Book Club (with Myself) 2

Its been a while since I wrote book reviews and recommendations, and that's because I forgot that I like to read....again. No, I'm not kidding, I literally forget that I like to read, and then I won't do it for months and months. One of my New Year's Initiatives is to read 2 books a month, so hopefully, I won't have time to keep forgetting about this hobby.

Anyway, I finally finished 5 more books since my last Book Club post (4 were from 2016, and the last one was from last week) and here are my reviews and recommendations:


How to Make People like You in 90 seconds or less by Nicholas Boothman

Ok, let me clear the air before I give my review of this book. Over the past 5 or 6 years, I have really grown in my ability to talk to different types of people. Chalk it up to maturing if you want, but it was definitely sped up in the torture years of my life, working selling furniture.... But sometimes I still get conscious about talking to people because I can tell that we're obviously not connecting. This book is NOT about manipulating people, but rather learning to create connections with people almost instantly. The book talks about building rapport with people based on other's body language, listening, and sensory preferences AND how your own attitude impacts the way will be perceived. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone who has a high potential to encounter first impressions in the near future (this would include going to a job interview, meeting a college roommate, making a sales pitch, etc.)....So pretty much anybody. One thing to note, if you're not interested in evaluating your own actions and your own encounters, then you should probably pass on this book.



Sherlock Holmes and the Needle's Eye by Len Bailey

I have started this book several times, only to get midway through and lose interest. Its not that the book is uninteresting, its just that every chapter is essentially its own story, meaning its not a "can't put it down" kind of book. This story uses the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson characters to investigate 10 mysteries from the Bible. I found it interesting because it uses known historic information to elaborate on things that are mentioned in the Bible. That's not to say its adding to the Word of God, but rather, explaining certain customs that aren't specifically spelled out in the Bible. Its a good read, I'd say, and I'd recommend it for someone who likes history or who likes Sherlock Holmes or who likes investigating Biblical stories. I will say though, that some of the stories are not ones you would learn about at VBS, both in the fact they are not "well-known" references nor should you read this to your kids at bedtime.


And Then There were None by Agatha Christie

One of the things Nathan's mom passed down to him is her love for mystery novels. So, its not surprising that many books on our bookshelves are written by Agatha Christie. Finally, I broke down and started reading And Then There were None, while we were traveling in Boston. I must say, I can now understand the obsession! This book is about 10 houseguests who mysteriously get invited to a person's house (none whom they know). They each come into the house with their own individual secrets and have to figure out how to deal with their offenses. It is a very intriguing book due to the fact that there are 10 characters to try and figure out "who done it." I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone who can read. Due to the plot of the book, it speaks about murder, but it is not what I would consider graphic. Keep in mind that this was originally published in 1939, so there may be some references that younger generations may not understand. 


How to Think Like Steve Jobs by Daniel Smith

There is something intriguing about Steve Jobs and the empire he built with Apple (and Pixar), which is why I purchased this book for Nathan. This book is a mix between a biography and a self-help book. The author uses Steve Jobs' life chronologically, to point out themes that may have made him successful. Its got the stereotypical stuff like, "Don't be afraid to make enemies," and "Develop your own Style," but it also includes some more unique themes included. Overall, I enjoyed this book, as I hadn't read articles or watched many documentaries about the man. For someone who is very knowledgeable about Steve Jobs already, this may not be the book for you. In saying that though, the primary focus by the author is NOT the biography, but the "self-help" goal. Additionally, I just want to point out that Steve Jobs was a class A jerk, so I wouldn't necessarily model my entire life on him, or this book.... BUT there are some good points made, and I honestly did like the book. I'd recommend this book to adults who have a well-established personality and work ethic, but who may just want to see how another person may approach life. 

The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

When 2017 came, one of my resolutions was to read more. To go along with this, I downloaded Amazon Kindle on my work iPad for rainy days when its too messy outside to run during my lunch break. I was pleasantly surprised by one of my recommended books! When the Kindle app asked me the types of books I liked, I selected fantasy, fiction, and mystery, so when it randomly recommended "The Things We Wish were True," I didn't know what I was about to start reading. This book is about a group of people who live in the same neighborhood who know each other only from the community pool. One thing I really liked about this book was the author's choice on how to tell the story. Each chapter was told from the perspective of a different person (for example: Day 1-Person A, Day 2-Person B, Day 3-Person C as opposed to each person giving their perspective of day 1). This format keeps the reader on their toes! I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 16, probably. There are a few curse words  (but only a few) and some adult themes. A very good book!