The 5 Best Books I Read in 2024 By Oliver DeMille
December 19th, 2024 // 5:06 am @ Oliver DeMille
They are all worth reading. In fact, it was very difficult to narrow it down to just 5. With that said, here they are, along with some thoughts on why each one is great, and tips on things to look for as you go. If any of them pique your interest, get them and read… Enjoy the list!
- Insidious by Orrin Woodward. This book is fantastic! A must read, and a runaway for the #1 top book of the year. In fact, it’s so great that I wrote an entire article and review just to talk about the super-important ideas in this one book.
| Tip: Go read my article about this book here. |
- Government Gangsters by Kash Patel. It’s deep, spot on, and incredibly relevant to our world today. Patel outlines what needs to happen to get our government back, specifically to size it down wisely and make it follow the Constitution once again. And he tells us what to do as well as the specifics of how to do it. Great book! Fabulous read, whether you agree with his recommendations or not.
| Tip: Pay special attention to everything he says about “fencing”. This alone is worth the price of the book. And after you study this, also research the word “impoundment” as it relates to the Federal Government. So important. Indeed, Fencing and Impoundment may be as important in our time as Checks and Balances were in the time of the American Framers. Not that they should be, but you want to know what they are and how they are used. |
- Jane Austen’s Little Book of Wisdom compiled by Andrea Kirk Assaf. This small book is pure fun! Every quote is worth deeply pondering. You’ll truly benefit from the witty and profound wisdom it contains. I loved it. Whether you want to be a better leader, spouse, dad, mom, student, sibling, boss, or employee, or just improve yourself and your effectiveness in relationships and life, this book is great reading on two levels—the wisdom of the words, and the beauty of how Austen uses the language. It will put a little more poetry and charm into your personality! Or just bring more smiles to your face in the year ahead. Super fun.
| Tip: Read and ponder one quote each day. At this pace it will last almost a year—and the year will undoubtedly be better! |
Continue Reading >>
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The Best Books of 2022
January 2nd, 2023 // 5:16 am @ Sara DeMille
JUST IN TIME TO READ THEM IN 2023!
An Invitation
Great reads are, well…great. They move you. Or change you. Or invite you to face challenging realities, or approach the future in better, more effective ways. They empower you, or help you do other equally important things.
A great read is a life-changing event. As Thomas Jefferson wrote to John Adams in the summer of 1815:
“I cannot live without books.”
And to Abigail Adams he penned the famous words:
“…my greatest of all amusements, reading.”
To James Madison he added a longer view:
“Books constitute capital. A library book lasts as long as a house, for hundreds of years. It is not then an article of mere consumption but fairly of capital.”
To founding leader Richard Rush he put it bluntly:
“Books are indeed with me a necessary of life.”
Ironically, to write out everything Thomas Jefferson wrote down about books and reading would require a very long book.
In trying to emulate his passion for books, along with the pondering and deep consideration that naturally occurs when you read almost constantly, I habitually take a few moments at the end of each year and look over the list of the books I’ve read in the last 12 months. And, invariably I find myself listing and ranking the best ones—and debating which is the #1 vs. #2 vs. #3 TOP book of the year. I seldom do this with fiction books, though I read a lot of them. In fact, Jefferson did too. He wrote:
“Some of the most agreeable moments of my life have been spent in reading works of imagination [fiction, literature] which have this advantage over history [non-fiction]: that the incidents of the former may be dressed in the most interesting form, while those of the latter must be confined to fact. They cannot therefore present virtue in the best [or] vice in the worst forms possible, as the former may.”
The List
So, every year I write a list of the top non-fiction books I’ve read. This year was no different. Here are my Top 7 Non-Fiction Reads of 2022, in order, starting with the best, TOP BOOK #1 and down the list. Most lists like this ramp up to the very best book and present it last, but I tried that and just didn’t like it.
I’m shooting straight here, top 7 best books in order:
- The Psychology of Totalitarianism, by Mattias Desmet. This book tackles the biggest challenge we face in our modern world right now. It’s a must read for anyone who cares about freedom. And the challenges it outlines are mostly still ahead—so read up! It’s vital prep for what’s coming… I’ll be addressing it in several classes and events coming in 2023! And so will Ian. So excited…
- The 90-Degree Turn, by JB Fred Eberlain. This is a great, great read—I wish every American would read this and think about it seriously. It addresses what I think is the second biggest challenge faced by America and other free nations right now. Also, when you get to the section on Solutions in this book, compare his proposals to those outlined by Orrin Woodward and myself in our book LeaderShift—together the combined list of solutions is really powerful.
