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 enlarge | Authors: Alex Harris, Brett Harris
Creator: Chuck Norris
Publisher: Multnomah Books
Category: Book
List Price: $16.99
Buy New: $9.35
You Save: $7.64 (45%)
New (39) Used (11) from $9.35
Avg. Customer Rating:  73 reviews
Sales Rank: 341
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.2 x 1
ISBN: 1601421125
Dewey Decimal Number: 248.83
EAN: 9781601421128
ASIN: 1601421125
Publication Date: April 15, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW
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| Customer Reviews:
 excellent wake up call to adults and teens July 1, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
we really have to embrace the message of this book. we have all been robbed of much through the culturally promoted "kick back, do nothing but live and let live years" of teenagerism. I am very thankful for the book and its message.
Just what we need July 1, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
How do we put our kids on the right path? We let them try hard things. We expect more. We want them to be bold in the right direction.
This book tells about some high achievers, but it's good for everyone.
So many children (and adults) schlepp through life trying nothing and achieving nothing, living a life of unsatisfying ease.
This book encourages us to launch out. Do something good. Dream.
Do something hard, difficult, challenging, complicated, frustrating. Work it out. Don't give up. Stay up late. Sacrifice. You wind up with a peace of mind, a satisfaction with yourself, confidence in your life.
Timely Advice For The Impressionable Years June 22, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
The teenage years are arguably the most crucial and impressionable years of one's life. A person's future can often be decided by decisions made during this period. Many come undone while others go on to greatness. Teenagers need advice and guidance to set themselves up early for a happy and prosperous future.
Do Hard Things urges teenagers to push themselves, expand their boundaries, go after goals, resist limitations imposed upon them by others. We should all have this mindset, but teens need this advice even moreso.
Excellent book. Highly recommend.
How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good
Real Life Dramas - Volume One
Darren G. Burton
Wisdom No Matter What Your Age June 13, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
No excuses....young or old can benefit from doing hard things! Easy to read book, but then wisdom doesn't have to be complicated, does it? Too bad Nike already has the "Just Do It" slogan...would fit nicely here, but "Do Hard Things" fits better! Just read it!
 Catholics and DO HARD THINGS June 13, 2008
45 out of 63 found this review helpful
I was ironing in the laundry room when I saw 19 year olds Alex and Brett Harris, authors of the new book "Do Hard Things" on The Harvest Show, on WHME-TV. I immediately thought of how well they carried themselves. Their enthusiasm and love of God seemed genuine and impressive. I set my iron down to carefully listen to them explain the premise of their book, and was hooked. After all, I have nine children, including four teenagers, and what they were saying to teens their age rang true--Go above and beyond. Do more than expected. Challenge yourself. Love God. Do hard things. I ordered a copy of their book the next day.
Being a bona fide book lover (and God-lover too), I couldn't help but open the book and start reading it before the mailman had even left my driveway, even though at 40-something I am far older than the intended target audience. I was immediately surprised. In the opening pages the Harris brothers describe "an imaginary abbey of Dundelhoff" ... "on the outskirts of a small town in Germany" whose monastic inhabitants "eat colorless, tasteless sludge--once a day. (and) They only drink lukewarm water". The Harris brothers criticize the imaginary monks who "believe that the more miserable they are the holier they are and the happier God is." That seemed like a slam on real monks, and was also a misrepresentation of what the monks I've read about believe. Is it coincidence that these authors chose this example for an illustration of what kind of hard things not to do, or did they know that Martin Luther, who led the protestant break from the Church, was a defected German monk? Further, framed in this way, a monks' life was presented as a folly. I got what they were trying to say--God doesn't want us to be miserable when we do hard things for Him-- but the way they said it seemed like criticism of what real, holy monks do, and the Catholic Church indirectly.
As one would expect from Protestant authors, Martin Luther is presented as a hero in "Do Hard Things". Harris and Harris write, "Neither Wilburforce (a British philanthropist and politician who led a movement to abolish slave trade) nor Luther could have stood against the evils and injustices of their time if they hadn't first learned to stand against the evil in their own hearts." Implied, of course, is that slavery and the Catholic Church were similar *evils*. Catholic parents should take note of these subtleties and point them out to teen readers of this book.
Another criticism of "Do Hard Things" is the Harris brothers' advice to toss out caution when witnessing Christ to others. In the book we are introduced to Grace Mally, a nineteen year old girl who "promised God she would witness to whomever she found at a park near her house. As the story is told, she found "four burly construction workers" painting. Grace said, "I knew I couldn't allow fear to take over," and she approached the workers (who were "surprisingly friendly") to witness to them. This deviates from faith and treads upon being foolish. One young girl alone with four strong, burly strangers in a park is not smart, and it is naive to think otherwise. Sometimes God gives us healthy fear--hesitation, to keep us safe. I hope young girls reading "Do Hard Things" don't take the Harris brothers' implied suggestion to approach strangers alone and without fear. Again, I get the authors' point--be brave and not afraid to witness Christ to others, but doing so in this instance seems foolhardy.
On the other hand, "Do Hard Things" contains excellent challenges for teens. The Harris brothers encourage their peers to go outside their comfort zones, go beyond what's required, tackle things that are too big to accomplish alone and that don't necessarily pay off immediately. Finally, they encourage teens not to be afraid to go against the crowd. These are good challenges.
The book has other fine attributes. I have to applaud the Harris brothers on their zeal and ambition. The book is well-written, and clear in ideas and examples. Particularly touching are some teens' testimonies, including that of Brittany Lewin, 18, who successfully ran the campaign of Bob Shaffer in the fourth congressional district of Colorado (incidentally a Roman Catholic who was awarded the Benemerenti Medal by Pope John Paul II.) According to the book Brittany states, "I believe the doors God has opened for me and the lessons he has taught me through politics are only preparing me to be the wife and mother He wants me to be. Going from campaign manager to home manager sounds great to me. Being a wife and mother is a higher calling than politics." It is amazing and uplifting to read that this young woman successfully managed a political campaign. It is even more impressive that her priorities are in order and she values the important task of raising children for God. "Do Hard Things" highlights well what various outstanding teens are doing to make a difference in the world.
Overall, "Do Hard Things" has all the right heart. The authors' intent is good. While the framework of the book is distinctly protestant, Catholics can safely share this inspirational work with properly catechized teens. The message "Don't accept low expectations--strive higher" is a good one. I'd like to see Catholic youth explore this idea in the context and beauty of the authentic apostolic Faith. I'm sure we can find a few saints as examples of people who also weren't afraid to do hard things.
Theresa Thomas
Catholic writer and home schooling mom since '94
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