"Beyond the Bear" by Dan Bigley and Debra McKinney

Beyond the Bear by Dan Bigley and Debra McKinney tells the true story of how Dan was mauled by a bear and survived. To his credit, he worked hard and was able to make something of his life again, even though he had lost his sight. I enjoyed the stories he told of his re-habilitation and of his help that he received from friends. God bless you, Dan, and your family!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Brain On Fire--My Month of Madness" by Susannah Cahalan GIVEAWAY (Updated)

Here's a non-fiction Must Read!

UPDATED 2/20/13:
Brain On Fire--My Month Of Madness by Susannah Cahalan is her true story about how a rare, mysterious disease almost took her life.  It is a contemporary medical thriller and very scary because it really happened!  It was only because her parents and boyfriend persevered at getting her the help she needed that she survived.  I felt sorry for her and her family as I read her account.  It's really scary that one of the best neurologists in the country just thought she was a drunk having withdrawal symptoms and never even heard of anti-NMDA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis which is what she was finally diagnosed with and treated for. 

This is a fascinating read and I was glad that this journalist recovered enough to write this book about her experience.  The key lesson is to get a second opinion!  I found it interesting for the most part but she lost me when she tried explaining the medical details of how the immune system actually attacks the brain.
(Karen's review, rating 4 stars)

Brain On Fire--My Month Of Madness by Susannah Cahalan is the true story of Susannah who started to have medical problems.  She was misdiagnosed so often that one day she woke up in a hospital and didn't know how she got there.  Wow, what a great read!  

This is a page turner for sure with lots of "wow" factors for me.  The biggest wow is that I got this one to review for free--it's a must read!  I highly recommend it.  I'm so glad you are all better now, Susannah.  Thanks for telling your story and God bless!

(Gerard's review, rating 5++ stars)

We received this book free to review but that did not affect our reviews in any way.  


If you would like this book and live in the USA, just be the first to say so in a comment on this post including your email address so we can contact you for your mailing address.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Buddy (How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man)" by Brian McGrory

Buddy (How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man) by Brian McGrory is a really good true story of a man who comes into a family that includes his wife, two young girls, a dog, and a rooster! This is a family book. Kids would enjoy reading it as well as parents. Brian, who tells the story, learns about life from his dog and the rooster. I LOVED it!
(Gerard's review, 5+)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Into The Fire" by Dakota Meyer and Bing West is Amazing!

Gerard loved this one--his first audio book!

Into the Fire is a Firsthand account of the most extraordinary battle in the Afghan War by Medal of Honor recipient, Dakota Meyer and Bing West (New York Times Bestselling Author). This is an audio book read by Zach Mclarty. What an amazing true story it is! Dakota Meyer is a true hero. This book tells the story of the battle at Genuisal. This is what war is really all about. I was able to get the audio book and liked listening to it in the car. I think I got more out of it than if I read the book. Either way, please take time to read or listen to this account and thank our armed forces that are still fighting. Mr. Meyer, thank you for your service.
(Gerard's review, rating 5+++ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"No Easy Day" by Mark Owen with Kevin Maurer

No Easy Day--The Autobiography of a Navy Seal by Mark Owen is the true story of the killing of Osama Bin Laden and what a riveting tale it is! I got it done in just two days. Seal Team Six is awesome! I was impressed with all the training they go through. The last part about the operation that got Bin Laden is really something to read! Seal Team Six, I thank you for your service and God bless!
(Gerard's review, rating 5++ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"January First" by Michael Schofield (UPDATED)

Gerard's Favorite of the Month, possible the year!

January First by Michael Schofield tells the true and ongoing story of Janni Schofield who has Schizophrenia. It is told by her dad, Michael. This is a fantastic read! You talk about a page turner—I really had a hard time putting this down. You will not read many books like this! Good luck, Janni, I'm praying for you and your family. This is a must read!
(Gerard's review, rating 5++ stars)

January First by Michael Schofield is the true story of his daughter’s descent into madness and his struggle to save her.  At just three years old, his daughter, Janni had hallucinations and symptoms of Schizophrenia, although it took several years for the official diagnosis.  He shares his heart-wrenching story of how he and his wife were actually afraid of their sweet little girl because of her violent outbursts.  She would hit her parents, her dog and often tried to hit her younger brother.  Reading this, I felt sorry for Janni, her parents, her teachers and her brother.  It is a very sad story of a family who fought so hard to be a normal family, but couldn’t.  The husband and wife both love Janni very much but often found themselves disagreeing as to how best to help her.  Fortunately, it seems they found some hope at the end of the tunnel.  If you want to read an inspiring story of parents who don’t give up through difficult times, I recommend this book to you.   Wow!
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"That's Why I'm Here--The Chris and Stephanie Spielman Story"

