July 2021 Read of the Month Review

 I am home refreshed and relaxed after a family trip to Riviera Maya Mexico. The area is beautiful and I would also like to add the people of Mexico are so friendly and accomodating. I highly recommend visiting the area if you need a little beach vacation. The Barcelo Maya Caribe is a beautiful resort.

Mayan ruins in Tulum Mexico

Now for my review of my July Read of the Month, The Traveler's Gift, by Andy Andrews. The book follows main character David Ponder going through a rough stretch of his life. One minute David is driving down an icy road, and then the next he is on a journey meeting with seven famous figures from history that provide him with knowledge and tips for success. I really do not want to give much more away to the book than that mini summary, but I will list what I liked in the book:

• It is a quick easy read, I finished it in about three days
• It is a self-help book that is aimed at leadership and taking responsibility for your life. I like these kind of books for my "Leadership Skills" class that I teach at work. I am always looking for books that help guide future (and current) leaders.
• The actual plot of the book was pretty good. It was not just straight self-help, there are some elements of fiction that kept me interested.
• The seven tips, or "Decisions for success" as they are referred to in the book are easy to grasp and implement.

My only negatives; there is a little touch of religion mixed in, which I did not think was needed, and a little bit of "pull up your bootstraps" mentality as well. I understand sometimes people are in situations that are just a little too tough to overcome without some help or assistance. 

I appreciated the book, as it was a gift from a good friend and I plan to share it with others. I give it a solid 3.5/5.  Look for my August Read of the Month in my next post, now that I am back to reality (and reading a new book for August.)