Zero Waste: Simple Life Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash!

Title: Zero Waste: Simple Life Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash!

Author: Shia Su

ISBN: 9781510730816

Length: 163 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I like the idea.  Some interesting ideas and points are introduced including health and environment concerns and potential actions, products, etc. that can be used in place of plastics, palm-oil, and other environmentally and community unfriendly products.  Not all of this is doable.  At the very end, in the "About" portion, she says the books says Shia only planned to be "a tad more conscious" and that it grew from there to her blog (Wasteland Rebel) and this book.

I suppose as I start to put small aspects of this into action, it may become easier.  But to start it seems not only daunting, but also expensive and impractical.  I also understand that any time you break social norms and go against the grain this is true, but with the chaos and warring priorities in my life, this lifestyle in its entirety would conflict with my having a balanced life.  I suppose you could say, I'll take some and leave some.  Hopefully my life will be better for it.  And it certainly didn't hurt exploring those options and being exposed to their availability.

Listful Thinking: Using Lists to be More Productive, Highly Successful and Less Stressed

Title: Listful Thinking: Using Lists to be More Productive, Highly Successful and Less Stressed

Author: Paula Rizzo (Read by the author) [Website][Twitter][Facebook]

Publisher: Dreamscape

ISBN: 9781520033365

Length: 3 discs ; 3 hours 10 minutes

Obtained: Library audiobook copy

Why this book?:

I'm always seeking help organizing my life, so it sounded helpful.  And the best way to get me to actually read a nonfiction (non-memoir) book is to listen to it.

Comments:

Very interesting.  Has some intriguing ideas and very inspirational.  Quick listen, and I'm glad I did so, but now that I have, I need to read it and actually see some of these lists.  Also I listened in the car, which is not conductive to making the lists recommended, so without a physical copy, I'm left trying to remember.  Fortunately, we have the ebook on Hoopla, so I hope to go through it eventually.

Take Shelter: At Home Around the World

Title: Take Shelter: At Home Around the World

Author: Nikki Tate & Dani Tate-Stratton

Publisher: Orca Footprints

ISBN: 9781459807426

Length: 46 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

Lately I've found myself more interested in themes of conservation and impact.  I'm planning on working through the bulk of the footprints series/line.

Comments:

I almost gave up at the beginning, because this book seems less about action that can be taken within the life of the reader (or at least this reader).  But I stuck with it and was pleased.  The information about the various housing settings and materials used was interesting and informative.  I did find the "My Place" potions confusing, though.

Rocket Boys

Title: Rockets Boys aka October Sky

Author: Homer H. Hickam, Jr. [Website][Twitter][Facebook] aka Sonny

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Series: Coalwood, Bk 1

ISBN: 038533320X

Length: 368 pages

Obtained: Library book club copy

Why this book?:

For a book club.

Comments:

I found this very interesting.  It reminded me why I enjoy memoirs.  The rocket part was interesting, and I was rooting for the boys to succeed (I do like that kind of story), but I was especially interested in the coal mining town and family aspect.  I have some of that in my ancestry, and I found myself mentally picturing my relatives in this town (though it seemed like it may not exactly be the usual).

I checked out the next book, The Coalwood Way, though to be honest I don't know if I'll get to it soon.  Nevertheless, I definitely want to continue reading Homer Hickam's books.  I'm not sure if I want to see the movie or not... That can always be a scary prospect.

Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War

Title: Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War

Author: Mary Roach [Website][Twitter] ; Read by Abby Elvidge [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

ISBN: 9781511367912

Length: 7 discs ; 8 hours, 57 minutes

Obtained: Library audiobook copy

Why this book?:

I enjoyed Stiff and it sounded interesting.  But I knew I wanted to listen rather than read the print.  Then a coworker did a book talk in an adult services meeting and I was glad I already had it on hold.

