Here’s a view of my “books about books” bookshelf:
You are probably getting the picture that books and reading are not just pastimes for me – they are my passion.
Today’s post is about a book that beautifully captures the passion of reading.
We read to escape, to learn, to find love, to feel seen. We read to encounter new worlds, to discover new recipes, to find connection across difference, or simply to pass a rainy afternoon. No matter the reason, books have the power to keep us safe, to challenge us, and perhaps most importantly, to make us more fully human.
Shannon Reed, a longtime teacher, lifelong reader, and New Yorker contributor, gets it. With one simple goal in mind, she makes the case that we should read for pleasure above all else.
In this whip-smart, laugh-out-loud-funny collection entitled Why We Read, Reed shares surprising stories from her life as a reader and the poignant ways in which books have impacted her students. From the varied novels she cherishes (Gone Girl, Their Eyes Were Watching God) to the ones she didn’t (Tess of the d’Urbervilles), Reed takes us on a rollicking tour through the comforting world of literature, celebrating the books we love, the readers who love them, and the ways in which literature can transform us for the better.
Listen to Reed’s passion for reading:
I have never lost my affection for and dependency on books. This is where I pull away from the pack of fellow bookworms, I sense. Much as I like videos and reels and whatever new thing has been invented by the time this goes to print, I’m always reaching back to the OG form, the book, looking for what I can read to help me understand.
Reading a book is quiet, clear, and organized. It’s not hard.
It waits until I am ready, pauses when I need a break, and is still happy to repeat. Reading absolutely never says “Just forget it” when I need clarification. It doesn’t care how I pronounce the words in my head (or aloud, for that matter). It never makes me feel worse and rarely makes me feel lonely.
Reading gives me the world.
And that, friends, is why I read.
If you are fortunate to be inspired to buy and read Shannon’s book, you will enjoy the closing chapter as she pays homage to the amazing literary journey she is on. I won’t spoil your reading pleasure by quoting any of it – except the last two sentences:
Without ever really experiencing any of it, I know it all.
Because books taught me.
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.
Almost everything we do involves words. Words are how we persuade, communicate, and connect. They’re how leaders lead, salespeople sell, and parents parent. They’re how teachers teach, policymakers govern, and doctors explain. Even our private thoughts rely on language.
But certain words are more impactful than others. They’re better at changing minds, engaging audiences, and driving action. What are these magic words, and how can we take advantage of their power?
In Magic Words, internationally bestselling author Jonah Berger gives you an inside look at the new science of language and how you can use it. Technological advances in machine learning, computational linguistics, and natural language processing, combined with the digitization of everything from cover letters to conversations, have yielded unprecedented insights.
Learn how salespeople convince clients, lawyers persuade juries, and storytellers captivate audiences; how teachers get kids to help and service representatives increase customer satisfaction; how startup founders secure funding, musicians make hits, and psychologists identified a Shakespearean manuscript without ever reading a play.
This book is designed for anyone who wants to increase their impact. It provides a powerful toolkit and actionable techniques that can lead to extraordinary results. Whether you’re trying to persuade a client, motivate a team, or get a whole organization to see things differently, this book will show you how to leverage the power of magic words.
Magic Words, authored by Jonah Berger, delves into the concealed mechanisms governing language and, more significantly, delineates strategies for employing it more persuasively, nurturing relationships, and achieving success in both personal and professional realms.
The book explores six categories of influential words, devoting a chapter to each of these areas:
Activating Identity and Agency: Words that delineate authority, responsibility, and engagement in actions. This chapter delves into the profound impact subtle alterations in language can have, such as the efficacy of using nouns over verbs in persuasion, mastering the art of refusing to advance towards goals, and adopting specific interrogative phrases to enhance creativity and problem-solving. Furthermore, it discusses how speaking in the third person can mitigate anxiety and enhance communication, along with the nuanced effects of pronouns like “you” on social interactions and empathy.
