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Books

Life of Pi

One of my favorite books of the last several years. My only complaint is that it is not the kind of book you can easily ready twice. Which is too bad sad since it is wonderfully written.

Middlesex

This book is partially responsible for my wife and I getting married. I discovered early on, before I really knew much about her, that she had read Middlesex. I had read the book and liked it a lot. But it was not an easy read. Despite being well regarded it was not a book that was on everybody's reading list at the time. I thought to myself, if she had read Middlesex she might be worth getting to know. I was right! The rest is history!

Aikido and the Harmony of Nature

This was my first Aikido book. It might still be my favorite. I am lucky enough to have trained many times over the years with the author, Mitsugi Saotome, Shihan. He is my teacher's teacher. This was also the first book that Saotome Sensei wrote after arriving in the states.

American Lion

This was a Christmas gift from my mother. I just started reading it. So far it is very interesting. I had no idea that Jackson had such a huge impact on the presidency.

Jackson was the president who started the practice of appointing friends and followers and supporters to government positions. He replaced about ten times as many administration officials then all of the previous presidents combined.

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

This is an absolutely fabulous book. Michael Polllan does a great job of showing just how far off track are food system has become. I read it about 3 years ago, and I have not eaten at a McDonalds since.

Today in the midst of the financial crisis, I find myself thinking about this book a lot. It was really the first time I realized that we have become completely disconnected from what is truly valuable, which in this books case, is the value of good healthy food. I am convinced that the current mess is not just a crisis in the financial markets, but rather a crisis of value.

Let me be clear. "Value" not "Values" as in "moral values". We no longer have any idea how to price something accurately, weather it is a house, a stock, oil, or a good steak.

Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha

This was one of the first book I read on the Buddha. I am reading it again now after about 15 years. Thich Nhat Hanh is one of my favorite authors.