The Last Great Game [Book Review]

Hello again, readers of the blog. As part of my "year of FOCUS" in 2015, I am wanting to read at least one book every month. I started off early this year by knocking out a book the week after Christmas. With that, I'd thought I would share my thoughts on the book and why you should read it. As always, no one paid me to write this review, and if they had, I would be writing more than 1 review every 6 months.

As you can guess, I am a big sports fan, especially when it comes to college basketball, and even more especially when it comes to the University of Kentucky. Living in Memphis, this is not a popular school, though in my defense I have been a fan for over 20 years now...

Which brings me to this book - The Last Great Game, the story of the 1992 NCAA tournament regional final between Duke and Kentucky, called by many the greatest college game ever. It was the first game I really remember watching from start to finish, and, sadly, the first (and only) game I ever cried over when it ended.

Gene Wojciechowski clearly did a lot of research for this book, interviewing the coaches, players, and even athletic directors involved in the game. The back story is what honestly makes the game that much better: Duke, a perennial Final Four team from the last 80's an early 90's that never could win the title; and Kentucky, a once-proud program stripped of its dignity by, well, not following NCAA law and getting caught. With a rag-tag group of Kentuckians and a star recruit Jamal Mashburn, Rick Pitino led his team from NCAA purgatory (and postseason bans) to one of the best teams in the country with a pressing defense and run-and-gun offense. Duke, meanwhile, was led its iconic Coach K and its star big man Voldemort Christian Laettner. It had been to 4 straight Final Fours, only to have their hopes dashed without a title. This book dives into the seasons of both teams leading up to this instant classic. Once you see the behind-the-scenes look, you'll have deeper appreciation for just how great the game really was. Even if you don't know the game, you've seen "the shot," which is only replayed every March, much to my chagrin. When reading the book, I found myself having a greater appreciation for the coaches, because both Duke and UK faced adversity during the year that could have easily derailed the teams. What you find is a great look at what goes on behind the curtain as 18- to 21-year olds get thrust into the spotlight of the national stage. What you see are two coaches who know what buttons to press and how to get maximum effort out of every player. Gene does a great job at diving into the players' backgrounds, personalities, and motivations to succeed.

This was a great, fun, easy read, even if the ending is terrible... ok, ok, I'll try to let it go. In all seriousness, this really was a great book to read. I enjoyed every chapter and every story. If you have a sports fan in your life, chances are they know this game, so buy them the book to see the story behind the game.

Thanks for stopping by!

-Daniel

Parenting by the Book [Book Review]

Daniel has reviewed a number on books on our little blog so I thought I'd start contributing in the book review department.

First on my list is one of my favorites, Parenting by the Book (as in the Bible) by John Rosemond. Here's a little snippet from the introduction that I think sums up what he is all about: "A number of years ago, I came to the realization that for all of its pretenses to scientific objectivity, post- 1960s psychology is a secular religion that one believes in by faith. I had been slowly losing the false faith since the early 1980s, but I lost the last vestige seven years ago, when I submitted my life to Jesus Christ."

Where do I even begin as there is so much in this book that I love and it eye-opening? But I want YOU to read it so I won't go into too much detail. I will say that he is a great writer and funny. I've laughed out loud at the scenarios and real-life stories he tells.  He calls the people in his profession, "those people with the big letters behind their names" and talks about the older generation as "Grandma." As in, "Grandma" knew best and still knows best and we should be seeking Godly council and our Bibles as a way to raise our children. We shouldn't rely too much on the "people with the big letters behind their names" who may not even be parents and are telling you what you should do, not based on experience but by what they've read and studied.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from his book:

On self-esteem:
"Humanistic psychology's second contribution to Postmodern Psychological Parenting is the idea that high self-esteem is desirable---essential, in fact, to personal happiness---and parents should do everything in their power to help their children acquire it.
"Grandma didn't believe people should think highly of themselves. In fact, she did not have a lot of regard for people who did. She thought, and rightly so, that high self-regard was a problem, not a solution to a problem. Grandma valued humility and modesty and did her best to pass those virtues along to her children."
"That's a biblical point of view. Scripture does not validate high self-esteem. In the Old Testament, every single person with high self-esteem takes a huge fall, self-destructs, or is in the eventual recipient of God's wrath. In the New Testament, Jesus spoke on the subject of self-esteem---numerous times, in fact." (See Matthew 16:24, Matthew 20:16, Luke 14:11 and Isaiah 2:12)

