Tag Archives: book

Classic Wisdom for the Professional Life

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One does not often read a book of quotes from cover to cover as was required of this reader per regulation as a book review blogger for Thomas Nelson and Booksneeze. It seems it would be an easy enough task, but this book made it a bit difficult for a few reasons.

As with any book of quotes, you have to navigate several uninspiring quips to discover the ones that grab hold of your mind and heart somehow. The search for inspiration is lengthier than you would expect in this book.

It may be important to redefine the terms “classic” and “wisdom” when reading this book. It is difficult to consider voices like Conan O’Brien and John Stewart as “classic”. Reese Witherspoon and Dolly Parton would not find their way to the top of many lists of wise people; entertaining though they may be. Quotes from Katie Couric, J.K. Rowling, and Jeff Foxworthy come off nearly comical when alongside the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, and Booker T. Washington.

Diamonds can be discovered though the search is very rough. Successful though they may be, many of the entertainers and pop-culture icons simply should not be quoted in a book with “Classic Wisdom” in the title.

The overall message is to always pursue your dream, work hard, and never give up. It worked for these people; it should work for you. You may not need a quote in a book like this to get the same message that saturates “More You Know” commercials and movie award show acceptance speeches.

Perhaps the common graduate today may look more fondly on the great knowledge of Arnold Schwarzenegger before Roosevelt, but it tinges on dumbing-down for this reader.

A recent graduate may appreciate this book as a gift as much as they appreciate any gift book for graduation: they would rather just have the cash, thank you.

How I Started Reading Cornel West

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The two gay men sit next to me at Old Soul Coffee. They are talking about the bookstore next door. One of them had stopped in to check it out after he had finished smoking his ultra-hipster American Spirit cigarette. To his partner he mentions the haughty attitude of the bookstore owner.

“We only carry books from African American authors at this bookstore.”

I think to myself, “That sounds perfect.”  (AFTER I wondered, was she really or is this guy “bitching it up” for effect?) I have been reading quips from Cornel West in articles and twitter. I have been very interested in reading something by West, but with someone one as prominent as he is, where do I start?

I asked friends on facebook and twitter, and I heard various mentions: Race Matters, Living and Loving Out Loud, and Prophecy Deliverance.

Today I stopped into the bookstore having decided, “who better to ask than the owners of a bookstore, which only carries books by African American authors?”

The title which keeps coming up over and over is Race Matters, and it was no different when I asked at Underground Books. So thus I begin…

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What have you read from Cornel West? What insights have you gained?

Why You’ll Never Know Who You Are

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“These are not easy questions. Who am I? Why am I here? They’re not easy questions because the human being isn’t wired to function as an individual. We’re wired tribally. We are wired to act as part of a group.” – Stephen Pressfield [The War of Art]

“What we don’t know is how to be alone. We don’t know how to be free individuals.”

So the question becomes: To what tribe will I connect?

2 opposing tribes are of The Artist and The Fundamentalist

“[The Artist] believes in progress and evolution. His faith is that humankind is advancing.”

“[The Fundamentalist] cannot find his way into the future, so he retreats to the past.”

“The difference is that while the one looks forward, hoping to create a better world, the other looks backward, seeking to return to a purer world from which he and all have fallen.”

In 2010, which tribe do you wish to attribute your identity to?

Why I Don’t Write a Book [or pray enough]

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book sketch

Several incessant friends have all but demanded that I write a book, and I have always had excuses why I wouldn’t do it.  Primary excuses revolve around not really knowing the right process to actually getting a book published, but I suppose the more exposed reason is that I worry whether I am actually capable of writing a book.  I wonder whether I am an adequate enough writer to produce anything worthy of being read.  Do I really have anything sincere enough to offer?

I wrap myself so tightly in excuses and self-evaluation that I never even consider writing anything.  I self-evaluate myself out of any movement at all.

I have come to find I do the same thing with prayer.

I have never considered myself much of a pray-er.  I am certainly a far cry from a “prayer-warrior”.  Though I realize and believe prayer is an open communication with an infinte God, I still find prayer to be far too sparse in my inner journey.  Much like writing a book, I often look at prayer and self-evaluate myself out of movement.

I often convince myself that I cannot pray well (if at all) due to my different excuses.  I am not an adequate pray-er.  Am I being 100% authentic in prayer if I were to start praying right now?  Is it just empty words that will bounce off the ceiling and return to me tauntingly?  If I don’t pray correctly, would I even know?  Do I trust in prayer enough to pray?  Are my pale attempts really going to connect with such a phenomenal God? Are my prayers too rehearsed?  Does God get tired of my redundant ramblings and stale Christian cliche prayers?  Does he get tired of me closing each sentance with his name? Do I have enough faith when I pray?  Do I sound the way I should? I really like the way so-and-so prays; I WISH I could pray like that.  DO I REALLY CARE! AM I being wierd; do other people think I’m wierd; this feels wierd. Will God actually respond; When? Soon enough? Am I doing this right?

I remember a good friend, Andrew “The Robe” Young telling me once about writing a book that he has found you just have to start writing.  Don’t worry about publishing!  Don’t worry about whether you sound or write perfectly; just start writing.

Emilie Griffin once wrote:
“the greatest obstacle to prayer is the simplle matter beginning, the simple exertion of will, the starting, the acting, the doing…an abyss of our own making separates us from God.”

I cannot speak (or write) for anyone else…so…I know that I can excuse, doubt, and self-evaluate my way out of movement in most things, and it commonly happens in prayer.  I have created an abyss between God and I, and that abyss could be closed if I would just start praying.  I need to forget about the questions, the doubts, the wonders, and START!

The more I put it off, the more bound I get in the wondering.  Then I get to a point where I’m asking myself, “WHy don’t I pray more often?”

Sometimes the only way to BEGIN praying is to do exactly that.

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LISTENING TO: “Over and Underneath” by Tenth Avenue North