Book Review The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews or better said choices and their enormous impact.

Andy Andrews’ latest book discusses the cause and effect that our choices have. It is a book in the vein of coffee table books, a gift or graduation book or one those little books with leadership quotes in it. It will not take long to read, but will have a significant impact on you, in my opinion.

I believe that Andy’s purpose in this book is to remind us that our lives, decisions, choices, actions (and even inactions) make a difference once way or another. He draws from the scientific theory that a butterfly’s wings flapping in the wind could set off a chain of events that would eventually lead to a hurricane on the other side of the world.

This book is also about what Andy does best, tell stories. He tells the story of the actions of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a story that I have heard many times at many a motivational seminar. Joshua was a college professor who was enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War. The story focuses on his actions at the battle of Gettysburg. Joshua was told to shore up his end of a long line of troops. His platoon was able to hold off several Confederate attacks, but men started dying and they were low on ammunition. The Confederates were getting ready for their final attack. Chamberlain was down his commanding officers and realized that he was staring doom in the face if he did not do something. He ordered what soldiers he had left to fix bayonets to their rifles and charge. Confused and shocked by the offensive being launched at them, the Confederates started to retreat thinking that the Union had reinforcements. Chamberlin took action and he was able to get the Confederates to surrender while carrying out his orders to shore up the line and stand firm.

Chamberlin is a text book case of every choice or action that we make matters and can have a significant impact on what happens today and tomorrow. If Chamberlain had given up, we could be Confederation nation today. What would that have yielded?

This book is a great pick me up and reminder of the power of persistence and choices. It does focus on the positive side and leaves a little to desire in terms of reminding us that choices we make have consequences too, but I think that it will provide a logical way of thinking about good choices and perseverance.
The book is beautiful with attractive pictures along with a power story. It paints a picture though that some of the things we do could have impact, but in a way that we will never know now or even in this lifetime. This, I think, helps us to rest assured that even if we don’t see our lives making a difference that if we live it with purpose then our purpose will provide new meaning for others.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”