Review of The Great Eight

I just finished The Great Eight by Scott Hamilton (Thomas Nelson Publishers). This book is a combination of biography and self-help. Hamilton, along with his co-author, mixes the two genres so that the events of his life serve as examples for the eight principles that he tries to communicate throughout the book. From the first page to the last, Hamilton preaches the gospel of happiness. It almost seems as if every situation of our lives can be fixed by being positive and “not taking anything too serious.” While the idea of mixing life lessons with biographical snippets is intriguing, this book was not organized very well. The events are not in chronological order and the book has a very random flavor to it. There is nothing new in the principles that Hamilton offers. Most of them are old adages about never giving up and being positive. There is not much spiritual content to this book. With key endorsements from William Shatner and Donald Trump, the reader immediately knows what kind of book he is dealing with. One of the best aspects of the book is Hamilton’s confirmation of the complete sovereignty of God in all things, including his suffering. The average reader may not find The Great Eight to be very edifying. Two exceptions to this general statement are those who really enjoy figure skating and those who have survived cancer (or who have had a loved one survive cancer).