Book Review: Chop Wood Carry Water

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“Chop Wood Carry Water,” by Joshua Medcalf, is a parable that delves into the journey of a man named John who aspires to become a samurai archer.

Under the tutelage of his sensei, Akira, John takes a transformative journey, learning invaluable life lessons along the way. This book blends ancient wisdom with contemporary insights, aiming to inspire readers to appreciate the process of achieving their goals.

What I Liked about Chop Wood Carry Water

Although “Chop Wood Carry Water” won’t win any literary awards, it had moments of inspiration and enjoyment. Here are some highlights:

• Accessibility: It was a fun and quick read. Which helped me as I seek to solidify my habit of consistent reading.
• Inspirational Nuggets: The book is fun of plenty of motivational insights, encouraging reflection and personal growth.
• Life Principles: The emphasis on appreciating the journey and focusing only on what you can control resonated with me.

What I Didn’t Like about Chop Wood Carry Water

Despite its strengths, the book does struggle:

• The writing quality is underwhelming, with typos and an overall lack of polish.
• Having a Samurai quoting Kobe Bryant and other modern things felt really random.
• The parable format, while not executed perfectly, did aid in making the lessons more relatable and memorable. However, it just wasn’t particularly compelling.

My Overall Takeaway from Chop Wood Carry Water

I find myself conflicted by this book. Frankly, its poor quality frequently distract from its core messages. But, the book was fun to read and very thought provoking. What more can you really ask from a book?.

If you’re looking for the next great masterpiece, pass on this one. But, if you’re looking for something quick and easy that makes you take a look at how you live your life, it might be good to consider chopping some wood and carrying some water.

My favorite quotes from Chop Wood Carry Water

“The only thing that is truly significant about today, or any other day, is who you become in the process.”

“Each of us are building our own house. Sometimes you might think you are building for your school, your family, your company, or your team, but you are always building your own house… I hope you build wisely.”

“You will learn, young John, the reason it takes longer is because with one eye on the goal, you only have one eye for the journey.”

“Words put pictures in your mind. Pictures in your mind impact how you feel. How you feel impacts what you do. What you habitually do impacts your destiny.”

“Goals actually allow you to shirk responsibility. But a mission? Only the person in the mirror can stop you from living that out.”

“It took me a long time to learn how to live by principles, instead of feelings.”

“He said that greatness is a bunch of small things done well, added up over time, that most people think are too small to matter.”

“If you want to achieve your greatest potential, you must surround yourself with people who love you deeply, believe in you, and encourage you, but who are also willing to challenge you to become the best you can be by modeling greatness for you.”