20,000 Days and Counting

*Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers for my fair and unbiased review.*

20,000 Days and Counting was recommended to me by a blogger I respect very much. I'll admit when I found it available for review, I was very excited and ready to take on the challenge no doubt contained within its pages. What I found, however, was not a silver bullet against apathy, but a proven course of action to make living a life of fullness possible no matter your circumstances.

20,000 Days and Counting is a straightforward book with very little extraneous material. The sub-title is that it is a "crash course" on mastering your life, and it is certainly that. The chapters are short and practical. There's no room for platitudes and cliche's. Mr. Smith is keen to make his point which I feel is summed up best in chapter 5: "If We Can Learn how to Die, We'll Know How to Live". Though an oft-repeated idea for fans of the film "Braveheart," the notion of a well-examined life is ancient and one worth taking seriously in the 21st century. Our days are limited, we can fill them with self-help books and fad diets, or we can focus our attention on the things which are most important in our lives. "You only have two choices," Mr. Smith admonishes his reader, and each day--every decision--is down to two options and YOU are responsible for making the best use of your decision.

This book was a quick read, but a powerful one. I found myself encouraged and challenged to make the decisions to take responsible control of the life I have been given. Section 3 is where the practicality really takes root, but without the philosophy and encouragement from sections 1 and 2 the simple, straightforward, steps will be be useless. Read this book through, put it in practice, and live in freedom.

Father Hunger

*Disclaimer*
I received a copy of this book for review from Thomas Nelson Publishing. Below is my unbiased review of the title.

Father Hunger, by Douglas Wilson was a well written, engaging, and challenging treatise on the role of fathers in the lives of families. Where so many families in North America and around the world experience the want of a strong father figure, it is no wonder that boys and girls, men and women, struggle with identity, self assurance, and broken relationships of their own. As Wilson traces the economic, sociological, anthropological, and spiritual elements of fatherhood and its essential role in developing--not just strong men--but also strong women in every society.

Wilson's expertise has been felt throughout the Christian education and parenting movements for the past several decades. He is a well-known speaker and one of the founding members of New Saint Andrews College in Idaho. He is currently involved very heavily in the Classical Education revival, and this book speaks volumes to the vital role of parents (especially fathers) in the education and spiritual formation of their entire families. Wilson argues that it is not just children who long for a father, but that fathers long to be the father that they wish they had had. Ever since the Fall, humanity has been a wandering child at odds with its loving and compassionate Heavenly Father. No wonder then that we can't seem to get the role of fathers correct in our society at large.

Wilson makes an impassioned, educated plea to men and women to embrace a full masculinity which is rooted and framed in the person of Christ and the Fatherhood of God and to use this archetype to shape the spiritual and emotional stability of men in our society. It is not enough for a few to "get it right" it is vital to our continuance as a nation that we get this right. And though he would probably cringe to be placed in the same paragraph with him, the message from President Obama regarding absentee fathers is very much the same. Highly recommend.

"Gold"en Moment for Cleave

I finished reading Gold, by Chris Cleave last night, and I had to take time to write a review. Rarely has a book moved me so much as did Cleave's emotional, human masterpiece about Olympic cyclists, their families, and the lives we touch every day.

Zoe and Kate are best friends--they are also rivals. They have come of age together in British Cycling with Kate always just in Zoe's shadow. With the 2012 Olympics coming in London, these two girls are a shoe-in for the Women's Sprint. Zoe--hard and driven, aloof and antisocial--and Kate: warm, tender, and caring for her eight-year-old daughter Sophie who is battling leukemia. Their relationships are strained once the IOC decides that only one racer in each event will be allowed to compete. Will Zoe sacrifice her third Olympic gold for the sake of her friend and rival who has missed her shot at two prior Olympics?

The real heart of this story, for me, was Sophie. Her imaginative telling of her battle against cancer (a la Star Wars) is endearing and heartbreaking. As the father of two little girls, I found myself relating to Jack (Kate's husband, Sophie's father, and Olympic champion) and his struggle to be the husband, father, champion he is called to be. More than once I found myself in tears remembering visits to the hospital with my own daughters, and the horrible feeling of helplessness which attends those long hours when you don't know what will happen next.

This story is full of very human characters, strong narrative, and a clever wit which makes it an easy page turner. I highly recommend Gold, by Chris Cleave and look forward to reading his other works.

Not his best

Increasingly, John Maxwell's books are just rehashes of the same material. In [[ASIN:1400203597 The 360 Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization]]he discusses the various levels of leadership and input that an individual can have in any organization. Though certainly helpful in breaking down stereotypes and encouraging readers to show their colors no matter where they find themselves, I did not find this book to be anything overly thrilling. An easy read, a good premise, not anything he hasn't said in other works or previous books. Overall 4 stars, but lacks the carpe diem moment to really earn that fifth "Wow" start out of me.

*Disclosure* I received a copy of this book as part of Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze Program.

