I really hate self-help books but....

No  honestly, I really do! The paper they're printed on would be better used for bird-cage liners. (The psycho-babble "I'm OK, You're OK" -- good lord if we're all OK then why in the heck are we reading these?) However I absolutely love Augusten Burroughs so I thought I'd take a chance

I am certainly glad I did. This is not your typical feel good self help book-- no sugar-coating, no garbage no 10 steps, no goal listing, no mirror looking or soul searching just brutal honesty. From ending your life without committing suicide, to becoming "thin," to dealing with the death of a loved one -- you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll feel the sting of a wake-up slap across the face. Burroughs is not here to comfort you or tell you that you're ok(Chances are you're not) he's here to tell you like it is, to help you quit whining and build that bridge and get over it! You've got to face the truth, Because, as he says, truth is a force. And the truth of the matter is if your life sucks...you're probably the main reason it does. Not your mother, father, sister or that high school rival you wanted to slap, but YOU! Now get up, go get that book, change the way you think and behave and then change your life, Augusten is here to be your guide!

A Son's Treachery and a Father's Forgiveness

"Murder by family" by Kent Whittaker is a quick read, partly because you cannot put it down. I found this book fascinating. I had watched this story on "48 Hours" and on "Oprah" and was interested in the forgiveness this father had for the son that murdered the rest of the family. Mr. Whittaker talks in detail of how God allowed different circumstances and events to happen as they did and how He used them to show Mr. Whittaker that He is in charge and although we may not understand, He is all about His own glory. Mr. Whittaker also is very candid about his own anger and confusion and clearly states that some of this anger was based on not knowing all that the police knew. I must say that while I find his forgiveness remarkable, I am not convinced of his son's repentance but, then again, I don't have to be. I felt bad for the father, but do think the son got what he deserved especially since the murder was his third attempt to kill his family. It is the ultimate betrayal any child can do to their parents and the fact that Kent can not only forgive his son, but also write about the journey is incredible.

The only downside to this book is that I wanted to know more about Bart, Kent’s son, and the whys and how this son who came from a good Christian family could end up being the mastermind behind the murders of his mother, brother and the attempted murder of his father. If you are looking to understand the mind of a killer, you only get one chapter in the book to illumine that question. Instead this book is a peek into the heart of a grieving husband and father who determined that he would live out his faith in the face of the worst circumstances imaginable. It's a glimpse of the prodigal son’s father, of King David mourning Absalom. It will leave you humbled and in awe. What makes this book so mesmerizing is the wrenching agony of the father as he comes to grips with the knowledge of what his son has done. And then to read how, as a devout Christian, Kent painfully tries to forgive his son and heal the rift between them. Anyone who is interested in the how-to of forgiveness and mercy will be engrossed by this story.

He had me at “hello”

I just recently read The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch a professor at the climax of his career who discovers he has pancreatic cancer and has only months to live. This is one of the few books I have read this year that I strongly recommend.

Professor Pausch gives us plenty of amusing but thought-provoking anecdotes, as well as useful advice and inspiration to make the most of life. Instead of wincing and cursing he receives his death sentence with a broken-heart but also with good-humor. He was heart-broken because he knew he had to leave his wife and small children behind, but nevertheless he was good-humored because he was a born optimist and believed there is always a silver lining to any trouble encountered in life.

In the middle of reading this book I realized that it was not written for the reader but rather it’s his legacy to his children. All the life lessons a parent hopes to pass on to their children is captured in this book. Randy Pausch tells it like it needs to be told. He holds back nothing and at times I was moved to tears. Many times in our lives, we know what we should be doing but don’t always do it. The message that Professor Pausch tries to get across is that don’t wait till you receive a terminal diagnosis to start doing the things you always wished you could do, instead do them now. The book doesn't end the way you would assume, with death, but it ends with a life lesson. The lesson is to enjoy your life and fulfill your dreams. Pausch reminds us that we, too, can live our lives and die our deaths with honesty and integrity. After all, we are all dying people. Gandalf the Grey said it best "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." (Randy Pausch passed away on July 25, 2008.)