FROM THE SPINE - JUNE 2022 BOOK REVIEWS

June 2022

What a month. All the zen from the pandemic slowdown seems to be gone. Everyone is now trying to make up for lost time and fit all the things in right now. My family included. In June I got to do a lot of fun things. I went to Kansas City to watch the US Men’s National soccer team play against Uruguay. My family went on a real vacation to Colorado where we celebrated with my niece in Erie for her birthday. We also stayed in Breckenridge for a few days with my in-laws. We went troll hunting, we went alpine sliding, and we hiked up some mountains. There was a scary bit during our rafting trip, but with help from the guides and a helicopter, we got everything sorted out. My parents came and visited us in Wichita and we got to take them to some local fun- Wind Surge game, Tanganyika, and fishing. It was a blast. What’s been your favorite fun thing to do this summer? 

Here are the books I finished in June 2022 and my short reviews of them:

Short Stories/Articles

The Prophet by Kahil Gibran

The prophet is a collection of wisdom or poetry. In it, the prophet speaks of love, marriage, children, giving, eating and drinking, work, joy and sorrow, houses, clothes, buying and selling, crime and punishment, laws, freedom, reason and passion, pain, self-knowledge, teaching, friendship, talking, time, good and evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion, and death. 

Fiction Books

The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill

There once was a dragon who tried on a Mayor suit. That Mayor became a hero in a small town when he defeated a dragon who had burned down the town library. The town used to be good, but over the years people stopped helping each other. The people began to live in fear. They didn’t rebuild the library, and they trusted the Mayor with everything. Things were not going in a good direction for the poor town. But the town got lucky. A kind Ogress lived next to the town. The Ogress used her tiny bit of almost magic to plant and grow and collect and bake and heal. The dragon in the Mayor suit tried to turn the town against the Ogress with fear, signs, and rhetoric, but a group of terribly brave orphans solved the mystery about who was bringing the town so many gifts. They embraced the Ogress, and using books and kindness, helped the town restore itself. The Ogress and the orphans save the town and defeat the dragon and his spells of fear and greed. The story is rich with nuance and character building. I enjoyed the crows and their part in the story. They are silly, and not always as helpful as they imagine. The moral of the story is that we need each other to survive and we are collectively better when we love each other. 

This book is for anyone needing a reminder that kindness is a much better long-term strategy than fear. 

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Suzanne Toren, 13:04)  

There’s Treasure Everywhere by Bill Watterson

I took the kids to the used book store to cash in some of the old books. Millie found some cute intro-level books and I found this gem. The 6-year-old Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes fill the book with hilarious antics, witty jokes, deep philosophical questions, and so many funny snowman scenes. As the title implies, Calvin finds treasure everywhere because he has low expectations and lots of energy to look. Calvin’s exhausted and usually flustered parents spend a lot of time wondering what he is destroying, chasing away monsters, and not being able to get him to eat his dinner. Calvin’s teacher has to deal with his crazy answers to test questions, distracted daydreams of aliens and dinosaurs, and crazy imagination. Even though the book was published in 1996, the themes and commentary feel relevant today because of Watterson’s way of using timeless principles. 

This comic book is for anyone needing a good chuckle. 

(Rated PG, Score 10/10, paperback 176p.)

The High King by Lloyd Alexander (Chronicles of Prydain #5)

Arawn Death-Lord has made his final preparations and advances on Prydain. Taran, the assistant pig-keeper, and his fellowship of comrades must unite to face him directly, or lose their homes by force of violence. The fellowship meets at Caer Dallben following the loss of the great magic sword Dyrnwyn. Taran, Princess Eilonwy, King Rhun, Gurgi, the former giant Glew, Coll, Lord Gwydion, Kaw, Dallben, Fflewdur Fflam, and Queen Akron all come together to plan their next move. The majority of the crew heads toward King Smoit’s castle, where they run into Magg, who imprisons some of the warriors. King Rhun dies in the brave rescue, and the party decides to head to Caer Dathyl and rally around High King Math. Taran rallies troops who are loyal friends from his travels in earlier books. But Arawn’s forces are as bold and desperate as ever and leaving Annuvin unguarded, the cauldron-born assault Caer Dathyl and destroy it and kill the High King. The remaining good forces decide to assault Arawn in his evil realm in a final attempt to destroy him. To do this, Taran leads a force that constantly harasses the evil troops as they march back to Annuvin to buy time for Lord Gwydion’s army to make their assault. Doli and the Fair Folk devise a brilliant plan to drown the evil army in fire and ice. Taran and his army then join the assault on Annuvin where Taran chances upon Durnwyn which he uses to destroy the deathless warriors. Taran then kills Arawn in the form of a serpent, destroying the Death-Lord and his castle. The heroes return to Caer Dallben where they learn that many of them will leave Prydain for the Summer Country never to return. Taran refuses the trip because of work he has promised to complete after the war. Eilonwy also refuses to leave and the pair become the High King and Queen of Prydain.

This is for warriors, adventurers, and anyone needing a fantastic book where good overcomes evil.

(Rated PG, Score 10/10, audiobook read by James Langton, 7:24, Ebook)

The Greatest Miracle in the World by Og Mandino

Og Mandino meets an old ragpicker named Simon, who teaches Og all about life, pain, and so many things as they spend time together. Simon gives Og his legacy before vanishing. Simon’s legacy is The God Memorandum- a memo written to mankind from God explaining how we are the greatest miracle in the world-His creation. The memo also describes the 4 laws of happiness and success: 1- Count your blessings. 2-Proclaim your rarity. 3- Go another mile. 4- Use your power of choice wisely. Do all these things with love. This is a short book, with philosophical ideas and leaps of faith in the plot structure. For some reason, I struggle more with these blatant, unanswered, or unexplained types of leaps than with supernatural stories in Sci-fi or fantasy. It felt like an older Mitch Albom book. The philosophical points in this story are new to me and stretched my worldview. I like that sort of book. Thanks for sharing this one with me, Peggy. 