Conveying Confidence: Language not only communicates information but also conveys the speaker’s confidence, thereby influencing perceptions and sway. This chapter explores how eliminating certain words transformed an underperforming salesperson into a top achiever, the significance of linguistic style in legal discourse, and linguistic cues that enhance credibility and authority. It also delves into the allure of certainty and the strategic use of uncertainty in communication to foster trust and receptivity.
Asking the Right Questions: This chapter delves into the science behind effective questioning, revealing why seeking advice enhances perceived intelligence and increases the likelihood of securing subsequent dates. It elucidates the types and timing of questions for optimal outcomes, strategies for deflecting challenging inquiries, and techniques for fostering deeper social connections through inquiry.
Leveraging Concreteness: Highlighting the potency of concrete language, this chapter reveals how specific words convey attentive listening and why emphasizing “fixing” rather than “solving” problems enhances customer satisfaction. It explores instances where abstract language may be advantageous, signaling authority and leadership, and discusses its role in fundraising for startups.
Employing Emotion: Exploring the emotive dimension of language, this chapter unveils how emotional language enhances engagement across various contexts. It narrates anecdotes, such as the success story of a young intern who built a podcasting empire by mastering storytelling principles. Additionally, it delves into the interplay between negative and positive emotions in enhancing enjoyment and boosting sales, offering insights into captivating audience attention and managing emotional responses.
Harnessing Similarity and Difference: This section explains the significance of linguistic similarity in interpersonal dynamics, explaining its impact on social connections, promotions, and friendships. It also explores scenarios where embracing difference proves advantageous, citing examples from music popularity trends and artificial intelligence research.
The book concludes by emphasizing the universal role of language in everyday communication, whether through written correspondence or oral discourse. It underscores the importance of mastering language for effective communication, persuasion, and relationship-building, positing that linguistic proficiency is a skill that can be learned and honed over time, empowering individuals to achieve their communication goals effectively.
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.
In a follow-up to last week’s look at the history of the library, a companion post: the role of books in both shaping conflict and being shaped by conflict (the very appropriate subtitle of the book).
Print, in all its rich variety, will continue to play a part in human interactions through the globe, in war as in peacetime… When books go to war, others stay behind, a reminder of the better times when conflict can be banished to the edge of our consciousness, if never wholly eradicated.
Andrew Pettegree
We tend not to talk about books and war in the same breath – one ranks among humanity’s greatest inventions, the other among its most terrible. But as esteemed literary historian Andrew Pettegree demonstrates, the two are deeply intertwined.
The Book at Warexplores the various roles that books have played in conflicts throughout the globe. Winston Churchill used a travel guide to plan the invasion of Norway, lonely families turned to libraries while their loved ones were fighting in the trenches, and during the Cold War both sides used books to spread their visions of how the world should be run. As solace or instruction manual, as critique or propaganda, books have shaped modern military history – for both good and ill.
With precise historical analysis and sparkling prose, The Book at War accounts for the power – and the ambivalence – of words at war.
In May 1933, news of widespread book burnings orchestrated by the Nazis in Germany triggered a swift and impassioned response in the United States. Almost 200,000 people took to the streets in cities across the country to protest this censorship. Authors, some of whose works had been burned, strongly condemned the actions. President Franklin D. Roosevelt incorporated the imagery of the smoldering pyres into his speeches, emphasizing the importance of preserving freedom and civil liberties.
Nearly a century later, book burnings during the Nazi era remain a powerful symbol, partly due to their impact at the time. Many Americans saw them as emblematic of the German regime, serving as a forewarning of future atrocities. However, Andrew Pettegree’s extensive cultural history, The Book at War: How Reading Shaped Conflict and Conflict Shaped Reading, reveals a surprising twist. Less than two decades before the Nazi book burnings, during periods of wartime chauvinism, Americans themselves fervently burned German books, with librarians leading the way.
