{](M)[}
Milli (Radio Personality, Power 98.3 & 101.9)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Trouble & Triumph by T.I.
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
The Artist Way by Julia Cameron
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
It’s basically like when you get writers block it helps bring out your creativity. It focuses on bringing out the positive side of yourself versus the negative.
4) How old were you when you read it?
20 years old
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I was in College majoring in Journalism, living in Bakersfield, CA.
6) How did it influence your life then?
I was having writers block in my Journalism Class and Julia Cameron's, The Artist’s Way, was mentioned by one of my favorite rappers J. Cole. I read it and broke the block.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
You’ll see more with your eyes closed.
“Why do we close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss or dream? Because the most beautiful things in life are not seen but felt by the heart.” Denzel Washington
{](L)[}
Chris (Real-estate Agent, Trainer, Author and Mother)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
https://www.amazon.com/Abraham-Lincoln-Vampire-Seth-Grahame-Smith/dp/0446563080
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
It’s historical fiction. A hysterical and enjoyable read. It’s a fun mix of real Civil War era history and vampire folklore.
4) How old were you when you read it?
38 years old.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I’m a Mother to three teenagers and had just suffered three strokes that had damaged my long-term memory and effectively ended my writing career. I had to relearn that red is for ketchup and yellow mustard.
6) How did it influence your life then?
It made me rediscover the joy of reading and gave me a needed escape from the hard times I was going through.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
Just do it. Go, get what you want in life and don’t make excuses.
“Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” Shakespeare
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Brenda (Seamstress/Haberdasher)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
The Children of the King by Max Lucado
Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul by Jack Canfield+
God's Answers to Life's Difficult Questions by Rick Warren
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul by Jack Canfield+
Me, "Brenda I don't know if I mentioned earlier that this book will be sent Male prisoners of the BOP"
Brenda, "And don't they have mothers who love them and are heartbroken that they are locked up?"
https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Soup-Mothers-Soul-Rekindle/dp/1558744606
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
It lets you see how real life Mothers handle the stressful situations their children put them through.
4) How old were you when you read it?
35 years old.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I was in a battle with my kids at the time and had a son locked up in jail.
6) How did it influence your life then?
It reminded me to look to God for strength.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
Keep holding on and looking up!
“Children are knives, my mother once said. They don’t mean to, but they cut. And yet we cling to them, don’t we, we clasp them until the blood flows.” Joanne Harris
{](4)[}
Manny (Retiree, Semiconductor Professional)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
Killing Jesus by Bill O'Reilly
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus by Sherry Weddell
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
Killing Jesus by Bill O'Reilly
https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Jesus-Bill-OReilly/dp/0805098542
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
A better understanding of the being and suffering that Jesus endured as shared in layman's terms.
4) How old were you when you read it?
67 years old.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I was engrossed in becoming more scripturally literate.
6) How did it influence your life then?
It made me better appreciate the political environment that Jesus lived in at that time.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
Convincing non-believers will only occur through kindness, compassion and forgiveness.
"Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous* will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew
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David (Tammie Coe Cakes Cafe)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Dark Tower by Stephen King
The Legend of Drizzt by R.A. Salvatore
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
The Dark Tower by Stephen King
https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Tower-Book/dp/1416524525
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
The lives of a mix of characters drawn from many of Stephen Kings other novels (including King himself) intersect in a multidimensional adventure.
4) How old were you when you read it?
16 years old.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I just dropped out of school and my Dad had brought it home for me. It was the first book I had read for fun and was loving it. Unfortunately, for me, my older brother saw it and decided he wanted to read it and took it. I wound up reading The Hobbit while I waited for my brother to finish, but the damage was done; I was hooked on books.
6) How did it influence your life then?
I would say books are an escape but my life is good and I'm not reading to escape anything. They have broadened my understanding and appreciation of people and places, real and imaginary. The Dark Tower series was and continues to be something magical to me. It was my Bible.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
Open your mind and explore it.
“The trip has been long and the cost has been high... but no great thing was ever attained easily. A long tale, like a tall Tower, must be built a stone at a time.” Stephen King
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Ben (Econ/Philosophy Student of Notre Dame)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
https://www.amazon.com/Enders-Ender-Quintet-Orson-Scott/dp/0812550706
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
Mankind is putting forth a last ditch effort against an alien species and the fate of humankind rests on the shoulders of a youth.
4) How old were you when you read it?
14-year-old freshman in high school.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I was coming into my own. Up until then I was a product of my parents and environment. I was beginning to develop my opinions of the world and make my own decisions.
6) How did it influence your life then?
First, it unlocked my creativity and then threw away any concepts of limitations.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” Francis of Assisi
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Laurinzo (Commercial Construction Worker)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
https://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Life-Henrietta-Lacks/dp/1400052181
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
It's about the amazing breakthroughs in science derived from an amazing woman's cells.
4) How old were you when you read it?
Two years younger that I am now.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I was seeking knowledge and a good read, and it jumped out at me.
6) How did it influence your life then?
It made me want to be more diligent in seeking truth, and increased my belief that the greatest truths remain hidden.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
Never stop seeking your own personal truth and know that a life can be reinvented at any point.
“My mother said the cure for thinking too much about yourself was helping somebody who was worse off than you.” Sylvia Plath
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Robert (Retired Military)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
The Golden Bough by James George Frazer
Men Are From Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
The Golden Bough by James George Frazer
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Bough-Study-Magic-Religion/dp/1512267716/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468367621&sr=1-2
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
It details the fascinating history and meanings behind our most sacred and celebrated traditions.
