Book Review Eight

I think that there isn't really a lot to say about this book because you really have to read it for yourself (then why are you writing about it Steve?)

But I will tell you this, it was very interesting to read some literature about the Arabic culture and the country of Afghanistan because I think that this is not a commonly explored topic in America. Although this story isn't about poverty, politics, or war, you can't tell the story of an Afghan man's life without bringing these topics to light.

Most of all this story is about friendship, loyalty, betrayal, rejection, and ultimately redemption. It's very powerful and gripping. The main character makes some mistakes in his life and you would be tempted to think that you would have played your cards differently. But to be honest, I'm not so sure I would have.

And that's what makes it so sad. That something that is a world away can seem so real, because despite the fact that this book was a work of fiction it is based on the real Afghanistan.

Kite Runner is officially the Steven Conn book of the month. But don't take MY word for it....

(reading rainbow anyone?)

Book Review Seven

Most people tell me that they skip my book reviews. But sometimes I may be reviewing something that you actually want to read yourself, so don't be so quick to discard them.

I think I've been reading Victory over the Darkness for about 1,000 years. But I finally finished it. In case you were wondering...no, it's not much of a page turner.

But it is very good. At first it started out with some basic and boring information that any Christian who ever took a class in anything would probably already know. But by the end of the book each chapter was powerful and backed with life altering truth. Anderson is a counselor and much of this book is dedicated to spiritual and emotional health. He asks us to discover the lies we are believing and to free ourselves of those things.

He talks about clarifying your goals and distinguishing them from your desires. The only real goal is to become closer to Christ, and the only person who can block that is you. so why are you so mad at everyone else? He talks about man's need for significance, acceptance, and security. He talks about rejection in relationships and what it means to be free in Christ.

Larry Crabb said that we wouldn't need mental health professionals if more people were better at being in tune with themselves and helping the people around them. Except for neurological disorder's I think Larry is right. And I also think that Larry would want you to read this book because it has a lot to say to everyone. True, it meant a lot to me personally because of some of the things with which I am currently struggling, but I think we could all be a little more free.

Book Review Six

Recently I lent my copy of Ender's Game to friend and co-worker Jess Rilke. Now I know this makes you think that she is forever indebted to me. But in reality it's really more like....yeah she's forever indebted to me.

In case anyone was wondering the number of people who have read my copy of Ender's game in the past year is now 13. And each person is invited to sign the inside of the book as a testament to their accomplishment/enlightenment. If any of you wish to add your name to the growing ranks please drop me a line and I would be glad to hook you up.

Anyway, in an effort to repay her literary life debt Jess lent me ICE By Shane Johnson. The best part about this book is how she randomly found it in a bargain bin and it quickly became one of her favorites. Neither one of us have ever heard of this author before, and apparently no one else in the world has ever heard of this book. I wasn't even able to find a picture of it for this blog. She said it was kinda like a "one hit wonder" minus the "hit" part.

But anyway, this book managed to talk about Jesus and not become terrible as a result. It also has wonderful imagery and intrigue. My affection for this mysterious piece of work grew immensely when I reached the end, but I can't really talk about that because if I did I would ruin it. But the epilogue is probably the best part of the book.

The thing is, if you want to read this book I think you are going to have to actually know Jess Rilke, because I believe she has the only copy in the world.

Book Review Five

Yes, I have been reading pointless fiction lately. Maybe I will read a spiritually enriching book next, maybe I wont. I don't know why I suddenly feel the need to defend myself...

Anyway, The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan is the New York Times best-selling Sequel to Eye of the World.

It's not as good, but in a twelve book series you will probably have down-points. I do enjoy it though. Rand begins coming into his own, certain characters thought dead make unexpected comebacks, and it is surprisingly light on plot lines involving Moraine or other Aes Sedia, and that's always a plus.

It's my goal to read the next 9 segments of this series before book 12, Memories of Light, is posthumously published in late 2009. But since I am now going to grad school that plan has been seriously jeopardized. Unrelated, I really love jeopardy.

Even though 10 installments of this series are New York Time bestsellers, and I think Robert Jordan dominated the world of fantasy right up until his death, I know surprisingly few people who have actually read these books. If you're interested let me know. Like the obsessive compulsive chap I am, I have multiple copies.

Book Review Four

Ok let me tell you something about The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.

