"Lee: A Life of Virtue (The Generals)" by John Perry

Robert E. Lee was destined for his later role of consistent leadership from a very young age when his respected father, "Light Horse Harry", absolved himself of all responsibility and left his family of six children and and aging wife and headed to the West Indies. Caring for his mother and younger siblings, Robert would later become a prominent military engineer, offered to command President Lincoln's enormous army in attempts to forestall a civil war. He would refuse this request, however, knowing he would not allow himself to fight against a fellow Virginian, where his true devotion lay, Virginia. He was promised a prestigious, comfortable career in the U.S. Army and wholeheartedly gave himself to his cause. He was fully aware the odds weren't in his cause's favour and at the cost of his personal luxuries (safety and family), he eventually assumed the position as the commanding general of the Confederate Army.

I'm ashamed to admit that I had never heard of Robert E. Lee before I discovered this book. I guess it's better late than never since this book introduced a gem of American History to me. I finished reading "Lee: A Life of Virtue (The Generals)" in a day and a half because I found his life truly inspiring and virtuous which is rare in today's times. I really enjoyed getting lost in the times of "the Civil War" or "the War between the States" and learning of Mr. Lee's personal relationships with other prominent figures in history. Mr. Lee's strong convictions and unwavering commitment to his family when consistently separated for long periods of time was very inspiring to say the least. I would recommend this book to anyone with a hunger for American History or any interest in biographies. I thought it was a great, light read!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed are my own.

"Mutiny on the Bounty" by John Boyne

I had never given much thought to reading a book about seafaring, mutiny or anything else relating. Although, I must say after reading "Mutiny on the Bounty" by John Boyne, I'm not sure I'll be thinking about much else for awhile. Narrated by a 14 year-old, John Jacob Turnstile, erstwhile thief and bound to be captain's servant-lad, the history of the HMS Bounty and the mutiny that later took place comes alive with a cheeky, and introspective storytelling approach. I found this book overwhelmed me with emotion as one chapter I'd be laughing out loud and the next, kept in awe and suspense over what was to transpire next (despite knowing the eventual outcome.) However, seeing as there are two sides to every story, this one recounts one loyal to the shamed Captain Bligh.

I feel this book was so well-written that I will most definitely be plucking more books by John Boyne from my local libraries and book stores. I can't be surprised considering he is also the author of "The Boy In The Striped Pajamas", which was eventually made into an award winning movie. The topic of this book has also awoken a personal desire to discover more about that fateful voyage aboard HMS The Bounty, so we'll hope to see more reviews and see how they compare.

"The Portable Patriot" (edited) by Joel J. Miller & Kristen Parrish

The United States of America is rich with a past that translates to a painful, but more importantly -- a proud history. "The Portable Patriot" tells America's story through a compilation of American records and documents. It includes first documents such as The Mayflower Compact to famous speeches like The First Inaugural Address of George Washington, all of which manage to capture their conviction and determination to succeed.

Being Canadian, I was briefly educated in American history and hoped to ascertain a broader knowledge of why Americans, seemingly more than most, loved their country so immensely. Although this book was fairly short (268 pages), I feel I quickly understood the dignity of being an American once I began reading it. The Founding of America is a rare example and a glimmer of hope in human history with regards to achieving what is best for the common good. I learned a lot from reading this book, but assume I could read it again and still have more to gain.

I highly recommend this book as an introduction to American history or a pleasurable light read for American patriots. Any American household could benefit from this accessible book succinctly capturing the key events that made America.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed are my own.

"Mind Your Own Mortgage" by Robert J. Bernabé

Find yourself a house, obtain a mortgage and then refinance to reduce your monthly payments.

Robert Bernabé dissects this process most of us usually adhere to when hunting for a suitable mortgage. Instead, Bernabé suggests a completely different avenue to approach the mortgage industry from while explaining the skewed misconceptions we have and the mistakes we commonly make. I originally decided to read Mind Your Own Mortgage to hopefully obtain a fuller, more fine-tuned understanding of the details that surround acquiring and refinancing my mortgage. After reading it, I can say with confidence that I have a broader comprehension of the terms associated with the mortgage industry's vocabulary (i.e. curtailments, fixed-rate mortgage introductory period, etc.), a clearer financial goal and the tools and strategies required to achieve it. More importantly, Bernabé delivers this advice in a refreshing and engaging way that made me excited to start planning my finances with the future in mind. He offers hope to a situation that is usually hopeless, if not overwhelming and illustrates the benefits of "minding your own mortgage" with simple graphs and tables.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for further insight into the mortgage industry and managing their personal mortgage, but also to those looking for that initial book that will introduce financial planning in an enjoyable way.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed are my own.