Book Review: In a Heartbeat by Leigh Anne & Sean Tuohy

Wow. That's my review. Wow. I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down. If you saw the movie The Blind Side or read the book by the same title by Michael Lewis, you may think you know the Tuohy family. You don't. This book is written by the couple about their family. Yes, it's also about their adoption of Michael Oher. But it's so much more than that.

This is a book about giving. It's a book about giving small that turns into giving big. It's a book about looking at the people right in front of us, recognizing their needs, and choosing to do something to help them. It's about making generosity a part of our life day-to-day. It's about a family that is not perfect, far from it. But, it's a family that recognizes how blessed they are and a family that is determined to use those blessings to bless others.

The thing that I admired most about this book was their willingness to put themselves out there. Warts and all. Character flaws and all. Imperfections and all. It's the kind of book that makes you look at yourself and realize "I can make a difference too!"

I highly recommend this book. If you do read it, I'd enjoy hearing your comments.

Book Review: Theodore Boone, kid lawyer by John Grisham

John Grisham's newest thriller written for the 8-12 year old reader is excellent. Of course, I haven't read a young adult book since high school, so it was hard for me to judge its possible popularity with that demographic.

The story was riveting and it seems to me that Mr. Grisham definitely left it open for more installments about this character. The plot was good, as in most of his books, and the only difference that was readily detectable to me was the decrease in sophistication of the characters. They were likable, and I did feel as if I "knew" them, but he did not go into as much detail in developing the characters.

All in all, it was a great book. John Grisham is one of the most versatile authors of this time. I have read every book he's written, and highly recommend this book, even to an adult audience.

book review: One Simple Act by Debbie Macomber

One Simple Act (Discovering the Power of Generosity) by Debbie Macomber

Debbie Macomber is one of my favorite authors. I seldom read fiction and even more rarely read fiction written by a female. She is the exception to the rule. Her books are entertaining and very easy to read.

In this, her second non-fiction work, she discusses the power of generosity and the characteristics necessary to become generous:

Leap from the springboard of gratitude

Participate in the mystery of sharing

Perform acts of encouragement

Develop the habit of good deeds

Expand the impact of forgiveness

Release the power of believing the best

Experience the bounty of open-handed giving

Practice the art of listening

Celebrate the privilege of inspring hope

Share the spirit of Christmas

Bestow the gift of caregiving

Donate the bounty of time

Present the offering of prayer

Enjoy the sharing of faith stories

Cultivate the heart of service

Give God the last word in how you invest your life

There are many scripture references throughout the book. Each chapter also ends with "Simple Acts of..."; practical examples of how to practice that chapter's theme.

This book was encouraging in that I found out that I do practice some generosity in my life. It was inspirational in that it gave me many more ideas of how to be generous... every day.

This is a very easy read and will leave you inspired to reach out to others in a variety of ways that can fit into even the busiest lifestyle.

You can find "One Simple Act" at Costco, Sam's Club, the Christian inspiration section at Barnes & Noble or Borders, or at your local Christan Bookstore.

book review

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis

When we went to see the movie, The Blind Side, the first thing I said as the lights were coming up was, "I have to read this book." So first, a disclaimer, I have never seen a movie based on a book that is better than the book and this is no exception.

When I bought The Blind Side, I thought I was buying a book about the life of Michael Oher. Was I wrong! The movie focuses on Michael Oher's life with the Tuohy family, but the book's focus is more broad. This book tells the story of a remarkable young man who overcomes a severly disadvantaged childhood, the generous family that sets out to help him and comes to love him, and the changes in football strategy that led to the importance of the left tackle position. All of these elements converge in The Blind Side to tell a story of hope.

I have to be honest, there were at least three chapters in the book that I just skimmed. These chapters dealt with the changes in professional football from 1973 to the 2000s. I like football, but I'm not at all into the rules, the purpose of the positions, coaching methods, or any of that. Even though I didn't really read these chapters, I read enough to understand the impact of the evolution of football and how it contributed to making Michael Oher's story a success story.

I highly recommend this book. It drives home the point that everybody, and I mean everybody deserves a chance. For every Michael Oher that makes it out of the hell hole of poverty, there are dozens, maybe even hundreds that don't. He made it out partly because of his athletic abilities. The book makes the point that how do those with other talents ever make it out? The kids that are musically talented, the kids that are technologically gifted, the kids that could have great careers in business? Because their talents are not readily visible, they probably don't stand a chance.

It's sober reading, but it's a great story.