Shoe Dog A memoir by the creator of NIKE. Phil Knight

Shoe Dog A memoir by the creator of NIKE. Phil Knight

I'm familiar with the story but never heard it from Phil Knight’s point of you. The book moves rapidly along with the interesting history of the growth of NIKE and the fine line between falling apart and succeeding. Time and again he illustrates the key role relationships play in a person’s success. People you can trust, people you would go to the mat for and they for you, with people who you enjoy or can be simpatico with their idiosyncratic behaviors and they with yours.

A few tidbits

In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few.

Shunryu Suzuki, Zen mind beginners mind

The Oregonian mindset - “the cowards never started, the weak died along the way - that leaves us”

Told his kids bedtime history stories and inserted his kids name into the history stories e.g. Ben Franklin and ‘insert child's name here’ make the kid part of key player in solutions.

The bucket list – he encourages pursuing one

Everyone is seeking a connection , a oneness, a mi casa es su casa.

Seek a calling even if you don't know that means seek it. If you are following your calling the fatigue will be easier to bear, disappointment will be fuel, highs will be like nothing you've ever felt.

Sometimes you need to know when to give up. giving up doesn't mean stopping don't ever stop!

Have faith in yourself but also have faith in faith.

A good story.

An interesting and gifted man.

Fascinating and fun to read as he weaves together business and personal life. Interesting that his desire to ‘relive’ it would be to unsay some of the things he had said, to say some of the things he’d omitted and ‘to be a better father’.

The Kingdom of Speech. Tom Wolfe

The Kingdom of Speech byTom Wolfe

"I was searching through the 'new book’ section of the Delray Beech library and said Hmmm...I've never read any Tom Wolfe; maybe I should give him a try." He's definitely compelling with words, so it is not remarkable that he would turn his attention in this book to the subject of how we got them. I like language so I grabbed it. An interesting sequel to my Astrophysics book, for this book countervails Darwin & Chomsky on evolutionary theory of man. In particular the origin of speech and language.

Wolfe uses specific facts related to language that put holes through the theory of everything that Darwin & Chomsky rely on to be universal, and so demonstrated Chomsky wrong, or at least incomplete .The smoke cleared and the origin of language remains a mystery - Wolfe doesn't offer a solution to ‘how language’; in my purview it does not dispute the totality of the evolution but just man's jump from animal. Wolfe might be simplistic but it's an interesting read and causes one to ponder.

I appreciate a few examples he illustrates that challenge Darwin:

- Evolution would not select for injurious or detrimental traits, with which Homo Sapiens is replete. ( E.g. why would we evolve to be both white and hairless as adaptations to cold?)

-Evolution would not equip a species with an advantage that would only come into use thousands of years into the future ( speech).

Astrophysics For People in a Hurry. Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Astrophysics For People in a Hurry

Neil DeGrasse Tyson

A popular, the library wait list took 8 weeks, science book centering around a number of basic questions about the universe, which Tyson has addressed in various essays and lectures over time complied in book format.

With a swift pace, upbeat tone, and the ability to condense astronomical issues into consumable English, Tyson includes his view of additional saving graces offered mankind by science.

‘With this book, and the hopeful hunger instilled because of it, Tyson seeks to better the world with an army of scientifically literate, curious, unified, conscious human beings.’ Tyson admits, “If I’ve succeeded, you’ll be culturally conversant in my field of expertise, and you just may be hungry for more”

I enjoy digging into a hard science book every once in awhile to try and sharpen the old synopsis. This is very readable and only a few sentences required re-reading. Tyson isn’t opposed to faith though he is opposed to religion. I working on better understanding the totality so I can better articulate my religious beliefs as well. I don’t find glaring contradictions between the ever evolving definition of science and my beliefs, being given that there will probably be a half-dozen more definition of dark matter and dark energy before they land on the ‘one’.

I am comfortable living in ambiguity; if you are as well – then read this book , can’t say that I exited with confidence of being culturally conversant but its good read.

