March 2009 Meeting

The Host: Dickie
The Book: Where Have All the Leaders Gone?:

Response of Book Club Members: Some members who disliked the book's message stated that they thought Lee Iacocca, the author, was a bit arrogant. Members who liked the book's message thought that Lee Iacocca was a great business leader and so he was qualified to state what are the qualities of a good leader. One question that came up was this: would a good business leader be a good politcal/government leader? Would a Bill Gates make a good president? Would Walt Disney and Roy Disney have made good politcal leaders in days gone by?

All book club members agreed that our country is currently in a crisis. Some members said that we would recover from this crisis while others said that it was too late for the United States. That we as a nation have lost our ability to lead in the world and that we are now on a downward slide.

D.J. reminded us of Lee Iacocca's book summation:
#1 Give something up.
#2 Put something back in
#3 Elect a leader who has these nine C qualities:

Curiosity

Creativity

Communication

Character

Courage

Conviction

Charisma

Competence

Common Sense

I think Dickie chose this book for discussion so that we all can begin to think about the following pressing matters:

#1 Are we greedy and too satisfied for our own good?

#2 If we love our democratic ideals what can we give back to our country?

#3 Do we care about the future our children and grandchildren will face in this country?

#4 Who will save the backbone of our nation which is the middle class that is rapidly falling into the lower class?

#5 The biggest problem is solving the energy/oil crisis that has made us beholden to the middle east?

In summation: We all left the meeting with more questions than answers.

DragonQuilter Is The Hostess This Friday

DragonQuilter will be the hostess for our March bookclub meeting. DragonQuilter, aka Dickie, will either send Scott out the door or to the far reaches of the house this Friday when the thirteen book club guests start arriving with book in hand. What will we be discussing this Friday? Glad you asked. Dickie has chosen a timely tome since the United States seems to have gotten off its track financially and intellectually. We will be discussing Lee Iococca's book, Where Have All The Leaders Gone?
Dickie wanted a book selection that would lead to a lively discussion and I believe this book will do the trick. And if the book discussion gets to heated we may have to get a book club facilitating psychologist like they do around New York City. You wonder what I am talking about. Fought Over Any Good Books Lately? is an interesting article that appeared in The New York Times written by Joann Kaufman. Learn more by clicking here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/fashion/07clubs.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1