- The Right and Wrong of Compulsion by the State, by Auberon Herbert. All right, I’ll admit that this book has a boring-sounding title, except maybe to history/political nerds like me. And the author’s name, Auberon, doesn’t help—especially with the surname “Herbert” attached. It just feels stuffy all around. But look past that! Because this is one of the best books you’ll ever read in your life. It’s very short, only about 30 pages (or a few more if you find it in small booklet form). And this is the best book on the basic meaning of freedom you’ll ever see. It’s better than The Law by Bastiat, and anyone who cares about freedom simply must read this book. It’s brilliant.
- Discourses on Davila, by John Adams. Maybe the best book I read during 2022, even though I’ve read it a dozen or more times before. It’s a life-changer, if you take the time to really learn from it. It may be the most important book you read this decade, and the best book out there about our times, our era in history—even though John Adams wrote it over two hundred years ago. (By the way, you can get it for $30-$50 as a separate title, or you can save money and buy it for around $12 as part of The Works of John Adams, Volume 6, easy to find on Amazon.)
- The Righteous Mind, by Jonathan Haidt. This book was written in 2013, but I didn’t read it until 2022 when my son Oliver found it and sent me a passionate recommendation. It’s deep, and incredibly timely. Fabulous read. It will forever change the way you see modern politics. It brings a whole new understanding of things, like the first time you read The Fourth Turning by Strauss & Howe.
- 100 Games to Play with a Stick, by author unknown, published by DSS Games. I wish I would have known about this book during the Covid-19 lockdowns, because I would have recommended it to everyone I know. But it’s not too late. It’s fun, it’s funny, and on top of that, it’s hilarious. It’s a book for our time, in a profound way. You have to read it, and really think about it, to get how important it is. Truth: It heals what ails you…
- Resilient, by John Eldredge. This book takes a decidedly Christian and religious tone, which you may or may not like, but it’s a great read regardless of your religious/political views. What a poignant message. The author assumes that everyone right now is experiencing some real post-Covid-PTSD-type symptoms, and the book is meant to heal. It’s extremely effective; even where I disagreed with some things in the book, I still found myself feeling warm, healing, relaxed. Stress I didn’t even realize I was carrying just melted away as I read. It works. Read it, and share it. We need it.
Great News
Concerning the topic of books as the best media, Jefferson wrote in a letter to John Norville in 1807:
“…the man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them; inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods & errors.”
With modern media the way it is, I just couldn’t resist including this quote. And here’s how Jefferson put it elsewhere, with less sarcasm, pointing out the importance of books:
“I have given up newspapers in exchange for Tacitus and Thucydides…and I find myself much the happier.”
He considered great books better media than other kinds of news, and he also considered great books a better source of education than formal lectures and other systems of schooling that don’t center around the best books. His wisdom is still relevant today, perhaps more than ever.
Note, by the way, that the main theme of Tacitus was the loss of political freedoms and personal liberty that led to the decline and fall of the Roman Republic and the takeover of the Empire, and how it all happened; Thucydides’ main contribution was a study of how Athens lost its freedoms and went from the Greek Golden Age standing as a beacon of freedom to a fallen people enslaved by the Spartan Empire and its totalitarian socialist government.
Bread and Circuses
Both peoples, the Greeks and later the Romans, lost their freedoms and prosperity in a very short period of time, and hardly any of them realized what was happening, or how it was occurring, until it was too late. Jefferson hoped Americans would learn from this and not repeat it, starting by turning to the great books for news and education, rather than the bureaucratic media and bureaucratic schools of the day.
Talk about real news. Actual wisdom. If only such books were still available to us today. But with so many shows and movies to watch on streaming platforms, not to mention so many loud and angry news shows each evening, who has the time? As for education, such books get in the way of this week’s career-prep/college-major assignments and so many interesting posts on the smartphone. Oh well… Freedom will have to wait. It’s a generational disease: generations born to freedom and prosperity are notoriously distracted by career (bread) and entertainment (circuses). In fact, they’re more than distracted—they’re convinced they are entitled to these things, and they expect them to be provided easily and without sacrifice or effort. Writers like Tacitus and Thucydides address this situation, its results, and what to do, but…
Who reads that stuff?
As for the seven Top Books of the Year listed above, agree or disagree with some of the details in each, but they are all worth reading! I wouldn’t skip any of them. They are Tacitus and Thucydides for our time, especially #s 1-4.
Enjoy…
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The 2020 TJEd Online Convention is getting Rave Reviews!
April 6th, 2020 // 1:13 pm @ Oliver DeMille
Here’s what people are saying!
I want to thank you for the 2020 Online Freedom Convention. Oliver’s optimistic view of the crisis and what we can do now is such a balm for my panic-ridden, anxious soul. Knowing that these things have happened before, that they happen cyclically, and knowing not only what to expect, but what we can do about it brings such peace and a feeling of empowerment.
Many thanks to your whole family for all you do!
~ Jennifer Halverson
Watch the video trailer!
Listened to these talks in the convention today…I am speechless! I had chills the whole time I was listening! I’m excited to go back and do the planning section. Amazing how my perspective has changed so quickly. Going to have my husband listen, too. Thank you so much for this amazing resource!!!