This book is for anyone needing a reminder that we are God’s handiwork. 

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, paperback 108p)

Non-Fiction Books

The Fearless Organization by Amy C. Edmonson

This author gave one of my favorite presentations during last year's Global Leadership Summit, so I was excited to pick up this book and learn about psychological safety. Our world has been filled with fear lately, and some of that fear is ingrained in our organizations. We fear speaking up when we have ideas or questions. Fear keeps us from being our best. The book is broken into three parts. In part one, Edmonson talks about the power of psychological safety – what is it, and how do you measure and observe it? She talks about how things are in our VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) world and how having the safety to speak up and lead from a place of honesty, integrity, and vulnerability allows us to grow. In Part two, Edmonson discusses psychological safety at work. First, she gives case studies of companies that ended up causing big problems because they had cultures of low psychological safety – Volkswagen, Wells Fargo, FED, and Nokia. Each of these organizations failed to be safe and they ended up in big trouble. One contributing factor is dangerous silence – no one was ever fired for being silent. But silence and inaction lead to disasters like Chornobyl. So what is it like to have a fearless workplace? Edmonson gives the example of the cockpit communication and environment when Capt. Sully safely landed his A320 in the Hudson. The flight crew worked together to quickly analyze their limited options, to put the right person in control, and they saved 155 souls. Another good example is Pixar. By giving candid and tough feedback early in the filmmaking process, the team makes their movies great. In part three, Edmonson works through creating a fearless organization. She describes setting the stage for safety. Talking about it in our organizations, then inviting others to participate in the process. Getting real feedback sometimes takes asking better questions. And then leaders must, actually respond positively. They must thank people for bringing hard truths to light and they must do something about those hard truths like sanction violations and correct problems. Finally, Edmonson talks about how building safety takes a gradual approach. It doesn’t happen immediately.  To build psychological safety leaders must always be improving and must lead by example.

This book is for leaders wanting to create better places to work for their people. 

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Jill Araya, 6:43)

Preview/Currently Reading-

Your Leadership Edge by Ed O’Malley

The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe

I track my books in a database called Goodreads. You might find it helpful in managing your reading lists. 

Final Thoughts- 

I wasn’t able to read as many books as I had hoped this month. Time slipped away and distractions ate a lot of my attention. I had visions of lots of free time on vacation reading good books, but with kids and distractions, that didn’t quite happen. And that’s ok. We made a lot of memories. 

I did learn about being kind, patient, and listening well. I learned about asking better questions. I learned that I have the power to choose even in my fear. God gave us the power of choice and how we use that power determines how we see ourselves. I am choosing to connect more, even though it is outside my introverted comfort zone. I am choosing to act even if I’m scared or uncertain. 

What are you learning?

Thanks for adventuring with me. 

Joshua

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FROM THE SPINE - MAY 2022 BOOK REVIEWS

 May 2022

In May we celebrated Memorial Day and I honored the fallen troops by doing 1/2 Murph. I’ll be sore for a week. Jet just turned 8. It’s hard to figure out how he got so big so fast. School is out for the kids and so the summer adventures begin. Joey won VIP tickets to the Whiskey Meyers show and was generous to share with Aubrey and me. We love the live music, but we are not quite fancy enough for VIP so we’ll stick to GA. Jet’s soccer season ended with a couple of big wins. The boys learned a lot this season from Coach Wes and I learned that I’d rather be Dad than Coach. I was also able to go out shooting a few times in May. We shot clays off of the thrower and also went out and shot a sporting clays course. Sporting clays are challenging and it’s one of my favorite things to do. The Kansas wind made it extra challenging and humbling.

Here are the books I finished in May 2022 and my short reviews of them:

Short Stories/Articles

The Top Idea in Your Mind by Paul Graham

The stuff you think about in the shower- it’s really important. Don’t waste that time. The biggest thieves of this passive thinking time are money issues and disputes. If you can keep your biggest challenge (Top Idea) in a place where your mind can chew on it both deliberately and passively, breakthroughs are sure to come. 

13 Strategies That Will Make You A Better Reader (And Person)

Here are the two that I am working on: 1- Look for wisdom, not facts. Seeing how people approach challenges and trials helps me calibrate my approaches. 2- Don’t just learn from experience. There are too many mistakes to be made in life to be able to make them all yourself. It’s better if you share with many others who have gone before you. Which strategy speaks to you?

Fiction Books

The Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemmingway

Everyone needs an old man in their lives. Someone to teach them how to fish, how to avoid danger, how to survive, how to suffer with pride and courage when a job calls for it. There have been several old men in my life who poured their wisdom and energy into me just like the old man in this story pours into the boy. The old man is a fisherman who has gone 84 days without a catch, but on the 85th day, he hooks the biggest marlin he's ever seen. The fish is so big that it holds the fisherman and his gift out to sea for two days before he finally tires and surfaces for a final showdown. Many subtle themes resonate with me in the old man’s story- fishing with the old man like fishing with Grand Dad Southard, working hard, being willing to suffer, being tough, and taking care of people with kindness, humility, and dignity. Thanks, Jarrod for reminding me about this book.

This book is for young men and old men and the women trying to understand them. 

