Beyond Mayberry: A Memoir of Andy Griffith and Mount Airy North Carolina

Beyond Mayberry: A Memoir of Andy Griffith and Mount Airy North Carolina by Thomas D.  Perry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a huge Andy Griffith Show (TAGS) fan! This book written by a man who grew up in Mount Airy. As you may know many people feel the show was based on Andy's home town, Mount Airy. The author, Thomas Perry, was recovering from cancer and always had an interest in TAGS so he decided to write a book detailing the similar things in Mount Airy and Mayberry (the made up town on TAGS). Perry is a historian who was written several books on the history of different people and places. Sometimes I feel he wrote like a historian and got bogged down on the details but for the most part this book is a must read for the hard core TAGS fans. He not only describes things in Mount Airy but also talks a lot about Andy and his (the author's) on life. I really enjoyed the book!


View all my reviews

To order this book click here!

Defending Jacob

Defending Jacob by William Landay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first William Landay book I have read. He is a great story teller. I would have enjoyed the book much better had he not used such bad language (cursing). The story is about a Father and son. The father (Andy) is an assistant DA. When a middle school boy is discovered murdered Andy investigates. His superior recommends that he not take the case since the murdered boy attends the same school as his son. It is a sad part of the story when Andy's son is accused of the murder. To make things more complicated, Andy has never told anyone but his father and grandfather were both murderers. Andy knows there is a theory that a "murder" gene could link him and his son to be prone to the same way of life. The son, Jacob, has lots of social issues but his Dad and Mom love him with that type of love only a Mom and Dad can have for their children. The story goes back and forth between Andy being questioned in front of a grand jury and Andy telling the story of the incident from beginning to end. It has many twist and turns in the story. The author is a former assistant DA himself. There is a lot of court room drama in the book which I love. If you enjoy books about the law you will enjoy this book!


View all my reviews

to order this book click here!

TD: Dreams in Motion: The Memoirs of the Denver Broncos' Terrell Davis

TD: Dreams in Motion: The Memoirs of the Denver Broncos' Terrell Davis by Terrell Davis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Terrell Davis transferred to the University of Georgia when his college Longbeach State canceled their football team. I am a huge Georgia fan and I have wanted to read this book for several years. As you may know Davis was drafted in the sixth round by the Denver Broncos. He darted out as last string running back at Denver. After he won the starting running back spot he proved he deserved it. He when on to win the MVP in a Super Bowl. He had an outstanding pro career including having a season where he rushed over 2000 yards. His years at UGA were not as happy as he would have liked. He talks about the reasons, but they mostly have do with his coach (Coach Ray Goff). He says the coach made him play when he was hurt and was on his back all the time. Even though he did not like the coach he says he love the University of Georgia and was glad he played at the University. Davis also details his battle with migraine headaches. I would recommend this book to all football fans especially this who love UGA or the Broncos. Also if you suffer from migraines this would be a good book to read.


View all my reviews

To order this book click here!

Half Time: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significanc

Half Time: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance by Bob Buford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book has a lot of good information, but Bob Buford, the author, talks about the second half of your life serving the Savior. I understand that many people use the first part of their life building the resources needed to enjoy and serve the 2nd half of their life but shouldn't we as Christians do that our entire Christian life? I trust you will enjoy the quotes below:

Even more incredible is that, when he (Bob Buford) realized that what the Lord had made him capable of doing well was very different from what he really wanted to do, he had the intellectual honesty and courage to say to himself, “It is my duty and mission to put to work what I am good at, rather than to do what I would love to do.”  Peter F. Drucker

The irony here is that the church has become one of those masters under which first-halfers feel hopelessly indentured. The joy that ought to come from serving others in Christ’s name is missing because so much of what we do for the church is done out of a spirit of obligation. And that is because, as first-halfers, we have not yet discovered who we are, what we really enjoy doing, and how even the most undesirable task can be a feeing, exhilarating experience if it arises out of our core being. For most people, church work is not a hot fudge sundae, but like the broccoli and spinach your mother made you eat as a child.  ~Bob Buford

Let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.   ~The Message


In Christ’s church, individualism is amplified, encouraged, supported, and complemented. We are each grafted to a body that needs our strengths and compensates for our weaknesses by matching them with the gifts of other members of the body. The image of a weak, wimpy follower is not supported at all in Scripture.  ~Bob Buford

When Jesus talks about dying to self, I believe He is talking about dying to this “me first” pathological self-worship, not the uniquely created self that He has given us.  ~Bob Buford


View all my reviews

To order this book click here!

The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy

The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I heard this book was required reading for the UGA football team. UGA's Coach Richt had learned from Atlanta Falcons' coach, Mike Smith, that the Falcons team also read through this book. Apparently many sports' teams as well as many businesses have read through this book to help them exceed in their programs. The book is written as a story presenting principles that could apply to any team, business, or person. I trust the quotes from this book that I have listed below will be a challenge to you!


