Book Review - Dare to Serve by Cheryl Bachelder

Dare to Serve: How to Drive Superior Results by Serving Others by Cheryl A. Bachelder
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 of 5 stars)

You should read this if: You're looking for an other-centric, service-oriented perspective on career and leadership with thought-provoking reflection questions.

You should not read this if: You're looking for novel bright thoughts on leadership, not old tried and true ideas.

Review:

My personal work philosophy has been "put others first", which has helped me grow personally and in career in the last few years. Dare to Serve articulates and fleshes out my personal principles, goals, and convictions on work and leadership. Too often, the portrait we see of leadership and management is a me-centric, personally ambitious, win-at-all-costs leadership, which is unappealing but also ineffective. Combining personal experience, research, and wisdom, Bachelder shows us another way - the humble servant yet daring leadership.

Much of the content of this book will be familiar to readers, such as setting personal mission statements and principles, having goals knowing your stakeholders. However, Bachelder distinctly frames these well-known personal techniques into her larger mission and framework of serving others, imparting greater overall meaning and motivation. Bachelder helpfully illustrates her own practices embodied at Popeyes. While there is undoubtedly sugar-coating, I appreciated show Bachelder addresses the elephant in the room of translating corporate-speak BS to truly be internalized and solidified as culture (rather than being a plaque, as she describes).

Bachelder also helpfully challenges the reader with many thoughtful reflection questions. Most of us would profess to wanting to be humble and selfless, but our inner thoughts and attitudes and our external actions would betray our real, hidden motivations. Do I love the people I work with? Am I seeking their benefit? What are the qualities in my favorite bosses that I look to emulate?

As a Christian, I found it uncanny how similar my worldview was to that presented in the book and suspected the author to be religious (Chapter 1 is titled "Whom shall I serve"!), which was proven to be correct towards the end of the book. I'm so glad I found this book - it gives a voice to the leader I hope to be growing into.

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Quotes:

“Efficiency with people ruins relationships.”

"Influencing and persuading others is ultimately more effective than exercising authority over them.”

"Don’t let your principles sit idle on a plaque. Bring them to life."

Book Review - Unfuck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper

Unfuck Your Brain: Using Science to Get Over Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Freak-Outs, and Triggers by Faith G. Harper
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐(3 of 5 stars)

You should read this if: You're struggling with mental health but don't know anything about mental health issues and need a primer. And you don't mind an ultra-casual tone. But really, why not just see a therapist?

You should not read this if: You're someone looking to understand and support others struggling with mental health issues.

Review

First, the swearing, casual tone, and humor. It seems like most people hate it or simply tolerate it, but few actually prefer it. I personally found it a bit distracting - while the jokes were occasionally funny, the swearing never felt comfortable to me. While the humor offers levity to an otherwise heavy topic, it felt out of place for a doctor to discuss such afflictions jokingly and actually felt a bit condescending. I don't need you to swear for me to read a book.

Harper covers a broad range of mental health issues, from depression to anxiety to trauma, giving helpful overviews of each and some practical ways to think about issues and techniques to mitigate or combat them. While Harper does say that the best route is to go to a therapist, the effective takeaway often still feels like "Do these things and it will fix or mitigate your mental health issues", which really isn't helpful for anyone with deep issues.

To me, the root issue is that Harper fails to communicate and distinguish between the severity of mental health issues people may have. While reading this book and taking some of the tips and suggestions may be sufficient for people with milder anxiety issues, people with more significant issues will find little value in attempting to fix their depression by holding ice in their hands and may actually feel shame if the tips don't work. Ultimately, everyone reading the book who suffers significantly from what is described should see a therapist, who would hopefully communicate the relevant parts of what Harper describes.

For those looking to love and support those with mental health issues, this book gives an introductory look into what they may be going through but offers little else, other than practical advice, which is the absolute worst thing to shoot at those struggling.

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Book Review - House to House by David Bellavia

House to House: An Epic Memoir of War by David Bellavia
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4 of 5 stars)

You should read this if: You enjoyed Black Hawk Down and are familiar with military terms.

You should not read this if: Macho masculinity and mild glorification of war is repulsive to you.

House to House is the book version of Black Hawk Down - character development, moral takeaways, and overarching storytelling is secondary to non-stop, realistic action. As a non-military reader, much of the lingo and cultural assumptions went over my head, as the author didn't stop to describe what a "Bradley" or "SAW" were, but I'm sure that this won't trip up most readers.