On training up a child in the way he should go:
"Grandma's Three Rs"
1. "respect--for the fundamental dignity of every human being, which children develop by first learning respect for people in positions of legitimate authority, beginning with their parents."
2. "responsibility--in two equally important senses of the term: first, accountability for one's own actions; second, a willingness to carry out tasks by authority figures (as well as those that are simply due the family/community by virtue of one's membership within it.)"
3. "resourcefulness--a hang in there, tough it out, try-and-try again attitude brought to the challenges of life." (He elaborates on these in chapter 3.)

I love his humor and love for the Lord and those two really come through in this book. He backs up his writing with scripture and it's not taken out of context. If you look around you and see you want to do things differently with your kids (i.e. marriage centered family and not child-centered family) than what the "world" says is right, read this book! And read this book first. I think this is his best one to start with. It covers a lot of material and lays down the basics of his other books. I've read this book two times already and I think I'll read it numerous times before both girls leave our home. Enjoy!

Other books I've read by Rosemond and highly suggest:
Making the Terrible Two's Terrific (since I have two young girls and it's coming in very handy with Nyla right now)
The {New} Six-Point Plan for Raising Happy, Healthy Children (everyone should read this one!)

Disclaimer: The thoughts in this review are all my own. I was not compensated in any way to write this review.

                                                                                                                           

Twelve Ordinary Men [Book Review]

It's that time again to review a book. This one is a favorite of mine for a variety of reasons. Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur (Amazon link here - note, no Kindle version available).

If you're going to select a group of 12 men with the sole purpose of teaching them to change the world, fisherman and tax collectors would not be the people to start with. Yet that is what happened. In this book, John MacArthur explores the uncommon calling that 12 men followed when Jesus told them to "follow me".

MacArthur devotes considerable time to each disciple, including the Scripture describing their calling, key quotes that reveal their characters, and what happened to them post-Resurrection. Each man had his own character flaws, but, as MacArthur explains, Jesus used those flaws as teaching points which led to character changes. As you read, you realize that each man brought a different strength to the group that made up for others' weaknesses, which is smart if you're trying to change the world one person at a time. I liked the fact that MacArthur really took the time in each chapter to go over how valuable each disciple was and how we can model ourselves after each - except Judas Iscariot, because he isn't the model we need to follow. He especially went into detail about the "big four" - Peter, Andrew, James, and John, since those are the most prominent ones. With the information given, he actually does a good job describing the "minor" disciples. I especially like the fact that he detailed (with as much detail as history gives) what happened at the end of their lives, where you see the impact of the change in their hearts and lives.

While I have pointed out what I do like, it wouldn't be a review unless I went over the things I did not like as much. Some of the passages I had to read over a second or third, in part due to the wording. Although I wouldn't consider that a total negative, it's more of a product of how he writes and how I read. But I did have to re-read some paragraphs to make sure I fully understood the point being made. Some people would also assert/complain that MacArthur took some leeway in how he analyzed the disciples and drew out their character traits from the information known about them in the Bible. Everything I read seemed well within the confines of proper interpretation. I didn't say to myself, "That's way off base."

For church leaders or class teachers, this is a nice resource for doing a series or small group on the disciples. For those like me who enjoy good books, this is a must-have for the collection.

-D

*Note: These are my opinions, and no one affiliated with the book contacted me about a review.

Around the World in 80 Days [Book Review]

Once again the time has come for me to tickle the keys of the keyboard with another book review. Clearly the Kindle has been a most excellent purchase, as I have already read 3 books on it in just over a month. Had this wonderful device been around during my high school days, I may have read more books and less Cliff's Notes, but I digress. The book I just finished reading was Jules Verne's classic Around the World in 80 Days (Kindle link).


