Category Archives: Books

Book Review: WILD

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this blog post, however I did receive a free copy of WILD in exchange for this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Sometimes we don’t need a ton of experience or a pocket full of cash to achieve our goals. Sometimes, we just need determination, strength and courage…

Book Review, Cheryl Strayed, WILD, Hiking

Within WILD, Cheryl Strayed proves just that. After losing her mother, becoming distant with her siblings and a failed marriage, Cheryl decided to find herself. Where she found herself was hiking the Pacific Crest Trail walking over a thousand miles from California to the Bridge of the Gods on the Oregon/Washington state border. Along the way, she created bonds with strangers, overcame fears and obstacles of every sort. More importantly, she found her true strength and herself as well as the greater gift of healing.

I think we can all relate to Cheryl in some way, shape or fashion. Whether it’s an experience we overcame years ago or something we are currently enduring, she lets us know we’re not alone. She also encourages us to follow our passion, our dream, no matter how far fetched they may seem. It’s determination, encouragement and sheer will.

I would encourage you to go pick up or download a copy of WILD. For extra encouragement, WILD will be on the big screen this fall staring Reese Witherspoon. (The book is always a favorite over the movie!) I can’t wait to see how the movie is compared to the book. It may inspire you to put on some hiking shoes and hit the trail yourself!

Have you read WILD? Is it on your reading list?

Book Club Friday – One Summer in Arkansas

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for reviewing purposes. As always, the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The summer has been a busy one and to prove it, it literally took me all summer to read one book. One thing was certain, whenever I picked up this book I had a hard time putting it down and I’m really happy that if there was one book that I read, it was this one.

Winner of the North Texas Book Festival Book Award 2013.

Official Synopsis

It is 1990, the stock market is soaring and Lee Addison is on a fast track to success in Silicon Valley. Just out of law school with a job lined up at one of the best firms in the Bay Area, he is positioned to join the ranks of young elites who will shape the 21st century.

But standing between him and his shining future is a promise to spend the summer back home in Riverton, Arkansas.

He is unprepared for the siren pull his hometown still holds on his heart, as he grapples with his sister’s troubled adolescence, ethical questions relating to the drowning death of a black youth and the weight of his ancestral legacy.

To make matters worse, the allure of a rekindled relationship with Annie Rayburn threatens to disrupt his carefully planned future.

It is a tale of crisis and survival and the universal struggle to tap into values that will hold fast against the uncertainties of time.

As I read this book, I could see it being played out on screen. A tale of growing up and making life decisions, family connections and a love story all intertwined in the summer heat of the South. It’s a front porch, drinking sweet tea kind of read that captures your attention, warms your heart and allows you to become lost in the South.

The main character – Lee Addison is visiting his small town, deep Southern roots home for the summer to reconnect his younger sister and take a temporary position with the local law firm. What entails is a battle of Southern tradition and history with the reinvention and big dreams derived from the west coast lifestyle. He becomes torn between two loves, new and old friendships and a tragic, life changing event involving his sister. We are left grasping until the very last page wondering how their lives were to pan out.

Although, this was set as a “Summer Read”, I would encourage anyone to pick this one up. Readers are left feeling completely connected to all of the characters and entangled with their lives. I really enjoyed ‘One Summer in Arkansas’.

American Sniper – Chris Kyle

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American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History

Chris Kyle. Chris Kyle is known for being America’s deadliest sniper with the most confirmed kills in US military history. Some know him from serving as a US SEAL, others from reality television, some from Craft International and some from his book. Chris Kyle passed away earlier this year and I had the privileged of watching his funeral procession move from Midlothian to Austin, Texas. Unfortunately, it’s only taken me this long to read his book.

The title pretty much sums up the book. Chris Kyle served ten years in the US military, including four combat tours in Operation Iraqi freedom. It touches upon Chris Kyle’s upbringing, how he joined the SEALs, religion, family life, friendships and military life. His wife, Taya, has written inserts that address her point of view during certain situations and helps to provide an insight on what it’s like to be married to a SEAL.

Before I go any further, I’m just going to tell you that everyone should read this book. Everyone. It’s astonishing. It’s moving and inspirational. Most of all, it’s raw. It will grip your emotions and (hopefully) make you realize (even more than we all should already realize) how precious this life is. Furthermore, in hindsight, listening to what this man has been though, his losses, what he witnessed, what and who he fought for, made me hunker down. It also talks about when he left the military service to start Craft International.

At one point in the book, Chris Kyle was talking about one of his fellow SEALs who had died overseas. Chris Kyle happened to be in the States when his body was brought home and met him at the airport to carry his body from the plane to the awaiting hearse. He wrote the following passage:

“People nearby who realized what was going on stopped and stared silently, paying their respects. It was touching; they were honoring a fellow countryman even though they didn’t know him. I was moved at the sight, a last honor for our fallen comrade, a silent recognition of the importance of his sacrifice.” (Page 309)

As previously mentioned, earlier this year I attended his funeral procession. They say over 7,000 people lined the road from Midlothian to Austin to pay their respects. There are no words to describe the experience. As I read the passage, I could only remember my experience on the side of the highway that dreary, rain-filled morning. How many others have lost their lives or sacrificed a part of their lives for their country? Are we paying them enough respect everyday.

This book will make you laugh, smile, it may make you angry, heck, you may even shed a tear but it’s definitely one that I will say you should never pass up on the shelf.