Book 46 "A visit from the goon squad"

A visit from the goon squad

By

Jennifer Egan

Bennie is an aging former punk rocker and record executive. Sasha is the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Here Jennifer Egan brilliantly reveals their pasts, along with the inner lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs. With music pulsing on every page, A Visit from the Goon Squad is a starting, exhilarating novel of self-destruction and redemption.

My Take

I read this book because every award last year seemed to go the way of the 'Goon Squad' Here is just a short list, New York Times Book Review Best Book, National Book Critics Circle Award Winner, Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, And landed on "Best Book of the Year" lists on Oprah, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Minneapolis Star Tribune, NPR's On Point, Newsday, People, Publishers Weekly, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Salon, San Francisco Chronicle, Slate, Time, Washington Post, and the Pulitzer Prize.

So, I set my course on reading Jennifer Egan's eventual classic. The book bounced around a little (almost too much for my liking) However, Egan was genius in the story line and the ending was fantastic. Mix that with every award under the sun and you can't go wrong!!

Book 45 "The 360 Degree Leader"

The 360 Degree Leader

By

John C. Maxwell

Every manager or leader should strive to develop their influence within their organization. John Maxwell strives to achieve what seems impossible and makes it possible. Leader development is crucial to any success of an organization and The 360 Degree Leader accomplishes the task.

My Take

From a leadership and development point of view The 360 Degree Leader is a great book. Maxwell is the master worker with success management books and ideas and is revolutionary on his delivery. For any business minded person, manager, supervisor, or leader, I would have this book as a 'must read'.

Book 44 "The Tiger Rising"

The Tiger Rising

By

Kate DiCamillo

The Tiger Rising is the tale of 12-year-old Rob Horton who finds a caged tiger in the woods behind the Kentucky Star Motel where he lives with his dad. The tiger is so incongruous in this setting that Rob views the apparition as some sort of magic trick. Indeed, the tiger triggers all sorts of magic in Rob's life--for one thing, it takes his mind off his recently deceased mother and the itchy red blisters on his legs that the wise motel housekeeper, Willie May, says is a manifestation of the sadness that Rob keeps "down low." Something else for Rob to think about is Sistine (as in the chapel), a new city girl with fierce black eyes who challenges him to be honest with her and himself. Spurred by the tiger, events collide to break Rob out of his silent introspection, to form a new friendship with Sistine, to develop a new understanding of his father, and most important, to lighten his heart. (Summary from Scholastic)

My Take

This was an itty, bitty book that punched a powerful punch. What I mean by 'itty bitty' is that you could sit down and finish this book in an hour. However, within the pages is a powerful message with deep symbolism. This book was a National Book Award Finalist and it's easy to see why. I picked the book up at a used book fair and was familiar with DiCamillo from other books. I would suggest this book to anyone ages 15-100!! It's a fantastic quick read!

Book 43 "Child of God"

Child of God

By

Cormac McCarthy

Falsely accused of rape, Lester Ballard-a violent, dispossessed man who haunts the hill country of East Tennessee-is released from jail and allowed to roam at will, preying on the population with his strange lusts.

My Take

Cormac McCarthy takes us on another strange and twisted adventure. Violent until the last page. Short, Dark and Poetic.

Book 42 "The Lovely Bones"

The Lovely Bones

By

Alice Sebold

A sweeping story of a murder, a fathers hunt for justice over an unsolved case revolving around his daughter and a suspected serial killer.

My Take

Again, one of those movie books. However, I appreciate Alice's writing style and her view of the victim "looking down and narrating from Heaven". Very interesting book. The suspense grabbed me early, though it did drag in some spots.

Book 41 "The Road"

The Road

By

Cormac McCarthy

A story of a father and son trying to survive "the end of the world"

traveling to the coast for their only hope of survival amongst other survivors, killers, thieves, and the elements.

My Take

The most depressing book I have ever read. It won the 2007 Pulitzer prize, which makes it a noteworthy novel. However, after reading it there is absolutely NO NEED to rent the movie. Unless of course I choose to suffer a deep depression. Sad, Scary, Dark, all wrapped into one book. Good old McCarthy! I should have known. However, his writing style is out of this world!

Book 40 "Living the 7 Habits"

Living the 7 Habits

By

Stephen R. Covey

A spin off of his NY Times Best Seller (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). The book was filled with countless stories of people taking the lessons learned from Covey's first book and putting them into practice.

My Take

Every once in a while, I'll put a book in my life that goes beyond just fiction and that I feel can help my personal life. Whether its motivation or organization. Covey usually has good stuff in his books. I have to admit this version offered few "A-Ha" moments for me compared to his original 7 Habits book, but there were a few good nuggets.

Book 39 Tinkers

Tinkers

By

Paul Harding

An old man lies dying. As time collapses into memory, he travels deep into his own past where he is reunited with his father and relives the wonder and pain of his impoverished New England youth. At once heartbreaking and life affirming. Tinkers is an elegiac meditation on love, loss, and the fierce beauty of nature.

