Category Archives: BookNotes

The Perennial Paradigm: Shaping the Future Beyond Age

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In today’s world, the acceleration of megatrends – increasing longevity and the explosion of technology among many others – are transforming life as we now know it.

In The Perennials, bestselling author of 2030 Mauro Guillén unpacks a sweeping societal shift triggered by demographic and technological transformation. Guillén argues that outmoded terms like Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z have long been used to pigeonhole us into rigid categories and life stages, artificially preventing people from reaching their full potential. A new postgenerational workforce known as “perennials” – individuals who are not pitted against each other either by their age or experience – makes it possible to liberate scores of people from the constraints of the sequential model of life and level the playing field so that everyone has a chance at living a rewarding life. Guillén unveils how this generational revolution will impact young people just entering the workforce as well as those who are living and working longer.

This multigenerational revolution is already happening and Mauro Guillén identifies the specific cultural, organizational and policy changes that need to be made in order to switch to a new template and usher in a new era of innovation powered by the perennials.

The Future Belongs to Perennials: Perennials – individuals defying age stereotypes – are shaping the future across various aspects of life. The aging population, with longer life expectancies, is gaining prominence in the workforce, consumption, and social influence. Retirement is evolving into a period of learning, freelancing, and flexible employment. Technology and a perennial mindset are opening new opportunities for active seniors.

Reducing Intergenerational Friction: Breaking away from the traditional sequential model of life reduces conflicts between generations. More elderly people working lessens the tax burden on the young and fosters intergenerational collaboration. Lifelong learning also promotes better understanding between age groups.

Transforming the Global Economy: Multi-generational households and workplaces are revolutionizing society. They reduce poverty, revolutionize real estate, aid childcare and elderly care, and boost productivity through mentorship and diversity. This shift can address pension financing issues and enhance GDP growth potential.

Leveling the Playing Field: A post-generational society with perennial values can combat ageism and provide equal access to essentials like education, healthcare, employment, and housing. It offers opportunities for those who face setbacks in the traditional life model.

Evolving Work and Careers: The future of work includes multi-generational environments, multiple careers, and lifelong learning. Technology assists in managing work-life balance. Adapting to this change requires developing skills for effective collaboration with technology and enhancing social, negotiation, teamwork, and emotional intelligence skills.

From Drive-Thru to Cultural Icon: The Story Behind In-N-Out Burger

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A behind-the-counter look at the fast-food chain that breaks all the rules, Stacy Perman’s In-N-Out Burger is the New York Times bestselling inside story of the family behind the California-based hamburger chain with a cult following large enough to rival the Grateful Dead’s. A juicy unauthorized history of a small business-turned-big business titan, In-N-Out Burger was named one of Fast Company magazine’s Best Business Books of 2009, and  Fortune Small Business insists that it “should be required reading for family business owners.

Stacy Perman’s In-N-Out Burger is a savory literary treat that delves deep into the history, culture, and enduring allure of a fast-food phenomenon that has captured the hearts and taste buds of millions. In this meticulously researched book, Perman uncovers the intriguing story behind the success of In-N-Out Burger, weaving together a narrative that is as satisfying as the restaurant’s legendary Double-Double.

With a captivating blend of storytelling and investigative journalism, Perman brings to life the journey of the Snyder family, the visionary founders of In-N-Out Burger. From the humble beginnings of a single drive-thru in Southern California to its iconic status as a cultural icon, the book traces the brand’s evolution with a focus on the values that have set it apart.

One of the book’s strengths is its ability to capture the essence of In-N-Out’s food philosophy. Perman not only describes the flavors and freshness of the menu items but also peels back the curtain on the restaurant’s commitment to quality. The meticulous attention to detail, from the sourcing of ingredients to the preparation methods, reflects the family’s dedication to serving an exceptional burger experience. This attention to craft resonates with food enthusiasts who seek more than just a quick meal.

Perman also delves into the brand’s fascinating culture, which sets In-N-Out apart in an industry often characterized by rapid turnover and uniformity. The author explores how the company’s dedication to its employees, simple menu, and classic aesthetic have created a loyal following that spans generations. This deep-rooted connection between In-N-Out and its customers is a testament to the company’s ability to maintain its authenticity while expanding into a rapidly changing fast-food landscape.

