Currently reading: Joy at Work by Marie Kondo 📚

After finishing the Scot Harvath series earlier this year, I was finally able to pick up Brad Thor’s latest installment on release day. This was a big deal; it was my first “light” summer read.

I fell into a slump around the time the book came out. I powered through half this summer and made no progress until this week. Regardless, I got it done, and I’m glad I did.

The book was very enjoyable. No gratuitous violence, just Scot doing what he does. The storyline was great with the normal twists without being too predictable. I liked the villains and living in the ripped-from-the-headlines storyline.

My biggest takeaway is that I’ll never know how to pronounce French words.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982182236

Finished reading: Shadow of Doubt by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: Shadow of Doubt by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: Build the Life You Want by Arthur C. Brooks 📚

Currently reading: The Phantom of the Colosseum by Sophie De Mullenheim 📚

Currently reading: Millionaire Mission by Brian Preston 📚

The story of Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX captured global headlines for 18 months, and as a lover of financial news, I followed the stories pretty regularly. I assumed that because of this, I’d enjoy the Michael Lewis book that dove into the story.

I was wrong.

SBF is pretty much a selfish jerk. I’m glad this book is over.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1324105817

Artemis Fowl is a book series that Alison read as a child, although I never did. Benedict got the first one for his birthday and has devoured them all. He begged me to read them, too, and many of his references come from the book.

I finally made it through the first book in the series. It was a quick read, and I instantly saw why he so enjoys the series. A genius 12-year old boy uses his wit and technology to outsmart mythical creatures.

As a grown man, it wasn’t for me, but I’m glad that I now have a new basis for communicating with him, and context for many of his comments.

ISBN: 978-1368036986

Finished reading: Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis 📚

Currently reading: Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis 📚

Finished reading: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer 📚

I finally did it. After nearly five years of reading, I finally made it through the full Scot Harvath series. This is, to my knowledge, only the second full series of books that I’ve read. The other, of course, being The Chronicles of Narnia.

Although many of the Brad Thor storylines are dark, this one was particularly difficult to read. Thor uses a “ripped from the headlines” model for his books, publishing new books each summer that roughly line up with the geopolitical landscape of the year. _Dead Fall_ was set in Ukraine, and it was terrifying.

The story read well, but it was a poignant reminder of how sanitized our view of war truly is. We are half a world away, comfortable in our own homes, while an entire nation takes on the brutality of Russian aggression. War is a terrible thing.

I’ve preordered the July release of Thor’s next book, but until then, I’ll be trying to find something a little lighter to read.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982182199

Currently reading: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer 📚

Currently reading: He Leadeth Me by Walter J. Ciszek, S.J. 📚

Finished reading: Dead Fall by Brad Thor 📚

I’m almost caught up on the Scot Harvath series and continue to enjoy new geopolitical dynamics that match the times. In this book, the India-Pakistan-China conflict is explored through a riveting plot line. There are few better ways to end my work day than an evening reading about the exploits and challenges of Scot Harvath, watching storylines weave themselves together.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-9781982182168

Currently reading: Dead Fall by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: Rising Tiger by Brad Thor 📚

Another great book in the Scot Harvath series. We’re out of the doldrums and Scot is back on the initiative. It was fun to again explore Scandinavia and learn a little more about the region. The plot was excellent, too, with great complexity that weaved together to make for an enjoyable read.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982194635

Currently reading: Rising Tiger by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: Black Ice by Brad Thor 📚

Thor’s change of direction, which began in Backlash, continues in Near Dark. Scot Harvath continues to heal and recover from the recent trauma, as he’s hunted by a vindictive figure from long ago in the series.

This was another fast read as I get closer to finishing the series and caught up to the annual release cycle.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982194611

Currently reading: Black Ice by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: Near Dark by Brad Thor 📚

For the first 17 books in the series, Brad Thor adopted a “ripped-from-the-headlines” approach to his annual installments in the Scot Harvath series. It was enjoyable, but also a bit expected. With Backlash, Thor flipped the script.

The hero, who up until this point in the series was always in the driver’s seat, finds himself on the wrong side of the negotiating table. The entire book, one of the longer ones, essentially unfolds entirely in one geographic region. No jet-setting, no glamorous foreign locations, just the cold arctic wilderness.

It was a different experience, and hard to experience the character in this set of circumstances. It was like I was exploring how everyone who crossed Harvath’s path before experienced him.

I breezed through in two days and really enjoyed this installment. I have just a few more books until I’ve read the whole series and am ready to just do an annual check-in with Thor.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982148584

Currently reading: Near Dark by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: Backlash by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: Backlash by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: Spymaster by Brad Thor 📚

After reading my first Brad Thor book in 2019, I’ve almost completed my goal of reading the entire _Scot Harvath_ series. Like a great Bond movie, I still love how the storylines take me to different locales around the world. Use of Force centered on the Mediterranean with operations in Libya, Malta, Sicily, Italy, and finally the Vatican itself. A very good book, and one that only took me four days to get through.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982148546

Currently reading: Spymaster by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: Use of Force by Brad Thor 📚

Another great Brad Thor read. I mentioned this in a previous review, but I really enjoyed getting to explore fictional dynamics across a broader spectrum of geopolitics. This was a relaxing read for the end of the year and I’m looking forward to rolling on to the next one.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982148485

Currently reading: Use of Force by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: Foreign Agent by Brad Thor 📚

I’ve always loved espionage, and I was excited to pick up this well-reviewed book. Unfortunately, I found the content mostly dry for at least 85% of the book. I can’t put my finger on where it all went wrong, perhaps it was the rote blow-by-blow storytelling.

Setting aside the presentation, the story of Adolf Tolkachev is one of the incredible stories of the Cold War. From the heart of the Soviet Union, Tolkachev risked everything to share secrets with the United States that guaranteed our technical dominance for decades. For his bravery, Tolkachev paid with his life.

This is a story worth hearing, but not from this book.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-0345805973

Finished reading: The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman 📚

Currently reading: Foreign Agent by Brad Thor 📚

I almost always read nonfiction books. I was in the Apple audiobooks section and this one was in a summer reads sale. The cover art drew me in, and when learned that the story was a WWII espionage thriller, I couldn’t resist.

My Father’s House is a novel that, only after finishing the book, is a dramatized version of a true story. I typically don’t mind historical fiction, but when I don’t know the true story, I find it more disorienting to read the fiction.

The theology was good, but the writing led me to believe that the author was paid-per-adjective. It was descriptive to the point of tedium, with bizarre sexual non sequiturs sprinkled throughout. These weren’t frequent, but they were always gratuitous.

I enjoyed the radio theatre aspect of the audiobook, but all told, I wouldn’t say it was very good. Much like books turned into the movies, I much prefer the original version of this story.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1609458354

Finished reading: My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor 📚

Currently reading: My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor 📚

After a slow start to the year, I’m rolling through these books!

Brad Thor’s series is almost a ripped-from-the-headlines style. I’m committed to reading the Scot Harvath Series from start to finish, but am glad to finally be catching up to current times. This book was published in 2015 and, in many ways, was the perfect prefigurement of the 2020 pandemic. It was just nice for it to not be based in the Middle East and focused on counterterrorism.

The book was long, a bit violent, but overall enjoyable. My only quibble is that the action is almost always stacked near the end, and the book wraps up incredibly fast. It almost leaves me wishing the excitement was teased out a bit more.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982148446

Finished reading: Code of Conduct by Brad Thor 📚

With over 112k 5-star rating on Amazon, there’s clearly something here. James Clear crystalizes his understanding of the psychology of habits into a useful field manual.

The books was thoughtful, logical, and well laid out. Even Clear would admit, there’s no great secret. Success and failure are built one tiny habit at a time, small bricks in a system that leads you to an ultimate destination. He offers practical ways to reinforce good habits, but in the end, the silver bullet is your personal commitment to taking the steps necessary to win.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-0735211292

Ben Macintyre is my favorite historian/author, and he did not disappoint in this one.

The story of POWs often goes untold, except for a few anecdotes here and there. The entire book focuses on an ancient castle used in Germany for the “worst of the worst” Allied prisoners. Those of particularly high value, repeated escapees, and those determined to be “unfriendly” to Germany spent the war within its gatehouses.

The ingenuity and persistence of escape attempts were impressive, but the book took care to share the perspective of the German army garrison as well. This made the story much more interesting and humanizing.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-05931362331

Currently reading: The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman 📚

Finished reading: Prisoners of the Castle by Ben Macintyre 📚

Finished reading: Atomic Habits by James Clear 📚

This book came out more than two years ago, and I was part of the pre-order. I just got around to reading it. Oops.

I bought the hardcover and listened to the Audiobook. Although I love listening to Jon Acuff and his humor, the book design is so beautiful that I wish I’d had the tactile experience of holding this book over several reading sessions.

It’s a fairly quick read, and very well done. Plenty of examples, humor, and practical wisdom for rapid implementation. Essentially, Acuff relies on the science behind neuroplasticity to upgrade the messages that we give ourselves daily.

The thoughts that we have drive our actions. So if you think you’re a bad parent, you’ll act like one. By changing the message, you can change your story.

I love Jon’s work and this book is another home run.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1540900807

Finished reading: Soundtracks by Jon Acuff 📚

Finished reading: Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less by Michael Hyatt 📚

Currently reading: Soundtracks by Jon Acuff 📚

Currently reading: Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less by Michael Hyatt 📚

Currently reading: The Legacy Journey by Dave Ramsey 📚

It’s truly incredible how a child in 1st grade can go from illiterate to a strong reader in 26 weeks.

📚

Currently reading: Code of Conduct by Brad Thor 📚

As I get deeper into the Brad Thor series, I’ve let go of how closely the stories mirror reality and just enjoy the ride. This one was pretty sinister, but well done. I’m looking forward to the next one.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982148430

Finished reading: Act of War by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church by Ascension Press 📚

It took much longer than it should have, but I finally read God’s book. Using the _Bible in a Year_ podcast, I methodically worked my way through the entire Bible. The great thing about the reading plan that I chose is that it focused on a narrative, rather than attempting to read the Bible from cover to cover.

I followed the stories, characters, and threads as they weaved through the books and finally, today, I finished.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1945179419

Finished reading: Holy Bible: The Great Adventure Catholic Bible by Ascension Press 📚

I’ve been so slammed with work this year that my reading time has taken a serious hit. I wanted to get back into it and read alongside my kids, but the nonfiction books just seemed too boring to me. So I decided to go with this thriller instead.

Thor is getting pretty dark and graphic, but I took it for what it was. So much of my entertainment is watching movies and shows that I’ve seen a million times. There are no surprises, just the occasional hidden gem that I’d missed before.

Picking up this book, I didn’t know what would happen next, which added back some excitement. I’m determined to make it through the whole series, and with the fast pace storylines, I find myself drawn back into a love of reading time.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1982148423

Finished reading: Hidden Order by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: Hidden Order by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms by Justin Whitmel Earley 📚

The GameStop rally was a crazy story last year, that I followed like everyone else. I think that _The Wall Street Journal_ did an excellent job of trying to explain it in real time.

Now, 18 months later and the dust settled, the real story is getting out. It was a craze like any other, that left the individual investor carrying losses and the operators of Wall Street richer than before.

The great thing about this story is not that its a cautionary tale that individual investors can’t win. It’s a reminder that the way to beat Wall Street is to simply not play their game.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0593421154

Finished reading: The Revolution That Wasn’t: GameStop, Reddit, and the Fleecing of Small Investors by Spencer Jakab 📚

Currently reading: The Revolution That Wasn’t by Spencer Jakab 📚

Currently reading: The Back Channel: A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for Its Renewal by William J. Burns 📚

Currently reading: Hidden Order by Brad Thor 📚

I first read a book by Ben Macintyre many years ago, and I love his storytelling style. He makes history come alive, bringing an element of excitement to stories that had it in spades in real life.

My first read was of the Double Cross team, a British intelligence organization during World War II that used double agents to deceive the Germans about the invasion of Normandy and, thus, ensure its success. Macintrye has a brilliant way of weaving the same characters into each other’s stories, meaning each book presents the point of view of a different character in the same overarching narrative.

ZigZag was a career criminal who, for various and conflicted reasons, became a successful British double agent during the war. He was a gentleman crook, with motivation to include monetary gain, personal loyalty, and a duty to Britain.

Within the German High Command, he was viewed with equal admiration. As the Allies gained a foothold on the Continent, his ever expanding second mission behind enemy lines reflected their belief that he was the German silver bullet to turn back the Allies and win the war. The only problem was, ZigZag was actually working for the British and feeding Germans false information.

History is seldom boring, and World War II offers many stories of humanity, compassion, and courage in the devastation of war. Macintyre delivers again another important story about the complexity of the human person, and how war can change people.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1408811498

We listened to this book on our family trip up North. I’m so glad that, now with children of the right age, I’m finally getting to experience the beauty and wonder of Narnia. I wish I had read it before, but to be honest, it’s so much richer now that I’ve studied philosophy and theology.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0064471053

Finished reading: Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis 📚

Finished reading: Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal by Ben Macintyre 📚

Finished reading: Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal by Ben Macintyre 📚

On our recent roadtrip, we listened to this book the entire way through! The kids loved it, and when I paused the book to listen to some music, there were many requests to put the book back on.

Lewis, again, even in this oft unloved installment in the Chronicles of Narnia, delivers a wonderful story wrapped around the essential truths of Christianity.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0064471060

Finished reading: The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis 📚

The cover art on this book is amazing, and the topic is right on point. I’m transitioning back to the Liturgy of the Hours after two years of pretty good use of Magnificat. I like Magnificat a lot, I just wanted a bit more prayer and sprinkled more throughout the day.

This book took me most of the month to read because it was very dry. I avoided reading time, even though it’s very short. If you’re thinking about adding the Hours to your prayer life, this may not be the place to start.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1682780756

Currently reading: Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal by Ben Macintyre 📚

Finished reading: A Layman’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours by Timothy M. Gallagher 📚

Currently reading: A Layman’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours by Timothy M. Gallagher 📚

I like to start off the New Year with a financial book, and this year’s installment came by way of a Christmas present from my sister-in-law.

