Read the Five Virtually Exchanged Books from Five Well Read 43Thingers.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood was a very good read. It was very different than the books I normally read. The book tells the tale of Offred (Of Fred), a woman who is literately property in the scary former United States presented in this book. The book, for me, really brought thoughts of what freedom means and how important it is for us not to take life for granted.

Lamb by Christopher Moore was a very funny book. Nothing incredibly profound about it (though it borders on it once or twice), but it’s an enjoyable read. I wouldn’t recommend it to any Christians who offend easily (it really didn’t offend me, but it’s not the traditional view of Jesus I grew up with in church… and the book didn’t change my opinion about who Jesus is… it was just entertainment for me… but I could see how it could offend some people).

Globetrotter Dogma by Bruce Northam was a wonderful book. :) I finished it a while back, but due to working and building a house, I’ve been neglectful of writing entries lately (which I’m trying to do now with more frequency). The book is little bits of facts, humor, and wisdom Northam has gained over a life of traveling the world.

The book was very different from the other books in this exchange in that it wasn’t divided into chapters but rather into 100+ small, almost daily devotional sized, readings. They were all very informative, entertaining, and inspiring. I really admired the experiences Northam has had. The book is a must read for anyone who aspires to travel the world… or anyone who simply is looking for inspiration to break the mold and climb out of the rat race.

The book could easily be read in a day or two if you read it straight through. I sat down and started reading it and before I knew it, I was almost half way through. I put the book down and realized I was doing it an injustice by speeding through it. I actually started the book over and read it over a period of a few weeks, just a bit here and there giving myself time to digest it. I plan to keep the book out, actually, and continue to do the same thing from time to time.

My favorite quote from the book can be found on page 35 (at least in my copy): Luxuries are often not only dispensable, but frequently hinderances.

I finished A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson over the weekend. It was a very, very interesting book. I haven’t read a book like that in quite some time. I used to be a geology major (before going to culinary school… which is what I did before I do what I do now… but that’s another story), and it reminded me how much I love science. It was a challenging book. Very big and pact full of information. But I feel much more knowledgeable having read it. If you feel inclined, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up. Just be patient… it’s not a book you’ll blow through.

Now... I’m on to book three: Globetrotter Dogma by Bruce Northam. This book is a very different kind of book than the others on the list. It’s more inspirational (instead of being a story or informational). It’s 100 canons about enjoying travel (and life) that Northam has came up with during his many, many travels. It’s a small book (in number of pages and in page size), so it shouldn’t take too long to read it. I’m about 1/3 of the way through it already. So far it’s been very enjoyable.

...four to go!

I just finished The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. I can’t not stress how wonderful this book was! I am so glad that I got a chance to read it. If you get a chance, pick this one up. It really makes you think and is very uplifting.

And now… time to start A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. This is a big book and non-fiction… so it might take a bit to read it, but I’m looking forward to it a lot. I think it will be a very rewarding read.

I have all the books now, and I’ve started the first book (about half done with the Power of One). Good stuff (and a good book). :)

No, I’m not talking about Battlestar Galactica. I’m talking about the five wonderfully diverse books that were recommended to me by other 43Thingers (at my request). I asked for five people to recommend a book to me. It could be anything other than a textbook. It also had to be a book they personally valued. It could be fiction or non-fiction. Profound or just entertaining. I made it fair, I agreed to take the first five books recommended to me requardless of who recommended it. I promised to read each of the five books before the end of 2009. In return, they agreed to read a book of my choosing before the end of 2009.

To make it fair, I’m going to read the books in the order they were recommended to me. And for privacy’s sake, I will only list the books and not who recommended them.

1. – The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
2. – A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
3. – Globetrotter Dogma by Bruce Northam
4. – Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
5. – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

The book I chose for them to read is Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. A few of the participants had already read it, so they will be reading my second choice, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

This worked out beautifully, and I really appreciate the recommendations. I can’t wait to read all of the books. They all look great. I’ll keep you posted as I read them.