The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall

I don't usually read motivational books but this book was a gift.

In this book, one follows the story of how one young man goes through a lesson about the ultimate gift that his late uncle has left behind for him. The problem is that he has to complete some tasks over the period of 1 year before he will receive his portion of the will.

A really simple read. Jim Stovall's book is indeed inspirational.

In terms of content, I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars.
In terms of motivating me, I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

A Bull in China by Jim Rogers

Jim Rogers is quite a famous investor who currently lives in Singapore.

In this book, Rogers explains why he is bullish on commodities.

While this book was quite an easy read, it lacks a detailed analysis of the conclusions that Rogers is making. While his analysis is indeed logical, I would have preferred more details and concrete examples/statistics into how one can invest profitably in China.

This book is still a rather good read though.

3 stars out of 5 stars

Four Pillars of Investing by William Bernstein

What can I say about this book? It definitely goes into one of my classic reads. Dr Bernstein is able to present the four pillars of investing in such a clear and coherent manner even for amateur investors. The knowledge that I have gained from this book is tremendous. I wished that I was introduced to this book much earlier as it has re-written all my conceptions about investment, asset allocation, etc.

After reading this book, I have decided that there is a need to re-look into my entire investment approach and the results that I am hoping to achieve.

A must read for any investor.

5 out of 5 stars

Starting an Online Business - Greg Holden

This is a splendid book on how to start an online business. Provides lots of examples for one to follow. Very useful indeed.

3 out of 5 stars

The Last Oil Shock - David Strahan

‘Strahan’s an excellent guide, providing readable, well-explained arguments for putting this subject atop the agenda’

(Sue Baker, Publishing News )

'People need to get hold of this, read it, pass it on and then do something positive with the valuable knowledge they have gained'

(www.powerswitch.org.uk )

'This is a well researched and documented book and David Strahan pulls no punches in his analysis of the world's impending energy problems. Not everyone will agree with every word but I commend it as a really good and informative read on a topic that affects us all'

(Lord Oxburgh, former Chairman of Shell )

'This book can be considered a primer for people who are new to peak oil, but also old hands will find it worth reading for its useful insights'

(Ugo Bardi, Energy Bulletin )

‘An excellent book … Strahan is first of all a superb journalist’

(Drydipstick.com )

Book Description
This may be the most important book you or anyone else will read in the next fifty years. Assuming humanity survives that long. Draining the lifeblood of industrial civilization, the terminal decline of oil and gas production will spark a crisis far more dangerous than international terrorism, and more urgent than climate change. World leaders know it, so why aren’t they telling?

The last oil shock is the secret behind the crises in Iraq and Iran, the reason your gas bill is going through the roof, the basis of a secret deal cooked up in Texas between George Bush and Tony Blair, the cause of an imminent and unprecedented economic collapse, and the reason you may soon be kissing your car keys and boarding pass goodbye. David Strahan explains how we reached this critical state, how the silence of governments, oil companies and environmentalists conspires to keep the public in the dark, what it means for energy policy, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family from the ravages of the last oil shock.

Till We Have Faces - by C.S. Lewis

This is definitely one of my favorite books of all time. Have read it at least three times. It is a powerful re-telling of the Greek love story between Psyche and Eros through her sister Orual.

C.S. Lewis chose "Till We Have Faces", which references a quotation from the book by Orual, "How can the gods meet us face to face till we have faces?" He defended his choice of title by describing the novel's importance to the human condition in a letter to Dorothea Conybeare, explaining that the idea behind the title was that a human being must become real before it can expect to receive any message from superhuman beings; "that is, it must be speaking with its own voice (not one of its borrowed voices), expressing its actual desires (not what it imagines that it desires), being for good or ill itself, not any mask, veil, or persona."

I give this books 5 stars out of 5 stars

What to Expect when You're Expecting - by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg & Sandee Hathaway

Totally clueless about pregnancy? This is a book which I have found helpful:

The Treasury of David - by Charles H Spurgeon

Been reading this book on and off for almost a year now. Considered as the magnum opus of Charles H Spurgeon. Though difficult to read (due to its use of old English), the exposition of the various individual Psalms are amazing and has certainly brought new insight to how I view the Psalms

Long Walk to Freedom - by Nelson Mandela

Picked up this book recently. It is quite an interesting read about Nelson Mandela and his formative years.

Jesus is With Me - by Debby Anderson

Have been reading this book to my son since he was in his mummy's tummy. It is a simple book which basically reaffirms the fact that Jesus is with me whereever I am and in whatever I do.

The Seven Seasons of a Man's Life - by Patrick Morley

Currently reading this book by Patrick M. Morley who also wrote the book "The Man in the Mirror".

In this book, Patrick M. Morley once again prods men of today to take up the responsibility of being leaders at home by putting God first and family a close second. In this book, he gives guidelines on how once can do that.

The 7 seasons are basically:

The Season of Reflection
The Season of Building
The Season of Crisis
The Season of Renewal
The Season of Rebuilding
The Season of Suffering
The Season of Success

In it, one finds the true definition of success: to satisfy one's calling and not one's ambition. Success then is dependent on the biblical view of success and not the world view or cultural view of success in terms of career progression and monetary gains.

Microtrends - by Mark J Penns

Just finished reading this book by Mark Penn titled Microtrends.

Mark J. Penn, the man who identified "soccer moms" as a crucial constituency in President Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign, is known for his ability to detect relatively small patterns of behavior in our culture that are wielding large influence on business, politics, and our personal lives. Only one percent of the public, or three million people, can create a microtrend capable of launching a business or a social movement.

Relying on some of the best polling data available, Penn identifies more than 70 microtrends in religion, leisure, politics, and business that are changing our lives. Among them are: single women choosing to buy their own homes; the triumph of individual sports over team sports; the growing influence of Protestant Latinos; extreme commuters; Philo-Semites; and Classical Music Dads, older fathers who are spending more and more money on their children.

Penn shows readers how to identify the microtrends that can transform a business enterprise or spark a movement. His book makes a convincing case that small groups can have a big impact.