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Millones Cajones
- GenresFiction
ebook
Published November 24, 2015
6 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Rob Bell
75 books1,646 followersRob Bell is a bestselling author, international teacher, and highly sought after public speaker. His books include The New York Times bestsellers What Is the Bible?, What We Talk About When We Talk About God, Love Wins, as well as The Zimzum of Love, Velvet Elvis, Sex God, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, and Drops Like Stars.
At age 28, Bell founded Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan, and under his leadership it was one of the fastest-growing churches in America. In 2011, he was profiled in Time Magazine as one of their 100 most influential people. Rob was featured on Oprah's 2014 Life You Want Tour and will be speaking at venues around the world in 2015 on the Everything is Spiritual Tour. He and his wife Kristen have three children and live in Los Angeles.
At age 28, Bell founded Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan, and under his leadership it was one of the fastest-growing churches in America. In 2011, he was profiled in Time Magazine as one of their 100 most influential people. Rob was featured on Oprah's 2014 Life You Want Tour and will be speaking at venues around the world in 2015 on the Everything is Spiritual Tour. He and his wife Kristen have three children and live in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
February 1, 2018
Though self-published, Bell could have benefited having an editor as there are some clear grammatical edits that would have benefited in readability. All that to say, crossing over from non-fiction to fiction is no simple task and in typical Bell fashion he dives in headfirst and offers a very compelling and worthwhile read.
I would recommend it for those who feel overwhelmed by their life or work, who feel that somehow they’ve gotten off track and not sure how to make sense of it all.
I would recommend it for those who feel overwhelmed by their life or work, who feel that somehow they’ve gotten off track and not sure how to make sense of it all.
November 18, 2016
I've loved Rob Bell since I was in the 7th grade, and this may be the first time that I've been totally unimpressed with one of his works. Maybe it's partially due to the fact that while the character of Yves Green expressed Rob's story in a new way, it's still a story I've already heard so many times. And although Yves' character was dynamic in his development throughout the story, the rest of the characterization fell flat for me. Each character seemed underdeveloped, and if it weren't for the specific script-like identification, their voices all would have muddled together. The format of the story felt more like laziness to me than an intentional stylistic choice, and it stripped the book of narrative details that could have potentially added some depth.
Additional details that bothered me: The romance was boring and felt like a forced addition to the storyline. Random interjections from minor characters (Yves' wife and daughter) felt... random, pointless, cliche, bland. Heschel's influence on Rob would have been much more impactful if Rob had communicated Heschel's ideas through the characters in his own voice, rather than constantly quoting Heschel throughout the latter half of the book. And the typos! My favorite line in the entire book: "So he shows me on the wall this country in the he takes me to this massive map the middle of Latin America with oceans on both sides." A little proofreading goes a long way, Robby B.
It's very obvious why Rob gave this e-text away for free rather than making an effort to have it published, and I suppose it can be noted that he was likely following one of the main ideas that he communicates in How to be Here: If an action or idea is tugging at your soul, telling you that you must do it, then do it—regardless of the possibility of failure. So here's to Rob: three cheers for your courage in writing your first fictional piece of literature—even if it was a bit of a flop.
Additional details that bothered me: The romance was boring and felt like a forced addition to the storyline. Random interjections from minor characters (Yves' wife and daughter) felt... random, pointless, cliche, bland. Heschel's influence on Rob would have been much more impactful if Rob had communicated Heschel's ideas through the characters in his own voice, rather than constantly quoting Heschel throughout the latter half of the book. And the typos! My favorite line in the entire book: "So he shows me on the wall this country in the he takes me to this massive map the middle of Latin America with oceans on both sides." A little proofreading goes a long way, Robby B.
It's very obvious why Rob gave this e-text away for free rather than making an effort to have it published, and I suppose it can be noted that he was likely following one of the main ideas that he communicates in How to be Here: If an action or idea is tugging at your soul, telling you that you must do it, then do it—regardless of the possibility of failure. So here's to Rob: three cheers for your courage in writing your first fictional piece of literature—even if it was a bit of a flop.
December 9, 2015
I wasn't sure what to expect from a free .pdf novel with no cover art, but I always appreciate something about Rob Bell's work, and in this one, I found a lot to love. The names of the characters, the humor, the trajectory of the protagonist Yves, the simple structure, and the central premise of a motivational (aspirational) speaker burning out and needing to discover rest (via Heschel, no less!). As a person who stands before a congregation to preach every week, it was easy to connect to the story of this aspirational speaker Yves, and the team he has around him. An engaging read, and just the amount of levity I needed. Find the free download at robbell.com
March 30, 2018
Way to go Rob Bell. I really loved this book, especially the end. If you want, I could edit the book for you.
