My 60-Second Review of Some Good Books

Well, with my wife and her friends getting so excited about the launch "The Breaking Dawn" this past week, I, coincidentally, just finished reading a great book. So I felt like I needed to add my own post about the good reads that I've had over the past year. So, for anybody who cares, I've listed a few of the better books that I've read recently and why I recommend them.
(Warning: the following books may not be as entertaining as the novels about Edward, and they may not inspire grown women to dress in costume and stand in line for hours at the book-store, but they also don't cause poor husbands to be unfairly compared to that 'perfect' vampire).

Most Motivating Read: Ultra-Marathon Man by Dean Karnazes

Lance Armstrong. Brett Favre. That guy at the rodeo riding the bulls. Dean Karnazes. Who's he? Dean is the author of this book, an endurance runner who seeks to do the unthinkable. He has run 135 consecutive miles in the summer heat of Death Valley. He has run a marathon, in his running shoes, to the South Pole. He has run a 200 mile relay through the mountains of California. Without a relay team.
I don't aspire to run a marathon - but reading this book made me want to go out and push the limits. If you enjoyed "It's Not About The Bike", you'll like this book.





Most Entertaining: The Blind Side by Michael Lewis

The author of "Money Ball" (the best sports book and business book all in one), Michael Lewis, writes a great book, which essentially explains the evolution of the NFL, how the left-tackle position has become the second-most important position in football, told by telling the inspirational recruiting story of a highly touted prep player from the crime-infested areas of Memphis.





Best Business Book: The Billionaire Who Wasn't by Conor O'Clery

You may have never heard of him, but Chuck Feeney is one of the greatest philanthropists in history. This book is about his business success (he founded and grew Duty Free Shoppers (DFS) into one of the largest retailers in the world. But he's not like other billionaires. He also gave away all of his money, while living, to many diverse causes. It's a fascinating and inspirational story.






Best History/Biography Read: His Excellency by Joseph Ellis

A lot of us don't know much about the most first and most famous president of the United States. In my opinion, Ellis does an amazing job of humanizing this founding father (for good and for bad), who has been reversed like royalty, which has prevented us from learning what made him tick, why his leadership was so necessary for the birth and nurturing of this nation.







Best Political Read: Supreme Conflict by Jane Crawford Greenburg

It was refreshing to read a book about politics that has no hidden agenda or obvious bias. With this being an election year, we're often reminded just how much is on the line when we cast a ballot. But at the end of the day, the influence that a president has on our daily lives is much more limited than we think. The TRUE legacy of a president is his fingerprint on the Supreme Court. This book provides a fascinating insight into the secret chamber of the Supreme Court, the power struggles that exist, and how this has such an influence on the country.



If you've read any of these, and want to add your two-cents, or if you recommend any books that that you've read, leave me a post. I'd love to hear about new books to read.