The attitudes, macho masculinity, and politically incorrect speech / slurs will certainly be offputting to many people (people who are less likely to read this book in the first place), but it's important to remember that this is a memoir and our soldiers simply experience a different life than most of us. Rather than expect the book to discuss the validity of the Iraq war or have more meta reflections of the terribleness of war, the book is a lot more enjoyable and insightful reader as an honest portrayal of war and the men who wage it. It's ugly through and through - from the violence and physical destruction to the inward trauma, racism, and hatred to the collapsing family lives.

This book was a 3-star book for the majority of it. I personally did not prefer the "drop into war zone" feel, with little context to the situation or characters. However, the last couple of chapters linger and will stay with me. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

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Book Review - 1776 by David McCullough

1776 by David McCullough
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3 of 5 stars)

You should read this if: You love history and are okay with reading a collection of facts.

You should not read this if: You're looking for a comprehensive account of the American Revolution or a bigger picture narrative.

For those unaware, this book is very literally an account of the year 1776, only covering events from this specific year . I expected a comprehensive end-to-end book on the American Revolution and was disappointed to be essentially dropped into a book scoped to a single year. This book felt more like a history book and a collection of facts than a coherent narrative or account. There are few overarching themes and George Washington is basically the only character that is significantly followed.

History geeks may appreciate the many trivia tidbits provided. From the dress of the soldiers to the underlying political motivations of the British general, there's a lot of "wow, that's interesting" moments in 1776. But that's about as deep as the engagement becomes. Emotional connection to characters are nonexistent, and there's really barely a real story that is being followed. For people not familiar with American history, I imagine this book would be exceedingly confusing.

Audiobook Note - The audiobook seems to have two readers - a male and a female - seemingly arbitrarily switching between the two readers, confusing and distracting me. The rhyme or reason to the different readers is not at all clear.

Reading 1776 reminded me of reading a textbook, giving the feeling that I might be quizzed at some point about the various facts presented in the book. Meh. I don't get the praise for this book.

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Book Review - George Whitefield [Abridged] by Arnold Dallimore

George Whitefield by Arnold A. Dallimore
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐

You should read this if: You're interested in a fairly short overview of George Whitfield's life from various accounts, particularly his relationship with the Wesleys. Or if you're already very familiar with Whitfield's life and teaching and are interested in the primary sources presented.

You should not read this if: You're looking to learn about Whitfield's theological beliefs in-depth. Or if historical white-washing and hero worship turn you off.

Review

"George Whitfield was a great preacher who seemed to have a big influence, and everyone liked him. Except for John Wesley at first, but even he liked him in the end." Along with some historical details, that's basically the whole book. Given this is an abridgement of a much larger volume which I haven't read, the brevity on some topics is understandable but the outcome is underwhelming. While some details of Whitfield's life were interesting (I did not realize the extent of his travels between America and Europe), there's a noticeable lack of depth presented on Whitfield as a real human being, sinner but saved by grace. My view and knowledge of Whitfield is fairly unchanged before and after reading this book - he was a great evangelist who people loved to hear from.

Perhaps my judgement on this biography is shaped by a more modern, critical approach to viewing historical persons, but the effusive praise ends up giving a very shallow view of George Whitfield. What were his weaknesses and struggles? Other than his failure to repudiate slavery and being a slave owner (a significant issue which is addressed too briefly), what other failures did he have? What doubts or fears did Whitfield have, or was he really the superman presented who feared nothing? Is the sum of a man's life really just his external deeds and accomplishments? Instead of a well-rounded, relatable human being, we're presented with an essentially infallible figure, which is both certainly unrealistic but also unsatisfying to read.

This biography doesn't attempt to describe particular theological beliefs, denominations, or church structures, so only those with the appropriate background will be able to understand and appreciate some of the discussion. Readers are not presented with any background to what Calvinism is, Biblical support for or against predestination, or what a Maldovian is. While in-depth descriptions are likely intentionally avoided in this short biography, these omissions make the book significantly less accessible and difficult to recommend.

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Book Review - Molly's Game by Molly Bloom

Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker by Molly Bloom
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 of 5 stars)

Why you should read this book: It's a fun, almost unbelievable tale of career and influence success set in opulent luxury.

