January 2025
January is always so cold. It can be tough. It follows the joy and hope of the holidays with dark days and cold weather. Millie and I celebrated birthdays. Lots of people called me old, so it must be starting to show. I have been looking back at last year and comparing how well I am moving around this year to crutches and a big nasty brace last winter. It feels really good to be strong enough to be asked to move heavy things again.
Anyway, here are the books I finished in January and my reviews of them:
Kids Books
The Little Bird’s Nest by Amber Waters
My mom bought this beautiful little book for Millie for her birthday. The young lady who wrote the story and painted the pictures is a childhood friend of my sisters. The story is about a little family of birds and a little family of humans. The mommy and daddy birds build the nest and raise the baby birds. The mommy and daddy humans explain the birds’ behaviors to the kids. We went through the same stories last year with a pair of robins building a nest in our tree. We didn’t get to see the baby birds, but we learned a lot watching the nest building. I enjoyed this beautiful watercolor book.
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
Armand is a hobo in Paris. Just before Christmas, his spot under his favorite bridge is stolen. Armand is indignant, but the three children and their dog in his spot steal his heart. No one knew Armand had a heart. The kids and their mother are homeless because their father died and they have no money or a place to stay. Armand shows the kids around Paris while their mother is working a laundry job. The children find several places to sing carols and earn enough coins to eat pancakes. Their mother is outraged. Her pride won't allow begging. She sends Armand away. The next day, Armand finds the children about to be “rescued” by some do-gooder ladies. He hustles them away from the bridge and takes them to live with some gypsy friends he has. The children blend in with the gypsy children, and even Armand finds a warm tent to stay in with the gypsy men. The family goes to a big feast for the homeless hosted near Notre Dame for Christmas. The small relief for the family doesn’t last. The gypsies disappear when a policeman comes around asking about one of the men. Armand finally makes a decision. He will get a job. He and the mother can earn enough to pay rent and keep the children safe and warm. So he makes the ultimate hobo sacrifice- he gets a bath. He bathes the dog who is supposed to be white too. Together, Armand and the newly white dog, Jojo, go looking for a night watchman job, but what they find is a miracle. They find a job working for a kind man as caretakers. They must open and close a small set of shops, manage keys for shopkeepers, and maintain the area. The job comes with a place to stay big enough for the family. The new job changes Armand from hobo to hero. He walks tall and proud as a working man of Paris.
This book was recommended by my mom as we learn about homelessness. It was hard to track down and I couldn’t find an audio version. The writing is clever and funny, even though it deals with difficult subjects. Thanks, Mom, for helping me learn to see with new eyes.
Fiction Books
The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials #2)
Book 2 picks up directly after the ending of Book 1. Lyra Silvertongue entered a new world. There she meets a new character, Will. The pair join forces. They discover that there are parallel universe Oxfords that can be accessed through little windows between the worlds. They learn that evil occupies all the worlds. They learn to trust and rely on each other. In their adventures they meet adults who try to control them, children who try to fight them, and some kind of powers who try to help them. A creepy old rich man steals Lyra’s alethiometer and promises to return it to her if she steals a special knife for him. Lyra and Will hunt for the knife, and after a fight with the previous owner of the knife, Will becomes the new bearer of the Subtle Knife. He sustains a terrible wound which is the mark of the bearer. Will learns how to use the knife to cut windows between the worlds and then how to close them. Lyra and Will discover Mrs. Coulter (Lyra’s evil mother) talking to the creepy old rich man when they return with the knife. The kids don’t trust either adult, so they steal the alethiometer and escape. But now Mrs. Coulter is on their trail. She wants the knife and she wants Lyra. Book 2 ends with a cliffhanger leading toward a massive war in Book 3. Lord Asriel and other dark powers muster their strength. These stories have a dark, ominous tone. It’s a bit heavy for this time of year. I’m curious to see how the war works out, but we might wait for spring.
This is for anyone who loves the awkward second volume in a series.
(Rated PG, Score 6/10, audiobook performed by full cast, 8:57)
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
Some books are therapeutic. This little book is that type. Mackesy wrote this book for everyone- from eight to eighty-year-olds. It’s filled with over 100 beautiful drawings of the boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse as they interact. The dialog is simple and very profound. The boy is lonely when he meets the mole. The mole loves cake. The fox is usually silent because he’s been hurt by the world. The horse is the strongest. The characters look at the wild which is scary and beautiful with storms, night, snow, and spring. I love this book and reread it often. It reminds me of many good, healthy truths.
This book is for everyone. It is deeply therapeutic. Get the hardback and read it with a warm beverage to refresh your soul.
