Looking for ways to spend all those Amazon and Barnes and Noble gift cards you just received? Check out my list of books read in 2013. Some are recommended others are not. See previous years lists at the end of this post.
Inside the Magic Kingdom: Seven Keys to Disney's Success, Tom Connellan - excellent book on providing exceptional customer service. See the related post, 7 Keys to Magical Customer Service. Recommend.
The Blessed Church, Robert Morris - provides a less than accurate Biblical interpretation of giving and being "blessed". Also, shares his less than Biblical church leadership structure. Read a full review, here. Don't waste your time.
The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren - an excellent book on how to discover your God given purpose in life. Read a full review, here. Recommend.
7 Men, Eric Metaxas - this book profiles the lives of 7 different historical figures, and reveals the characteristics that made them true heroes. Read the full review, here. Highly recommend.
Help for the Small Church Pastor, Steve Bierly - this book is a little dated, but an interesting read if you are, in fact, a small church pastor. An okay read.
Blockade Billy, Stephen King - picked up this book for $1 to read on vacation, first Stephen King book that I have read. Very entertaining, good story. If you enjoy fiction, then I highly recommend this quick read.
Sell Like an Ace...Live Like a King, John Wolfe - great book on how to be successful in sales. Covers all aspects. Highly recommend.
Ford County, John Grisham - always a fan of John Grisham, this collection of short stories does not disappoint. If you love John Grisham you will love this book. Recommend.
Think On These Things, John Maxwell - the leadership experts first book, written in short chapters. Valuable information, contains more of a scriptural basis than any of his other writing. Recommend.
Interviews With Quentin Tarantino, Gerald Peary - collection of Quentin Tarantino interviews from all films and many different publications. A must-read for Tarantino fans! Recommend.
The Downhill Lie, Carl Hiaasen - a golf memoir. Relates well to the weekend duffer, comically written. Enjoyable read. Recommend.
The Magic of Thinking Big, Schwartz - read this book as it is commonly recommended and held in high regard by those in the personal success field. It did contain some interesting thoughts, however, there are a lot of better books with similar content. An okay read.
The Time Was At Hand, Robert Finley - an eschatological read on a view of the end-times and Revelation. Recommend.
Secrets of Dynamic Communication, Ken Davis - great resource for public speaking and developing presentations. See the related post, Learn to SCORRE. Highly recommend.
Pauls Idea of Community, Robert Banks - provides an analysis of what the church was like in Pauls day, what it means to us today, and how the church really should be ran and function. If you are a person of the Christian faith persuasion this should be considered, essential reading.
Pound Foolish, Helaine Olen - this book debunks the financial teachings of popular leaders on the subject (Suze Orman, Dave Ramsey, Jim Cramer, etc.). Recommend.
Celebritize Yourself, Marsha Friedman - how to increase your visibility and business. Other books offer much more advice and guidance on the subject. Not recommended.
Admired: 21 Ways to Double Your Value, Mark and Bonita Thompson - quick read, valuable information. Recommend.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni - excellent resource on team building, told as a modern day parable, with practical application section at the end. Highly recommend.
Radical, David Platt - how to live a radical Christian faith. What it means to give, and what it truly means to be blessed. Highly recommend.
Previous Years' Reading List
