The Final Summit

So my first BookSneeze book was The Final Summit: A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity by Andy Andrews.  It is the 'much awaited' follow up to The Traveler's Gift, continuing the story of David Ponder in a 'where is he now' kind of way.  David Ponder is quite a bit older and has lived his life trying to uphold and teach the lessons he learned as a traveler.  He has recently lost his wife and so despite his successes is feeling depressed and alone when the angel Gabriel (or should I say Archangel Gabriel) appears to him and tells him that they need him again.  There is to be a summit of travelers and so since David was the last traveler, and the only one still living, they need him there as the representative for earth and humanity.  So he climbs on Gabriel's back and is whisked away to a board room in heaven or somewhere similar, where he is to meet with other travelers and figure out the one principle that will save humanity.

As different travelers join him at the table, I was reminded once more of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure especially when Abraham Lincoln and Joan of Arc were at the table with him.  It's funny there's something about Andy Andrews' books that always make me think of other things...  Anyway overall I liked this book less than The Traveler's Gift, I found it similarly equal parts inspiring and cheesy.  Though actually I would say this one was more cheesy and predictable to me than the first.  I didn't think the message was as inspiring and it felt like he was trying too hard.  I don't know - it wasn't my favorite.

But I loved learning about Eric Ericson!  The story of how was a self-made spy during World War II.  He used his skills and education to infiltrate the Nazis, learn where their secret fuel sources were, and reported the information to Great Britain and America so that they could bomb them.  Amazing.  This is the kind of story I wish I had learned in school.  Learning about the individuals in history helps me remember the dates, times and places that are drilled into our heads in school.  Anyway basically I feel like the story of Eric Ericson was the best part of the book, and if you asked me right now what the one principle was I don't think I could tell you.  But I could definitely tell you, in detail, the story of Ericson.

Summer of Light

I was on Melissa's blog a few weeks ago and she was talking about summer reading and asked for suggestions.  Someone suggested 3 books - 2 I had read and loved (The Help and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society) - and 1 I had not, Summer of Light by W. Dale Cramer.  So I decided I had better read it.  And I'm glad I did, I really enjoyed it.  It made me laugh, it made me cry.  All around a great story of raising kids told from a different perspective - the dad's!  It's the story of Mick Brannigan, an iron-worker, who loses his job after a bizarre accident and ends up being a stay-at-home-dad for three kids.  In the middle of raising the kids and running the house he discovers he has an eye for photography, and with the encouragement of a neighbor he begins taking photos to enter into a local contest.

There was something so sweet and fun about Mick and his child-rearing.  He was always doing unexpected things, things that most stay-at-home mom's would never do (mainly because they could be extremely dangerous), but he does it in a way that works.  I still laugh thinking about that zip-line and the quotes from that video game that the kids shout all the time...   And once Mick starts taking photos everywhere they go, the story got even more interesting for me - because of where the photography leads him.  It reminds me a little bit of urban exploration at points, which is fascinating to me - but I'm a little too chicken to get out there and do it, so I am happy to enjoy others' photography of it.  Like Avius Quovis - amazing, so cool and I know him!  Which reminds me of the new book Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, he incorporates eerie vintage photos into the story and I really want to read it.  Also there is a really cool making of the book trailer for that book, where he goes with an urban explorer and it is beautiful and haunting - you should definitely go watch it here.  OK back to Summer of Light, the point is I really enjoyed it, I found it entertaining and uplifting.  The characters are very interesting and real - and I think I have a bit of a crush of Mick Brannigan actually.

The Traveler's Gift

My first BookSneeze book is The Final Summit by Andy Andrews, which is a follow up to The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success.  So I decided I better read that one first.  And for the most part I enjoyed it.  It's a pretty quick read with some good lessons in it.  It's the story of David Ponder a man who loses everything he deems of value and in turn loses his will to live.  In an It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol sort of way, while unconscious he visits seven historical figures that each teach him the lessons he needs to learn to live a better, more fulfilling, and ultimately successful life.  As I was reading I kept thinking of the book The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom - it had a very similar feel to me.  With moments that are very inspirational and motivating and others that I just found kind of corny.  And even though I did not read any reviews or really anything about this book other than that it is the first David Ponder book, I found it somewhat predictable.  Once he met the first person - President Truman - and learns that he was going to visit six other people at key points in history that will each have a lesson for him; as soon as he arrives at the next place I knew exactly where he was and usually who he was there to meet.  Though I never knew the lesson he would learn from each person...  So my knowing where he was didn't make the story less effective - I just found it funny that I kept guessing right.  There were things that I didn't like about the story, but all in all I found the seven lessons themselves to be great.  And in some ways just what I needed to hear.  I don't think I'm going to be running around telling everyone that they have to read this book - but I did enjoy it, and am looking forward to reading The Final Summit.  Probably the main thing, other than the lessons, that stuck with me was how he traveled through time meeting people which basically just made me think about Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and really made me want to watch that movie!  So I did and it was hilarious.  Hadn't seen it in years, so it was really fun to watch it again - it is definitely a classic.  Also made me want to read The Diary of Anne Frank,  can you believe I've never read that?  Me either.  Somehow I never had to read it in school and since I knew it was going to be sad, I just never read it on my own.  But now I've decided that I'm going to do it, already requested it from the library and everything.  (Hmm, this book really made me think about a lot of other books and movies...  Can't wait to see what The Final Summit will make me want to watch and read.  Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey perhaps?  Only if I'm super lucky.)