"Inefficiency is the best part of who we are.
586435
This was a much different book than I expected it to be and different from other TEOTWAWKI books. I expected the pandemic. That was apparent in the synopsis of the book. But the way the pandemic came to be, coming from fungal growths, made this a too real feeling scenario.

The storyline starts in the deep jungles of the Amazon with Paul Johns, a mycologist (he studies fungi for a living), travels all the way to NSA Headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland, and wanders back to Brazil and even to New Mexico.

Neil Johns is Paul Johns' brother. His dream has always been to work for the NSA, like their father did until struck by Alzheimer's disease. He's quirky and smart and a great character in this story. The info about the NSA and their facility was mind boggling.

What do you do when you're infected with spores that make you very much smarter - but also guide your actions and reactions? Not everyone thinks this is a bad thing.

I enjoyed this book. Some parts were a bit too scientific for me but I liked the overall story nonetheless.

I received this book from Pyr Books through Edelweiss in exchange for my unbiased review.
2115570
It is at once evident that Mr. Levin is, first and foremost, an American patriot in the mold of those who founded our Nation.

Next in importance is his stature as a scholar of our Constitution, our founding documents, the intellectual influences of the Founders, and the history of the founding of this country.  His knowledge of these subjects is encyclopedic, and his passion for the study of our history is unbounded.

But the most important aspect of this work is its readability, its accessibility.  No pointy-headed academic ramblings for Mr. Levin.  He speaks directly and simply.  Simplicity in communication may look easy, but it is the product of elaborate thought, of crafting, of writing and re-writing.  This is the true power of this book.  Only the most intellectually impoverished reader could fail to understand this, so elegantly and clearly written is this work, even as only the most intellectually powerful thinker of our age could have written it.

Levin constructs arguments that are powerful in their simplicity, leading a careful reader to the inescapable conclusion that, in our current climate of "change", in which we interpret the Constitution through the lens of the radical revolutionaries who currently inhabit Washington, we stand at risk to lose everything for which our generation and our forebears have worked, fought, and, yes, died.

Even acquaintances who were swept up in the "Hope and Change", whose antipathy toward Bush and the wars motivated them to vote for the extremists who now run our country, have confided to me that they are suffering the beginnings of "buyers' remorse".  While I do enthusiastically recommend the book to people who, like me, saw the danger in Obama's promises early in his campaign, it seems even more imperative to me to respectfully urge the disaffected to read and understand what Mr. Levin has written.

We may have one last chance to continue the experiment that was the America of my birth.  I hope so.

The alternative is to join the crowd of second rate European nations and to try to find a new superpower to resent the way failed socialist societies have always resented our Nation.
1543792
Good insight into the inefficiency and, not surprisingly, downright callous and vindictive actions of some of the federal bureaucracy. A real testament to the need for real immigration reform that supports and encourages legal immigration rather than ignoring all those who are in America illegally. Worth reading. I have known personally good families who have had similar experiences and ultimately returned to their home country because of it.
920073
Dr. Peale's ability to put a lot of valid, life-changing material in a small book is demonstrated eloquently in this work. He wastes no words in getting straight to the point of how to improve your life. The first attitude he addresses is to approach problems from the proper persepctive, i.e., not from the mindset of a victim, but of an overcomer! Problems are temporary. They help mold character.
We're reminded of ultimate reality as Dr. Peale writes, "in the last analysis, only the God-directed life can attain true and basic success." The work ethic is stressed also. These truths are doable, time-tested, and not bound by any culture. They work if you work them.
3089755
When we understand the size and clumsiness of our institutions, when we evaluate the inadequacies of our appointed and elected officials, when we understand the compromises of our political system and our desire to make everyone happy, blame no one, only then do we realize that we are doomed to failure.

