The Happiest Refugee – Anh Do

The Happiest Refugee – Anh Do

Synopsis from www.borders.com.au

Anh Do nearly didn’t make it to Australia. His entire family came close to losing their lives on the sea as they escaped from war torn Vietnam in an overcrowded boat. But nothing, not murderous pirates, nor the imminent threat of death by hunger, disease or dehydration as they drifted for days, could quench their desire to make a better life in the country they had dreamed about.

Life in Australia was hard, an endless succession of back breaking work, crowded rooms, ruthless landlords and make do everything. Things got harder when his father left home when Anh was 13, and his mother struggled to support the family on her own. His mother’s sacrifice was an inspiration to Anh.

Another inspiration was the comedian Anh met when he was about to sign on for a 60 hour a week corporate job. Anh asked how many hours he worked. Four, came the answer, and that was it. He was going to be a comedian!

The Happiest Refugee tells the uplifting and inspiring life story, of one of our favourite personalities. Tragedy, humour, heartache and unswerving determination, a big life with big dreams. Anh’s story will move and amuse all who read it.

CHRIS’ REVIEW

Wow what a page turner. I read this book last Summer in less than two days and everyone else I know who has read it has done so in even less time. For those who know the comedian Anh Do from our television screens the first thing that comes across his his beaming cheeky smile. It all stems from an amazing attitude and what is even more interesting is that he had every reason to think that life was hard but instead he and his family took their past and turned it into reasons to be grateful.

I didn’t expect to be reading a such a real life adventure when I picked up this book as most books written by comedians are full of more humour and less story. Anh Do instead writes this story as it happened and with his cheeky style the humour in the book comes naturally and usually during the toughest times when he has the ability to keep smiling.

The latest print run of this book has a some well deserved stamps on the cover to indicate some of the awards that it has won to date. The book is an autobiography but certainly not one of a normal life, it is one of adventure and determination to make a great life in Australia.

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Chris Bellesini, December 3rd 2011 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Book Reviews

Dance Until It Rains – Andrew Jobling

Dance Until It Rains – Andrew Jobling

Synopsis from www.danceuntilitrains.com.au

If you knew you could do or have anything you desired, what would you do, and how would you live?

Learn life’s most important lessons from an ordinary person, who had an extraordinary desire to change her circumstance. Be inspired to create a vision for your life, take some simple steps …. and then watch how your life changes forever!

Dance Until It Rains will make you laugh, and make you cry. Most importantly, it will help you to find the motivation to create a higher level of wellbeing and a happier life for yourself.

Inspired by the life of Sue Jobling’s, the mother of Andrew Jobling’s, Dance Until It Rains reveals lessons that can help you to live a life of health, happiness and prosperity.

In this heart-warming tribute, Andrew takes the life lessons he learned from his remarkable mother Sue, and shows us how we can all benefit if we apply them to our own lives.

Lesson 1

WHY NOT ME AND WHY NOT NOW?

The steps to success in any other area of life are really quite simple. The difference between those who achieve great things and those who don’t is nothing more than a decision. The decision that successwful people start now and finish what they started. Everyone can, but not everyone will. We have the choice to stop right now and think about what it is we really want. Ask yourself: ‘Why not me and why not now?’ Life is too short to let it just pass by,  decide today to start living life,  take control and live it by your own choices and dreams and not by the choices of others.

CHRIS’ REVIEW

What I really like about this book is that Andrew has taken his Mum’s story and presented it in such a way that anyone can relate to it. Dance Until It Rains was a project that was started only months before Sue Jobling passed away but not released for five years until it was just right. It is very easy to read and Andrew is conscious of making it a book for you and not one purely for his own entertainment as would be easy to do when talking about such an important person in his life. By the end of the book you feel like you know Sue and understand why she become the person did and how she was able to tackle cancer and outlive the doctors predictions  by a decade.

Each chapter has a clear goal and a story and is then broken down into lessons to complete the key message of each section. Even the story behind the story which I read at Andrew’s website is fascinating in how he was able to meet with an inspiring cancer survivor and actor Olivia Newton John and then receive a phone call from her about this book.

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Chris Bellesini, November 25th 2011 | Tags: ,
Posted in Book Reviews

Top 10 Books For Christmas 2011

Top 10 Books For Christmas 2011

This year I decided to make a list of ten books that I have read or re-read in the past year that I think would make a great Christmas present for yourself or ideas for someone else.

These top ten are not in any order as everyone has different suitable audiences which I have included below. Maybe you are interested in a topic or maybe you are looking for an idea for a gift for someone. Feel free to add your own suggestions to the comments at the bottom of the page! I will add a new book from my top 10 recommendations to the list every couple of days so check back for more ideas!

