The Other Wes Moore

I just finished reading, The Other Wes Moore. I have long loved reading, especially between my MBA classes. I like to read fiction and also biographies. In a way, The Other Wes Moore is a biography. It follows the similar lives of two African American boys during the same era and living in same city. They come from similar single mother homes. The book follows their upbringing and what made the difference in each of their lives. They end up in very different places.

One ended up with a life sentence in prison for murder. The other went to military school, became a decorated veteran, a Rhodes Scholar, a White House Fellow, and a businessman. It was interesting to see their similarities and when each came to a fork in the road that helped change the rest of their lives. The choices we make each day define the lives we live. The fate of the imprisoned Wes Moore made the other Wes Moore wonder how their fates could've been so different with such similar backgrounds. So, he struck up a friendship with the imprisoned Wes Moore to find out what made the difference.

Some of their differences, as I saw it were 1) ones mom raised her kids alone while the other moved in with her parents for help and 2) one had more kids and one focused on working more to provide for her kids, and 3) one mom talked to their son about his bad behavior and one realized talking wasn't helping and sent him to military school.

Have you read it? Did anything stand out to you about it? This book is timely with all the things going on in our world like the incidents in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland. Read it and gain another perspective. Knowledge is power.
To learn more about the book, click here.

Here's an excellent YouTube video my friend, the highly successful speaker and writer, Patrick Combs shared about the book: #veryinsightful #maketherightchoice #begratefulfortoughlove

Unbroken

I've long loved reading and finally had time to read, Unbroken. The book told of the life of Louie Zamperini. He led a tremendously adventurous life and had a strong will to live. At just over 400 pages, Laura Hillenbrand, did an outstanding job telling Louie's story. While the story was interesting, the book was eye-opening to the things that POWs faced during World War II. There were so many things I didn't know that our poor troops faced. How as many of them survived as did is no less than a miracle. The conditions of the camps and the treatment of prisoners by the guards was literally disturbing; it broke my heart.

I had long-awaited the movie coming out. I knew it would be different from the book and it was. It didn't portray Louie's closeness with his family and it skimmed over the lack of food and the disease that plagued the POWs. Jack O'Connell did a terrific job embodying the spirit and tenacity of Louie. I felt like I was literally watching Louie.



Click here for an interesting interview from the author, Laura Hillenbrand.

Many people said that Angelina Jolie shouldn't have been given the opportunity to direct such a poignant story and that she did an awful job skimming over many important parts of the book. I agree. What the movie also left out was after the war, Louie's downward spiral and relentless nightmares of the brutality of the guards, especially the Bird. The movie didn't tell how he came to find peace. It didn't show that he gave his heart to Christ while attending a Billy Graham crusade in LA. After that crusade, his nightmares ceased and through Christ's help, he forgave all his captors. To me, that's a poignant part of his story that bears telling and most certainly should've been in the movie. Everyone can relate to struggles with forgiveness and need to know if the hope and peace Christ offers. It really is a remarkable story that I recommend to everyone. What struck me the most at the end of the movie, was seeing the real footage of Louie running the Olympic torch in Japan. The text said that he met with and forgave all his captors. It was also such a strong story of forgiveness.

Have you read the book or seen the movie? What are your thoughts? I'd love to know.

The Giver

While most people I know read the book, the Giver in high school, I was never required to read it. It was on the list of books that are going to be made into movies, this year. I read a little about the book and thought it sounded interesting. It was a really easy, short read. Roughly, 175 pages. Took me under a week to read it.

It's about a community where you get matched with a spouse if you want one, you request kids and get them (no more than two), and you're all told from an early age what career you'll follow. You're not allowed to ask questions and everyone blindly follows whatever expectations are placed on them in regards to their job. If an infant isn't progressing fast enough, they're "released." Everyone assumes that means they're turned over to another community, but no one really asks. Once someone gets old, they're also "released." Finally, someone accepting a new position challenges the "way it's always been." It had a decent ending, but everyone who knows me, knows I'd have liked more closure. :)

Also, on the list of books being made into movies was, A Long Way Down. I tried it and only made it a couple of pages in. It was a bit too dark for me.

