Why Everything Matters – The Gospel in Ecclesiastes by Philip G. Ryken (Christian Focus Publications, 2015)

Ecclesiastes can be a tricky book to grasp on an immediate reading and this layman’s guide (the author has written a fuller commentary for scholars) unpicks the literary style and pinpoints the main themes in short chapters that are applied to the modern reader. This is not a verse by verse commentary but rather an overview which gives a picture of ‘the Preacher’ who is trying to understand the real and eternal meaning of life, work, suffering, death and much more besides. These questions are still relevant today and Ryken draws helpful applications for contemporary life. Personally I find the use of modern examples of films, art, poetry and music can date the application a little but the essential points are still helpful. Overall, this is a thought provoking and profitable read, and certainly an excellent starting point for any study of Ecclesiastes.

Lorna