While In-N-Out Burger is a captivating read that offers a wealth of insight into the brand’s journey, there are a few moments where the narrative can feel overly detailed, potentially overwhelming readers who are looking for a more concise overview – but not for burger lovers! Additionally, a broader exploration of the brand’s challenges and controversies could have added a more balanced perspective to the story. [Note: Lynsi Snyder, granddaughter of In-N-Out founders and now president, is releasing her book The Ins and Outs of In-N-Out in October – a review will becoming here shortly thereafter!]

In conclusion, In-N-Out Burger by Stacy Perman is a flavorful journey through the history and ethos of a fast-food legend. Perman’s writing skillfully captures the essence of what makes In-N-Out Burger a beloved institution, resonating with both loyal fans and those who are curious about the stories behind their favorite comfort foods. For anyone with a fondness for a well-crafted burger and a desire to understand the behind-the-scenes magic of a successful culinary enterprise, this book is a satisfying and enlightening read.

Still hungry?

Burgerology: The Art and Science of the Perfect Patty

Flipping History: How McDonald’s Shaped the Hamburger’s Popularity

Indulging in Burger Bliss: A Quest for Culinary Perfection

White Castle: The Trailblazing Pioneer of Fast Food

Bite Into Tradition: The Best Loved Regional Burger Chains in the Country

Burger Beast Unleashed: The Ultimate Tribute to Burgers in Sef Gonzalez’ Book

Sink Your Teeth into “The Hamburger”: A Culinary Journey by Josh Ozersky

Burger Magic: Exploring the Universal Fascination Behind America’s Favorite Dish

My Quest for the Perfect Hamburger: A Literary, Culinary, and Arbitrary Journey in Pursuit of America’s Iconic Delight

A Tantalizing Top of the Stack, Made to Order

Before Burger Quest

How to Take a Walk With All Your Senses

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Welcome to the age of white noise.

We live our lives in a constant tether to phones, to apps, and to social media – mostly acquiescing to FOMO.

In this age of distraction, the ability to experience and be present is often lost, as is our capacity to think and to see and to listen.

Rob Walker, The Art of Noticing

In an effort to battle this, I’m inviting you to join me in taking a walk – with all your senses.

In short, I want you to pay attention.

At a basic level, paying attention is simply making a selection among all the stimuli bombarding you at any moment.

Even if we ignore most of what is going on around us, we can only take in so much of the world at a time. Our sensory system has a limited capacity, both in range and in speed of processing.

The sensory system I’m referring to are your five classical senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.

Limited capacity aside, many times we unfortunately ignore the parts that are available to us. Leonardo da Vinci reflected sadly that the average human:

“looks without seeing, listens without hearing, touches without feeling, eats without tasting, moves without physical awareness, inhales without awareness of odor or fragrance, and talks without thinking.”

A Brief Primer on How Our Senses Work

Sound The outer ear catches and channels sound waves to the middle ear, which contains three tiny bones. These bones vibrate, transmitting the sound the inner ear, where thousands of hair cells are stimulated by the movement of the fluid within the inner ear. An electrical impulse is transmitted along the hearing nerve to the brain creating the sensation of hearing.

Sight The experience of sight begins when photons from the world hit the lens of our eye, and get focused onto over 130 million receptor cells on the retina. These receptor cells convert incoming light into electrical signals to be sent to the brain, making sight possible.

Smell Every day we are confronted with a smorgasbord of smells. Our five million olfactory cells can sniff out one molecule of odor-causing substance in one part per trillion of air. We take about 23,000 breaths per day processing about 440 cubic feet of scent-laden air.

Touch Our bodies have more than 500,000 touch detectors and 200,000 temperature sensors. Each of these sensors gathers sensory information and relay it through specific nerve bundles back to the central nervous system for processing and possible reaction

Taste The complex process of tasting begins when tiny molecules released by the substances around us stimulate special cells in the nose, mouth, or throat. These special sensory cells transmit messages through nerves to the brain, where specific tastes are identified.

Enough of the science lab! God designed our bodies to sense, interpret, and react to the millions of stimuli that occur around us every day.

What do you miss, every day, right in front of you, while walking around the block?

I was paying so little attention to most of what was right before me that I had become a sleepwalker on the sidewalk. What I saw and attended to was exactly what I expected to see. That attention invited attention’s companion: inattention to everything else.