It does not have any redemptive value spiritually, morally, culturally, or educationally. It will not make you a better person. But oh my gosh--I did not know that ink and paper had such a frighteningly powerful ability to entertain. Next to Tony Hawk Pro Skater I have never seen anything nearly as addictive is this book series.

I read this book for the first time when I was in highschool, and it was like crack to me. I read the next TEN books in the series. (That's around 10,000 pages in case anyone is keeping count.) I started re-reading because the twelfth and final edition to this saga is going to be publish in late 2009 despite the fact that the author has DIED. That's right, the plot of this book is so compelling that God is allowing Robert Jordan to write from beyond the grave.

So anyway, I talked my sister (who has a masters degree in comparative literature) to read this series and she gave up after four books because she said they "weren't really that great." And sadly I assumed she was right. It's very common for her to recognize the suckatude of a piece of writing while I'm still too young to understand. As the years go by I am able to see that some of what I once thought was brilliant is in fact, trash. The Dark Tower is a prime example. Sorry everyone, but even though I was temporarily fooled I stand before you now to say that Stephen King is a terrible writer.

But my sister was wrong about something. The Wheel of Time is above criticism. It's like watching Star Wars. You instantly fall in love with it. Then some Critic who likes "good movies" points out to you that the acting is horrible, the dialogue is atrocious, ansd he might use pretentious made up words like "cinemetography." He might even tell you that episodes 4-6 aren't REALLY any better than the travashamockeries that were episodes 1-3. And the truth is that blasphemous jerk might be telling the truth. But a true fan covers his/her ears and sings John Williams at the top of his/her lungs becuase Star Wars is untouchable, and you fall in love all over again every time you watch it. And that's how the Wheel of Time is.

So call it sticking my head in the sand but I will go to the GRAVE loving the Wheel of Time, and I don't care what anyone says. So if you are a nerd, or you have no life, or you just want your mind blown to the back of your skull by the longest piece of fantasy literature ever written strap in and take the plunge, and do NOT listen to what Ryan Duncan tells you. EVER.

Book Review Three

I think that the literature I have been recently enjoying as taken a small turn for the worse. I should have stopped with Les Mis. If I wanted to appear cultured that is. I wouldn't say that this was actually a bad book. In fact it was quite entertaining. But I read it under the impression that it was going to be informative--and if not "life changing" at least thought provoking.

But if you like 10 pages of solid information jammed packed into a 250 page book The Tipping Point may be for you.

Perhaps I'm being a bit to cynical because I read it with false expectations, and much of the information in this book was also found in a few of my psychology text books. Literally. The same case studies, the same experiments. Which is not at all a problem, it just causes me to zone out a little bit because it smacks of school. But not to worry, this is still an entertaining and interesting read that has factual information that is intriguing if it fails to be useful.

It is all about what causes epidemics of ideas. Why is Sesame street so popular, how did Hush Puppies go from selling 30,000 units a year to 300,000 units a year, why did the midnight ride of Paul Revere ignite the country-side while the midnight ride of William Dawes was completely ineffectual? (William Dawes was the other guy, Paul went north and William went south at the same time, with the same message, but William was so worthless that the next day most of the towns he visited were completely unaware that he had even been through. This is why nobody remembers his name) Why does the game "six degrees of Kevin Bacon" actually work? And did you know that you are probably linked to anyone in the country in less than 6 steps? Stanly Milgram proved it.

If you've read "Freakanomics" this book is a lot like that. It's witty and whimsical, but it's fails to deliver on the wild claims made by the book-jacket.

"A vital and must-read addition to the ongoing debate about what really causes crime and disorder and how best to deal with it"~ William J Bratton.

If the information in this book is as valuable as people claim it to be then my undergrad in Psychology makes me an expert of fixing all the social and economic problems in the country.

If you have a friend or Co-worker who owns this book go ahead and borrow it. It will take you a weekend to read and it's an interesting page turner. But don't spend your own money. I got it free from my boss, and I am pleased with my acquisition.

Book Review Two

So you are probably saying to yourself “Self, does anyone, including me, care even the slightest bit what Steve Conn is reading right now?” The answer is probably no, and you know that. But then again has anyone ever cared at all about anything I’ve written thus-far? No. And so this is no different from anything else found on this blog.

First reviewed here in the Danger Book club is Christian Reflections on The Leadership Challenge. Apparently there was an extensive study on leadership done by Kouzes and Posner. They then began making notes specific to Christians and compiling them in a smaller separate volume bearing the aforementioned title.

