Amazing Book

I just finished reading the biography of Steve Jobs.  A tome to be sure, a whopping 571 pages of reading, not including notes, bibliography, appendices, etc.  I did not get it finished in the 2 weeks that I had it checked out from the library and had to renew it yesterday, but I did get it finished in 15 days which isn't too bad.

I did not care for the curse words peppered throughout (which were quotes by Steve Jobs), but other than that, the book was well written, the author's style was an easy flowing narrative and covered his entire life in a detailed manner covering his personal and professional life.  The biography really gave the essence of who Steve Jobs was and what drove his passion to create incredible products that were the intersection of art and technology (a phrase repeated throughout the book).  His insistence on pushing people to create things that they thought impossible drove them to imagine and then create things no one had ever imagined and be able to engineer them

I plan to have my kids read this book.  It is a textbook example of thinking outside the box, something that we strive to model to our children.  If you don't have the time to read that many pages, I would suggest getting the audiobook.  I think everyone can learn something from this book.

I would give the book a 5 stars out of 5.

Now on to my next book - we'll see which one I can get from the library or borrow from a friend next.  That will determine what I read next.  It sure feels good to read books for pleasure again!

Building a Better Mousetrap (or Learning about Steve Jobs)

Based on a recommendation by my friend Glenda and my father-in-law, I checked out the biography of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson from the library.  The book is fascinating and takes you step by step through various things that happened in his life (which I found cumbersome to begin with, considering the book is 571 pages long).  I quickly learned, after reading a few chapters, how Isaacson, wove this all together to really tell the background of Steve Jobs quirky personality and quest to do things differently, better and more uniquely than anyone ever has.  I now, appreciate the detail that Isaacson used in the early  chapters to lay the foundation for explaining what made Steve Jobs who he was.

He set out to create a different product and company than anyone has ever seen or experienced.  Along the way, he has pushed people's creative limits to new heights, creating things that didn't seem possible.  He also created a loyal, almost cult-like following for Apple's innovative products.  The MacIntosh computer, the iPhone and the iPad have revolutionized the world in many ways.

Yes, there are people who hate Macs or feel more comfortable with their PCs.  My husband had a MacIntosh computer when we got engaged, but sold it as he began using PCs for work.  About five years ago he bought a MacBook laptop.  I wasn't ready, but eventually I came around and bought one 2 years ago.  I kick myself for waiting for so long.  Everything you do with them is intuitive.  And you avoid nearly all the virus problems you have with PCs.

Our kids have only used a Mac and have easily picked up how to do anything they need to do on it.  Our oldest daughter attended a technology workshop that the 4H Youth Council was hosting. Others were signed up to help with Mac products, so she ended up helping someone with their PC.  She was able to pick up easily what needed to be done, I believe because of the ease of learning her way around the computer on the Mac.

I still have about 400 pages of the book left and am trying to read about 50-70 pages per night if possible, in order to get it finished by the time it is due back at the library in 2 weeks.  It was a good book to start back into trying to read regularly.  It has kept my interest.  I don't think it is because I like Macs, but because the book is well written.

I see this has gotten extremely long, so I have kept you long enough (if you are still reading).

The Latest Addition to my Bookshelf

Yesterday I received my latest book through Paperback Swap. I have received a lot of books I have wanted and am thankful that Wendi told me about it.

My latest book is by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. The title is God At Work, but subtitled Your Christian Vocation in All of Life. I have heard great reviews from various members of my homeschooling list and can't wait to read it.

What is your latest addition to your bookshelf? We can all use great suggestions for that next book. Let's get the list started here.

Susan tagged me with this meme. Here are the instructions:

Instructions
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

There were no books on my desk, so I grabbed one off the bookshelf directly behind my office chair: Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years by S. Fred Singer and Dennis T. Avery
Sentences 6-8 on page 123:

"In the coming warming centuries, we will undoubtedly be able to produce enough food from the land that gets good weather in any given year to supply all of the world's food needs. Equally important, we will be able to store food safely from years of plenty to ensure food abundance in lean year: all it takes are inexpensive concrete silos and modern pesticides to keep the rats and bugs from feasting on our food reserves before we need to draw on them. Thanks to modern transportation, we will also be able to transport the food, whereever it is grow, to whereever in the world it is needed. "

Just for the record, my uncle sent this book to my hubby a couple of years ago and neither one of us has read it, so we have no idea if we agree with much of anything in it. End of disclaimer.......

Now I will tag: Amy, Dawn, Pam, Glenda and Melody

A Quote that says it all......

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991

I think I know quite a few people who can agree with this quote. We have 10 bookshelves in our house, plus several boxes of books that we plan to sell or pass along to someone else via www.half.com or www.paperbackswap.com , etc. There is always a book or 10 in the reading pile on a variety of subjects. I am thankful that our children have inherited our love of books. Now, if I could just find time to finish some of those books I started............