Book Reviews Archives - Page 6 of 30

Living With Wealth Without Losing Your Soul

Last month I was at a conference in Florida and met the author of Living With Wealth Without Losing Your Soul. The author, Steve Perry, had the interesting experience of marrying his wife without realizing she came from a very wealthy family. He had to completely adjust his thinking — both spiritually and socially — about wealth.

It’s a book that covers a lot of the same themes as Junkyard Wisdom, though with more of a pastoral heart and less of the “global junkyard” messiness I embrace. Where Junkyard Wisdom tells the story of one who strives to …

Dirty Glory

After 15-years of seeing God work in amazing ways, Pete Greig has written Dirty Glory: Go Where Your Best Prayers Take You to share those stories. It’s the story of prayer and Pete’s amazing ride as the “accidental” founder of 24-7 Prayer.

Most of all, it’s the story of God’s engagement in our world. This is where Pete shines as an author (and as a person). He can tell amazing stories, but you never sense it’s about self-promotion the way other preacher/teacher types sometimes come across. For Pete, it’s genuinely about what God is doing in the world.

For this …

So What Are People Saying About Junkyard Wisdom?

I’m way too lazy to do a real book tour. But a blog tour sounds doable!

Maybe you remember the days when authors would go on book tours. They’d show up at the local bookstore to talk or read from their book, sign a few copies, and then head on to the next town. Some still do that.

But the more efficient way is to do a blog tour — a combination of interviews, reviews, conversations, even podcasts, all from the comfort of my computer screen. I get fewer frequent flyer miles, but it’s far easier!

Below are several blogs …

Under New Management

David Burkus has written a fun book for anybody who manages people. Under New Management looks at how organizational management is changing in ways we never thought realistic. You really should get a copy of this book if you oversee any group of people.

Some of the ideas are idealistic — such as chapter one, “Outlaw Email.” Other ideas are very thoughtful and doable, such as chapter two, “Put Customers Second.” Many of the ideas, such as “Hire as a Team” and “Fire the Managers”, have been around a long time but have only recently gained steam in the marketplace.…

The Gospel of Wealth

Andrew Carnegie had an amazing impact on philanthropy and our understanding of wealth. His book is flawed in some ways, but well worth reading. Here’s a summer rerun for you. Originally posted a couple of years ago, it’s a good reminder.

Somebody once told me that Warren Buffet gave Bill Gates a copy of The Gospel of Wealth by Andrew Carnegie when Gates expressed interest in giving back to society. Not long afterward the Gates Foundation was created.

Is the book that powerful? Well, no. Nor do I think Gates was influenced solely by this book. But it is an …

Two Book Recommendations

Two book recommendations this week. Both are great and should be on your reading list.

John Townsend writes beautiful and thoughtful books about faith, psychology, and well being. His latest, The Entitlement Cure, came to my attention when The Gathering asked me to sign my book next to Townsend. Um, just a little intimidation there! I agreed of course, but I thought I better read The Entitlement Cure in advance. And I’m really glad I did.

In some ways we all suffer from entitlement. Or at least those of us in the Western/developed world. For some it’s a real …

Shane Claiborne

Last week Shane Claiborne was in town for a PathLight luncheon. It was an honor to interview him and hear his take on faith, culture, justice, and activism. Plus I had fun teasing him about not following me on Twitter (he does now — woohoo!).

Shane is deeply concerned about the death penalty and recently wrote Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why It’s Killing Us. Although our interview did not cover this topic, PathLight gave a copy of the book to the 35 people who attended the luncheon. It is a powerful account of the …

Best Books of 2016 (so far)

I’ve read over 50 books in the first six months of the year, and some of them were really good. Here are the best books of 2016 (so far).

I thoroughly enjoyed The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck. There’s some profanity, and I don’t agree with his opinions on religion, but how can I resist a story of two aging baby-boomer brothers who buy a wagon and mule team, then travel the Oregon Trail? Between angry property owners and Wal-Mart stops, they see some amazing places and have the experience of a lifetime. Oh, and …