JL Collins (no relation) is a retiree turned writer living in New Hampshire. He wrote a series of letters to his young adult daughter, seeking to pass on the financial lessons he painfully learned in his life. Collins did this because he wanted to pass on this knowledge, but his daughter not wasn’t yet interested in personal finance. That series became popular among self-educated individual investors and Collins expanded the material into a book.

The central thesis is that most retirement financial products are meant to be sold. They make money for the salesman and brokers and little for the investor. The reality is that most investors can reach wealth using simple, low-cost index funds. More than that, they’ll spend less in fees, have a less complex financial life, and outperform any of the other products being sold to them.

It was a refreshing read and a plan that’s validated when using historical market returns. Collins has a warm, friendly writing style. He really does just want to help his readers avoid the financial bruises that can make a major dent in assets at retirement.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1533667922

Finished reading: The Simple Path to Wealth by J. Collins 📚

Currently reading: Holy Bible: The Great Adventure Catholic Bible by Ascension Press 📚

Currently reading: The Simple Path to Wealth by J. Collins 📚

The algorithm served this book up to me. I appreciate cover art, but this one is next-level good. It was going to be my summer read at the lake, but the timetable slipped.

There’s something about books that reach out and grab you right where you are. It came to me at a time when I was questioning my daily habits, looking to bring order and structure to my days. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in many years.

Justin Earley is an attorney living in Richmond. He’s Christian, and his theology is congruent with Catholicism, which helped me really connect to the spiritual dimension that he weaved into the book.

Earley and his wife served in China as missionaries in their early years of marriage. With that mission complete, he came home to attend law school. He paints a vivid and bleak picture of his life after those stressful years. Unable to sleep, he’d medicate with alcohol and sleeping pills. Eventually, he reached his breaking point and sought a new script for his life.

Drawing on his faith, and seeking to bring order to the disorder, he stumbled upon the Rule. A Rule is a governance document developed by Catholic religious communities. It structures the community, shares principles, and organizes the work and life of the community to the greater glory of God. Earley ended up developing a Rule for the modern laity, which he dubbed The Common Rule.

The Rule consists of eight habits, four to be done daily and four to be practiced weekly. They are brilliant in their simplicity, but there’s something else here. Productivity theories focus on optimizing to cram as much as possible into the day. Earley takes a more wholistic track. He recognizes a dynamic of the human person that productivity czars often ignore. Earley weaves a rule that focuses first on the spiritual dimension, and works its way out.

The book remarkable, and the theological tie-ins are refreshing. Earley frequently presents very relatable life situations, and always brings it back to a Scriptural or Theological tenant. He presents a clear vision that’s as practical as it is workable. You can pick up one habit, one at a time, or the whole Rule.

I can’t say enough good things about this book.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0830845606

Finished reading: The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction by Justin Whitmel Earley 📚

Sam and Rob, although neither of those are their real first names, are parents of 14 living in Maryland. Sam stays home with her kids and Rob works at a tech company. Many of their kids are grown and gone, but a few are still living at home, working their way through school.

This book was randomly surfaced to me in a search result and I was intrigued. I watched a few videos with the authors and decided to purchase a copy.

Their first book, Sam and Rob write like parents to their mature child. It’s not patronizing, it’s just parenting. I was hoping for a lot more meat, but at the end of 150 pages, I felt like there wasn’t much new insight. I was most disappointed at the lack of information about giving strategy. I don’t know how they think about stewardship and that’s what I was really hoping for. Their money philosophy is an amalgamation of Dave Ramsey, FIRE, and a few other money personalities.

The book was well written and pleasant, this just isn’t the “one book” I’d recommend to someone looking to improve their finances.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1646800476

Currently reading: The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction by Justin Whitmel Earley 📚

Finished reading: A Catholic Guide to Spending Less and Living More: Advice from a Debt-Free Family of 16 by Rob & Sam Fatzinger 📚

Fr. Dave, the author, is a Franciscan friar and the current president of Franciscan University of Steubenville, my alma mater. I picked up his new book on a whim as a late summer read.

There is plenty of humor mixed throughout this quick read. I’ve never met Fr. Dave, but his humor is easy to enjoy. Along with his funnier lines is some profound spiritual wisdom. I’m going to take a few of the kernels and add them into my daily life.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1681925523

Currently reading: A Catholic Guide to Spending Less and Living More: Advice from a Debt-Free Family of 16 by Sam Fatzinger 📚

Finished reading: Living Metanoia: Finding Freedom and Fulfillment in Christ by Fr. Dave Pivonka TOR 📚

Currently reading: Living Metanoia: Finding Freedom and Fulfillment in Christ by Fr. Dave Pivonka TOR 📚

My favorite section of The Wall Street Journal is Business & Finance. I followed the collapse of WeWork day by day as it happened.

A few weeks ago, there was a longer piece, adapted from this newly released book, detailing the inside story. I ordered a copy.

When it arrived, I noted that it was nearly 400 pages. I almost sent it back, not wanting to read some long, drawn out personal history on the founder. I decided to read a few pages and I couldn’t put it down. This book was all meat, no filler.

Meticulously detailed, the reader is taken from the founding of WeWork all the way through March of this year. It was very well researched, organized, and detailed. The authors are Journal reporters who covered WeWork through the years. The book read like one of the Journal’s fabulous in-depth analysis pieces. It’s my favorite kind of business book to read.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0593237113

Finished reading: The Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusion by Eliot Brown & Maureen Farrell 📚

Currently reading: The Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusion by Eliot Brown & Maureen Farrell 📚

Continuing with the Year of St. Joseph, I saw this title on the Magnificat website and picked it up. It was a good premise, but not my style.

Fabrice Hadjadj is a French philosopher, father of nine, and regarded as one of the great modern Catholic thinkers. He is also a poet. He grew up Jewish, so his encyclopedic knowledge of Scripture comes through is this book. The end product ends up as a poetic exegesis of St. Joseph.

I found the flow and format hard to follow. It was a quick read, but I only gleaned a few insights. Perhaps that’s just enough, though. All told, I won’t be picking up another title by Hadjadj.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1949239713

Finished reading: To Be A Father with Saint Joseph by Fabrice Hadjadj 📚

Currently reading: To Be A Father with Saint Joseph by Fabrice Hadjadj 📚

I’m planning on getting back into my mindfulness routine as the other pieces of my wellness routine fall into place. I picked this book up sometime last year and just now got around to reading it.

Written by a clinical psychologist, Dr. Bottaro did an excellent job combining the mechanics of the human brain with the benefits of mindfulness infused with Catholic theology. His emphasis was on recognizing ourselves as part of God’s creation. I found that focus to be helpful in understanding how a regular mindfulness practice can benefit me personally and my vocation.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1635820171

Finished reading: The Mindful Catholic: Finding God One Moment at a Time by Gregory Bottaro, Ph.D. 📚

I added the White Coat Investor Podcast to my playlist a few months ago and really enjoy the show. The content is pretty wonky in a way that’s good. Ideas and insights are offered for me to think about and very specific questions are answered completely. I decided to throw this book into the mix as part of my annual money book reading. I thought it was a pretty good read.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0991433117

Finished reading: The White Coat Investor’s Financial Boot Camp: A 12-Step High-Yield Guide to Bring Your Finances Up to Speed by James M Dahle 📚

Currently reading: The Mindful Catholic: Finding God One Moment at a Time by Gregory Bottaro, Ph.D. 📚

I was looking for something a little light as summer begins and my beach trip draws near. I forgot how dark these books can get. It was a fine read but, you know, I was looking for escapism, not dread.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1439193020

Finished reading: Black List by Brad Thor 📚

These short mystery stories were adapted from GK Chesterton’s originals. They were challenging to read at times, but overall well done. Good book to read aloud with your kids.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0976638674

Currently reading: Black List by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: The Father Brown Reader: Stories from Chesterton by G.K. Chesterton 📚

To my knowledge, this is Dr. John Delony’s first book. It was billed as a “Quick Read,” and it was. Short, to the point, pretty practical. Dr. Delony has two doctorates, one of which is in counseling.

He writes about his personal experience with anxiety and then shares some of its pitfalls.

If you have transient or persistent anxiety, or know someone who does, this book will be helpful to you.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1942121442

Finished reading: Redefining Anxiety: What It Is, What It Isn’t, and How to Get Your Life Back by Dr. John Delony 📚

Currently reading: Redefining Anxiety: What It Is, What It Isn’t, and How to Get Your Life Back by Dr. John Delony 📚

Ben Macintyre is one of my most read, and favorite, authors. He writes about WWII and Cold War era espionage, subjects that I find fascinating. I learned about his latest book in the pages of The Wall Street Journal.

I must confess, I did not enjoy this book. It took me months to read it, but only because I found the first 200 pages dull. Agent Sonya follows the path of the Soviet Union’s most prodigious female spy and her 25-year career. It starts with her youth and follows her all the way until her death.

I think what I found so boring about this book was its singular subject. Characters came in and out of her life, but the whole narrative focused on a single person’s life. Macintyre’s other works have main and supporting characters, but always weaves together the different plot lines into a unified story. It’s easier to be engaged.

That being said, when he finally moved the story into 1939, the book became much more fascinating, and I read through the remaining pages quickly.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-0593136300

Finished reading: Agent Sonya by Ben Macintyre 📚

I’ve spent the past few months studying St. Joseph in preparation for my second consecration. Given that it’s the Year of St. Joseph, I thought it was a great idea to read Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter on this great saint.

The letter was short, able to be completed in a single sitting. Pope Francis went to great lengths to connect St. Joseph to his personal role in Salvation History, tying him to great biblical figures. Although St. Joseph is silent in the Gospels, his role was anything but.

My biggest take-away from this letter is how St. Joseph stands opposed to the common notion of manliness. We believe that manliness is a perverted kind of strength; a silent, withdrawn, emotionally stoic man. Instead, Francis points out that Joseph was sensitive. He was sensitive to his family’s needs, and willing to take a supporting role in order to ensure the protection of his child and the welfare of his wife.

There is a growing body of literature and exegesis on St. Joseph. This letter is a great place to start.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1681929460

Finished reading: Patris Corde: With A Father’s Heart by Pope Francis 📚

Currently reading: Patris Corde: With a Father’s Heart by Pope Francis 📚

Finished reading: Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Donald Calloway, MIC 📚

I like Ramit’s personality and his presentation style. I disliked his book. At some point, when it comes to your finances, you have to grow up and take responsibility. Personal finance doesn’t have to be complicated, but it also can’t be this lazy.

This book is full of pandering advice. Don’t read it.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1523505746

Currently reading: Agent Sonya: Moscow’s Most Daring Wartime Spy by Ben Macintyre 📚

Finished reading: I Will Teach You to Be Rich, Second Edition: No Guilt. No Excuses. No BS. Just a 6-Week Program That Works by Ramit Sethi 📚

Currently reading: I Will Teach You to Be Rich, Second Edition: No Guilt. No Excuses. No BS. Just a 6-Week Program That Works by Ramit Sethi 📚

I’m an avid reader of The Wall Street Journal, but I must admit that when it comes to the style and lifestyle articles, I’m not a good fit. WSJ is a mainstream newspaper published in New York City, and as such, many of the viewpoints of its authors are cosmopolitan. Each week, they feature a number of book reviews. That’s where I first learned of In Praise of Walking. I transitioned from running to walking nearly a decade ago. I never really liked running, but a recurrent case of IT Band Syndrome, and my reluctance to properly address it through physical therapy permanently ended my running days.

The thing is, I prefer walking. My review of the literature revealed that walking confers essentially the same level of health benefits as running, albeit taking slightly longer per exercise session. I was drawn in by the title of the book.

Written by the Irish brain researcher Shane O’Mara, the book takes a deep dive into the science of walking. Indeed, the subtitle, “A New Scientific Exploration” is as advertised. The author is a university professor, and clearly delights in all the deep science that proves the universal benefits that walking confers. The technical language and obsessive coverage of studies proved to be quite dry, partly contributing to the five months it took me to digest this relatively short book. It was more like attending a lecture or seminar than consuming the content for pleasure.

In between the scientific review, there was plenty of goodness sprinkled in. The point of the book was made: a regular habit of walking has deep and far-reaching positive benefits for the human body and person. O’Mara drives the point home most clearly and succinctly in the Afterward, though I wish he’d landed the plane sooner.

The core lesson of the book is this: walking enhances every aspect of our social, psychological and neural functioning. It is the simple, life-enhancing, health-building prescription we all need, one that we should take in regular doses, large and small, at a good pace, day in, day out, in nature and in our towns and cities. We need to make walking a natural, habitual part of our every day lives. Pound the pavement; get the wind in your face; let the light of day and street lamps of night dance on your eyes; feel the rain on your face; sense the ground beneath your feet; hear the sounds; talk — if only to yourself; relax into the rhythm of walking and let your mind wander, deliberate, contemplate; journey into your past, delve into your possible futures; or think of nothing at all. Although walking arises from our deep, evolutionary paths, it is our future too: for walking will do you all the good that you now know it does.

In the end, the heavy science makes this read a drag and beyond the scope of the casual reader.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-0393652086

Finished reading: In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration by Shane O’Mara 📚

Currently reading: In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration by Shane O’Mara 📚

As I continue to work on expanding my knowledge of the current trends in personal finance, I picked up this short book based on a video I watched on YouTube.

The premise is simple: almost everything that you need to know about personal finance can fit on a 3x5 index card. The book was good, and well written. I don’t fully agree with everything shared, which is why I can’t recommend the book. That said, it was good to continue to get perspective as I craft my own personal finance philosophy.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-0143130529

Currently reading: The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn’t Have to be Complicated by Helaine Olen and Harold Pollack 📚

It’s been over six years since I’ve picked up this book, and I thought now was a good time. Dave spends most of his time on the air talking about getting out of debt and saving for retirement. This is a totally different book in which he articulates his vision for managing wealth. He creates a framework that helps to process financial decisions once consumer debts are paid off and when family budgets have room to grow.

It was an interesting book and a good read. As with all financial advice, I’ve collected many tidbits and will incorporate them into my own personal financial philosophy.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1937077716

Finished reading: The Legacy Journey: A Radical View of Biblical Wealth and Generosity by Dave Ramsey 📚

Many years ago, my Dad gave me a pamphlet summary of this book. Until recently, I thought that was the extent of the book. I listened to a podcast on my morning walk last week and realized there was more to the story. So I picked up a copy. It should be noted that since the book is so old, it’s no longer bound by copyright laws. There are tons of versions, so do your research before purchasing a copy.