Alexandra Horowitz, On Looking

inspired by Alexandra Horowitz’s On Looking

and Rob Walker’s The Art of Noticing

and Michael J. Gelb’s How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci

Part of a regular series on 27gen, entitled Wednesday Weekly Reader

During my elementary school years one of the things I looked forward to the most was the delivery of “My Weekly Reader,” a weekly educational magazine designed for children and containing news-based, current events.

It became a regular part of my love for reading, and helped develop my curiosity about the world around us.

Learn to See God at Work in Your Neighborhood

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Note: As the original issue of this SUMS Remix was being prepared in March 2020, most of the United States was under some type of mandate restricting movement. Typically called “physical distancing,” the intent is to minimize the chances of the coronavirus being spread by maintaining a distance of at least six feet when you are in public settings.

However, even if “physical distancing” (the more correct term) is no longer required, “social interaction” is needed more now than ever before. 

Efforts taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus should encourage strengthening social ties while maintaining that physical distancing.

Therefore, some of this content may not be applicable under current restrictions in your community; however, the intent is critical in moving forward as we demonstrate hospitality to our neighborhoods, in every season

According to Rosaria Butterfield, 

Christians are called to live in the world but not live like the world. Christians are called to dine with sinners but not sin with sinners. 

She adds,

We live in a world awash with counterfeit hospitality. Knowing the difference between the grace of God and its counterfeit is crucial to Christian living.

Hospitality shares what there is; that’s all. It’s not entertainment. It’s not supposed to be.

This issue of SUMS Remix looks at solutions that will help you understand and practice hospitality in and through your home. The solutions include: 

Flipping History: How McDonald’s Reshaped the Hamburger’s Popularity

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Few entrepreneurs can claim to have radically changed the way we live, and Ray Kroc is one of them. His revolutions in food-service automation, franchising, shared national training, and advertising have earned him a place beside the men and women who have founded not only businesses, but entire empires. But even more interesting than Ray Kroc the business man is Ray Kroc the man. Not your typical self-made tycoon, Kroc was fifty-two years old when he opened his first franchise. In Grinding It Out, you’ll meet the man behind McDonald’s, one of the largest fast-food corporations in the world with over 36,000 stores around the globe.

Irrepressible enthusiast, intuitive people person, and born storyteller, Kroc will fascinate and inspire you on every page.

The growth of McDonald’s worldwide continues to astonish. In tough financial times, McDonald’s proved that ingenuity, trial and error, and gut instinct were the keys to building a service business the entire world has come to admire.

McDonald’s has been a trendsetter in advertising, focusing on different demographics as well as the physically disabled. McDonald’s created McJobs, a program that employs both mentally challenged adults and senior citizens. And because its franchisees have their fingers on the pulse of the marketplace, McDonald’s has evolved successfully with the health food revolution, launching dozens of new products and moving toward environmentally safe packaging and recyclable goods.

Inspiring, informative, and filled with behind-the-scenes stories, McDonald’s: Behind the Arches offers an irresistible look inside a great American business success.

In the heart of modern American culture, few icons shine as brightly as the golden arches of McDonald’s. The fast-food giant’s rise from humble beginnings to global dominance has been chronicled in two seminal books, Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc and McDonald’s: Behind the Arches by John F. Love. These accounts not only shed light on the company’s history and key figures but also highlight its profound impact on the culinary landscape and the popularity of the hamburger in America.

A Journey Forged in Determination: Ray Kroc’s Perspective

Ray Kroc, the man responsible for transforming McDonald’s into a worldwide phenomenon, provides an intimate view of the company’s early days in his memoir Grinding It Out. Kroc’s tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit were instrumental in taking a single burger stand in San Bernardino, California, and turning it into an empire that would revolutionize the fast-food industry.

Kroc’s recounting of his collaboration with the McDonald brothers and the development of the Speedee Service System underscored his commitment to efficiency and consistency. This innovation laid the foundation for McDonald’s ability to serve quality food quickly—a concept that would define fast food for generations to come.

McDonald’s: Behind the Brand with John F. Love

In McDonald’s: Behind the Arches, John F. Love delves into the fascinating journey of the company, exploring its inception, evolution, and the personalities that shaped its trajectory. Love’s meticulous research provides a well-rounded picture of the McDonald brothers, Ray Kroc, and their individual contributions to the brand.

