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PAGE 8A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JANUARY 19. 2023
Books & Writers
Jasper mayor s top
books of the past year
[Editor s Note: Following
a conversation where we
learned how much our town s
mayor is a serious reader, the
Progress asked him to offer
suggestions from the past
year of his favorite books.]
By Steve Lawrence
Mayor
City of Jasper
I like to read. A lot. I’m
not talking about four or five
books a year or a book a
month. I don’t keep count
but, it’s more than one a
week. That probably quali
fies as an addiction. I can live
with that.
So, when Dan Pool, editor
of our local newspaper, asked
about writing an article out
lining my five top books, I
immediately said yes. Here
they are, in no particular
order.
Everybody Lies
Author- Seth Stephens-
Davidowitz
“The power in Google
EVERYBODY
LIES
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data is that people tell the
giant search engine things
they might not tell anyone
else,” says Stephens-David-
owitz”
No, you don’t call up
google and tell them about
what you saw your neighbor
do. But you might accidently
tell what you do. Remember,
no google search you make is
ever forgotten.
Compile everyone’s
searches together (for the
USA or for the entire world)
and an unbelievable amount
of data is presented. A lot of
amazing secrets are revealed.
Thomas Jefferson: The
Art of Power
Author-Jon Meacham
“Philosophers think;
politicians maneuver.” Jeffer
son’s genius was that he was
both and could do both, often
simultaneously. Such is the
art of power.-Jon Meacham
He wrote the Declaration
of Independence. As a young
high school student, I
thought it was the most
amazing thing I had ever read
and promptly memorized a
large amount of it. Think the
current state of affairs is a bit
radical. Not at all. Jefferson
was very afraid an internal
coup would overthrow the
existing republic and hand
control back to those de
sirous of restoring ride to the
monarchy.
2034: A Novel of the Next
World War
Author-Elliot Ackerman
and Admiral James
Stavridis
It would take a decorated
Marine veteran and a former
commander of NATO to
write such a chilling and ef
fective military thriller. Full
disclosure, I am a Naval vet
eran and not an unbiased
reader.
I have watched the rise of
Artificial Intelligence with
concerns for where this is
new technology will lead us.
Our military will always be
first adopters of the newest
technology available and, in
my opinion, when we read
about “potential” new
weapon platforms, even in a
fictional novel such as this, I
always wonder where did
“That” idea come from?
Great read.
And There Was Light:
Abraham Lincoln
Author-John Meacham
To Ulysses S. Grant
Head Quarters Armies of the
United States,
Gen. Sheridan says, “If
the thing is pressed, I think
by Matty Mty&atto
Patt&it Mwto’i
that Lee will surrender.” Let
the thing be pressed. A. LIN
COLN
Examine the last line.
“Let the thing be pressed.
Lincoln didn’t ask for a 10-
page outline of what the
“thing” is. He just wants it
pressed, immediately, to
achieve an objective.
In my lifetime, I’ve read
more about Lincoln than any
other president. Not only is
his writing precise, but he
also had an uncanny knowl
edge of exactly which words
would convey the tone he
wished to impart.
Today, it seems as if our
nation is almost as divided as
it was when Lincoln was
president. I was amazed at
the parallels between then
and now.
The Ministry for
the Future
Author- Kim Stanley
Robinson
Full disclosure, I must
give Dan Pool credit for
bringing this book to my at
tention. It’s not short but is
fascinating. In 2025, the
Ministry for the Future is es
tablished. Its mandate is
simple: eliminate climate
change. Its methods may be
come radical. The end result
gives me hope for the future
of our children, their chil
dren and our planet. I have
not felt that for quite some
time.
Avid readers (me) seek
good authors like treasure
hunters seek gold. Good au
thors make you think. Good
authors can tell a story that
drags you in until you must
know the ending. Not every
one enjoys the same authors.
In addition to the authors
listed, I will read anything
written by Lee Child, Eric
Harry, Hilary Mantel, Ray
Kurzweil, Thomas Harris
and John Sandford, to name
a few. All of them can tell a
story.
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Is your glass half
full or half empty?
Optimism is the overall
view that the world is a great
place and that things will turn
out ok. The optimist believes
(for example) that events will
turn out for the best, or that
people are trustworthy.
Pessimism is essentially
the direct opposite of opti
mism in that it is the belief
that the world is a bad place
and that things will turn out
for the worst.
Which category do you
belong to?
Here are a few questions
designed to get you started:
1. Do you have trust
and faith in people?
2. Do you expect the
best?
3. If something can
go wrong for you, will it?
4. Do good things
happen to you?
If you answered Yes to
questions 1,2, and 4, you are
likely an optimist. If you an
swered No to those same
questions and Yes to question
3, you may be pessimistic.
Why does it matter if we
are an optimist or a pes
simist? Here are some bene
fits.
A 10-year study on elderly
revealed those with a positive
outlook not only live longer,
they're also less likely to re
quire permanent care. Opti
mists live roughly 8-10 years
longer than pessimists.
Research into the relation
ship between optimism and
our overall well-being has
shown maintaining a positive
outlook is not only better for
our minds but also affects our
bodies.
A bit of caution is needed
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here. Avoid thinking you're
one or the other. Optimism
and pessimism are two differ
ent outlooks on life that dic
tate how you deal with most
situations and your expecta
tions of the world.
People tend to label them
selves and others as either
optimistic or pessimistic, but
to do so is overly simplistic.
Optimism and pessimism can
co-exist and vary depending
on circumstances. For exam
ple, you may have an opti
mistic outlook on life, but
feel quite pessimistic about
your job. This is why you
shouldn't label yourself as ei
ther optimistic or pessimistic.
Think of optimism as a
sliding scale, one end being
extremely optimistic and the
other being very low on opti
mism. We all fit somewhere
along this sliding scale, and it
tends to vary for different
events in our lives.
Can we learn to be more
optimistic? Yes. According to
Psychology Today, a person's
mindset is in part genetically
inherited, but studies show up
to 75 percent is within one's
control. Here are a few tips:
• Look on the bright side.
The next time you are disap
pointed and hurt, try refram
ing the experience and reach
a silver lining.
• Birds of a feather flock
together. The habits of your
friends are infectious so
make sure you are hanging
out with positive people.
• Thanks for the memo
ries. If there is only one
change you can make in your
life to alter your outlook, pro-
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mote healthy relationships,
and increase your potential
for longevity, it is this: Say
thank you. Expressing grati
tude is considered the for
gotten factor in happiness.
Wishing you more days
of your glass half full!
[Mary Migliaro, M.Ed. is
an educator and Parent
Mentor. She may be reached,
marymigliaro@aol.com.]
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