The book is a set of parables written in the 1920s by an American author named George S. Clason. Set in the ancient city of Babylon, Clason uses various characters to share his baseline financial knowledge. I hesitate to accept fully the principles of the book because I don’t know anything about Clason as a person. I did take comfort and give further weight to his words given the popularity of the book and its enduring nature, a rare quality in the realm of person finance publications.

This is a good book to add to your study of personal finance. It’s not the final word on the subject, but it offers several good planks as readers build their own financial plan.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1939438638

Currently reading: The Legacy Journey: A Radical View of Biblical Wealth and Generosity by Dave Ramsey 📚

Finished reading: The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason 📚

Currently reading: The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason 📚

I’ve used YNAB (You Need A Budget) for years and really like the software, the company, and the founder. We’re thinking about retirement, and so I decided to brush up on some investing strategies. I listen to Jesse’s podcast every Monday, so I decided to give this book a read.

It was short, and Jesse delivers using his very fresh voice. He lays out his strategies, explains different investment options, and then stakes a claim. He’s a reasonable guy, a CPA, and successful. That being said, I didn’t buy into his overall strategy because, while his may be tax and fee efficient, I feel like he sacrifices gains in order to save on fees.

It’s good to get perspective and to hear all sides.

Would I recommend: NO

Finished reading: Invest Like A Pro by Jesse Mecham 📚

My sprint run of Brad Thor books is over. I initially wanted a series that I could sink my teeth into, and the first book that I read was one of the more recent publications. As I’ve said in previous reviews, the books are fine, but the focus on Islamic terrorism is boring. Brad puts out one of these books per year, and they mirror the events of the day. So while his circa 2017 book explored Europe and focused on Northern European threats and action, this 2012 book was far too similar to the books that preceded it.

I’m setting the world of Scot Harvath aside for a while.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1416586623

Currently reading: Invest Like A Pro by Jesse Mecham 📚

Finished reading: Full Black by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: The Mindful Catholic: Finding God One Moment At A Time by Gregory Bottaro, Psy.D. 📚

I’m finding it generally helpful to read these books back-to-back. There are many recurring characters and sub-plots, and it’s much easier to keep all of my facts straight when I’m immersed in the Scot Harvath universe. This book still had some Middle Eastern aspects, but there was a bit more travel in Europe, which was a nice break.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1416586609

Currently reading: Full Black by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: Foreign Influence by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: Foreign Influence by Brad Thor 📚

This installment in the Scot Harvath series takes readers to Afghanistan on an off-the-books special ops mission. It was a good book, but I prefer the stories that take me to new and differing places. Almost the entire story takes place in Afghanistan. Again, these books are published annually, and they generally reflect real world events taking place at the time of the writing.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1416586586

Finished reading: The Apostle by Brad Thor 📚

With all of the upheaval going on in the world, I thought now was a great time to get lost in Brad Thor’s Scot Harvath series again. Something light, fast, and distracting. In this book, Thor continues his mid-2000s trope of the West vs. Islamic terrorism. That’s one of the things that I’ve come to discover about Thor. He publishes a new thriller each year, and in many ways, each installment is a product of the days in which it was written.

Setting that complaint aside (I’d rather meet some different villains), Thor does a good job of educating the reader on other historical events. In this case, Thor brings in the First Barbary War conducted by Thomas Jefferson.

The book was good and I enjoyed it, but only if you can stand yet another fictional book about the War of Terrorism.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1416543848

Currently reading: The Apostle by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: The Last Patriot by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: The Last Patriot by Brad Thor 📚

This was a very quick read. In fact, I didn’t realize that it was coming out, but I picked up a copy on the day that it was released. If you’re familiar with Dave Ramsey and have been around his teaching for a while, there is nothing new here. I knew that going into it, but I was also looking for a little pep talk from a different perspective. In that regard, I got exactly what I wanted. A one hour motivational session reminding me why we’re doing this.

If you’re not familiar with Dave Ramsey, then this is the perfect time to see what he has to offer. In a time of crisis, they offer hope.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1942121244

Finished reading: Destroy Your Student Loan Debt: The Step-by-Step Plan to Pay Off Your Student Loans Faster by Anthony ONeal 📚

Currently reading: Destroy Your Student Loan Debt: The Step-by-Step Plan to Pay Off Your Student Loans Faster by Anthony ONeal 📚

I knew very little about the War of 1812 before reading this book. I had heard about the Battle of New Orleans being a pivotal battle, but hadn’t done any research. I picked up this book in anticipation of seeing some of the battle sites during my inaugural trip to NOLA this spring, a trip that has since been canceled.

I’m not sure what to make of this book. It was very thorough and, when I set myself to it, a quick read. In all, there was really only one major action in the Battle, so a lot of the information was about the time and place in history, along with troop movements and the dreadful conditions that the forces on both sides endured.

Of course, at the center of the Battle of New Orleans is Andrew Jackson, on of the many controversial figures in America’s history. Winston Groom takes a very even approach to Jackson. He clearly demonstrates that without Jackson, there would be no United States. At the same time, he’s forthright in articulating Jackson’s moral deficiencies.

This is an excellent book for students of American history as well as people interested in military history. I would not say it’s of general interest, though I did enjoy it.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1400044368

Finished reading: Patriotic Fire: Andrew Jackson and Jean Laffite at the Battle of New Orleans by Winston Groom 📚

I’m so far behind on my reading goal. 📚

Late last year, I came across the pre-order for this book. I was familiar with Fr. Calloway’s work. In particular his Marian consecration book is widely used by members of my family. I was excited to see that he was publishing a book that was targeted right at men, husbands, and fathers at this important moment.

In the Catholic tradition, a consecration is when someone entrusts themselves to a saint. While we have and worship one God, we seek to develop friendships with the saints, people who lived virtuous lives and are now in Heaven. The saints don’t take the place of God, but rather point us towards Him. They help us on the Way.

Novenas are nine days of prayer, while many consecration programs are a 33 day process. This period of preparation is intense. There are daily prayers and readings that help to increase our theological knowledge and get us ready to freely consent to the consecration. One’s consecration is renewed, generally on a yearly basis. There’s also a schedule, so that the consecration process concludes on an important feast day. Since the book was only published in January, I was on the first possible cycle of this consecration, concluding on the Solemnity of St. Joseph.

Fr. Calloway brings his particular expertise to this program. I learned so much about St. Joseph and found the process to be edifying. St. Joseph is widely known, but rarely understood. I was impressed by the book and think it’s an excellent tool for enriching one’s spiritual life.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1596144316

Finished reading: Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Donald Calloway, MIC 📚

Currently reading: Patriotic Fire: Andrew Jackson and Jean Laffite at the Battle of New Orleans by Winston Groom 📚

Currently reading: Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Donald Calloway, MIC 📚

I first read this book a decade ago. On a regular basis, usually in January, I pick it up and run through it again as a refresher. It’s a great motivational book that’s a quick read. It helps me to get my head back in the game. Well written and enjoyable.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1937077150

Finished reading: Rhinoceros Success: The Secret To Charging Full Speed Toward Every Opportunity by Scott Alexander 📚

Currently reading: Rhinoceros Success: The Secret to Charging Full Speed Toward Every Opportunity by Scott Alexander 📚

I really wanted to enjoy this book. Michael Hyatt regularly writes and speaks on topics that interest me, but for some reason they just don’t click with me. Perhaps it’s because he’s pivoted to focusing on “high performers” and I’m just a stay-at-home dad, but it’s disappointing that I’m walking away from this book without a single thing that I can use. And that’s very unusual.

I don’t doubt that many people benefit greatly from the principles and techniques in the book. I’m just not one of them.

I will say that the design and layout is gorgeous!

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-0801075261

Finished reading: Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less by Michael Hyatt 📚

As the Scot Harvath series matures, I’ve found that many of the plot elements to be disturbing. Thor has a dark side, and he doesn’t mind trodding it out. Many of the attacks and interrogations in this book made me quite uncomfortable.

That being said, the books continue to read fast and are engaging. They are certainly thrillers through and through. A nice element to this story was that it was less fanciful than the rest.

If I hadn’t read one of the more recent books in the series, I probably would abandon the Brad Thor books. However, knowing that the books will even out in terms of violence and believability, I’m confident to keep reading and enjoying the series.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1451635669

Finished reading: The First Commandment by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less by Michael Hyatt 📚

I took this book in my bag to the beach over Thanksgiving for some recreation reading. It served its purpose. I breezed through it in a few days, with lots of enjoyment. It would’ve been better if I knew New York City geography. Even without that knowledge, this was a solid thriller. I’m looking forward to the next one.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1451636154

Currently reading: The First Commandment by Brad Thor 📚

Just finished my 40th book of 2019. 📚

Finished reading: Takedown by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: Takedown by Brad Thor 📚

I really enjoyed reading The Whole Brain Child last year by these authors. In many ways, I treat parenting books as a la carte. I take the bits that I think are useful, and leave the rest. The same is true for this book.

Honestly, I got some really good insights. But overall, I think The Whole Brain Child was a more useful book. It may be simply be the ages of my kids, but I felt like I was eating my vegetables reading this book.

I’m going to keep reading parenting books, I’m just ready for something else. The psychoanalysis has its place, but should always be considering in context.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-0345548061

Finished reading: No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel, MD and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD 📚

Nice to be in the library. 📚

This is my latest book, I’m currently wrapping up my final round of edits. It’s a guidebook for stay-at-home dads and for men who are preparing to transition into this life.

I’ve been writing since 2013, and my six years of practice really comes through in this book. I’m incredibly proud of it and can’t wait to release it at the end of November.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1690011323

Finished reading: Humble Service: Leading Your Family as a Stay-At-Home Dad by Chet Collins 📚

Wow. What an incredible book! Written in 1966, at the height of the Cold War, spymaster novelist John le Carré spins a web of intrigue and suspense. Following a former agent of the British intelligence services starting from a dismal end of his career, all the way to rock bottom.

I loved this book, and it constantly kept me guessing. The first edition must have been quite a read as fiction met reality. Even now, all three decades after the Wall fell, it’s still excellent. Reviews denote this book as the work that launched le Carré’s reputation. It did not disappoint.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0143124757

Finished reading: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré 📚

Currently reading: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré 📚

I found Simon Sinek’s TED talk back in the early 2010s engaging. I was slow to pick up this book, but I finally read it. I was deeply disappointed. I have first-hand knowledge of one of the examples that Simon uses as a showcase of leadership. My knowledge directly contradicts Sinek’s assessment and conclusions. This dissonance calls into question his research, and I no longer find him to be credible.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1591846444

Finished reading: Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek 📚

As a Dave Ramsey listener of eight years, I’ve heard time and again the statistics that Dave uses when talking about the “typical” millionaire. It took me long enough, but I finally read the book that serves as the research basis for so much of Ramsey’s philosophy of money.

Written by the late Dr. Thomas Stanley, The Millionaire Next Door is a book full of myth-busting. So much of the detailed research completed by Stanley and his research partners repudiates common misconceptions about what a typical millionaire lifestyle is like.

In essence, Stanley’s book reveals this truth: those who look rich, those who live a high-consumption lifestyle, seldom have any actual wealth. The typical millionaire drives a modest used car, doesn’t live in the richest neighborhoods, wears average clothes, shops at discount stores, and became rich through diligent work over time. Most millionaires are first-generation wealthy, and received no substantial financial assistance from family, friends, or the lottery. In other words, they worked hard, lived below their means, and saved money.

Stanley outlines the two strategies required to become wealthy: offense and defense. Even if someone has a good income, if they live a high-consumption lifestyle, they’ll never get ahead. This is especially true for married couples. If one spouse makes a great income, and the other spends it all, there’s no traction to be gained. You have to have the offense of steady income and the defense of good fiscal management and budgeting. Stanley also notes that even people making an average annual income, over the course of their working career, can become millionaires.

In the book, Stanley also looks critically at the transfer of generational wealth and connection between millionaire parents and the outcomes for their children. He details the data points in his research that point to whether the children of millionaires will themselves prosper or if they’ll turn out to be unemployed trust fund babies.

The book was a really quick read and fascinating. I’m appreciative of Stanley’s work and deeply regret his untimely passing a few years ago. If I decide to come back to this subject, I will undoubtedly pick up his book, Stop Acting Rich.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1603400381

I’ve read quite a few books about the life of St. Francis of Assisi in the past two years. These books happened to be in my reading backlog, which is quickly clearing out. This book was special because it’s about St. Francis and was written by renowned British journalist and Catholic intellectual G.K. Chesterton.

This was my first time actually reading a long form Chesterton work. While I no doubt believe that his contemporary readers benefited greatly from his writing style, I struggled immensely. Even with my background in philosophy, I found the text difficult to engage with. This problem of mine is in no way unique to Chesterton’s work. When reading a historical primary source, my lack of context around the language composition of the era hobbles my comprehension.

This wouldn’t make my top-five recommended books about St. Francis list, but it was decent. The content that I did take in was quite good, as Chesterton presented his rationale for understanding and believing the story of the ancient St. Francis.

We just celebrated St. Francis’ feast day earlier this week. I know the man so much more deeply now. Yet, the more I know, the less I understand. He’s a fascinating man.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-9780385029001

Currently reading: No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel, MD and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD 📚

Finished reading: The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Dank 📚

Finished reading: Saint Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton 📚

This was one of my favorite books growing up, so I was glad to share it with my kids. I read it aloud to them over meals and afternoons on the couch.

When I finished the book, my five year old summarized it in this way, “That was a cool book.”

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1603400381

Currently reading: The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley & William D. Dank 📚

I’m not a military scientist or historian, but I do enjoy reading military history. The Art of War is a notable work and I finally sat down to read it.

The book was short, straightforward, and shockingly modern. Tzu’s advice has stood the test of time because he focused on the nature of man and his relationship with combat.

I know that there are many modern works that try to take The Art of War and apply it to one’s work or career, but I’m not sure how well those analogies stand up. In addition, the types of asymmetrical warfare that we now see in the current era requires the modern military scientist to adapt the principles, rather than the raw text.

