Amazon.com: Mean Genes: From Sex to Money to Food: Taming Our Primal Instincts (9780142000076): Terry Burnham, Jay Phelan: Books. This is one of the stupidest books I have ever read. There is intentional ignorance in this book. Avoid it.
Amazon.com: Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated (9780061962141): Alison Arngrim: Books. This is a funny and touching book about the other side of Nellie Olsen. I hated her as a child, but I would not have if I had known her real history. Reviews of this are overwhelming positive. I would suggest this is a must read book for this year.
Amazon.com: The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness (Newly Expanded Paperback Edition) (9780805210606): Simon Wiesenthal: Books. I thought this was an interesting situation that lead one to examine the encounter more closely. I think that the most challenging thing in life is to forgive, and not everyone is ready to do that when they have the opportunity.
Amazon.com: Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being (9780375407550): Andrew Weil: Books. I thought this had some good information. It was written in 2005 and some of the information is dated, but as an introductory text on healthy living I think people can gain something from it.
Computers Audio Books, Podcasts, and Videos. If you like the Khan Academy you will enjoy Learn Out Loud. it has lots of free content, and some you can purchase as well.
I had many inspiring and helpful teachers as I was growing up. One of them suggested a book that was fairly new at the time. She said “You will probably love Seven Habits of Highly Effective people.” It changed my life.
I am sharing this now because I mentioned it yesterday in a conversation I had yesterday. Have you ever had a book or a person that you ran into and they changed who you are? It happens sometimes and inside you know that your life has been enlarged and you feel happier.
I had that same teacher tell me “You don’t always have to do something. Sometimes just being who you are is all that you should do.” I have felt often that because I have been a middle class white guy I have had more privileges than many other people. So it seems to me that those who have more than they need have an opportunity to share it with others. If you ever have the chance to give to others, it is a great feeling. I can’t imagine why people can take greater pleasure in material goods and not helping others. I have had nice material things too, but they never made me happy. Only sharing things with others made me happy.
I really believe that humans are happiest when we can give and receive. We give and receive love, and to me, respect and kindness are the first steps.
Amazon.com: Say Everything: How Blogging Began, What Its Becoming, and Why It Matters 9780307451361: Scott Rosenberg: Books. So on one hand this was an interesting book about the history of blogging. On the other, this was tedious and doesn’t give you a clear direction to go with your own blog. Worth reading.
Amazon.com: Dispatches from Blogistan: A travel guide for the modern blogger 9780321395559: Suzanne Stefanac: Books. I agree with the commentaries. This book is about the social and cultural facts of being a blogger. Those things don’t go out of style. In addition she has a ton of useful references/URL’s for more information. This book was a pleasure to read. Even though it was 192 pages it was a great balance of information that the beginning blogger should know. Many beginners books seem out of context and bare, but this gave you a good overview and idea of what blogging will mean for those interested in it. This is a must read for the blossoming blogger.