Pettegree, a professor of modern history at Scotland’s University of St Andrews, delves into the intricate relationship between printed media, books, and war. He argues that books have played a crucial role in conditioning readers to expect and support conflicts, serving as carriers of ideology and spoils for victors. Yet, they have also provided solace and solidarity during times of combat, offering comfort to civilians in hiding and soldiers on the front lines.
While Pettegree’s depth of knowledge and skillful storytelling are evident throughout, he reaches a high-water mark when detailing the literary toll of war, providing acute actuarial insights into the destruction of books during World War II. The loss of over 500 million books in Europe, including the ransacking of Jewish libraries and the devastation in Poland, underscores the profound impact on cultural heritage.
A fascinating thread weaves through what Pettegree calls “warrior authors” – the great leaders of the world powers who found themselves in opposition not only on the battlefield, but also on the written page. Here are a few examples:
Winston Churchill – Writing was in his blood; his first autobiography “My Early Life” was from his adventures in India and Africa during Britain’s various wars in the region. Prior to his ascendancy to become Prime Minister, writing and journalism kept him ahead of his mounting debts. After WWII, he would win the Nobel Prize for Literature, for his oratory and historical writing.
Adolf Hitler – The most notorious text of the twentieth century, “Mein Kampf” laid out in remarkable detail his program for Germany and the fate that awaited its enemies. He was also a discerning reader and collector, particularly of architectural and history books, appropriated by American soldiers in 1945 and now in the Library of Congress.
Joseph Stalin – Belying his reputation as crude and uneducated, he was a deeply literate and thoughtful reader and lover of books. His carefully curated library of over 15,000 volumes carried over into his involvement with some of the major writing projects of the Soviet state, influencing a war of ideas in Communist countries around the world.
Charles de Gaulle – A lonely symbol of French defiance during most of WWII, he first came to prominence as an author of aa widely admired text on armored warfare that crossed international boundaries and was quickly translated into both German and Russian.
The Book at War not only examines the destructive power of war on literature but also highlights how books have provided comfort to individuals enduring conflict. The accounts of Allied soldiers receiving cartons of paperbacks after storming Normandy’s beaches and Anne Frank finding solace in books while hiding from the Germans in Amsterdam are particularly poignant. These stories prompt reflection on how books continue to influence those facing conflict today.
On a personal note, my father was a WWII veteran who loved to read. Much later in life – his early 80s – he shared with me both stories and a few books that he had saved from his time in service. In addition, he had a highly curated selection of books by and about some of the great leaders of that generation, particularly Dwight Eisenhower. Upon is passing, I was fortunate to bring several of those into my personal library.
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.
In our cities, we stand in silence at the pharmacy and in check-out lines at the grocery store, distracted by our phones, barely acknowledging one another, even as rates of loneliness skyrocket. Online, we retreat into ideological silos reinforced by algorithms designed to serve us only familiar ideas and like-minded users. In our politics, we are increasingly consumed by a fear of people we’ve never met. But what if strangers—so often blamed for our most pressing political, social, and personal problems—are actually the solution?
In The Power of Strangers, Joe Keohane sets out on a journey to discover what happens when we bridge the distance between us and people we don’t know. He learns that while we’re wired to sometimes fear, distrust, and even hate strangers, people and societies that have learned to connect with strangers benefit immensely. Digging into a growing body of cutting-edge research on the surprising social and psychological benefits that come from talking to strangers, Keohane finds that even passing interactions can enhance empathy, happiness, and cognitive development, ease loneliness and isolation, and root us in the world, deepening our sense of belonging. And all the while, Keohane gathers practical tips from experts on how to talk to strangers, and tries them out himself in the wild, to awkward, entertaining, and frequently poignant effect.
The Power of Strangersby Joe Keohane is a thought-provoking exploration of the impact that interactions with strangers can have on our lives. Keohane delves into the psychology of how we perceive and connect with people we don’t know, emphasizing the influence strangers have on our decision-making and behavior.
