Every month we show what is on our reading table.

This month we were sort of stalled. Lots going on in the secular and spiritual world. We only got to three of the books above (‘Scent’, ‘Passion’, ‘Encyclopedia’). But we did add and complete the three books pictured below.

Comments on current reads:

    1. “Monsters and Magical Sticks: There’s No Such Thing As Hypnosis?” (208 pages, paperback, reprint 2017) by Steven Heller and “How to Hypnotise Anyone – Confessions of a Rogue Hypnotist” (112 pages, paperback, reprint 2014) by The Rogue Hypnotist. I always thought that hypnosis was hokey fiction: “Breathe deeply, follow this watch, you are getting sleepy, when I snap my fingers you will bark like a chicken, when I count to three you will awaken with no memory.” But Scott Adams’ books and Robert Cialdini on “Persuasion” convinced me to give hypnosis a serious consideration.
    2. ” The Scent of Corruption” (320 pages, paperback, 2015) by Alaric Bond. I read and reviewed the first six books in this British Naval Fiction, “His Majesty’s Ship”, “The Jackass Frigate” True Colors”, “Cut and Run”, “The Patriot’s Fate” and “The Torrid Zone”. I give them high marks. Now that I read the first five installment in the series, I like it even more. I learned that the author does not center the series and each book around the captain. All the other series are about the captain rising from humble or noble beginnings to the end of an illustrious career. In Bond’s world, he follows a cross section of the crew, from the lowest to the captain. You are never sure who will survive and who won’t.
    3. “The Passion and the Cross” (128 pages, paperback, 2015) by Ronald Rolheiser: “His beautifully written meditations on the passion and the cross invites you to a new understanding of redemption and offers insight into the meaning of your own loss and suffering. Take a journey into the deeper meaning of pain with guidance from a trusted spiritual advisor.” I’m reading this based on my review of “The Holy Longing”. There are some great observations in here. For example, on page 69 this quote from Henry Nouvin, “I used to get upset about all the interruptions to my work until one day I realized that the interruptions were my real work.” Absolutely true.

    1. “The Power and the Glory” (240 pages, paperback, 1940) by Graham Greene: I am a big Graham Greene fan and am re-reading this book because it came up in a conversation about charging late fees at our medical practice, Ahwatukee Health and Recovery. We just started charging late fees and no-show fees since everyone was taking advantage of our mercy. In the book, the ‘whisky’ priest is advised that he should always charge for giving Mass and baptisms or the peasants will not appreciate the sacraments.
    2. “Fourfold Kingdom of God” (239 pages, paperback, 2020) by Gerald Paul Kooye: I bought this book after reading “The Holy Longing” based on a recommendation from the Stanford Magazine. The book looks at God’s kingdom from a mathematical and physics perspective.
    3. “The Encyclopedia of Commercial Real Estate Advice” (528 pages, hardback, 2020) by Terry Painter: Still in work. The few times I dipped into it; I was impressed. This is dragging on and it shouldn’t be. The content is interesting. We just closed one commercial loan refinance ($750K) and are working on another ($6M) so I should have some motivation.
    4. “Intercessory Prayer” (275 pages, paperback, 1996) by Dutch Sheets: I just started reading this. I have read the first two chapters. If the rest is as good, and as documented, this is an OUTSTANDING book on what is intercessory prayer and how to do it. I like his explanation of theology and how he backs each claim with scripture.
    5. “The Drama of Scripture” (272 pages, paperback, 2014) by Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen: Recommended by Pastor Jeff. I skimmed the first two chapters and really like this approach. Let’s see how it ends.

  1. “Clowning in Rome” (128 pages, paperback, 2000) by Henri Nouwen: My sister recommended this book that she is reading. I accepted the recommendation because my favorite quote from the above book “The Passion and the Cross” by Ronald Rolheiser is actually from this author and this book: Henry Nouvin, “I used to get upset about all the interruptions to my work until one day I realized that the interruptions were my real work.” Absolutely true.
  2. “Markings” (196 pages, paperback, 1922) by Dag Hammarskjold (Author), Leif Sjoberg (Translator), W. H. Auden (Translator, Foreword): This book was also recommended and sent by my sister who is re-reading it after many years. From the Amazon.com description “A powerful journal of poems and spiritual meditations recorded over several decades by a universally known and admired peacemaker.” It didn’t really work for me. There is an element of scripture in Hammarskjold’s meditations but most of it strikes me as new age claptrap. Hammarskjold was the second Secretary General (leader) of the UN. I find the UN to be useless, would-be do-gooders at best and positively evil in reality.
  3. “What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow… And 36 Other Key Financial Measures, Updated Edition” (368 pages, paperback, 2018) by Frank Gallinelli: I came across this in a blog post, can’t remember where, so I ordered it and read it. I do recommend it with he caveat that it is esactly what the title says, “key financial measures”. It describes what they are and how to calculate them. There is no other real estate advice in the book. Thirty years ago, before the internet and cheap financial calculators, this would be a valuable reference book. And I will reiterate my comment on TheMonopolyProject.com blog; “it only takes eight grade arithmetic; add, subtract, multiply, divide, and a mortgage look up table to do real estate.

Not pictured:

  1. “The One Year Bible” with help from the “Lutheran Study Bible“.

As of now, I have finished #2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 11. You will see and hear about that in our next Floating Book Review.