FROM THE SPINE - JULY 2023 BOOK REVIEWS

 July 2023

The heat finally showed up. Early July was fairly mild for Kansas, but here at the end of the month, we are in our weeks of over 100-degree days. I broke my lawn mower last week and almost melted a few times while working on it in the garage. Millie and I used popsicles to recover. The kids decided that they wanted to plant some seeds they found so now we are trying to keep some sunflowers and some cantaloup sprouts alive in the heat. It’s funny to see where we accidentally planted some of the seeds in the process. We’ve also been doing lots of work in the basement. The kids taught me Framing 101, Facebook marketplace, and sealant application on cement. Next, we will do insulation and some electrical I think.

Here are the books I finished and my reviews of them:

Fiction Books

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket 

This little book was listed on my 100 Book Bucket List poster.  I’ve been trying to put a dent in the books it holds, and this one looked like an easy win while I power through Rhythm of War. The more I think about this book though, the more I don’t like it. Maybe I missed the point. The author does give a disclaimer that it doesn’t have a happy ending. The book starts with the three Baudelaire children, Violet, Klaus, and Sonny at the beach. They are enjoying a little holiday, doing things they love. It’s all downhill from there. Their parent’s friend finds the children at the beach and tells them that their home has burned to the ground with their loving parents in it. The friend and his family provide a miserable home for the three children until their closest relative, Count Olaf, agrees to take them in. Count Olaf is a creepy, evil, stage performer who is after the children’s fortune. He abuses them until his plot is uncovered and then he runs away. The story is sad and gloomy. No redeeming fun. No magic, no (non-human) monsters or wizards, and even the writing style is dark, sad, and dreary. You can probably remove this one from your bucket list and find a much more interesting and positive way to spend your time. 

This is for anyone needing a damper on their day.

(Rated PG, Score 2/10, audiobook read by a full cast, 2:29)

The BFG by Roald Dahl

This book is infinitely more fun than The Bad Beginning. It starts with a young orphan being stolen out of her bed at night by a giant and being galloped off to Giant Country. There, Sophie is introduced to the BFG and nine other man-eating giants. The Big Friendly Giant (BFG) explains a great many things about how he is a good giant who blows wonderful dreams into the windows of the boys and girls of the world, whereas the other giants are always traveling to the countries of the world to eat human beans. Since the BFG never went to school, much of his vocabulary is fantastic and nonsensical. Sophie and the BFG devise a plan to save the humans of the world from being gobbled up by the giants. They mix up a very special dream from the millions of dreams the BFG has stored in his cave, then they deliver that dream to the Queen of England. When the Queen wakes from the nightmare about man-eating giants, she finds Sophie in her bedroom, waiting to explain and introduce her to the BFG. Together, the Queen, the BFG, and Sophie kick off a military mission to arrest the nine bad giants and bring them back to England to be imprisoned for their crimes. This is a very silly story similar to others by Dahl, but there are some prevailing themes, like learning to help each other, listening well, and being kind. The kids got a big kick of how funny the BFG talks, and how he likes whizzpopping even in polite company. 

This is for anyone needing a good chuckle. 

(Rated G, Score 7/10, audiobook read by David Williams, 4:25)

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archives #4)