The book takes readers on a journey through various aspects of human connection, from the significance of chance encounters to the role of strangers in shaping our opinions and beliefs. Keohane skillfully weaves together anecdotes, scientific research, and real-world examples to illustrate the profound ways in which strangers shape our experiences.
One of the strengths of the book is its ability to challenge preconceived notions about strangers, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of these interactions. Keohane argues that embracing the power of strangers can lead to personal growth, expanded perspectives, and unexpected opportunities.
The writing is engaging and accessible, making complex psychological concepts accessible to a broad audience. Keohane’s exploration of the subject matter is both thorough and detailed, aligning with your preference for detailed explanations.
In summary, The Power of Strangers offers a compelling perspective on the often-overlooked influence that strangers have on our lives. It encourages readers to reevaluate their perceptions and appreciate the richness that comes from engaging with those outside our immediate circles.
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.
On the journey to becoming a Modern Elder by developing specific skill sets, the last few posts have focused on “Mastery.” It should be no surprise that my first steps are to turn to books; in this case, Read to Lead by Jeff Brown and Jesse Wisnewski. I’ve written about it previously, but I want to take a closer look at Chapter 12, “The Key to (Nearly) Mastering Anything.”
In a world that evolves at a breakneck pace, staying ahead requires a proactive and strategic approach to learning. The process of mastering anything, as outlined in Jeff Brown and Jesse Wisnewski’s insights, involves a deliberate journey of purpose, focused study, and practical application. Let’s explore the key steps to (nearly) mastering any subject, ensuring personal and professional growth in an ever-changing landscape.
Avoiding Complacency
In the pursuit of mastery, complacency is the enemy. The authors stress that standing still can lead to falling behind, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the world we live in. It’s a call to action, urging individuals to break free from the status quo and embrace continuous progress.
Clarifying Your Purpose (Know Your Why)
The journey begins with a clear understanding of one’s purpose. Why embark on the study of a particular topic? Distinguishing between goals and purpose is crucial, and the authors advocate for persistent questioning until the root of one’s goals is uncovered.
Focusing on One Topic
Mastery requires focus. Selecting a specific topic to master sets the foundation for the learning journey. Clarity in choice becomes a guiding light, directing subsequent actions toward a singular objective.
Creating Micro-Goals
Breaking down the chosen topic into smaller, SMART goals is the next step. This process involves identifying components, conducting thorough research, and setting achievable milestones. The journey becomes more manageable when tackled one step at a time.
Creating Your Own Curriculum
Learning becomes intentional by selecting books that align with the identified components of the chosen topic. The authors suggest that reading multiple books on a subject can significantly enhance knowledge, positioning learners ahead of the curve.
Book Selection Tips
The process of selecting books is demystified with practical tips. From searching for popular titles to exploring works by familiar authors, the authors provide a roadmap for making informed choices. This ensures that the learning journey is both enjoyable and enriching.
Summarizing What You Read
Summarizing isn’t just a review; it’s an injection of jet fuel into the learning process. Scientifically proven to enhance retention, summarizing key points accelerates the absorption of knowledge, making it an essential step in the mastery journey.
Taking Action
Knowledge alone is insufficient. Practical application is the key to mastery. The authors highlight that books can’t take action for us; it’s an individual responsibility to translate acquired knowledge into tangible results.
Rinse and Repeat
Mastery is a continuous cycle. Applying what you’ve learned and then seeking new challenges keeps the journey dynamic. The process of selecting new topics and repeating the outlined steps ensures ongoing personal and professional growth.
Jeff Brown and Jesse Wisnewski’s strategic guide to (nearly) mastering anything provides a roadmap for those eager to navigate the ever-changing landscape of knowledge. By combining purpose, focus, and action, individuals can embark on a journey of continuous learning, staying relevant and resilient in the face of evolving challenges. The mastery process becomes not just a destination but a lifelong adventure of growth and discovery.
