Book Review: 20,000 Days and Counting By Robert Smith

20,000 Days and Counting The Crash Course For Mastering Your Life Right Now By Robert Smith is a great little book to help motivate yourself to do something with your life. We are on this Earth for a short amount of time, some of us far shorter than others. We should make everyday count.

Author Robert Smith sat down after turning 54 and realized he had lived 20,000 days, so he decided to plan out what he would do with the next 20,000. This book is not about his decisions but about the journey he took to make those decisions so that you may follow in your own planning.

If you are interested in making every day you have special, read this book and I promise you will get that helping hand you may need.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Fire of the Raging Dragon by Don Brown

Fire of the Raging Dragon by Don Brown is a fiction military action story. In the classic Tom Clancy style story the author presents a situation where the Chinese start a military conflict with Taiwan and the United States gets involved to try and resolve the conflict.

The authors knowledge of military SOP and his knowledge of the world climate comes through in his story. Even though it is a fictitious situation, there is a enough probability to it that you feel that it is happening today. The characters are realistic and you find yourself rooting for more than one to succeed.

The action comes quickly and there is little down town between action sequences. I enjoy a detailed account of military equipment and situation room conversations, Don Brown gives me just enough to be satisfied but not too much to bore the less detailed minded reader.

If you enjoy Tom Clancy or WEB Griffen books, read Don Brown, you will be glad you did.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Oliver Twist by Focus on the Family

Oliver Twist by Focus on the Family is a full cast dramatization presented on 5 CDs. The cast is diverse and their accents really draw you into the time period of the story. I was also very impressed with the music, it sets the mood perfectly.

The presentation stays true to the classic story. Using a narrator to set scenes and sound effects to make you feel like you are there with them. The voice actors for Bill Sykes and Oliver Twist are awesome.

I really enjoyed the presentation and plan to listen to it again in a short time. I would recommend this for any family to sit down and enjoy a classic tale told in a way that will entertain all.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: A Year with G. K. Chesterton By Kevin Belmonte

I LOVE daily readers. I start each day with my Daily Bread and Patriot’s Almanac readings. I have another daily reader I use at night and now I have added A Year with G. K. Chesterton By Kevin Belmonte to my routine.

Now I must confess, all though I have heard of GK Chesterton I did not know much about him. I have seen his quotes from time to time and thought of him as a very insightful person. This daily reader has sky rocketed my opinion of his intelligence.

I must also confess that at times his insights that are shared in this reader are bit over my head and take a lot of thinking to comprehend, but they have also inspired me to think more on what I am reading and have added to my consciousnesses.

So, if you are looking for a daily reader that will challenge you to think more, this is your book. Unfortunately if you are prefer a quick read to get you started in the morning, you may want to pass this one up for now.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: 10 Christians Everyone Should Know by John Perry

I am a big fan of reading biographies as I feel we can learn from both the successes and failures of those that lived before us. In 10 Christians Everyone Should Know by John Perry you get 10 biographies in one book. Each chapter highlights the life of influential Christians and how their faith effected those around them. From the touching story of Moody to the awe inspiring tale of Washington Carver.

Each chapter made me want to learn more about the person, so because of this one book my “I want to read” list has grown a lot. The chapters are written in an easy to read format that makes this book perfect for readers of all ages, in fact I would recommend it for school age children to introduce them to significant historical personalities.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book review: Twelve Unlikely Heroes By John MacArthur

Twelve Unlikely Heroes By John MacArthur is another great book by one of my favorite Christian theologians. Like his other books, Twelve Ordinary Men and Twelve Extraordinary Women, this book shows God’s work in the lives of those we meet in the Bible. One of my favorite Biblical person has been Enoch, and he was the lead off in this book.

It always amazes me how Mr MacArthur can present such in depth information in a manner that is easy to read and even easier to comprehend. You will learn more about people in the Bible, even though you though you already knew enough.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Mormonizing of America by Stephen Mansfield

It seams we have been hearing more and more everyday about Mormons in American politics, pop culture or history. So when I was presented wit the opportunity to read and review a book that presents the Mormon religion from their beginning to modern day America. I recently finished reading “The Mormonizing of America: How the Mormon Religion Became Became a Dominant Force in Politics, Entertainment, and Pop Culture” by Stephen Mansfield and have come away with a better understanding of the history of the Mormon religion and a healthy respect for their beliefs thanks to an honest author.

I want to say that I gained a great respect of the author after only reading the introduction. He informs the reading up front that he is not a Mormon and that the views of the Mormon church are not his own. With that said he then tells the reader that he will present the beliefs of the Mormon church from their point of view as fact, and he did so. All though he presents opposition views and information he never presents the Mormon views and history in a belittling manner.

I learned about the prophet Joseph Smith and his family, where he grew up and the family structure he was raised in. I also learned about the early days of the Mormon church and the persecution that they went through. I learned about their core beliefs and how it effects the saints of the church. If you are interested in learning about the Mormon religion then this is the book for you.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Final Summit By Andy Andrews

The Final Summit: A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity By Andy Andrews is a wonderful read that uses a fiction story to present a real world idea. This is a sequel the “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews and concludes the story started there perfectly. After reading “How to kill 11 million people” I started to count myself as a big fan of Mr Andrews and this book does not disappoint.

The story unfolds as a man is visited by famous thinkers and leaders from history, these “travelers” help him come to some realizations that when applied to your real world life, can help face some of life’s beg decisions. I would recommend this book to everyone to read, especially those in high school or entering college.

I read this book as an ebook on my Nook and found the layout easy to navigate and very user friendly. The hard copy is easy to give as a gift and should be.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Jackson The Iron-Willed Commander By Paul Vickery

Today I am reviewing a biography of President Andrew Jackson called: “Jackson: The Iron-Willed Commander” by Paul Vickey. This book is part of a series of books called “The Generals” and it focuses on the President’s life prior to the White House, when he was a commander in the US Army.

I have been interested in President Jackson for many years and have read several biographies, but this one is the first to focus solely on his time in service. It presents an easy to read history of President Jackson’s achievements, and some failures, while in command. The information is presented in an easy to read format and stays away from bombarding the reader with too many dates and numbers.

I feel that I now have a better understanding of what lead to many of Jackson’s decisions in office based on his experience in Florida and New Orleans. I would recommend anyone that wants to better know one of are most fascinating and under studied Presidents read this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Break Through by Tim Clinton

I was recently asked to read and review a new book by Tim Clinton called “Break Through”. This book is a look at how destructive some relationships can be and why we need to change how we approach those relationships. This book is relevant for anyone as it address all manner of relationships to help you get the best results.

 

Here is a video interview with the author of the book:

I found the information to be presented in an easy to understand language, not too much psycho-babel. The author’s heart for those being hurt by these destructive relationships comes through as he tries to show the reader how to cope and correct their situation. I would recommend you read this book if you feel that someone in your life is not adding to your life’s happiness.

You can read a sample chapter of the book by clicking here and then go to Amazon to purchase a copy for yourself.