When my publisher notified me that Publishers Weekly issued a starred review for Half the Church, I wasn’t sure of the significance.  All of the reviews on Amazon come with stars—even the negative ones are starred.  So what’s all the fuss about?

According to slate.com, Publishers Weekly “reviews . . . influence which books get noticed, bought, and promoted in the media” and are “read by everyone in publishing.” So here’s PW’s review of Half the Church and a second review by the Library Journal.

Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women
Carolyn Custis James. Zondervan, $18.99 (224p) ISBN 978-0-310-32556-7

Author (When Life and Beliefs Collide) and conference speaker James takes on the church’s historical stance on women who enthusiastically embrace their God-given role as “ezer-warriors” (ezer is the Hebrew word for “helper”). James’s previous works form the foundation for this important study, which could appropriately be thought of as the Christian companion to the groundbreaking Half the Sky, with its clarion call to activism. James challenges all women to step up and get busy doing the hard work of righting wrongs, influencing their communities, and laboring right alongside their male counterparts to effect powerful and positive change worldwide. James draws liberally from the Bible to underscore that God’s plan is for men and women to work with each other as essential components of a “Blessed Alliance.” The author’s compelling message and passionate voice are amplified by the skill with which she presents this information in volatile, dangerous times. (Apr.)

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James, Carolyn Custis. Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women. Zondervan. Apr. 2011. c.206p. ISBN 9780310325567. $18.99. REL

James (founder, Synergy Women’s Network; The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough To Break the Rules), a popular speaker in evangelical circles, tackles the thorny questions that surround women in evangelical Christianity and broadens her scope to include the fate and destiny of women around the world today. James sees men and women as potentially bound in a powerful partnership for good that does not oppress or belittle women—not easy positions for a woman to take in the heavily patriarchal world of conservative Protestantism.

VERDICT James’s potentially transformative work, a wake-up call for women in America’s Protestant churches, is ideally suited for church groups and pastors.