My Take

I wanted to read Tinkers for several reasons. First, it was written by Paul Harding (who has an MFA from Iowa Writer's Workshop and taught writing at The University of Iowa). It's nice to have an author with ties close to home. Second, this was his first novel and it earned him "Winner of the Pulitzer Prize".

It's a short novel (191 pages) but packs a powerful and poetic punch.

Book 38 SEAL TEAM SIX

SEAL TEAM SIX

(Memoirs Of An Elite Navy Seal SNIPER)

BY

Howard E. Wasdin & Stephen Templin

SEAL Team Six has triggered my curiosity ever since the killing of Osama Bin Laden. A elite force of SEAL's that is so secretive that only a few pieces of public material brings them to light.

Wasdin and Templin bring in personal accounts of missions in Iraq and Somalia and give a small glimpse of what it's like to be among one of the worlds elite operation units.

My Take:

I found it to be an interesting read, especially with understanding a soldier in warfare. However, the end of the book surprised me as it answered the question, "What happens to a special operations soldier after he is finished with active duty?" The answer bounced around for Howard Wasdin as he suffered major setbacks including personal injuries, misunderstanding, divorce, and a search for Spiritual understanding. Wasdin continues to write about his frustration with God of "Why did I survive the Battle of Mogadishu?" and answers it with a higher calling, and sense of purpose and Divine intervention. It wasn't what I expected and I appreciated reading this book.

Book 37 Blue Like Jazz

Blue Like Jazz

(Non-Religious thoughts on Christian) Spirituality

BY

Donald Miller

"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened."

A book that takes you on a journey surrounding Christianity. It makes you think, feel, and reflect upon your own Spirituality. Donald Miller strikes a chord with his readers. He is witty, charming, and a brilliant writer who gives an honest account of his understanding around the Christian faith. Miller takes something that, quite often, doesn't make sense and gives it a clear message.

This would be a good book for the reader who is "searching" or for the reader who is interested in world religions and philosophy, or for the reader who has been hurt by Christianity and looking for reconciliation and understanding.

Frankfurt Book Fair

The Frankfurt Book Fair (The worlds largest book trade show) is running full force in Frankfurt Germany. This years guest spotlight nation is Iceland. A few of the workshops centered around the future of digital and hard bound books. (The good news was BOTH have a prosperous outlook). More reasons to celebrate and go out and support your local used book store!!

Here are a few pictures from the Trade Show in Frankfurt.

Northfield Minnesota

Monkey See,

Monkey Read

If you want a fun little adventure, go check out Monkey See, Monkey Read in Northfield, Minnesota. They have both new and used books and bestsellers at 20% off!! Not Bad!

Northfield is a quaint little town, which boasts two colleges (St. Olaf and Carleton) and invents itself along the river front where the downtown life truly begins. It was fun to walk along its river walk, and window shop along Division Street where Monkey See, Monkey Read grabbed my attention.

I loved the fact that the bookseller had newer books laid out on tables with personal favorite labels attached to the covers. I also loved the fact that the used books were organized in different sections, and how the true flavor of the store was laid back, but in an intellectual way. The wood floors and the rustic look brought it all together. They even quoted Jerry Seinfeld.

"A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking."

I have to agree, that was a nice touch. Where it happened to be the day of Steve Jobs death (Apple Computer Founder) it was a relief to know that Independent Book Stores like Monkey See, Monkey Read are still in existence. Striking conversation with both serious and hobby readers alike and helping them along with their search for the perfect book. Northfield has itself a little gem.

Go visit a used book store today. Go discover a bookseller in your area and give them some business. But, if you EVER find yourself in Northfield, Minnesota....go discover Monkey See, Monkey Read on Division Avenue. It's worth the trip!

Book 36 "The Help"

The Help

By

Kathryn Stockett

I can't believe I read this book. Honestly. I have been avoiding it for a long time. I didn't want to get sucked into all the hype of the movie. I didn't want to buy a book that completely dominated the book shelves. Everywhere I went, whether it was Target, Barnes and Noble, the little used book store in whatever town you wanna call it.

Not to mention the fact that this book just radiated chick flick. Just look at the cover of the book (or movie poster). You have four ladies front and center. Four main characters ALL women. HELP!!!! (Literally).

My wife read the book first. We ordered it on our Kindle and she FLEW through the book like she was eating a buttery croissant. A croissant. Not a steak, not big, thick, juicy black angus beef burger. So, she reads the book and loves it. In fact, so much that she wants to have a date night now to see the MOVIE. She recommends the book to me. I read the first chapter. Oh dear Lord....this is going to be a tough assignment.

So, I put my block headed thinking aside and read the book, and feel that Stockett has written a beautiful piece about Civil Rights. The fact that the meaning of the book is entangled between the story of working maids in Mississippi and Ladies League in the 60's, doesn't overshadow the point of treatment of BOTH women and minorities.

There were slow moments in the book. However, at the time where Miss Skeeter makes the decision to write a book revolving around the maids and their struggles, the book begins to pick up the pace.