Books To Make You Say Hmm

This is an amazing book about Coach Bob Hurley and his basketball dynasty in Jersey City, NJ. More than just a sports story, this book details the sacrifices of one man to influence generations to come.  If you enjoy basketball, and more particularly if you coach basketball, this book will change your outlook on the sport.  There are always those detractors that say sports get too much emphasis in the United States.  I would challenge anyone with that viewpoint to read this book and see the power of sports, and more importantly, the power of sacrifice.

I just finished this book after its long time on my “To Read” list.  Lars Brownworth does an amazing job telling the story of the Byzantine empire and their role in shaping ( and saving ) Western civilization.  Every time I read one of these books, I realize that wars today are pretty simple compared to what these guys had to do.  Gripping accounts of tremendous leaders, epic battles, savage raping and pillaging, debauchery, disloyalty and betrayal run through this book as it chronicles the best and worst of the famous empire to the east of Rome.  I wish I had read it before our trip to Italy this past spring.

I got this book after reading about it in one of Seth Godin’s books.  While a bit of tough sledding at times when talking about rituals in civilizations in the South Pacific, this is a great book to make you think about how you interact and treat every relationship and opportunity in life.  The theme running through the book is one of examining the difference between doing your work or your craft to give away with nothing expected in return as opposed to using the marketplace and commerce as the vehicle for your work.  I was initially skeptical and thought it would be a Utopian view of the world where we all give everything away and are happy as larks.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to find it both stimulating and enjoyable.  I have been applying the concepts taught in this book for the last 6-9 months and it has made a tremendous difference.  Highly recommended.

If you care about education, this is a must-read.  Enough said.

My wife encouraged me to read this book.  I refused for a long time, thinking it was not something I would enjoy.  I could not have been more wrong.  Like The Miracle of St Anthony, this book will make you take a look at your presuppositions about life and the people in it.