The Infinite Atonement . Tad R. Callister

The Infinite Atonement . Tad R. Callister

The book:

One reviewer describes it as: The Infinite Atonement is rapidly becoming a classic, as it offers what may be the most comprehensive treatment of the Atonement in our day. It's the kind of book you will want to read in a quiet space, with a pencil and notepad in one hand and the book in the other. It is a compilation of quotes, thoughts, talk segments drawn on a depth of resources extensively analytic. That being said it is a slow and thoughtful read where it informs always but does not always inspire. It did introduce new thoughts and feelings to me; and led me to ponder the atonement more frequently and probe the scriptures more and pray more on how to apply it to my life more completely and share and teach it simply to those in my stewardship.

The Atonement is the atoning sacrifice that took place in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary. He paid the price for our sins, took upon Himself death, and was resurrected.

‘The word “atonement” appears 69 times in the KJV OT (and only once in the KJV NT!) Most commonly this is a rendering of the Hebrew verb kaphar“to cover,” which is usually translated something like “to make an atonement.” The noun appears as a plural, kippurim (lit. “atonements”). In Modern Hebrew, the archaic plural has been replaced by a singular, such as we see in the expression Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.’

"The Atonement is the central act of human history, the pivotal point in all time, the doctrine of doctrines." The Atonement is infinite in time. It applies retroactively and prospectively through time immemorial.

Three principles of the Atonement that, if written in our hearts, will increase our faith in Jesus Christ.

Principle 1: “All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

Principle 2: “There is power in the Atonement to enable us to overcome the natural man or woman and become true disciples of Jesus Christ”

Principle 3: “The Atonement is the greatest evidence we have of the Father's love for his children”

Scriptures to review

2 Nephi 9

Alma 34

Ether 12

A video to watch #becausehelives https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-04-1010-he-lives-celebrate-easter-because-jesus-christ-lives?lang=eng

Wickedness alone seldom, if ever, has been the cause of man's destruction; the greater tragedy is wickedness coupled with an unwillingness to repent.

Learn how to shed your regrets and how to master your memories so you can hold yourself together as a person - living without bitterness without remorse.

We are in a time of incredible intensity, some challenges of our own making, some challenges because of satan, and some challenges just because the randomness of statistics impacts us. The Savior can helps us overcome all. We can find joy in all circumstances through the lord.

These are things we can rely on. These are things that can make all the difference in the life.

My prayer is that we can each find peace and joy through the trials of life. You have the tools before - turn to the Lord and embrace His atoning sacrifice.

The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peter & Joan Hess

The Painted Queen

Another in my series of dead author books: 

An Amelia Peabody Novel of Suspense (Grisham was as good as it dead to me you should count his as well). The concept from  Elizabeth peters - dead, and execution is Joan Hess - living writer.

An Amelia Peabody Novel of Suspense. ... “Devoted Amelia Peabody fans will read this book with tears in their eyes as they bid farewell to these much-loved characters (and author).”. ... “Amelia Peabody, the bossy archaeologist in Elizabeth Peters’s romantic adventures set in Egypt ..." gives an overview of my feelings of the series. I read one of her books before going to Egypt and when I heard about this new and last work I had to read it quickly. 

 An ok, not a great book, but given I am a fan of the series it was a must read. A slight exaggeration of the traditional style and pacing but consistent enough to be a part of her work. 

Sorry to see it end , I've enjoyed them.

Camino Island by John Grisham

Camino Island by John Grisham

Grisham is an author who I stopped reading years ago because so many of his books felt like the same formula recast . But, this is new and a different kind of genre for him; it is about books, bookstores, rare manuscripts, a bit of thievery and Florida. I thought I'd give it a whirl.

It's a quick read multilayer story. I stayed involved in solving the resolution, which was different than anticipated, but satisfactory. It was a good book to distract me from Hurricane Irma preparations.