This is a massive book. It’s like five times longer than my average book. Because it is at the end of the series, Sanderson builds on many existing characters and an entire world of magic, lore, culture, and war. This book, like previous volumes, has three main story arcs. The biggest and most complex takes place in the tower of Urithiru. The second takes place in Shadesmar. The third and least involved is a collection of tangential, scattered chapters taking place in history and around the world of Roshar. The story is set one year after Book 3, and the humans are at war with the Listeners (called Parshendi in previous books). This is a war that has happened over and over in history, but in the past, the Oath Pact controlled how the war would end, causing it to repeat forever. This time the Oath Pact is broken because Honor is dead, bringing in new dynamics, and the potential for the war to be won or lost forever. Odium commands the traitor, Taravangian, to lure Dalinar and his army into a trap/distraction with the main force of the human army, away from the tower fortress Urithiru. Dalinar takes the army and most of the Radiants with him, hoping to win precious territory back from the Listeners. Once away, Taravangian’s army turns against Dalinar, causing his offensive to slow and sowing confusion and doubt in the human leadership strategy. As soon as the Black Thorn is away from Urithiru, Odium’s forces attacked the tower through hidden paths and tunnels into the basement. There they flip the tower’s magical defenses to knock out all the remaining Radiants except for Kaladin and Lift. Without the powerful Radiant defenders, the human army is quickly overwhelmed, and the enemy uses the oath gates to bring in large numbers of reinforcements. The tower’s defenses also cut communication between the tower and Dalinar, allowing the ancient Fused named Raboniel time to try to corrupt the Sibling, who is the spren of the tower. The human Queen, Navani, is taken captive and forced to continue her experiments to understand the properties of three different types of light (Stormlight, Voidlight, Lifelight), and their anti-lights. Together, Navani and Raboniel discover the way to kill spren, Radiants, and Fused forever, opening a way to end the war forever. Kaladin and his band of misfits eventually free the tower, after Kaladin swears the fourth ideal accepting that he cannot save everyone and that the greatest gift we have is the moments we share. Adolin and Shallan lead a mission to Shadesmar to convince the honorspren to join the humans. Without more honorspren to bond, the humans cannot create more Radiants, limiting their ability to continue to fight against the Fused. The mission encounters several challenges and ends with Adolin being tried by the honorspren for the crimes of previous humans. The trial is a farce, intended only to punish and publicly abuse Adolin, but it backfires when Adolin’s shardblade/deadeye Mayalaran is called as a witness in the trial. Miraculously, she speaks and proves that she and her peers chose to sacrifice themselves in the ancient battle, taking away any guilt that could be aimed at the humans. There are chapters devoted to Venli’s story, outlining the history of the Singers before their contact with the humans. The interludes provide interesting color for different secondary characters and events. There are many themes that Sanderson explores in this book. Some that struck me are the psychological casualties of war and how to treat them, ambition and its causes and effects, sacrifice, leadership, delegation, honor and how we perceive it, healing through connection and belonging, the blinding power of fear, the potential those of us who are different to use those differences as gifts rather than curses. Of all the books in this series, this one was the least impactful to me. Maybe it was because the magic got lost in the volume. Maybe I’m not ready for its wisdom yet. I definitely found the story to be challenging and interesting. I particularly found the experiments in light fascinating. They took me back to my optics class in college. Maybe in a few years when Jet is older, we will go through these together and I’ll get more out of it the second time. 

This is for anyone with a few weeks of free time they need to fill. 

(Rated PG, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer, 57:26, Hardcover, 1230p.)

North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson (The Wingfeather Saga #2)

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 over the Mighty Blapp River and into the Ice Prairies. 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. 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? Listening to this with Jet, I had to deal with so many questions. The action and danger keep him nervous and trying to figure out what happens next. Jet got the box set for Christmas so we are reading along and enjoying the illustrations. Up next - Book 3, The Monster In the Hollows.

This is for adventurers, protectors, and rebels. 

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by the author, 12:01, hardcover, 330p.)

Only the Dead by Jack Carr (Terminal List #6)

Only the dead have seen the end of war. We seem determined to pour all of our resources and energy into war. James Reese has been arrested by the FBI for conspiracy to assassinate the President of the United States. He spends three months buried in solitary confinement in a super-max prison while the authorities prove his innocence. During that time in the dark, Reese’s internal dialog stretches his psyche to its limits. His friends come to his aid when he is released, ready to take the fight to the people responsible. Reese is searching for a safe deposit box that holds secrets collected by his father. These secrets are so dangerous that The Collective is willing to kill a standing president in an attempt to remove Reese from the picture. The secrets incriminate The Collective for manipulating markets, events, and wars going all the way back to World War II. These people are obsessed with power, and Reese threatens them all. The Collective is planning a Black Swan event (an event that changes the course of history, like the Kennedy assassination). They are planning a nuclear strike against Israel using nuclear materials with Iranian signatures. This will draw the US into a war in the middle east and allow Russia to take over Ukraine and allow China to invade Taiwan, changing the world’s dynamics forever. Like in his other previous adventures, Reese starts killing his way up the food chain to find those responsible for these atrocities. He finds old friends and uses their influence and resources to find the package of data left by his father. Throughout the book, Reese battles the thoughts and doubts that would have him quit, leave his path, and disappear in fear. The internal struggle was an interesting reminder that we all have thoughts and doubts that don’t originate with us. They could come from our friends, our enemies, the devil, or our past, but we do not have to be controlled by them. As the story progresses, Reese’s demons afflict him less and less but never go completely away. This book makes me want to retire to Montana, set up a self-sufficient ranch, and leave the world and its chaos behind. Carr is deeply distrustful of politicians and global leaders. He is highly critical of them to the point of being a modern prophet. I think I would benefit greatly from a wiser, older perspective on these threats and accusations. Let me know if you are up for that sort of discussion. Thanks, Aleksandr for sending me this story and for your insight into the stories and lessons it holds. 