UPDATE: I just now worked through part of the matrix exercise. Wow, how powerful!
~ Rachael Breneman
I just want to say thank you to you both. You have sacrificed so much for your mission and so many of us and our children have been blessed because of your sacrifice! I listened to The Crisis is Here part 2 from the 2020 Freedom convention today. On top of the wonderful exercise Oliver led and the incredible insight, I was also struck with how grateful I am that I have been so prepared for this moment.
It is thanks in a large part to being mentored through TJEd that I have the family culture, understanding of turnings and history, life centered at home, classics on our shelves that teach us human nature, an appreciation for seasons and cycles and the confidence and ability to teach my family. While these times are uncertain, I don’t feel afraid or overly anxious. I’m actually looking forward to the next few decades and what “spring” will bring. I’m excited for my children and I to be a part of it!
~ Amy Updike
Before any of us realized what happened, the world changed, and it is very likely that for better or worse, nothing will be the same again.
Now what?
I have learned a great deal from Oliver DeMille. The talks he has given already in this convention have really changed the way I am looking at what is happening right now, and he is just getting started.
If you want to know what to do to adapt to our new reality, I’d recommend signing up for this convention!
~ Colby Lyons
Oliver and Rachel, THANK YOU so much for this year’s convention! We just listened to the 2nd workshop and are so excited for this time in history!
We’ve handled the crisis well because of our faith but this really got us pumped for our future!
My daughter, who is a senior, has struggled a little because she felt so uncertain of her immediate future.
Now, she’s happy and at peace that she is already on the right path to get through this crisis well. She loved the workshops so far! Can’t wait for the rest!
~ Kellee Clark
Watch the video trailer!
Join us for the 2020 Freedom Convention Here!
Special thanks to Lyle Mast of OR Sports for his contribution of 100 family scholarships!
And TJEd is matching that sponsorship to cover an additional 100 families!
If you need this assistance in order to participate in the convention, PLEASE don’t hesitate to request it; that’s exactly what it’s for, and we don’t want you to miss out!
Just click here to inquire and we’ll get you taken care of.
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NEWS OF THE DAY by Oliver DeMille: Lessons from Crisis
April 6th, 2020 // 5:19 am @ Oliver DeMille
Lessons from Crisis
The popular saying that “we shouldn’t let a good crisis go to waste” applies to the regular people and citizens, not just to politicians. In fact, politicians often use such thinking to make things worse.
But the regular people can do a lot of good during times of crises. In fact, they usually do.
Right now is no exception. There are a lot more people helping and serving others during this crisis than the media ever mentions. That’s a testament to good people. In addition, many people are doing another very interesting thing during this crisis, one that may last and impact our society for good long after the crisis passes. Specifically, people are realizing that the large majority of the news media isn’t handling crises very well–going as far as frequently omitting truth in reporting, and at times skewing or spinning the truth instead of just sharing the facts and trusting listeners to use their own brains.
The media has done this for a long time, but during crisis a lot more people are catching on–realizing that the media is frequently less than direct and truthful. It can be a benefit for our society, if people realize the media isn’t as truthful as the majority once believed. Gallup conducted a national U.S. poll in the last week of March 2020, and they asked people around the nation the following question:
“Do you approve or disapprove of the way each of the following is handling the response to the coronavirus in the U.S.?”
Americans ranked the media dead last of all the institutions listed. The approval rating for the news media was only 44 percent, while 55 percent disapproved. Compare this to 88 percent approval for hospitals, 83 percent for schools and daycare, 82 percent for “your state” and the same for “your employer”. Even political officials received higher-than-usual marks, with president Trump at 60 percent approval and Congress at 59 percent. The news media was the only institution that Americans rated underwater–with many more disapproving than approving.
Hopefully the crisis can have at least two silver linings concerning the future of media:
1) the media will get its act together and stop substituting agenda-driven spin for real journalism, and
2) the American people will remember to treat media reports with skepticism–and do their own research on the news that is important to them.
I’m not holding my breath for #1, but I think the crisis will likely convince a lot more people to wisely apply #2. Lessons learned in crisis can help us do better in the future.
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The Old Testament Made Me an Optimist by Ian Cox
November 13th, 2019 // 9:57 am @ Oliver DeMille
Here’s an article by one of my favorite young thinkers…
by Ian Cox
I recently made a discovery. For me, it changes everything…
Well, maybe not actually everything. Here’s what happened:
I was doing some research, and I realized that there are multiple ways to study the Bible (and other great classics, for that matter). I knew this before, of course; but this time something clicked. By the time I was done, the way I read the Bible was forever changed. In particular, I now see a number of lessons that apply directly to current events and the biggest trends and problems in today’s news—with solutions! Maybe you’ll have a similar experience as I share a few of my discoveries.
CONTINUE READING >>
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