(Rated G, Score 10/10, Hardback)
Defending Elysium by Brandon Sanderson (Skyward #0.5)
I spent a lot of time looking for this little book because it was the only piece of the Skyward series I hadn’t read. I bought it on Kindle, but then I found this version online for free. This story bridges the gap between today and Skyward. It is a small snapshot at the time in human history when we were aware of other sentient races but could not escape the solar system. The main character, Jason Write, works for the Phone Company. The Phone Company manages all interactions between humans and aliens after the humans shot down the first ship full of ambassadors coming to Earth. Jason is on a mission to a space platform called Evensong. Jason mashes two seemingly separate cases together. A missing alien (Varvax) ambassador and young lady who has lost her memory and ability to walk. The Phone Company has been trying to keep Earth safe while also developing cytonic powers in a few individuals, Jason being one of them. But the universe is a big place, and the other races with cytonics have been watching the humans. Humans are unpredictable, growing in power, and eventually, they will learn how cytonics work for faster-than-light (FTL) space travel. The Varvax and others aren’t willing to risk their peace, so they are a threat to human advancement and freedom. The story ends with Jason’s choice to take cytonics to the masses and help his race travel to the stars.
This is for anyone thinking about jumping into the Skyward series.
(Rated PG, Score 8/10, ebook, 78p.)
Zack Lightman is just a high school video game nerd living in Portland, OR, until the aliens show up. Zack and his fellow nerds get recruited into the Earth Defense Alliance (EDA) to help pilot drones to defend the Earth against alien invasion. The EDA has been using video games to train drone pilots for decades. The plot looks like a video game, too. The aliens send three waves of fury at the earth. Each wave gets bigger and meaner than the previous. Zack and his gamer buddies unite and take the fight to the enemy. They have been training for years to fight this battle. There are lots of twists and turns in the fight, lots of drama and surprises, and lots of weird emotions. There are countless references to video games, movies, and pop culture. The story style is like Ready Player 1 mixed with Ender’s Game and Star Wars, but I think that’s the point. The end felt a bit rushed like maybe the author ran out of time during his book contract. This book and Defending Elysium both try to tackle the question of how humans will handle alien interaction. Can we be trusted to talk to aliens? We can’t even get along with ourselves. We can’t even take care of the one planet we do have. These questions are bigger than me. I’m just trying to raise kind kids and make a positive difference in my friends’ lives.
This is for gamers, nerds, and alien movie fans.
(Rated R, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Wil Wheaton, 11:50)
Non-Fiction Books
Excellent Advice For Living by Kevin Kelly
I've seen different lists of wisdom from this author over the years, so when I learned he had a book collecting his little proverbs, I added it to my list and I got it for Christmas. (Thank you, Peggy). There are 212 pages worth of short lessons. I don’t understand or agree with all of them, but that makes it even more interesting. Here are some of the ones that resonated best with me:
~ Being enthusiastic is worth 25 IQ points.
~ You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.
~ Whenever you have a choice between being right or being kind, be kind. No exceptions. Don't confuse kindness with weakness.
~ Friends are better than money. Almost anything money can do, friends can do better.
~It's not a compliment if it comes with a request.
~With sharp things always cut away from yourself.
~Calm is contagious. Be calm to help others.
~If you can't tell what you desperately need, it's probably sleep.
~Each time you connect to people, bring a blessing; then they'll be happy to see you when you bring them a problem.
~All guns are loaded.
~You have to first follow the rules with diligence in order to break them productively.
~Your growth as a mature being is measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations you are willing to have.
~Buy used books. They have the same words as the new ones. Also, libraries.
~You are as big as the things that make you angry.
~A superpower worth cultivating is learning from people you don’t like. It is called "humility."
~Pay attention to who you are around when you feel your best. Be with them more often.
~Done is much better than perfect.
If you have your own bits of wisdom that you live by, send them to me. I'm collecting them.
This is anyone looking for little bits of wisdom.
(Rated PG, Score 10/10, hardback, 212p.)
A Street Cat Named Bob and How He Saved My Life by James Bowen
Winter is a brutal time to be on the streets. I’ve been learning about life on the streets a bit through people from church who serve and help the homeless people here in Wichita. My mom recommended this book after we were talking about understanding better how some folks can end up in such hard circumstances. James is a street performer in a drug rehab program living in assisted housing when he is adopted by Bob. You know how cats are. They are quite persuasive. Sometimes they just adopt you. Bob is a young ginger tom cat who shows up on James’ doorstep and sticks around. This book is their story. Bob and James get clean together. Bob has fleas, an infected leg wound, and a bad habit of eating out of the trash bins. James is working to kick a heroin habit. Together, they get better. James takes care of Bob and Bob makes James much more successful as a street performer (busker) and magazine seller. James talks about being invisible when he is on the streets. Bob makes them visible. Bob joins James on the streets of London, riding the bus on James’ shoulders. Bob breaks down social barriers and quickly makes friends. As their friendship goes on, Bob becomes a bit of a celebrity. Taking care of Bob gives James more purpose and direction. It motivates James to kick his drug habit, get a better job, and reconnect with his family. I found this story to be enlightening, warm, and helpful for seeing the world from new perspectives. As my friend Dave says, “But for the grace of God, there go I.” This book encouraged me to stop treating people like they are invisible.
This is for cat lovers and anyone serving the poor or homeless.
