29 Questions for the Ordinary Life

Norman L. Bouchard
Open at the Top Publishing (2009)
ISBN 9780615263403
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (5/09)


Every so often a book comes along that absolutely should not be missed. This is one of those books.  “29 Questions” came about when Norman Bouchard had a reoccurring dream that he was standing before a council of men and women and the leader of the group told him that he must answer  29 questions. The council never told him what the 29 questions were so he thought of ten questions himself and then asked his friends and colleagues what were the 3 most important questions that they should be asking in life. From that emerged the 29 questions that are in the book. 

As an international speaker, advisor to Fortune 500 companies, and a bachelor’s degree holder in philosophy and a master’s in divinity, along with many other accomplishments, the author is definitely qualified to write a book of this caliber.  He uses stories to illustrate his point and talks a lot about the wonderful women in his life that gave him wisdom that helped build his character.

“29 Questions” is broken down into three sections:  Life, Personal Growth and Spirituality Questions.  These included chapters like:  Donald Trump, Mother Theresa and Gumby: whom do I need to be in order to be happy?, I’ve run out of cheeks: Why is it so hard to forgive? And Colgate, Polygrip or Crest: Is your brand of God always right?  I especially loved the chapter on online dating:  What do I want my relationship to be with God, Source, Universe or a Greater Power?  His answer included an ad that says “Professional male, age 50, 5’11, with a big heart and a longing for the Divine.  I can express well, speak well, cook well, and love others.  Sometimes I can be weak, irritable, and even say the wrong things, but at the core I am wonderfully made.  I am seeking God (age and size doesn’t matter), who is loving, non-judgmental, open, wants my best, gives me everything that I need to be successful, and is all about love!” (page 126)

This book is definitely one of those gems that you won’t want to miss.  Each year I choose a book to give out to the people that are closest to me in my life.  Last year I gave out 20 copies of “The Shack” and this year it will definitely be “29 Questions for the Ordinary Life.”  

Make comment on weblog