In "Quiet," author Susan Cain deftly shows the healthy differences between introverts and extroverts and makes a compelling case for how American society tends to admire extroverted traits and set up many aspects of our lives - education, work environments, and even religious institutions - in ways that can be detrimental to introverts.
One of out every 2 or 3 Americans is introverted, according to Cain, but yet this is ofen ignored when establishing patterns of working together and fostering creativity. For example, in most public education systems today, students are grouped in clusters in the classroom, working on group projects almost non-stop. In workplaces, offices are being abandoned in favor of open floor plans. Such structures can hinder introverts, many of whom require quiet, uninterrupted time to formulate ideas and develop responses.
Cain also makes compelling arguments against group brainstorming and shows, through studies and other evidence, how people brainstorming together and "groupthink" scenarios can actually hinder creativity and idea generation.
Cain is not arguing that introverts are superior or that every aspect of life should be geared toward their preferences. However, she does make the case, quite superbly, that ignoring the differences between introverts and extroverts can have a damaging effect on relationships, businesses, and society. A great read for introverts and anyone who interacts with them - teachers, parents, spouses, bosses and pretty much everyone.
- Cari Cusick
Friday, March 30, 2012
"Howard Raid - Man of Faith and Vision" by Elizabeth Raid
New to the Hesston Public Library, this biography is one of the Mennonite Reflections Series published by Pandora Press, Kitchener, Ontario. Robert S. Kreider, North Newton, wrote the forward.
Written with a daughter’s love and devotion pouring from every page, her admiration demonstrates how his firmly planted faith led him to unimagined purposes. When Howard witnessed his own father’s slide into despondency over insurmountable debts, causing him to leave his family, Howard said, “This was not the role model I wanted to follow. Rather it made me strongly determined to prove that we could make a success of our lives.
From his mother, Clara, he learned to face life’s problems squarely and go forward to find time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and, most of all, to stay close to and support family members.
“Be doers of the word and not hearers only.” James 1:22 became the cornerstone of Howard’s faith. Steps along the way included becoming a Boy Scout Leader, President of Intermediate Endeavor Society, a teacher of the Intermediate Sunday School Class followed by becoming S.S. Superintendent at Zion Mennonite Church, Donnelson, Iowa. He thought of entering Bluffton College in Ohio as a ministerial student, but instead, entered Parsons College where he had an opportunity work and study.
He began teaching at Sharon Center, Iowa, in 1938 and married Pauline Krehbiel in 1940. He then took a summer pastorate at Bethel Mennonite Church in Fortuna, Missouri, leading him into both teaching and preaching. Daughter Elizabeth was born in 1944. He read of an opportunity to teach at Bluffton College, where Pauline had attended previously.
But as he pursued this lead, he first found another challenge which would support his mother and brothers by developing Raid Brothers Construction Company in Iowa. This stone quarry company challenged Howard and his brothers’ business skills. It established programs for farmers to apply limestone to enrich the soil as well as improve roads with gravel. Later, as a teacher at Bluffton, Howard brought his students back to the quarry for a “hands on” understanding of business principles and practices – risks and rewards. In Bluffton, he established a business management lab for students at the local Slaw Cutter Factory, which he and several other business people purchased.
During his 32 years of teaching and service to Bluffton College (now Bluffton University), Howard participated in forming Mennonite Mutual Aid (which later became Everence), Menno Travel, Association of Mennonite Aid Societies, and Goodville Mutual Casualty Co.
Howard retired from Bluffton College in 1979 and was granted professor emeritus status. He also was bestowed the Howard Raid Endowed Chair of Business, providing a yearly salary for a “fulltime faculty member in business and/or accounting.”
I think you will enjoy reading about this man true to his convictions according to his faith, a man focused on his family, college and community. I particularly appreciated his quote made when planning the centennial celebration of the founding of the General Conference Mennonite Church in 1960: “To participate in the Centennial means standing between the centuries looking backward with nostalgia and forward with hope.”
- - Bonnie Scheid
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
"In My Time" by Dick Cheney with Liz Cheney
New in the Hesston Public Library you will find In My Time, a contemporary history that is equal in suspense to many novels. I highly recommend it to you for your reading pleasure. All 531 pages will open your mind to forty years of one of the most steadfast and influential statesmen in the history of our country.
