Marc’s Musings

May 2002
Many Waters by Madeleine L’Engle
Another I read out loud to my family. I love L’Engle’s imagination. A wonderful form of midrash.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle
Read this book outloud to my wife and our new daughter. Amazing imagery!

So That’s What They’re For!: Breastfeeding Basics by Janet Tamaro
I re-read this fun book on a very serious topic in preparation for the birth of our second child.

Meet the Austins by Madeleine L’Engle
This hardcover edition includes the “anti-muffin” chapter that wasn’t originally published. A quick, engaging story.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
I started reading this series out loud to my son, a few pages a day before he goes to sleep. Lewis is an incredible story teller.

Boys Will Be Men: Masculinity in Troubled Times by Richard A. Hawley
Hawley has some great insights about boys and about masculinity in the 20th century but I must’ve missed how he intended to tie it all together. This book seemed more like a series of essays than a cohesive whole.

The Quotidian Mysteries: Laundry, Liturgy and ‘Women’s Work’ by Kathleen Norris
This slim volume is packed with wisdom.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
I’d never been able to get through this book until I read it out loud to my wife! It’s terrific.

The Cat Who Robbed a Bank by Lilian Jackson Braun
I’m doing this series out of sequence but it’s as delightful as ever. Recorded Books does wonderful editions of Braun’s work.

Schoolmastering by Samuel S. Drury
This 1926 book on being a boarding school headmaster is a classic. Drury was the head (”rector”) of St. Paul’s School in NH.

Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques
I did it. I’ve caught up with my wife before the baby came. Another fun Redwall story.

The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium by Robert Lacey, Danny Danziger
I enjoyed this book through a recording by Books on Tape. An interesting look at life a millenium ago.

Addiction and Grace by Gerald May
I was indirectly inspired to read this after reading so much Anne Lammott. May does incredible things with his understanding of addiction and God’s love. I highly recommend this for people of any faiths.

Salamandstron by Brian Jacques
My wife’s charged me with catching up to her in this series before our second child is born this month. I’ve liked each book in this series so far!

April 2002
The Rector of Justin by Louis Auchincloss
Another book recommended by an alum (who’s also a headmaster). Very interesting and well written.

Saint Augustine by Gary Wills
I’m really enjoying this Penguin Lives series. Wills gives a very good overview of Augustine.

Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey
Highly recommended by an alum. Much of the info is a rehash of folks like Larry Burkett but are the steps my family took to get out of debt.

A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
A fun collection of poems and pictures. My favorite is the on about the anteater.

The Headmaster’s Wife by Richard A. Hawley
An alum recommended I read this. A spell-binding look at a woman’s inner thoughts as she comes to the end of her life.

Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture by Ross King
An amazing story about a dome I’d not heard of! An interesting look at Renaissance Florence.

Fish! Tales: Real-Life Stories to Help You Transform Your Workplace and Your Life by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, John Christensen, Philip Strand
Although a slim volume, this is an interesting collection of real life examples of the FISH! ideas. Worth reading even if you haven’t read the first book.

Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness by Robert K. Greenleaf
Greenleaf’s work is a classic. Written decades ago, it still raises great questions. This book is a mix of essays, biographies, speeches, and hypothetical case studies. Greenleaf’s variety is an extremely effective way of communicating his message.

Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year by Anne Lamott
Lamott has an incredible way of being incredibly frank. I love her writing–even if I don’t always agree with her politics!

The Day Lincoln Was Shot: An Illustrated Chronicle by Richard Bak
I was surprised by how much information was packed into this slim volume. The pictures are well chosen to complement the text. And the essays from other scholars help add light to this turning point in US history.

March 2002
A River Runs Through It and Other Stories by Norman MacLean
Parents of an SBS alum made me promise to read this. MacLean has a writing style that flows like the rivers he fished. Very worthwhile.

You’ll Never Get No for an Answer by Jack Carew
Carew offers great insights into the “science” of selling so that the process is beneficial for both parties. He helps salesmen take the guess work out of their job.

The Cat Who Smelled a Rat by Lilian Jackson Braun
I love this series. RecordedBooks has a great narrator read them. In this own, Quilloren is out of Chicago in rural Moose County.

7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness by Jim Rohn
An inspiring quick read. Very helpful insights.

The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Caroline Alexander
I listened to this on CD. Shackleton and his team showed amazing courage. Very inspiring.

The Seven Faces of Philanthropy: A New Approach to Cultivating Major Donors by Russ Alan Prince, Karen Maru File
This book offers a very helpful framework for fundraisers. I did wish this edition had updated the statistical information but the categories are still very relevant.

