Having never read an Agatha Christie book before, I can now say that I am a fan of her writing.  What made me a fan? The Man in the Brown Suit.  It’s a great book, full of mystery and intrigue, with a VERY surprising twist ending.

In The Man in the Brown Suit, we meet Anne Beddingfeld, the daughter of Professor Beddingfeld, England’s foremost authority on Primitive man.  Anne unwittingly gets caught up in a sinister case of murder and intrigue that takes her from England, to the steamship Kilmorgan Castle to the lovely shores of South Africa.

How odd, Anne Beddingfeld thought, that the stranger caught her eye, recoiled in horror, and fell to his death on the rails of Hyde Park Underground Station. Odder still was a doctor in a brown suit who pronounced him dead and vanished into the crowd.

But what really aroused Anne’s suspicion was when she learned of the doctor’s link to the murder of a famous ballerina, a fortune in hidden diamonds, and a crime-lord embroiled in blackmail. And most frightening of all was the attempt made on Anne’s own life.

But she is unable to resist the lure of an isolated mansion that could hold the solution to the bizarre mystery–even if she becomes the next victim…

This is a great mystery book to read, or listen to in audio book form.  It is filled with adventure, intrigue, and romance.  It has also made me an Agatha Christie fan.  You would do yourself a service by reading it as well.

I read a lot.  I’ve actually been reading more this year, than in years past.  Being unemployed for 10 months will give you all the time you need to read, but in actuality, I don’t read all day.  I read at specific times, for specific amounts of time.  In other words, I schedule my reading times.  I also have a few other tricks.

Some of my ideas are not original, I stole borrowed a couple thoughts from Bob Franquiz.  Bob is the Lead Pastor of Calvary Fellowship in Miami Lakes, FL and a tremendous reader.  His goal for 2009 was 200 books…WOW!  He is also an inspiration for me – and also Bill Hybels, these two guys read A LOT and are great leaders, and I want to be a great leader, so I am following their model.  Leaders are readers!

5 Simple Ways to Read More

1.  Always carry a book with you.

Bob taught me this – you have no idea how much free time you waste standing in line or waiting for a meeting.  And you can get at least 3-4 pages in while you are waiting in line.

2.  Listen as much as you Read.

I always have a book on audio in my car or iPod.  You spend a ton of time in your car driving to work or just around town, you should utilize your time by listening to a book on tape, CD, or MP3.  I would suggest that you use this option for NON-Fiction.  It’s easier to start and stop and you don’t have to track facts or figures.  It also curves your road rage and makes for a better drive.

3.  Visit your local library…often.

I can’t afford to buy all the books I read, and I don’t have a friend who posses all the books I want to read.  The answer: the local library.  They have books, books on tape, books on CD, and it’s also a great way to connect to your local community.  Plus, it’s FREE!

4. Schedule your reading times.

I read during my lunch break (when possible), for about 1 hour in the afternoon, and about 1 hour before I go to sleep.  Sometimes, I take a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and finish a book, but mostly, I HAVE to schedule my reading times.  As busy as these days are, and as important as our time is, you MUST schedule reading time.  It will pay off in the long run.

5.  Subscribe to a Book Summary Service.

If you want to spend time reading, but want ONLY the PRIMARY FACTS, I would suggest that you use a Book Summary Service.  They give you the most important information without all the stories or fluff.

So when author Ridley Pearson penned Kingdom Keepers: Disney At Dark, I was excited to follow the exploits of the Kingdom Keepers, a group of kids recruited to help save the Magic Kingdom.  I listened to every word, because I listened to it on audio book on one of my MANY trips between Tampa and Atlanta.  It was a “kids” book, but following in the path of Harry Potter and Eragon, Kingdom Keepers was a great read/listen for kids AND adults.

When I heard that Pearson was writing another book, I couldn’t wait.  And finally I got my hands on Kingdom Keepers II: Disney At Dawn, and it was just as enjoyable as the first.

What is Kingdom Keepers II: Disney At Dawn about? I thought that I would let the author tell you himself…

What did I think?  I loved it, it was about Disney.  Was it rocket science?  Nope, but that’s not why you read a book like this…you read it to escape, and escape I did.  It was a great story and I cannot wait to explore Animal Kingdom to see all the little hidden secrets revealed in the book.

Sarah read it in a day and a half…which is awesome.  I am so glad that we share the love  of reading and Disney.

It’s not a perfect book, there are some plot holes and a few “scratch your head” moments, but overall, it was a fun, exciting Summer roller-coaster ride.  Well worth your time to read and enjoy!

By the way, Kingdom Keepers III comes out September of 2009, and THIS time, I believe the Kingdom Keepers will be going “Hollywood”!

If you have never read the book or seen the Disney classic movie, here is a brief synopsis of the story via WikiPedia:

The story begins in 1866, a mysterious sea monster, theorized by some to be a giant narwhal (large toothed whale) is sighted by ships of several nations; an ocean liner is also damaged by the creature. The United States government finally assembles an expedition in New York City to track down and destroy the menace. Professor Pierre Aronnax is a noted French marine biologist and narrator of the story; as he happens to be in New York at the time and is a recognized expert in his field, he is issued a last-minute invitation to join the expedition, and he accepts. Canadian master harpoonist Ned Land and Aronnax’s faithful assistant Conseil are also brought on board.

The expedition sets sail from Brooklyn aboard a naval ship called the Abraham Lincoln, which travels down around the tip of South America and into the Pacific Ocean. After much fruitless searching, the monster is found, and the ship charges into battle. During the fight, the ship’s steering is damaged, and the three protagonists are thrown overboard. They find themselves stranded on the “hide” of the creature, only to discover to their surprise that it is a large metal construct. [Aronnax, Conseil, and Ned Land] are quickly captured and brought inside the vessel, where they meet its enigmatic creator and commander, Captain Nemo.

Captain Nemo pilots his Nautilus to magnificent locations below the surface of the ocean.   From the South Pole to the lost city of Atlantis to the great oceans of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific, Nemo takes his visitors on an adventure that is as awe inspiring as it is beautiful.  But there are dangers that also lay in wait.  Sharks, whales, and giant squids all challenge the mighty Nautilus for supremacy of the seas.  It is a truly exciting story.

The larger story of Nemo, Professor Aronnax, Conseil, or Ned Land is sprinkled with smaller stories of naval history past.  From the great battles of the late 17th and 18th Centuries to the great discoveries of science of the time, Verne has woven a rich tapestry merging fact and fiction together to create a wonderful novel that makes history come alive.

One fact finally dawned on me, to my great dismay, was that the title of the book is NOT about a submarine traveling 20,000 leagues down from the surface of the water, it’s the total of number of leagues traveled AROUND the world, traveling underneath the surface of the water.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a book or audio book copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, it will make you want to travel the world.  It will expand your vocabulary, and make you dream of worlds beneath the seas of the earth.

QUOTABLES

• “What you fail to understand is the power of hate. It can fill the heart as surely as love can.” -  Nemo
• “Liberty is worth paying for . . . ” – Aronnax
• “The earth doesn’t want new continents, it wants new men.” – Nemo
• “We must make ourselves understood.” – Aronnax
  
• “That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?” Ecc. 7:24- Aronnax