The book reveals how the iconic branding of McDonald’s, including the golden arches and memorable slogans, played a pivotal role in establishing the chain’s identity. McDonald’s was not just selling food; it was selling a consistent experience—a concept that was revolutionary in the fast-food landscape.

Culinary Innovations that Redefined Fast Food

Both books emphasize McDonald’s culinary innovations that transformed the food industry. The introduction of the assembly line-inspired kitchen, which expedited the preparation process while maintaining quality, set new standards for efficiency in the food sector. This innovative approach paved the way for uniformity in taste and presentation, regardless of location.

Moreover, Grinding It Out and McDonald’s: Behind the Arches highlight the strategic introduction of iconic menu items, such as the Big Mac and Happy Meal. These additions not only catered to evolving consumer preferences but also solidified McDonald’s role as a trendsetter within the fast-food arena.

The Hamburger: A Symbol of American Fast Food Culture

The hamburger, a quintessentially American creation, underwent a transformation in the hands of McDonald’s. By perfecting the art of the burger, streamlining the cooking process, and ensuring consistent taste, McDonald’s effectively popularized the hamburger across the nation.

The standardized approach to crafting hamburgers at McDonald’s contributed to the widespread recognition of the sandwich as a quick, convenient, and satisfying meal option. This cultural shift elevated the hamburger’s status from a simple fast-food choice to an enduring symbol of American culinary culture.

Shaping Culinary History and Beyond

Ray Kroc’s Grinding It Out and John F. Love’s McDonald’s: Behind the Arches provide invaluable insights into the evolution of McDonald’s, from its innovative culinary techniques to its cultural impact on American dining habits. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, these works illuminate the indelible mark McDonald’s has left on the world of food and business, forever altering how we view the hamburger and fast food.

Still hungry?

Indulging in Burger Bliss: A Quest for Culinary Perfection

White Castle: The Trailblazing Pioneer of Fast Food

Bite Into Tradition: The Best Loved Regional Burger Chains in the Country

Burger Beast Unleashed: The Ultimate Tribute to Burgers in Sef Gonzalez’ Book

Sink Your Teeth into “The Hamburger”: A Culinary Journey by Josh Ozersky

Burger Magic: Exploring the Universal Fascination Behind America’s Favorite Dish

My Quest for the Perfect Hamburger: A Literary, Culinary, and Arbitrary Journey in Pursuit of America’s Iconic Delight

A Tantalizing Top of the Stack, Made to Order

Before Burger Quest

How to Find Something You Aren’t Looking For

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Over the coming century, the most vital human resource in need of conservation and protection is likely to be our own consciousness and mental space.

Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants

A runner I have never been, and not likely to ever be.

A road biker (bicycle) I once was (150+ miles per week), and hope to be again one day.

Active sports participation (first as a player on various teams, and then as an active soccer coach for 14 years) is long past.

My exercise, health permitting, is walking.

A few years ago, it was three-four miles a day. Now, not a lot – some days I struggle to make a half-mile; others, a little more.

For the longest time, I listened to podcasts during these walks. I would have time to listen to at least two or three, and often came back from those walks with eight-ten voice memos on my phone.

Then one day, I walked unplugged from my phone…

Pay attention to what you pay attention to. That’s pretty much all the information you need.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal

While I will always be a learner, both by genetics and environment (vocation), I think that hour a day might be better put to use paying attention, and seeking to grow wiser, not just smarter.

The stimulation of modern life, philosopher Georg Simmel complained in 1903, wears down the senses, leaving us dull, indifferent, and unable to focus on what really matters.

In the 1950s, writer William Whyte lamented in Life magazine that “billboards, neon signs,” and obnoxious advertising were converting the American landscape into one long roadside distraction.

“A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention,” economist Herb Simon warned in 1971.

The sense that external forces seek to seize our attention isn’t new – but it feels particularly acute today. Billboards, shop windows, addictive video games, endless news cycles, and commercial appeals tantalize us from all directions. We contend with the myriad distractions flowing through the pocket-sized screens we carry with us everywhere. By various estimates, a typical smartphone owner checks a device 150 times per day – every six minutes – and touches, swipes, or taps it more than 2,500 times.

The Art of Noticing, Rob Walker

And so I walk, unplugged.

