June 2020
Thanks for going on this adventure with me.
Please comment with any feedback. I am interested in your thoughts on the email layout, reviews, style, grammar, books, and anything else you want to share.
So, why am I doing this? Well, a lot of reasons I guess. I want to write more. I want to practice reviewing the books I read so that I am actually participating in the creative process and not simply consuming media for the sake of consuming it. I want to share ideas. I want to connect with you all. I want to make my high school humanities teachers proud. I want to sharpen my ability to communicate ideas. I want to share the joy of learning. I want to argue with you about ideas to strengthen my logic, personal philosophy, and language skills.
Here are the books I managed to finish in June 2020 and my short reviews of them:
Fiction Books
Agent In Place (Gray Man Book #7) by Mark Greaney
The gray man is back in action on “vacation” this time (so he's not on assignment for the CIA), working to rescue a Spanish super model from an ISIS attack in Paris. From there his mission gets more sketchy and more extreme. His fly-by-the-seat-of-his pants style leads him to Syria on a rescue/kidnapping mission with undesirable company. This is book 7 of the series and it might be the most complicated plot so far. This is an expertly woven story of action and adventure.
I recommend this book for the spy-craft fans who like the Bourne books, Mitch Rapp, or Bond, but of course if you are like me and have to read series in their proper order, start with book 1- Gray Man. (Rated R, Score 8/10)
North! Or Be Eaten (The Wingfeather Saga Book #2) by Andrew Peterson
Book 2 of the Wingfeather Saga picks right up where Book 1 (On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness) ends. The adventures of the Igiby family continue as they flee from the Fangs of Dang and into Skree. Stranders, a Fork Factory, toothy cows, Gray Fangs, Bomnubbles, and Snickbuzzards are just a few of the dangers the Jewels of Anniera must face in this tale. (If you have no idea what these words mean, I recommend the Kindle version which has illustrations) Can the Throne Warden protect the King as his duty and honor dictate? Can an old man be forgiven for his long ago sins against the dragons?
I recommend this book for everyone but read Book 1 in the series first (link above). (Rated PG, Score 8/10)
I'm not really sure I understood this short book set at the end of World War II. Annie March is a war correspondent in Europe covering life during the war. Her camera captures the scenes and gets her access to areas she might not have had without it. She sees many tragic scenes as she travels through Europe covering the war. She sees that Eros and Thanatos are often mixed up together.
I recommend this for World War II buffs. (Rated R, Score 2/10)
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
I picked up this little gem after watching the movie about 50 times. It’s always hard to compare books with movies and in this case the storylines are very different. I really like the humor in the movie, and I was hoping that the book would be funny also. I was not disappointed. It’s a funny and clever book. The main character, Hiccup, finds himself in trouble at every turn. Being the son of the Chief, expectations for him to be the hero are high. His dragon, Toothless, is a selfish little turd of a dragon, who proves to be very difficult to train. The path to becoming the hero and a fully accepted member of the clan turns out to be the hard path indeed.
I recommend this book for adventurers. (Rated PG, Score 7/10)
The Indwelling (Left Behind Book 7) by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
The Indwelling takes place at the halfway point of the Tribulation (3 and a half years in). It basically covers the week between the assignation of Nicolae Carpathia (which happens at the end of Book 6) and the indwelling of a resurrected anti-christ Nicolae Carpathia by satan himself. The Tribulation Force, which was scattered across the US, Europe and the middle east, regroups and is forced to find a different hiding place in Chicago, which is believed to be uninhabitable by the CG (Global Community) because of radiation. The book also describes events from Revelation 12 in visions seen by Tsion Ben-Judah. The accuser is cast out of heaven and no longer has access to the throne of Almighty, so he turns his anger on the Tribulation saints, thus beginning the Great Tribulation.
I recommend this book for those interested in end times. (Rated PG/PG-13, Score 6/10)
The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia Book 6) by C.S. Lewis
This book introduces Jill Pole who joins Eustace Scrubb on a Narnian rescue mission. They are called out of England by Aslan to rescue the enchanted Prince Rilian. Alsan gives Jill four Signs to guide their way. The two children team up with Puddleglum the Marsh-wiggle and travel to the land of the giants in search of the lost prince. After several missteps and almost being eaten by the gentle giants, they find themselves back on track and captured by earthmen, who take them to the Prince deep underground. They are able to save the prince, destroy the silver chair which controlled his enchantment, defeat the evil queen and rescue Narnia from an enemy invasion. The children learn to follow Aslan’s Signs and grow close in their adventures. At the end of the story Alsan helps them set things right at their broken school in England.
Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read alone.
I recommend it for adventurers. (Rated PG, Score 7/10)
The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia Book 7) by C.S. Lewis
All worlds come to an end, and this is the story of the end of Narnia and, of course, the conclusion of the Chronicles of Narnia. Eustace and Jill return to Narnia to aid Tyrion, king of Narnia, who is fighting to save Narnia from an evil ape’s scheme and a Calormen invasion. Their help, though valiant, does not end in victory over the invading army. All seems lost when the king and those fighting with him are forced into the stable where they fear Tash will finish them off. Instead they find the great lion Aslan. Aslan calls forth Father Time and the stars and the old Narnia comes to an end. The new Narnia, which keeps all the best bits of the old Narnia, is more real and more amazing than the old. Aslan calls those who seek him farther up and farther in to his country. The sons of Adam and daughters of Eve learn that they will never have to go back to their old lives in England, because those lives were ended in a train crash. The ending of Narnia is a peek at what the return of Jesus might look like for those in our world who believe in him and how a new earth might be made when the old passes away. It makes me long for heaven.
I recommend this book for those interested in heaven. (Rated PG, Score 7/10)
Non-Fiction Books
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
This is a phenomenal book about Stoicism and its practical application to everyday life situations and problems. How can you steal fortune from misfortune? There are three disciplines to focus on, which will allow you to take any obstacle and use it as a launch point: Perception, Action, and Will.
1- Perception- How do we look at the world and our problems? How can we reframe problems so that we can see possible benefits that we can pull from our circumstances? Find the opportunity.
2- Action- Are we victims or are we heroes? Are we letting things happen to us or are we happening, with purpose to our lives? Follow the process.
3- Will- Do we have the guts to try, and fail, and try again? Do we crumble under pressure or do we stand up strong, absorb the energy and channel it into action? Who are we when things are going wrong? Are we building things that are bigger than ourselves? Persevere.
I recommend this book for anyone interested in actionable philosophy. (Rated PG-13, Score 10/10)
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Extreme Ownership is the best leadership book I have read in a while. Jocko and Leif trade off writing sections in the following form: Story, Principle, Application to Business. The chapters are broken up into three parts: Winning the War Within, Laws of Combat, and Sustaining Victory. Of course, chapter 1 is Extreme Ownership, which shows how the most effective leaders have to take extreme ownership of everything in their world- the good, the bad, the wins, the losses, the failures, and so on. Only when a leader is willing to take responsibility for everything that affects the mission can they truly make the hard decisions and commitments it takes to lead and win in tough environments. The rest of the book is built on this principle as the authors cover other topics like Check the Ego, Cover and Move, and Leading Up and Down the Chain of Command.
My top 3 take-aways:
1) Prioritize and Execute. Relax. Take a look around. Make a call.
2) Simplify.
3) Don't ask your boss what to do. Tell him what you are going to do.
I highly recommend this book to anyone hunting for some actionable leadership improvement content. The lessons are simple, clearly explained, and supplemented with examples from the military and the private sector. (Rated R, Score 9/10)
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
It is interesting that this book found me during the racism riots of 2020. It helped me see racism in new light and hues. Trevor Noah describes the racism of his experiences in ways that are relatable and honest, without too much bitterness or anger. The stories are funny, and sad and reinforce historical truths. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who are seeking to understand racism. (Rated R, Score 7/10)
Final Thoughts-
Of all the books I read in June, I think Pont Neuf was the worst because it didn’t really agree with me. I didn’t like the style or language or connect with the characters.
I think that The Obstacle Is The Way was the best because of its applicability and because it triggered this email creation.
So, that’s it for June. Send me thoughts, questions, answers, criticism and jokes. Again, thanks for your patience, grace, and participation. Feel free to pass this email on, and if you know of anyone who wants to be on the list for July books please have them contact me.
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