If you’ve never heard of Todd Stottlemyre, you’re probably not a big baseball fan. He spent 15 years in the big leagues and won two World Series Championships with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. Over the years, Stottlemyre won 138 games in the Bigs, and then pursued his interests in finance by working as a stock market analyst for Merrill Lynch.

When he realized he was a better trader than investor, Stottlemyre moved-on to day trading, eventually founding his own hedge fund. But what about The Observer?

Interestingly enough, The Observer is not a sports tell-all, but it is innately autobiographical. Instead of baseball or stocks, author Stottlemyre presents a story about “Kat”, a 38-year old woman on a journey to self-discovery. He never wished to produce a self-help book, but at its core, the book is still motivational and in a self-improvement vein. The story lets the reader engage with the characters and learn through their eyes.

I specifically enjoyed a bit that sounded like a baseball coach, as Kat’s father, Vince, reminds her that “nothing is neutral,” and “every decision you make takes you closer or farther away” from the goals you’ve set, and “the enemy, that could be the opinions of others, poor habits, laziness, self-doubt, making excuses, and countless other things that could sabotage your efforts.’

That bit from Vince might not sound too important, but in the context of the story, it is. And, that’s the power of this book. It’s a story you might want to read sitting on your deck, or as you curl-up in bed, because it reads like a novel. Ah, my lovely, the better to teach you!

All in all, this is still a self-help book, but a catchy, sneaky one at that. And as a Kindle book, the 99-cent price is a bargain for the good sense and emotion presented in the 230+ pages. If that doesn’t sell you, this is what Robert Kiyosaki (International bestselling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad) said:

“In The Observer, Todd’s concept of the 180-degree mindset aligns with my theory of every ‘coin’ having three sides ― two sides and the edge. The more we see and learn and the more possibilities we explore, the smart and more powerful we become. Todd’s new book is, indeed, wisdom for the journey of life.”