The Art of People by Dave Kerpen

I think I understand why Kerpen put the subtitle to this book: 11 Simple People Skills That Will Get You Everything You Want.

I don't like it though. It put in my mind the stereotype that this is just another surface level How-to-get-ahead-with-people gobbledeegook.

I say that because after reading this book, which was fantastic by the way, I don't believe the skills explored inside will get you everything you want.

With all of these John Maxwell wannabes, there is something to their persona that not everyone who will read their books have. Kerpen has it and it has worked out well in his art of the sale.

Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed reading his book. It revolves around gaining success and influence. Going in with hesitancy, I wasn't expecting such a fun read!

The chapters are very short and to the point. Inside you'll find eleven parts: Understanding Yourself and People, Meeting the Right People, Reading People, Connecting with People, Influencing People, Changing People's Minds, Teaching People, Leading People, Resolving Conflict with People, Inspiring People, Keeping People Happy.

Four or five chapters make up each part.

Reading this feels like sitting down with Kerpen and having him chat with you about his experiences. You'll find yourself underlining and highlighting parts of this book.

The anecdotes are fun and informative. The advice is fairly straight forward but helpful in their own repeatable way.

The subtitle could have been changed but all in all this is a great, quick read.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Crown Business.

Heroes of the Bible Treasury 6 Books in 1

This is a fantastic collection of books for your young reader.

It's part of the I Can Read level 2 so get ready for complete sentences and bright illustrations from David Miles.

Inside you'll find the stories of: Noah, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Queen Esther, and the Paul. They are the perfect length for my son to remain engaged.

I've found that they create good starting points of conversation about these characters. Many times my son has asked follow-up questions when we finish the story.

This is a great collection and I would recommend it to anyone with a young reader.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zonderkidz Publishing.

The Progeny by Tosca Lee

Tosca Lee has written a story that feels like she mixed Memento with something from Dan Brown.

Emily has no memory of who she was but someone wants her dead. How's that for a tag?

There are many twists and puzzles throughout this first book in a series. (Be prepared for a cliffhanger ending) For the first section, you'll find yourself playing catch-up with what's going on with Emily and why she is where she is and why in the world did the author start the story as if you've already read a prologue.

But it's all for the purpose of the story.

You will find yourself questioning every character: "Are they a friend of Emily's or do they secretly want to kill her?" In fact, there are so many characters that you may need a "cast of characters" list in order to keep them all straight.

This is a globetrotting book so be ready to go to places you aren't familiar with. And if Eastern Europe isn't your thing, you may be getting a bit bored with the confusing locations.

The constant flipping of sides on the part of the characters really dropped me out of the plot. I think her fans will gobble this book up, but I'm not sure if it will win her too many new ones.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Howard Books.

Tribal Church by Steve Stroope

Tribe seems to be the new catchphrase around here. "What tribe do you belong to?" It refers to the cluster of people you generally gravitate toward.

Tribes are found in the workplace, school (we used to call them cliques), families, and church.

Steve Stroope uses this tribe mentality to address how to gain better results while hitting back at one church's experience.

Stroope uses the family tribe image quite often and for good reason, I think. This is the one tribe that seems to be fraying at the seams. God intended the family to be the go-to force. If the family tribe is rendered useless, then you can just wait and watch the other tribes crumble around it.

This is also a book of encouragement for those looking away from the mega-church formula. The repeated theme is you don't have to be big to have a big impact.

This was a great book to read and think over.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by B&H Books.

How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All its Worth by Christopher Wright

This made for a decent introduction for preachers/teachers.

Christopher Wright does a good job explaining why we need to include the Old Testament writings during sermons and teachings. But I didn't find it to be anything more exciting than that.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good book. It is well written and very persuasive. My issue is that I've already been surrounded by sermons and teachings that actually do include and some even primarily from the Old Testament.

I must be living in a bubble where the entire Bible is used to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus. Are there truly that many churches and preachers who completely ignore the Old Testament every year that Wright felt this book was warranted? Forgive me, but that's not the case for me.

This would make a great book for someone studying to become a preacher or for someone looking for the basic connections between the Old and New Testaments.

It does a good job in connecting the Whats with the Hows. In other words, Wright is such a good writer that he gives pointers in connecting what you learn from the Old Testament, connecting it to Jesus, and then applying it to your life.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zondervan Publishing.