God help us.
3573397
Those of us who are senior adults have decidedly experienced the worst of times and the best of times in terms of race relations in our world.  How grateful I am for the progress we have made and hopeful that we will one day all view one another as equals.
2455427
This extraordinary tale of success of a low-born man, honestly and against all obstacles, to me reflects how we understand the modern United States to have been created.  Mr. Wu built his business on straight-dealing and hard work.  His story might be rare, but its the example that we'd all like to follow.  In particular, the way in which he adapted Western business practices to the local culture should be read by every entrepeneur looking for ethical profit.  The first person narrative reveals the humility and humour of a truly great man.
2520839
I had the privilege of reading and reviewing the book Whats Best Next by Matt Perman. It is a book about productivity and keeping the Gospel centered in the desire to be more productive. If there was ever a point in my life that I needed to be more productive, it is now.

The author does a good job of keeping the Gospel the center of his message, as it should be of any Christian. In light of this, he also makes it a point to go after some of the thinking of many schools of thought and proving that efficiency is not always the same as productivity as well as other myths we have been taught.

I would recommend this review to anyone looking to accomplish more meaningful things in their life despite having the same amount of time as anyone else. We all have the same twenty-four hour period in a day and yet some people are able to live a life that they leave a legacy that continues on for generations. They do that by focusing on the things that matter.

The constant battle to do more is one that will never be satisfied without the Gospel of Jesus. When we frame our view and idea for a productive life around that truth, our ability to perform better increases.

I would recommend this book to anyone who lives a busy life, which is all of us. It does not matter if you are in the business world, pastoring a church, or managing a household, we all need to strive to increase and rethink our view of productivity. On a scale of one to five, I would give this book four out of five. The only reason it is not a five is because the writing gets a little dry and overdone at times, though, I expected that due to the nature of the book.

I received this book for free from BookLookBloggers in exchange for this open and honest review.
3050722
there are all these little adjustments we can make that add up - adjustments to what we eat, adjustments to the way we organize our home, adjustments to the way we move through the world. the thing dan buettner brings to the conversation is that there are lots of little, easy ways to improve in all of these areas.  we add a vegetable to our diet. we make daily routines around the house incrementally, unnoticeably healthier. as we navigate the world at large there are a hundred small choices that make us one better.

the power of approaching is a little like looking at my credit card bill. i see all these little charges - which seem fine - then i look at the grand total - and it seems crazy high. so imagine that with a few hundred new calories burnt (or left on the table) every day. you might think - "its just two hundred calories. who cares?" but thats 1000 calories a week. thats 50,000+ a year. thats real. and it's done in increments so small that the change itself is effortless.

the writing itself is engaging, with generous portions of stories about colorful characters (usually older) attacking life with verve and panache and joy. buettner lifts these energetically-told anecdotes into the realm of actual, verifiable, transferable-into-my-life science. this book is, after all, published by national geographic.

i will give this book to my dad - who is 75 - and i will give this book to my younger cousin - who is 25. based on the stories in this book, based on the very real science in this book, based on the people in this book who are the longest living people on the planet, i will give the people in my life, people i love, a tool to stick around a little bit longer.
2587893
Learning how to live with others helps us to see ourselves as we really are, without any blinders.
4810965
This book effectively dispels the myth that success depends entirely on hard work.  We are all the products of our environment, particularly the opportunities given or withheld.
922710
In "Equality and Efficiency: The Big Tradeoff" Arthur Okun explains why both the state and the market is needed for an equitable and efficient society.

The First three chapters follow in the vein of John Locke's "Second Treatise on Government" and Milton Friedman's "Capitalism and Freedom".  The fourth chapter explains the famous "leaky bucket" analogy that so many professors like.  Given the current situation of our country the elimination of poverty is within our grasp.

Okun has two central themes:
1. The Market needs a place
2. The market needs to be kept in it's place.

