I have a template that I use when writing book reviews. It asks good questions; I answer them. It works. This time, I’m going to use that template to explain my own book. I’m leaving the template in place so you can see how it works.
Opening Statement and “What’s the Point?”
Include the title and author, along with a quotation from the author explaining the purpose of the book.
Recovering Covering: Scripture, Conscience, and the Beauty of Biblical Head Covering was written by Ellen Nicholas.
Within the already narrow subject of Christian head covering, there are a few books available—and more are coming. Most have been written by men. They have provided good, solid theological treatments, and I am grateful to them and thank God for their work.
However, few books about head covering have been written by women specifically for women. I recently reviewed one such book, but it contained so many troubling claims that I gave it the only one-star review I have ever written. Another book I am currently reading approaches the subject exclusively from a Roman Catholic perspective and has not proved particularly useful to me.
We need solid resources written by women for women.
As Nicholas explains:
The thing I most wanted was a book that came from the standpoint of a woman: “You’re a woman, I’m a woman. How does it feel to do this? What questions will I be asked? What if … what if … what if?” I wanted a book by a woman, for women.
At this point, I’ve experienced being in a head covering Facebook group and being scolded because I don’t cover the right way or at the right times. I’ve felt the loneliness and awkwardness of being the only one in my congregation who covers.
I’m writing for women who are on the fence and considering working through the topic of head coverings. I’m writing to put resources in the hands of women who know other women who are grappling with the issue.
What Is the Tone of the Book?
What makes the author uniquely qualified to write this book? Who is her audience?
Nicholas’s pastor, who does not agree with her position, described her writing style as good and conversational and her tone as irenic.
Nicholas is uniquely qualified to write this book as a woman writing to women. She has spent four years studying Scripture, the history of the practice, and the questions and practical concerns surrounding it.
Many men have written convincingly about head covering, but they have never been the woman who walks into church as the only person wearing one. They have never been told, “You don’t need to wear that, you know.”
At the same time, Nicholas is firmly committed to remaining within the bounds of orthodox Christianity. She has made every effort to stay far away from the “weird stuff” that sometimes becomes attached to the subject. Her intended audience is women who are considering head covering, women already practicing it, and those helping someone else work through the issue.
What Is the Purpose of the Book?
What does the book promise? What problem does it promise to solve?
The purpose of Recovering Covering is to reexamine Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 11 concerning women covering their heads—and men remaining uncovered—during gathered worship.
Nicholas considers the passage in light of creation order, headship, the angels, church history, and Christian liberty, making an unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable subject understandable and approachable.
Written by a woman for women, the book promises to give readers a Scripture-centered foundation from which to decide whether they should cover. It addresses objections and questions without resorting to pressure, rigid dress rules, or claims that assign the covering powers Scripture never gives it.
The problem it seeks to address is that many Christians have either ignored the passage or dismissed the practice as an outdated cultural custom without seriously examining Paul’s reasoning. Recovering Covering clears away both neglect and excess, inviting women to consider head covering as a symbol of biblical headship practiced in faith rather than fear.
Does the Book Do What It Promises to Do?
Why or why not? If not, why not?
Recovering Covering does what it promises. It gives readers a clear, accessible examination of 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 and explains why Paul’s instruction should not be dismissed as merely cultural. Nicholas considers the passage in its immediate context while exploring its connections to creation order, headship, glory, the angels, and the practice of the historic church. She also addresses the principal objections: that the covering was only a Corinthian custom, that a woman’s hair is the covering, or that the practice was limited to a particular culture and time.
The book makes a positive biblical case without turning head covering into a measure of salvation or spiritual superiority. It distinguishes Paul’s instruction from rules the passage does not establish, including requirements concerning a particular style, color, fabric, or amount of hair concealed. Practical chapters help women consider how to begin covering, how to respond when a husband or church disagrees, and how to practice their conviction without pressuring others.
The included study guide provides questions for personal reflection or group discussion, encouraging readers to return to Scripture, examine the arguments, and reach their own conclusions. Readers may not agree with everything in the book, but they will come away understanding why a thoughtful Christian woman might believe that head covering remains a meaningful practice for gathered worship.
Why Does It Matter?
Before wrapping up the review, explain what sets this book apart and makes it important.
Recovering Covering matters because the question is ultimately larger than what a woman wears on her head. It concerns how Christians read Scripture when its teaching conflicts with modern assumptions or falls outside familiar church practice. If Paul grounds his instruction in creation, headship, glory, and the angels, then the passage deserves careful consideration rather than dismissal as an embarrassing relic of ancient culture.
The book also matters because recovering a biblical practice requires discernment. Head covering can be neglected, but it can also become burdened with rules and spiritual claims that Scripture does not make. Nicholas offers women a way to take Paul’s teaching seriously without turning the covering into a source of fear, pride, or judgment. The result is an invitation to thoughtful obedience—not merely to wear a symbol, but to understand and honor the divine order that the symbol represents.
What Do You Think?
What is your overall impression?
My overall impression is that Recovering Covering is thoughtful, carefully researched, and unusually balanced. Nicholas writes from personal conviction, yet she does not treat disagreement as evidence of rebellion or spiritual inferiority. She takes Paul’s words seriously while distinguishing his actual instruction from additional rules about styles, colors, fabrics, or how much hair must be concealed. That combination of conviction and restraint is one of the book’s greatest strengths.
The book is particularly valuable because it is written by a woman for women. Nicholas understands that accepting the biblical argument is only part of the journey; a woman must also consider her husband, her church, her conscience, and the practical reality of becoming visibly different. Although readers may not accept every conclusion, the book encourages them to examine the passage honestly. It is a gracious and persuasive invitation to reconsider a neglected practice without turning it into legalism.
And the Verdict Is:
Read this book if you have ever wondered whether Paul’s instructions concerning head covering still apply; if you have been taught that a woman’s hair is the only covering she needs; or if you have dismissed the practice as merely cultural without examining the passage closely. Read it if you already cover but want a stronger biblical foundation, or if you are curious about the practice but wary of legalism and extrabiblical rules.
Recovering Covering is also for husbands, pastors, and church leaders who want to understand why some Christian women cover their heads in worship. You may not agree with every conclusion, but the book will help you engage the question seriously, graciously, and from Scripture rather than assumption.
Available in paperback, on Kindle, and through Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9BGQ4N1
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