Comments:

Mary has a great sense of humor and a quirky outlook that makes delving into details you'd likely never consider on your own fascinating.  Every once and awhile I would realize I had drifted (usually related to things being crazy IRL), but I found the majority of the book intriguing. I could definitely tell the narrator was different from the first book I listened to by Mary, Stiff. This is something that generally throws me, but I quickly moved on and felt the voice suited the book.

Oh, the subjects discussed.  Clothing, sleep deprivation, reconstructive surgery, diarrhea, entomology & medical maggots, hearing loss, sharks & submarines survival, odor (stink bombs), field medicine ... the list goes on.  It's hard to imagine this collection in one book, but it all falls under Mary's research on "the curious science of war."

I'll definitely listen to more of Mary's work.  And I think I may be gravitating toward more popular science in the future as well.

Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness

Title: Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness

Author: Alexandra Fuller [Website] aka Bobo Fuller

Publisher: Penguin Books

ISBN: 9780143121343

Length: 227 pages + "Nicola Fuller of central Africa: The Soundtrack" + "A Guide to Unusual or Foreign Words or Phrases"

Obtained: Library book kit copy

Why this book?:

It was chosen for a book club discussion, and I was determined to actually read the discussion book this time.

Comments:

Well, it was interesting.  Different.  I didn't really know what to expect, so I can't say it wasn't what I expected.  But it rather wasn't.  I did a bit of looking things up in the middle of the book - lists books by African authors, reviews for a couple of those books, reviews for this book, reviews for the author's first book Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight...

I read two other books set at least partially in Africa immediately before this, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden. And this book is rife with racial references, race had been a subject in The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden, and is apparently a hot topic world-round.  I know the U.S. has been going through a lot, and the book community.  But I'll be honest - I'm one of those ignorant Americans, because while I had a vague idea of racial tensions historically in South Africa, was not aware of much of the history and racial perspectives and war demonstrated by some of the events and discussion of this book.  I knew pretty much nothing about Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.  So that was very educational for me.

Also interesting was the way mental illness was presented.  That's another subject I've been seeing more of in my reading - and it's a subject that hits much closer to home for me personally.  Alexandra seems to sometimes treat it as a joke, sometimes brushes it off, and sometimes presents it in the tragic way it can be.  I guess I can understand all of those reactions - I've certainly felt and had all of them - and still I wasn't experiencing these events the same way as Alexandra did as she walked the reader through them.

The third point, though, is actually something that was noted in one of the reviews I read on Goodreads.  That review referred to this book as a "love letter" to Alexandra's parents/family.  I was about half way in when I read that, and the thought stuck with me.  Even as Alexandra is describing parts of her life - things her parents (primarily her mother) have said, done, or experienced that seem horrible, sad, off-the-wall, etc., you can feel the love that she holds for them and that they hold for her.  I definitely think that reviewer got it right.

Overall, I thought this was a thought provoking book.  I'm still up in the air as to whether I might go back and read some of Alexandra's other books.  Perhaps someday.

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir)

Title: Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir)

Author: Jenny Lawson [Website][Twitter][Facebook]

Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books

ISBN: 9780399159015

Length: 313 pages + "True Facts"

Why this book?:

It was for a book discussion group.

Comments:

There is a lot of poor language (curse words and such) and, as someone in the discussion said, "crude topics".  I'm not a fan of either.  But if you looked past that (and I can see where it would be difficult to overlook, because it is frequent), then the book is SO FUNNY.  I snickered out loud as quite a few of the scenarios presented.  And despite a lot of real and pretty depressing topics discussed, I found myself really enjoying it.  It was a great pick-me-upper.  Which is interesting, because one of those pretty depressing topics discussed is mental illness, which usually hits too close to home, but wasn't an issue with this book.  I think that may have been at least partially due to how well Jenny conveyed what would have been horrible moments with humor and spunk.

I don't read memoirs often, but some of them are more enjoyable or interesting to read than other.  This was one of those.  So much so that I intend to read Jenny's second book, Furiously Happy.