(Rated PG, Score 9/10, audiobook read by Donald Sutherland, 2:28)  

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archives 1)

I’ve been reading longer books this year, and this one was long. With over 1100 pages worth of space to paint, this book has amazing depth. The author uses progressive disclosure to open the onion layers of the characters, the world, and the plot. Ironically, it takes the whole book just to set up the scary truths that I suppose are explored in the rest of the series. There are three main story arcs that all tie in together at the end of the book: 1- Kaladin is a surgeon, slave, soldier, and leader of men. 2- Dalinar is the Blackthorn, warlord, shard plate and shard blade wielder, father, high prince, and visionary. 3- Jasnah is a researcher, magician, teacher, philosopher, and historian. Kaladin grows up studying under his father as a surgeon, goes to war to protect his brother, and ends up betrayed into slavery where he gets sold onto Bridge 4. As a bridge runner in the war, Kaladin is supposed to be expendable, hopeless, and broken, but he fights against the status quo, becomes bridge leader, and ends up uniting the men on his bridge into a cohesive fighting unit. Dalinar is mired in politics, trying to save the kingdom from ruin, learning from visions he doesn’t understand about events and powers that only legends can explain. As a high prince, and uncle to the king, Dalinar is the type of strong, disciplined leader that I would want to fight for, but chaos and greed threaten to undermine him at every turn. Eventually, he is betrayed and left for dead in battle surrounded by enemies and abandoned by all except his men, and Bridge 4. Jasnah is highly educated and esteemed by some and hated by others because of the religious and philosophical views she holds. Through her interactions with a young seeker Shallan, who becomes Jasnah’s ward (student) the reader learns about the research Jasnah is doing, her skill in magic and how magic works, and ultimately, the doom approaching. The book is a fantastic leadership fable showing both small-group leadership development through Kaladin and large-scale tactical/political leadership through Dalinar. Other big questions are explored: Can you save lives through violence? What type of leaders are men drawn to, loyal to, and willing to die for? Can you learn how to approach the future by studying the past? What happens when religion becomes a source of power and control rather than a path to answers for seekers? Who is the Almighty? The story is clever, well-written, engaging, layered, nuanced, and balanced. I’ve tried to summarize the major parts of the story because there isn’t room for all the other characters, side stories, quirks, and jokes that add richness to the full story. Thanks, Lucas for talking me past the scary length of this book. On a side note, this book hits all seven inescapable themes. 

This is for leaders, fighters, and anyone who likes fantasy. 

(Rated PG, Score 10/10, hardback, 1000p., audiobook read by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer)

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney (Gray Man #11)

Sierra Six is a mashup of two story arcs: 1- present-day Court Gentry is on the run from the CIA again and working a black market job when he comes face to face with a ghost from his past. 2- twelve years ago, 25-year-old Court is pulled out of the field working as a singleton asset and plugged into a six-man team in CIA Ground Branch called Gulf Sierra or the Goon Squad. The terrorist (Kahn) is the same guy in both stories. He is building dirty (nuclear) bombs and trying to change the global landscape in Afghanistan and India. Young Court struggles with the integration into the Gulf Sierra because he is used to working alone and his team doesn't trust him. His ninja skills keep him from getting fired and shipped back home. He helps the team track down a busload of stolen explosives and shuts down a team of terrorists shooting civilians in a shopping mall. but he shoots one of his team members in the fog of war, causing his team to ostracize him even more. The team raids the bad guy's bunker and flushes out the dirty bombs and assumes that Kahn died in a helicopter crash. Present-day Court has to rescue the drone operator who is kidnapped by Khan when her drone is detected and tracked back to her. Court learns Khan is working with Indian mobsters. Court also teams up with an old spy who was crushed by the events of 12 years ago. The old spy actually set Court up to find Khan, hoping Court would recognize the terrorist and kill him immediately. Court figures out that Khan has built a massive dirty bomb in the skeleton of a new skyscraper in Mumbai and is ready to detonate it and destroy the financial sector of the country. Court assaults the building in a monsoon, hoping to stop the bomb from being detonated. I enjoyed the action-packed plots, and it was interesting to see the development of the younger Gray Man as he grapples with terrorism, death, revenge, fitting into a team, and understanding his place in the chaos. 

This book is for action junkies and Gray Man fans. 

(Rated R, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Jay Snyder, 15:58) 

Non-Fiction Books

Flamin' Hot: The Incredible True Story of One Man's Rise from Janitor to Top Executive by Richard Montanez 

This is a crazy story where a janitor creates a multi-billion dollar product, writes a book on efficiency, and rises above his humble roots to lead his company (Frito Lay) out of decline and into success. Montanez is a character; he has style and humor and many lessons from his struggles. From the mop closet to the board room he worked hard, owned his work, learned what it is to take initiative, and made connections with many of the leaders who believed in him. He teaches younger workers how to take pride in their work. He exemplifies the idea of acting like an owner. Montanez watched a video from the CEO asking for every employee to create ideas for growing the company and took it to heart. He and his family saw an opportunity to expand chips into a wide-open market- there weren’t any snacks for the Latin families who liked things with extra spices. Seeing this huge gap in the market, Montanez invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Then he went way out on a limb and called up the CEO with his idea. Everyone wanted to watch the janitor get fired for calling the CEO directly, but instead, he got the chance to pitch his idea to the CEO and many other executives. Montanez didn’t know how to pitch, so he went to the library and checked out some books, and developed a pitch. Everyone held their breath as he got ready for his presentation, but he still didn’t get fired. He nailed it. But the business wasn’t ready for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to go big. They started small, so Montanez took his family out to the LA shops that were selling a few bags here and there and bought them all up and convinced the owners of the shops to buy more. Orders increased, and eventually, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos became a billion-dollar product. Don’t be afraid to look ridiculous. Don’t stop at “what if?”, keep going through “Why not?”, and work your way through the “What then?” questions that will lead your dream to challenge the status quo. Finally, study your words. Know what they mean. Chose them carefully. They have power. Words define our realities. Speak words of power into your dreams and your families. I love this story. It’s a grander version of my own story (which is not quite as far along). 

This book is for the little guy who needs a boost, the brave, and the leaders yet to breakthrough.