This is not for the faint of heart. It is for warriors, protectors, and conspiracy theorists. 

(Rated R, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Ray Porter, 15:17, Hardcover special first edition, 564p.) 

Non-Fiction Books

For the first time in three years, I didn’t finish a non-fiction book this month. :( 

Preview/Currently Reading-

Parenting: Getting It Right by Andy & Sandra Stanley

God in the Dock by C.S. Lewis

Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World by Jenn Granneman

Salvage System by Kevin Steverson (Salvage Title #3) 

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

Final Thoughts- 

Always be a student. Ask good questions and then actually listen to the answers. I constantly encourage my children to ask good questions. When Millie and I were working on the mower she asked me so many good questions. I love these discussions. They give me a chance to teach, and coach, and learn how to communicate better. I am a better human when I’m curious. That’s a Ted Lasso truth. This darts scene is one of my favorite scenes, probably ever. Be curious and be kind to people. 

Thanks for adventuring with me. 

Joshua

PS. Instagram: Fromthespine

PPS. Please feel free to forward this to your reading friends. If they want to be on my email list, let me know. 

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FROM THE SPINE - JUNE 2023 BOOK REVIEWS

June 2023

Summer is finally here. The weather heated up. The pools are open and the kids have only told me a couple hundred times “I’m bored!” We’ve done some fun things like bonfires and s’mores, a cookout and movie night, and mini-golf. What are your go-to summer fun things? We also spent the month trying to sort out a new family vehicle, which has not been my favorite adult responsibility. I also discovered a minor miracle of modern medicine: waterproof casts. Jet crashed himself doing a ninja warrior obstacle course in the basement. He earned himself a radial arm fracture. I thought his water fun for the summer was toast, but they made him a waterproof cast from the middle of his hand to the middle of his upper arm. They use a water-repellent material (possibly gore-tex) as the base layer so the water just pours out of it. He has to get it wet at least every other day. I neglected to ask what will happen if he doesn’t, but I’m sure it’s atrocious. 

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

Fiction Books

Salvage Fleet by Kevin Steverson (Salvage Title #2)

After saving their home system from destruction in Book 1, the crew of the Salvage Title set out to recruit help to defend it against the retaliation force that they know is coming. The Squilla is amassing a fleet of ships to destroy life in the Tretrayon System, after being soundly beaten by Captain Tomeral and his friends in book 1. The crew goes back to Salvage System where they found Jayneen (their AI) and their ship, Salvage Title. There they restore Jayneen to a new computer housing and round up several more of the abandoned ancient ships. Tomeral leads the crew and growing fleet to other systems where they hire mercenary ships to help defend their home system. But not all is well at home. A group of political activists kidnaps two people very special to Tomeral and his crew. They try to blackmail Tomeral into backing their candidate for the next election. Captain Tomeral hates bullies. He reacts with force of arms and violent action to rescue his kidnapped friends and uncover the depth of the political conspiracy. Tomeral leverages the strengths of his crew and his developing leadership skills to win the battle, uncover his enemies, and expose treachery all the way to the top of the Tretrayon Defense Fleet command structure. Finally, Tomeral and his Salvage Fleet set a trap for the Squilla fleet. The defense of the Tretrayon System is executed with amazing precision and effectiveness. Tomeral is a great example of a strong leader who trusts his people and empowers them to act decisively. Because he listens well and learns from many different advisors, he gains their trust and loyalty. I like these books because they have solid moral footing and sci-fi action blended well together. I like that the good guys win. 