Taking this from the flyleaf: Cheney was born into a family of New Deal Democrats in Lincoln, Nebraska and came of age in Casper, Wyoming playing baseball and football. As senior class president, he courted Lynne Vincent, whom he later married. After flunking out of Yale University, he signed on to build power line in the west, living as hard as he worked. He does get himself back on track beginning an extraordinary ascent to the heights of American public life.
He served as White House Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford - the first of four chief executives he served. Later, he became Congressman from Wyoming, working closely with President Ronald Reagan. He became Secretary of Defense under the George H.W. Bush administration during Operation Desert Storm and in the transition at the end of the Cold War.
For the next five years he was CEO of Halliburton with projects and personnel around the globe. He then became the vice-president of the United States under President George W. Bush. On September 11 he was in the White House bunker, conveying orders to shoot down a hijacked airliner, if it would not divert. This is the story of a man who lived and helped define an incredibly political era with courage and without compromise.
He shares with us his relationship with Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Josh Bolton and many other high profile people in the political arena. He takes us on tour with him to visit Prime Minister Tony Blair, to Saudi Arabia with King Abdullah, to Palestine with leader Abu Mazen and to Rome for a meeting with Pope John Paul. He tells us of his meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and of his respect and admiration of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He describes his long time relationship with Donald Rumsfield.
You will not find another history book this exciting.
Taking this from the flyleaf: Cheney was born into a family of New Deal Democrats in Lincoln, Nebraska and came of age in Casper, Wyoming playing baseball and football. As senior class president, he courted Lynne Vincent, whom he later married. After flunking out of Yale University, he signed on to build power line in the west, living as hard as he worked. He does get himself back on track beginning an extraordinary ascent to the heights of American public life.
He served as White House Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford - the first of four chief executives he served. Later, he became Congressman from Wyoming, working closely with President Ronald Reagan. He became Secretary of Defense under the George H.W. Bush administration during Operation Desert Storm and in the transition at the end of the Cold War.
For the next five years he was CEO of Halliburton with projects and personnel around the globe. He then became the vice-president of the United States under President George W. Bush. On September 11 he was in the White House bunker, conveying orders to shoot down a hijacked airliner, if it would not divert. This is the story of a man who lived and helped define an incredibly political era with courage and without compromise.
He shares with us his relationship with Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Josh Bolton and many other high profile people in the political arena. He takes us on tour with him to visit Prime Minister Tony Blair, to Saudi Arabia with King Abdullah, to Palestine with leader Abu Mazen and to Rome for a meeting with Pope John Paul. He tells us of his meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and of his respect and admiration of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He describes his long time relationship with Donald Rumsfield.
You will not find another history book this exciting.
Reviewed by Bonnie Scheid
January, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
"Killing Lincoln" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
If you find war distasteful, you will rush through the first third of this book on the Civil War to reach the meat of the story on the plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. You can imagine that when our nation was torn by civil disagreements over the moral issue of keeping slaves or freeing them, tempers rose high. Plantations were in danger of losing their ability to function.
Many in the south were mightily afraid for their personal lives as well as their way of life should the slaves gain their ability to vote and marry as free individuals.
Lincoln was determined to draw the nation together: One Nation, undivided was his mission for his time in office.
You may even cheat by reading the last chapter first where all the characters involved, along with their photos are colorfully portrayed. The whole book is illustrated with all these good, bad, and influential characters all vividly brought to life. Their motives are clearly stated as to what they hoped to accomplish in getting rid of Lincoln.
But to the Northerners, President Lincoln was generally a beloved figure and his death brought about such a horrible mourning as the country had never known before. In his second inaugural address, “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us right, let us strive let us strive to finish the work we are in, to bind us the nations wounds…”
If you ever thought history was dull this book will forever change your mind as it brings to light an exciting story that once begin cannot be put aside.
Many in the south were mightily afraid for their personal lives as well as their way of life should the slaves gain their ability to vote and marry as free individuals.
Lincoln was determined to draw the nation together: One Nation, undivided was his mission for his time in office.
You may even cheat by reading the last chapter first where all the characters involved, along with their photos are colorfully portrayed. The whole book is illustrated with all these good, bad, and influential characters all vividly brought to life. Their motives are clearly stated as to what they hoped to accomplish in getting rid of Lincoln.
But to the Northerners, President Lincoln was generally a beloved figure and his death brought about such a horrible mourning as the country had never known before. In his second inaugural address, “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us right, let us strive let us strive to finish the work we are in, to bind us the nations wounds…”
If you ever thought history was dull this book will forever change your mind as it brings to light an exciting story that once begin cannot be put aside.
Submitted by Bonnie Scheid
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