Inspired by Read to Lead by Jeff Brown and Jesse Wisnewski
August 9 is birthdate of my father, H.D. “Doc” Adams, who was born in 1927.
It’s also Book Lover’s Day.
Those two seemingly incongruent circumstances actually have a powerful connection for me.
After suffering a major stroke on February 10, 2012, my father passed away on February 25. By the time I was able to get back to Tennessee to see him, he had lost motor functions and speech capacity. Over the few days I was there, the slow but steady decline continued.
I had last seen him during the Christmas holidays. While there, I spent some time alone at home with him. After suffering a series of strokes over the past several years, he could no longer read – but the legacy of his reading lined the bookshelves all over my boyhood home. In the quiet hours when everyone was asleep, I scanned the shelves and remembered hearing him talk about this book or that one. I pulled a few off the shelf, and opening them, was instantly transported back in time to a conversation about the subject, or to memories of the event itself.
I’ve been a reader of books since, well, before I can remember. My father was an avid reader, and he passed that passion along to me at an early age. Even though he worked 6 days a week, 12 hours a day as a gas station owner, he often spent several hours reading at night. A recent revelation from a book brought his actions sharply into focus:
The manual labor of the past that allowed a human being to work in an embodied way, and to contemplate in heart and mind while working with one’s hands, encouraged the desire for reading after the physical exertions were completed. One can imagine why a farmer might kick off his boots after a day of sweat and dirt to read a good book.
Reading for the Love of God, Jessica Hooten Wilson
That was my father.
He insisted my mother take my brother and me to the library in the next town and check out books – every two weeks. I would get the maximum number of books, take them home, and read them – usually in the first day or two. Then it would be an impatient wait till the next library trip.
Reading is a passion I treasure, and one that I am thankful my father instilled in me.
The library habit of my boyhood stuck with me through elementary, junior, and high school; it remained in college and graduate school and post-graduate specialized studies. Each of my vocational roles since school “ended” have included reading as a part of what I brought to the task. It continues to this day, with a weekly visit to my local library to drop off books read and pick up books on hold – usually three or four in each category.
Wednesday August 9 is Book Lover’s Day – not an official holiday but one I eagerly celebrate. Book reading is a great hobby. It’s an important one, too. Employers look for it on resumes. Reading is educational, informative, and relaxing. It makes us both smarter and happier people.
Book Lover’s Day is a great day to celebrate. Just grab an interesting book, find a quiet, cozy place, and crack open the cover. Celebrating Book Lover’s Day in August is pleasurable on the deck, under a shady tree, poolside, or in a cozy hammock. If you fall asleep while reading, that’s okay. It’s all part of the relaxing benefits of being a book lover.
I love (and practice) the 4 different levels of reading as espoused by Mortimer Adler in his great book, How to Read a Book, but I really like to latch onto a topic and practice synoptical reading. Also known as comparative reading, it is where many books are read, and placed in relation to one another and to a subject about which they all revolve.
For many years, an ongoing topic of synoptical reading has been about Walt Disney and the “kingdom” he founded. My current Disney library is over 450 books, dating from 1939 to current releases – and I’m still actively researching the subject, and discovering new authors and books regularly. Here’s a few of my latest acquisitions:
In addition to the pure enjoyment of reading on the subject, these books provide a constant reference for illustrations when I’m writing about hospitality, planning, vision, and other topics that Walt Disney lived out – and to some extent – the Disney organization still practices. With 2023 being the 100th anniversary of the founding of the company, there’s a lot to choose from!