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Steven Montanez, 6:21)

Deep Work by Cal Newport

This is a book about doing deep (extended, undistracted, focused) brain work. In Part 1 Newport argues 1- deep work is valuable, 2- deep work is rare, and 3- deep work is meaningful. In Part 2 Newport describes many strategies for building deep work habits and getting away from shallow distractions. Here are the 4 rules and some ideas discussed to support them: Rule 1- Work deeply. Focus on the wildly important. Act on the lead measures. Keep a compelling scoreboard. Have a cadence of accountability. Schedule blocks of time to be disconnected from the internet. Practice working to a deadline to improve focus. Rule 2- Embrace boredom. Meditate proactively by working on a problem while going on a walk or a run. Rule 3- Quit social media. Write down the top goals you are trying to achieve, then evaluate if the networking tools (social media, IM, email, etc…) support accomplishing these goals. If not, don’t use them. Rule 4- Drain the shallows. Schedule your workday on paper. Fix your schedule and say no to shallow tasks. Be hard to reach. Don’t reply to emails. Build the habit of letting small bad things happen so that you have time to do big good things. Here’s an ironic twist- I tried reading this book last year, but I got distracted. Having dug in and finished it, I did find several strategies I intend to use at work and was validated in several of the strategies that I already use. 

This book is for thought workers, craftsmen, and the easily distracted. 

(Rated PG, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Jeff Bottoms, 7:44)

The Motive by Patrick Lencioni 

The first part of the book is a leadership fable- a story meant to teach the following principles: There are two types of leaders- rewards-based leaders and responsibility-based leaders. The motivation that each leader uses to power his leadership determines the success they will see result from their actions. Rewards-based leaders are the type that see leadership as a reward or finish line for their hard work. They see it as a chance to work on what they want and tend to be entitled and they neglect key areas of their teams and organizations. Responsibility-based leaders see their jobs as an opportunity to serve others. They recognize the areas that are critical to their teams’ and organizations’ success that cannot be delegated. Like Jocko says, they take extreme ownership. Here are the five critical areas that are most neglected by rewards-based leaders: 1- Leadership team development. Making the executive team cooperate and thrive is critical to the success of the organization. 2- Managing subordinates and making them manage theirs. Everyone needs to be managed. Not micro-managed, just held accountable for moving in the best direction for the company and executing critical tasks toward the company’s goals. 3- Having difficult and uncomfortable conversations. The leader must be the one to initiate the conversations to address behavior issues, squash office politics, and force discussion of the critical issues that the group is not addressing. 4- Running great team meetings. If your meetings suck, your decision-making will also suck. It’s the leader’s job to make meetings well-organized, engaging, and focused on deciding critical directions for the team. 5- Communicating constantly and repetitively to employees. It’s the leader’s job to make sure that everyone knows what the company’s function, mission, and goals are and to keep reminding them of key initiatives. No one ever left a company because the company's leaders over-communicated. These are not fun or glamorous parts of leading, but they are critical. Leaders who seek to serve will execute them well. Leaders who are in it for themselves will ignore or delegate these areas to the detriment of their organizations. 

This is for anyone who aspires to lead well and serve others. 

(Rated PG-13, Score 9/10, audiobook read by Jim Frangione, 2:37)

Preview/Currently Reading-

Undistracted by Bob Goff

The Time Traveler’s Wife

The Ogress and the Orphans

The High King (Chronicles of Prydain #5)

There’s Treasure Everywhere

I track my books in a database called Goodreads. You might find it helpful in managing your reading lists. 

Final Thoughts- 

I tried to be more thoughtful about the book reviews I wrote this month. I tried to be more deliberate. I took more time to think about the themes and ideas in each book and tried to relate some of that pondering in these reviews. I hope it shows. 

Thanks for adventuring with me. 

Joshua

Instagram: Fromthespine

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PPPS. Send me book ideas, brand ideas, or questions. I love the feedback.

FROM THE SPINE - APRIL 2022 BOOK REVIEWS

April 2022

It felt like we finally got into a groove with school, work, and sports. At work, we caught our breath after a crazy first quarter. At home, we have been sorting through things and getting ready for a garage sale. Jet has had soccer and Taekwondo. Millie has been taking swim lessons. We celebrated Easter, hosted family for a few nights, and I remembered that I’m getting pretty old for rock concerts. 

Here are the books I finished in April 2022 and my short reviews of them:

Short Stories/ Plays

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

This is a play written to portray the Salem Witch Trials. It is a brutal depiction of religion gone wrong. The power of mass hysteria leads the community to hang many of its citizens based on the accusations brought by their neighbors. Fear is an intoxicating drug that can galvanize the mob toward violence and malice. I’d like to see a live performance of this play. The audio version was performed by a full cast, but it was a little hard to follow in all the drama. Thanks, Jarrod for the suggestion. 

Little Pilgrim’s Big Journey Adapted from Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

This is a much abbreviated, illustrated version of the great journey of Christian from the City Destruction along the pilgrim’s faith path to the Celestial City. The story is allegorical, meaning the characters’ names are representative of their roles and identity in the story. I read this with the kids and they really enjoyed it. Each chapter has a summary and questions for comprehension. The illustrations help to tell the story in memorable ways. Thanks, John and Cindy for this beautiful gift for the kids. They loved it. 

Fiction Books

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom

How many of us are so scared of death that we forget to live? How many of us, if faced with death in the form of a debilitating and fatal disease like ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) could embrace the process and touch the lives of those around us and end with dignity and peace? Tuesdays are the days that Mitch meets with Morrie, both in college and later as Morrie is fading away. Mitch uses the meetings to discuss life’s deep questions with the wise old man. Mitch records the discussions and turns them into this book. The book sales pay for Morrie’s medical bills and give many people a glimpse into the wisdom only those familiar with the shadow of death could share. The pair discuss the world, feeling sorry for yourself, regrets, death, family, emotions, the fear of aging, money, marriage, culture, forgiveness, and how love goes on. Mitch slowly becomes more comfortable with his old friend and can see and hear the wisdom and kindness that overpower those fears and frustrations that Morrie experiences. This is a very difficult book. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows and puppies; as a matter of fact, it’s the opposite of those- death and darkness and sadness. But we all will experience those things in this world and this book gives us a healthy framework to weather those storms. 

