best books I've read in a long time. This is not a how-to, a you-ought-to, or any other sort of manual for understanding and preaching the Old Testament - it is a glimpse into a perspective that delights in and cherishes the Old Testament as a gift. Davis' four sermons at the end of the book are exquisite pieces of craftsmanship, at once shimmering and piercing in their beauty and depth. This is a book not just for preachers, but for all who care about Christian life and witness.
Davis has many helpful insights into how to talk about or write about scripture. One example: "[A] good question is one that leads you and your hearers more deeply into the story, not away from it into pious abstractions..." (page 8). I was challenged, convicted, and encouraged by the sermons she included as illustrative examples. I am looking forward to reading more of her writing in the future.