One of the things I most enjoy in life is having my stereotypes dashed.  Reading this wonderful book destroyed another stereotype.  I thought most people who are very conservative will never change – in his book, A Deadly Misunderstanding, Mark Siljander proved me wrong, wrong as I have ever been.

Decades ago, Mark Siljander and I probably would've disagreed on virtually everything.  In fact the Mark Silijander of 2009 would probably disagree with many of the beliefs that he held back then as well.  That's what makes Mark's transformation so profound, amazing and inspiring.

Many times while reading this book, I got choked up with the stories in courage of his journey.  His travel from ultraconservative evangelical Christian to a major peacemaker makes this one of the most powerful books I've ever read.

You've probably heard the expression “Blessed are the peacemakers” – well, Mark should be blessed for the hopeful work he's done, and his book deserves a truly wide readership.

Reading a book from an ex-Congressman on Christian Muslim relations does not seem as appealing as the latest Malcolm Gladwell or a good mystery.  But, this is a thrilling piece of writing.  It's got twists, turns, drama, passion and it's all real.  And it's as good as any book you will read this year.

I spent a year writing The Power of Giving with my good friend, Azim Jamal, who is a Muslim. My background is Christian. Our similarities are strong. Our differences are minimal. (I know a lot more jokes than he does).

This experience has been fun, positive, and rewarding. Befriending people from cultures different than your own is something that benefits us all and enhances our humanity.

Given the widespread mistrust between Muslims and Christians, we need positive, hopeful and creative ways to bridge the gaps. Mark proved to me than many of the fundamental disagreements are based on misunderstandings of language. (Obviously, not all the conflict resides in interpretation of words.) But this is a book that can unite people, stop wars, and make the world a better place.

Thank you Mark, and I commit to passing on your message.

PS... You can buy the book online at Amazon.com or on Barnes & Noble's site.