This book is for anyone dealing with death or sickness and looking for wisdom,

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by the author, 3:42)  

Relentless by Mark Greaney (Gray Man #10)

Something big is brewing in Berlin. Top spooks are disappearing. The CIA is scrambling to sort out what’s going down. Matt Hanley pulls the Gray Man out of medical treatment and sends him to South America to interrogate a former CIA IT specialist. Court Gentry (the Gray Man) is in no shape to be down in Venezuela. He has a bone infection and needs a month of IV antibiotics and rest to get back to normal. But his country needs him, so he packs some pills and some gear and ninja’s his way into Caracas. He finds his man, extracts some answers at gunpoint, and is about to haul the traitor back to America when the house is nearly leveled by a crew of mercenaries who are cleaning up loose ends. So Court heads to Berlin to back up Zoya Zakharova, who has gotten a job working for Shrike Group and is digging for the truth about the op they are working in Berlin. Eventually, Court, Zoya, and Zach Hightower must make a stand to protect Matt Hanley and the US Ambassador to Germany against a highly sophisticated terror attack executed by Quds Force soldiers being manipulated by a crown prince. Oh, and in the background, the Russians are hunting Zoya with malice. I love the Gray Man doing his thing with a massive infection and other injuries stacking up. Court is tough. 

This is for Gray Man fans and readers needing a book to keep them hooked. 

(Rated R, Score 9/10, audiobook read by Jay Snyder, 15:39, ebook, 512p.)

The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

If you have read or watched The Lord of the Rings movies, or The Hobbit, you know the world of middle earth created by Tolkien. The Silmarillion is the story of how the whole earth (including Middle Earth) was made. It is deep and rich and complex. The writing style is old English style, heavy with descriptions and details and many names. Like Narnia, Eä (the world) is sung into being in the first part of the book. In the second part, Tolkien describes the Valar and Mayar, which are like gods or angels who shape the world and create much of its substance and structure. The third part of the book is the set of stories about the Silmarils, which are three jewels. Most of the drama, heartache, and sorrow are caused by the wars fought for these jewels. The stories involve the beginning of the races of elves, men, and dwarves. The evil of this time is made by Morgoth Bauglir who was one of the Valar, but who fell into darkness and wrath. There are many storied about the elves and their histories. They made the Silmarils and when Morgoth stole them, they made many oaths and mistakes trying to reclaim them. The fourth part of the book is about the rise and fall of the Númenorians. The final part is the story of the Rings of Power, where Tolkien tells how Sauron creates the one ring to control the other rings of power. Nine rings Sauron gave to men, seven to the dwarves, and thee others were made, and he kept the one ring. This is a great overview of the events leading up to and included in The Lord of the Rings. 

This book is for patient readers, or readers who like old language style and epics. 

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Martin Shaw 14:49)

The Girl Behind the Red Rope by Ted and Rachelle Dekker

It’s interesting how stories seem to come in related sets. This story goes hand in hand with The Crucible. Grace lives in a post-apocalyptic, isolated town that has extremely strict rules and religious practices. The town is surrounded by a thick red rope which marks the boundary between the faithful and the outside world. Trouble begins when Grace’s brother Jamie begins to doubt that the outside world is as dangerous as they have been made to believe. He sneaks out to explore and to find evidence of the furies who were supposed to be destroying everything and everyone not in the protected town. When the leaders of the town find out that Jamie and Grace have been breaking the law, they send them out to face the world and to learn the truth about the furies. The furies find them after night falls. Returning to the town Grace and Jamie fight to recover peace in the town, but two new visitors cause the town’s leadership to take extreme measures to protect their way of life. This is a powerful picture of fear ruling people and ruining lives, while love is the only weapon against fear. Or, as I like to quote, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

This book is for anyone dealing with fear issues.

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Sandy Rustin, 10:05)  

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

This is a short book of stories written in the voice and language of a young, poor Mexican-American girl growing up in a falling-down house on Mango Street in Chicago. Some of Esmerelda’s stories are sad, others are funny, and they reminded me of different parts of my childhood. There’s a story about the girls finding some fancy high-heeled shoes and wearing them around trying to be like the older girls. There’s a story about the Vargas kids and how bad they were. Esmerelda’s stories are about wanting to come from a house that isn’t as poor; a house  that would make her feel proud instead of embarrassed. Thanks, Jarrod for the book idea. 

This book is for readers looking for a different perspective. 

(Rated PG, Score 7/10, audiobook read by the author, 2:19)

