I missed posting my reading list for May and now is as good a time as any to catch up.
May:
Surprised by Joy - C. S. Lewis
Gulliver’s Travels - Jonathan Swift
Prince Caspian - C. S. Lewis
The Maltese Falcon - Dashiel Hammett
Good to Great and the Social Sectors - Jim Collins
June:
Manalive - G. K. Chesterton
Good to Great - Jim Collins
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt - Edmund Morris
Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert Kiyosaki
The Island of Doctor Moreau - H. G. Wells
True Believer - Nicholas Sparks
In comparison to the consistent 15 books per month of January through April it’s been pretty dismal going. July is shaping up to be a little better but we’ll see how it goes.
Is the Good to Great: Social Sectors addition worth picking up and reading? That was the addition that I was commenting about when we were in Hawaii. How they were trying to sell the additional chapter for the same price of the entirety of the book.
Also, what do you think of Rich Dad, Poor Dad? My Dad and Bob have both read it and they seemed to have liked it a lot. I think Bob mentioned it as one of the more influential books that he’s read.
Mm.. I’ve been rather lax in updating my book list… Then again… I don’t have as much to update either… I’m thinking I need to reestablish my reading habit. My book a week project didn’t quite fly but perhaps I can start with a book every two weeks.
I have heard really good things about Chesterton, but have not had a chance to read anything yet. I am in between books now, so I may see if I can find one floating around my family’s collection of books.
@Trebonte: I’ve read Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I liked it, but I feel like that it was more of an inspirational kind of book, rather that a good guide of how to do things. If you are already motivated to manage your finances, I’d look other places.
@Rabenstrange: Every time I see your lists, it motivates me to read more. Maybe I can hook up my Zune to my car stero, so I can listen to E books while I deliver pizzas haha.
You have quite a nice variety of authors here. I’ll have to look into some of these books.
I have read Rich Dad, Poor Dad. It was required reading for our boys before graduation. I like the principles he teaches. If I could assign another author that covers finances, budgeting - good money management for my boys (since they have graduated we are at “suggestion” rather than assignment and I can’t get them motivated to read right now) it would be Dave Ramsey. I actually used the same principles he teaches years ago before I ever heard of him, and they work. I was a single Mom with all the marriage debt after a divorce, student loans and only $800 take home pay each month. It was very tight and tough, but I was able to pay off all my debt this way.
We haven’t followed this path since then and 10 years into my marriage now, we are back on track with our mindset and focus and are following the steps that Dave teaches. He put a name and system into place that I know works, so again I (and my husband) will be debt free within a couple years and will remain so.
Oops, didn’t mean to give a book report of sorts. Got off track but…that’s how my mind works, especially when it is late and I am tired. ;)
Pam in Colorados last blog post..A Sense of Freedom
@ Trebonte: Good to Great and the Social Sectors was good but not worth paying $15. Pretty much it is an explanation of how to use the Good to Great principals in a non-profit organization, such as a church, public school or charity. It’s available from the library.
@ Danika: To quote Nike, “Just do it!”
@ Trebonte, Tage and Pam in CO: I think Kiyosaki is more than just inspirational fluff. His model of building a set of “assets” which make money without your attention is a very different than the usual scrimp and save path that is usually taught. He also places a very strong emphasis on building financial knowledge to allow savvy investment in high-risk, high-gain enterprises. That said the book could be condensed to about 40 pages without losing much meat. I see Dave Ramsey to be a champion of the scrimp and save method. He is of the, “You don’t have to know much if you hold to a couple of the right principles you’ll become wealthy eventually.” opinion. I think both strategies are valid they just take radically different paths and time frames to build to wealth.
All of this discussion naturally brings up the question: Should a Christian make wealth a major life goal? In my opinion, probably not.