Jim Stovall

An engrossing mystery -- mostly thanks to the excellently drawn characters and the vibrant setting, which brings Nashville to life, in its touristy yet still resolutely tacky gloss. Best of all, to this former journalist, is the inside view of life in that ailing yet still necessary institution, the daily newspaper. Having worked in a "second paper" some decades before this book was written, I find the newsroom peaks of the Tribune, as well as the behind-the-scenes business subplot, to be show more both vibrantly realistic and a touch nostalgic (but never in a way that is precious or fake). The central mystery -- and the title -- is an engaging ride, with just enough balance of misdirection and telling clues to keep me (not much of a mystery reader) fully engaged. The book's real value is in its characters. From the narrator-protagonist to those folks who appear for only a scene or two, the book contains a cast of intriguing and breathing people whose lives intersect with each other and the plot in utterly compelling ways, never forced. There are few mystery series I have felt compelled to follow, but this would be one -- I find myself wishing for sequels, so I can follow Mitch and the rest through the next puzzle. show less

“Who wants to be a millionaire?” The answer to that question could well be another question, “who doesn’t want to be a millionaire?” This has been the case since the adoption of currency, but in today’s age of declining economies, escalating personal debt, and looming financial insecurity, it is a more compelling desire than ever. There is no shortage of books on the market that purport to tell you ‘how to become a millionaire,’ but upon reading them, most of us are left as show more clueless as we started.
Not so with The Millionaire Map by best-selling author Jim Stovall. A blind ex-athlete who had to have a reader to help him get through college (a reader, by the way, whom he later married), Stovall went from the depths of poverty to multi-millionaire status, and he shares that journey with the reader in a practical, no tricks style that is all that a map should be – easy to understand, and, with the right measure of desire, dedication, and determination, not all that difficult to follow. Not too difficult, that is, if you know a few basic things: where you’re starting from, where you’re going, and why you want to go there.
A truly self-made multimillionaire, Stovall share his wisdom and experience as he went from the bottom to very near the top of the financial ladder. One of the most important things he imparts in this exemplary book is the definition of wealth – it’s not about the total amount of money you have, or even your appearance of wealth – it’s all about being financially able to live your life on your own terms. Stovall warns against being ‘all hat, and no cows,’ like the many people who through the use of easily available credit spend more than they make to create the appearance of wealth, but who are, in fact, spending more than they make. And, that is one of the best sign posts on his ‘millionaire map,’ – wealth is accumulated through spending less than you earn.
It’s simple, as Stovall writes, but not easy, because it takes being honest with yourself. I can honestly say that this book, which I received free as a review copy, is not just one of the best books on gaining financial independence I’ve read, but the best – bar none. show less

The Gift of a Legacy is tender story reminding us that shifting the focus from ourselves to others usually ends up changing us, and often times even the world.

In this heartfelt and inspirational book, Stovall explains that our real "wealth" lies not in our Financial Assets, but our Emotional Assets: the stories, lessons, values, wisdom image, voice, laughter and love that make us who we are. The giving of one’s self to others is one of the greatest legacies you can leave behind to have show more others follow in your footsteps. I really enjoyed this book. show less

The Ultimate Life by Jim Stovall is a novel about living, getting, and giving back. It is about a crusty old oilman named Red Stevens. Red is a multigazillionaire who has died and in his will he left the just a few gazillions to his greedy heirs and the bulk of his estate to a grandson, Jason Stevens. However Jason has to show that he has learned about the gifts of life and further demonstrate that that he knows how to teach others about the gifts

Well, old Red's other heirs wanted all the show more gazillions of dollars and are thus trying to overturn Red's last will and testament in court. The judge hearing the suit is the narrator and so he has to oversee the education of young Jason and test whether Jason is meeting the tests.

The gifts that Jason must learn are things such as Work, Money, Friends, Learning. There is a chapter for each. It opens with a court session where Jason demonstrates that he has learned what the particular day's gift is and is then directed by the judge to go out and demonstrate that he learned how to teach that gift to others.

I loved the book. Mr. Stovall has a gift for writing and moving the story along. He also has a great sense of humor. The courtroom repartee between Jason's lawyer and the greedy heirs' attorney is really funny. He also writes with a gentle good humor and I just felt good by the time I finished the book. Mr. Stovall has a talent for showing how things like work, giving, gratitude, learning, and problems, are really blessings to be learned and passed on. show less