After the Fun and Sun, Read On!
Check out these inspirational picks from the editors

When summer turns up the heat, your body is baked, and your brain is waterlogged, kick back and give your heart and soul what it really needs: a good book. The school year is just too hectic to have time to think, let alone read. So, before you jump back into it, take time to relax, unwind, and really feed your head with some fodder for thought, get some salve for your soul, and help your heart find its purpose again. Come finals time—yes, it’s coming—you’ll be glad for the reminder of why you’re going through such torture.

Vittles from Editor Vincent Alex Brown, vince@studentleader.com

The One Minute Manager
by Spencer Johnson, Kenneth H. Blanchard:

A book written in novel form tells the story of a young man in search of successful management skills. It made it clear to me that all it takes is a minute here and there to write down goals, catch someone doing something right, and to praise others. Each of those positive minutes adds up to a day of successful management of a talented team.

Iacocca: An Autobiography
by Lee Iacocca, William Novak

From the former head of Chrysler Corporation comes a frank look at making bold decisions such as putting sexy sheet metal on a family sedan chassis and coming up with a classic, the Ford Mustang. At Chrysler he went on to bring out another perennial classic that forever change the automotive landscape, the mini-van. It reminds me that your gut, along with good common and business sense, can help you lead your organization while others must either "lead, follow, or get out of the way."

Tom Landry: An Autobiography
by Tom Landry, Gregg Lewis

A personal tale from the head coach of America's team, the Dallas Cowboys, the late Tom Landry talks about dedication, consistency, and commitment to his faith in God, wife, and team. He also recounts the challenges of building one of NFL's best teams ever, capturing two Super Bowl wins, and the changes that came over time. It reminds me that consistent character over time matters and does make a difference.

Picks from Student Leader Associate Editor John Lamothe, john@studentleader.com

The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho

Coelho presents a simple, yet enthralling tale about following ones dreams. The Alchemist is perfect for anyone looking for light reading with a purpose. It really showed me that following your dreams is an active process. You can't just sit back and hope they happen; you have to pursue them with all your energy.

Tuesdays with Morrie
by Mitch Albom

Life never looks as precious as when you view it through the eyes of someone dying. Having had to deal with the reality of death in my own life recently, this true-story account of a reporter's final days with his dying professor showed me that death doesn't have to be a disheartening taboo that no one talks about. Instead, Albom gives us an uplifting story that celebrates life in the face of death.

Favorites from Florida Leader Editor Stephanie Reck, stephanie@studentleader.com

How to Win Friends and Influence People
by Dale Carnegie

I've heard this called the most mis-named book in the world, and I agree—it sounds like "How to Suck Up." But the reality of this book is that it teaches us that how we react to things is our choice, and people will relate to us based on the choices. Over my years as a college instructor, I recommended this book every semester, and the students who read it always came back to me and said that they wished they had read it years earlier. It gives more practical day-to-day suggestions about how to be effective and assertive than any other book I've read. It also reminds readers that there's no substitute for good manners, whatever your abilities or status.

Silver Boxes
by Florence Littauer

The assertion of this book by Florence Littauer is that our words to others should be like "silver boxes with bows on top." That seems corny, but this earnest little book reminds us of how important our communication with others is. She discusses at length that anger, criticism, and sarcasm are not privileges of rank, and in this day of the one-liner and the four-letter word, it's a worthy lesson. When Littauer shares stories from her speaking engagements, you see just how many people believe rudeness is a tool with which to get things accomplished. This author gives readers another way.

The Bible

Moses learned how to delegate from his father-in-law, Jesus spoke in parables to let His followers figure things out on their own (we call that empowerment these days), David stays thankful even when things get tough—there are a lot of lessons for leaders in this book. I guess you could call it a classic.

Copyright © 2005 Oxendine Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved