Robert Ludlum
From the publisher: “ The world’s two deadliest spies in the ultimate showdown....Bourne must infiltrate the Medusan group and use himself as bait to lure the cunning Jackal into a deadly trap - a trap from which only one of them will escape.”
From me: I shouldn’t really be writing about this, because 12 1/2 chapters into this 42-chapter book, I said, “You know what? I don’t really care about this. I’m only reading it so I can say that I finished the original Bourne trilogy. It’s not really adding to my life at all...not even entertainment.” So, I took it to my nearest Little Free Library and made a donation of it.
Page 56/Sentence 5: “I repeat,” said Jason.
Debbie Roth
“A downpour of childhood abuse left Debbie Roth drenched in pain and anger that hindered her relationships with others and with God. For a long time, she hid her misery, refusing to acknowledge its existence—until a fresh betrayal set change in motion. As a storm raged in her present, the dam holding back the pain of her past broke open. Try as she might, Debbie could no longer stand in the raging waters and pretend to enjoy the sun. She had to find a way to survive the flood.”
In addition to being in charge of fundraising for this self-published project, I also did the final proofreading and author consoling. I really am proud of Beloved for persevering and getting this accomplished. May it be a shining light of God’s encouragement for everyone who reads it.
56/5: That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
Steven Curtis Chapman with Ken Abraham
“For decades, SCC’s music and message have brought hope and inspiration to millions. Now, for the first time, Steven openly shares the experiences that have shaped him, his faith, his family, and his music in a life that has included incredible highs and faith-shaking lows.”
Having read his wife’s book, Choosing to See, I was interested to hear Steven’s side of the story of losing their adopted daughter to a tragic accident. I certainly got that story...well-told and emotionally wrenching...but was also treated to the story behind several of SCC’s songs and enough about his upbringing to get an idea of what makes him tick. This is recommended reading for anyone who has enjoyed Chapman’s music.
56/5: Okay, so it was actually a legitimate single followed by a multitude of overthrows and errors on the part of the opposing team that resulted in an inside-the-park home run.
Bill McLain
“Do blind people see in their dreams? Is it really true that elephants are afraid of mice? Strange questions like these were often sent to Bill McLain, the Webmaster for Xerox. Instead of ignoring them, McLain decided to answer each email he received. He soon became an online legend, attracting national attention. Now the most extraordinary questions - and his equally extraordinary responses - can be found in this irresistibly entertaining collection of weird, wacky, and wonderful trivia.”
This is one of those books that I picked up from time to time and just read a few pages of at any one sitting. It totally lives up to the publisher’s description and, even though it was published in 1999 and the author at one point even describes how to use a search engine, I found this to be really enjoyable.
56/5: They are also one half of the famous peanut butter and jelly sandwich team.
Roger von Oech
“Filled with provocative puzzles, anecdotes, exercises, metaphors, cartoons, questions, quotations, stories, and tips; this book systematically breaks through your mental blocks and unlocks your mind for creative thinking.”
The fact that the cover includes the phrase “The bestselling creativity classic - expanded and revised for the 1990s” might clue you in that I bought and read this when I was still a youth minister. The bad news is, I was laid off in June and thought this might be a good thing to read again as I broaden my job search. The good news is, it really is a wake-up call to think outside the box (without using that tired, old phrase).
56/5: Well, thousands of years ago, the ancients looked up, emphasized some of the stars, made some connections, and came up with the figure of a lion - a celestial Rorschach!
