All the Reads in '23 (For Harrison Pugh)

An accurate picture of Harrison Pugh reading in his study.

The time has come my friends and fellow readers (or at least aspiring readers) to publish the books I’ve read in 2023. Harrison Pugh has been asking me to release this list, so this is particularly for him.

As always they say “readers are leaders”, and that is certainly true. My goal last year was to read 15 books: just over a book a month. The reason being is that I find it handy to have a target to hit, but the target itself is not the end goal. Each author and each book has something to add to our lives, whether it be magnificent or miniscule.

I read a mix of different books ranging from business, biographies, fiction, personal development and self-help. Hopefully this list and these reviews will continue to inspire you to be page turners and life long learners (and the more you learn, the more you earn).

• Inked: Negotiation Tactics that Unlock Yes and Seal the Deal - Jeb Blount (Business/Sales)
  Jeb is master sales trainer based in the US. For any sales people wanting to get better at negotiation, this book is practical and simple to understand. Anything Jeb puts out with sales just makes sense for any salespeople to read - he also publishes the “Sales Gravy” Podcast which covers plenty of sales topics relevant to those who want to get better in their craft.
  

• A Burning in My Bones: The Authorised Biography of Eugene H. Peterson - Winn Collier (Biography/Spiritual)
  A beautiful capture of the life of Eugene Peterson, the author-poet-pastor who translated The Message Bible and was a faithful pastor and professor. Eugene’s genuine, non-hype, gentle pastoring and personality came through in this book and his testimony, not without human imperfections, was a compelling read. I recommend this to any of my ministry friends.
  

• The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About it - Michael E. Gerber (Business/Entrepreneurship/Leadership)
  I asked the principal of the very successful real estate agency, Todd Pearce of Page & Pearce, what one of his book recommendations was. He swore by this book. I can understand why. For anyone who wants to get a business idea off the ground, this is a MUST read: it really does explain how to start and scale your business in a way that will work. It would also work in many other contexts such as business or church.
  

• Miracles from the Dust: God’s Power to Heal revealed through the life of an Australian Outback Preacher - John Mellor with Rowena Beresfordi (Biography/Spiritual)
  Last year, the great healing evangelist John Mellor passed away. His home church was Suncoast Church, and I was asked to lead a song or two at his memorial service. At this moving service, they were giving out free copies of his first book and biography. This was first book I read by someone who was local and someone who I knew of. The book was humorous, easy to read, full of Australiana and one that certainly built my faith to believe for more.
  

• Spare - Prince Harry (Biography)
  Say what you want about the ginger royal - this book was genuinely riveting and hard to put down. It was fascinating to get insights into the world of a royal, which is so far removed from the average person. I found the storytelling to be warm, and I’m glad I read this book.
  

• Selling in Crisis: 55 Ways to Stay Motivated and Increase Sales in Volatile Times - Jeb Blount (Sales/Business)
  This book was what it it said: 55 Ways to keep pushing through in times of economic uncertainty and keep thriving in sales. Jeb Blount frequently uses the metaphor “don’t be a rain barrel, be a rain maker” - don’t just wait for the rain to come, be the one who makes it rain! Great motivation and tools for the salesperson.
  

• Chekhov Selected Stories - Anthon Chekhov (Short Stories/Literature)
  I picked up this little book of Russian short stories in a bookshop in West End. Once I had absorbed all the Russian names, I found the stories told enchanting, humorous and revealing of the human condition. Written in the late 1800s before the communists came to power, it’s a great slice of life of the average commoner in Imperial Russia too.
  

• The Circle Maker - Mark Batterson (Prayer/Theology/Spiritual)
  This is a book about Christian prayer. Last July, there was a renewed push and focus on prayer at Suncoast Church, and this book was a recommended read. It was a good recommendation. I certainly found this book to be a refreshing and compelling read on prayer and led me to actions to take to enhance my prayer life.
  

• Truth on Fire: Gazing at God Until Your Heart Sings - Adam Ramsey (Theology/Christian Living)
  This was the second book of the year where I read an author who was someone local, and someone who I met once. This book is full of practical theology; the premise is to have a faith that is both moves the head + heart. I appreciate this as someone who has grown up in the Pentecostal/Charismatic settings, but also has an appreciation for solid theological foundations.
  

• The Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most of Your Message - John C. Maxwell (Communication/Leadership)
  There’s no doubt that John Maxwell is one of the greats when it comes to leadership. This book brings out his authoritative voice on communication and combines it with the leadership principles he knows and lives. John is in his 70s, but his writing is fresh and vibrant; youthful energy with learned wisdom. Worth reading if you want to improve in your communication skills.
  

• Winning Ways - Smartre Training (Real Estate Sales)
  This is the sales manual that is the basis of the real estate training and network Keyline Realty is a part of. The sales manual covers personal foundations of success, prospecting, listing houses and sales. It’s about ethical and effective real estate, and it’s only available to read by members of the Smartre network - sorry! (Or call me if you want to sell your house on the Sunshine Coast 😜)
  

• Big Sur - Jack Kerouac (Fiction/Literature/Autobiography)
  This is probably the cousin of the more famous “On the Road”. This book is somewhat an autobiography of Kerouac, of his later years after becoming famous. It’s filled with the beatnik/hippy/artist spirit, and certainly is scandalous at times. It’s also got sections of “streams of consciousness” which is a trip to read, but once you get into it, it just makes sense. It’s also interesting that Kerouac was very much a Catholic, and you see glimpses of his humanity wrestling with his innate faith.
  

• God and Me - Bill Abbenbroek (Autobiography/Spiritual/Theology)
  This was the final read of a local author. Pastor Bill was the pastor of the church I attended whilst growing up, and reading this book was certainly insightful into the journey of a faithful man and pastor. As someone who was on staff at a church as a Creative Pastor, reading the candid stories of other pastors brings encouragement, insight and a solidarity to me. There is a lot of theological teaching in here, which is clearly a passion of Bill’s. Certainly an inspiring life.
  

• Sell Like Crazy - Sabri Suby (Sales/Business)
  THIS GUY HAS ADS EVERYWHERE. And they finally worked! Sabri is clearly a genius at grabbing your attention and turning it into dollars. There are no magical tricks in this book; a lot of it is grounded in practical business sense. He certainly is savvy in capturing online traffic and making sales out of it. There are principles in here that I certainly will try and add into my arsenal. It’s certainly beneficial for people who are selling retail products, B2B and professional services.

And that’s it folks! I’m keen to hear what you’re reading and if you’ve got any thoughts on the above. Feel free to DM me or send me an email. Happy readin’!