Leather Chair Reading

Leather Chair Reading!  Fun And Thoughtful Summer Books!

As you scan the big, wide, wonderful world of the internet, it won’t take you long to realize that summer book lists are a dime a dozen.  That being said, I’m a huge proponent of checking out anything that gets us interested in taking a break from social media to actually opening up what we each consider a good “read-worthy” book.  Here’s a few I’ve read lately that I know will make you glad you took the time to curl up in a comfy, secluded corner somewhere, to get lost in the entertaining wonders of the written word!

 “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need!”  Tribute Journal

Tribute Journal’s Summer Book List!

Short  by Holly Goldberg Sloan

“Unexpected things happen when you are young that change you…or maybe a better way to say this is, unexpected things happen when you are young that shape you.”  Holly Goldberg Sloan

This fun novel was a recent pick for a book club I attend…and boy, did I ever love every entertaining, laugh out-loud moment it provided!  This delightful book was inspired by the author’s own experiences of being the shortest girl in her class throughout her elementary grade school years, as well as her adventures of playing a Munchkin in summer theater production of “The Wizard Of Oz”.

The endearing story of “Short” is told through the matter-of-fact, pre-teen eyes of Julia Marks.  Discouraged about her lack of stature and grieving the loss of her beloved dog, Ramon, Julia isn’t looking forward to her summer.  To make matters worse, her mother signs her and her younger brother up to audition for a semi-professional community play of the “Wizard Of Oz” …and what does she get cast as?  That’s right, a munchkin!  During the course of the nearly daily rehearsals, Julia is introduced to the world of theater and the quirky cast of characters who make a lasting impact on her young life.

I grew a lot this summer.  Not on the outside, but on the inside.  And that’s the only place where growing really matters.

Julia Marks in “Short” by Holly Goldberg Sloan   

Aside from the ever charming character of Julia, I loved Julia’s neighbor, Mrs. Chang, a former prima ballerina, who Julia has no trouble convincing to become involved in the theater production as costume designer extraordinaire; she is a kick and even though she’s well into her 70’s, she eventually talks the eccentric director of the play into letting her and Julia be some of the flying monkeys who are strapped into make-shift harnesses as they fly across the stage in what becomes a highlight of the play.  Another subtle, yet wonderful relationship development that takes place in this book, is the new-found respect Julia finds for the tireless efforts of her mother as she starts to realize how much her mom just wants what’s best for her family…any mother can certainly relate to that plot line!!

I smile at mom and tell her something I’ve wanted to say all summer.  “Thanks, mom.  Thanks for making me try out for this play.”  I think I might have made being a mother totally worthwhile for her.  I will never forget the look on her face…mom has tears in her eyes and she’s smiling.  It’s an amazing look.  I have to remember how powerful it can be to say thank you.  Especially to the people you live with.  They probably least expect it.

As an adult, I dearly loved this book, and my two older granddaughters are also enjoying it as we read it together this summer.

The Rent Collector  by Camron Wright

“Just when we think we have our own stories figured out, heroes arise in the most unexpected places.”  Camron Wright 

My husband gave me this beautifully written book as a gift this past Christmas.  My sister-in-law, who is an avid reader, suggested it as a “must read” when he inquired about a good book he could give me…and indeed “The Rent Collector” is  a mesmerizing book to read!

Typically, when an amazing story is discovered in a wonderful book and gains public acclaim, it might eventually be made into a movie.  In the case of “The Rent Collector” –it was a documentary film made by the author’s son while he attended film school, that inspired Camron Wright to make the characters come to life on the written page.  (You can read more about the documentary film here.)   