Leading Change: The Argument for Values-Based Leadership by James O’Toole
I’ve read this book four times in the last 12 months. It’s an amazing look at leadership. Well worth reading again and again and again.

Secular Work Full Time Service by Larry Peabody
Larry Beckett praises this book in his own Loving Monday: Succeeding in Business Without Selling Your Soul by John Beckett. I want to get copies for everyone I know!

And the Skylark Sings with Me: Adventures in Homeschooling and Community-Based Education by David H. Albert
I asked my wife what book she’d recommend if I only read one homeschooling book this year. This is the book. It’s incredible! I’m so much more excited about learning with my kids now! I HIGHLY recommend this book, even if you’re not thinking of homeschooling.

Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection by Rev. W. A. Audrey
My son LOVES Thomas so we worked through this entire volume!

Managing With the Wisdom of Love : Uncovering Virtue in People and Organizations by Dorothy Marcic
Marcic does a great job at looking at the spirituality inherent in leadership and management.

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
After taking my wife to see this on Broadway, I was inspired to read the original. A terrific story.

Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
My wife and I love this book. Anne’s story of coming to faith is heart rending and hilarious. I wish I had the gots to pray some of the things she did!

The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership: When Leaders Are at Their Best by James M. Kouzes, Barry Z. Posner
This “book” was a disappointment. Only 10 pages long, it just barely summarizes the work they did in The Leadership Challenge. I’d get their full-sized book instead of this.

The Hungry Spirit: Beyond Capitalism: A Quest for Purpose in the Modern World by Charles Handy
Handy is an incredible author. Reading this book was like sitting at the feet of one of the elders at the gate. He’s incredible insightful and thought provoking. I highly recommend this book.

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Although I don’t agree with Csikszentmihalyi’s presuppositions, this is a very worthwhile read.

Loving Monday: Succeeding in Business Without Selling Your Soul by John Beckett
This book is SO much better than Fairholm’s (see below). Beckett masterfully mixes philosophical and practical. He’s in the trenches living out what he believes. Read this book!

February 2002
Trends in Organizational Behavior, Volume 6, The Virtual Organization edited by Cary L. Cooper & Denise M. Rousseau
Great information on the various issues in researching virtual organizations.

Virtual Teams by Jessica Lipnack, Jeffrey Stamps
This is my second time through this book. I liked it even better than the first.

Work & Rewards in the Virtual Workplace: A ‘New Deal’ for Organizations & Employees by N. Fredric Crandall, Marc J. Wallace
This is probably the first HR book I’ve read. I think Crandall & Wallace do a terrific job at explaining how to transition pay and benefits to the “new deal.” A worthwhile read.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
I picked up the RecordedBooks CD version of this book for a road trip. Steinbeck’s portrayal of the characters is incredible.

The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
I love this “dream” of Lewis. He offers profound insight to life and our daily, mundane decisions in this slim volume.

Capturing the Heart of Leadership: Spirituality and Community in the New American Workplace by Gilbert W. Fairholm
I found this book to be incredibly tedious and only finished it because it was required for an MA class. I wouldn’t recommend it. James O’Toole’s Leading Change: The Argument for Values-Based Leadership is much better.

Woodrow Wilson by Louis Auchincloss
I listened to this as a “book-on-cd.” I enjoyed Auchincloss’ easy flowing style. Very informative life of an interesting president.

Mariel of Redwall by Brian Jacques
This is the fourth book in Jacques Redwall Series. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C. S. Lewis
This is unlike anything I’ve read by Lewis! I’m impressed that he’s so familiar with the classics that he can faithfully retell this myth in such an authentic manner. I highly recommend this work.

Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
An amazingly detailed book about birth intended for both husbands and wives.

Wealth in Families by Charles Collier
David Dunlop calls this one of the three best books in development. I highly recommend it for all families. Wealth is far more than money alone.

Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize
This is an eat-the-chicken-spit-out-the-bones kind of book but there’s a lot more chicken than bones!

Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead
Great fantasy book but a little tough to go through at first. It definitely gets enthralling. I was in tears at the end (more than when I watch Anne of Green Gables!)

January 2002
Patents and How to Get One: A Practical Handbook by U. S. Department of Commerce
A very helpful guide about patents.

Directed Verdict by Randy Singer
This is an INCREDIBLE novel. It’s due to be published by Doubleday in Octover. Do whatever you can to get your hands on a copy!

Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth by Robert A. Bradley
Bradley’s book was like a breath of fresh air. Filled with common-sense, I definitely recommend it to couples preparing for childbirth.