Friday, May 09, 2008

Inspriational Autobiographies - My Recent Splurge

I am tickled pink! Yesterday I went out and splurged on myself. No. I did not get a pedicure, a manicure, a facial, a massage, a new outfit, make over or anything like that. I went to half price books and treated myself to three inspiring autobiographies that I have been wanting for a while (years).

No. I am not a voracious reader who reads a novel per week or even per month. It is very seldom that I even read books for pure pleasure. The few I have read I can name off. I used to read many fictional books prior to Junior High. However, once entering secondary school and on through college my reading time became absorbed with study of various texts and articles(mostly science and then later management and teaching).

I have always taken pleasure in watching movies and since the onset of my hearing loss and then deafness, I have actually spent years reading them as I must watch all programing in closed captioning to know what is going on.

So it is interesting. My reading has almost entirely been based on being informational to some degree. I do enjoy reading of true adventures (either from a magazine, the internet, or a website of someone actually doing the activity). Seeing such shows (I am a big sci-fi fan) and reading and viewing pictures of people's journeys is my form of escape just as it is for those who are big novel digesting fans.

As far as reading books, I enjoy learning about something that is going to help me be a better person. Throughout the years I have always preferred some sort of self improvement book (which includes leadership type of material) but most recently I am fascinated by autobiographies of incredible people who find a way beat to the odds and go beyond what was expected of them. To me they are modern day heros and warriors that posess the characteristics I long for. What made them a survivor? What quality motivated them to step out of the box of average thinking?

I am excited to delve into their stories!

The following books I acquired yesterday are written by people of such character:

Every Second Counts by Lance Armstrong
Still Me by Christopher Reeve
Touch the Top of the World by Erik Weinhenmayer (the blind man who climbed Mt. Everest)

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