If warfare is your trade, then this is a book for you. If not, you can take a pass.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1599869773

Finished reading: The Mutiny on Board HMS Bounty by William Bligh 📚

Finished reading: The Art of War by Sun Tzu 📚

Currently reading: The Art of War by Sun Tzu 📚

Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was a significant leader in the Confederate Army in the opening years of the American Civil War. In many respects, his death as a result of friendly-fire was a turning point in the conflict. His brilliance as a tactician is astounding, even to this day. At a time when forces under his command were dramatically malnourished, undersupplied, and outgunned, he repeatedly delivered decisive blows to the Union Army.

This biography is about as thorough as they come. The reader is treated in detail to the historical background of Jackson. In the vivid, and tragic, details of his life, we see him not as a legendary figure, but as a simple man. He was deeply religious and humble to a fault. He was drawn into the conflict of Civil War against his will, and watched the tranquil pre-war life that he knew in western Virginia crumble.

Jackson’s military prowess was a bit of a shock. His term of service in the United States Army in the early part of the 1800s was disappointing, to say the least. Yet, when handed the mantle of command, he transitioned into a superb military scientist. In engagement after engagement, he surprised, outmaneuvered, and obliterated his opponents on the field. He was daring, and at many times, reckless.

Biographer S.C. Gwynne went to great lengths to tell the story of Jackson’s life. Relying heavily on primary sources, the book is dense with historical records, the thoughts an opinions of those serving under and with Jackson, and copious references to his personal correspondence.

In addition to the personal detail, Gwynne describes the major engagements, including Jackson’s famous Shenandoah Valley Campaign, in gory detail. He details the armaments, tactics, casualties, daily life, and destruction that the War wrought on both the human body and settlements in Virginia and Maryland.

I take from this book a fundamental reality that is as true today as it was in 1861. In this country, we have built institutions and a political process through which we can effect change and govern ourselves. When those political processes are distorted and break down, conflict ensues. The American Civil War was a disastrous chapter in our National history. We must avoid the grisly fratricide that this political breakdown heralds.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1451673296

Currently reading: Saint Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton 📚

Finished reading: Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson by S.C. Gwynne 📚

Currently reading: Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson by S.C. Gwynne 📚

We bought this book last year, along with the Whole Brain Child series. The title is tantalizing, yet the content was severely lacking.

The first edition was published in 1980, with a second edition published in 2012. Regrettably, the authors did not take the time to update their theories of parenting based on three decades of practice and research. Many of the academic references used to bolster their ideas were published between 1956-1972. To be sure, there are universals when raising children, but we all benefit from decades of research and advancement. The book doesn’t help its readers collate and put into use those advancements.

Although I would not recommend it to anyone, there were five or six strategies that I will trying to employ in my parenting. So goes this entire category of books. Everyone has an opinion on parenting, and it’s up to the reader to make a decision about what’s right for their family.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1451663884

Finished reading: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish 📚

This is my second time reading this title. I love WWII/Cold War espionage, and Mark Riebling tells a riveting tale. 
There’s a common misconception that Pope Pius XII’s public silence during the Holocaust was somehow a tacit approval, or at the very least, a moral failure. With the benefit of hindsight and extensive archives, we’re now able to see just how active Pius was in moving against Hitler.

There were many conspiracies to kill Hitler from within Germany. Church of Spies tells the story of German Catholics and their attempts to secure a peace for Germany with the Allies through Pope Pius. As it turns out, the Catholic characters that the book follows, laid the groundwork for what has become the European Union. They recognized that killing Hitler would only solve part of the problem. They must then implement a government and system that would prevent people like him from gaining power again. A deep pan-European economic union, with strong rights for the individual, would make it more difficult for nations to war against one another.

Several notable Protestants feature prominently in the story, as do the plotters from the July 20th attempt. The narrative shows how these people came together, as people of faith and decent Germans, to fight for a common cause.

The book is engaging and thorough.

As we know, the assassination attempts against Hitler all failed. Almost every German character in the book was discovered, tortured, and put to death. Many of them were executed in the final days of the war. Riebling goes to great effort to describe in gruesome detail the horrors that these men underwent.

I walk way from this book with a deeper appreciation for the true depravity of the Nazi regime. I also have renewed hope that even in the darkest of times, brave men and women will fight for their beliefs, no matter the price.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0465022298

Currently reading: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish 📚

Finished reading: Church of Spies: The Pope’s Secret War Against Hitler by Mark Riebling 📚

Currently reading: Church of Spies: The Pope’s Secret War Against Hitler by Mark Riebling 📚

When I finished editing my newest book, I bought myself the next book in the Scot Harvath series. This one focused heavily on bioterrorism and the military history surrounding Hannibal. When compared to the other books in the series, I didn’t find this one to be very engaging.

There was a considerable amount of discussion explaining bioweapons, especially in the ancient world. I found the content dry, boring, and lame. The book moved slow.

I’m glad that I read it so that I can keep the thread of the story going, but I’m also glad that this wasn’t the first Scot Harvath book that I read.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1451608281

Finished reading: Blowback by Brad Thor 📚

This was our second read aloud book that we did in the car. I think I was assigned this book to read in 8th grade, but for some reason I feel like I didn’t actually do the work.

Even if I had, so much of the beauty of the work would’ve been lost on my adolescent mind. This is the genius of C.S. Lewis. He writes fiction that appeals to the imitation of young ears and warms the soul of adults.

In many ways, the Chronicles of Narnia continue to enrich my spiritual life. Visualizing the reality of God through the lens of Aslan, and understanding the wickedness of Satan through the character of the White Witch is profound. Even if you read this work as a child, read it again.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 9780060234812

Currently reading: Blowback by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 📚

I first read this book as a summer reading assignment in high school before starting my sophomore year. It was again assigned as I began my senior year. The enduring message of the book has always stuck with me.

In Part One, the reader is introduced to a proud man in a traditional African tribe. We learn about their history, culture, and customs. In particular, we’re introduced to their religion and how it shapes their communal life.

Part Two finds the main character in exile and an ominous development. European colonialists begin to move into the region. They start by spreading their religion, attached to a simple government.

Part Three has the main character returning to a village that he no longer recognizes. The Colonists have by this time imposed their rule on all of the tribes in the region. Their evangelization, coupled with heavy handed administration, has broken the back of the Tribe. No longer functioning as a single unit, family is turned against family.

What I most treasure about this book, although it is fiction, is how it presents a new point of view on colonialism. We see through the eyes of the conquered, how a once functioning society literally falls apart. 
Colonialism is still alive and well in the modern era. Perhaps more pernicious, is its evil twin, intellectual colonialism. A belief on the part of one group that their morals and values are inherently superior to another’s.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0385474542

Finished reading: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe 📚

Austin Kleon is an artist who has a real talent for writing. His books are small, short, quick reads. But every single paragraph sparks something in me and leads me to three or four new ideas. Half of the book is text while the other half is full of his art.

I’m as inspired finishing this book as I was finishing his last, Show Your Work!

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1523506644

Currently reading: The Mutiny On Board HMS Bounty by William Bligh 📚

Finished reading: Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad by Austin Kleon 📚

Currently reading: Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad by Austin Kleon 📚

I was feeling weighed down by the content in my bioethics book, so I decided to hit pause and get back into the habit of reading. I picked up Book #3 in Brad Thor’s Scot Harvath series.

I’m torn about this book. I felt it was very good, well written, but there seemed to be more fantastical events in this plot. Not that it was all bad, but it did border on cheesy. Those isolated elements really messed with the experience.

I tore through it like the rest, so I’d still recommend this series to anyone looking for a fiction series to dive into. It’s like James Bond meets Jason Bourne. There’s the culture and worldwide travel combined with Boure’s raw skills.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1451607925

Finished reading: State of the Union by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: State of the Union by Brad Thor 📚

I believe that I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in 8th grade, but I’ve never read the full Chronicles of Narnia. I thought it would be a good series to go through with them, and this book was a delight.

Well crafted, easy to follow, and distinctly beautiful. Imagining the creation of the world being done through the a song was really beautiful. The genius of C.S. Lewis really shone through.

The children loved the book and even asked for the next story to be one that has, “the talking lion.”

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0060234973

Currently reading: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 📚

Finished reading: The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis 📚

This was our first book reading aloud with the children. They did great, but at the end, they were ready to be done. I received reports that my reading hurt their ears.

I used the Great Illustrated Classics abridged edition of the book, which was a great choice for them. It had a cohesive story with an illustration on every page to match the text.

We had some great conversations about the story and I look forward to our next book!

🚸 This was a book that I read aloud with my children.

ISBN: 978-1603400251

Finished reading: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain 📚

Currently reading: Catholic Bioethics for a New Millennium by Anthony Fisher, OP 📚

It was good to pick up this book in light of the recent 737 MAX incidents. Through the lens of the tragic loss of Air France 4590, readers are treated to an inside look at the world of aviation accident investigations.

Starting on that fateful summer day in 2000, and tracing the development and post-crash investigation, journalist Samme Chittum, on assignment for The Smithsonian, lays out the history of the Concorde and its darkest day. First person interviews fill the book as readers are treated to the story told by the people who lived it.

In aviation, Concorde is up on a pedestal. Although now relegated to the history books and consigned to a life articles in various museums, Concorde represents among the greatest technological accomplishments in human history.

As Chittum takes his readers through the accident investigation, across many nations and continents, he reveals the complexity of aviation accidents and the detailed investigations that are carried out. The smallest of leads are run down and evaluated. Almost all aviation accidents result not from a single cause, but rather from a chain of events. They can include human factors, mechanical factors, and environmental factors, to name a few.

As a pilot, I found this book interesting. However, in order to justify the publication, many chapters were dedicated to the development of Concorde and detailed descriptions of the accident. I found many parts to be quite dry. It padded out the story and gave me the whole picture, but parts of that picture could’ve been easily omitted.

I wouldn’t generally recommend this book because it provides too many granular technical details without explanation. A background in aviation is most helpful in engaging with this particular book. That said, if you’re curious about how the aviation community thinks about safety, and how complexity plays into aviation accidents, you might find this a decent read.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1588346292

Finished reading: Last Days of the Concorde: The Crash of Flight 4590 and the End of Supersonic Passenger Travel by Samme Chittum 📚

Currently reading: Last Days of the Concorde: The Crash of Flight 4590 and the End of Supersonic Passenger Travel by Samme Chittum 📚

Currently reading: The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis 📚

This is the third book that I’ve read by Meg Meeker this year. I guess my parenting game is getting pretty strong. While her book on raising boys let me down, Hero delivered.

Meeker shares her best advice and insights with fathers who are looking for their place in their families. Through her 30 years of clinical experience, Dr. Meeker has a unique perspective on the importance of fatherhood. In this book, she encourages fathers to break out of the societal expectations and be an active, engaged, and affectionate father.

Per her style, sprinkled throughout the book are plenty of clinical examples. Kids who were out of control, only to be soothed by their fathers. Fathers who were confused by their children’s anger, only to understand that the child wasn’t angry, just confused and struggling to cope. She highlights some of the NFL players she’s worked with and their positive experiences of fatherhood. Meeker illustrates how badly kids need their dad, and what happens when he’s gone.

The book is written to a wide audience. We all approach fatherhood from a starting point of our relationship with our own fathers. There were many areas of advice that struck me as odd, such as not calling your wife a slut. But, that’s the world that we live in. Above all, Meeker emphasizes building an atmosphere of mutual respect and love.

We have the care of the next generation in our charge. If you doubt your abilities or wonder how qualified you are to serve in the important role of father, you’re in good company. This book will give you some practical tools to help you succeed.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1621575023

Finished reading: Hero: Being the Strong Father Your Children Need by Meg Meeker, MD 📚

Currently reading: Hero: Being the Strong Father Your Children Need by Meg Meeker, MD 📚

One of the many benefits that comes with adding a brief review of each book that I finish is that, while I read, I start to formulate my conclusions. I consider how the book impacts me and engage more with the content. I picked up The Read-Aloud Family on Apple Books during one of their regular sales. I like how Apple randomizes the sales, and runs them all of the time, because it exposes me to a wider library.

I have three young children, and I already had a concept that reading to them was important for their future success. I’ve shared about my own experience growing up, and the regular reading time we had in our household. Since finishing my formal education, it’s only been since last year that I’ve been attentive to cultivating my own reading habit. I do love reading, and it’s a love that I want to share with my kids.

Sarah Mackenzie shares this book as a follow-up to a book with a similar title written years ago by a different author. As a new mom many years ago, she happened upon the book which outlined, in depth, the importance of reading to children. Beyond just their intellectual development, reading to children presents a perfect opportunity to build relationships, create a shared language, spend quality time together, and help a child to understand who they are.

I found Mackenzie’s book to be well written, thoughtful, personal, and helpful. Although I suspect she wrote it with an audience of mothers in mind, she did a wonderful job of writing broadly enough that I didn’t feel excluded. She spoke of universal parental desires, instead of only mother-specific instincts and emotion. In doing so, her message was more impactful.

I’ve started reading to my children during the day apart from the brief story or two before bedtime. They move and fidget and walk around. Even here, Mackenzie laid out research that demonstrates that my kids aren’t bored or ignoring the story, but are rather engaging it more fully.

Part science, part experience, this book fulfills its promise. I’m fully convinced that taking time each day to read with my children, regardless of their age or reading level, is an important component of our shared family life.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1451608274

Finished reading: The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie 📚

My enjoyment of Brad Thor’s Scot Harvath series continues. I picked up this book and finished it a day later. To call the books in this series “thrillers” is an understatement.

I particularly enjoy how Thor rips current events from the headlines and weaves his story into them. It’s plausible while not being frightening. Like a Bond or Mission Impossible film, Thor takes his readers to new and exotic locations, which is fun.

I can’t wait to keep reading the series, but I’m going to head back to nonfiction for a few books. The problem with books like these is that they’re so exciting that I spend all of my time reading and my other tasks fall to the wayside.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1451608274

Currently reading: The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie 📚

After finishing Spymaster, I had a plan to go back to my nonfiction backlog. But I couldn’t stop reading. So I went back to the first book in the series, The Lions of Lucerne.

The book was fine, if not a bit overdone. Thor’s novice status in this, his first book, was evident. He told a good story but, unlike the later books in the series, this one had some pretty unrealistic elements. It required a bigger dose of suspension of disbelief than Spymaster.