That's Why I'm Here--The Chris and Stefanie Spielman Story by Chris Spielman with Bruce Hooley details the story of how Chris dealt with his wife's cancer. The part of the book that focuses on Stephanie's battle was very captivating but the first half about football I mostly knew already. Stephanie was some woman! Thanks for telling her story, Chris. God's blessing to you and your children always.
(Gerard's review)


Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Cat Daddy" by Jackson Galaxy

His cat Benny looks like Spunky Doodle so Spunky liked it.

Cat Daddy--What the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me about Life, Love, and Coming Clean by Jackson Galaxy was both eye-opening and disappointing to me. It is about Jackson Galaxy more than it is about cats, although it does have some suggestions for relating to cats and has a touching story about the cat he rescued, Benny. Jackson is a cat consultant who seeks to help people solve problems they have with their cats instead of having them euthanized. I was surprised to learn about all of Jackson's addictions. I thought it would be more like his TV show, “My Cat From Hell,” telling about the different cat owners he consulted with about their cats but it's not that at all.  The bad language in this book really was a turn off for me.
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during June and July to The Wounded Warrior Project which helps wounded warriors and their families returning from current conflicts.

"Don't Put Me In, Coach" by Mark Titus

Mark was a walk-on player who played the whole four years at Ohio State.  He only got to play at the end of games if at all for those four years.  What he is though, is a very funny guy!  He gives the reader insights on behind the scene stuff that fans don't get to see.  I enjoyed this book a lot because it made me laugh!  Go Bucks!
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during March to the American Cancer Society.

"Through My Eyes" by Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker

A book for Football Lovers

I enjoyed the first half of Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow about his background. I learned that he was homeschooled and didn't know that homeschoolers could still play on school teams, but he did. I liked reading about his training and his work ethic. He has two older brothers and lived on a farm. About halfway through the book though, he goes into specific games and gives a play-by-play narrative which I found boring after awhile and quit reading it to move to something more interesting. I suppose if you are really into the nuts and bolts of football, you would enjoy it. I expected to read more about his off the field experiences, but there was only a little about that.
(Karen's review 2/8/12)

I knew about Tim Tebow, the football player. Now after reading Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow, I feel I know about the person. I enjoyed this book some; really liked the parts when he told about growing up and sharing his faith in God, which he is very strong about doing. I enjoyed his family stories and his thoughts on football and game situations. The only drawback was the game-to-game stuff in his college career was kind of boring, but overall, a pretty good read.
(Gerard's review 7/10/11)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Leading With The Heart" by Mike Krzyzewski

I read Leading With The Heart--Coach K's Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life by Mike Krzyzewski last year but with him being breaking coach Bobby Knight's record of winning the most College basketball games this week, I thought it would be appropriate to repost this.

This is a helpful book about coaching but many of the principles and tips he shares could also apply to business and teaching.  Every coach should read this one because there are so many practical tips that Mike shares and solid principles to follow.  After each chapter is a summary of the main points.  Mike shares from his experiences to illustrate his points in a very interesting way. 

Some key points on coaching that stood out to me from Leading With The Heart--Coach K's Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life by Mike Krzyzewski (Duke's head basketball coach):

1.  Recruit players with character who respect their parents, willing to be part of the team and are coachable.

2.   Do not have a bunch of rules that limit you, it's better to just have one rule:  "Don't do anything detrimental to yourself."

3.    Use plural pronoun's such as "our," "we," "us" so it's the player's team and not just the coach's. 

4.    Always look your players in the eye and tell the truth.

5.    Share the goals with the players.

6.    Lead with confidence, show your players what they need to see.

7.    Imagine the loose ball you're chasing has your name on it.  It belongs to you.

8.     Stress honor in all things.

9.      Set goals that revolve around playing together as a team, never the number of wins.  Define your own success.

10.    Five fundamental qualities that make a team great:  communication, trust, collective responsibility, caring and pride.

11.    Win or lose together--don't play the blame game.

12.    Address the little things you may encounter in a real situation.

13.    Be positive about all things that happen to the team.  Look at nothing in the past as failure.  Learn from every game.