Why you should not read this book: As much it's a book centered around poker, it's not actually a book about poker.

Review

In an almost too-crazy-to-believe story, Molly's Game recounts Molly Bloom's rise in a celebrity-filled underground world. It's a really fun read/listen, as we listen to Molly's development and all the interesting and gloriously unrelatable challenges she ran into. At its core, the book is about how Molly was able to successfully read people and understand their motivations, desires, and "tells". Molly is a fantastically gifted and gritty character, almost feeling like a superhero at times with her ability to understand and satisfy/manipulate other extremely talented and successful people.

As much as I enjoyed the character-centric narrative, I wish Molly's Game spent more time on some the more nitty-gritty aspects of her operations, such as detailing the logistical complexities and describing the rich settings and their associated costs. For those of us who haven't even come close to experiencing the luxuries described, it can be hard to understand and picture what "the nicest room at the Four Seasons" is like. People are known to be bad at understanding quantities, so sometimes it can be hard to really internalize and really feel the enormous sums of money that are being discussed - for most people, a poker game with a buy-in of 5k, 50k, and 250k are equally unattainable!

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Book Review - Grit by Angela Duckworth

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 of 5 stars)

You should read this if: You're interested in personal growth willing to do some self-reflective work. And if you're willing to re-read about some common self-improvement ideas.

You should not read this if: You're looking for a practical, step-by-step tutorial on building perseverance in yourself or others.

The influence of some individuals/books are so significant and sweeping that reading their works ends up seeming obvious and unoriginal or even boring (such as Mere Christianity). I suspect Angela Duckworth has influenced and evangelized herself out of a novel book, of which she should be proud. Grit covers many common self-improvement concepts, from passion to growth mindset to optimism, citing various interesting studies and examples. Readers well-versed in these concepts may find these sections tedious, but I didn't mind them too much.

Despite the self-help feel of the book, it's really more descriptive than prescriptive. The research on the effectiveness and importance of grit compelling, but I found the practical advice significantly weaker, ranging from self-evident (deliberate practice) to unhelpfully abstract (find something you're passionate in). As a new parent, the parenting section was helpful in theory (model grittiness, try various hobbies, commit to hard things), but I imagine that real life decisions will not be as cut and dry as portrayed.

That said, Duckworth does really highlight the importance of grit and the outcomes it achieves, balancing the talent vs effort question quite convincingly. In describing the environments and circumstances that foster building grit, she focuses significantly more on the personal and familial aspects, rarely discussing cultural factors. To me, this is a large omission. Immigrant populations of all races globally are disproportionately successful. Various cultures have deeply-embedded aspects of grit (the idea that a kid is simply "bad at math" isn't found in Asian households) and failing to consider or communicate cultural influences leads to an incomplete American individualistic perspective.

The best thing about reading Grit has been reflecting and discussing on my own level of grittiness, how it manifests, and how it was built, considering the various influences and experiences of my own life. Even though my wife didn't read this book, the accessibility of the concepts and general familiarity with the topics helped us have some long, meaningful discussions. This concepts in this book have helped us understand ourselves more and also clarify some of our parenting philosophy.

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Quotes:

"As much as talent counts, effort counts twice."

"Greatness is many, many individual feats, and each of them is doable."

"At its core, the idea of purpose is the idea that what we do matters to people other than ourselves."

Book Review - Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5 of 5 stars)

You should read this if: You're looking for a intriguing, well-written war account.

You should not read this if: You can't handle war crimes and atrocities.

Unbroken is an enrapturing, immersive account of one man's experience in the craziness and brutality of war. Unlike how the marketing materials portray the story, the book isn't quite "inspiring" or "uplifting". While it's true that in some ways the human spirit prevails, this book exposes the darkness embedded in humans and the evil of war.

There are parts of this story that I will never forget, which I won't spoil. The vivid descriptions, the smart pacing - all of it helps the reader really internalize and feel (as much as one who hasn't experienced this can) the physical and emotional experiences of the men. If I had one complaint about the book, it would be that it can seem like the author whitewashes and trivializes some of the mental health effects on the men. While she does go to some length describing some effects towards the end of the book, the tone from Zamp's perspective is surprisingly optimistic and generally hopeful throughout. Whether or not this was truly Zamp's disposition, it certainly would not be for all his comrades.