Yesterday, I watched for American flags. In my neighborhood, I’m never out of sight of one. Some are bright and relatively new, since we are not too far removed from the Independence Day period. The American flag has always been more than a piece of cloth to me. A symbol for sure, but one rich with history, sacrifice, and uncommon wisdom. No matter the season outside, the vivid red, white, and blue always speak to me in different ways.

I’ve also listened to the late summer sounds of a mid-morning North Carolina symphony of insects and birds. The insects I’m guessing are mostly cicadas and katydids – first one, then the another, then a whole chorus. And then quiet. And then it starts over.

With one section of my walk bordering a park and the streets and yards filled with trees, I can always hear birds – robins, blue jays, cardinals, sparrows, blue birds, mockingbirds, crows, hawks, and more – including a nighttime hair-raising screech owl.

I listened for sounds I didn’t hear – cars up and down the street. Most people have gone to work if they’re going, and lunchtime hasn’t yet arrived. No planes on approach to CLT – that means the winds have shifted direction, and the landing pattern, often overhead, is further to the west. About a mile away, I-77 traffic is no doubt busy – but I didn’t hear it, again thanks to the wind direction.

Tomorrow I’m walking with my feet. Well, of course I will. But I’m going to “listen” to what my feet are saying about the path I choose, and see what I can learn.

When you actively notice new things, that puts you in the present…As you’re noticing new things, it’s engaging, and it turns out…it’s literally, not just figuratively, enlivening.

Ellen J. Langer

inspired by The Art of Noticing, by Rob Walker

How to Help Your Church See Biblical Hospitality – Specifically the “Table” – as a Way of Life

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In December 2019, the motion picture, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” staring Tom Hanks as beloved television icon Fred Rogers made its debut. Rogers was the creator, showrunner, and host of the preschool television series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which ran from 1968-2001.

As a musician, puppeteer, writer, and producer, Fred Rogers’ gentle demeanor brought beautiful simplicity through nurturing interactions with young children to over 30 years of viewers. His enigmatic theme song, from which the motion picture takes its title, includes the following lines, which many adults can recall:

It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, 

A beautiful day for a neighbor,

Would you be mine?

Could you be mine?

Fred Rogers was also a Presbyterian minister, and it’s likely those lines were inspired by another story of a neighbor.

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus asked the expert in law, in effect, “Who is your neighbor?”

It’s almost 2020, and the question remains, “Who is our neighbor?”

From the television neighborhoods of Beaver Cleaver and Andy Taylor, to Mr. Rogers, to Sam and Diane, to Jerry and Kramer, to Rachel and Monica and Phoebe and Chandler and Joey, to Phil and Claire, to Jack and Rebecca and Randall and Kate, it’s a question that mainly depicts an unfulfilled longing for a neighborhood that actually works.

It occurs to me that this is not a neighborhood;

It is only a collection of unconnected individuals.

Philip Langdon, A Better Place to Live

Long gone are the days where kids played in the yards and streets all day “till the street lights came on” and where neighbors talked across fences or on front porches.

It seems as if the people we live closest to appear only briefly when the car leaves the garage in the morning and comes back in the evening. 

It seems as if the idea of “neighborhood” has disappeared in reality if not actuality, and with it the idea of knowing for, and caring for, neighbors.

As Lance Ford and Brad Brisco write in Next Door as in Heaven:

What does all this neighborhood business have to do with the gospel? As Jesus followers – people of the Good News – we follow the one who said the most important commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We have a tremendous opportunity before us: to take notice and help resurrect rich relationship in our neighborhoods.

If anyone should “neighbor” differently, it should be us.

According to Leonard Sweet, if we really want to learn someone’s story, sitting down at the table and breaking bread together is the best way to start.

This issue of SUMS Remix looks at solutions that will help you see the importance of your “table” as a place of disciplemaking. The solutions include: 

A closing quote, by Rosaria Butterfield, author of The Gospel Comes with a House Key, seems most appropriate:

Radical, ordinary hospitality brings the gospel to our lost friends and neighbors. Such hospitality sees our homes as not our own, but as God’s tools for the furtherance of his kingdom as we welcome those who look, think believe, and act differently from us into our everyday, sometimes messy lives – helping them see what true Christian faith really looks like.  

