As I was reviewing today’s post, I realized that today marks my 2nd year of blogging. I can’t believe it’s already been two years. I guess my trip to the Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday turned out to be my 2nd Blogniversary celebration. I didn’t plan it that way, but it … Continue reading Printers Row Lit Fest 2025
Tag: books
Book Bans Hurt Education
This is not the first time I’ve commented on book banning in this country and my frustration with this insanity. Trying to change history or pretending that current events are not occurring by banning books is not going to succeed now, just as it didn’t succeed during the many attempts in the past. To this … Continue reading Book Bans Hurt Education
Book Review: Bittersweet
Bittersweet—that’s a word we hear often, probably several times a week. My 1995 Webster’s New World Dictionary defines it as "pleasure mixed with sadness,” which is okay, but not nearly as powerful as how Susan Cain describes it in her wonderful book, Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole. Here is Susan’s description: “The … Continue reading Book Review: Bittersweet
Book Review: Surviving Sue
As I was preparing this post, I considered writing it in two parts: a book review and my commentaries. However, since this is a blog and I appreciate the flexibility it provides, I decided to write a single post that includes some commentary, personal reflections, and concludes with the book review. In my head, it … Continue reading Book Review: Surviving Sue
Book Review: Just Discipleship
I was very intrigued when I read the title of this book. My first thought was about discipling Christians to be just and fair. This should, of course, be a given, as all Christians are called to model these virtues. However, in many cases, these characteristics are lacking, which I believe is due to a … Continue reading Book Review: Just Discipleship
My Reading List: 2024-2025
It’s that time of year when I recap the books I’ve read and share my reading plans for the upcoming year. Last year, I managed to read 13 books—one more than my original goal. This year, I read 21 books, and I couldn’t be happier. My reading time feels like a mini-retreat—a chance to lose … Continue reading My Reading List: 2024-2025
Book Review: The Forgotten Americans
For the past 20 months or so, I have read several books focused on the subject of marginalized citizens. This interest partly comes from my desire to understand how social scientists, political theorists, and historians perceive our current problems and the solutions they propose. Books such as Poverty, By America, Evicted, There Is Nothing for … Continue reading Book Review: The Forgotten Americans
Book Review: You Will Not Have My Hate
Over the weekend, I read You Will Not Have My Hate, a memoir by Antoine Leiris. The book, translated from French by Sam Taylor, was recommended by the Secret Library Book Blog, and it’s the most emotional book I have read so far in my life. Knowing the background of the events that led to … Continue reading Book Review: You Will Not Have My Hate
Reflections on a Year of Blogging
I can’t believe it’s been a year since I started this blog! It’s been an amazing experience, far beyond what I expected. One of the things I wanted to do after retiring from the military was to increase the number of books I read each year. The byproduct of reading and taking notes was a … Continue reading Reflections on a Year of Blogging
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
Learning grammar can be fun sometimes. I read an outstanding book about grammar a while back, titled "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Lynne Truss. I’m definitely not an expert in grammar, English or Spanish, so I’m always looking for ways to improve my grammar skills in both languages. Anyway, the book contains a joke that … Continue reading Eats, Shoots & Leaves
Thoughts about leadership, history, and more 