Now, I'm reading, Allegiant, the last book in the Divergent series. Love those books; can't wait for the movie!

Are you reading anything new? Anything interesting? Share!

The Go-Giver

The Go-Giver is a really quick read at 125 pages. It reads like a story with five key "laws" intertwined. I've heard the book called "social entrepreneurship" and that pretty much describes it. The "Five Laws of Stratospheric Success" are pretty straight-forward. 1) "The Law of Value: Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment." Makes sense. 2) "The Law of Compensation: Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them." It talked about not keeping score and hit home with me. 3) "The Law of Influence: Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people's interests first." Pretty profound, but also true if you think about it. 4) "The Law of Authenticity: The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself." That's definitely a jewel! 5) "The Law of Receptivity: The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving." Many times we want to be the ones giving and not receiving, but not receiving may be robbing someone of a blessing God wanted to give them. This book was definitely food for thought and took me roughly half a week to read. Check it out, it's by Bob Burg and John David Mann.

Anyone reading anything thought-provoking? I'd love to hear about it!

Next, I'll be reading Travling Light by Max Lucado. His books are always such great reads; he's one of my favorite authors.

Born to Run

So, after trying to finish reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall twice, I'm done. I really liked it. If you're interested in running at all, I'd recommend it. There's lots of detail about running, history, the characters, and the Tarahumara. It is a pretty long book at nearly 400 pages. Now I feel like running. I always have admired those runners who sprint by gracefully and look like they could run another ten miles like it's nothing. So, I will be running/jogging a little more. ;)

Now, I'm starting Insurgent which is part of the Divergent series. I really enjoyed the first book, Divergent. It kept my interest and I couldn't put it down. I'm excited to finally have the time to start Insurgent. The movie comes out over spring break!

Happy Happy Happy

All semester, all I wanted was to be done with the semester and able to read something for fun. I dreamed of curling up on the couch with a book. Thankfully, I finished the semester last week with a B. That was the hardest I've ever worked for a B! Anyway, I was able to finally read, Nicholas Sparks', new book The Longest Ride. I've read all of his books. This book came out in September. It took me one day to read it.

So, what's it about? Hmmm, where there are two stories that don't seem to intersect. One was with a couple during World War II. The other was a couple; a cowboy and a sorority girl. At the end, the two stories come together and it ends really well, so I was pretty happy.

Now, I'm going to try to finish Born to Run which I started this fall and had to stop because I ran out of time. My goal is to finish it this week. :)

Reading

When I was little and learned to read, it was like everything turned from black and white to color; it was literally a whole new world for me. It forever changed my world. As a child, I'd get lost in books, imagining everything I read. Still to this day, I can get totally engrossed in a book. I almost felt like I needed a therapy group while reading the Hunger Games series; it felt so real. I wanted to call people and voice my deep worry for Peeta and Katniss. Down with the Capitol! I still really want a Mockingjay pin and I really would wear it. My addiction with Hunger Games is so bad that I cried twice while watching the first movie; once because the reaping scene was so emotional and once because I was finally seeing the movie and so happy/overwhelming. Nerdy, I know. :)

I love when a book overtakes my life! I'm currently reading, Born to Run; I can't put it down! The author much like myself wanted so much to love running that he kept trying, but really hated it and started getting injuries due to running. So what does he do? He keeps going to the doctor and they pretty much tell him to not run anymore. Much like me, he's really stubborn. So, he goes to Mexico in search of the Tamahumara tribe who can run for days, through impossible terrain. He wants to run like them.So, he searches for them, but they're hard to track. He finds them and well, that's about as far as I've gotten in two or three night of reading.

I've already finished a guidebook on Europe. That Rick Steves knows what he's talking about. I'm close to picking cities and setting an itinerary for my trip to Ireland; exciting!

Next, I'll start the second book in the Divergent series and then start an Ireland guidebook. The Divergent series is really addictive too. Very intense like Hunger Games, but not quite as good.