SUMS Remix 134, released December 2019

White Castle: The Pioneering Trailblazer of American Fast Food

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In the wake of World War I, the hamburger was still considered a disreputable and undesirable food. Yet by 1930 Americans in every corner of the country accepted the hamburger as a mainstream meal and eventually made it a staple of their diet. The quintessential “American” food, hamburgers have by now spread to almost every country and culture in the world. But how did this fast food icon come to occupy so quickly such a singular role in American mass culture?

In Selling ‘em By the Sack, David Gerard Hogan traces the history of the hamburger’s rise as a distinctive American culinary and ethnic symbol through the prism of one of its earliest promoters. The first to market both the hamburger and the “to go” carry-out style to American consumers, White Castle quickly established itself as a cornerstone of the fast food industry. Its founder, Billy Ingram, shrewdly marketed his hamburgers in large quantities at five cents a piece, telling his customers to “Buy’em by the Sack.”

The years following World War II saw the rise of great franchised chains such as McDonald’s, which challenged and ultimately overshadowed the company that Billy Ingram founded. Yet White Castle stands as a charismatic pioneer in one of America’s most formidable industries, a company that drastically changed American eating patterns, and hence, American life. It could be argued that what Henry Ford did for the car and transportation, Billy Ingram did for the hamburger and eating.

As a food researcher and enthusiast, I am always on the lookout for captivating literature that delves into the intriguing world of the origins and history of food. With the advent of Burger Quest, even more so! Selling ’em by the Sack by David Gerard Hogan is one such remarkable piece of work that left a lasting impression on me.

In this thought-provoking book, Hogan takes readers on an enlightening journey through the fascinating history and evolution of the fast-food industry, focusing primarily on the iconic American chain, White Castle. The author skillfully unravels the secrets behind the success of this pioneering fast-food establishment, offering profound insights into the art of selling and consumer behavior.

Hogan’s narrative style is engaging and well-paced, making the book an easy and enjoyable read for both industry insiders and casual enthusiasts alike. He effortlessly weaves together historical anecdotes, cultural influences, and the innovative marketing strategies that have made White Castle a household name since its inception in 1921. The depth of research presented in “Selling ’em by the Sack” demonstrates Hogan’s dedication to understanding the industry’s past and its implications for the present.

One of the standout features of this book is Hogan’s ability to explore the often overlooked socio-cultural impact of fast food on society. He astutely examines how White Castle’s success shaped America’s eating habits, urban development, and consumer expectations. Moreover, he delves into the company’s pioneering techniques in food preparation, supply chain management, and brand building, setting the stage for the fast-food giants that followed in its footsteps.

I appreciate Hogan’s skillful use of language and storytelling techniques. He artfully captures the essence of White Castle’s brand identity and its role in shaping the larger fast-food culture. Throughout the book, Hogan demonstrates a keen understanding of how powerful marketing and advertising campaigns can influence consumer behavior and drive business success.

Selling ’em by the Sack is not just a book about White Castle; it is a story of entrepreneurship, innovation, and adaptability. Hogan masterfully paints the picture of how this modest hamburger stand evolved into a global fast-food phenomenon. The book imparts valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs, marketers, and food industry professionals, emphasizing the importance of staying true to one’s vision while continually adapting to meet the changing needs and desires of customers.

While Hogan celebrates the successes of White Castle, he also confronts the controversies surrounding the fast-food industry, including issues related to health, labor practices, and sustainability. This balanced approach adds depth to the book and encourages readers to think critically about the broader implications of the fast-food culture in modern society.

In conclusion, Selling ’em by the Sack is a captivating and insightful exploration of the fast-food industry, with a focus on White Castle’s significant contributions to the field. David Gerard Hogan’s expertise as a food researcher shines through in every chapter, making this book a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of food, marketing, and culture. Whether you are a food enthusiast, a history buff, or a business professional, this book offers a satisfying and enlightening experience that will leave you hungry for more.

Still hungry?

Bite Into Tradition: The Best Loved Regional Burger Chains in the Country

Burger Beast Unleashed: The Ultimate Tribute to Burgers in Sef Gonzalez’ Book

Sink Your Teeth into “The Hamburger”: A Culinary Journey by Josh Ozersky

Burger Magic: Exploring the Universal Fascination Behind America’s Favorite Dish

My Quest for the Perfect Hamburger: A Literary, Culinary, and Arbitrary Journey in Pursuit of America’s Iconic Delight

A Tantalizing Top of the Stack, Made to Order

Before Burger Quest

How to Lead a Life of Hospitality that Draws You into the Lives of Others in Tangible Ways

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The heart of God’s purpose for humankind is relationships – first, with God Himself; then, with one another. Arguably, there is no better place to build relationships than at the table with good food and great conversation.