Either way, I finished the book in two days and enjoyed every minute.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1439195130

Finished reading: Path of the Assassin by Brad Thor 📚

Most of the books that I read are nonfiction. I like to spend my reading time exploring new thoughts and interacting with new ideas. That being said, many nonfiction books can be quite boring. Reading them one after another can take a toll.

I remember in middle school how my mom would read Jeffrey Archer novels. For her birthday, I bought her one of them, and was intrigued by the idea of a long-running series.

I decided last year that I wanted to find a nonfiction espionage/historical fiction series that I could get into. I read Rainbow Six, but I didn’t like Clancy’s way of writing. It was challenging for me to follow, and the books were so dense. I tried one other series, but found the writing to have too much unnecessary sex.

Brad Thor hit it out of the park. I read this book in just a few days and loved every minute of it. His action sequences, unlike Clancy, got right to the point. The book lives up to its promise to be a thriller. 
Lucky for me, Thor has released a new book in this series every year since 2002. I’m going to circle back to the beginning and read the whole thing. It just might take me a while.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1476789415

Currently reading: Path of the Assassin by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain 📚

I was first introduced to Marie Kondo on The RapidWeaver Show. Ben, one of the Realmac bros, brought up the book on the topic of minimalism. I’ve come around to Ben’s way of seeing things and finally got into this book.

It lived up to the hype and gave me a different perspective. I really enjoyed it and look forward to finding some time in the near future to do my own tidying.

I found the central idea of the book to be profound. Only be surrounded by things that spark joy in you. What a wonderful way to manage your life.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1607747307

Currently reading: The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor 📚

I spent part of my Saturday morning at a local bookstore with my daughter. We walked through the stacks, I picked a book off of the shelf, and bought it with cash. The ultimate reading experience. 📚

Finished reading: Spymaster by Brad Thor 📚

Finished reading: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo 📚

A few months ago I read Meg Meeker’s Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters. I found that book incredibly helpful in understanding my daughters better, and how to apply that knowledge to my parenting. I picked up Boys Should Be Boys with the same intention, only for my son.

This book was not Meeker’s best work. I found it dry and somewhat difficult to follow. Her audience was for mothers and fathers of boys, which meant that there was a considerable amount of content that didn’t apply to me. I read it so that I could better understand Alison’s relationship with our son, but it made the journey less pleasant.

There were some good ideas sprinkled throughout, and of course, a few lessons that I’ve already began to implement. I just don’t find myself as overwhelmingly satisfied as I was when I finished Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters.

My main gripe with this book is that it could use a revised edition. Published in 2009, it was full of dated references that sounded silly, even though they were only a decade old. Meeker recently published a new book for fathers, called Hero, which I intend to read in the coming weeks. It’s my hope that that title will meet some of my learning objectives.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 978-1596980570

Currently reading: Spymaster by Brad Thor 📚

Currently reading: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo 📚

Finished reading: Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons by Meg Meeker, MD 📚

Currently reading: Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons by Meg Meeker, MD 📚

This book caught me at the perfect time. Cal Newport’s latest offering is the antidote to the quick glance, mindless scrolling, and trying to fill every down second of our life with something digital.

In a way, Newport met me right where I’m at. I’m more skeptical than ever of apps, a far cry from my evangelism of the early 2010s. I want my devices to do very few jobs and not be my default time waster.

Practical, insightful, and backed up by science, Digital Minimalism lays out a strong and succinct argument for the power of technology, and the importance of keeping it harnessed. Newport doesn’t advocate abolition, but rather better values alignment. He leads his readers through a 30 day process in which they step back from their digital interaction, define their values and relationship with technology, and only reintegrate with the technology that provides great personal benefit with few drawbacks.

This is the book for anyone who thinks seriously about personal technology and the role it plays in our lives. It’s also perfect for the casual reader who has a nagging thought in the back of their mind that they’re a little uncomfortable with the dominant role that their personal devices play in their lives.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0525536512

Finished reading: Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport 📚

I’ve followed the work and writing of Joseph Sternberg on the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board for several years now. I find his insights to be helpful, particularly in understanding political movements in Europe, where he’s based. When I heard that he was writing a book, the title alone drew me in.

While I was excited to read this book, diving into it shortly after its release last month, I come away disappointed. Sternberg makes his case, but the text was overdone with statistics. Hardly a paragraph went by without multiple statistics. I found it incredibly difficult to follow his point, although it was in there somewhere.

Here’s what I come away with. In governance, the Boomers have dismal track record. Like petulant children, they’ve used the levers of power to make their own life’s journey more comfortable, with little regard for the broader consequences. Generous social safety nets, circling the wagons for homeowners, and focusing on their own problems instead of looking to the broader country. Some they did on purpose, others were done out of fear. Many of the theories they pursued, by Republicans and Democrats, had failed before and, unsurprisingly, they failed again. They’ve left us with runaway debt, entitlements that devour the federal budget, and locked out of the traditional path to American wealth, homeownership. In the job market, they have created a two-tiered system where Boomer employees are lavished with generous benefits and higher pay, while Millennials are hired into a more vulnerable second-tier with less pay and benefits.

The argument that Sternberg puts forth is that the short-sightness of the Boomer governments will leave the Millennials with few good options to right the ship. Throughout the history of the United States, public debt was used for a particular purpose, for a specified duration, and repaid by the generation that incurred the debt. Starting in the 1990s, that paradigm was discarded and now the debt is out of control. All the while, Boomers padded their landing by increasing social safety net programs to ensure they would receive benefits far and above the taxes that they paid into the system.

There will be a reckoning and the checks will not clear. No amount of tax hikes can mathematically pay out the Social Security and Medicare benefits that Boomers enacted. There aren’t enough workers, and Boomers will live longer than any actuarial table could predict. There will be benefit cuts. As Sternberg points out, those cuts are already happening at the state level with regards to pensions. There simply isn’t enough money.

I also came away hopeful. Hopeful because we will finally get to solve many of these problems. If we do it right, our children won’t have to face this generational burden. We can be noble like the Silent Generation that bore the brunt of global war so that their children and grandchildren would know unbelievable peace. Hopeful because we have so many examples of how not to run an economy, what tax policies don’t work, and how our social safety net needs to be for the truly poor among us. We have a tremendous capacity for compassion. We can be a great society; instead of looking for a handout, we can be our own safety net, with enough to help those around us.

Sternberg does an excellent job of highlighting the areas where Millennials face challenges as a result of coming of age in a time of financial crisis. All is not lost, the future is bright, if we engage our American drive and ingenuity. We were dealt a bad hand, but we’re up to the task.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming number of statistics makes this book a very uncomfortable read.

Would I recommend: NO

ISBN: 9781541742369

Currently reading: Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport 📚

Finished reading: The Theft of a Decade: How the Baby Boomers Stole the Millennials' Economic Future by Joseph C. Sternberg 📚

Currently reading: The Theft of a Decade: How the Baby Boomers Stole the Millennials' Economic Future by Joseph C. Sternberg 📚

I’m no stranger to the Killing series. Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard have written eight books detailing the final days and events surrounding the deaths of famous characters in history. So far, I’ve read about Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Jesus and George Patton. In the last few publications, the books in the series have focused on larger groups of people, namely the Imperial Japanese government in World War II, the Royal English government in the Revolutionary War, and with this title, prominent members of the SS.

O’Reilly and Dugard are journalists by trade, and they’ve blended their professional skills with their love of history to bring the story to their readers. I think, in many respects, that’s why the series has been so successful. The stories are written through vignettes that all tie together at the conclusion. The books read like thrillers or, when taken as a whole, like a long-form feature story in a newspaper or magazine.

Killing the SS follows the lives of many of the most notorious, and highest ranking, members of the SS and Nazi Party at the end of the Second World War and the collapse of the German government. It details their escapes, or at least attempted escapes, out of Allied-occupied territory and along smuggling routes to South America.

O’Reilly, in promoting the book, says it’s a book about evil. He’s exactly right. The authors detail the atrocities carried out by these individuals in grim detail. In many respects, the righteous anger of the reader follows along with the storyline, yearning for justice as much as the Nazi hunters who have a leading role in the manuscript.

Many books and articles have been written about Adolf Eichmann and his capture by agents of the Israeli Mossad. Indeed, just last year, Operation Finale depicted the story on the silver screen. O’Reilly chose to write this book based, in part, on new information which has been recently declassified by the Israeli government.

The book quotes extensively from the people who decided their lives to bringing Nazi war criminals to justice and survivors of the Holocaust. Even more chillingly, long passages from the transcript of Eichmann’s trial are published, giving a primary source insight into the brutality of Nazi reign.

In many respects, with World War II now nearly 75 years in the past, our collective memories of the Holocaust and actions of the Nazis has started to soften. They are words in a history book, or characters in a movie. We trivialize them, calling political opponents “Nazis,” on a whim. Reading this book, or engaging in any meaningful reflection on the Holocaust and its very grim human toll, reveals that minimizing the true heinousness of the Nazi regime is an affront to truth and justice itself.

Regrettably, the evil of Nazism didn’t die with the surrender of the Third Reich. The book clearly shares the concrete steps that loyal Nazis took to lay the groundwork for a Fourth Reich. The book shares many incidents of violence committed by neo-Nazis in the post-war era, highlighting that Nazism is an evil still very much among us. The Wall Street Journal notes in a recent article that since 1970, when acts of violence by far-right extremists have been tracked, the levels of violence has remained unchanged. What has changed is the level of press coverage these acts receive.

The message of this book to its readers is very clear. Without equivocation, evil is very real and it is still among us. It is up to us to confront it when we see it. There is zero room in any society for the kind of hate and violence that is fomented by the people who subscribe to the tenants of Nazism.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 978125016554

Currently reading: Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know by Meg Meeker, MD 📚

Finished reading: Killing the SS: The Hunt for the Worst War Criminals in History by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard 📚

Currently reading: Killing the SS: The Hunt for the Worst War Criminals in History by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard 📚

I received this book as a gift from a speaker at my parish. He distributed them after giving a talk on the importance of praying as a family.

This is not the first book that I’ve read by Matthew Kelly, and, like his other work, it did not disappoint.

It’s a short book that tells a simple story that every parent has experienced. One night, his first child was crying. He picked up his boy, who fell back asleep. Only, Matthew didn’t set him down in his crib. Instead, he got lost in thought about the future for his son. His hopes, dreams, and aspirations filled his mind for three hours.

The central tenant of this book is the single reason why Matthew believes he will never leave the Catholic Church, the Eucharist. If we can teach our children the truth of the Eucharist, they will always find a home in the Church.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780984131884

Finished reading: The One Thing: Passing Faith Onto Children by Matthew Kelly 📚

Currently reading: The One Thing: Passing Faith Onto Children by Matthew Kelly 📚

Finished reading: You Need a Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want by Jesse Mecham 📚

I saw this book on sale on the iBooks Store and was immediately drawn into the content. We’ve heard stories over the years of Members of Congress increasing their personal net worths over their terms in office, and so my expectation was that this book would explore that topic. The book was a waste of time, which can be perfectly summed up by the authors themselves,

The Post analysis did not turn up evidence of insider trading. Instead, the review shows that lawmakers routinely make trades that raise questions about whether members of Congress have an investing advantage over members of the public.

The book itself is a compilation of news stories published in the pages of The Washington Post in 2012. The reporters conducted extensive reviews of public records and financial disclosures, uncovering dozens of examples of lawmakers personally benefiting from information that they had and earmarks they requested.

When it came to the stock trades, universally, each story had the same ending. The Member of Congress didn’t make or request the specific trade, but rather their investment broker executed the transaction. This section of the book was the weakest.

The earmarks section was a bit more compelling. In many cases, Members of Congress secured earmarks for projects in their districts that appeared to directly benefit them. For members of the House, whose congressional districts are limited, often with only one or two main areas of population, I found the earmarks to not pose a particular problem. For Senators, the earmarks that improved infrastructure or economies where they lived, there was an appearance of impropriety.

The main thrust of the article is that Congress sets the rules for personal disclosure for itself and all other members in federal public service. Time and again, they hold others to a much higher standard than then do themselves. The authors used their reporting to suggest that an equal standard of disclosure be applied to all members of government. In that respect, they were persuasive.

Rating: ★ ★

ISBN: 9781626810044

Finished reading: Democracy Inc.: How Members Of Congress Have Cashed In On Their Jobs by The Washington Post 📚

Currently reading: Democracy Inc.: How Members Of Congress Have Cashed In On Their Jobs by The Washington Post 📚

One of my goals for this year was to expand my meditation practice. I picked this book up on special in early January and dove right it.

I didn’t find it particularly helpful, and most of the text seemed to be there solely for the purpose of filling pages. Others may appreciate and benefit from it it, but I can’t recommend it based on my experience.

Rating: ★

ISBN: 9780399173424

Finished reading: 8 Minute Meditation Expanded: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life. by Victor Davich 📚

I came across this book a few weeks ago, as the trial of El Chapo wound down in a New York Federal Courthouse. Having read about the hunt for Russ Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, I was up for another modern crime story written by the federal agent who lead the chase.

Andrew Hogan was a Special Agent with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) who lead the hunt across Mexico for Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the infamous boss of the Sinaloa drug cartel. Guzmán escaped federal custody in Mexico twice. Before his conviction earlier this year in US Federal Court, he was captured on three separate occasions. He’s unlikely to complete the hat-trick in escapes when he is transferred to the Supermax prison in Colorado to serve out his life sentence for drug trafficking, kidnapping, and murder.

The story starts with the first time Chapo came onto the international stage in 1993. While trying to assassinate a target, his gunmen killed a beloved Catholic bishop at a public airport who happened to be in a vehicle that matched the description of the target vehicle. The fallout from that tactical error pushed Guzman to the top of everyone’s capture list.

Hogan picked up the trail early in his career while working out of the DEA Phoenix Field Office. Working with his task force, they found their way into the Sinaloa cartel money laundering operation. The Sinaloa Cartel had a multi-layered operation that insulated Chapo from direct interaction with his employees. Chapo communicated through text message to his various employees, eventually using a complex mirrored communication network to prevent capture. Hogan’s team began a targeted undercover operation into the money flow that yielded significant intelligence on the cartel’s operations.