In addition to Disney synoptical reading, I’ve always got small threads of other, diverse, synoptical reading going on, often spurred by long-running interests and subsequent book searches. Here’s a current one, entitled #BurgerQuest: a literary, culinary, and arbitrary journey in pursuit of America’s iconic delight. True to my nature, over the years I’ve built up a research library on the burger; here’s just a sampling of the texts dealing with the history of the hamburger:
As I continue to develop #BurgerQuest, I will be diving into the history of the restaurants who have brought the burger from the lunch wagons of the 1890s to today’s wide range of options.
One of the greatest contributors to my synoptical reading was an Auxano project, 8+ years in the running, that ended in 2021. It involved researching 574 books to produce 227 issues of a book excerpt project. For those of you who are curious, that’s a book stack over five stories high. You can read about it here.
Even with that big change in my reading habit, there’s always a book at hand!
There’s current reading for Auxano social media (Tweets, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook posts), other internal Auxano writing projects, and believe it or not, reading just for the pleasure of reading – a nightly occurrence.
Currently a few topics I’ve read for pleasure in the past few months include: ongoing research into the concepts of hospitality in the home (what I’ve termed,”First Place Hospitality”); tracking the development of hospitality in the U.S; exploring the idea of the “modern elder”; select works about small town America, both past and present; the friendship of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone and their contribution to America’s development in the early 20th century; and shepherd leadership (biblical concepts relevant for the 21st century).
Of course, there’s always some Disney history coming off the presses that I include in the mix!
So, on Book Lover’s Day, and in memory of my father, I’m trying to emulate Thomas Edison, who believed that voracious reading was the key to self-improvement. He read books on a remarkable range of subjects to address his endless queries.
As Edison noted, “I didn’t read a few books, I read the library.”
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.
It is my habit to make my lunch hour my own personal “Lunch and Learn” activity. As I work from an office in my home, I typically take a break from work to enjoy lunch seated at my kitchen island, reading a book.
So it’s appropriate that, while reading Curious, by Ian Leslie, I came across this information:
Being epistemically curious is a crucial condition of feeling fulfilled and alive.
Science supports this intuition. Neurologists use the term “cognitive reserve” to describe the brain’s capacity to resist the ravages of old age. For a study published in 2013, a team led by Robert Wilson at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago enrolled three hundred elderly people and tested their thinking and memory skills each year. The participants were also asked about how often they read, wrote, and engaged in other cognitively demanding activity, not just currently, but in childhood and middle age.
Following each participant’s death, his or her brain was examined for evidence of dementia. It was discovered that, after taking into account the physical effects of dementia on their brains, the subjects who made a lifelong habit of a lot of reading and writing slowed their rate of mental decline by a third compared to those who only did an average amount of those things.
In other words, those individuals cheated old age.
– Ian Leslie, Curious
My lifelong, and ongoing, investment in reading is really an investment in my future.
It’s also my weekly destination for dropping off and picking up books I’ve placed on hold throughout the week.
Visiting the local library is a long-standing tradition with me. As a small boy, I remember with fondness the bi-monthly visits to the branch library in the next county. We were limited to checking out 20 books at a time, and it was a rare week when I didn’t meet that quota.
As soon as the car pulled in the driveway, I would race into our house and begin reading through my treasure trove of books.
In my early years, I would often have them all read in a matter of days. As I got older and the books got longer, it might take the whole two-week period to read them.
Then there’s school libraries, from middle school to high school to college to graduate school. More treasures of a deeper and longer-lasting sort.
When our children came along, I introduced them to the joy of reading and the local library. In each city we’ve lived in, one of the very first visits we made after moving was to stop by the library and pick up a library card. Since our four children were born four years apart, that’s a long time of library visits!
I’m proud to say that as they have grown up, and with children of their own, reading and visiting the library is still important in their lives. And of course, any grandchild visiting Nina and GrandBob is going to have a selection of the latest age-appropriate books from our library waiting!
Whether you visit in person or virtually, the library can help you access the resources and services you need. Libraries have been adapting to our changing world by expanding their resources and services. Through access to technology, multimedia content, and educational programs, libraries offer opportunities for everyone to explore new worlds and become their best selves.
