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Book Reviews

The Forgotten 500

If you have somebody on your Christmas list who loves World War II history books, The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All for the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II by Gregory Freeman is a good one to give this season.

The story really is untold — 500 downed American airmen are behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia, and the OSS (the early CIA) plans an audacious rescue mission. Freeman has done a lot of research, interviewed people who were there, and paints a picture of political posturing that lets one of the heroes be …

Book Reviews,

Excellent Sheep

Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life by William Deresiewicz is well worth reading for two types of people: those involved in higher education, or those with kids in college or choosing a college.

The author has opinions calculated to get a reaction from the established elites of higher education. He mocks the Ivy League schools, overindulgent parents, and anybody who utters the idea “you can be anything you want to be.” He’s crass at times, scornful at others, and never pulls back in his criticism of an educational system that is …

Book Reviews,

The Innovators, by Walter Isaacson

One of the hottest books of the year is The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution by Walter Isaacson. After the amazing success (and timing) of his book about Steve Jobs, in this new book Isaacson explains how the process of innovation has commonalities no matter the people, places, institutions or even centuries involved.

It’s a touch of brilliant marketing. Take the hottest field of our era (technology), combine with many of the richest people in the world (Gates etc.), look at a topic of great interest (innovation), and then draft a historical …

Book Reviews,

Gatecrashing

Rarely do I review a book the author suggests when the suggestion comes from a Twitter direct message. But when Brian Heasley offered to send me a copy of GateCrashing, I was eager to dive into the book.

I’ve never met Brian but know many who have. They all tell me about his amazing journey in life, his huge heart, and how God is working through him in places like Ibiza, Spain.

You see, Brian was the director of 24-7 Prayer in Ibiza, which some call the party capital of the world. It’s certainly the party capital for young …

Book Reviews,

Reading as Social Capital – It’s Way Better Than Watching TV

You want real social capital to impress your friends and colleagues? Read a book. Turn off the television.

I’m serious. You could watch another weekend marathon of Seinfeld to learn all the silly jokes, or rent every episode of 24 and barricade yourself in the family room, or download every Breaking Bad show to get caught up. You could become hip by learning all the character names of The Big Bang Theory or find out what the acronym NCIS actually means.

In the end, you’d have a few moments of shallow entertainment and a bit of wispy social capital that …

Book Reviews,

Russian Roulette

Spies, history, geopolitics, and massive cultural shifts. But mostly spies. That’s what Russian Roulette: How British Spies Thwarted Lenin’s Plot for Global Revolution by Giles Milton focuses on in this amazing book.

Now many of you are going to read the title and think, “That’s not for me.” Okay, fair enough. But even if the title doesn’t pull you in, you might give it a try anyway. It’s that well written, that fun, that crazy.

For instance, D’Aun is not a big fan of history or spy books. But one evening over dinner I was sharing some of the stories …

Book Reviews,

Risky Compassion

The burly guy met us at a McDonald’s in downtown Bangkok. A friendly smile and Aussie accent made him immediately likable. He introduced himself as Ash Barker. My first impression was of another big hearted missionary type who wanted to change the world by loving the poor. An admirable goal, but I meet such people all the time. Few of them have the gravitas to hold my attention for long, and I assumed Ash was going to be much the same.

Boy, was I wrong.

A group of us followed Ash through the Klong Toey Slum of Bangkok. He greeted …

Book Reviews, Random Thoughts,

Of iPhones, Smart TV’s and the Dick Tracy iWatch

This post is for the wonderful people who subscribe to my blog. Thank you! Below you’ll find links to two new book reviews and I encourage you to check them out. Although very different, both are excellent. There is also an update on our successful vineyard harvest.

This week Apple announced the new iPhone as well as the new iWatch. Dick Tracy would be so proud. Or maybe he’d think the iWatch is old news. Whatever, the fanfare over a new phone (or now a watch) has always made me chuckle. Sure, the first iPhone was indeed revolutionary. But since …