Don't read this unless.......

Are you happy being self involved? Oh, I hear you cry, but I'm not. Well, wait for your life to change, read this book and be prepared to confront some awful truths about yourself. Really, don't worry, David Brooks has the answer in Road to Character by examining the lives and works of some individuals and how they have cultivated character. Have you ever thought about your eulogy? Brooks begins his book by looking at the difference between resume virtues and eulogy virtues. If you are an outstanding virtuous person, you probably don't need this book. But for the rest of us, dig in, you will find the individuals in this book might become models for your own building of character. One thing that struck me however, were how normal these people are. At least they start like that. It helps because then you realize there may be help for you too. Brooks introduces us to a wide range of people from Francis Perkins to Augustine. Brook uses these individuals to model particular virtues. Did you know Eisenhower carried this poem around? Take a bucket, fill it with water, Put your hand in-clear up to the wrist. Now pull it out;the hole that remains Is a measure of how much you'll be missed. SELF CONQUEST MODERATION SERVICE LOVE GRACE Just a few of the traits he illustrates. My personal favorite was the chapter about George Elliot. "Elliot was a meliorist. She did not believe in big transformational change. She believed in the slow, steady, concrete march to make each day slightly better than the last. Character development, like historic progress, best happens imperceptibly, through daily effort." There's hope for me yet. I was struck in this book about the love for the common man. That there is beauty in being common, in not being the star. NYTimes bookreview Also next up is General McCrystal's book Team of Teams-although he is looking at organization of teams in business I want to see how it can be applied to Education. Check it out.