Books and life
I need to start out by admitting that I really don't read many books these days. In fact, I have only read one "new" book, cover to cover, in the past two years. That was Marley and Me.
It's a book about "life and love with the world's worst dog". Now while I think Shiner would give Marley a run for his money in the "worst dog" category, it was an amazing read. Anyone that has ever had a dog (especially a lab) or is thinking about getting a dog, needs to read this book. It will make you laugh, cry and everything in between.
But this isn't about Marley and Me.
This is about the 2nd of three books I have read from cover to cover in the past 2 years. A book that I have read multiple times since childhood and most recently back in May, before Rock and Roll San Diego.
The book is The Phantom Tollbooth.
I was reminded of it today as I was going thru my week-long stack of unread newspapers.
The headline "Books Contain Tollbooth for Tomorrow" caught my eye. Amazingly enough, it was a column about The Phantom Tollbooth. I was surprised to see someone write about this book because I get a lot of blank stares when I mention this as one of my favorites.
It was a hard read as a child, but I got thru it and the underlying messages were hazy, but there.
When I read it for the first time as an adult about 10 years ago, those hazy messages became much more defined.
There is a subtle genious in the way it talks about getting stuck in the doldrums (“Since you got here by not thinking, it seems reasonable to expect that in order to get out, you must start thinking"), risks of jumping to conclusions, making of mistakes and learning from them and much more.
I read this book (or at least applicable parts) when I am in a rut, frustrated, or lose focus. It is amazing how a few words can really get me mentally back on track.
"The way you see things depends a great deal on where you look at them from."
Attitude is SO important to success.
In training.
And life, in general.
Oh.
And since I know you are dying to know.
The third book I have read from cover-to-cover in the past two years is The Giving Tree.
I read that book almost once a month.
Everyone should.
But that blog is for another day.
It's a book about "life and love with the world's worst dog". Now while I think Shiner would give Marley a run for his money in the "worst dog" category, it was an amazing read. Anyone that has ever had a dog (especially a lab) or is thinking about getting a dog, needs to read this book. It will make you laugh, cry and everything in between.
But this isn't about Marley and Me.
This is about the 2nd of three books I have read from cover to cover in the past 2 years. A book that I have read multiple times since childhood and most recently back in May, before Rock and Roll San Diego.
The book is The Phantom Tollbooth.
I was reminded of it today as I was going thru my week-long stack of unread newspapers.
The headline "Books Contain Tollbooth for Tomorrow" caught my eye. Amazingly enough, it was a column about The Phantom Tollbooth. I was surprised to see someone write about this book because I get a lot of blank stares when I mention this as one of my favorites.
It was a hard read as a child, but I got thru it and the underlying messages were hazy, but there.
When I read it for the first time as an adult about 10 years ago, those hazy messages became much more defined.
There is a subtle genious in the way it talks about getting stuck in the doldrums (“Since you got here by not thinking, it seems reasonable to expect that in order to get out, you must start thinking"), risks of jumping to conclusions, making of mistakes and learning from them and much more.
I read this book (or at least applicable parts) when I am in a rut, frustrated, or lose focus. It is amazing how a few words can really get me mentally back on track.
"The way you see things depends a great deal on where you look at them from."
Attitude is SO important to success.
In training.
And life, in general.
Oh.
And since I know you are dying to know.
The third book I have read from cover-to-cover in the past two years is The Giving Tree.
I read that book almost once a month.
Everyone should.
But that blog is for another day.
posted by Kevin at 7:04 PM
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