 

This is for growing leaders, strategists, and young sci-fi fans.

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, ebook, Kindle Unlimited 332p.)

The Record Keeper by Charles Martin (Murphy Shepherd #3)

Bones is the Record Keeper and this is his story. Bones tells the story of his youth, being an orphan with his brother Frank and being continually abused by the priests who took them in. Demonstrating how we all handle trauma and our circumstances differently, Bones and his brother recover in opposite directions. Bones becomes a rescuer. Frank becomes a slaver, dealing in death, flesh, and blackmail. Bones and Bishop want to hunt Frank, who is the head of a massive human trafficking organization. They want to cut off the head of the snake and destroy the supply side of the equation, hoping to rescue thousands of victims. But Frank is Mensa smart, with a photographic and encyclopedic memory and a penchant for all things tech- he’s a super hacker. To hunt Frank, Bones and Bishop devise a recruiting strategy and test to hire some of the brightest young tech talents. Think Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They invite the best of the best hackers to a job interview, then use tests and tricks to weed out the selfish, and corrupt, finally finding the few that can help them hunt the hunter.  They go to work trying to track down Frank by focusing on his data, but along the way, Frank kills Bishop’s literary agent and kidnaps Bones. Normally, Bones leads Bishop on his missions to rescue the lost, but without Bones, Bishop gets stuck. Eventually, Bishop finds a package that Bones left behind in case of his capture. The package leads Bishop and Gunner to Hell Squared, which is the prison Bones and Frank lived in as boys. Bishop and Gunner make their way into the fortress using directions only Bones could have left. Once inside they confront Frank. Frank has demanded that Bishop find Frank’s birth certificate. Frank thinks that knowing his true name from the birth certificate will heal him and complete him. He’s wrong. Eventually, Frank is destroyed by the knowledge that Bones learned how to escape from their childhood prison and could have left at any time, but he stayed and endured unspeakable abuse, loneliness, and pain because he could not abandon Frank. This book is filled with big ideas- rescue vs revenge, how to heal trauma, redemption, sacrifice, the power of shame, the extent of the human trafficking problem, and leaving the 99 to save the one. Any one of these could fill books and books, but woven together in a narrative they are more tangible. I still think Gunner is the best character in these books.

This is for healers, rescuers, and those in need of hope. 

(Rated PG-13, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Jonathan K. Riggs, 10:06)

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is the epic conclusion of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. In the first part, Tolkien tells the story of the defense of Gondor. Gandalf and the men of Gondor hold the city walls in the face of the mighty army of Sauron, led by the king of the Nazgul- the Witch King of Angmar. The evil orc army crosses the river and burns the fields outside the city walls before assaulting the great white gate with a giant battering ram. Before the evil army can take the city's lower ring, Rohan's great horsed army turns the tide of the battle. King Theoden leads the cavalry in his great redemption, though he is finally killed by the Nazgul. But, Eowen and Merry defeat the Witch King, throwing the evil army into terror and allowing Eomer to rally the horsemen and remaining men. Finally, Aragorn and his army of the dead sail into the harbor and finish the route of the evil army. Aragorn is the rightful king of Gondor, but he does not take the throne. Instead, he leads all the soldiers he can muster and marches against The Black Gate of Sauron, hoping to draw the sleepless eye away from Frodo and Sam. In the second part, Frodo and Sam escape from the orcs in the evil tower of Minas Morgul. Dressed as little orcs, they struggle through Mordor toward Mount Doom. Gollum still torments them. Eventually, they find the chamber of fire where the One Ring was made. There Frodo fails to cast it into the fire and destroy it, but Gollum bites it off his hand (with a finger) and is so happy to have the precious that he forgets his surroundings and falls into the lava, destroying the ring and the dark tower and Sauron forever. Gandalf rescues Frodo and Sam with the help of the eagles, and everyone heads back to Gondor where they regroup, crown Aragorn king, and marry him to Elrond’s daughter. The rest is sometimes forgotten (like in the movie), but the four hobbits head home only to find that the Shire has been razed and polluted by evil men and a nasty, vengeful Saruman. Using their power and cunning learned over a year of travel and war, the returning heroes unite the hobbits, drive out the evil men, and rid the shire of their evil. Then they work to heal the evil wounds. Thus ends the third age of Middle Earth. There is so much more to the story, but you’ll have to experience it for yourself. I really enjoyed listening to these books with Jet and answering 1000 questions about what was going to happen next. His little imagination and understanding of the story always impress me. His friend bought him a box set that includes The Hobbit and the Lord of The Rings and he’s already started rereading The Hobbit. He’s hooked. We need to finish watching the movies. Thanks for lending those to us Joe. 