Not enough good words

I received [[ASIN:1595549099 The Realms Thereunder (An Ancient Earth)]]from Thomas Nelson Publishing as part of their Booksneeze review program in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I don't have enough good things to say about this book. I have been wading through the morass of poor popular fiction and it is so refreshing to find a work of fiction combining the imagination, literary depth, and story telling expertise in works like Potter, Tolkien, and Lewis with the characterization, plot, and excitement of books we call "classics." Across the dark realms of modern "literature", this rises like the sun on the horizon, bathing the landscape in its light. I may seem to be gushing, but every word is true. This is an excellent piece of fiction, and I cannot wait for the second book.

The readers move back and forth between "Before" and "Now" as Daniel and Freya (two reluctant adventurers thrown together by fate and a shared birthday) are caught in a game of good versus evil. As children, Daniel and Freya accidentally stumble into an underground realm where they must (Potter-esque) destroy the heart of their enemy which he has removed from his body and hidden from view for his protection. They encounter a world that exists beneath their own, guarded by sleeping knights who are set to awaken when the final battle begins. As adults, Daniel and Freya are hunted by this same evil force in their own world. Caught up in the mystery of the nature of good and evil, Daniel and Freya must find their role in this world. Insightful without being preachy, Lawhead has crafted excellent fiction.

This was a breath of fresh air. I am a huge fan of this new author and I am so excited to finish the trilogy. This is one of the few books I have ever listed as "must reads" for anyone. Especially good if you enjoy mythology and fantasy, but equally appealing to readers of more modern fare (Harry Potter, Inheritance, etc.). Enjoy!

Review: Daddy Dates by Greg Wright

**Disclaimer**
I am reviewing this book for Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze program.

I have been blessed in my young married life with two beautiful daughters, currently 2 and 1. It has been as both a blessing and a source of concern and confusion for me as I try to be a father to truly extraordinary women who love God, love their families, and make an impact on the world. How does one do this? What does it take to raise a daughter who is both feminine and self-confident. This book is not the ultimate handbook in how to raise a strong woman, but it is a treatise in the powerful influence a loving, strong father can have on a young woman that will carry over into her adult years.

Being that my daughters are 2 and 1, we don't do a lot of dating. Since reading this book, however, I have been more intentional about the type of time that I spend with each of them. They're currently in the Do Something stage. We don't have deep conversations that edify and challenge their worldview, but I listen to their stories, read books with them, sing songs, cuddle, do yoga, go on the swings, eat icies, and play ball with them for the hours that I have between work and bedtime.

This book has been a very important part of my development as a dad of daughters. It's a badge I now wear with pride and honor. This is one book that I won't be giving away: you'll have to buy your own. I want this on my shelf throughout my daughters' lives; and I hope to be applying its principles year after year, stage after stage. Also, I'm an otter.

You had me at 'Howdy'

**Disclaimer I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

The Charlatan's Boy is the most original novel that I have read since Harry Potter.  The voice is unique on the contemporary American stage and the setting created by the author is engaging, charming, and totally believable!  As a lover of Mark Twain's American satire, this book had a real draw for me.  The vocabulary, style of writing, and well-crafted narrative were a true joy to experience as a casual reader and a nice break from the heavier scholastic works that I have as part of my regular diet.

The story follows Grady, an orphan adopted by a showman in an imaginative world called Corenwald.  Picture the Old West or the Deep South of the Mark Twain styling placed on an island somewhere on the globe.  Initially, the cover and design were part of the draw and attraction for the story.  It's as though everything about this book draws you into the story created and told by Dr. Rogers.  Even the cover art and design are reminiscent of cowboys, snake oil salesmen, and itinerant "lecturers" common in the US during the late 19th century and into the early 20th.  From the first few words of the story you are introduced to a lovable hero.  We follow Grady and his "partner" in crime as they try to scrape and scheme their way to the fortune they know that is out there waiting for them.  Through swamps, cattle ranges, and podunk villages we follow one hilarious anecdote after another until the final moment of truth.

The book was a very fun read.  There are a few problems that keep it from being a five-star in my book.  The "reviews" on the back and inside covers make it a point to call it "faith fiction" or "if Mark Twain were a Christian" or "If C.S. Lewis wrote Huckleberry Finn".  I understand that the publisher is an organization which produces Religious books and that the author is a graduate of Furman University and is unashamed of his religious faith.  However, this book is NOT "faith fiction".  This book is an whimsical story which certainly has a biblical worldview and moral lessons, but it is not an allegory or "Christian" book a la much of the contemporary "religious fiction" available today.  If I were to pick this book up and read those reviews, having no interest in "faith fiction," I would put it back down again and not give it the time of day--let alone the fact that Mark Twain was a Christian and wrote incredibly powerful books with strong moral truths.

The book definitely falls flat at the end.  Everything was wonderful right up until the last two chapters.  I'm not sure if Dr. Rogers got bored, was rushed, or just had no better idea; but not only was this ending incredibly predictable, but it was a poorly written predictable ending!  I was completely sold on the story right up till the last six pages.  I'm still feeling as though I was robbed of a proper resolution.