4) How old were you when you read it?
50 years old.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
In prison.
6) How did it influence your life then?
The connection between pagan and Christian traditions totally took me by surprise.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
God loves everybody.
“Small minds cannot grasp great ideas; to their narrow comprehension, their purblind vision, nothing seems really great and important but themselves.” James George Frazer
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Andy (Think! Graphic and Printing Solutions: Manager)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
A Shimmer of Possibility by Paul Graham
The Democratic Forest by William Eggleston
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
The Democratic Forest by William Eggleston
https://www.amazon.com/William-Eggleston-Democratic-Eudora-Welty/dp/3869307927
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
A photo essay of everyday moments that are beautiful to contemplate. Inspired by Anton Chekhov's stories.
4) How old were you when you read it?
26 years old.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I was a undergrad in college at ASU.
6) How did it influence your life then?
I recognized that the little details, or the small things in life, give validation to all of life.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
Creativity never dies. Literature, music and art live on forever. Find your creative outlet and share it with the world.
"I don't have a burning desire to go out and document anything. It just happens when it happens. It's not a conscious effort, nor is it a struggle. Wouldn't do it if it was. The idea of the suffering artist has never appealed to me. Being here is suffering enough." William Eggleston
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Frank (Owner: Roosevelt Barber Shop)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
The Outsiders by T.S. Hinton
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
The Outsiders by T.S. Hinton
https://www.amazon.com/Outsiders-S-Hinton/dp/014038572X
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
It's about the loyalty, sacrifice, honor and brotherhood that takes place in a tough neighborhood.
4) How old were you when you read it?
12 or 13.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I was a kid in Mrs. Thomas's class at Copper King Elementary. My family had just moved from a rough neighborhood at 35th Avenue and Thomas to the suburbs of Avondale.
6) How did it influence your life then?
I was able to relate to the struggles and troubles talked about. There were similarities to the life I had come from.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success." Henry Ford
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Brennan (IT Field Engineer)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared M. Diamond
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory by Brian Greene
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared M. Diamond
https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0393317552
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
A history of the rise of Western Civilization and how Nature was the force that supported its rise, not man's self-perceived ingenious.
4) How old were you when you read it?
Some time in my 20's.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
Just graduated from U of A, had started a new company and was attempting to be a theoretical physicist.
6) How did it influence your life then?
It opened my eyes to the true nature of history and civilization not taught in the public education system.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
"Vae Victis" (Latin for "woe to the vanquished", or "woe to the conquered") Brennus
{](B)[}
Ellen (An M.D. Student & Marathoner)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder
A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
https://www.amazon.com/Prophet-Borzoi-Book-Kahlil-Gibran/dp/0394404289
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
It's about the "human condition". The poems and stories cover a myriad of the emotions we face in life. At its core is that Love is the foundation for everything.
4) How old were you when you read it?
22 years old.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
Volunteering at the Andre House.
6) How did it influence your life then?
It has enhanced how I see and feel about people and the world around me.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
"Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain." Kahlil Gibran
{](a)[}
Jessica Luebbering (Book Lover, Amateur Chef, Advocate for individuals experiencing homelessness)
1) Please, share three books that have made a lasting impression on your life.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott- because it reminds me of my sisters and me, especially since our personalities and ages match up to the girls'. I am like Meg, my sister Kara is like Jo, and my sister Carissa is like Amy. We don't have a Beth.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine - this was my favorite book as a little girl. I admired how Ella stayed true to herself and found the power within herself to end the "gift" she was given at birth.
Island of the World by Michael D O'Brien - I experienced almost every emotion while reading this book. I felt joy, anger, frustration, peace, sadness, giddiness, heartbreak. I didn't want to rush through this book, the way I often do with other books. I took my time savoring the journey I went on with the main character. I loved learning about the history of Croatia. I am told that the main character's experiences are very accurate to what many people experienced during this time.
2) Which one of the three would you choose to give as a gift to a distant friend or long lost loved one?
I would choose Island of the World, though I love and would recommend all of them.
https://www.amazon.com/Island-World-Michael-D-OBrien/dp/1586174908
3) How would you summarize the book to the person you are sharing it with?
Island of the World is a coming of age story of a boy growing up in Croatia when it became Yugoslavia and became a Communist regime. It's the story of the boy's relationship with God, through many high and low points, and the story of his salvation. It is a work of art, the words weaving a beautiful tapestry that draws in the reader.
4) How old were you when you read it?
It took me 6 months to read but I was 24 or 25.
5) Where were you at in your life, during that time?
I was working at a job that gave me many opportunities for creativity although it took me a while to recognize them. I was questioning both my personal and professional vocation, trying to discern God's will for my life.
6) How did it influence your life then?
It's difficult to pinpoint exactly how this book influenced my life because the tiny threads and tendrils of the story have woven their way into my heart and mind. Through many of the main character's struggles I wondered about my own ability to endure suffering and my responses to challenging situations. I yearned for the selfless love that the main character had and for the wisdom that guided his life.
7) What would you add as a word of encouragement or message of hope within the cover the book?
My dear friend, never forget how very much you are loved.
“Words are gold, split and shared as coinage, small pebbles, emblems offered back and forth-given, received; given, received-expanding the vocabulary of the soul.” Michael O'Brien
