My Profile: Favorite Books

On to books…

I’ve got to lead the list with the big one, right? If you asked me what three things I would wish to have with me if stranded on a desert island I’d include the Bible. It’s not because I’m reading it as much as I should (are we ever?). Honestly I would answer that way because having an isolated area free from life’s distractions would give me enough pause to really dig into it like I should. I think God would appreciate having a captive audience as well. Incidentally I still carry the same Bible I received in third grade and it’s full of notes, underlining and extras that I’ve placed in the front and back. In college I kept my books as clean as possible as to maximize their resale value but this is one textbook I know I’m never giving back.

You may have seen Lee Strobel’s name on my “What I’m Reading” list. Strobel is a former journalist from Chicago who covered cases and stories of a legal nature. He’s also a former atheist and in a previous book titled “The Case for Christ” interviewed scholars looking for evidence supporting the fact that Jesus was more than a morally superior guy whose life was ended unfortunately. “The Case for Faith” follows the same style as he tackles the questions of how we can believe God exists in the midst of a sinful world including questions of science and the like.

In a previous professional life I read a lot of financial and leadership books. Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” was a simplified starting point and a good road map to understanding personal finances. I’ve got a number of his books and they are easy reads for those wanting to better understand financial concepts. I also really enjoy John Maxwell’s books on leadership. He’s penned a slue of books including offerings on how to improve yourself, those around you and the groups you are a part of. Maxwell’s suggestions are always illustrated in very practical ways.

For leisurely reading I really like Rick Reilly (formerly of Sports Illustrated, now at ESPN). Reilly took the advice of longtime sports writing legend Jim Murray (also a very creative writer) to never write a sentence that had already been written. The result is some very entertaining wordsmithing. His stories have a sports topical base and are much more poignant and eloquent than the coverage typically found on the sports pages.

And I would be remiss to not give a special acknowledgement to two literary characters that significantly shaped my early years. Packed with life lessons and humor, the saga of an imaginative and ornery boy and his furry friend…Calvin and Hobbes.

I’m not a big fiction reader but am anxiously awaiting the next offering from Dan Brown. Despite some questionable suggestions on religious history in the DaVinci Code, I enjoy his style of writing and following the clues and symbolism to the final destination. His book “Angels and Demons” was outstanding and currently being given the Hollywood treatment (which will undoubtedly fail the book). The next book is based in the United States and explores some of the symbolism in American monuments and historical items. I’m ready.