(Rated PG-13, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Kristopher Milner, 6:03)
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
Extreme Ownership is the best leadership book I have read in a while. Jocko and Leif trade off writing and reading sections in the following form: War Story, Principle, Application to Business. There are three parts:
1- Winning the War Within: Extreme Ownership, No bad teams, only bad leaders, Believe, and Check the Ego.
2- Laws of Combat: Cover and Move, Simple, Prioritize and Execute, and Decentralized Command.
3- Sustaining Victory: Plan, Leading up and down the chain of command, Decisiveness and Uncertainty, and Discipline equals freedom.
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.
My top 3 takeaways:
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 intend to do.
Remember, “The enemy gets a vote.” You can have a perfect plan, but you still have to adjust, adapt, and overcome.
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, audiobook read by the authors, 9:33, hardcover, 384p.)
All It Takes Is a Goal by Jon Acuff
Jon Acuff is funny, positive, and excitable. I like his style, and this little book was just what I needed in the dark of winter. Jon talks about being a late bloomer and finally unlocking his potential with the power of goals. He explains that there are three types of goals he uses: easy goals, middle goals, and guaranteed goals. He also explains two different ways to generate goals: dreams or fears. Goals can be used to win at any of the five big games of life: career, finances, relationships, health, and fun.
Easy goals are easy. They are designed to get you out of your comfort zone and try out new things. Sometimes they can be a tiny step to generate momentum on that big scary dream you have. An easy goal should sound unimpressive when you tell your friends and take less than an hour per week. They should feel good. You should reward yourself for completing them. Examples of easy goals would be: going for a walk, having lunch with a mentor, eating one new type of vegetable, or taking an art class.
Middle goals are harder than easy goals. They should grow out of easy goals. You can grow your easy goals into middle goals if you find something you enjoy. Middle goals are important for going slow and calmly toward a dream. Middle goals should take about five hours a week. Middle goals can also feel good and start to take big chunks out of a monster dream or fear. Middle goals will require some restructuring of your schedule to fit in. Middle goals should not be over the top into the chaos zone. Middle goals would be to go to the gym two times per week, sign up for a class to advance your career, meet with a group of friends every week to talk about life, or work on your vegetable garden.
Guaranteed goals are hard. These are the big goals that will change your life. These are the goals that you integrate into your calendar. They are guaranteed because if you put in the work, you will absolutely win in one of the big games of life. A guaranteed goal sounds impressive or impossible if you tell your friends. It will take deliberate scheduling. It will change your priorities. I realized I have some of these types of goals already set up in my own life. I just didn’t know what to call them. They look more like systems. A guaranteed goal looks like this: complete 150 CrossFit workouts this year, spend 800 hours crafting book ideas, review your personal finances each week, and write down 1-3 actions to improve during your review, complement your wife 365 times this year.
How do you know if you are winning? Scorecards. Scorecards need to be visible, and usable. They can take any useful form. I have a few scorecards that I use and I am trying to think up other areas that a scorecard would help. The kids use a bingo card version of a scorecard for their monthly reading goals. I have a spreadsheet to track my 10,000 pushups each year. How do you score your progress?
One more big topic covered in the book is the Best Moments List. You can make this list by writing down any/all of your best moments. They will fall into one of the following categories: experiences, accomplishments, relationships, or objects. Sometimes they will fit into more than one category. Building this list allows you to see those areas of your life that can be leveraged to make more awesome best moments. It will also give you data to see which category you are wired to appreciate most.
This is for anyone looking for better language and targets about goals.
(Rated G, Score 9/10, audiobook read by the author, 5:37)
Preview/Currently Reading-
Leadership is Language by David L. Marquet
Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John M. Gottman
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley
Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive #5)
I track my books in a database called Goodreads. It might help manage your reading lists.
Final Thoughts-
I made From The Spine stickers. Let me know if you want one. I think they are awesome, but I’m biased and proud of them. There is a small flaw on them that makes me smile. It was created in a very specific, accidental way. If you can tell me exactly how it was made, I’ll buy you a book of your choice.
Last year, when I got injured playing soccer, I lost all kinds of good things that I had been getting out of playing soccer. Lately, I have been trying to define what those things are so that I can try to replace them with other sources. I lost the exercise, the camaraderie of team sport, the stress relief, the safe place to express big emotions, the satisfaction of being good at something after years of effort and training, and many other things. I’m still pondering what that means. I’m still trying to fix my running gait. Unfortunately, it’s still wobbly and imbalanced. But as I work through all of these thoughts and experiences, it is becoming clear that it is a miracle that I can walk. There’s a story in Mark 2 about a paralyzed man whose friends bring him to Jesus, and Jesus, seeing their faith, heals the man. I feel like that man. With the faith of my wife, my surgeon, my friends and family, and my physical therapists, I have been restored. I love miracles. What an honor to live one.
Thanks for adventuring with me.
Joshua
PS. Instagram: Fromthespine
PPS. I’m looking to grow and improve this little experiment. If you have benefited from it and would like to support my ability to buy better books or run with some other ideas I have working, here is your opportunity. You could think of it as an investment or buying me a coffee.