This story shared several of the same disturbing themes with the Ulbricht investigation. First, despite Chapo’s stature within the global community, Hogan, a lone field agent, was the only agent targeting him. There was also the typical inter-agency turf wars, this time with an added flavor of CIA intervention. Thankfully, Hogan detested this lack of cooperation, and actively worked to deconflict and bring in other agencies with specializations. He worked in-depth with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), other DEA agents, as well as deputy US Marshals for the takedown. Each agency brought its own expertise to the table, and the result was a recipe for success.

In the book, Hogan gave detailed operational events, with over a quarter of the book dedicated to the climactic chase. In the end, they successfully captured El Chapo, beating all of the odds, with the extensive help of the Mexican Marines.

If you’re not a Spanish-speaker, you will struggle with this book. Hogan uses a substantial amount of Spanish slang and quotes, some of which are defined, many others are not. I also wish that he did a better job of delineating days and times when it came to the tactical operations. It was hard for me to keep up with events as they happened because time was not used consistently as a frame of reference.

Hogan left the DEA after the capture, only to see Guzman escape again, later to be recaptured and extradited. This was a great story of the dedication and professionalism in federal law enforcement.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780062663085

Finished reading: Hunting El Chapo: The Inside Story of the American Lawman Who Captured the World’s Most Wanted Drug-Lord by Andrew Hogan 📚

Currently reading: You Need a Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want by Jesse Mecham 📚

Cold War espionage continues to be among my favorite topics to read. Spies in the Family is a terrific book written by the daughter of a CIA case officer whose postings included Berlin, Mexico City, Rome, and New Delhi.

This book revolves around the case of Dmitri Polyakov, a senior GRU officer who made contact with the CIA in the early 1960s and served as a deep cover spy for the United States for nearly two decades. What made the narrative particularly compelling is that Dillon presents both sides of the coin. She shares deep background and family stories from both sides of the operation. Dillon covers her father’s career from her own perspective, and Polyakov’s from the perspective of his son. This type of story is very rare and is indeed, a gem.

Polyakov, code name TOPHAT, was the highest placed known US intelligence asset in the GRU. The KGB and GRU were intelligence cousins, much like the CIA and FBI, and so Polyakov’s work was very similar to that of Oleg Gordievsky. Unlike most intelligence assets, Polyakov wasn’t the victim of blackmail or seeking to enrich himself. Rather, he had a deep personal love for his country and an abiding hate for the leaders of the Communist Party who he saw as destroying Russia.

The book was very well written, Dillion having worked in publishing for years. The story was engaging, interesting, and it really pulled back the veil on what life is like for the family of a CIA case officer. At one point her father was helping a defector adjust to life in the United States, and he spent many nights at the family dinner table, including Thanksgiving! The story demonstrated the quiet dedication that the men and women in the intelligence community carry out every day, with little known by the general public. 
My one disappointment was how Dillon framed her father’s Catholic faith. Her father, Paul, was Irish-Catholic and by all accounts, a man of deep faith. When Dillon wrote on the theme of religion as central to her father’s ethos, she was uncharacteristically pedestrian. Particularly in the area of human sexuality, she missed multiple opportunities to share the practical implementation of Church teachings. Instead, she fumbled, perpetuating myths, and presenting false information to the reader. It didn’t inhibit the work as a whole, but it did miss on the chance to share how the beauty of Catholicism’s views on the dignity of the human person and human reproduction edify and strengthen the family.

This book tells an important story and underscores how in the course of international politics, national leaders make speeches, but the intelligence communities shape decisions.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781937077631

Currently reading: Hunting El Chapo: The Inside Story of the American Lawman Who Captured the World’s Most Wanted Drug-Lord by Andrew Hogan 📚

Finished reading: Spies in the Family: An American Spymaster, His Russian Crown Jewel, and the Friendship That Helped End the Cold War by Eva Dillon 📚

Currently reading: Spies in the Family: An American Spymaster, His Russian Crown Jewel, and the Friendship That Helped End the Cold War by Eva Dillon 📚

Currently reading: 8 Minute Meditation Expanded: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life. by Victor Davich 📚

This book has been in my reading queue for some time. Now that my kids are getting old enough to start absorbing some of the lesson around money, I thought it was a good time to dive in.

If you’re a Dave Ramsey fan, or have followed his work to any degree, there are huge chunks of this book that you can skip. Like most of the other books, if you’ve read The Total Money Makeover or have gone through Financial Peace University, there’s little new information. That’s frustrating, but hey, points for consistency.

Of the 250 pages or so, I got good or new information out of about 150 pages. There were plenty of practical tips, most of which shared through their experience. It was the way that they raised their kids and several times through the book, I found their techniques to be a bit weird. The intention was not to share the definitive way to parent, but rather, to show a way that appears to have yielded good results. Like any other book, productivity system, or whatever, I’ll harvest the good parts and leave the rest.

Coming away from the book, I feel confident in the contours of how to teach my children to use money. I just wish I didn’t have that hangover feeling from hearing so much of the same information again.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781937077631

Finished reading: Smart Money Smart Kids: Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money by Dave Ramsey & Rachel Cruze 📚

Currently reading: Smart Money Smart Kids: Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money by Dave Ramsey & Rachel Cruze 📚

Disgusting. Outrageous. Criminal. Bad Blood is the result of the high-caliber reporting by John Carreyrou of The Wall Street Journal. Carreyrou is an investigative reporter with the paper who has an extensive background in healthcare fraud investigations.

Bad Blood tells the story of the unwinding of Theranos, the Sillicon Valley start-up founded by Stanford drop-out Elizabeth Holmes. Extraordinarily charismatic, Holmes set out with an ambitious goal to upend the clinical laboratory industry by developing a technology that would allow for a wide range of blood tests to be conducted with a few drops of blood from a finger prick. The concept was fantastical, and the execution was criminal.

Theranos, Holmes’ company, was powered by lies and deceit. Holmes, and later with the help of her boyfriend and corporate president, kept a tight grip on everything in the company. Firewalls were erected between teams, IT conducted a digital surveillance regime that would make the Chinese government envious, and employees were summarily fired. Employees operated under intense legal pressure, through the forms of non-disclosure agreements, affidavits, and ongoing compliance measures. As Carreyrou points out in the final pages, this whole atmosphere wasn’t constructed to protect intellectual property, it was created to protect the lie.

Despite its unicorn valuation, star-studded board of directors, and public-facing CEO, Theranos was not able to conduct a single successful blood test. During the period of time when Theranos was providing lab services to consumers, the majority of laboratory analysis was being conducted on commercially available machines. As the fraud unwound, every blood test result that was conducted on their proprietary machines were invalidated.

Carreyrou picked up the story on a tip, and tells the story of Theranos through the lens of dozens of characters. These characters all had a similar theme, they were people who’s ethical and moral compasses compelled them to resign from the a toxic culture.

While the first 75% of the book covers the history of Theranos with these characters checking in and out, the last 25% gives a fascinating insight into the work of Carreyrou. It shares, in detail, how he conducted his research, the sources, and the blowback that he got from the company. The outrageous lengths that Theranos went to intimidate and threaten sources in his story, before publication, is beyond the pale. Sources where threatened by a high-powered lawn firm and some were placed under surveillance. Carreyrou’s story passed editorial muster and, despite Holmes’ most craven attempts to kill it, made it to print and brought the whole fraud crashing down.

What’s most disturbing in this entire story, is that despite the lack of any success of the Theranos products, Holmes rushed them into a production environment and placed the lives of patients at risk. The people who used Theranos’ products were beta testers without informed consent. The Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal regulators over medical devices and laboratories, said that Theranos put in jeopardy patient health and safety.

All along the way, Holmes defrauded investors, vilified and sued detractors, and put the lives of thousands of Americans in grave jeopardy. She did it to fulfill her own desire to be important and be remembered. Her entire empire was brought down by the bravery of a few individuals who refused to be bullied into silence and the sterling journalism of Carreyrou. Theranos is no more, Holmes has settled with the Security and Exchange Commission, and she is now under criminal indictment for fraud, along with her ex-boyfriend.

Capitalism provides the greatest opportunity for growth, even more profoundly when a market-based economy exists within a functioning democracy. In that environment, there will always be bad actors who try to game the system. We can be sure, that thanks in part to the integrity of journalism, their frauds will be exposed and they will be punished severely for their criminal enterprise. Holmes has been exposed, now it’s time for a federal jury to mete out justice.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781524731656

Finished reading: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou 📚

I’ve been following Michael Hyatt for over seven years now, and this book is based on a five-part video course that he had put out a few years ago. The book came out in early 2018 and, while I had pre-ordered it, I cancelled that order before it shipped. For some reason, I assumed that it wouldn’t be very helpful or practical, especially since I’m a stay-at-home dad.

What I found was the complete opposite. This book was all meat and no fluff. Hyatt shared a method of goal planning that was holistic and evidence based. He didn’t take me step-by-step (pull out a piece of paper, write down…), but instead, offered that suggestion in a sentence or two after couching the activity with research and experience.

I wanted this to be my first book of 2019, and it was a very solid start. I feel very confident that I’ll be more successful in my goal setting this year than I was last.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780801075254

Finished reading: [Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals](https://micro.blog/books/9780801075254) by Michael Hyatt 📚

Currently reading: [Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup](https://micro.blog/books/9781524731656) by John Carreyrou 📚

Currently reading: Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals by Michael Hyatt 📚

A few of the books that I read this year. I also managed to post a full review of each title. 📚

Grant Us Peace was the second book that I wrote in 2014. I was in the groove and, at the time, feeling a bit spiritually dry. I wrote an entire first draft, and immediately trashed it and started from scratch. I’m very proud of the work that I was able to ship.

The goal of the book is simple: help the reader start a routine of daily prayer, with a short reflection and single action step.

I’m very critical of my own works, so I won’t rate the book. What I will say is that it delivers on its promise.

Rating: N/A

ISBN: 9780692337103

Finished reading: Grant Us Peace by Chet Collins 📚

As I mentioned in my previous review, my first encounter with the reality of nuclear weapons happened in high school. My AP World History teacher assigned the book, Hiroshima, for our summer reading.

I bought this book on a whim. While on the Apple Books store, I was drawn in by the unique cover art noted that the books was on sale. The description sold me. Apart from the well-publicized nuclear mistakes of the past decade, I had been almost completely unaware of the Titan II accident in Arkansas in 1980.

The book itself is 487 pages, written by an investigative journalist, Eric Schlosser. Schlosser’s work on chronicling the accidents and safety of the nuclear weapons fielded by the United States earned him a spot as a finalist for the Pulitzer Price. The thoroughness and attention to detail in this book stand out. Schlosser walks the reader through each era of America’s nuclear weapons, starting in 1945 with the original bomb.

For decades, Americans feared the Soviet nuclear threat, while oblivious to the even graver threat of a nuclear accident at home. These are the most powerful weapons of war ever created, and even now at 73 years old, we’re still trying to learn best practices for ensuring both safety and lethality. The book mainly focuses on nuclear accidents in the 1950s and 1960s, which were plentiful. More than a few times, we narrowly avoided full thermonuclear meltdown in the continental United States. While I believe that we have gotten better at handling and safeing our stockpile, the limits of this book seem to be connected to the US Government declassification schedule. The more time that has past since a classified event, the more likely it is to be declassified.

Another embarrassing thread running through this story is the pervasiveness of internecine conflict within the military and government. Agencies and branches of the military, envious of budgetary allocations and power, fought each other fiercely, to the detriment of the good of the American people. While all serving under the same flag, their pettiness put the nation at a greater risk of accident or nuclear war. These fights were at every rung of government, even at the highest levels. Strategy, research and development, and weapons deployment seemed to go to the toughest fighter, not the most appropriate branch or agency.

We’re certainly not out of the woods. Schlosser goes to great lengths in the concluding pages to note that this topic is as relevant today as it was in 1950. Within the last ten years, nuclear bombs have been accidentally flown across the United States, nuclear missile crews have been caught sleeping while on alert, a widespread cheating scandal was uncovered among missile crews, and illegal drug use by missile crews continues.

If nothing else, this book, through the lens of a single nuclear accident in 1980, brings to the forefront a sobering reality: our nuclear weapons may hurt us just as badly as we intended for them to hurt the enemy.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780143125785

Finished reading: Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety by Eric Schlosser 📚

Currently reading: Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety by Eric Schlosser 📚

American Kingpin is the true story of the infamous Silk Road, its founder Ross Ulbricht, and the law enforcement agents of the United States and their hunt to bring down Ulbricht.

In many respects, Silk Road was a revolutionary website and the epitome of the logical ends of technology. Any technology, the internet included, taken to its logical conclusion, can be used for evil just as easily as it can be used for good. Silk Road was a website on the so-called “Dark Net” that served as a digital black market for drugs, guns, and really anything shady. Drugs ordered on Silk Road would be sent through the mail and, for the most part, delivered to their destination.

Ulbricht was, by all accounts, a failure in his mid-20s. He had a burning desire to change the world, but no real successes to his name. His friends and family considered him to be sweet, but as the story goes, it becomes clear just how dark Ross could go.

A main thread that runs through this story is the inefficiencies of the Federal government when it comes to cross-jurisdictional law enforcement. The tribalism of the different agencies mired the investigation and ultimate take-down of Ulbricht and Silk Road. It was because there were cyber crimes, drugs, firearms, fake IDs, digital currency, and illegal usage of the US Postal System that this fragmentation took place. Author Nick Bilton goes to great lengths to detail the infighting between the US Attorney’s offices, FBI, DEA, HSI, CBP, IRS, US Secret Service, and even the US Postal Inspection Service. Even beyond just this upper-strata of conflict and competition was inner-agency strife between offices in different cities, especially HSI Chicago vs. HSI Baltimore.

What was truly remarkable about the story was how Silk Road tended to infect and corrupt every one who touched it. Ross went from a “sweet” kid in the suburbs, to a ruthless mob boss, ordering (and paying for) murders of competition and traitors. A DEA agent started selling Ulbricht intel on law enforcement activities and tortured a Silk Road employee. A Secret Service agent stole nearly $1M in Bitcoin.

The story is told in vignette style, which makes it very readable. I got through the book quickly and enjoyed every minute of it. Bilton is a skilled journalism and writer. 
In the end, the government got their man, and Ulbricht was given a sentence commiserate with his crimes not just against the government, but in a very real way, against humanity. People died using the drugs bought off of Silk Road, others became addicted, and those are just the few stories we know.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780143129028

Finished reading: American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road by Nick Bilton 📚

Currently reading: American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road by Nick Bilton 📚

This is a book that needs no introduction.

