Steve's Book Reviews

Inspirational Zingers Jumble

2012-02-10T15:38:00.001-08:00

I received this from Tyndale Books - pretty hard to write a review on a wordsearch book.

America: The Last Best Hope (Volume III)

2011-12-13T21:14:00.000-08:00

I recently read America: The Last Best Hope (Volume III) by William Bennett. It is a great book! A history of the United States and the world event that shaped the United States, based on the presidencies of George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and the beginning of Barack Obama's presidency. I learned a lot and really appreciated the writing style of this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a book on the recent history of the United States and the world. I am a member of Book Sneeze by Thomas Nelson and have received this book for free in exchange for a review of this book.

Heaven is For Real Deluxe Edition by Todd Burpo

2011-10-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

I recently read Heaven is For Real, I could not put it down! Having a little boy of my own, this book really tugged at my heart and made me think. I have always known that heaven is for real, but to hear it explained through the words of a child in a straight forward manner really made me think. I highly recommend this book. I am a member of Book Sneeze by Thomas Nelson Publishers and have received this book for free in exchange for my review.

Ascent from Darkness by Michael Leehan

2011-10-05T20:07:00.000-07:00

Ascent from Darkness by Michael Leehan is a true story about how Michael's life was transformed by the power of God. Michael offers several astonishing stories that give insight into the "other side". This book proves that no one is beyond the love of God. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants insight into the love of God and wants to strengthen their relationship with God. I am a member of Book Sneeze by Thomas Nelson and received this book in exchange for a review.

Jolt! by Phil Cooke

2011-09-18T21:58:00.001-07:00

Jolt! by Phil Cooke is a great book that discusses how to handle your life when life throws you a curve ball. Taken from his personal experience it helps people to learn how to grow and change in an ever-changing world. It is a book that I would give 3 out of 5 stars. I am a member of Book Sneeze by Thomas Nelson, I received this book for free in exchange for a review.

Doing Virtuous Business by Theodore Roosevelt Malloch

2011-04-24T22:08:00.000-07:00

Doing Virtuous Business by Theodore Roosevelt Malloch is a well thought out and informed book that covers the importance of spiritual entrepreneurship.

In the book, he covers character traits, virtues, and arguments for and against his case for spiritual entrepreneurship. Throughout the book, he weaves these traits and virtues into real life stories of both good and bad examples.

This is a book I plan on reading again and give it a rating of 4 out of 5. I am a member of Book Sneeze by Thomas Nelson Publishers and received this book for free in exchange for a review of this book.

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

2011-04-10T22:18:00.001-07:00

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews is an amazing book! In typical Andy Andrews fashion, this book weaves amazing life lessons throughout an excellent tale that quite simply, makes your imagination dance! This book is a sequel to The Traveler's Gift where David Ponder is once again called upon to make some amazing decisions that affect the whole of humanity. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars. I am a member of Book Sneeze by Thomas Nelson Publishers. In exchange for a review of this book, I received an advanced copy for free.

One Hand, Two Hands by Max Lucado

2011-03-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

One Hand, Two Hands by max Lucado is a wonderful illustrated children's book that teaches our little ones how we can use our hands for fun stuff.

I really liked the book and will continue to read it to my kids.

I am a member of Book Sneeze by Thomas Nelson Publishers and received a free copy of this book in to review it. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Captivating - John & Stasi Edlredge

2010-08-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

The book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Edlredge is written to help unveil the mystery of a woman's soul (they make it sound so easy...). John is also the author of "Wild at Heart" where he writes about discovering the secret of a man's soul(which also is made to sound so easy...). In this book however, John and Stasi co-write about how the things that women most desire are to be romanced, to have an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to have their beauty unveiled and to have the question of "Am I lovely?" answered.

This was an enjoyable book. I have previously read a bunch of other books written by John Eldredge and I have really come to like his style of writing and the way he brings old truths out in new light. This book was an easy read and it was helpful in figuring out what my wife needs and desires in her life. It helped me to better understand her journey and to be able to encourage her to know that she is not alone in the questions she asks and the answers she seek. The book will help to strengthen our marriage and assist me in developing a better understanding of what makes my wife and half of the world's population tick.