Non-Fiction Books

Five Presidents by Clint Hill

Who gets a front-row seat to all the big events in politics? The Secret Service agents who are assigned to the leaders involved in those world-shaping events. Clint Hill wrote this book as a therapy for all the trauma and stress he lived through as a Secret Service agent serving under five different American Presidents. Clint starts in the Secret Service during the Eisenhower presidency. With Ike, he learns how the president can run a tight organization and always find time for a round of golf. Using his military organizational skills Eisenhower tours the world promoting peace and freedom. His aim was to win the world over to peace. Hill learns a lot of basic security lessons working international travels on the presidential detail. Hill sees the president struggle with Russia in the cold war. The critical error of Eisenhower’s presidency comes when the U2 spy plane is shot down in Russia and the CIA tries to cover up their spy activities. When Kennedy is elected, Hill worries that his days working with the presidential detail might be over. Instead, he is assigned as the agent in charge of the First Lady’s security. Hill is still close enough to the president to see him falter during the Bay of Pigs incident in Cuba, and later redeem himself during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Hill also witnesses the family’s struggle as they deal with the death of baby Patrick Kennedy. In Dallas, Hill experiences the assassination of President Kennedy brutally close. Hill is the agent on the back of the car trying to cover both Kennedys as President Kennedy is shot. Hill relives those events in horror for the rest of his career. He is not able to properly start dealing with the trauma until he retires from the Secret Service many years later. Hill’s protective duties for Mrs. Kennedy extend into LBJ’s presidency as the nation mourns their slain leader. Eventually, Hill is reassigned to President Johnson’s detail where he and his team scramble to keep the crazy Texan President safe despite all his random ideas and willingness to risk his safety to connect with crowds. Johnson’s presidency was defined by racial strife, the Vietnam War, and times at his ranch in Texas. Hill’s leadership expanded during this time and he received extra training and increased responsibilities. Hill’s role in the Secret Service moved to the Vice President’s detail during the Nixon administration and into management as his experience grew. Finally, during Ford’s administration, Hill was forced to retire to deal with health issues caused by the years of stress and trauma in his career. Only in his retirement did Hill begin to discuss the events he witnessed. 

Thanks, Nolan for this excellent book recommendation.

This book is for anyone interested in history or the evolution of the Secret Service. 

(Rated PG-13, Score 10/10, audiobook read by George Newbern, 14:31)

Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday  (The Stoic Virtues #1)

This is the first in what I imagine will be a 4 book series covering the four stoic virtues: courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom. This book is broken up into three parts: Fear, Courage, and the Heroic. Part 1 Fear- we all feel fear. We all get scared. But being scared is temporary. Living in constant fear is a choice. Good leaders can dispel fear with logic and hope. When fear is defined, it can be defeated. Here are some of my favorite ideas and quotes: “Plenty and peace breed cowards, Shakespeare said. “Hardness ever of hardiness is mother.” There are many cowards around. “If we are going to indict anyone for their cowardice, let it be silently, by example.” “Waste not a second questioning another man’s courage. Put that scrutiny solely on your own.“ “The fear you feel is a sign. If courage is never required in your life, you’re living a boring life.” “Fear speaks the powerful logic of self-interest. It is also an inveterate liar.”Asking for help is brave. Ask for what you need.  “What we want in life, what the world needs-all of it is on the other side of fear.  All of it is accessed through courage, should we choose to wield it.” Part 2- Courage - Debating is just time-wasting. Decide and act. Cynicism is cowardice. Courage is Gauche. “We can’t just bemoan the darkness of this world we live in. We have to search for the light. We have to be the light.“ “Violence is rarely the answer-but when it is, it’s the only answer.” We must have the courage to step through our fears and do brave things. Part 3- the Heroic. The heroic is what is beyond daily courage. The Spartans were heroic at Thermopylae where 300 Spartans faced 1 million Persians.  They sacrificed for the greater good. They didn’t shy away. They knew that they weren’t going home. They fought anyway. The opposite of fear isn’t courage, the opposite of fear is love. Fighting and sacrificing your life for those you love. The difference between raw courage and the heroic lies in The Who- who was it for? Make people better. Heroes make their luck through action. Holiday uses several historic figures to illustrate the ideas above. He discusses Florence Nightingale, who revolutionized medicine. He uses Martin Luther King Jr. who led this country in the civil rights movement. He uses the Spartans, and many other brave leaders who faced fears, acted in courage, and became heroes. This is an excellent book for understanding courage. Thanks, Eddie, for letting me borrow it. 

This book is for those seeking to beat their fears and step into courage.

(Rated PG-13, Score 9/10, Hardcover, 277p.)

What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell

The purpose of this collection of stories is to get you to think differently about things. There are many topics that Gladwell covers including Pitchmen, the Dog Whisperer, puzzles vs mysteries, the homelessness problem, and auto-emissions. Gladwell picks apart the psychology of many bad decisions and methodologies. It’s interesting to see how badly some of our assumptions end up working out. One example that I found interesting is the homeless problem. We assume that the cost of homeless care would be stretched in a bell curve with a regular distribution, but it’s not. It’s more like a hockey stick where a few specific chronically homeless people end up burning up most of the budget. So it’s much cheaper to provide extra care for those few hard cases than it is to try to provide nominal care for all those who don’t need it. One adventure that was close to home for me from a professional perspective was Gladwell’s discussion about the Challenger disaster. He breaks down the mindset that could lead to such a disaster. At NASA there was a normalization of risk mitigation. That is, they had spent so much time discussing, examining, and mitigating risks associated with potential failures, that they seem to have forgotten that space travel is inherently dangerous and that given enough exposure, the risk always catches up. 

This book is for anyone needing some new ways to think. 

(Rated R, Score 8/10, audiobook read by the author, 12:49)

Preview/Currently Reading-

The Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemmingway

Undistracted by Bob Goff

I track my books in a database called Goodreads. You might find it helpful in managing your reading lists. 

Final Thoughts- 

Thank you to those who sent me ideas of dangerous things they are doing. I enjoyed those conversations. Thank you for all the recommendations for books too. We are getting closer to summer. Do you have big plans for summer vacations now that the world is getting back to normal? We have a trip to Colorado planned, and a trip to watch the US Mens National team play Uruguay in the works. 

Thanks for adventuring with me. 

Joshua

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FROM THE SPINE - MARCH 2022 BOOK REVIEWS

 March 2022

The world is opening back up, the weather is finally turning warmer (ironically, there is snow on the ground outside as I edit this), the rain came back after months of drought, and I think I am finally through a super busy time at work. We finished the certification of a new airplane (Cessna SkyCourier) and wrapped up some other important projects. March was exhausting. Also, my March Madness bracket exploded early when Kentucky lost. I suspect I am not alone. 