Letters from My Father's Murderer

Title: Letters from My Father's Murderer

Author: Laurie A. Coombs [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Kregel Publications

ISBN: 9780825442292

Length: 199 pages + "Afterword" + "Inmate Letters" + "Prescript" (includes images)

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

I'm pretty pro-life, and interested in prisoners rights, so a book about the forgiveness of a prisoner interested me.

Comments:

This was very preachy at the beginning.  I expected something, because I figured a book about forgiveness was going to touch on religion.  But this is not just Memoir.  It also falls under the subject "Religious",  and I guess that needs to be factored in.  Anyway, I ignored the preachiness and was interested in the story.  But it wasn't easy in those first chapters.  It improved once it got into the meat of the story.  And Anthony's perspective definitely helped.

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Title: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Author: Mary Roach [Website][Twitter] ; Read by: Shelly Frasier [Tantor][IMDb]

Publisher: W.W. Norton and Company / Tantor Audio

ISBN:  9780393050936 / 9781400100972

Length: 303 pages / 7 discs ; 8 hours

Obtained: Library copies (print from book kit, audio individually checked out)

Why this book?:

Started for my book discussion.

Comments:

As I read this book for my discussion I found it to be amusing and interesting in turn.  But like so many nonfiction books I didn't finish it quickly.  I did want to finish it though, so I decided audio may work better and checked that out.  Surprisingly, the audio took longer for me to get into - I don't know whether not all the sidebars were coming through or if it was the chapter being read in question, or if just took me a bit to be in the right mind frame and adjust.  Whatever the case, it did pick back up.  I ended up enjoying it.

Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times

Title: Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times

Author: Jennifer Worth

Publisher: Penguin Books

Series: Call the Midwife, Bk 1

ISBN: 9780143123255

Length: 319 pages + Appendix "On the difficulties of writing the Cockney dialect" + Glossary

Obtained: Library book club kit copy

Why this book?:

This was this month's book for the discussion I've begun leading.

Note: I read the print and ebook editions of this book. 

Comments:

I was worried this might drag for me the way August's memoir was.  To my great relief, not only did this not drag, but if flowed.  I quickly found myself caught up in the descriptions (not something I usually say) and characters Jennifer met during her time midwifing in the 50s in the docklands of London.

Jennifer discusses the good, bad, and ugly.  Some stories brought a smile, stories of warmth found even during strained situations.  Others were sad or sickening in turn and showed the dark side of humanity.

The book certainly brought interesting discussion (for which I was relieved as well).  I don't have much to say about it now, but I am most definitely glad I read it.

365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life

Title: 365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life aka A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life

Author: John Kralik [Website]

Publisher: Hyperion

ISBN: 9781401324056

Length: 212 pages + "Appendix I" + "Appendix II"

Obtained: Library book club kit copy

Why this book?:

This was the selection for the August discussion of my grandma's book club.

Comments:

I feel like I should do a "Why this book? Part 2," because while this is the upcoming discussion book, I don't necessarily read them all.  And I did read this one.  Within four days of receiving my copy and well before the discussion date (I'm a bit late with this post).  I thought it sounded interesting before, and it's small (which usually means quick).  Plus, I appreciated the simple writing.

I didn't agree with everything the writer said and did (of course not!), but I did find the book inspiring.  I was excited after I finished reading it, thinking about who I could write notes to and telling my mother about the book.  I know I am not grateful enough in my life.  Reading this book didn't tell me that.  It inspired me to start improving in this area.

I look forward to the discussion about this with the book club.  I'm sure there are going to be some different opinions and interesting thoughts.

Trailer:

The End of Your Life Book Club

Title: The End of Your Life Book Club

Author: Will Schwalbe [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Knopf

ISBN: 9780307961112

Length: 326 pages

Obtained: Library book club kit copy AND library Kindle ebook version

Why this book?:

I already had the ARC and planned to read this someday.  But then it was a book club selection, so I actually started it for that.  I also checked it out on ebook and have been slowly (very) been working my way on with it since then.