Hillenbrand provides historical context in interesting and immersive ways, which is key to readable and educational biographies. While primarily tracking Zamporini's life, she adeptly fills the reader in to the other happenings in the world, both personal (like Zamp's family) and global (state of the war). Hillenbrand also expertly introduces and builds familiarity with many different individuals, each with their own stories and personalities. I was honestly surprised at my ability to remember all of the names and their stories as the book progressed, a feat that many books have failed at and testament to the fine writing.

I read this book without watching the movie, which I recommend to anyone new to both. The book communicates the gravity of the situation, the length of time, and horrors of war much more clearly than the movie.

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Book Review - Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 of 5 stars)

You should read this book if : You're looking for an unpretentious guilty-pleasure page-turner with a generally likeable lead character.

Why you should not read this book: If murder isn't your thing, or you're looking for mindblowing insights about life.

Review

Stillhouse Lake surprised me. On one hand, other than the interesting premise of an innocent wife of a serial killer, there isn't much else that's novel about the book. Guns galore, paranoia, sketchy men - it's all been done before...but Stillhouse Lake does it really well. In particular, the main character in these on-the-run books are often unbearably irritating, making mind-blowingly idiotic decisions while constantly dripping in self-pity, causing me to root against them. In contrast, despite her understandable paranoia, I found myself quite invested in Gina and her kids. In addition to the immediate threat of being discovered, the developments in the kids and family dynamics was emotion and empathy-rousing.

I particularly enjoyed the whodunit nature of the interactions with the other distinctive, interesting characters. Possibly heightened due to having recently read "The Body Keeps the Score" and "What's a Girl Worth", the author successfully embedded a deep distrust of the all the men in the book. Who is safe and who isn't? Are all the men bad, or are there any good guys?

Discovering upon completion that this book is actually the first in a series was actually disappointing. I enjoyed the book a lot, but am not ready to sign up for 4 more books (how much progression could there really be?). That said, this book is still very readable as a stand-alone book.

Because it engrossed me and turning those pages late into the night, it's hard to rate this book anything under 5 stars.

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Book Review - Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand

Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You should read this if: You're willing to be challenged by the memoir of a man who has suffered much for Christ along with countless others. Also, if you need encouragement that God is alive and working.

You should not read this if: You're looking for a bigger-picture Christian historical accounts.

Summary

Tortured for Christ is a rightfully a classic - it's short and easy to read (the writing, not the subject material). Not only does Wurmbrand recount his ministry and suffering, he challenges the free church to love and care for our brothers and sisters in persecuted nations. Personally, accounts of the faithfulness of saints always stir the heart. In particular Wurmbrand's intention of directing attention to others is obvious, as he highlights the faithfulness of the nameless Christians who now are adorned with a crown of life.

The atrocities are great, but love is greater. Perhaps the most astonishing aspect presented is the love and forgiveness portrayed by Christians. Reading the book, I could feel my own anger well up within me, and God's protection over the souls of the believers truly surpasses human understanding. Praise God for his miraculous work of his salvation and his presence with his people. While I pray that I would have the faith of those Christians, I know it came at the cost of deep suffering. It is truly of great encouragement, however, to know that God truly is enough and graciously provides for his children for all circumstances.

Some Christians may reflexively be repulsed by some his strong political stances, but we should do some soul-searching and reflect on his challenge - that the suffering of peoples under our foreign or domestic policy is a Christian responsibility (which also is not dissimilar from arguments in McCaulley's Reading While Black). Have we wealthy, Western Christians used "separation of church and state" as an excuse, an absolution of responsibility?

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Quotes: 

“Bible verses remain true, even if the devil quotes them.”

“The Bible he gave me was written not so much in words but in flames of love, fired by his prayers.”

“Men are responsible before God, not only for their personal sins but also for their national sins. The tragedy of all the captive nations is a responsibility on the hearts of American and British Christians. Americans must know that they have at times unwittingly assisted the Russians in imposing on us a regime murder of and terror.”

“Ask yourself if it is not also your sin that such tragedies occur, that such Christian families are alone and not helped by you who are free.”

“My only prayer repeated again and again was "Jesus, I love you.”

“The value of the Bibles smuggled in by these means cannot be understood by an American or an English Christian who “swims” in Bibles.”