(Sang Ly with her husband and son via “River of Victory”)

The story is set in Cambodia just after the decline of the communist Khmer Rouge regime.  The two main characters, Sang Ly and her husband Ki Lim, live in Stung Meanchey, the largest municipal waste dump in Cambodia.  Day to day life is hard enough when you have to make a living scavenging through the trash for recyclables, without the extra worry for their chronically ill child, Nisay, and the added expense of the medicines that don’t seem to be working.  Although this story line may sound grim, the author’s eloquent message throughout the book is one of hope, determination and redemption.  Sang Li’s quest to save her son’s life takes an unusual turn when she finds out that the ill-tempered woman who collects their rent, Sopeap Sin, has a secret that could eventually help Sang Li save her son.

As stated on the cover of this book:

The Rent Collector powerfully illustrates how anyone can quite literally “rise from the ashes” so to speak, in the most unlikely of places.

I read about an interview Mr. Wright gave when “The Rent Collector” was first published, where he states that hope is sort of an innate thing that we should all hold on to in our hearts…

Things get terrible and things get bad, but we always look to better times; I think that is how we should always live no matter our circumstances.

I guarantee that this book will have a powerful impact on how you view your own life and how you choose to resolve the challenges you face.

Choices That Change Lives  by Hal Urban

“Our lives are the direct result of our choices, and the most important choices we make become our character traits…the ones that lead to fulfillment and peace of mind.”  Hal Urban 

This book is a follow-up to Hal Urban’s best seller and one of my very favorite books, “Life’s Greatest Lessons: 20 Things That Matter Most”.  (You can read my journal entry on that book here.)  Hal Urban’s books are so joyful to read; he has the rare ability to entertain and enlighten without getting preachy.  As a former high school teacher, college professor, and single father who raised three sons, his stories are insightful and the wisdom he’s gained through his own process of self-evolvement can’t help but inspire you to more fully develop your capacity to live a rich and rewarding life.  I keep both these books handy so I can use them as a ready reference for those times when I find myself in need of a little extra “food for the soul” –so to speak!

In the introduction of this book,  Mr. Urban recalls that all too often in his travels, he found that people were intrigued with the concept that he’d mentioned in his previous book…

I recall vividly that while on a media tour for my book, “Life’s Greatest Lessons: 20 Things That Matter Most” –all every radio or TV host wanted to talk about was the chapter on making choices…you would have thought that I’d made some startling discovery that was going to dramatically change millions of lives.  But the truth is, choices have been around for as long as mankind.  It’s truly amazing how many people are either unaware, or forget, that they’re making choices all the time–little ones that are fairly unimportant, and big ones that can change our lives for good or for bad.  This book is about some of those big choices.

When I first read this book, I just picked out the chapters with the characteristics and choices I thought I needed to work on the most–I mean who doesn’t need to take a good close look at being more humble, patient, kind and courageous…right?  However, when I picked up the book again and reread it from front to back, it dawned on me that so many choices we make in life are interrelated and applied simultaneously as we strive to live our best lives.

The advice given at the end of the book is one of the key reasons why I love Hal Urban’s observations and astute insights into everyday life.  He says:

While reading this book, you may be thinking the same thing I was thinking while writing it.  What person could possibly practice all these qualities and virtues every day?  I thought of two who probably did–Albert Schweitzer and Mother Teresa.  The world doesn’t produce a lot of people like these two Nobel Peace Prize winners, but it does produce a lot of regular people like you and me who want to grow, who want to be the best persons we can be, and who want to lead lives of joy.

I hope you are all having the best summer, full of all the things you love–I also hope it includes a good book or two!  My cute dad, who always seemed to have a book in his hand, loved this quote…With this thought in mind, I’d love to know of any good books you’ve read lately or are reading now that have made an impact on your life.

–Here’s to happy summer days and good reading!  Mary 

Leather Chair Reading!  A Life Changing Book!

Although we have enjoyed an unusually warm fall season here in Utah where I live, the night air is starting to turn cooler, so it seems the perfect time, (before the busy holiday season) to come home after a busy day and wrap up in a warm afghan for a little while and read a chapter or two in a good book!

