Seth Godin’s bestselling book, Tribes, is about the fundamental message of essential leadership. Godin elegantly shares what it takes to lead well. Heretics, sheep, crowds, tribes, leaders, movements, fans, status quo… these are just some of the elements that good leaders understand.

So why a tribe? Godin states, “A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. For millions of years, humans have joined tribes… It’s our nature.” If humans are looking for a tribe to join, we need leaders to lead the tribe. Godin does a wonderful job of inspiring and calling us forth to be those leaders.

If you have a message to share and need a little encouragement, this is a great book for you, easy to read and powerful in message!

What message do you share with your tribe? What tribe are you following? Do you have another Seth Godin book that you love?

If you are like me, you grew up and into The Princess Bride. Probably your vocabulary is full of phrases like, “I’m not a witch, I’m your wife!, He’s been mostly dead all day., Mawwiage., It’s possible. Pig.” … the list goes on and on and on.

And, although I have been a fan since the movie went to VHS and we all discovered it, I knew very little about how it came to be. In this memoir, Cary Elwes gives us the behind-the-scenes action, low-downs and secrets of how the greatest love story ever told became a cult classic that remains a timeless tale of love, adventure and friendship.

Elwes beautifully recounts what a great book, spot-on screenplay, brilliant directing and an all-star cast can pull off. But even more than that, Elwes shares how the friendship and community they developed was one of the greatest treasures a pirate could ever hope to find. As the wildly talented cast lived, worked, ate and laughed together for months of on-location shooting, they created a chemistry and mutual admiration that transcended lines, plot and directing and resulted in a movie that continues to gain fans and followers 25 years later.

My best recommendation is watch the movie, read the book and then watch again. To be disappointed is INCONCEIVABLE!

What is your favorite camp experience? When did you first discover The Princess Bride? Which line do you quote most often?

I’ve been hearing about Malcolm Gladwell’s book, David and Goliath, for about a year now. Everything I’ve heard from real life people has been positive, but when looking for my next great read, I was a little daunted by the Amazon reviews. However, let me say that this is one of my new all-time favorites!!

Gladwell is a masterful story-teller! He has taken nine little-known stories and woven them together to show how people, and sometimes systems, with perceived disabilities or disadvantages have changed their worlds in big and small ways – because of those very disadvantages!

Gladwell’s ability to engage the reader and share the hope of what it means to find your unique gifts is spectacular. I was enthralled from start to finish, waiting with baited breath for the culmination of the next great story. Gladwell brings home the truth that we all are designed with a purpose and sometimes the only way we discover it is in changing our perspective.

And if my recommendation isn’t enough, check out the 11 pages of testimonials at the beginning of the new paperback version. Stupendous!

Do you have a favorite Gladwell book? Who do you know who has changed their world as a result of what someone else considered a disadvantage? Who is your giant?

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers is one of the number one books for women. Ever. And men, in my opinion. Although I read and loved this book when it first came out and have been recommending it ever since, I decided to pull it out and read it again. I can honestly say that if I could have stayed awake all night and day, I would have read it without ceasing. Rivers capacity for storytelling is unrivaled. The story of Angel and Michael Hosea is one of the most compelling, profound, tender and beautiful stories I have ever read. I was on the edge of my seat the whole read, and I knew how it would end.

I find myself amazed by not only, Rivers’ beautiful portrayal of the retelling of the book of Hosea, but even more, by the beauty of the story itself. In the book of Hosea, the Lord uses the story of the prophet, Hosea, and the prostitute, Gomer, to illustrate His neverending, far-reaching and sacrificing love for us, His people. Hosea is told by God to marry Gomer. She leaves him over and over again. And he continues to pursue and bring her home.

The same is true in Redeeming Love.  When Michael Hosea, a farmer who loves the Lord, is told by God that Angel is who he is to marry, he sets about the seemingly insurmountable task of courting, marrying and redeeming her, the prostitute, who despises and mistrusts all men. When she is almost killed by her boss, Michael rescues her the only way he can, by giving the Madam money to let Angel go. When Angel asks him how much he paid for her, his answer is, “Everything I had.” So does our Heavenly Father rescue us. As Michael and Angel learn what it means to love each other, they both come face to face with overwhelming understanding of what redemption means. And WHO brings it.

If you read one book this year, this is the one.

If you are looking for a way to be more productive and increase your success, this is a fabulous how-to! Brian Tracy does a fabulous job of taking the tried and true techniques that successful people follow and making them easy to understand and implement. I listened to Tracy read his book on Audible.com and was so inspired I’ve added the paper version to my library, with plans to share with everyone I know. The subtitle, 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, should be a hint as to the value Tracy can add to your busy life. So, go ahead and EAT THAT FROG!