I am a member of BookSneeze and I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for a review of the book. My rating for this book is 4 out of 5.

Will the World End in 2012? by Raymond C. Hundley, PHD

2010-04-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

Will the World End in 2012? A Christian Guide to the Question Everyone's Asking by Raymond C. Hundley was a quick read and an overall decent book. In the book, he covers the top 10 theories around the world ending in 2012. While I found most of the theories and the supporting "evidence" shaky at best, I did learn quite a bit about where these people are coming from. My favorite chapters were the ones at the end of the book with instructions for those seeking God and Christians.
The bottom line is that no one knows when the world will end, Jesus told us that while he was on the earth. The best way to prepare is to become a follower of Christ. You won't know when the world will end, but you will know where you are heading when the world ends.
I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review on this book.
My rating is 3 out of 5.

BibleMan - Combating the Commandment of Confusion DVD

2010-03-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

I received this DVD from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know what to expect when I put this DVD into the player, I thought that it was going to be animated, exciting and an easy to understand Bible lesson. Instead, it wasn't animated, it wasn't super exciting and it reminded me of watching a dinner theatre.

However, the lesson was very good and I could see us enjoying this DVD and other BibleMan DVD's as our kids get older.

At Vimy Ridge by Hugh Brewster

2010-03-04T23:05:00.000-08:00

This is a short book, put out by Scholastic that replays Canada's vital role in the Great War (WWI). Just last week, the last known veteran of WWI passed away, marking the passing of a great generation. This is a great little book that I plan on reading with my kids as they get older. It's also a great book to read for a quick overview of Canada's role in WWI.

Call of Duty by Lt. Lynn "Buck" Compton

2010-03-04T23:00:00.000-08:00

I have been enthralled with the HBO series Band of Brothers since I first watched the series in 2004. The series is based on a book by Stephen Ambrose of the same name. It follows a group of men as they fought their way across Europe (starting on D-Day) and eventually took Hitler's nest.

This book is by one of the key characters in that series, Buck Compton. Mr. Compton has lived a full and heroic life. After serving in WWII, he became a distinguished public servant. This is a great book and offers further insight into the previous books on the subject.

His "call of duty" to serve a country that he loves is something that is definitely missing in America these days. We are losing many WWII vets every single day. If you know of anyone who has served their country, please thank them. Its because of their service that we are free.

The Gift of Being Yourself by David G. Benner

2010-03-04T22:56:00.000-08:00

The Gift of Being Yourself by David G. Benner was a good read. I enjoyed it because of the simple, yet profound principles inside of it. To truly know yourself, you have to truly know God and to truly know God, you have to truly know yourself. This is a book I definitely plan on reading again, because it added a lot of value to me.

The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino

2010-03-04T22:46:00.000-08:00

Og Mandino is one of the greatest motivational authors and speakers of all time. His bestselling book (I believe) is The Greatest Salesman in the World. Many people have credited the turn-around in their lives to this book.

Reading this book for me was roughly a 9 month process. I read each scroll 3 times a day (the last time before bed was always out loud) for 30 days before moving onto the next scroll. It is a discipline that I not only learned a lot by doing, but learned the basic skills of communicating with others and myself. Here are the Scrolls:

1) I will greet this day with love in my heart.
2) I will persist until I succeed.
3) I am nature's greatest miracle.
4) I will live this day as if it is my last.
5) Today I will be master of my emotions.
6) I will laugh at the world.
7) Today, I will multiply my value a hundredfold.
8) I will act now.
9) Help this humble salesman, guide me God.

Its a good read, but to get the full effect of this book, I recommend reading it 3 times a day for 9 months. It will change your life. It certainly changed mine!

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

2010-03-04T22:25:00.000-08:00

The Noticer by Andy Andrews is a book about an individual named "Jones" who offers perspective to many different people going through many different circumstances in their lives. It is a fiction book, but they way that it is written seems like it is non-fiction. "Jones" offers advice to young, old and in-between, always seeming to be in the right place at the right time, giving the right advice.

