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Book Reviews

Judge Sewall’s Apology

I’ve written in the past about my interest in genealogy. It was a topic that seemed boring until my Dad passed away, and suddenly I just wanted to know: who were we?

The curious thing is that sometimes I’m not so keen on the answer. There is much to be proud of, and my overall impression is one of pride. But there’s something in every family that we would rather brush aside. As my Dad once said, “I began research on our family tree and it just made me want to buy a chainsaw.”

One such unpleasantry occurred in the …

Book Reviews, Family,

Sadie Reading

In our house, even Sadie likes to read before going to bed.

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Book Reviews, Random Thoughts,

The Man in the White Suit

Okay, I admit it, I’m a huge fan of the BBC show Top Gear. Maybe it’s for middle aged guys who fantasize about driving like Mario Andretti, but it is one of the few shows that makes me laugh out loud. As you can see in the photo on the right, I even have a Stig t-shirt (thank you, D’Aun, for the awesome Father’s Day gift).

You might be asking, “Who or what is the Stig?” Glad you asked. Top Gear is a show about cars, so they take cars onto their test track for timed laps. They want …

Book Reviews,

Twenty Five Books That Influenced My Life – #17

The first time I read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, I was mesmerized by the story. It was adventure, action, dangerous villains, and good vs evil all packaged into one incredible story for kids. It was scary enough to send chills down my spine but safe enough for me to read at a young age. The kids in the book were just like the rest of us, with hidden skills and big dreams, but somehow they were overlooked by the rest of the world. That’s how most of us feel growing up, don’t you think?

Here was …

Book Reviews,

Reading List

Looking for a good book to read this summer? I have a few to recommend. I’ve read sixty-one books in 2012 and can weed out a lot of bad ones for you. Most importantly I can point you to the good ones! There are some gems in the list below.

The book I’ve talked the most about is, ironically, Quiet, by Susan Cain. Loved this book and I’ve recommended it to dozens of people. Best business book would be Great by Choice, by Jim Collins and Morten Hansen, though Good Strategy Bad Strategy, by Richard …

Book Reviews,

Reading Scripture

Every few years I follow a “read through the Bible in a year” program. It’s not easy to stay on track, but there is a sense of accomplishment when that last chapter of Revelation is finished. It also helps me see the big picture of God’s work and how the whole story unfolds.

But I’m always amused by some parts of the Bible. My inner sarcasm comes out and I begin to laugh as I contemplate what the writers of Scripture were thinking. It’s a good thing I wasn’t hanging out with the Old Testament prophets and early Christians: I …

Book Reviews,

Free audiobooks!

One of the outcomes of moving is that you end up with a lot of giveaway stuff. Before the pile in our garage went to the thrift store, I pulled out a few audiobooks. These are all well used CD’s, but still interesting and fully functional.

If you want one, let me know and we’ll figure something out. Maybe you can buy me a drink. Or send a gift to PathLight. Or simply smile and say please. Whatever.

Here’s what I’ve got left (each is a link to the Amazon.com description):

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Book Reviews,

Love Does, by Bob Goff

We all have memories of long ago friends. Those memories often shape who we are, adding a touch of joy here, a bit of laughter there. Over the years the details may diminish, but somehow the ideas remain. Like unused bookmarks in our cerebral web browser, they might sit for years without being used.

Sometimes, if we are lucky, we reconnect with our old friend after years of absence and realize the friendship never wavered. Better still, we learn the old friend has weaved in and out of our lives ever so closely, yet never so close as to be …