In 2007, we were inundated with books about God. We had scientists trying to prove the non-existence of God. We had others taking scientists to task and remonstrating on every point. We had religious tracts and we had humorous pieces about God.

Udo Middleman takes a new tack. With degrees in law and theology and as a lecturer on ethics and society, he is ideally suited to bring us a book that seeks to answer that question we all ask in times of tragedy and despair -- how could a good God allow this?

Using The Bible, he takes the reader through history of the world and uses passages -- both the well-known and less obvious -- to answer his central question of whether God is innocent of the charges we level at him in the bad times. Isn't strange that we blame him for the bad things and skim over the joys and good times in relation to a supreme being?

At times, the scholarship of the author can be a bit overwhelming, but in general this book will prove very accessible to any "slightly more than casual" reader who is interested in humanity and our relationship to God.

The arguments are well made and backed up with copious quotations. The prose is clear and concise. This is a thought-provoking book as all such books should be.