This is for everyone, young and old, who needs to know that good will overcome evil.

(Rated PG, Score 10/10, audiobook read by Rob Inglis, 18:19)

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson (Wingfeather Saga #1)

My mom bought the four-book box set of the Wingfeather Saga for Jet for Christmas, and after finishing The Lord of the Rings, he decided to start on this series. The Igiby children- Janner, Tink, and Leeli live in the Glipwood township, which is occupied by the Fangs of Dang. The evil Fangs oppress the citizens. On Dragon Day, the Igibys end up in a scuffle with the Fangs, which escalates over the course of the book. Their mother Nia bails the Igiby children out of the Fang jail, and they try to keep to themselves, but a final showdown is inevitable. The Igiby children’s grandfather, Podo, leads the clan to Anklejelly Manor, where they take shelter in a secret weapon stash while the Fangs battle the deadly creatures from Glipwood Forest. In the morning after the battle, all the Fangs are dead, which buys the Igibys some time to prepare for their journey to the cold north and discover old secrets of who they really are - the Jewels of Anniera. Being a fantastic work of fiction, in a totally made-up world, this little book is so fun and creative. The characters are colorful and memorable and there are many lessons woven into the narrative. 

This is for small adventurers and bigger adventurers who can tag along.

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, Audiobook read by the author, 8:19, hardback, 304p.)

Non-Fiction Books

Bad Science by Ben Goldacre

This is a fantastic book aimed at exposing some of the bad science that has been presented by fad nutritionists, big Pharma, and other marketing schemers. The author starts with some fairly basic science. He digs into some of the claims made by sellers of beauty creams. Using a little bit of logic, some basic chemistry, and experimentation he demonstrates how a basic hydrating cream morphs into a crazy expensive and highly sought-after elixir of wonders. Next, the author gets a bit more technical, discussing studies around homeopathy, placeboes, and other medicines. The scientific studies, experiments, results, and reporting are all so bad. But the general public has not objected. In fact, they support these bad practices by purchasing these quack products. Toward the end of the book, the author breaks down the science involved in the MMR vaccination scare that happened in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He is highly critical of the media and the way they handled the facts, studies, and data. This book was much more intellectually stimulating than the fiction I’ve been reading lately. I enjoyed the challenge, I learned quite a bit about the scientific journal/publishing processes and was reminded to do a better job of turning my brain on and examining facts and data with a more critical eye. 

This is for anyone looking for a brush-up on critical thinking and scientific method.

(Rated PG-13, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Jonathan Cowley, 8:51)

Marine Sniper by Charles Henderson

This is the story of Carlos Hathcock. The deadliest sniper in the Vietnam War with 93 confirmed kills. This is his story from his youth, learning to shoot, to his retirement after a devastating attack launched his troop vehicle into the air on fire and burned over 43% of his skin. Carlos was an extremely disciplined and balanced soldier. He was the perfect sniper. He embodied the woodsman, being able to read the fields and valleys with all of his senses. He was calm and collected under threat. He did not kill for vengeance or anger. He killed to protect his men, to thwart the enemy, and to win the war, but he did not kill needlessly or indiscriminately. Carlos was an extremely hard worker, deeply devoted to the Marines and their mission. He was unbelievably talented as a marksman, winning the national championship at 1000 meters, and translating that skill to the war as a sniper. His fieldcraft and military awareness allowed him to become a legend in Vietnam, earning the highest bounty offered by the enemy. Carlos was able to neutralize an enemy sniper who had been terrorizing the Marines when Carlos arrived in country, which won him support from his peers and superiors alike. In his most impressive solo mission, Carlos worm-crawled several thousand meters across open fields to assassinate an enemy General in his own front yard and then escaped without being seen, like a ghost. Another impressive aspect of Carlos’ career is how he behaves when he is shipped back to Vietnam for a second tour of duty after. He is put in command of a platoon of snipers, who have lost their pride and mission focus. Carlos leads them back into shape. He gives them their dignity back, gets them off latrine duty and back in the field, engaging the enemy with their highly specialized weapons and skills. Thanks for recommending this book Dad. I think you would like it. 

