Main, Recommended Books

The ultimately inspiring story of a Christian family who sheltered Jews during the Nazi occupation in Holland. Because of this, they suffered the worst consequences imaginable ~ incarceration and death in the concentration camps. Corrie ten Boom is my example of extreme courage and extreme forgiveness, because after miraculously surviving, she became even stronger in her faith, faced those who killed her family, and forgave them completely.

Viktor Frankl’s 1946 book Man’s Search for Meaning chronicles his experiences as a concentration camp inmate and describes his psychotherapeutic method of finding a reason to live. According to Frankl, the book intends to answer the question “How was everyday life in a concentration camp reflected in the mind of the average prisoner?” Part One constitutes Frankl’s analysis of his experiences in the concentration camps, while Part Two introduces his ideas of meaning and his theory of logotherapy.

According to a survey conducted by the Book-of-the-Month Club and the Library of Congress, Man’s Search For Meaning belongs to a list of “the ten most influential books in [the United States].” (New York Times, November 20, 1991). At the time of the author’s death in 1997, the book had sold 10 million copies in twenty-four languages

Recommended by Madeline Brosnan

The Alchemist presents a simple fable, based on simple truths and places it in a highly unique situation. And though we may sniff a bestselling formula, it is certainly not a new one: even the ancient tribal storytellers knew that this is the most successful method of entertaining an audience while slipping in a lesson or two. Brazilian storyteller Paulo Coehlo introduces Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who one night dreams of a distant treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. And so he’s off: leaving Spain to literally follow his dream.

Along the way he meets many spiritual messengers, who come in unassuming forms such as a camel driver and a well-read Englishman. In one of the Englishman’s books, Santiago first learns about the alchemists–men who believed that if a metal were heated for many years, it would free itself of all its individual properties, and what was left would be the “Soul of the World.” Of course he does eventually meet an alchemist, and the ensuing student-teacher relationship clarifies much of the boy’s misguided agenda, while also emboldening him to stay true to his dreams. “My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer,” the boy confides to the alchemist one night as they look up at a moonless night.

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself,” the alchemist replies. “And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.” –Gail Hudson –

Recommended by Peter Anderson

The Richest Man in Babylon:  Read by millions, this timeless book holds the key to success-in the secrets of the ancients. Based on the famous “Babylonian principles,” it’s been hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift and financial planning.

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
I wish I would have read this book 20 years ago. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be financially secure, and it’s written in a very interesting, storytelling way that really gets the main points across.
Enjoy,
MM

Recommended by MM

The Title says it all…Lou Holtz the legendary coach of Notre Dame Football, shares strategies for success in football and life that are practical and timeless.

by: Michael Anderson

“Lou Holtz is a brilliant strategist, a first class motivator, and an inspiring role model.  Winning Every Day coaches you through the hard won lessons of life that coach Holtz has gleaned form a lifetime of learning.  Using personal behind-the-scenes experiences, he shows you how to break through obstacles, capitalize on fleeting opportunities, and achieve success.  There is not a better mentor than Lou Holtz.”

by:  Peter Lowe

Recommended by Michael Palmieri

By Randy Pausch

Invited to give the “Last Lecture” at Carnegie Mellon University, Professor Randy Pausch, age 47, a pioneer in computer animation and graphics, shared his perspectives on “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”.   His views are particularly interesting since he had just been diagnosed with an inoperable Pancreatic Cancer.  His energy and hope combine with an indomitable spirit to give insights that inspire all who turn these pages.   I would call this a “must read”.   Of note:  Randy Pausch passed away July 25th, 2008 but his legacy will continue to inspire for generations to come.

Recommended by Bridget Penick

This most amazing book is the compilation personal journals and writings of the crew of  HMS  Endurance and chronicles their incredible voyage of 1914 to the Antarctic.    Led by Sir Ernest Shackleton, the nearly two year ordeal is an epic saga of the highs and lows of human adventure.   27 men and Shackleton set out to be the first expedition to cross the frozen continent of Antarctica.    No Gortex, No radios and…you will have to read to find out the rest. How do they survive?  Do they survive?   When the going gets really tough…what happens…not what you think.   Shackleton’s management of human suffering  and his  indominable perserverance demonstrates leadership in it’s finest form.  It may be one of the greatest adventure stories ever!   It is in my top 5 of all time adventure books.

Recommended by Michael Anderson

by Jay A. Parry and Andrew M. Allison 

This biography of one of America’s most beloved founding fathers, George Washington captures his life and purpose within its pages.  The United States’ first president, Commander-in-Chief and hero during the Revolutionary war.  This book unveils the strength of Washington’s character and the depth of his vision for an independent nation under God.

“The Real George Washington” should be required reading for all US citizens, including politicians running for office.  Washington’s accomplishments came not by seeking for power or fame but by the sincere desire to make this country and its citizens great.

Recommended by Admin

In Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time , Greg Mortenson, and journalist David Oliver Relin, recount the journey that led Mortenson from a failed 1993 attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to successfully establish schools in some of the most remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. By replacing guns with pencils, rhetoric with reading, Mortenson combines his unique background with his intimate knowledge of the third-world to promote peace with books, not bombs, and successfully bring education and hope to remote communities in central Asia. Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time.  www.threecupsoftea.com

“Three Cups of Tea is one of the most remarkable adventure stories of our time. Greg Mortenson’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a thrilling read, it’s proof that one ordinary person, with the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world.” -Tom Brokaw

Recommended by Admin

“What children are taught to respect, they value; the more they value people, ideas, and even things, the more meaningful their lives become. Raising Respectful Children in a Disrespectful World is the book every parent should read to ensure that their children will become blessings to the world.”

-By Joseph Sinkovich, Memphis, Tennessee

Recommended by Admin