Comments:

My feelings for the book are very mixed.  I was sure I would love it, but it wasn't what I expected at all.  I highlighted tons of lines and sections to note but I don't know that I can intelligibly speak about all of them, especially without this post becoming a book of it's own. But here are some quotes that caught my attention (All quotes were taken from the ebook version):

I found this line interesting and was a little amused at the imagery.

I often seek electronic books, but they never come after me.  They may make me feel, but I can't feel them.  They are all soul with no flesh, no texture, and no weight.  They can get in your head but can't whack you upside it. 

This would never have happened in my house, or I would never have had any chores.

There was one sure way to avoid being assigned an impromptu chore in our house - be it taking out the trash or cleaning your room - and that was to have your face buried in a book. 

I would totally have agreed with this quote... before I read this book.

Also, how could anyone who loves books not love a book that is itself so in love with books?

So now we move on to some of the quotes that bothered me.   If she was only referring to truly absurd books it might be okay.  But no, based on the tastes shown throughout the book not to mention the context of the quote, I couldn't help but suspect she would apply this to the majority of the books I read...those "genre" books.

I think it's much harder for me now to read very silly things when there are so many wonderful things to read and reread.  And if the book is too silly, I find that it's often because the writer doesn't really have anything to say - or because there are no values.  Or because the whole book is just a lead-up to a trick at the end.  If you read the ends first, you have much less patience for wasting time with that kind of book.  Even a well-written book can be silly and a waste of time.

But wait! There is more!

I'm talking about those novels where the characters aren't really interesting and you don't care about them or anything they care about.  It's those I won't read anymore.  There's too much else to read - books about people and things that matter, books about life and death.

Why I should be reading the books that make me feel sick to my stomach and give me no enjoyment...

"So you don't mind if we read depressing books?" I asked.

"No- not at all.  It's cruelty that gets to me.  Still, it is important to read about cruelty."

"Why is it important?"

"Because when you read about it, it's easier to recognize.  That was always the hardest thing in the refugee camps - to hear stories of the people who had been raped or mutilated or forced to watch a parent or a sister or a child be raped or killed.  It's very hard to come face-to-face with such cruelty.  But the people can be cruel in lots of ways, some very subtle.   I think that's why we all need to read about it. [...]"

Anyway, there were many more, but it all amounts to...

I read the book.  But in trying to show how wonderful his mother was, he put her on a pedestal.  She became this high and mighty figure, so much better than the average Joe (or Jo as the case may be), that I felt much in the way of resentment rather than inspiration.  And the same happened with the book/reading aspect.

I wanted so badly to love this book.  It just didn't happen.  That's me personally.  For you, well, it could be (or might already have been) a different story.

Shake

Title: Shake

Author: Carli Davidson [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Harper Design

ISBN: 9780062242648

Length: 142 + "A Note on Animal Adoption"

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

C'mon.  Look at the cover.  Adorable. (I saw it on Wowbrary.)

Comments:

This is adorable, and amusing, and fascinating all at once.  The distortions that take place (between the extra skin, ears, and bulging eyes) in these dogs when they shake is absolutely incredible.  And the detail.  Wow.  When you look at the pictures closely you can see individuals hairs, drool, etc. surrounding the dogs as they shake.  Each dog gets a two page spread.  But this video below will give you an idea of what to expect...

Trailer:

Beautiful Lego

Title: Beautiful Lego

Author: Mike Doyle [Blog]

Publisher: No Starch Press

ISBN: 9781593275082

Length: 263 pages

Why this book?:

I saw it on Wowbrary and thought my nephew would get a kick out of it.

Comments:

This is a photograph book of various Lego creations. Some are simply breathtaking in their details. Others are more simple. Some are amusing. Others inspire more serious emotions. Some are familiar scenes or characters, etc. Others are not.

Some pages I found especially appealing. For instance, there is a series done only in black and white or crumbling houses that really struck me. Another, called "Grandpa! You better not be using my loofah again!" Had me grinning in amusement. (My nephew pointed that one out, giggling, because he's naked and you see his butt).

Some Lego creations have close-up pictures along with the regular photographs to allow a better view of the details.

