3 X 5's: Index Card Wisdom from Best of Books

FAITH Harold and Charmin Koenig (2023). Nothing More Important:                                                                           A Book About Faith. Harold is a medical doctor at Duke and the author of hundreds of peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and books on religion-spirituality and health (especially mental health like depression), and Charmin is a nurse who worked in urgent care for many years. They are married and have two adult children. Summary: "Nothing is more important than faith--belief in, trust in, having hope in, and loving God" (p.155) [i would add also loving: self, others, and nature as in the SONG of Life] The primary sources used to support this claim, in order of frequency of use, are:  Bible Oswald Chamber's (1935) My...

NEWS...STOP! Rolf Dobelli (2019). Stop Reading the News:                                           A Manifesto for a Happier, Calmer                                          and Wiser Life  Dobelli has a PhD in business administration and philosophy from the University of St. Gallen, has worked in business, founded Get Abstract (book summaries), was a TV host, and founded World Minds (computer experts). The book summarizes arguments for STOPPING the CONSUMPTION of NEWS MEDIA to experience more peace, happiness, and wisdom...he recommends using the time you would have spent on the news reading books and talking with people. Key question: Is there anything in the news that has been helpful for you personally in making an important decisio...

HUMAN VIBRATIONS Valerie Hunt (1989, 1996). Infinite Mind:  Science of the Human                                                                Vibrations of Consciousness. Hunt is a PhD scientist studying the neuromuscular aspects of behavior for 20 years before embarking on studying human vibrations of consciousness for 25 years using empirical measures at the millivolt level. Numerous case studies and experiments are reported...some statements puzzle me, as in, "I create a field of energy and ride it" (p.13--how does one create a "field of energy", and once created, how does one "ride it")--the lack of practical applications make it difficult for me to connect with the ideas...another issue is, as of 2024 (38 years post book publication), WHO has taken up this work and advanced it? possible p...

HEALING HOUSE Barbara Bannon Harwood (1997). The Healing House:  How Living                                                                          in the Right House Can Heal You                                                                       Spiritually, Emotionally, and                                                                       ...

TOOLS Tim Ferris (2016). Tools for Titans:                                      The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires,                                      Icons, and World Class Performers. Ferris is an entrepreneur, author, and podcaster--best known for his "4-hour" book series (e.g., The 4-hour Workweek, The 4-hour Body ...). Ferris curates the best parts of interviewers from his podcasts and frames them as "tools" for better living. There is so much good stuff, and it is impossible to capture all of the teachings from so many people. The book is 705 pages long! The wisdom/advice from each person is summarized in 1-4 pages--I recommend reading one person a week, trying something out for the week, and incorporating the best long-term. Some of my favorites: ...

ROCK N ROLL MYSTERY Goodall, H. L. (Budd), Jr. (1991). Living in the ROck N Roll                                                                                       Mystery:  Reading Context, Self,                                                                         and Others as Clues. Goodall was a professor of Commuication, and the present book is the 2nd in part of a trilogy, the 1st being, Casing a Promised Land , and the 3rd being Divine Signs . For Goodall, communication is about shared activities (not necess...

POETRY Maya Angelou (1993). Wouldn' Take Nothing For My Journey Now . Angelou is best known for her poetry...never graduated high school, dropped out because he was pregnant, raised a son on her own mostly, eventually became a writer, a published poet and story-teller, awarded honorary doctrates. some of the hard won wisdom from hard life experiences: traveling to other cultures shows our common humanity--we all cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die take pleasure in small things, like playing cards and laughing with others--all gift there are people who went to sleep last night and will never wake again--those dead folks would give anything for just another hour or day to live...so let's not complain....if we don't like something, change it, and if we can't, change the way we think about it [AMEN SISTER!] everyone needs to take a day away--24 hours to do nothing, just wander, withdraw from the cares of the world...works like a spring tonic [i would call this a "retreat ...