“To change ones life: Start immediately.  do it flamboyantly.  No exceptions.”  William James

For this “Leather Chair Reading” journal post, the book I’m going to share with you literally changed the trajectory of my life and helped me and my husband redefine our true priorities at a crucial time for us when balancing work, family and time together seemed a little off kilter.  It is a book you’ll want to keep handy so you can refer to it often, because we all know it often takes constant reminders to help us keep what’s most important in our lives in good perspective!

Life’s Greatest Lessons: 20 Things That Matter! by Hal Urban

“The author has put into wise, bite-sized pieces some of life’s most important truths.  Read, learn, enjoy!”   Obviously, I was intrigued after reading this quote on the inside cover of the book, Life’s Greatest Lessons: 20 things That Matter” while browsing through some bookshelves several years ago when my husband and I were on a “bookstore date” –one of our favorite kinds of dates, so how could I not buy it.

The author, Hal Urban, was a high school teacher for several years, and then a professor at the University of San Francisco, but more importantly, as far as I’m concerned, he raised three sons as a single father, and in this role realized pretty quickly that he had a limited amount of time to get his priorities figured out.

This book is the kind of book you’ll tend to want to devour in a single setting, since you can’t help but anticipate all the amazing changes that are sure to take place in your life when you finish the last chapter…but realistically, since this book requires some self-introspection, reading each chapter carefully, even taking time to make notes in the margins, rewards the reader with time to really ponder all the individual topics and know better how to implement the lessons learned into daily living.  As the wise literary scholar, Ralph Waldo Emerson, once said, “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived in order to be understood.”

Mr. Urban states in the introduction of this book that he wrote it for four reasons:

◊ Because they don’t teach how life works or what is essential in school.

◊ Because most of us need help in discovering how good we can really be.

◊ Because old fashioned truth never goes out of style–even with a new generation.

◊ Because we are never too young or too old to learn life’s greatest lessons…and the time is always right.  

I love the common sense approach taken with each lesson so that people from all walks of life can ultimately empower themselves to live better lives.  For example, in Lesson 4, titled:  “Attitude Is A Choice–The Most Important One You’ll Ever Make!” the author shares a personal story of how he slowly put the pieces of his broken life back together after a painful divorce.  In so doing, he tried hard to live by the creed of World War II prison camp survivor, Victor Frankl, who believed that the ability to choose our attitude in any given circumstance should be valued as on of man’s most celebrated freedoms!  “We can’t adjust every situation to fit our lives perfectly, but we can adjust our attitudes to fit all situations.”

Lesson 6: “Being Thankful Is A Habit–The Best One You’ll Have!” talks about an experiment Mr. Urban did with his students throughout the years of his teaching career; he would simply ask his students to go for twenty-four hours without complaining.  I will admit, I couldn’t help but chuckle when I read that the first response from his students was usually to complain about the assignment, but this was only the first part of the assignment…he also asked his students to list things they were thankful for, then that list four times a day!  Mr. Urban then goes on to describe the significant changes in his student’s demeanor as they entered his classroom after the experiment.  “Thankfulness does wonder for the soul!  When we focus on what’s right instead of what’s wrong, life improves considerably!”

Probably the lesson I related to the most was number 11: “There’s No Substitute For Hard Work!”  I was blessed to have parents that taught me that motivation is fantastic and goals are great, but nothing happens until hard work is added.  It’s the last lesson, number 20, that often stumps me the most: “Life Really Is Quite Simple, Don’t Insist On Complicating It!”   While we live in a complex world, it doesn’t mean we have to live complicated lives.  In the final chapter of his book, Mr. Urban intuitively states, “Living a more fulfilled life is often as simple as looking for the best…in the world, in others and in ourselves!  Doing this will unlock your mind to a treasure chest of life’s opportunities and possibilities!”    

I will always treasure “Life’s Greatest Lessons: 20 Things That Matter!” as a reference guide on how to be more authentic so that I can live my very best life!  

I’d love to know about any great books you’ve read that have inspired you to live better. 

–Mary