The 4-Hour Workweek

This book is just "eh".  I skimmed it over the course of two days because that's all you really need.  It is a skimmable book. Find what you need to apply to your life, and then take the book back to the library.  I say the library because you will be wasting your money if you actually pay for it.  I got a few good pointers, took my few notes, and put it right back in my work bag so I can drop it off at the library during my commute.  The author tries to seem hip, cool, and nonchalant about everything he's done.  He seems to say, "Look! If I did it this easily, you can too!!"  However, I am leery of anyone who tells you to charge more debt to your credit card in order to achieve your dreams.  I'm just of the school of thought that if you were trying to have freedom from the constraints of a job, why would you shackle yourself to a creditor and owe them money?  I don't need that kind of "freedom".  I was actually almost hesitant to even list this book on my blog because I had so much displeasure with it initially.  Since I did get a limited amount of good ideas from it, though, I am reluctantly posting it.  This should be read with a grain of salt.

Silver Sparrow

When I first started reading this book, I thought I would read a few pages, place a bookmark, read a little more the next day, and repeat for a few days.  So imagine my surprise when I started reading the book on a Saturday afternoon and realized by Saturday night that I was already 212 pages deep.  The only reason I didn't finish the book that night was because I was just plain tired and couldn't go on (although I was really trying!).  Even when I was falling asleep that first night, my last waking thoughts were about the characters.  Two young girls tell the story. Each is the daughter of James Witherspoon, however one is legitimate and one is not. He is married to both mothers of his girls, however the "official" family has no clue that the other exists.  The "unofficial" family knows everything and that is where you will find the emotional pull of the story.  How do you live in the shadow of people who don't know you even exist? I found myself wishing both families could somehow emerge intact, but as the girls guide you towards the climax of the story, you slowly realize that something has to give.  Tayari Jones develops each character well and takes her time with it. You feel sympathetic for one character and angry with another, then she gives you a little more insight on the character you dislike and all of a sudden you feel sorry for him or her. The dialogue feels genuine and the situations are realistic. This is another book I would recommend as a summer read...it's park, beach, and travel ready.

Paris, My Sweet

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book. I don't know if it's because I still think of Paris on a daily basis ever since my December trip or because I love desserts, but this book made me very happy.  Amy Thomas describes the vibe and the feel of Paris and New York perfectly.  She experiences both cities through desserts. It is amazing how food can unknowingly describe a city.  Paris is steeped in history and the dessert and food choices reflect that.  New York is forever changing and the sweet offerings throughout the city continually demonstrate that. If you have experienced both cities and have moments when you daydream about the days you toured, lived in, worked in, or played in either city, this book will capture you and make you smile. It may also make you start counting your pennies to plan your next sweet trip. If you enjoy travel and desserts this is an excellent summer read.

The Fire Starter Sessions

I am on a kick now where I'm really trying to instill positive vibes into every aspect of my life. This book helped me do that in an amazing way.  What made the book stand out to me is that the author is straight forward and tells you the truth. It's like when your best friend sits you down and says "What the hell is wrong with you?  Get your sh*t together". You can accept her saying that to you because you know in your heart of hearts that you needed a good kick in the rear.  Well I needed a good kick in the rear and a healthy dose of inspiration.....and I got it.  If you have the desire to take on a new endeavor, evolve into greatness, or do what you've always dreamed of doing, this book will slap you across the face and motivate you.  I read this book on my NOOK and so far it is the most heavily highlighted book on my device (and that is saying a lot because the highlight function on the NOOK is unbearable!).  I know I will be referencing this book in the days, weeks, and months to come.

Bring Me the Rhinoceros

Zen koans.....are difficult. I had a Zen Page-A-Day calendar in 2011 that had quite a few koans.  I would always think a little more when I got to a day that had a koan on it.  The koan would go something like this:

"Teacher, why is the bird brown?"

The teacher replied "Now you understand."

I completely made that up off the top of my head, but I'm not too far off from the abstract thought involved with these riddles. I was perplexed, yet intrigued. I don't quite remember how I found this book, but I'm pretty sure I just typed "Zen koans book" into Google's search box.  Either way, this book is going to take some brainpower to get through.  Each koan gives you pause.  The author presents the koan, the background story to the koan, and how you can work with the koan.  You really have to examine it and the various ways it can apply to life.  There are fourteen koans.  Not all of them are life changing and sometimes the description of the koan is dry and uninteresting.  However, that could also be because those are the ones that left me scratching my head.  There are several, though, that led me to moments of clarity and introspection.  If you want something to mentally chew on, this could definitely be considered a hearty meal of meat and potatoes.

Every Day a Friday

I started reading this book about two weeks ago and under normal conditions I probably would have finished it in a few days.  However, this was a "post-it note" book.  As in, I was putting post-it notes on pages and taking notes as I went along.  The main reason I enjoyed this book is because I enjoy Joel Osteen and his motivational message.  He never gets so submerged in the dogma of religion that it's unintelligible.  It's practical and enjoyable. Yes there are references to scriptures and to biblical parables, but the message is universal.  I think everyone can benefit from learning to be a little more positive in general.  If you're unfamiliar with Joel Osteen, this may be good way to ease into his work.  Here, he focuses mainly on happiness as a conscious choice.  This choice, combined with the understanding that God is continually blessing us, can help us be happy no matter the day of the week. It's a matter of changing perspective and being open to working on changing that perspective daily.  I would say that anyone could give this book a try.  You will know within the first few chapters if it speaks to your soul or not.