John Gratton

I was born in a cold, gray mining town smack in the middle of Minnesota, and a lot has happened since then.

I wrote a book or two and sold lots of articles, but most of my career was spent as a technical writer, cranking out proprietary manuals and white papers that even my dad could understand. Not that my dad wasn't intelligent, but technology baffled him, which explains why his VCR clock flashed little blue numbers for many years.

At some point, I grew weary of 50-hour weeks sitting in front of a computer screen, and started selling cookware door-to-door. It was the most fun I ever had at work. Eventually, I returned to school for a Master's to pursue my life-long passion, teaching public speaking to college freshmen.

Like you, I read constantly, and am always on the hunt for a great read. My system is to read a novel (Lonesome Dove is my favorite), followed by something educational, then something motivational, then something biographical. Today I started Atlas Shrugged, so in about eight months, I'll tell you how I liked it.