"Equality and Efficiency" is a short and worthwhile read for anyone interested in economics or politics.
4003617
"Few human beings, if any, can ignore kindness. Something in our makeup seeks it and appreciates it. The people we admire most seem to be kind and thoughtful most of the time." ~Roger Fritz

Do you think Humble people lack confidence or are weak people with a loser attitude? Well, it turns out that many people equate humility with weakness. If you are suspicious of self-centered people and want to read about people who have their egos under control, then you will enjoy Dr. Roger Fritz' enlightening book about why the absence of pride can make a person a better leader. There are 10 interesting chapters:

Why Arrogance Is Vulnerable
Loyalty Works Both Ways
The Upside of Defeat
When Pride Goes Too Far
How to Identify Pretenders
Quiet Dignity
Random Acts of Kindness
Defining Moments
No Need to Get Even
Why Egotists are Lonely

The author discusses how arrogant people are short sighted and are therefore vulnerable to downfall because they don't acknowledge their weakness or gain support from others.

"We look for those who do not push us aside as they chase their own ambitions and vanity." ~Robert Fritz

Throughout this excellent book, you will find a common sense approach, collectible quotes and insight into the qualities of a good leader. It was interesting to learn about how the strongest people don't need constant praise to excel. You can take the SQ test to find out how selfish you are (it is funny) and then explore why humble people prefer to be an example for others to follow.

Some of the quotes I enjoyed:

Positive People do not follow Negative People
Failure is a prelude to winning
Today there is a circumstance but tomorrow there is only what I made of it.

Dr. Fritz has written 44 books and his work has been distributed in 35 countries and languages. His work encourages you to strive to be a better person and to face your faults head on in an amusing way.

You may also be interested in:

100 Ways to Bring Out Your Best
Building Your Legacy
Little Things Big Results
Magnet People
Bounce Back and Win
Fast Track: How to Gain and Keep Momentum

~The Rebecca Review
2365489
Reading "It's Being Done," made me want to cheer. Chenoweth documents well the success that "unexpected" schools around the country are achieving in their quest to educate the least advantaged children and close the achievement gap. Every school profiled benefited from a dynamic principal, a committed staff, and high expectations for ALL students. This book is inspiring.
3883612
This powerful book is a classic because it provides the key to peak performance.  Other self-improvement books are based on suboptimal thinking...but suboptimal thinking is the basis of suboptimal performance.  We compromise our best self and settle for second best with suboptimal thinking.  Optimal Thinking has given me peace of mind and the ability to make the most of life.  Read this book and give it to everyone you know.
697757
Subconciously or even intellectually we know this rule (less but better) or its derivatives such as 80/20 rule, but in a world in which we are expected to achieve more and more we are unable to live according to it. As new opportunities emerge we cannot resign from them and as a result as Mr Keown aptly puts it  we achieve a millimetre of progress in a million directions instead of accomplishing the most important goal(s)..
Mr McKeown explains, that we must
- determine our highest point of contribution and eliminate all that is non-essential
- understand that almost everything is non-essential  (the chapter is rightly entitled the unimportance of practically everything).
- reject even some good opportunites to focus on the best ones
- use the extreme criteria
- set boundaries
- start small
and much, much more 
For me the seemingly simple idea of rejecting even some good opportunities is very powerful (we all know that one must reject bad offers, but to understand that good or even very good opportunities should also be rejected  - if their acceptance could jeopardize the achievement of the most important goals  is not so obvious..). He also writes about the paradox of success  we have clarity of purpose, and as a result we have success, but then more options/opportunities emerge and we become distracted and (might) fail.
There is great wisdom in this book (many ideas are very powerful). I also appreciate that  this book is written in the Essentialist style it recommends  each chapter is short, ideas presented in a concise manner, examples are suitable (I especially liked the examples from lives of Mr Stephen Covey and Mr Peter Drucker  not what they said/wrote but how they responded in real life).
As I wrote this book is a must-read.
3890058
This is a well-written quick read that allows overachievers the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of success, especially when one just can't seem to "achieve" enough.  If you spend time doing the activities at the end of the chapter, you will find 'genius' in how this all ties together and how you can begin to live from abundance through generosity rather than living in scarcity in trying to achieve the next goal.