It was my first time reading it all the way through, having scavenged it before. It was as good as people said.

I did have a hard time getting through the book. The system works just fine for me as a stay-at-home dad, and clearly the work is targeted at members of the population in the workforce. The examples, rightly so, revolved almost entirely around work. That made the read difficult and, at many times, unengaging.

I have taken away reminders of the key to the system that work well for me. Keeping up to date, and putting every single to do item into a trusted source, which for me is the Things app.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780143126560

Finished reading: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen 📚

Currently reading: Grant Us Peace by Chet Collins 📚

Currently reading: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen 📚

Earlier this year, I read A Spy Among Friends, the story of KGB mole Kim Philby and his espionage against his native Britain and the MI6. As a Westerner, I approached Philby’s betrayal with a great sense of indignation.

Reading Macintyre’s latest book, I met the man Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB Colonel who did the same, only he spied for Britain. I found myself liking the man, and admiring his courage. He hated the Soviet Union because he saw it for what it was: a massive prison that enforced a cultural ghetto upon its people.

I see my own double standard, but, alas, I am for freedom.

Macintyre’s writing style continues to impress me, with another historical figure’s story being told in the mold of a thriller. Sometimes the truth is the most exciting story.

Oleg was born into a KGB family, living in a KGB neighborhood. He followed his brother into the service, being posted abroad after his brother’s untimely death. While serving at the Soviet embassy/KGB station in Copenhagen, Oleg’s eyes were opened to the riches of Western culture, forbidden within the borders of the Soviet Union. He watched with horror as the Soviet government put down popular uprisings in the Soviet bloc.

Inspired to join the fight for freedom, Oleg signs on as an agent for MI6. His case is a closely guarded secret, and over the next several years, he uses his KGB training to pass intelligence and analysis to the Brits. The analysis aspect was unique in the world of spying, which usually trades in raw data.

Oleg is returned to the Soviet Union at the end of his tour and his career takes a hit when he divorces and remarries. The case goes dormant until he’s posted to the KGB station in London. There he works his way up to be promoted to station chief, when he falls under suspicion after being betrayed by Aldrich Ames.

Of all of the spies that have been disclosed to the public, Oleg holds the distinction of being the most valuable MI6 agent and the only known agent who was able to be smuggled out of the Soviet Union.

From start to finish, Macintyre delivers another great story, bringing to light the stories of people who have had a profound impact on the last century. Oleg Gordivesky is one of those men, and this book does not disappoint.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781101904190

Finished reading: The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben Macintyre 📚

Currently reading: The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben Macintyre 📚

I first read this book as a sophomore in high school for my World History class. When it came up in Apple Books as suggested reading, I thought it was a good time for me to revisit this text.

Hiroshima was originally published as a long form article in a periodical in 1946. Composed just a year after the atomic bombs were used, the author follows the stories of six survivors of the Hiroshima bombing. For publication, the book is expanded with a sort of, “where are they now,” fifth chapter that traces the stories through the post-war period and up until about 1985.

Many Americans, perhaps people of all nations, tend to regard the use of atomic weapons as inevitable, necessary, and historical. The thought process is limited to the abstract concept of dropping a bomb, albeit a very powerful one. The focus is on the weapon itself, with a passing thought of newsreel footage of the mushroom cloud. It’s a 30,000 foot view of the subject.

Author John Hersey removes us for the viewpoint of the bombardier and places us right on the ground. He opens the work with a preview of how each of the subjects started their day. Then, from the moment of impact, he follows each thread as they struggle to comprehend the event which will forever change and define their lives.

The writing details the gruesome nature of the attack. No longer an abstraction, he gives the personal details that articulate the human cost of atomic weapons. This wasn’t just a simple bombing mission, this was the employment of a weapon that forever changed warfare.

Proponents of atomic weapons live in the abstract. Was the necessity of dropping the bomb inevitable? Perhaps. There’s no question that the tactics of the Imperial Japanese Army amounted to organized crime. The murder, rape, pillage, are to this day still inconceivable. Fire bombing of major Japanese cities was also morally dubious. In a way, we need to trust that the leaders were acting on the best information at the time.

Regardless of the reader’s position on the use of atomic weapons, few can come away from Hersey’s story telling with the stomach to continue in their support. Despite being mortal enemies of the United States, the very human experience that is relayed throughout the book is overwhelmingly persuasive.

Many survivors of the Hiroshima attack have aptly made a distinction in their advocacy for peace. They focus not just on the moral question of the use of atomic weapons, but more broadly on the evil of war.

Hiroshima is a gut-wrenching, compelling story that would be of interest to any student of World War II, but more importantly, it’s a story written so that we all might have a better, more particular understanding of the devastation of weapons of war.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780679721031

Finished reading: Hiroshima by John Hersey 📚

Currently reading: Hiroshima by John Hersey 📚

What can I say about my 24th book of the year? A classic, Lewis’ insight proves to be a timeless treasure. The same temptations that Screwtape and his nephew Wormwood were working with still stand today. Lewis showed a particularly keen understanding on a wide range of elements of the human experience.

One of the main faults of today’s Christianity is a lack of imagination. We spend almost no time thinking about Heaven, and even less about Hell. The results can be clearly seen in our life choices and witness.

Screwtape offers us a vision of Hell, but even more, a lens through which to see our own temptations and failings. Recognizing the daily battle that we’re in, we can better respond and live the message of the Gospel.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780060652937

Finished reading: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis 📚

I’ve read almost exclusively nonfiction books this year. That’s normal for me, but I’m finally starting to feel the wear. I did read Rainbow Six, which, though long, I found to be a nice break.

I came across the author CW Lemoine on YouTube. I’m not sure what I wanted to surface his videos, but he seemed like a nice guy. He’s written a series of books, of which Origins is the prequel. I thought I’d give it a shot, especially given my appreciation of independent authors who are willing to risk it all and publish a manuscript.

I’m not sure if I will continue in the series. I almost didn’t finish this book because of two somewhat graphic sex scenes in the first 20 pages. I came back a few days later and decided to read it through it the end. This book provided some initial background stories about the main characters in the series. At the same time, I get enough hypersexualization in my life, and I’m not sure that I want that in my reading time.

I think I’ll move on to another book and ponder for a while whether I’ll go forward with the series. I’d love to read a series, any series, start to finish, but I’m not sure this is the one for me.

Rating: ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781521566206

Finished reading: Spectre: Origins by C.W. Lemoine 📚

Currently reading: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis 📚

After completing the previous book on the life of St. Francis, I decided to pick up this story. Alison also gifted this book to me last Christmas, and since I was fresh on the life and characters of St. Francis, I thought it was a good opportunity to read about this next chapter in the Franciscan movement.

Given that it covered largely the same subject matter as the other book, there was some overlap between this book and How Francis Saved the Church. This book, however, went much deeper into the stories and also took the perspective of an outsider looking in.

The book’s main focus is that of Brother Elias, a childhood friend and early follower of Francis, and how he changed personally and Franciscanism after the death of their founder. Elias has been lionized by some and despised by others, and many of the facts and stories are subject of incomplete historical record. What is clear, however, is that Franciscanism had to transition from following a personality, to taking on a spiritual discipline of its own.

Having made a pilgrimage myself to Assisi nearly a decade ago, and reading these two books, I now have a very clear understanding of the life, thought, and spirituality of St. Francis. Confronting this radical way of life is our modern societal decay.

Culture swings back and forth like a pendulum throughout the ages, but I can see clear parallels between the culture that Francis renounced and the one that we find ourselves in today. The core sickness is a fundamental rejection of the dignity and beauty of every human person, in particular.

The solution that Francis gives us is not a revolution, but rather something much more achievable. A radical conversion of self, a fixing of one’s own life, and letting that example and momentum ripple throughout all of history.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781594716010

Finished reading: The Enthusiast: How the Best Friend of Francis of Assisi Almost Destroyed What He Started by Jon Sweeney 📚

Currently reading: The Enthusiast: How the Best Friend of Francis of Assisi Almost Destroyed What He Started by Jon Sweeney 📚

I love when I approach a book with preconceived notions about the subject matter and end up walking away pleasantly surprised. Alison got me this book for Christmas and, based on its title, I figured it was a biographical account of the life of St. Francis. I’m familiar with some of the folklore surrounding his life, but have never actually read a book about his life story.

So I dove in.

What I found was much better. Instead of a historical recounting based on the available information we have about Francis, Jon Sweeney does something very clever. He acknowledges the “theological gloss” that has been assigned to Francis and the stories of his life and instead focuses on the big picture.

Sweeney sets up the narrative by starting with a small fact or scene from Francis’ life, and then unpacks the meaning from the event. Going further, he then shares how it relates to Francis’ worldview, in conjunction with the cultural and geopolitical events of his day. He then brings it full circle by applying it to the modern era.

I found this approach refreshing. Sweeney didn’t claim to have new information, nor did he make a judgement as to the credibility of the stories that we all know. Instead, he presents an accessible recounting of how Francis saw the world and responded to it.

If you know a lot about the life of St. Francis, you’ll need to check your knowledge at the door. If, like me, you have a low level knowledge, this manuscript does an excellent job of laying out not the facts of Francis’ life, but the essence of his spirituality and worldview. In this way, I come away from the book understanding the man Francis, not just the historical Francis.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781594716461

Finished reading: When Saint Francis Saved the Church: How a Converted Medieval Troubadour Created a Spiritual Vision for the Ages by Jon Sweeney 📚

I first read this book/pastoral letter when it came out back in 2009. I was taking a college class on marriage and family life, and we used it as a tool for gaining a better understanding of the vocation of marriage. Since then, I’ve read it every so often, usually around my anniversary.

There can be much lost in the “things” of Catholicism, most easily the responsibility of the laity. Falling into the trap of clericalism, it’s easy for the everyday Catholic to forget that the role of the priest and the role of the people is equal in the call to holiness and advancing Jesus’ saving mission. Marriage is a vocation, a calling not unlike the call to the service of the priesthood. It’s not an easy life, but it’s an important one and is filled with grace and blessing.

I enjoyed the read, as I always do, and feel refreshed to take on our next year. What Alison and I are doing in fidelity to our vows and vocation is supremely important, a fact that’s easy to lose sight of in the routine of daily life. This letter helped to remind me of that key insight.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781601370921

Currently reading: When Saint Francis Saved the Church: How a Converted Medieval Troubadour Created a Spiritual Vision for the Ages by Jon Sweeney 📚

Finished reading: Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan by US Conference if Catholic Bishops 📚

Currently reading: Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan by US Conference of Catholic Bishops 📚

Archbishop Chaput is back with a timely and painfully honest critique of American society and the Church. It’s clear from the manuscript that he has spent decades thinking deeply about the relationship between the Catholic Church and society writ large. Chaput’s insights invite the reader to take a break from the incessant drama and outrage to contemplate where we are as a nation and what the individual can and should do to improve the health of our culture.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the historical America. Chaput lays out, with extensive quoting and cross-references, the political philosophy and religious thinking that was baked into American’s founding. He provides deep background on individual founders and the intellectual traditions that they came from. Through this lens, we can see why America is special in its creation, and how those religious influences played into the creation of the American State. From that basis, Chaput levels an honest, but stinging indictment against the most recent generations of Americans for abandoning our intellectual roots. He laments the lack of curiosity and fear that discourages us from reading, thinking, and sharing our ideas.

In the second part, Chaput applies the intellectual tradition of Catholicism to our current state of affairs. He draws heavily from the early Christian experience in the Roman Empire, and points out how we can influence our culture for the better, while being prepared for the inevitable rejection of our peers. Much of this part of the book is dedicated to naming the false gods of modern society. Archbishop Chaput then demonstrates how the antidote to the emptiness and brokenness that these false gods leave in their wake are the theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity.

To be sure, this is a heavy book that should only be undertaken by a serious reader. I came away at times downtrodden and at other times, inspired. The fact remains that while Catholicism is relatively comfortable and established in America, there has been no time in history when it was without persecution. At the end of the day, my faith tells me two things: there is truth and this is not my home. We are strangers in a strange land, but it presents me the unique opportunity to witness to the truth and love that I have found, and to share it by the example of my life.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: [9781627796743](https://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Strange-Land-Catholic-Post-Christian/dp/1627796746)

Finished reading: Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World by Charles J. Chaput 📚

Currently reading: Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World by Charles J. Chaput 📚

I love reading financial books, so I was excited to finally pull this one off the shelf. I believe I bought it right when it came out, about two years ago.

I have to say, I was pretty disappointed. Chris does a fine job explaining everything, but having listened to The Dave Ramsey Show and having gone through Financial Peace University, I found the book to be pretty boring. I skipped over a large part because I already knew about the things he was talking about. At times, I was bored.

It’s a solid plan and one that we’re following. Nevertheless, the book was disappointing, but useful if you’re 100% new to retirement planning.

Rating: ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781937077815

Finished reading: Retire Inspired: It’s Not an Age, It’s a Financial Number by Chris Hogan 📚

Currently reading: Retire Inspired: It’s Not an Age; It’s a Financial Number by Chris Hogan 📚

This was my second time reading Parish Priest, the story of Fr. Michael McGivney. While his legacy is the founding of the Knights of Columbus, the book mainly focuses on his life and ministry, with a small portion of the overall book covering his work with the Knights.

McGivney lived in a very difficult time in America. Not only was there the threat of an early death, vigorous anti-Catholic sentiment colored just about every aspect of his daily life. Out of that adversity, he founded the Knights of Columbus which has gone on to go countless good works in America and around the world.

What impressed me most about this book is how connected the American Church of today is to the American Church of the 1880s. The authors did an excellent job of explaining the movement and explosive growth of the Church with the rapid influx of immigrants in that period. I now have a understanding of the leadership thought processes for decisions that we continue to live with today. They did a wonderful job shepherding the infant American Church.