In short, this was a great read. Verne tells the story of Phileas Fogg, a man of wealth, regularity, and calm demeanor... until his friends at the Reform Club begin arguing whether or not one can truly travel around the world in 80 days, as an article in the local newspaper suggests. Fogg takes the challenge and embarks on his journey with newly-hired valet Passepartout, a small bag of clothes, and some money. What follows is a whirlwind tour of the globe. Does Fogg complete the challenge? Will he be distracted by the sights along the way? And what complications will inevitably arise? This book is a fast read. The chapters are short (there are about 30 of them for a 150-page book), and the details of events mean you are right there with Fogg on his adventure. As you read, you'll notice the defining traits of each character and how, despite their differing personalities, Fogg and Passepartout make their journey around the world together. With the setting in the late 1800s, you already see how travel was "back in the day" and how different it is now.


There's really no reason not to read this book. It will keep you entertained throughout and should be on everyone's must-read list. And as always...

-D

Crazy Love [Book Review]

This post will continue my series of posts of books I've recently read... today's book? Crazy Love by Francis Chan (Amazon Kindle link here).

Of course, right away, the title grabs your attention. Crazy love. What is that all about? The subtitle or tagline to the title is "Overwhelmed by a Relentless God". That's the main focus of this book. Francis opens up the book by describing God's love in terms of Creation and encourages readers to stop and view a video at the book's website. Too often we as Christians pass through each day without truly taking a step back and appreciating, admiring, worshipping, and revering God and His love. The opening pages of the book remind us to stop and do that.

At this point, Francis changes gears. If we are to be overwhelmed by this crazy love, what are we doing in response? Because it can very easy to acknowledge this crazy love yet do little about it. Francis quotes Jesus in Revelation regarding being neither hot nor cold but lukewarm. This book challenges believers to evaluate their lives against what Francis calls "the profile of the lukewarm".

There's a danger in a book like this of being too offensive or overly critical - to the point where people could potentially get down on themselves. Certainly the chapters about the lukewarm and serving "leftovers" to God may be difficult to read for some; however, each word has been carefully used. Francis also points out that God's grace also hovers over everything. As I read, I did not feel defeated at what I was or was not doing but instead was reminded that His grace is amazing. And because of that, I am motivated to get better and be more overwhelmed. The purpose of the book is not to be critical but to encourage.

Overall, this is an excellent book. Yes, it will challenge you. Yes, it might point out a behavior you engage in. But I walked away from the book feeling encouraged and thinking about how I can be better at what I've been gifted with. I definitely recommend this book and hope that you'll take away the same challenge yet encouragement from it as I did.

-D

*These opinions are my own. No one contacted me about writing this review.

The Red Badge of Courage [Book Review]

One of the things I want to do on this blog is provide occasional book reviews. If I read a good book, I'll let you know about it and what I think of it. The most recent book I've read is Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage (Amazon Kindle link).


I read this book in high school, but that was 10th or 11th grade, and I'm not entirely sure I actually read the whole book or read part of the book and the rest through Sparknotes. (I'm sure my teachers would be thrilled to read that.)


Without giving away too much of the plot, the story centers on the youthful Henry and his experience on a regiment in the Civil War. The battle is centered more on Henry's internal struggle rather than the external struggle of the war. Will Henry be able to calm his inner self and help his fellow soldiers win the day?


I enjoyed reading the book. I am not a Civil War enthusiast by any means, but based on my own imagination the book resembled what I thought the war would have been like. One of the things I noticed right away in the book is Crane's description of the soldiers. He seldom uses real names but instead refers to them as "the youth" or "the loud solider," as if they were known more by their personality than their names. The descriptions of nature and the battle surroundings use colors, often with detail, especially toward the end of the novel. While Crane was born after the Civil War and had no experience as a soldier, to me, he captured much of what had to be running through young men's minds before, during, and after battle. Crane also incorporated local dialects into the novel, which took a little getting used to but made the story that much more realistic. While the story focuses primarily on Henry's inner struggles, the interactions between soldiers as well as the commanding officers stood out to me - interactions you would certainly expect from soldiers, while the officers have a sense of arrogance toward the soldiers, at least that's what I gathered. The book is a quick read and will keep you interested throughout.

As I said earlier, I do not remember whether I actually read the whole book in high school. Now I can officially say I did in fact read the entire book, and best of all, there is no test to take or essay to write. I definitely like this book, and with it being free for the Amazon Kindle, there's really no reason not to read it...

But you don't have to take my word for it. Thanks for stopping by!

-D