14.    Plan but be flexible.

15.    Believe you can win, but don't assume you can.

16.    Always respect your competition.

17.    Set up some team traditions.

18.    Maintain a good sense of humor--having fun reduces pressure.

19.    Show strength, hide weakness.

20.    The only way you lose is if you don't try your best.

21.    When people achieve something that they've really worked hard for, it makes them feel great, superb, wonderful.

22.    You have to work at staying in contact with your friends so that the relationships will continue and live on.

23.    If something isn't working, try something new and different.  Never give up, find a way to win.

24.    Spend time with your players outside of practices and games to get to know them and become friends.

25.    At the end of each season, thank the team for their hard work.

I really got a lot out of this book--it was great!
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"I Am in Here" by Elizabeth Bonker and Virginia Breen

What a book I Am In Here by Elizabeth Bonker and Virginia Breen is!  I really liked it.  It is about the journey of a child with Autism who cannot speak but finds her voice through writing poetry.  It is written by Elizabeth and her mother.  I loved that Elizabeth shares what is going on in her head.  Here is one of Elizabeth's poems she wrote at age 9 from page 43:

Live and Let Live

Am I on display?

Why do they look at me that way?

I want to say

I am okay.

Sometimes I do things you may wonder about.

Just let me be and don't try to figure it out.

If this book doesn't tug at your heart strings, I'll be surprised. 
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't) by Betty White

If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't) is a quick, fun, light read about Betty White.  What impressed me most is that she is 89 years old when she wrote it!  She is in good health and still has passion and enthusiasm.  I enjoyed reading about her career, her pets, and her love for life and felt like old age doesn't have to be bad after reading this.  It's uplifting.  She has a great attitude as this quote from the first page indicates:

However, if one is lucky enough to be blessed with good health, growing older shouldn't be something to complain about.  It's not a surprise, we knew it was coming--make the most of it.

I was also surprised to find out she has quite a collection of stuffed animals.  We have stuffed animals all over our house; hers were in one room.  I loved that she turned down roles that went against what she believed in or that she did not find funny.

I knew she was an animal lover and liked her in The Mary Tyler Moore show as the "Happy Homemaker" and in  The Golden Girls TV show too; consequently, I was eager to read this book and was not disappointed.  Her humor comes through. 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Growing Up Colt" by Colt and Brad McCoy

I am a Cleveland Browns fan so when I heard our Quarterback is a Christian and wrote a book about his life, I wanted to read it. I was surprised to find that his dad wrote some of it as well. This was an interesting read because Colt and his dad share very personal experiences from Colt's childhood and also how his training growing up helped him to become the leader and the role model that he is today. Brad, his dad, shared four main principles of parenting while balancing discipline and love:


 1. Prepare the kid for the path, not the path for the kid.
2. Prepare your children to do their best.
3. Prepare your children to be leaders.
4. Prepare your children for open and closed doors.

I also thought the lessons Colt said he learned were very good, such as always finish what you start, treat everyone with respect, listen to advice from those more experienced than you and relax because "the hay is in the barn."  He used this phrase in his first NFL start as a Cleveland Brown and the guys asked him what it meant.  It means they practiced and put in the work, so now they can relax and go out and play.  (He grew up on a farm in Texas.)

It was nice to read about someone who walks with God and didn't make a lot of bad choices that messed up their life. I think the book balances his childhood training, football games, and his walk with the Lord well. I enjoyed learning so much about Colt through this book. He's definitely a leader with character and I am happy he is our Quarterback! I recommend it to parents, all Browns fans and anyone who is interested in football.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Dugard

Thanks to the Best of 2011 Blog Hop over at "A Pause on the Path," I discovered that this is our most viewed post of 2011 with 106.

As I read A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a novel but it actually happened. It's a remarkable story of how Jaycee was kidnapped and lived in a backyard shack for 18 years. It will have you turning pages quickly because it is riveting. Thanks for telling your story so well, Jaycee! Hope your daughters and you can enjoy a normal life. I'm glad you finally have a dog too!
(Gerard's review)

After seeing the news story about Jaycee Dugard being kidnapped at age 11 and held captive for 18 years, I wasn't sure I wanted to read her book, A Stolen Life, because the abductor was such a slimeball but I am glad I did.  This is a fascinating book. I was pleasantly surprised that although she did not have freedom, she was not tortured too much. She cooperated so he would not get mad and so she could survive. It did surprise me though that she didn’t even think about ways to escape. I was so happy that she had kittens and a bird to keep her company. Phillip raped her and she became a 14-yr.-old mother of a healthy baby girl and had another later too. These girls brightened her life. This is a heartbreaking story while she was in captivity, but fortunately it has a happy ending.
(Karen's Review)

Here is a video that summarizes what she went through.  After we saw the show, we wanted to read her book!





Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Nobody Don't Love Nobody" by Stacey Bess

I loved the movie "Beyond the Blackboard" which is based on Nobody Don't Love Nobody--Lessons on Love from the School With No Name by Stacey Bess, a teacher who taught homeless children at a family shelter, a school with no name. She shares about her experience and her love for the students.  Not only did she teach them, but they taught her as well about love and what it is like being homeless.  This book gives insight into the effects homelessness has on children and challenges the reader to get involved and take action to show love to others and make the world a better place.  Stacey Bess was put in a unique teaching situation and rose to the challenge.

Here is a quote that I think sums up her whole point of the book from page 96:

But we can't impose our own goals, wishes, or help on anyone. We can only teach, support, and love. We give them more opportunities, more choices. Then we love them regardless of the choices they make, hoping that they will learn to make better ones in the future.

I think any teacher would find this book inspiring and anyone who has compassion for the homeless would certainly find this interesting.  I liked the movie better though than the book, but the book is good too.  At the end of the book, she has an extensive list of different ideas on how people can get more involved by serving others. 
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"History Of A Suicide--My Sister's Unfinished Life" by Jill Bialosky

History Of A Suicide—My Sister's Unfinished Life by Jill Bialosky tells the story of how Jill is dealing with the suicide of her sister, Kim. It's a lot more than that though. It also tells of Jill's own struggles of having two children die during childbirth and of their mom who blames herself and refuses to visit Kim's grave site.

Jill goes to support groups and I found it interesting to read how different families handle the after math of suicides that touched them. Finally, Jill recalls Kim's life and what may have led up to her killing herself.

By no means is this an enjoyable read, but a fascinating story well told.
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Unplanned" by Abby Johnson with Cindy Lambert

You have to read Unplanned by Abby Johnson because it's just so good! It's the true story of Abby, who was a leader of a Planned Parenthood chapter. One day she had to see the actual abortion, and that changed her whole life from then on. The story is amazing! A coalition For Life was praying right next door and she went to join them. But the part I really enjoyed in this book is her relationship with God! She shares how God can use anyone to spread His word and Abby praying is so good! I got chills reading about it.

This is a powerful book that you will not want to put down. Abby, if you are reading this, thanks for sharing and God bless your husband, daughter and you. You wrote a fantastic book!

 
Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"56--Joe DiMaggio And The Last Magic Number In Sports" by Kostya Kennedy

As a rule, I do not read a lot of sports books because I find most of them to be boring. However, Joe DiMaggio by Kostya Kennedy covers the 56-game hitting streak of Joe DiMaggio but it's more than just a game-by-game recap. The author really sets the scene of life in 1941. I enjoyed this book a lot! It took me just two days to read it. Even though I hate the Yankees, I loved 56—Joe DiMaggio And The Last Magic Number In Sports. If you are a baseball fan, I think you will love this one too!
(Gerard's review)
Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

"Rebel With A Cause" by Franklin Graham

Rebel With A Cause is the autobiography of Franklin Graham, son of the famous evangelist, Billy Graham. It can be a real encouragement to anyone who has some wayward kids. Franklin Graham was a rebellious teenager and did not want to be a preacher or a missionary. In the book he tells how God kept on working in his life and how God prepared him and led him to take over overseeing the Samaritan’s Purse ministry. He was both reckless and cocky growing up, but he surrendered his life to Christ and God used him to help people in great need and further His kingdom.

A couple principles he shared that I thought were helpful were these:

(1) Always leave “God room.” God room refers to the gap between what your resources are and what the need is. True faith is when you promise more than you can deliver, but trust God to provide the rest.

(2) Don’t beg for money. This is a principle that Franklin Graham used in running Samaritan’s Purse. His plan was to present the facts. Let people know the need, and then back off and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. He gives practical examples over and over throughout the book that shows this principle works.

Franklin’s life was quite an adventure! It was through this book that I first became familiar with Samaritan’s Purse. I look forward each Christmas to support Operation Christmas Child which is just one of the Samaritan’s Purse projects.  This organization is often among the first to get relief to disaster areas worldwide. 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?
During April we will donated 50 cents for each legitimate comment on any of our blogs ($161) to Samaritan's Purse to provide relief to Japan.  During May, our charity is The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs listed on our sidebar!