Happy New Year everyone!  I hope that 2010 will be a good year for you all.   My kids don’t go back to school until January 5th, so I think that (hopefully) will be when I get my blogging mojo back.  I haven’t had time to do a year-end wrap-up post as many of you bloggers have been doing.  However, my blogiversary is coming up in 12 more days, so I think that will be a good time to do a yearly wrap-up; and I’m considering doing a give-away.  Stay tuned!

I did manage to finish reading a few books since my last blog post.  One of them was the final book of the Kristin Lavransdatter Trilogy Read Along, and I still need to write up my thoughts — that should be the topic of my next blog post.

I also read another book, of which I think is appropriate discussion now —  considering that it is a new year when all of us are both looking back and looking ahead. 

“No Time for Tact: 365 Days of the Wit, Words, and Wisdom of Larry Winget”, a book of daily quotes; by Larry Winget who is known as “the Pitbull of Personal Development” and the author of several other books, including the ones I’ve read in the past:  ”It’s Called Work for a Reason” and “Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life”.

Larry Winget is very straightforward in his advice and almost never minces words.  If you have read any of his past books and liked them, you will like this one.  If you have not, then I think this book is a good way to find out whether you would like him or not.  He certainly is not for the faint-hearted, especially those who are uncomfortable with frank opinions on sexual relationships (i.e. how to keep them healthy and happy). 

Here are a few quotes I liked from this book:

“January 29:  Knowledge is not power; the implementation of knowledge is power”.

“February 8:  Manage priorities, not time”.

“June 8:  If you don’t have five great books on your desk, then you aren’t keeping up.  If you don’t have a couple of business books, a novel, a biography, and something light for pure entertainment as well as a stack of magazines, then you aren’t gaining momentum.  Plus, you will be a boring conversationalist.  Read!”

“July 5:  The problem with most self-help is that it’s way too much help and not nearly enough self.

What self-help should really be telling you is that you made your mess and it’s up to you to clean it up.

Don’t always be looking for help outside yourself.   The best helping hand you will ever find is attached to your own wrist.”

“November 24:  Don’t put your kids in front of your marriage.  Don’t put so much effort in raising your kids that you end up neglecting your spouse.  Raising kids is the most important thing you will ever do in your life.  I get that.  You owe them your very best.  But there will come a time when the kids will be grown and will go away and you will be left looking at that person you married.  Make sure that person isn’t a stranger”.

I like Larry’s straightforward advice in general, although I occasionally disagreed with a point here and there.   For example, he says that we, as parents, are entirely responsible for how our kids turn out — in fact, he has a new book out: “Your Kids are Your Own Fault”.  Generally, yes, I agree — but what of a kid who have a mental illness, for example?  Wouldn’t it be very difficult to control the outcome of that kid’s life?  I wonder if he addresses issues like that in his new book. 

“No Time for Tact” covers a wide range of subjects, from work to marriage to sex to family to handling money, and more.  I read it through in a couple sittings, but it can also be read day-to-day.  Or do both!

Disclosure:  I borrowed this book from the library.

Are there any books you have found useful when you have started, or are starting, a New Year (or just ready for a new start in general)? 

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 at 12:51 PM and is filed under book review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.