You may or may not be in the habit of reading, and of utilizing your local library for research, pleasure reading, or other uses.
If you are, I know you are grateful for everything you find there.
If you are not, you are missing out on a vast, free resource. Don’t let another day go by until you “check it out.”
Among the many, many lessons from 2020, one certainly has to be that the pace of everything has accelerated.
At Auxano, we always strive to serve church leaders to the best of our ability
When the last two intersect, it’s time to make changes…
As we, like every church leader right now, assess everything we are presently doing in order to maximize future impact, it’s clear that even some of our best resources need to change.
The last issue of SUMS Remix was delivered Thursday, April 22*.
If all you’re doing is the jobs you used to do, you’re certainly missing out on the contributions you’re capable of.
Seth Godin
Those who know me know my personality style, emotional makeup, and characteristics. If you don’t, this should give you a clue:
Myers-Briggs – INTJ
DISC – C (almost exclusively)
Insights – Blue (deep, deep, blue)
Enneagram – 5, wing 6
Fascination Archetype – The Archer
Strengths Finder – Learner, Intellection, Input
APEST – Teaching
There’s more, but you get the drift.
SUMS Remix, and SUMS before it, have been an integral part of my work life since the fall of 2012. The idea of a creating a book summary product was one of my three primary tasks when I joined Auxano earlier that year.
Anything connected to reading, learning, and curiosity about the world around us was a natural fit for me – I have been a reader for as long as I can remember. It was instilled in me and modeled by my father, orchestrated by my mother, and a natural part of my brother’s and my childhood.
By the numbers, here’s where I’ve been:
8 years, 5 months of constant production cycles for SUMS and SUMS Remix
6 vertical book towers and two shelves in my office, holding the above referenced books
3 postal carriers, and dozens of Amazon drivers, making regular visits to my house
1 very gifted team: Bryan Rose, Andrea Kandler, and James Bethany – creative input, grammar and style development, and graphic designer, respectively. They made it happen, week after week.
And it’s over.
Better is possible… if we care enough to walk away from what was and brave enough to build something new.
Seth Godin
To best meet challenges facing leaders in a post-pandemic, accelerated-pace-of-ministry life, our team is redirecting our resources used to produce SUMS Remix to a laser-focus on these four areas:
Vision Clarity – because the post-pandemic church must be even more engaging and focus on accomplishing their unique disciple-making call
Visionary Planning – because every ministries and leaders must work in complete alignment toward a collaborative understanding of God’s better future
Generosity Culture – because giving has been steady over the last year, but we must grow everyone to be generous disciples
Generosity Campaign – because healthy growth requires resources, and how the church funds large-scale initiatives must change
If any of those areas resonate within you or your leadership and you would like to know more about how the Auxano team can help your leadership in this new era, just fill out this connection card and one of our Navigators will reach out and schedule a quick call.
I’ve already jumped headfirst into the world of research and writing for engagement, real-time development of content that leaders are asking questions about, and supporting our Navigators in their onsite and virtual journeys with churches across the country.
When it comes to books and reading, I’m still making weekly trips to the library, still curious about the world around us, and still adding to my “To Be Read” lists, because…
Want to talk books, ideas, and such? Leave a comment below!
* That day is significant in many ways, not the least of which it was the only issue (out of 221 SUMS and SUMS Remix) that was not delivered on our “every other Wednesday” target, which began in October 2012. Just sayin’…
2020 wasn’t the year I read widely because I had to; that occurred first in college, and then, to an extent, in seminary and post-graduate studies.
2020 wasn’t the year I read because there wasn’t anything else to do, because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, lockdowns, and quarantines – though there was plenty of “extra” time because of those things.
2020 wasn’t the year I read because my job requires it, though that IS part of my job, and one I look forward to every day.
So why is 2020 the year of reading for me?