This is for shooters and history buffs. 

(Rated R, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Kevin Foley, 10:52)

Preview/Currently Reading-

Parenting: Getting It Right by Andy & Sandra Stanley

North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson

God in the Dock by C.S. Lewis

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archives #4) 

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

Final Thoughts- 

Jet and I played a short cooperative game on the switch called Blanc. Jet was a small wolf pup and I was a skinny fawn. We had to help each other through a winter blizzard to find our families. At the end, Jet was so sad that the puppy and fawn were going to go their separate ways and couldn’t be friends anymore. He has a big heart, with big emotions, so that sadness came out in big tears. As I talked it out with him, it occurred to me that I have a lot to learn about friendship and the value of walking together through trials. I want to be able to access those deep feelings in a way that makes me a better friend in the day-to-day troubles I navigate. I learn so much from my kids.  

One lesson I learned this month is that three weeks after finishing a book is too long to best remember the story and the thoughts I had while reading a book. There seems to be a sweet spot for me where I seem to have the best thoughts and memory about a book between two to seven days after I finish it. I also have a lot more success writing if I take notes during the book. Weird. 

I have ten days of vacation ahead of me. Send me your summer fun suggestions so I can try them out. What’s your favorite Nintendo Switch game?

Thanks for adventuring with me. 

Joshua

PS. Instagram: Fromthespine

PPS. Please feel free to forward this to your reading friends. If they want to be on my email list, let me know. 

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

FROM THE SPINE - MAY 2023 BOOK REVIEWS

May 2023

May was crazy busy. We had so many activities for the kids and work and school. Now that we are on the other side, it’s time to relax a little and spend some time doing nothing, or at least enjoy some unstructured time. Congratulations to all the kids who made it through another school year. Congratulations to all you parents who kept your kids alive through another school year. We’ll be praying for those stay-at-home parents who are now in charge of the chaos for the summer break. I didn’t finish as many books this month as I wanted, but I started quite a few. I’ve been distractible. 

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

Fiction Books

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

This is a fun story about helping friends, talking animals (and arachnids), and saving lives. First, Fern saves the runt of a pig litter. She bottle-feeds the pig and names him Wilbur. When he outgrows his shoe box, she sells Wilbur to her uncle. On her uncle’s farm, Wilbur grows into the spring and summer, making friends with all the barn animals and a large gray spider. Charlotte, the spider is eloquent and clever. When Wilbur learns that Homer Zuckerman the farmer will butcher him in the winter, he is devastated and panicky, but Charlotte develops a plan to save Wilbur’s life. She plans to trick the humans by creating minor miracles. She saves Wilbur’s life with five words. Over the course of the summer and fall, she weaves one word or phrase into her web. The humans marvel at “Some Pig”, “Terrific“, “Humble”, and “Radiant”. The humans are easily amazed. Zuckerman and his family become celebrities as the world obsesses over the miracles of the web. Finally, at the local fair, Wilbur wins an award that solidifies his value for Zuckerman and ensures Wilbur will live a long and happy life on the farm. I was able to listen to this book with my kids. Experiencing books with them gives me a new perspective. I enjoy seeing what they find funny, which characters they like, and what questions they have. I like this book because it teaches us to be kind, think of others, help, and appreciate these brief moments we have to live. 

This is for anyone who believes in talking animals. 