Click on the title

10. Dance Until It Rains – Andrew Jobling.

Inspiring, personal development. Suitable for those who have been touched by cancer in some way, be that yourself or a loved one. Or if you are interested in books on mindset and well being.

9. It’s Not About The Bike – Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins

Sport, Inspiring. I don’t care if you are into cycling or even sport. Lance Armstrong has an amazing story of survival and determination. It contains messages of his positive attitude and how he overcame cancer.

8. The Happiest Refugee – Anh Do

Autobiographic, Comedy, Inspiring. This book has won a heap of award over the past year and for good reason. Anh Do came to Australia on a crowded boat which nearly didn’t make it. A real page turner that will keep you reading until the end.

7. The Secrets Exposed Series – Dale Beaumont

Business. If you are into business then the series has a title for you. From Property, to entrepreneurs, to shares, to small business owners, to public speaking and inspiring leaders, The Secrets Exposed Series has 15 titles that all became best sellers. These books are a great way to learn what successful people do in the question and interview style.

6. Ultra Marathon Man – Dean Karnazes

Biography, Inspiring. Change is often the hardest thing for us to do, especially when it is not forced changed. Dean Karnazes shows what is possible when you step well out of your comfort zone and push yourself to do more than you ever thought possible.

5. The Four Hour Body – Timothy Ferris

Health & Fitness. Not your average book on how to lose weight and diet but instead a series of tests of how to become super human. Why spend 4 hours a week at the gym when you can achieve the same result in 40 minutes? Will challenge your beliefs and has something for everyone.

4. A Crazy Life – John Ilhan

Biography, Business. One of my all time favourite business books. Crazy John led an interesting life where he played in the National Soccer League briefly before a career ending injury and then took that same drive to succee in business. He was bullied by his employer at a mobile phone shop and then Telstra but was never scared to take them on.

3. Think & Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill

Business, Mindset. This book is responsible for more millionaires than any other book in history. As an extra Christmas Gift you can order a copy for Free by following the link above. :-)

2. Beneath The Waves – Layne Beachley

Biography, Sport, Inspiring. From being given up at birth to losing her adopted Mum at a young age and then deciding to be a champion Layne’s story is one of pure determination. It was not an easy road and she doesn’t suger coat it to make it look like it was.

1. Steve Jobs – Walter Isaacson

Biography, Business, Technology. What an amazing life, Steve Jobs was far from perfect but the way he was able to visualise the future technologies and then eventually see them come to life in his obsessive ways is an amazing story. A long book but one well worth reading.

 

 

 

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Chris Bellesini, November 25th 2011 | Posted in Book Reviews

Geoff Huegill – Be Your Best

Geoff Huegill’s first book is BE YOUR BEST, a stunning story of one of the greatest comeback in Australian sport.

Geoff Huegill’s BE YOUR BEST is a self portrait of a man up against all the odds, a man back on the starting blocks after retreating into a self-imposed exile for five years.

Geoff Huegill’s story is a rare and remarkable journey from hero, to zero, then back to being a national hero. Be Your Best follows Geoff’s rise to world record holder and world champion, his retirement and subsequent battles with his own demons and massive weight gain. Theis book gives the inside story of his remarkable comeback. Learning just what is took for Geoff to not only loose over 40kg, but to return to the pool and exceed all expectations to become national champion and gold medallist again at the age of thirty.

This is a story that inspired the nation and will inspire readers. Included in the book are the principals behind Geoff’s amazing achievements, with full explanation as to how anyone can use these same concepts to be their best.

CHRIS’ REVIEW

I must admit that this book was not what I expected from the photos I saw on the internet before this book was released, I assumed that it was a typical biography with a few colour pcitures in the middle. The story would be about a man who went from being a champion to going off the rails and then working his way back to the Australian team by re dedicating himself to his swimming.

Instead what I got was almost a coffee table type book filled with lots of colourful photos from Geoff Huegill’s life and a less detailed account of his life. So am I disappointed? Absolutely not, it was just a case of expecting one thing and getting another. The messages are still there and it is clear how Geoff was a natural from the moment he hit the water. You can also see how a swimmer who spends their childhood and teens doing lap after lap following the black line whilst we all sleep  can want to indulge and make up for lost time in their twenties.

Geoff truly has a fantastic attitude and big heart behind that famous smile and part of the book is dedicated to his principles to be your best which is also a business he is running as he looks to continue to contribute to young people’s lives as his career starts to head towards his second retirement.

For those who are a fan of Geoff or if you want to see the pictures of an obese athlete before and after he worked his butt to get into shape then this a great book for you!

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Chris Bellesini, November 19th 2011 | Tags:
Posted in Book Reviews
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