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Following
Books with a Beu
Jamie Beu, owner and co-author (with his wife) of CatholicFamily.info, is a "cradle Catholic", devoted husband, and father of two girls. He is a regular contributor to his parish newsletter, as well as an impassioned defender of the faith who is able to both support and challenge others as necessary -- all in an effort to build-up Christ's Kingdom on Earth. To this end, he does a lot of reading - not just of religious books (for education and research), but also of secular books, both to decompress as well as to keep a finger on the pulse of pop culture (the better to relate to others, as well as to help restore the culture).
Currently reading
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know
Hyperion
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life
Boundaries Face to Face: How to Have That Difficult Conversation You've Been Avoiding
Jesus of Nazareth
Permutation City
Truth and Tolerance: Christian Belief and World Religions
Is Jesus Coming Soon?: A Catholic Perspective on the Second Coming
Prelude to Foundation (Foundation: Prequel, #1)
Autobiography of a Saint: Therese of Lisieux
The Art of War
The first time I'd heard of this book was while watching the movie "Wall Street" (in high school, 1988-89).The first time I actually read this book, I was in my 3rd year of college (1993-94) - I read it to get better at playing the PC game, "Civilization".
The second time I read it was to brainstorm ideas for a retreat about "spiritual warfare" (1999). I not only eventually wrote up that retreat, but also ended up being the director for the retreat (2000).
This book is deceptively short, reads like a bunch of proverbs, but is profoundly instructive, not just on war (the military examples that are footnotes to various points in this edition are fascinating and excellent for illustrating the point), but also as a philosophy/religious text (the parallels to the orthodox practice of the Catholic faith are almost innumerable!), a business primer, an aid in strategic planning and gaming, and (most shockingly!) a self-help book.
"If you know yourself and you know your enemy, you can survive a thousand battles." That one statement will give you the motivation you need to continue to learn more about who you are - your strengths, your weaknesses, your true desires.
Read it and re-read it - even if you are not into war, or gaming, or business, or anything else I've described above. At some level (or levels), you are sure to appreciate it!
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