Len Sweet, in his book From Tablet to Table states it eloquently:

Remember God’s first command in the Bible? Eat.

Remember God’s last command in the Bible? Drink.

And everything in between is a table – a life-course meal on which is served the very bread of life and cup of salvation.

It’s time to bring back the table to our homes, to our churches, and to our neighborhoods and the world.

The table is a recurring biblical theme, one that our fast-paced, drive-through, Instant Pot culture finds unfamiliar.

What would happen if we brought back the table as a sacred object of furniture in every home, church, and community?

Are we truly hungry to accept Jesus’ invitation –  “Come and follow” – and to go wherever He leads, even if it means next door?

Especially if it means following Him next door!

What would it take for the table to return to the center of our family lives – and by extension, to those God has placed in our circle and situations?

This issue of SUMS Remix looks at solutions that will help you learn how to engage with your neighbors, establishing and deepening your relationships through hospitality. The solutions include: 

SUMS Remix 103, released October 2018

Burger Beast Unleashed: The Ultimate Tribute to Burgers in Sef Gonzalez’s Book

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The history of America’s sandwich is filled with unbelievable journeys and larger-than-life characters. All About the Burger by the Burger Beast, Sef Gonzalez, takes you on the road as he explores the fascinating backstory behind the burger.

From White Castle to Shake Shack, to Bell’s Burger (yes, Taco Bell started as a burger joint, too) and KFC, the entire Americana food landscape has influenced the burgers you enjoy today.

All About the Burger is the definitive bible of burgers. You will learn about:

  • The contributions burgers have made to food culture
  • The evolution of the burger from carnival treat to an American staple
  • Where to go to find your next favorite burger and much more!

In All About the Burger, Sef Gonzalez takes readers on an extraordinary culinary adventure, diving headfirst into the heart and soul of burger culture. With passion and expertise, Gonzalez celebrates the iconic hamburger’s impact on society while exploring the diverse and fascinating world of burger variations.

From the moment you crack open the book, it’s evident that Gonzalez has poured his heart into this comprehensive ode to burgers. As a seasoned burger blogger and self-proclaimed “Burger Beast,” Gonzalez brings a wealth of knowledge and a contagious enthusiasm to every page. The book is an exquisite blend of historical tidbits, personal anecdotes, and tantalizing descriptions that will leave your taste buds yearning for a juicy burger.

One of the standout features of All About the Burger is its meticulous research. Gonzalez delves deep into the burger’s past, tracing its origins from humble beginnings to its widespread popularity in modern times. He unravels the evolution of burger joints, the fast-food revolution, and the rise of gourmet burgers, offering readers a fascinating glimpse into the burger’s journey through history.

Gonzalez also showcases his globe-trotting adventures in search of the perfect burger. From hidden local gems to world-renowned establishments, his mouthwatering tales of burger expeditions leave readers eager to embark on their culinary pilgrimages. The book is peppered with vivid descriptions of unique burger creations, tempting readers to try new flavors and combinations beyond the traditional beef patty.

All About the Burger is much more than just a food guide; it’s an exploration of the cultural significance of this beloved dish. Gonzalez brilliantly captures how the burger has become a symbol of community, bringing people together to bond over their shared love of this simple yet satisfying meal. He highlights how burgers transcend borders, unifying people from various backgrounds and cultures.

While All About the Burger is undoubtedly a captivating and immersive read, it does have a few minor drawbacks. Some readers may find the sheer volume of information overwhelming, as the book covers an extensive range of topics related to burgers. That being said, burger lovers will want even more!

In conclusion, All About the Burger is a delightful and informative read for anyone with a penchant for this quintessential American delicacy. Gonzalez’s infectious passion for burgers shines through in every sentence, making this book a savory delight that captures the essence of burger culture. Whether you’re a seasoned burger aficionado or a curious foodie, this book will undoubtedly whet your appetite for exploration and appreciation of the burger’s enduring legacy.

Still hungry?

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