Here are the books I finished in March 2022 and my short reviews of them:

Short Stories

Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman

Sometimes dads can stretch the truth about a quick trip to the corner store into a fantastic story involving pirates, aliens, hot air balloons, time travel, volcanoes, ponies, dinosaurs, badly named items, and vampires. Fortunately, the milk makes it home for breakfast.

Dragon Masters by Tracey West

They take my kids to the school library a couple times a week, and because I’m not there to monitor their choices, and because they are kids with lots of energy and not always a lot of sense, they bring home a wide variety of books. Also, they don’t read stuff in order. This month we’ve read several books from the Dragon Masters series. The Doogle says there are 22 books in the series. With Jet’s help we read books 1, 4, 14, 2, 3, and maybe 12 (I stopped tracking when we blasted to book 14 out of nowhere). The first book introduces Drake, a young boy, who transforms from being an onion farmer into a Dragon Master when he is chosen by the Dragon Stone. Drake and the other Dragon Masters go on adventures and missions in these books. The illustrations are excellent and the stories are fast-paced enough to keep Jet constantly asking to read more (in spite of his inability to stick to the series in order). 

Fiction Books

Red Phoenix by Larry Bond

This is an older book and it took me a while to figure out what it was all about. It’s a novel written about the Second Korean War. Being separated from the first Korean War by seventy years now, I’m sure some of the edge and relevance is lost, but I can imagine this story scaring some folks pretty good back when it was published in 1989. The story is told from several vantage points- an American fighter pilot, a new commanding infantry officer, several soldiers in the North Korean command structure, and even from the oval office. The book touches on politics, economics, and war tactics. The author describes several air and sea battles in great detail including a lot of technical details about planes, tanks, and submarines. The main plot is Red Phoenix, which is the strategy used by the North Koreans. They stockpile armaments from the Russians in and near the DMZ (demilitarized zone), then during a time of political upheaval caused by student protests and economic sanctions from the US, the North Koreans try to punch through to the heart of South Korea before the UN can react. The war nearly escalates into World War 3 when the Russians and Chinese get involved. The tide turns when the UN troops are able to hold off the North Koreans long enough for the UN and US forces to regain air supremacy and allow superior tech and numbers from the US to reinforce the South. The story certainly illustrated how global situations can be escalated quickly by a few people acting with crooked intentions. Thanks, Nolan for the recommendation. This audiobook is “Included” for free if you have an Audible membership. 

This book is for those with longer memories, history buffs, and wargamers. 

(Rated R, Score 6/10, audiobook read by J. Charles, 23:28)  

The Witches Boy by Kelly Barnhill

This is a fantastic story involving some unruly magic, a rogue forest, a witch (who is more like a healer), a boy stepping into his destiny, and many other events leading to the freedom of the magic and the stones. Barnhill’s writing style is like a kid-friendly Neil Gaimanish style- it’s creative and unique and expressive, with colorful characters and adventures. Ned and Tam are young twin boys. Their mother is Sister Witch, who tames a small bit of magic. The boys build a raft and try to sail the river to the sea, but the raft breaks apart and the boys are swept downriver. Tam drowns and Ned gets very sick. Sister Witch, not willing to lose both boys, uses magic to stitch Tad’s soul to Ned’s body. The magic saves Ned’s life but jumbles his words. The story also involves a Bandit King and his daughter Aine. The Bandit King has a magic pendant, which he uses to bend the world to his will. He sees Sister Witch heal the Queen with her magic, and he plans to steal her magic out of a greedy heart. The Bandit King and his army of thieves try to steal the magic while Sister Witch is gone to see the Queen. Ned takes control of his mother’s magic to save it from the thieves, but that backfires when they just kidnap him. Ned battles the magic (which has a will of its own), and eventually, it helps him escape into the rogue forest. Ned meets and befriends a young wolf, and also meets Aine, who tries to lead them out of the forest. Eventually, the forest leads the trio to the nine stones, who are responsible for and fate-tied to the magic. The stones, the boy, the girl, the wolf, and the magic all come together just in time to make the world right. The way Barnhill describes and uses magic in her story is unique, and I enjoyed the way the story is woven together. 

This book is for adventurers of all ages, the outcasts, the warriors, and the magicians. 

(Rated PG, Score 9/10, audiobook read by Ralph Lister, 9:58)

Gunmetal Gray by Mark Greaney (Gray Man #6)

The sky was gunmetal gray when Court Gentry finally lost. Of course, that’s the type of luck Court has. This book starts with the Gray Man landing in Hong Kong on an operation for the CIA. Court is hunting a Chinese defector; a kid hacker (Fan Jiang) who disappeared from a trade show trip and who is now being chased by the US, Russia, China, and the Brits. Court leaves a trail of bodies through Hong Kong and Vietnam, with a brief detour into Cambodia where he loses the kid, and on into Thailand. Court also meets and fights his Russian counterpart (Zoya Zakharova), who turns out to be a woman, which complicates a lot of things. Court and Zoya team up to escape the Chinese and rescue Fan from the Thai and Italian Mobsters who kidnapped him. Court and Zoya make a gnarly ninja team. The plot is fairly complex as Court works for the CIA and the Chinese and against the Russians and other groups wanting to exploit the hacker’s skills. Court isn’t any good at taking orders or working as part of a bigger team, so he consistently disobeys orders and flies by the seat of his pants. The Gray Man books all help us to contemplate what is good, what is evil, and where is the gray area? This one draws in themes of freedom, choice, and what is really best for us. 

This book is for action junkies and Gray Man fans.

