Moneyball

For anyone who has any interest whatsoever in baseball, this is a great book:

For anyone who enjoys movies, this is a great movie:

The book really gets down into the details of how the Oakland A's operated as a franchise in the early 2000's.  A lot of really good stuff about stats and how to understand stats to form a major league baseball team.  The movie is solid.  Even if you are not a fan of baseball, probably worth watching.

I am hoping the Cubs are applying this moneyball management style right now.  They actually have money that they can spend though, so the results should (hopefully) be much greater.

The Go Giver

Dad recommended that I read this book last week and I wanted to pass it along.

It's a great quick (100 pages) read about the importance of giving of your time, self, and abilities both in business and in life.  Give it a read if you get the chance.

Born To Run

Book Recommendation:

Born To Run by Christopher McDougall.

Really interesting book thats basis is about endurance running but includes so much more about modern day exercise and the physical makeup of our bodies and how we are quite literally born to run.

To borrow from Amazon:
"Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.

Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.

With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run."

If you have any interest in running and/or exercise check this book out.

Through Painted Deserts

Just wanted to share a book that I recently finished reading: Through Painted Deserts: Light, God, and Beauty on the Open Road.  The book is about two guys around my age (23) who decide to go on a road trip in search of a deeper meaning for life.  Donald, the author, and friend Paul take off from Houston, TX headed for the Grand Canyon but then have no destination or plan beyond this.  After the GC the two traveled through different parts of California before settling in at a mountain camp in Oregon.  During their travels, the two friends meet all kinds of different people, learn to place their full trust in God, witness the fullness of all thet nature has to offer, and learn what true friendship is all about.  I personally really enjoyed the book because I love traveling and kind of took a two week adventure like this two summers ago.  This book struck a chord with me because a road trip like this, with no set plans or destination, is something that I would love to do anytime time and money allowed it.  I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys getting into the car and traveling.

Under the Overpass

I finished reading Under the Overpass:  A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America while at the beach a couple weeks ago. It was a really interesting story about two Christian college students who intentionally chose to live as homeless people on the streets of six American cities for five months.  Mike and Sam, the two 21 year old students, decided to embark on this journey as a way to challenge their faith in God, better identify with the poor, and to grow in their walks with God.

I found the book to be very interesting.  These guys acted in a pretty radical way to share their faith in God with others and to fully put their trust in Him.  The journey that Mike shares through the book is a very interesting peek into the day to day life and struggles of homeless people.  It made me look at homeless people in a whole new light.  Its a great book to examine our view on mercy ministries.  Mike also gives several practical, simple ways to help comfort local homeless communities.  Very eye opening.  Its a great read.  Check it out.

Gladwell

I read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell over Christmas break, and I would highly recommend it to anybody.  It was a great book about what factors contribute to how people become successful.  It goes beyond just determination and hard work by an individual and more into their personal life circumstances.  It is a very interesting read and includes stories about Bill Gates, The Beatles, and Olympic athletes just to name a few.  I would highly recommend that anyone read it. *****

I just finished reading my second book by Gladwell a couple weeks ago, Tipping Point.  This was also a good book but I didn't find it as entertaining as Outliers.  It is still very good and includes a lot of very interesting information, but I just thought there were some slow parts that brought my interest down.  This book focuses on how sociological changes influence our everyday lives and has many cool case studies to explain this phenomena.  It is a good read.  ****




Just thought I would pass along a few book recommendations for the masses...

On Rocky Top

Just got finished reading this book by Clay Travis.  Very good and interesting read about the fall of the Phil Fulmer era of UT Vols football.  I would highly recommend it to any Vols or college football fan.  Great read.

Big Clay Travis fan.  Check out his COLUMN.

Meat Market

I just got finished reading 'Meat Market' by Bruce Feldman.  The book follows Ed Orgeron around on the recruiting trail while he was the head coach at Ole Miss in 2006-07.  All the work that goes on behind the scenes and during the offseason for the college football coaches is pretty insane.  Orgeron is an excellent recruiter and I'm glad that he is currently on the UT staff.  The book is a very good read for anyone who is interested in college football.  I would highly recommend it.