I read this book looking for inspiration as I become active once again in the Knights. This book kept its promise and gave me exactly what I was looking for.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780060776848

Finished reading: Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism by Douglas Brinkley & Julie M. Fenster 📚

Currently reading: Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism by Douglas Brinkley & Julie M. Fenster 📚

Ben Macintyre is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers of the modern era. His style is so engaging and his topics are wildly interesting. Ben does a great job walking his readers through the intricacies of British culture and mannerisms. I appreciate him not taking the reader for granted. As a result, the most subtle details don’t pass me by.

A Spy Among Friends is about the espionage conducted against the Western intelligence agencies by Kim Philby, acting on behalf of the Soviet government. Philby was recruited into British Intelligence and over the course of his career used his promotions, positions, and privilege to pass sensitive information to Moscow. He’s widely regarded as the most effective known spy in modern history and the wake of destruction that he left is sobering.

I can’t help but think how different the history of the last 70 years would be different had it not been for Philby’s treason. Countless people during the war and in the post-war period who sought to build a better Europe were eliminated in service of the doomed communist cause. The world is certainly a darker place because of Philby’s betrayal.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780804136655

Finished reading: A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre 📚

Currently reading: A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre 📚

This book really came to me at the right point in my life. I had noticed several months ago that something was off in my life. I was looking for happiness, but not really sure where to find it. Matthew hit the nail on the head with the book.

The idea of searching for happiness is framed through the concept of resistance. Resistance is that feeling inside of us that keeps us from doing the things that are really good for us. Waking up when we committed, exercising, eating well, reading, even praying. It tries to keep us “comfortable,” but resistance’s concept of comfortable is more akin to laziness or idleness.

Throughout the book, Matthew shares the specific steps that he took to develop his robust interior life. He didn’t do it alone. He had a fabulous coach who took him under his wing in his teens and step-by-step worked with Matthew to develop himself. I found many ideas that I was able to implement immediately in my own life.

The core message of the book is that when we feel sad, agitated, or irritable, it’s a sign of spiritual sickness. By focusing on developing our interior life and improving our spiritual health, over time, we’ll stop resisting the things that will lead to true inner peace and happiness; namely, living out our life’s mission in the light of God’s love.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781942611929

It’s been said by many people that I respect that you should never read a book that you’re not enjoying. There’s something particularly unpleasant about reading feeling like a chore. You trudge through a book, unhappy and unsatisfied. In times when I want to quit, I persist. I continue reading partly out of optimism that things will get better and partly out of a desire to have not wasted my time.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. It’s a relevant topic and I thought that it might help me with some strategies for more effectively transmitting the faith has been so important in my life on to my children. I bought it two years ago and I’m surprised that it ended up so low on my queue. Sadly, the book missed the mark for me and, worse, I didn’t quit when I should have.

My main problem with the book is the audience. My reading of the title gave me the impression that this book was for middle-of-the-road practicing Catholics looking to do a better job of raising their kids in the faith. Not for people who were nominally Catholic and not for those who are deeply religious.

As I read, it became clear to me that perhaps not even the author knew his audience. I found the entire book to be boring and repetitious. Little was offered in the way of ideas or specific strategies that I could implement, right now. Instead, at the end of each chapter, there was a “Live” section, but it mostly referred to other resources. The book was too aloof.

I’m sure that there’s an audience out there who could benefit from this book. It saddens me that I concluded that this is a one-star book. To me, the author missed a huge opportunity. We do need to do a better job of handing on the faith, and we need very specific action plans to get us started. The book failed to deliver on the promise of its title.

Rating: ★

ISBN: 9781594716058

I heard Dr. Allen Hunt speak in person at a conference two summers ago at Franciscan University of Steubenville. It was my first interaction with him and he’s an excellent speaker. It’s apparent how he was able to be so effective as a pastor in a church community that lives or dies by the quality of a sermon.

At that talk, he gave away copies of this book. It’s part memoir, part theological, and part biblical. An expert in New Testament Scripture, Allen goes to great lengths to take the personal stories in his life, connect them to the traditions of the Catholic Church, and tie them all together with a brief exegesis.

Even as a practicing Catholic, I found the book to be enjoyable. It read very fast and had plenty of little reminders about the great aspects of Catholicism. I’d probably even argue that as a cradle-Catholic, regularly reading about my faith and continuing to learn is critical to living the life that I say I want to live.

Looking at my reading list this year, I’ve noticed almost a majority of the books are about my faith. On the one hand, I want to be balanced, and on the other, I have a huge backlog of Catholic literature that I’ve been wanting to read for years.

This book fit nicely into my reading. I got to better know my faith through the story of another.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780984131839

Finished reading: Resisting Happiness by Matthew Kelly 📚

The Church is often painted with the brush of “no.” Indeed, in our culture today, there are plenty of behaviors, attitudes, and practices that rightly deserve rejection and admonishment. In these two documents, produced in the last thirty years and with the intention of helping to promote a bioethical mindset in healthcare, the Church displays the truth that behind every difficult “no” is a great “YES!” to the profound wonder and beauty of the human person.

Many might question what role the Church could have in helping to shape the discussion around bioethics. In a society that no longer sees the spiritual component of humanity as necessary for general goodness or happiness, it’s more likely to reject the Church’s intellectual contributions or to decry the so-called imposition of religion on science and society.

The Church does not seek a role outside of its competence, nor does it seek to supplant medical science. Rather, it offers, within the scope of morality which is clearly its prerogative, advice and insight for the discussion. A relentless promoter of the human good throughout human history, the Church seeks to share its treasury of wisdom and intellectual tradition to keep medicine in the service of the human good, rather than a tool for its destruction.

No area of medicine or technology is above criticism. An objective reading of these documents, setting the theological aspects aside, clearly demonstrates the authenticity the Catholic Church brings to the conversation. Even if the reader rejects the theology of the Church, it’s difficult to argue convincingly that the broadest application of respect for human life is somehow in contradiction to the noble aims and ideals of medicine.

These two publications dovetail in their coverage of the moral and ethical questions that we face today, particularly when it comes to human reproduction and early life humans. The question and answer format is particularly useful for understanding the ethical framework and applying its principles to the issues of the day. The answers provided are challenging to the prevailing wisdom, but it’s a great act of love to share the hard truths, kindly, but firmly. The defense of the human person is paramount for the survival of mankind. We can best promote the integrity and dignity of the human person by focusing on advocacy and protection for the most vulnerable among us.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781601370693 & 9781555861568

Finished reading: Keep Your Kids Catholic: Sharing Your Faith and Making It Stick by Marc Cardaronella 📚

Now that Benedict is nearing his fifth birthday, Alison thought that it would be a good idea for us to read some parenting books. She wanted us to learn some strategies for helping our kids, as the authors of this book put it, survive and thrive.

Generally speaking, I don’t have a great track record of reading books that people give to me. While the intention is good, when someone else gives you a book, it brings some strings with it. I feel a sense of obligation when approaching the book, and also a need to move it higher in my reading queue. This is bad because then, as I read it, it feels forced. Although this book does fall into that category, namely it was selected for me by someone else, I found it to be wonderful.

Drs. Siegel and Bryson do an excellent job of taking the complex fields of psychiatry, neuroplasticity, and parenting and bring them together in an easy to digest way. What’s better is that they give a short, approachable lesson on a subject and the immediately present one or two ways to implement it in my parenting, right now. Their examples are illuminating, engaging, and realistic.

As I read through the book, managing to read the entirety in one day, I clearly saw the principles and theories that they laid out at play, especially in Benedict, but to a lesser degree in Felicity as she has come into her own.

I have not read very many parenting books, but my overall impression that they can be aloof, shoot the moon, and not broadly applicable. Not only does that impression prove false in this book, there is a clear progression in how I can use these techniques today, when Benedict is in elementary school, middle school, high school, and beyond.

Even better, the authors took the time to create a section at the end of each chapter to adapt the principles to the life of the parent. So not only do I understand how to work through a tantrum with my kids, but I understand how the same mechanics are at play when I feel angry and out of control.

Neuroscience is complex and profoundly interesting. Siegel and Bryson took their years of clinical and scientific research and applied in a way that any family could benefit from.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780553386691

Finished reading: Confessions of a Mega Church Pastor: How I Discovered the Hidden Treasures of the Catholic Church by Allen Hunt, PhD 📚

Finished reading: Instruction on Respect for Human Life by Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 📚

It’s hard to find a succinct book that covers the history of the Catholic Church. There’s a lot of ground to cover, but clearly there are high points that everyone should be familiar with. In that spirit, I picked up a copy of Building the Kingdom: A History of the Catholic Church by Robbie Peñate.

When I got the book, I had to laugh when I realized that I know the author. I went to college with him and we had a few classes together. I didn’t know him very well, but he was a recognizable face on campus.

This book was written for the organization LifeTeen, which means it’s geared towards teenagers. Robbie is a teacher, and he does a good job of tying the history the Church to the lessons in the spiritual life. He’ll be discussing the dilemma facing the Church in a particular situation and then apply it to modern times. For example, with the Edict of Milan, the Christian Church was legalized in the Roman Empire. However, after 300 years of persecution by pagans, Christians still faced discrimination. Robbie ties this fact to the reality of discrimination in our society today, despite the illegality.

I come away from the book with a good sense of the highlights in Church history. Eight years out of university, it was a good refresher. If I was a teenager, I probably would’ve found the book more engaging. I was looking for a book with more details. That being said, it was thoughtful, comprehensive in approach, and overall, a good book.

Rating: ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780996238533

Finished reading: The Dignity of A Person by The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 📚

Finished reading: The Whole Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel, MD and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD 📚

Finished reading: Building the Kingdom: A History of the Catholic Church by Robbie Peñate 📚

I first came across the writing of Ben Macintyre when I picked up his book Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies in a used bookstore. I’ve always enjoyed reading war and espionage nonfiction, and I particularly enjoyed Ben’s writing. His research and writing focuses on the covert actions of the British government during World War 2.

Operation Mincemeat is one of those small chapters in World War II that I had heard about in passing. Despite scattered references, I was never really sure what happened. I was excited to dive into this book and finally figure out why this particular part of the War is so celebrated.

The book is factual and accurate, based on extensive research. Among the primary sources are British intelligence reports, personal journals, and interviews. Sprinkled throughout are direct quotes that give insight into the mind of the subjects being discussed. You do get some background information that helps you to better understand the characters, but never so much that it’s boring. I didn’t find any part of the book to be particularly dry, except for one of the post-script chapters which describes precisely how the Mincemeat story was made public.

In reading the book, I came across many of the same characters that I met in Double Cross. That added some nice background that made my reading even more enjoyable. I also found that reading Church of Spies: The Pope’s Secret War Against Hitler beforehand gave me a deeper knowledge of what was going on behind the scenes on the side of German intelligence. It was fun meeting these characters and seeing them from a different angle.

Ben’s writing is at its best, and I walk away with a thorough knowledge of Mincemeat and a better insight into just how complex military operations can be. Well written and a great, fast read.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780307453280

Currently reading: Building the Kingdom: A History of the Catholic Church by Robbie Peñate 📚

Finished reading: Operation Mincement: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory by Ben Macintyre 📚

I saw this book just before its publication around the first of the year. I loved the description: a millennial’s shopping fast and how it lead to independence and a detachment from materialism.

I should’ve looked closer, because as it turned out, it was a memoir with detachment being part of the narrative. It was a fine book, but I didn’t connect with much of the material because of the feminine focus.

I will say that I’m inspired to do my own shopping ban, declutter my life, and live more simply. If you’re into memoirs or are a woman, you will love and relate to this book.

Rating: ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781401954871

This book was given to me as a gift by my parents. I’m developing an interest in bioethics, seeing as its the perfect marriage of healthcare and classical philosophy.

I didn’t find much in the way of discussion on conscience in this book, which is ironic given the title. The book is a collection of two long speeches given by Cardinal Ratzinger. There were plenty of quotes, but my hope was that he’d take head on the questions surrounding the primacy of conscience in the medical field. Of course, that would naturally include the role of conscience in medical decision making and intellectual disagreement in the field of research and practice of medicine.

The book is classic Ratzinger, very deep and thick.

Rating: ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781586171605

This was my first Tom Clancy book. I had played the computer game when it first came out, so I was roughly familiar with the characters and premise. I also picked this book up in Apple Books for $1.99, so I dove in.

I was not a huge fan of the cutscenes approach to this story. There were a myriad of characters and, given the length of the book, I struggled to keep track of who everyone is.

That said, it was a great adventure story, and the further I got in, the faster I read. I wasn’t disappointed in the conclusion, or the satisfaction of reading a book of this length. I just might need some time to build up the stamina needed to read another Clancy novel.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780425170342

This was a short little book, expounding on the early message of the pontificate of Francis. I picked up my copy through the great folks at Dynamic Catholic.

I found the material to be interesting and thought provoking. We have a great number of tools at our disposal for sharing the joy of Christianity that previous generations have not benefited from. It doesn’t need to be grand or spectacular, but it does need to be honest. This was a good read, especially during Lent.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781942611776

I’ve been a listener of Dave’s radio program for seven years now. I was first introduced to him and his plan by Alison when we were dating. This wasn’t my first reading of The Total Money Makeover, I tend to pick it up any time I start to lose momentum.

This is the plan that we follow and I recommend it to anyone who asks. Simple, straightforward, and doable.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9781491522226

Before the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, there had only been one man in the history of the papacy to abdicate the office. That man was Pope Celestine V in the Middle Ages.

This book is his story, and one that is not well known. Celestine, before he was pope, was a popular spiritual named Peter Morrone. He was an ascetic, and widely known in his day for his holiness.

Morrone became pope as a consequence of politics, and the author does a good job of sharing the full context with the reader. That being said, the book was mostly about the times of Peter Morrone, with his papacy having a minor role near the end of the book. I would’ve liked more meat on the subject, short as his reign was.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780385531894

I’ve been using You Need A Budget (YNAB) exclusively for several years. They’re a quirky company with a great culture and an even better product. There’s been a trend towards moving to the subscription model in software, and YNAB is a prime example of how that can lead to innovation, iteration, and delivering tremendous value.

I was happy to jump on board when YNAB’s founder, Jesse Mecham, released his first book. In it, Mecham lays out, in depth, the four rules that YNAB uses in its particular approach to budgeting.

There was some controversial points in the book, particularly when Mecham detailed his personal views on things such as college funding, but overall, it was a good read.

If you don’t budget, YNAB is a great tool to use and this book can help get you up to speed, fast.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ISBN: 9780062567581