Both of my nephews enjoyed the book, as did I.  Overall, I am very glad I checked this out and took the time to look at it.

Audio Interview with Beyond the Brick:

Underwater Dogs

Title: Underwater Dogs

Author (Photographer): Seth Casteel

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

ISBN: 9780316227704

Pages: 130

Obtained: Library copy

This is a lovely photography book that offers a glimpse at dogs from a new angle. Dogs are shown from underwater, some with mouths wide open, some closed. Most with bulging eyes. Overall, the pictures are breathtaking. It was adorable and a book I wanted to share with others. And while all the dogs featured were great, I especially loved the OIde English Bulldogges and English Bulldogs.

You can find a video about Seth Casteel's underwater dogs photography here.  I haven't actually heard this video because the computer I'm currently on doesn't have working volume, but it looks interesting.

Read in 2012.

Beyond Courage : The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust

Title: Beyond Courage : The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust

Author: Doreen Rappaport; Read by Jeff Crawford and Emily Beresford

Publisher: Candlewick on Brilliance Audio

ISBN: 9781469206103

Length: 4 Discs ; 4 hours, 37 minutes + Bonus Disc

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I don't know where to start.  This book drew my attention from the moment I first saw it.  I tried checking it out in print first, but just never got around to it before it was due back.  I started listening to it in audio (soon after watching The Devils' Arithmetic, as it happens).  A mixture of mostly horrifying statistics and gripping stories of individuals and groups who fought back make this an inspiring read and a great resource.  It covers everything from when the tension (and deception) was first starting, to ghettos, to labor, transit, concentration, and death camps (and more, really, than you may have realized was involved).  Poems and songs written by Jewish people during that make for all the more impact. 

My problem was listening to this kind of writing and detail took quite a bit of concentration.  When I listen to audiobooks, I tend to be doing something else as well (for instance, driving) and need to be able to pay attention to both.  This meant I missed details.  Sometimes I could backtrack, but sometimes that just wasn't convenient.  I checked out the print version (after listening to the audio) so I could see the pictures, re-read some of the poems, and just absorb some of the information I had heard.

I recommend reading this, and if you listen to the audio, either have the print or bonus disc (contains the photographs and poems plus important dates - requires Adobe Flash) on hand or be able to devote all of your attention to just listening.  Whatever you decided, seeing the pictures and poems are worth it.

This is technically considered a MG juvenile book.  Though I definitely feel adults can read and learn from it (I certainly did), if a child you know is studying the Holocaust, you might recommend this as a reference.

Even More Kids Books...

Title: Awesome Autumn
Author: Bruce Goldstone
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 9780805092103
Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

This is a very educational book for children with vibrant, gorgeous pictures and plenty of information about anything autumn related.

What kinds of leaves might you see? What does autumn taste like or sound like? What kinds of shapes do you see? What is frost? What holidays will you find? What about harvesting? What animals migrate, hibernate, or change color? What do people do in autumn? ... It even has some activities you can do in the fall complete with directions (pressing leaves, leaf rubbings, etc.)

Awesome Autumn was a bit old for the kiddos, but it'd probably be great for school children.

Title: The Cutest Critter
Author: Marion Dane Bauer; Photography by Stan Tekiela
Publisher: Adventure Publications, Inc.
ISBN: 9781591932536
Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

Not too much to say about this one.  It has some very adorable baby animals, and at the end it goes over each one naming species, baby name (i.e., cub, foal, etc.), cute factor, and born to be wild (includes details like the adult bison "can weigh as much as four baby elephants."

Title: Lenore Finds a Friend: A True Story from Bedlam Farm
Author: Jon Katz
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 9780805092202
Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I picked this book when I saw it listed with the library's newest purchases.  I liked the idea of a book about someone not fitting in at first, but eventually finding a friend.  It was a sweet story, emphasized by the photographs of the actual animals in the story.  I especially liked Lenore's persistence in the face of adversity.  A good quality for children to see.

This is the second children's book set at Bedlam Farm.  The first is Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm.  I haven't read it, but I'd like to.