Everything happens for a reason. Don’t forget that. Every person we meet. Every event in our life.  Every flat tire happens for a reason. You can choose to ignore it or ask what the reason is and try to learn from it. Every problem has a gift for you in its hands as my man Richard Bach says. You can choose to see the curse or the gift. And this one choice will determine if your life is a success story or one big soap opera.  ~Jon Gordon

Always remember that you are the driver of your bus. It’s the most important of the rules because if you don’t take responsibility for your life and control of your bus then you can’t take it where you want to do. If you’re not the driver, then you’ll always be at the whim of everyone else’s travel plans.   ~Jon Gordon

The energy you fuel the ride of your life with is entirely up to you. And as the driver, you are the one who must also choose your vision of where you want to go.  You have the best seat and the best view of your life so it’s up to you. You gotta have vision.  ~Jon Gordon

… the closer you get to truth, the simpler and more powerful the lessons become.  ~Jon Gordon

… you can’t go somewhere if you don’t have a vision of where you want to go.  ~Jon Gordon

It takes a crisis for so many of us to change.  ~Jon Gordon

Sometimes we have to see what we don’t want, to know what we do want.  ~Jon Gordon

This is your crisis but it’s also your opportunity. Every crisis offers an opportunity to grow stronger and wiser.   ~Jon Gordon

Desire, vision, and focus move your bus in the right direction.   ~Jon Gordon

We can’t control the events in our life but we can control how we perceive them and our perception and response to the events determine our outcome.  ~Jon Gordon

Fuel your ride with positive energy.   ~Jon Gordon

Desire, vision, and focus help you turn the bus in the right direction but positive energy is necessary to take you where you want to go. Every day when we look at the gas pump of life we have a choice between positive energy and negative energy. Positive energy is high octane fuel for the ride of your life while negative energy causes sludge to accumulate in your energy pipeline.  ~Jon Gordon

What do I do with the negativity I have?  You let it go. You release it. You throw it out. You transform it. When the work is piled high on your desk, think about how thankful you are to even have a job while so many are unemployed. When work is driving you crazy, think about the fact that you are healthy enough to work. When you are sitting in traffic, be thankful you can drive a car while many have to walk miles just to get clean water. When the restaurant messes up your meal, think about how many unfed mouths there are in the world. And as I told my father a number of years ago when he lost the love of his life – my mother, “ You had the kind of love for so many years that many people spend a lifetime searching for and never find. Let’s be thankful for that.” Where there is a negative there is always a positive. Where there is a dark cloud, there is always a sun shining behind it.   ~Jon Gordon

Being grateful floods the body and brain with positive endorphins and emotions and combined with walking is a powerful energy booster.    ~Jon Gordon

Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead.   ~Jon Gordon

As you drive you want to keep asking people to get on. The worst they can say is no. If you don’t ask they won’t know to get on. Plus, the more people you pick up along the way the more energy you create during your ride. The goal is to eventually have a standing room only bus and since this is an energy bus it is always expanding so you’ll always be able to add more people.   ~Jon Gordon

I am not bound to win; I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to the light that I have.   ~Abraham Lincoln

Every person and every team will be tested on their journey. It is part of the curriculum of life.  It’s just like riding a bicycle.  In the beginning you’re going to fall off and get knocked down but the important thing is to get back on, stay strong, and after a while once you master it you’ll ride with the confidence of a champion.    ~Jon Gordon

You haven’t failed until you stop trying.  ~Jon Gordon

Don’t waste your energy on those who don’t get on your bus.  ~Jon Gordon

The more energy you spend worrying about the people who didn’t get on your bus, the less you will have for the people who are on your bus. And if you are worrying about the people who didn’t get on your bus you won’t have the energy to keep on asking new people to get on.  ~Jon Gordon

It’s not easy to deal with the negativity in the world but it’s something that’s got to be done. Your success and life are so important that you must surround yourself with a positive support team.  ~Jon Gordon

There are people who increase your energy and there are people who drain your energy. I call the people who drain your energy Energy Vampires and they will suck the life out of you and your goals and vision if you let them. ~Jon Gordon

Post a sign that says, “No Energy Vampires Allowed On Your Bus”  ~Jon Gordon

Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them during the ride.  ~Jon Gordon

Enthusiasm comes from the Greek word entheos, which means, “inspired” or “filled with the divine.”  ~Jon Gordon

Negative people often tend to create negative cultures whereas positive corporate cultures are created by positive people.   ~Jon Gordon

Love your passengers.  ~Jon Gordon

Love is the answer for the team’s success.  ~Jon Gordon

Love takes time. It’s a process not a goal. Love is something that needs to be nurtured. But if there is one thing I urge you to start immediately it’s focus on bringing out the best in each person on your team. When you love someone you want the best for him. You want him to shine. And the best way to do this is to help him discover the value inside him.  ~Jon Gordon

Dust on gold doesn’t change the nature of gold.  ~Jon Gordon

Letting people share their gifts and strengths is real love.   ~Jon Gordon

Five ways to love your passengers:
1. Make time for them
2. Listen to them.
3. Recognize them.
4. Serve them. – A great leader once said, the higher you get in an organization the more it is your duty to serve the people below you rather than having the people below serve you.
5. Bring out the best in them.  ~Jon Gordon

Drive with purpose. ~Jon Gordon

Purpose is the ultimate fuel for our journey through life. When we drive with purpose we don’t get tired or bored and our engines don’t burn out.  ~Jon Gordon

There’s a story about when President Lyndon Johnson visited NASA and as he was walking the halls he came across a janitor who was cleaning up a storm, like the Energizer bunny with a mop in his hand. The president walked over to the janitor and told him he was the best janitor he has ever seen and the janitor replied, “Sir, I’m not just a janitor, I helped put a man on the moon.” See, even though he was cleaning floors he had a bigger purpose and vision for his life. This is what kept him going and helped him excel in his job.  ~Jon Gordon

When you fuel up with purpose you find the excitement in the mundane, the passion in the everyday, the extraordinary in the ordinary.  ~Jon Gordon

Have fun and enjoy the ride.  ~Jon Gordon


View all my reviews


To order this book click here!