One of my achievements for this year is to read 12 books. There are no requirements on what types of books these are, I just want to make sure that I’m getting more influence other than just what the tv tells me. I intended to simply list them all once I got to the end, but it makes much more sense to give a little summary of each as I finish them. Unfortunately, this first post will be pretty stinkin’ long seeing as I’ve already finished 5 books thus far. So, please bear with it, and if you can’t stand it, perhaps only read the reviews for the last two. I believe that, if given the attention, these books could change your life.
Star Wars: Death Star, by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry
If you’re a fan of Star Wars, but haven’t read any of the books, I highly recommend that you do. I feel like even carrying it around me brings me to a new level of nerdom, but it’s worth it. I particularly enjoy the stories that carry on with the main characters after Return of the Jedi. This book, though focuses on the construction and operations of the first Death Star (the one that gets blown to bits in A New Hope). It has a good balance of new and old characters and does a good job of telling the story from a very different point of view. What did all those people on the Death Star do for fun? What did they think about being a part of the new empire that was forming? And much like the pioneers of the Titanic, how long did they think it was going to last?
The Guilty, by Jason Pinter
I found this author in a rather odd way. I was listening to a sample of an audio book recommended by a friend. The book I was listening to didn’t interest me much, but the narrator did. I checked out his other stuff and came across The Mark (Jason Pinter’s first novel). I listened to the first hour or two and immediately checked it out from the library the next day so I could finish it the next day. It’s an absolutely amazing series following Henry Parker, a journalist fresh out of school that in his eagerness to catch a big story gets caught up within the story before he knows it. The Guilty is the second in this series, and is followed by The Stolen. I’m sure by the end of the year, that one will be on my list as well.
Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell
This came recommended by my boss…and when the owner of the company recommends anything, I pretty much do it, just for the sake of pleasing him. In the case, it was a very worthwhile recommendation. The book takes a look at those in the world that have achieved extraordinary success beyond what most can even dream of. It then seeks to find the difference that has set these individuals apart. The shocking conclusion is that it’s a lot of chance and outside circumstance. He doesn’t discredit the benefits of extreme hard work, discipline, and focus, but recognizes that it is when you couple those attitudes with a bit of lucky circumstances, extraordinary results occur. For instance, why do most successful hockey players have birthdays in the first few months of the year, and why were most successful computer entrepreneurs (Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, etc) all born within a few years of each other? Was it chance…hard work…or a whole lot of both?
My Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey
I could probably dedicate a whole blog to this one. I’ve read many financial books and many Christian books, but none have spurred me to action as much as this one has. If you haven’t heard of Dave Ramsey, Financial Peace University, or his teachings, it basically focuses on the principal of getting and staying out of debt. And while this makes sense and hardly anyone would argue with the basic idea…most people are in more debt than they know what to do with. It’s almost unheard of nowadays for someone to go to school without getting a loan or buy a car with cash, but that’s what he teaches people to do. And the sad thing is that, I’ve always thought this way….yet I’ve never lived that way. So now I’m starting. I’m deep in the hole, but climbing my way out, one debt at a time.
Bringing Up Boys, by Dr. James Dobson
The reason for reading this book is perhaps obvious seeing as now have a boy of my own and don’t have a clue as to how to raise him into a man. Dr. Dobson is probably most known for his lifelong work with families, including his ministry “Focus on the Family”. The book takes a good look at biblical and historical traditions of raising boys and the unique characteristics that it requires. He interjects a fair share of conservative thinking and how society has changed over the past half century or so, but all for good reason. It is very interesting to read someone who is so adamantly against many of the mainstream ideas that come across that I don’t even notice because I have grown accustomed to them. He warns sharply against these false ideas and how we must strongly guard our children and boys against them. I almost have hard time sifting through his general disgust for the changing society, but at the same time I can’t blame him. There is a great conflict as to the definition of a man, and I want to make sure that when Brandon grows up, he is pursuing the right definition.
2009 Achievements
