How Did I Get Here? (The Power of a Good Story)

Here are the latest books that I have read.

I am continuing to catalog every title here on Silent Cacophony. This is part of my 2013 reading log.

How Did I Get Here: The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO by Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk is probably the most recognized name when it comes to extreme sports. He is a gifted athlete and a talented skateboarder who champions this great sport.

This isn't a typical memoir. It only deals with his business interests, but we can learn a lot from his experiences, mistakes, and triumphs.

Tony Hawk has probably made more money from his side interests than from actually practising his craft. But that doesn't stop him from skating. He makes it a point to get on his skateboard every day, even if he is busy with his radio show, video game development, film and video production, writing, and everything else he does. That is inspiring.

I sometimes think I am getting a little bit old to still be skating, but he's a bit older than me and he doesn't plan on stopping any time soon.

Tony Hawk has worked hard to get to where he is and he knows it's a blessing to have built a life around skateboarding. Very cool story!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this novel. I thought it was a story about a young musician and her decision about pursuing her classical music career while balancing teenage life and her family.

At the start of the story, she is excited about a snow day. School is cancelled and her parents both decide to take the day off of work as well to have a special family day. But then they do the one thing that you should never do on a snow day. They get into the car and drive somewhere.

If school gets cancelled due to weather, it is always best to stay home. That's what I do. Unless you really need to be somewhere, it is best to stay off the roads. This family learns that lesson the hard way and suffers a terribly accident on the road.

The lead character spends the entire story outside of her broken body that is in critical condition in the ICU of a hospital. Throughout the course of the story, she recounts her life and what lead her to where she is right now.

One nurse tells her that it is her decision on whether to stay in the world of the living or to move on to the next world. She encourages her to stay. It's a tough decision and one she struggles with.

It wasn't the best book I've read and there were times when I thought about putting it down, but some of the passages about the power of music were quite illuminating.

My 2013 Reading List