The Fine Print

Of all entertainment mediums, reading is the one I could never give up (and maybe TIVO). According to a Washington Post study, 25% of Amercians do not read a single book in a given year. Therefor, I will present to you a few highlights or comments of 11 "important" books I've read from my trusty Kindle this year, plus a simple letter grade.

"Open" by Andre Agassi - The tennis phenom hated tennis, his father, and life itself - until he met Steffi Graf and sweet mullet wigs.   A

"Dracula" by Bram Stoker - Similar to True Blood - the vampires cannot enter a house without getting permission by the owner. Different than True Blood - everything else.    B-

"Toy Box Leadership" by Ron Hunter & Michaell Waddell - Everything you needed to know about leadership by playing with green army men, legos, Play-doh, Mr. Potato Head, and a Lite Brite. Actually teaching a seminar on these concepts in the Spring.    B+

"The Help" by Kathyrn Stockett - The story of the maids of a small Mississippi town in the 1960's.  Probably many folk's book of the year and I probably would have enjoyed it more if it didn't take me four months to finish.    B

"How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like" by Paul Bloom - or otherwise known as - why I don't get abstract art and other people do.    C+

"The Bad Guys Won: A season of brawling, bimbo chasing, and championship baseball" by Jeff Pearlman - the inside story of my all time favorite team - the 1986 New York Mets. As much as this could have ruined my image of my heroes, it actually just fueled the flames as to how awesome there were - fights, groupies, and all.   A+

"The Social Network" by Aaron Sorkin - Nope, I did not see the movie because I read this instead. Apparently this is one case where the film is better than the book.    C-

"The Way We Work Isn't Working" by Tony Schwartz - Work productivity and success is all dependent on our "fitness" of energy levels throughout the day and night. Since I started this energy project plan two months ago, my work stress level is considerably lower, my time away from work is more relaxing, and life is all good.    A

"Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson - A man's mission to bring peace to Pakistan one school at a time. Inspiring and uplifting- If I read this in college, I could have been sleeping on a dirt floor educating the youth in Africa somewhere.    A-

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson. Yawwwwwwwn, I heard if you make it past the first 60 pages, you'll love it. I didn't make it past the first 30.    D

"Decision Points" by George W. Bush - #43's memoir, which I do admit I'm only 250 pages into so far. Interesting concept to organize each chapter  based on a leadership decision in his presidency.  Like him or hate him, Presidential autobiographies are fascinating.   A-

Don't agree or have a better book this year? You're probably right. Except if you liked "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."