I thought that this book was one of the best books I have ever read. I found myself marking it up and pulling out all kinds of tidbits. Andy Andrews has definitely hit a home run here. Before I was even finished reading the book, I made a list of 15-20 people in my life who I would like to give a copy of this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who like self-help books and fiction books. A great read!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com (http://booksneeze.com/) book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisdx_03/16cfr255_03.html) "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"

Confessions of a Subprime Lender by Richard Bitner

2010-02-02T21:34:00.000-08:00

Just finished up Confessions of a Subprime Lender - An Insider's Tale of Greed, Fraud, and Ignorance by Richard Bitner. This was a subject that I wanted to learn more about as I have heard a lot about this in the news for the past couple of years. This book was very informative, but a little dry. The interesting thing about this subject is there is no specific party or group to lay the blame on for the Subprime Industry and mortgage industry in general. The borrowers, brokers, lenders, Wall Street, rating agencies, appraisers, realtors, home builders and government all played a role in the mortgage meltdown.

Self Improvement 101 by John C. Maxwell

2010-01-18T21:05:00.000-08:00

Self Improvement 101 by John C. Maxwell is a great little book and one that I intend on reading over and over again! As usual, Maxwell hits it out of the park with simple, applicable teaching that works! This book is filled with principles, stories and quotes that all seem to be written just for me. My favorite story is in Chapter 2 - How Can I Grow in My Career?
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy."
"Well," replied the bull, "why don't you nibble on some of my droppings? They're packed with nutrients."
The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. But he was promptly spotted by a hunter, who shot him down out of the tree.
The moral of the story: BS might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.
Great story! Great book!

Chicken Soup for the Soul - Inside Basketball by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Pat Williams

2010-01-15T09:57:00.001-08:00

This is a great back, especially for a hoops junkie like myself! I have started playing the game at age 4 and didn't stop playing competetively until 28 after a few injuries were hampering my performance both on and off the court. I owe a lot to the game of basketball, from perseverance to goal setting to meeting my wife. Both my wife and I played college basketball at The King's University College in Edmonton, Alberta. We met on a bus trip home from Grande Prairie in October 2000 - almost 10 years ago!
OK, now to the book. It has 101 stories about the game of basketball. Two in particular touched me. Story 100 is written by Jerry Schemmel, a broadcaster with the Denver Nuggets. In his story, he talks about being aboard the famous United Flight 232 en route from Denver to Chicago. This plane had to crash land in Sioux City, Iowa. I was 10 years old when this happened and remember hearing the news of the crash while working on my parents farm, 45 minutes north of the Sioux City Airport. Not only did it bring back memories to me, but it also had a great ending, where Jerry gave his life to the Lord about a year ago as the result of this traumatic event in his life.
The last story of the book is written by Pat Williams daughter, Karyn. It retells the great impact that her father has had on her life and how hard it was for her to leave home and pursue her dream of becoming a music artist. Having just had a daughter on January 5, I hope and pray that I can have the fraction of impact on my daughter Gemma that Pat has had on his daughter.
Overall, it is a great book and recommended to anyone who wants inspiration who has played the game that I love - basketball!

From Worst to First - Behind the Scenes of Continental's Remarkable Comeback by Gordon Behtune

2010-01-13T14:26:00.000-08:00

I received From Worst to First - Behind the Scenes of Continent's Remarkable Comeback by Gordon Bethune for Christmas. It was a book that I read about while reading a John C. Maxwell book. Being an airline business junkie, I really enjoyed the book. When Bethune became CEO of Continental Airlines in the mid 90's, the airline was in serious trouble, ranking very low on all of the major airline ratings. Continental also had serious cash-flow issues. In the book, Bethune lays out the Go Forward Plan that he and his management team employed that turned the airline around:
1) Fly to Win
2) Fund the Future
3) Make Reliability a Reality
4) Working Together
Overall, the book had a lot of great points, but did get a little repetitive from time to time. It really emphasizes the importance of having a plan and executing it.