Former state official writes book about the Devil, Devil's apprentice

Don Stenberg with a copy of his new book, Eavesdropping on Lucifer.

Courtesy photo

LINCOLN, Neb. — Don Stenberg, who retired in 2019 from a career in state government as attorney general and later State Treasurer, has written a novel depicting the devil instructing an apprentice on how to wreak havoc in contemporary society. The book, Eavesdropping on Lucifer, is similar to The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and is to be released May 5.

In the book, Lucifer’s apprentice, Jonathan, learns how Lucifer used ridicule, logic, the educational system and the courts to undermine the culture of the United States. Lucifer then sends his apprentice out to do evil tasks. But much of his evil work is defeated by God’s angel, Angelica.

Stenberg said the book came about as a result of his science-based undergraduate education and his lifelong interest in science and history, as well as his personal reading about history over many years. Also influencing his writing, he said, was his work as a lawyer and his 12 years as Nebraska Attorney General with a particular emphasis on constitutional law.

Stenberg has an undergraduate degree in physics with minors in chemistry and mathematics from the University of Nebraska, where he was inducted into the national scholastic honorary Phi Beta Kappa. He received a juris doctorate degree with honors from Harvard Law School and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.

“I didn’t really plan to write a book. It just happened,” Stenberg said. “The basic ideas for the book flowed into my mind, and in three or four days during a vacation out of town, I wrote what would become one third of the book. I really didn’t have time to continue writing, though, and it wasn’t until I left the State Treasurer’s Office in January of 2019 that my thoughts returned to the book.”

In an author video on the book’s website, www.EavesdroppingonLucifer.com, Stenberg considers why a reader of Christian literature, as well as a general reader, would be interested in the book. He offers these reasons: “To learn about how Lucifer was able to cause a Christian nation to become a largely secular one. To learn about how Lucifer undermines the truth of the Bible. To learn about scientific support for creation and the flood. To enjoy the stories of how God’s angel, Angelica, defeats Lucifer’s apprentice. And for the assurance that Lucifer’s evil work can be defeated by belief in God’s son.”

Eavesdropping on Lucifer has received several endorsements and favorable book reviews, including one from former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. He wrote, “Eavesdropping on Lucifer is common sense, digestible wisdom that can be easily understood by every generation. C.S. Lewis would have given it his stamp of approval.”

Closer to home, Karen Bowling, executive director of the Nebraska Family Alliance, wrote, “My advocacy work is to build a culture of life, defend the institution of marriage, and to protect religious freedom. Eavesdropping on Lucifer is an easy-to-read, fascinating explanation of the forces of evil that we need to overcome to ensure families thrive, life is cherished and religious freedom flourishes.”

D. Donovan, senior reviewer for the Midwest Book Review, wrote, “From divorce and political interactions to pulpit approaches, Donald B. Stenberg provides a different approach to assessing evil in the modern world that, like C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, is all the more accessible to ordinary readers because of its fictional, conversation-based overlay. Christians who want an accessible, chatty blend of pointed observation, reflective insights, and fun will find Eavesdropping on Lucifer excels in the kinds of insights and lessons that keep readers engaged, thinking, and entertained, all in one.”

A book signing by the author is planned at The Solid Rock bookstore in Kearney on a date to be announced in the future.

Eavesdropping on Lucifer is available on Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com and at some Nebraska bookstores. The paperback sells for $12.99 and the e-book for $5.99. It is published by Carpenter’s Son Publishing and is being distributed nationwide by Ingram Book Company.

For more information about the book, go to www.EavesdroppingOnLucifer.com and the book’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Eavesdropping-on-Lucifer.