The Richest Man in Town: The Twelve Commandments of Wealth by W. Randall Jones

This book: “The Richest Man in Town: The Twelve Commandments of Wealth” was an interesting read. One think I found different from other books that talk about being rich was the concept of doing what you’re good at and not what you want to do.

A lot of books talk to you about being able to do anything you want as long as you set your mind to it. There is nothing wrong with that but when you really think about it you’ll see that it makes more sense to do something that you have a passion for and are very good at.

This book looks at many people, a lot of them who started out with little to nothing, and how they made their fortunes. I would recommend this book to friends and family that would like to be inspired.

I'LL MAKE YOU AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE by Michael Franzese

This book is about a former mob boss, Michael Franzese, who was able to leave the mafia and live to tell about how his experiences as an outlaw helped him make important business decisions. Although Michael does not glorify mafia life, he does provide information you can use in business.

One very important thing you can learn about “the life” is how to master the art of a sit-down. A sit-down is where most decisions are made for everything involving the life. In business we have another name for sit-downs…meetings.

Two people that Michael often quotes in this book are King Solomon and Nicolo Machiavelli. Most people involved in the mafia life like thinking of Machiavelli as their guide in whatever it is they do on a daily basis in business; Machiavelli was famous for promoting the “whatever it takes” idea. In other words, do whatever needs to be done in order to obtain the desired results.

After reading this book, the message I took away was that although you might have done some things you regret in the past, there is always a chance to change your ways.

Sleepwalking in Daylight by Elizabeth Flock

In Sleepwalking by Daylight, Elizabeth brings you into a world in which the housewife feels undervalued and taken for granted. Does that feel like you? Her husband is often lost in his own thoughts and although he’s there physically, she can’t help but think that he is not there mentally and the there relationship is slowly going down the drain. They seem to grow farther and farther apart every day and she’s often left with the feeling that that getting married was a mistake…like she rushed into it without knowing what was in store for her.

In the beginning, the story starts off talking about how, after many unsuccessful attempts at getting pregnant, the young couple decide to adopt a child although the mother seems to the one that is thrilled and the father just seems to be going through the motions. This idea about not wanting to adopt a child is one, if not the main, theme throughout the book. Everything seems to center on Cammy, the young and rebellious teenager.

If this book was a movie I’d say it would probably be in the suspense/drama section. From page one it grabbed my attention and was definitely a page-turner. The author was able to bring the characters to life in this story and you’ll find it hard not to identify with what the characters are going through. I think all of us, at one point or another, have gone through or know someone who has gone through the events that take place because many of the things that do take place are universal; relationships, parenthood, and children. I mean, really…who hasn’t had to deal with teenagers in any sort of capacity?

Making Light of Being Heavy by Kandy Siahaya

This book, Making Light of Being Heavy, by Kandy Siahaya, is about being heavy, or in other words…fat. I have to admit that there were times when I was laughing out loud. The author has a funny sense of humor and you should have one too to enjoy the book.

There are many different aspects to being overweight and I’m glad that Kandy touched on many of them. For example, have you ever considered that the reason you are heavy might have to do with your genes? If this is the case, you’ll be glad to know, and maybe even a little bit easier on yourself, the next time you open the refrigerator or step onto the treadmill...quit beating yourself up for being a little overweight!

One thing I was quite surprised to learn, and hadn’t really given much thought to, is that eating healthy can become quite expensive. Kandy provided a list of different food items and was able to point out how eating healthy might cost a bit more when compared to buying foods that are not as healthy. You might be wondering why that would be the case…and even come to think of it as strange. Well, believe me…I was thinking the exact same thing. If unhealthy junk-food is cheaper that might, just might, be one factor as to why there are so many obese people.

Fault Line: A Novel by Barry Eisler

Fault Line was the first, but definitely won’t be the last, novel I read by Barry Eisler. I was glad to find out that one of his other works (Rain Fall) was made into a movie. Hopefully this one will too. It has a lot of action, suspense, and drama.

Without giving the whole story away, it takes place in San Jose, CA, otherwise known as Silicon Valley, and it’s about a guy (computer nerd) who invents a software program. The only problem is that there are some dangerous people willing to go to any lengths, and killing is no exception, in order to make sure this program does not reach the market.

What I liked most was how the characters, from early on, got built up. This allowed me to conjure up an image in my mind of what each character is like. The language was very descriptive and was almost as though I had a movie running through my head. I can honestly say that this is one of the few books that I have been able to finish reading in a couple of days. It’s one of those books that you want to finish in one sitting.

MADE TO STICK: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

While this book had a lot of examples that involved management in a business environment, there were also plenty of examples that were taken from an academic setting and basically any other place you could think of where someone in a position of leadership needs to get things done. The main idea of the book is that we need to keep our minds open and be able to “think out of the box” by trying things that may seem to contradict common sense. This book is for anyone who is curious as to why some ideas become successful and others do not and tends to have a lot of ideas that can be put to use specifically in a business environment.

There were quite a few things I liked about this book. The clinics provided a different way to help the concepts sink in and the fact that there were cross-references was also helpful, but what I think really made this book stand out from the rest was the outline which is sort of like a “Cliffs Notes” version of the whole book; it’s easier to find something later on if you want to use it as a reference book.

The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth

This is a great book if you want to know what a midwife went through...back then, anyways. Obviously, a lot has changed today, and some of the things may not readily apply but that's the whole point.

This is sort of like a history book and takes you back to see how life was back then and how the midwife was treated. In the beginning, the job of the midwife was not looked upon as being very important; it was not until later, after many years of service, that they came to be appreciated a whole lot more.