Finding Mr. Right by Stephen Arterburn

You know what I liked about this book?  It tells the truth.  It’s not just the male’s fault.  Women need to change themselves and become Miss Right while looking for a guy who is Mr. Right.  It’s not about changing each other, it’s about becoming the right person and then identifying the right person for you.

He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt, Part 2

While I was at work today, I reread this book. I liked it less this time. I read it for the first time back in August and now I’m slightly depressed about how much less I liked it this time.

I still like the basic premise of “guys don’t usually have the guts to just tell you that they aren’t that into you so they give glaring clues that should help you catch on”. So Behrendt says that a guy isn’t that into you if:

• he’s not asking you out
• he’s not calling you
• he’s not dating you
• he’s not having sex with you
• he’s having sex with someone else
• he only wants to see you if you’e drunk
• he doesn’t want to marry you
• he’s breaking up with you
• he’s disappeared on you
• he’s married (or other insane variations of being unavailable)
• he’s a selfish jerk, a bully, or a really big freak

From a purely secular and pro-female side of this, these points are absolutely right. From a Christian worldview, he’s still mostly right. As I read the book again though, I found myself laughing at the general stupidity of women who would actually believe that a guy would be unable to find their phone number or that a guy would really leave his wife or that a guy really wants to be with a girl that he is breaking up with. Honestly, it’s really not funny.

Going back a step, I agree that even though a woman is beautiful, smart, and funny a guy can just not be into her. I have personally experienced this. But what about the women out there who aren’t beautiful, smart, and funny? What about the women whose personalities are so awful that guys want to blow out their brains after talking to them for five minutes? Is it fair to say that a guy doesn’t appreciate them and that they should blow them off when the balk for a moment to consider that they might not want to take a plunge with someone like the woman across the table? As I reread this book, I noticed the trend of “you are a great woman, don’t take any crap”. This would be true if we were dealing with a perfect woman.

I’d like to propose a second, modified book called He’s Just Not That Into You or It Just Might Be That Something Is Wrong With You by Greg Behrendt and me. We’ll keep almost all of the points from the wildly popular first edition. The second edition will be less popular because it will have the added bonus of not being so feel good. Instead of just “the guy isn’t doing his thing because he’s a loser and not into me” it will add on a little dose of “I might be incredibly annoying and that’s why he isn’t into me”. Smart men and women will love the book because it will admit that guys will move heaven and earth to get a cell phone number of a girl and they’re into but it will also admit that guys would rather throw their cell phone in an outhouse than participate in another hour long listening session about how a woman is fat, depressed, and unfulfilled.

That said, we can all agree on a few things.

1. Men call women they are into.
2. Men like to pursue women.
3. The woman may be the cause of a man not calling or pursuing any more.

I think I might reread this again and then see what I think.

Noble Obsession by Charles Slack

Who would have thought a book about the the discovery of vulcanization of rubber would be an interesting read?

The lesson learned from this book is patent your ideas.  It’s really that simple.

Three Worlds Gone Mad by Robert Pelton

Robert Pelton has my dream job: travel to dangerous countries and just experience and document what is happening.

In this book, Pelton covers trips to Sierra Leone, Chechen, and Bougainville.   He’s able to give a good bit of background into each location and the conflict that is/was facing each one.

Shake Hands With The Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda by Lt. General Romeo Dallaire

My interest in Rwanda started when I was in Uganda.  I watched Hotel Rwanda for the first time.  I had bought a DVD collection from an Indian DVD and software stand that was a collection of Africa themed movies.  Oddly enough, City of God was on the disc.

After watching Sometimes in April and Hotel Rwanda, I wanted to know more about the genocide that had occurred so near to where I was living.  Google led me to Romeo Dallaire’s book which my brother gave me for my birthday back in September.  I started reading books again and this one was on the top of my list.  It’s a thick 550 pages and sometimes reads like a military diary, but the essence of this book is gut wrenching.

Dallaire was the commander of the UN mission to Rwanda when the genocide occurred.   He had a front row seat to everything that happened.  The Winnipeg Free Press said that this book will help you rediscover your capacity for moral outrage.  I think they are right.

What should our response be in times like this as Western nations?  I don’t know.  But this book will make you think about it.