Title: Dinosaur vs. the Library
Author: Bob Shea
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Series: Dinosaur vs., Bk 3
ISBN: 9781423133384
Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I've read (and watched the YouTube video) for Dinosaur vs. Bedtime which was hilarious.  So when I saw this I had to see it (Though I feel a little like I've read it before.  I'm just not sure.)  In any case, first Dinosaur has to get to the library and then he has to deal with inside voices and story time... It's cute, but the Bedtime one was cuter.  Even if this one does include books.

Cat Daddy: What the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean

Title: Cat Daddy: What the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean

Author: Jackson Galaxy with Joel Derfner

Publisher: Tantor Audio

ISBN: 9781452607610

Length: 5 Discs (6.5 hours)

Obtained: Library audiobook copy

Comments:

First, sorry about the cover being blurry.  I could only find the correct pic in a smaller size and when I made it bigger... Well that's what happened.  Anyway.

I was familiar with Jackson Galaxy from his television show on Animal Planet, My Cat from Hell, when I saw this audiobook come through my department.  I considered it, but ended up passing.  Then my grandmother gave me a page from a magazine with some animal books she was interested in, and this was on it.  Again, I considered it and decided to pass.  Then I was checking it in and... fine, I'll read it already.

It was interesting.  The language was a bit distracting, especially as this was in audio.  I'd be pulling up for gas, and he'd start F this and that, with kids in a nearby car staring, and I couldn't get that the car off fast enough.  Beyond that, there wasn't quite as much about how Benny (the cat) influenced his life as there was about what a mess he was, but that didn't bother me as much as it apparently did some.  And there are tips recapped at the end (they are kind of scattered throughout the book, but this makes them more obvious).

I don't regret reading this, but I would have rathered less of the poor language, or perhaps it would have been better to try in print.  And I will keep watching the show.

Seal Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy Seal Sniper

Title: SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper

Author: Howard E. Wasdin & Stephen Templin; Read by Ray Porter

Publisher: Blackstone Audio (Print: St. Martin's)

ISBN: 9781441786326

Length: 9 1/2 hrs

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I was checking some audiobooks in, and this happened to be one of them.  I paused long enough to start reading the back blurb, then set it aside to look at later.  Soon, I found myself deciding I'd like to try it.  When I first started listening I was unsure.  He was just... such a guy.  I think it was more the actual writing than the way Ray Porter read it too.  I'm sure I'm explaining it poorly, but it made connecting difficult.  Anyway, I adjusted quickly enough.  Pretty much once he went back to his childhood and background.

Anyway, parts of the book were funny; parts were shocking (I don't remember what it was but I actually gasped and covered my mouth while listening to one part).  And still other parts were a string of jargon I'm just not gonna understand (types of weapons and ammo, etc.).  Some of the political insight was interesting because I was still a child at the time and didn't really understand what was going on.  Like I remember seeing something on the news about the Gulf War before we went out one evening.  The bits about his training was definitely interesting.  Now I'm curious to try some other books about the military.

It seems Howard Wasdin and Stephen Templin also have a YA version of this called I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior Memoirs of an American Soldier.  And more recently they've written a fiction book called SEAL Team Six Outcasts.

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

Title: Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

Author: Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski; Forward by: Chris Tomlin

Publisher: Oasis Audio (Print by David C. Cook)

ISBN: 9781598593969

Obtained: Library audio copy


Comments:

My cousin recommended this to me.  He isn't a reader, but he spent a good hour talking about it and showing me quotes from it on his smart phone.  So I had to read it.

I related to parts of it more than others.  The first two discs detailed just how great and powerful , etc God is and how "Christians" can be so lukewarm that they are less pleasing to God than those who don't worship at all.  I related to those more than the last two discs which seemed to be more about money and taking dramatic action.  Anyway, one thing I did find a little frustrating in the first disc that I was listening in my car to and from work and being told to watch clips online.  I did watch them, but he could have as easily just put them in the book itself - even the audio version.  He being the author, btw, as he was also the narrator.