Thieves by Trey Smith (CBR-IV #19)

Cannonball Read IV: Book #19/52
Published: 2011
Pages: 340
Genre: Nonfiction


Because of my media-related job, I have had to work with several televangelists in the past -- including Mike Murdock, the subject of this book. I don't really care for the guy, so when I found this book online I had to read it. Mike Murdock is a televangelist who believes in "seed faith". Or basically he has one sermon - give me X amount of money and God will make you a millionaire. Blah blah. 


Trey Smith grew up with Murdock's son, Jason. Both had pretty severe drug problems which they subsidized by stealing jewelry from Murdock's massive closet full of riches. Also in the closet? A 300 pound safe, which they assumed to be full of cash. They joked around about stealing it, but one day Trey decided to go for it (without Jason's involvement). 

The book is FULL of crazy accusations against Murdock. I can't attest to how true everything is, but Smith swears from the beginning of the book that everything is true. I'm going to assume from the fact that Murdock hasn't pulled the book and sued for libel that there isn't much he can do about it if it's the truth. It's pretty damning stuff too -- everything from lesbian porn to company hookers to a pet lion. It was pretty interesting stuff, and sadly not too surprising if you've ever heard the guy talk (he likes to brag...a lot).

The only issue I had with the book was that it was just a little too long. There was a good chunk of stuff about Trey's drug and legal issues that didn't have anything to do with Murdock. It was interesting, but I mainly read the book to read dirt on a semi-famous televangelist. 

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk (CBR-IV #18)

Cannonball Read IV: Book #18/52
Published: 1999
Pages: 289
Genre: Fiction


Chuck Palahniuk books are kind of hard to review. They are the closest thing I can imagine to being inside the mind of a crazy person. They always start out disjointed and then once you start piecing things together, they start to make a little more sense. But still -- mind of a crazy person. Survivor is more of the same formula. 

Basically, you're inside the mind of a crazy guy who used to be in a religious cult where most of the members killed themselves. He survived, but now he's hijacking a plane to commit suicide. Then the story goes backwards and tells us what happened between the cult and the hijacking. From there it's a just a scrambled mess of craziness.

I wanted to like this book. Kind of like I've wanted to like every Palahniuk book I've picked up since Fight Club. But I couldn't have cared less what happened to the guy in this book (I can't even remember his name for the life of me!). For such a short book, it shouldn't have been such a chore to read. It wasn't BAD -- Palahniuk is a very gifted writer -- but I wish he'd find a new schtick, because this one is getting kind of old. And it really pains me to say that.

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman (CBR-IV #17)

Cannonball Read IV: Book #17/52
Published: 1992
Pages: 172
Genre: Nonfiction/Self help/Christian


I read this as part of a group study my husband and I go to with some other young married couples. I normally an not a huge fan of self-help type books, but I was surprised to actually learn quite a bit by reading this one. 


The premise is pretty simple - everyone is primarily dominant in one or two of the five love languages. The five love languages are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. My primary love languages are Quality Time and Acts of Service. My husband is Words of Affirmation and Physical Touch. The book explains each of these and how to better understand someone who has a different love language than you. It's very simple, but not something people tend to pick up on their own. 


Although this book is for married couples (or would work for anyone in a committed relationship), a lot of the ideas can branch beyond that to help you deal with all sorts of other people in your life -- family, friends, co-workers -- not just your spouse or significant other. 


It is based on Christian principles as well, but the primary message is pretty universal and could utilized by just about anyone. It's a very short read, but full of really good information. Highly recommended for anyone in a relationship or anyone just looking to get along with or understand others a little better.

Mortified: Love is a Battlefield by David Nadelberg (CBR-IV #16)

Cannonball Read IV: Book #16/52
Published: 2008
Pages: 285
Genre: Nonfiction/Humor


I also picked this book up for a dollar at the used bookstore (best store ever). It looked interesting, although I didn't find out later that this is technically the second Mortified book. The first involved general awkwardness of preteens and teens. This one is geared towards awkward young love. 


Basically, it's a collection of people's old journal entries and poetry. Usually from when they were teenagers. And we all know that teenage journal entries are pretty cringe-worthy to look back on -- especially if they involve a teenage romance (or infatuation). 


Anyone can relate to at least one of these stories. Whether it's the boy who writes love letters to his girlfriend referencing Rose and Jack from Titanic or the kid who found her unsent celebrity obsession letters. I don't even want to know what I probably wrote in the ten letters I sent to Jonathan Taylor Thomas when I was 12. 


The book was pretty humorous and I liked the little blurbs that the writers wrote as the looked back on their angst-ridden journal entries. It's a short, quick read that I'd recommend to anyone who ever had a journal when you were younger.