It’s best expressed in these thoughts from Anne Bogel in her great little book, I’d Rather Be Reading (on sale for Kindle for $1.99 through the end of the year!).
We are readers. Books grace our shelves and fill our homes with beauty; they dwell in our minds and occupy our thoughts. Books prompt us to spend pleasant hours alone and connect us with fellow readers. They invite us to escape into their pages for an afternoon, and they inspire us to reimagine our lives. Show me a cover of any book I’ve read, and it will take me right back to where I was when I read it.
Anne Bogel
Books are portals to all kinds of memories.
And so, 2020 is a year full of book-inspired memories.
In 2020, those books came to me like this:
Books acquired this year: 287
Books borrowed from the library: 173
Digital books acquired this year: 12
As I have always been clear to point out, I have not read every page of the 472 books that have been in front of me this year.
With such an immense (and pleasurable) task in front of me (see below), and knowing there is more to my life than reading, I have to resort to some method of finding out what an author is trying to say without reading the whole book. There’s dozens of the total in which I only read the “highlights,” following methods I’ve learned over the years. In about 15 minutes, I can tell whether I will be reading the book, deep-diving into the book, skimming the book, or maybe just returning it (mainly library books).
If a book captures your attention after using whatever method of “quick review” you choose, you should read it.
The converse is true: if a book doesn’t capture your attention after a few attempts, stop reading it. Pick out another one on the topic – there are always more waiting for you!
With those caveats in mind, my “cover-to-cover” reading for 2020 was 217 books.
For the curious, like picking your favorite child (I have four), or favorite daughters/son-in-law (I have four), or grandchildren (I have ten), I don’t typically make a “Best of” list for the year. I find some value in almost every book I read, and for me, that’s good enough.
A Little More About My “Book-Inspired” Memories from 2020
In my vocational role, I am responsible for publishing SUMS Remix every two weeks. SUMS Remix is a modified book excerpt in which I develop solutions to a common problem faced by church leaders from 3 different books. So, preparing SUMS Remix in 2020 alone means I have gone through over 100 leadership and organization development books to arrive at the 81 used in producing 27 issues this year. All together, we have published 161 issues, covering 482 books, since 2015. We have just released 6 collections, covering all 161 issues, available for purchase as a downloadable PDF. Find out more here.
Other parts of my role require reading current trends books, used for team research, Navigator support, social media content creation, and other content writing.
I have had a passion for Guest Experience for decades. It’s taken a more-refined shape over the last fifteen-plus years of client work, particularly through constant research in the area of customer experience books for application for churches. Through that, an ongoing project is building The Essential Guest Experience Library, currently over 300 volumes.
A project that has been in development for over three years just became public this year: First Place Hospitality. This is a movement to help church leaders “bring hospitality home” through members building bridges to their neighbors. In addition to research needed for weekly posts, white papers, tools, and social media content, I am also building The Essential Home Hospitality Library, currently at just under 200 volumes.
I am a Disney Fanatic, plain and simple (though my wife says there is nothing plain nor simple about it). From boyhood exposure to the magical world of Walt Disney in the early 1960s, to my first of dozens of theme park visits in 1975, and especially in conversations with current and former Cast Members, I am alway seeking to learn more about Walt Disney the man, and the empire which he started. Of course, that extends to building a Disney library, currently over 420 volumes and growing! A lot of that library contains excellent material that can be applied in Guest Experience, leadership development, and organizational improvement.
Finally, there’s just the pure pleasure of reading – an almost nightly hour or two in the late evening reading a wide range of books, both brand new and classics, fiction and nonfiction. A bulk of the library books listed above fit into this category. This type of reading also helps expand the subject libraries also mentioned above, and helps start new ones!
In these closing days of 2020, and the beginning of a new year just ahead, why don’t you give yourself a gift?
The gift of reading.
Be sure to check out my other websites for more information on how to “Read the Year Out!”
27gen.com 