(Rated G, Score 9/10, audiobook read by George Plimpton, 3:34)

Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archives #3.5)

This novella brings together some of the characters, events, and mystery from Oathbringer and earlier stories. Rysn leads her ship on the impossible mission to approach the Island of Aim, which is protected by a constant storm. The story is told from several angles. The Knights Radiant are on a secret mission to unlock the oath gate on the island. The scholars on board aim to study the island, its perpetual storm, and other magic tools called fabriels. Another hope of Rysn is to find healing for her little creature named Chiri-Chiri, who has been fading and lethargic and was born on the mystical island. The voyage is nearly repelled by several bad omens, but Rysn deftly addresses and counters each one. She is determined to complete the trip. Finally, on the island, the crew encounters the Sleepless, which are beings tasked with defending an ancient power called the Dawnshard. The Sleepless were behind the bad omens, storm, and other ruses designed to protect the Dawnshard. Seeing all their defenses defeated, the Sleepless commit to destroying the crew by force. Rysn rises up and crafts a masterful negotiation. She sees needs and then meets them, bargaining for her life and the safety of her whole crew. She learns many secrets and vows to keep them as part of her arrangement with the Sleepless. She becomes the Dawnshard's protector and earns her crew's respect. I enjoy these novellas tied to the Stormlight Archives. They strengthen secondary characters. They are shorter and more packed with action. They are clever and add humor where some of the longer volumes get heavy, deep, and dark. This story is about resilience, overcoming disabilities, grit, and honor. Sometimes we are our own biggest obstacles, and sometimes our greatest strengths include the need to get out of our heads and follow our hearts. 

This is for survivors, negotiators, and adventurers. 

(Rated PG, Score 9/10, audiobook read by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer, 7:05)

The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin (Murphy Shepherd #2)

I have issues with the idea of the shepherd leaving the 99 sheep to seek the one lost sheep. One of the main themes of this book is this parable. Bishop leaves the people he has rescued (99 sheep) to recover in Freetown to seek the one who is lost. He always goes to save those who have been taken, always at great personal cost and sacrifice to himself. This retelling/reinterpretation of the parable makes sense to me and helped to clarify some of the intent behind it. Andy Stanley has a phrase to this effect, “Do for the one, what you wish you could do for the many.” The main story arc follows Bishop as he rescues human trafficking victims and restores them in Freetown. Then, his enemies try to blow him up on his boat. As he recovers in Freetown, Bishop tells his story to his daughter giving the reader his background and explaining how he meets and trains with Bones. Bishop also realizes he is ready to marry Summer, and helps Casey Girl to write her story, get it published, and crush some of her past demons. Bishop’s past has programmed him to wait for disaster in the midst of good moments. His luck hasn’t improved as his wedding reception is interrupted by a massive fire and explosions in the Freetown hospital. Bishop’s enemies kidnap the four women closest to Bishop in the middle of the disaster. Bones and Bishop chase the girls and kidnappers all over the country, but the kidnappers stay one step ahead until Summer finds a way to call Bishop and tip him off to their location and situation. Bones, Bishop, and Gunner (Bishop’s dog and my favorite character in the book) track down the girls and rescue them, but Bishop is shot by his own crossbow and falls into the river. He manages to escape into a cave. He nearly dies before being rescued by Bones. In the end, Bishop learns that his enemy is Bones’ brother. I imagine they go hunting for him in book 3. This book was quite different from the first book. It felt less deep, but also more clear and more linear. 

This is for those needing ideas about healing and forgiveness after trauma.

(Rated PG-13, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Jonathan K. Riggs, 9:49)

In the Blood by Jack Carr (Terminal List #5)

James Reece is still hunting the assassin who killed his friend. In book 5, the assassin flips the script and starts hunting Reece. He starts by drawing the American out of Montana. Reece goes hunting after a plane is shot down in Africa, killing a former contact of Reece. Before flying overseas, Reece gets read into a super top-secret AI program and meets Alice, the AI who helps him find the assassin. Carr goes deep down the AI/cyberwarfare rabbit hole in this one. I kinda passed out for most of that part when he got into quantum computing and the eight layers of the internet. After meeting Alice and getting help finding his target Reece takes the hunt overseas where he hops from gunfight to gunfight, target to target, from Africa to Israel to Rome, to Russia. Eventually, Reece and his target go head to head for all the marbles. Carr uses his military background to give the story and action all the details of real combat. He uses his storytelling and philosophical gifts to ask hard questions and to remind us that we are all mortal and none of us can outrun time. This story was fairly linear if not a bit predictable until the epilogue where Carr sets up the next book with a huge cliffhanger. I happen to have a special first edition hardback copy of the next book, Only the Dead, gifted to me by my great friend Aleksandr. I’m excited to crack it open. 