This is not a very good book. I don’t know what makes it “Christian” except for the fact that they understand you will be dealing with pastors and volunteers more often than CEO’s and fortune 500 execs.

But despite the fact that it was not life changing it is not without redemptive value. I will sum up for you some of the most important parts as they spoke to me.

The most important thing is not what you can do or what you can teach, but rather, who you can be. No matter what you think to be the case people will do as you do, and not as you say. It is therefore important to practice what you preach and to care more about who you are before you focus on where your ministry is going. And that is how you will get results. People don’t buy into your vision, they buy into you. The authors recommend five principles for “modeling the way”

1) Work on yourself before others
2) Work on yourself more than others
3) It is easer to teach what is right than to do what is right
4) People do what they see
5) The example of others profoundly impacts out lives.

Here are some experts that really spoke to me and to what I am struggling with currently. God has been pointing out an atrocious amount of pride in my life lately, and it makes me question what kind of leader I really am.

When I graduated from college, like so many other eager young people I wanted to change the world. Call it what you will, I was determined to make a difference, defy the conventional wisdom, confront the status quo, and challenge the process. At the time, I was sure that those lofty aspirations were noble. I was wrong. There were two big problems with my post-graduate zeal.
“First, I had no specific difference I wanted to make. And although that may not seem like a big deal, it masked a larger one: I was more interested in being recognized for having changed the world than anything else…But the only way to make a real difference is to do so humbly, without regard for recognition, ego, pride, even self-preservation” (71).

“The key to a servant leader’s heart is humility. People with humility don’t think less of themselves; they just think of themselves less” (104).

"Ego Stands for Edging God Out."

The book also discusses briefly the difference between a self serving leader and a servant leader. One leads to serve, one leads to define himself through his position. Humm, can’t say that I fall under the right category at all times.

I wont lie, this book didn’t change my life, but it had some good points and I hope you enjoyed them.

Les Miserables

Lucky you! I know that there could not possibly be anything more interesting to you than what I think about the books I read. Therefore this is my first of many book reviews. You will note I have a list of books I've read in 2008. These books are ranked in order of how much i like them, not the order in which I read them. Also just so you know, it's become my goal to read all the books that I've bought in the past but never had the gumption to finish. So recently I've been reading a lot of the "classics" that have been cluttering my shelves for a few years. It makes me seem smarter than I really am.

Les Miserables translates most literally into "the miserable" but I believe the intent is to be translated as "the poor." It is sent in Paris during the French Revolution. The book is entirely about the poor, the lives they live, the people they love, the dreams they dream, the republics they build, and the deaths they die. That and the life of one man, Jean Val Jean, who is exceedingly wealthy, but honestly lives his life as if people were more important than money. He is an escaped convict who has tried his whole life to live in such a way that he can redeem himself for his past transgressions and become worthy of the confidence placed in him by an old priest full of pity.

Les Mis was made into a play and several different movie renditions. The latest movie was stars Liem Neison and it is awesome. I recommend it to anyone in ministry or who leads a small group because in only the first 10 minutes there is a great illustration in which the old priest (Christ figure) forgives a convict for robbing him and buys him his freedom. It's good stuff.

Anyway, the reason that I liked the book i that it is sad and beautiful, an in a crooked and depraved generation a few sterling characters shine forth with inspiring character. That and the fact that I need to have a bigger heart for the poor. I have recently been challenged by my friend Cortney to see Jesus in the disenfranchised and those different from me. I'm so caught up in my world that I rarely think, care, or pray for any other one. This book painted a picture of it for me. Les miserables you will always have with you. And what will you do with them?

Also, I've been dealing a lot lately with how I see myself. My blog is not the place to discuss all that but I will include two quotes from the book that spoke to me as I read them, and I hope that you find something in them too. Be honest.

After he had fully determined that the young man was at the bottom of this state of affairs, he, Jean Valjean, the regenerated man, the man who had laboured so much upon his soul, the man who had made so many efforts to resolve all life, all misery, and all misfortune into love, looked within himself, and there he saw hatred (493).

It is terrible thing to be happy! How pleased we are with it! How self-sufficient we think it! How, being in possession of the false aim of life, happiness, we forget the true aim..." (617)

I know no one will ever read this book on my recommendation. But watch the movie. seriously.