Napoléon Bonaparte is indeed one of the most famous French statesmen and military leaders the world has ever known. He rose to power during the French Revolution and led historic and successful campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars. He became Emperor of the French bearing the title Napoleon I from 1804 until 1814 and briefly in 1815 during the Hundred Days.
History has seen his conquests, which included Egypt, Belgium, Holland, much of Italy, Austria, much of Germany, Poland and Spain. Quite a feat for a man who stood at a mere five-foot-two inches (in French Metric System).
But what people don't normally know or talk about is Napoléon's love for books and passion for reading. He grew up reading Plutarch’s "Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans". He made time to read even while on campaigns. He commissioned his personal librarian Antoine-Alexandre Barbier to put together various travel libraries that contained tons of literature on military tactics, history, geography, religion, novels, poetry and plays. He even ordered a book-like wooden box filled with his favorite French classics.
He read, over and over again, campaigns of great rulers such as Hannibal, Alexander, Caesar, and Eugene, among others. Through books he was able to learn from past conquerors the art of winning wars. He knew that by studying their tactics, he will someday become a great general. And so he did and made history like none other.
You Are What You Read
Steve Jobs, the Mac Maker, was as devoted to reading as he is to innovating. Did you know that he absolutely adored William Shakespeare's "King Lear" and Herman Melville's "Moby Dick"? Wait, there's more! Jobs was into poetry as well and was drawn by "The Poems of Dylan Thomas". And you'd think Steve Jobs was all just about Mathematics and Computers. Well, think again!
Bill Gates once revealed that he plans to read "every word" David Foster Wallace has ever written before reading the "Infinite Jest." Wallace is a famed essay writer and has written short stories and novels about almost ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. Besides indulging on Wallace's literary work, Bill Gates told The New York Times that he reads 50 books a year. Imagine that.
But we're not done with Bill Gates yet, though. For he also has a very famous bookworm for a friend. This friend of his has an online book club in which he read a book every two weeks. This friend of his is none other than the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg.
They are visionaries who conquered the world in their own respective ways. They changed the world forever. And what do they have in common? They read books and they value the joy of reading!
Book All You Can!
It's time to FEED the MIND! As an HR professional, I too happen to have favorite books in my personal library. They range from cats to cartoons, from a salesperson to a life hacker, from Japan to a collection of feel good reflections. All these books have a profound impact on me, in one way or the other, at one time or the next. Here are six of the books I have grown fond of:
A Better Way to Live by OG Mandino
This book came to me when I was on the brink of a health breakdown. I was losing weight too fast that even my mother was so alarmed that she literally sat me down and fed me! I fell sick for a week, couldn't walk, couldn't even sit, and was silently dying inside. I was losing it but I kept it all in and didn't tell anyone. Then when I regained my strength or at least part of it, I found myself in a bookstore, although up till now, I have no idea how ended up there. I guess it was one of those "meant-to-be" moments. I saw this purple book, reached for it, opened it, and read the last line of Page 27: "Have a seat, kick off your shoes, and lean back. Let me reach out and help you..." It was a suggestion so direct, simply put yet so compelling for me at the time that I bought the book and read it cover to cover, overnight. Before I was through, I was crying like a baby. After that, I slowly but surely emerged from my "death bed" and lived a better life. The key is choice. Thank you, OG!
I learned the term "In A Nutshell" because of this book. Andrew Matthews is such a talented writer. Apart from "Being Happy", he has written and illustrated other motivational books such as "Making Friends" and "Follow Your Heart." His approach in writing is so natural that it never feels like you're reading from a book. He uses words that are easy to understand and draws images that are easy to grasp. He lets you find wisdom in humor. It's this ability of his that has earned him the right to speak for organizations like Coca Cola, Hewlett Packard and Goodyear, to name a few. "We attract what we expect", a quote I learned from him. Meaning, the world will not treat you differently from what you believe it would.
A Grateful Path by Marci
This book is another accidental find. It was just lying around my best friend's living room, waiting for me. This book is all about unconditional love and acceptance, choosing your path, being grateful, and discovering your UNIQUE you. It's a mini book with pages filled with Marci's drawings and words to live by. It was with a heavy heart that I returned it to my best friend But thanks to online shopping, my copy is on its way.
Here are some excerpts from the book:
Life is a process, not an event.
There are two days in the week that are not important - yesterday and tomorrow. Focus on today.
Let go of the past...Move forward...Give Thanks.
Always say please and thank you.
Truly appreciate all that you have been given, as well as the things that you have lost.
IKIGAI The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hecgtor Garcia and Francesc Miralles
I am fascinated by the Japanese way of thinking and living. For some reason, I believe they have it all figured out. IKIGAI is not just a reason for being or the convergence of your passion, mission, profession and vocation. It is by all means the art of living. I devoted my first blog on this Japanese concept of a long and happy life. My favorite take away from this book is the "Fill your belly to 80 percent". It may be true that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach but, for the Japanese, MODERATION is the real key to long term happiness.
Really Important Stuff My Cat Has Taught Me by Cynthia L. Copeland
How can anyone go wrong with a book about CATS? What will life be without cats? In this book, you will learn the philosophy behind CATTITUDE ("Cat with an Attitude") and why life is more fun with a "catner" in crime. In their most feline way, cats teach us how to:
BE THE EXCEPTION.
SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
MAKE UNCONVENTIONAL CHOICES.
TAKE IT ALL IN.
TALK LESS, LISTEN MORE.
GO YOUR OWN WAY.
MAINTAIN AN AIR OF MYSTERY
And so much more! It's available at Barnes & Noble (Case Western, Cleveland) but the book is also sold online by various sellers. A fun read that makes a lot of sense!
Life Hacks by Keith Bradford
The book that contains 1,000 life hacks like:
- Eating cucumbers to soothe a sore throat
- Put dry tea bags inside your smelly sneakers to remove odors
- Did your phone freeze? Plug it into a charger to free it up again
- If a shirt or sweater has static cling, put a safety pin in it. The static will instantly go away.
And 996 more simple solutions to make your life easier and stress free! I read it every now and then just to remind myself that accidents happen all the time and THAT'S FINE. DON'T PANIC. Every problem has a solution and sometimes those solutions are in plain sight, hiding right under our noses.
IN A NUTSHELL:
Life is NOT JUST A SERIES OF CLICKS. We need a bit of old school to UNLOCK that BRAIN POWER! AWAKEN THE READER IN YOU!
Within each book is a whole new world waiting to be explored. Within each page are hidden treasures only your mind can unlock.
USE THAT KNOWLEDGE to GAIN a WELL BALANCED BEING and SEE LIFE in a WHOLE NEW PERSPECTIVE.
FEED YOUR MIND. LIVE and GROW!
#HappyReader
#HappyLeader
#FeedYourMind
#HRHouR
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