This is for Reece fans, hunters, assassins, and those suspicious of AI. 

(Rated R, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Ray Porter, 12:08)

Non-Fiction Books

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

This book came highly recommended by my parents and my Granny. It is the story of the young men who captured the hearts of a nation and the Olympic Gold medal in Germany in 1936. The book covers the lives of a few individuals as it builds the story, but the main focus is on Joe Rantz. Brown tells Joe’s story- losing his mother as a child, living through poverty, being rejected by a step-mother, learning to provide for himself, forging his body through manual labor, funding his college during the Great Depression, and learning to row with his head and heart fully in the boat. Joe and the other boys spent years learning how to overcome adversity. Each one came from humble beginnings and had to earn his place in the boat. Each boy had to learn to row as a masterful individual, but also with the rhythm of a machine. Their timing had to be flawless. Their unity made them fly. They never lost a race, but their journey to gold was far from easy or straight or painless. The author spent a lot of the book explaining the era and happenings during the run to the Olympics. He describes the Great Depression and the way sports were covered across the country and around the world. Back then rowing was far more popular than it is today. Brown also describes the way Hitler’s propaganda machine handled the Berlin Olympics and fooled many around the world into thinking the Nazis were faithful and true. Of course, they were not. Ultimately, the young rowing crew from the University of  Washington shocked the Germans, rowing against stacked odds, and overcoming great adversity to win the gold medal in 1936. I liked this story. It gave me a new understanding of our history, and reinforced ideas like hard work paying off, working hard for teammates, and pursuing excellence for its own sake. I also liked the way Brown painted the role of George Pocock. He was like the Gandalf of the rowing world. Thanks, Mom and Dad for recommending this book.

This is for anyone who loves a good underdog story.

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Edward Herrmann, 14:24)

Rebel Talent by Francesca Gino

Have you ever seen someone acting outside the usual social norms in a discrete, but clear act of rebellion? How did that make you feel? Here’s an example- my friend Phil wears awesome shoes, but what makes them awesome from my perspective is that they are usually very bright and colorful and fun and paired with business casual clothes. It’s his way of reminding himself to just be himself or a reminder that he doesn’t have to conform. That’s the spirit of this book. Gino tells all about the rebels like Napoleon, the pirate Black Beard, and Houdini. She breaks down principles like embracing nonconformity, using curiosity, embracing discomfort, and overcoming our biases. Gino uses stories, research, and practical lessons throughout the book to reinforce these principles. I found the book to be a little underwhelming. Maybe I’ve been a rebel my whole life. We were taught to do right and lean into hard things, but no one ever told us that would be easy or popular. I kept reading, waiting for more ideas about how to be even more rebellious, but they never came. I guess I’m a rebel, or at least understand rebel thinking in more ways than I appreciated. Also, I thought the book had a huge hole in it. Nowhere did it mention the biggest rebel I know. The Jewish teacher who turned the world upside down, lived and taught nonconformity, curiosity, and overcoming our biases, and used curiosity to change people’s hearts. That’s the rebel I want to be like. Maybe that’s why the book fell a little flat for me - I’ve already seen all the lessons in brighter colors in the story of Jesus and being lived by my heroes (parents). 

(Rated PG, Score 6/10, audiobook read by Tamara Marston, 7:56)

Preview/Currently Reading-

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

Salvage Fleet by Kevin Steverson

Parenting: Getting It Right by Andy & Sandra Stanley

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

Final Thoughts- 

So, be kind to each other like Charlotte and Wilbur. Be brave like Rysn and negotiate hard. Be a healer and a rescuer like Bishop. Probably don’t go try killing a bunch of bad people like James Reece…at least without some training. Look out for one another. Forgive each other. The one thing we are all running out of at the same speed is time. Don’t waste the time you have.

Thanks for adventuring with me. 

Joshua

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