(Rated R, Score 9/10, ebook, audiobook read by Jay Snyder, 16:54)

Non-Fiction Books

The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

There are two types of games: finite and infinite. For finite games, there are clear rules, a beginning and end, and players choose to play. Soccer is a finite game. In an infinite game, there can be many players who don’t even know they are playing, there is no clear set of rules, and there is no clear beginning and no clear ending. In an infinite game, the point is to keep playing as long as possible. Life is an infinite game. Sinek argues that companies are using a finite mindset when they would be better served to be using an infinite mindset. Leaders are choosing short-term tactics to “win” and it is causing long-term problems. Sinek points out that many public companies have been working quarter to quarter trying to maximize shareholder earnings using finite methods like layoffs to meet arbitrary projections. They should be focusing on the long-term by investing in employees and giving value to customers and in the end, those methods would take care of the long-term success and short-term success too. Companies that can unite in the service of a just cause are better able to weather storms and focus on results. Sinek defines a just cause as being for something, inclusive, service-oriented, resilient, and idealistic. In order to keep the focus on the just cause, companies need a CEO who will champion the just cause and communicate it clearly over and over. A strong CEO will build trusting teams, protect from ethical fading, and build the will and resources to succeed in the future. Sinek also touches on the need for companies to have existential flexibility which allows them to change and adapt in order to survive. Working for a big, public company for several years, I have seen finite-minded leaders make extremely poor choices for short-term “wins” that end up crippling our capabilities for long after those short-term choices are gone. I have also seen some brave leaders who are willing to do the right things for their people in spite of the pressures they get to do the easy things or cut corners. Seeing the trust and success of those leaders willing to take the harder road with an infinite mindset has been encouraging to me as I learn to lead. 

This book is for anyone who leads. 

(Rated PG, Score 9/10, audiobook read by the author, 6:56)

Ikigai by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles

Ikigai (sounds like “icky guy”); what is it? It doesn’t translate directly as far as I could tell, but it is something like “the thing you love to do that brings you meaning and satisfaction and fulfillment.” So, how does that relate to long life and happiness?  The authors spend this book studying those aspects of life in Japan that seem to lead to long life and happiness, including the way the Japanese follow their Ikigai. Following are some of the aspects they write about in detail: Eat less. Stop eating when you are 80% full. Eat more vegetables. Grow your own vegetables. Move. Be active. Work in your vegetable garden. Visit friends. Dance. Do yoga. Reconnect with nature. Develop a sense of gratitude. Live in the moment. Meditate. Breathe well. Take joy and pride in menial tasks. Live in the moment. To summarize- To follow your Ikigai you need something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. 

This book is for anyone looking for practical ways to improve their quality of life. 

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Walter Dixon, 3:18)

Into the Region of Awe -Mysticism in C. S. Lewis by David C. Downing 

This is an excellent book I didn’t even know I wanted until it landed on my desk as a hand-me-down. It was a challenging read. Mysticism is by nature hard to explain. In order to help us understand, Downing first helps define mysticism as a “direct experience of God, immediate as a taste or color.” This definition seems pretty straightforward until you try to put into words what your dinner tastes like or the color yellow. So, of course, stories are a good way to express something that avoids direct description. I’m sure you have had experiences like this where words totally fail to convey the experience you had. Downing reviews Lewis’ life and those mystics who affected Lewis’ experiences and development. Next, Downing discusses mysticism as Lewis wrote about it. He devotes a chapter to the mystical elements in the space trilogy and another chapter to The Chronicles of Narnia. I enjoyed this new perspective on Lewis’s work. I have read many of Lewis’s books and enjoy them. This was a good way to revisit those works through a new lease. Lewis’s view of God and heaven and the supernatural elements inspire most of the ways I think about these things because they ring true with my experiences. Thank you, Peggy, for keeping me in mind when you came across this book.

This book is for anyone seeking to better understand their own mystic experiences. 

(Rated G, Score 9/10, Hardback, 207 pages, audiobook read by Simon Vance, 6:15)

The Dip by Seth Godin

The dip is the valley you have to go through on your way to being the best in the world at something. The dip is the struggle that makes the journey worth it. In movies, it’s the part where Rocky is training for the big fight, or the hero tries all the shortcuts only to learn that there are no shortcuts to resolve their big problem. The dip is the difference between a fun idea and a product that changes the market. It’s all the work you put into learning an instrument or a new sport or perfecting your craft. The dip crushes people who aren’t committed. The dip becomes a competitive advantage when you are on the other side of it. So, knowing this, what do we do with it? First, we recognize how this applies to us in our projects, hobbies, jobs, industries, and families. Next, we decide if we have the guts and commitment to make it through the dip and really become world-class. If we don’t have what it takes, the dip will turn into a cul-de-sac where we spin and churn and suffer without hope of breaking through. If we don’t have what it takes, Godin argues that we should quit. If we do have what it takes, we should quit everything we are not excelling at to focus on getting through the dip as fast as possible. This book was short and direct and offered great perspectives on choosing what matters. It helped me see how what my group does at work is a really big competitive advantage for my company because no one has the guts or cash to stand up similar capabilities. 

This book is for anyone looking for language to describe the struggle in their journey. 

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, ebook, 89 p.)

Preview/Currently Reading-

Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday

Five Presidents by Clint Hill

I track my books in a database called Goodreads. You might find it helpful in managing your reading lists. 

Final Thoughts- 

I’ve been pondering this idea lately- Do dangerous things carefully. I wrote a little bit about it last month. I think it’s a core theme for me in my life. I love to be dangerous. I love to do hard things. I love to run power tools. I love weapons. I love to make people uncomfortable doing things they wouldn’t dare try. But all those things come with being careful or deliberate. I’m not reckless. I don’t like getting hurt. I don’t like risk for danger’s sake. I like watching the kids do dangerous things carefully; learning what they are capable of and where they can learn more. I’d love to write a book about all these ideas. 

I’m going to do another book giveaway. To enter, send me ideas of something dangerous you did or do. I’d love to hear about how it challenged you and helped you learn too. I’ll draw a winner or two on April 15th and send them the book of their choice. 

Thanks for adventuring with me. 

Joshua

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