February 4, 2016
I was riveted by this story. Often finding myself between the lines, and at times unraveled and completely exposed. Not only is this book an easy read, you simply don't want to put it down because it is speaking of a process - to not only find oneself, but to become fully aware of what your heart truly longs for in this world. In an ironic twist, this book about a motivational speaker ends up motivating the reader to be a better, more vulnerable, and realistic human being. Well, worth the read, in so many ways.
November 10, 2017
Damn Rob, what was that?
That statement can mean whatever it means both ways.
Was wondering where the book was going but it was brilliantly concluded in a way where that wasn't making sense makes sense in such an effortless way.
Good book, so many subtle lessons.
That statement can mean whatever it means both ways.
Was wondering where the book was going but it was brilliantly concluded in a way where that wasn't making sense makes sense in such an effortless way.
Good book, so many subtle lessons.
April 20, 2024
Insightful exploration of personal growth, from the viewpoint of a fictional motivational speaker, Yves Green. Much of the language Rob uses to describe Yves' books, products, and talks is satirical. For example, Yves' most famous book is "Bootstraps," as in "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps."
However, as the story progresses, we see deeper and deeper into Yves' own struggles and doubts, as well as the doubts of his most devoted followers, exemplified by his right-hand man who plans all the logistics for Yves' tours and talks.
I enjoyed the whole book, and the payoff at the end is fantastic.
I heard about this book when listening to one of Rob Bell's audiobooks, "Something to Write." (Not on Amazon, it's published via his website at Gumroad.) In that book he shared the origin story of Millones Cajones. It's clearly based on some funny real-life events that give quite a bit of insight into Rob Bell's mind. That attracted me to read this book because Rob is a fascinating character. His story reflects so much of what is right and wrong with modern Evangelical church culture.
The one downside of this book is that it lacks polish. It's pretty clear Rob self-published this novel without much help from beta readers or editors. There are quite a few typos scattered throughout the book. Not enough to obscure the story, but it's a little distracting. The big-picture structure of the story could also use some work. It's very "stream-of-consciousness" without chapter divisions or any other large scale structure.
Kind of a shame: this would be a 5-star book if Rob had taken a bit more care with it. Nonetheless, the core story is solid and it's still worth reading.
However, as the story progresses, we see deeper and deeper into Yves' own struggles and doubts, as well as the doubts of his most devoted followers, exemplified by his right-hand man who plans all the logistics for Yves' tours and talks.
I enjoyed the whole book, and the payoff at the end is fantastic.
I heard about this book when listening to one of Rob Bell's audiobooks, "Something to Write." (Not on Amazon, it's published via his website at Gumroad.) In that book he shared the origin story of Millones Cajones. It's clearly based on some funny real-life events that give quite a bit of insight into Rob Bell's mind. That attracted me to read this book because Rob is a fascinating character. His story reflects so much of what is right and wrong with modern Evangelical church culture.
The one downside of this book is that it lacks polish. It's pretty clear Rob self-published this novel without much help from beta readers or editors. There are quite a few typos scattered throughout the book. Not enough to obscure the story, but it's a little distracting. The big-picture structure of the story could also use some work. It's very "stream-of-consciousness" without chapter divisions or any other large scale structure.
Kind of a shame: this would be a 5-star book if Rob had taken a bit more care with it. Nonetheless, the core story is solid and it's still worth reading.
April 22, 2019
Bell’s writing style can be quirky, and he doesn’t change it up much for his first novel. Rather than a straightforward storytelling motif, he tells the story from the POV of each character, often switching after a few paragraphs. But the main character is Yves, a motivational speaker who crashes into burnout, wondering if what he’s giving to the world is fulfilling for himself or anyone else. He ends up at a retreat center and reads Heschel, which helps him reprioritize his life.
Being a self-published work, there were quite a few formatting issues. But the content was as thoughtful and creative as anything else Bell has written.
Being a self-published work, there were quite a few formatting issues. But the content was as thoughtful and creative as anything else Bell has written.
May 27, 2017
I wonder what elements of this story were autobiographical. I especially enjoyed the take he had on the world of motivational speaking - and I would've preferred to stay longer in that aspect of this world. While the characters are quirky and warm, the book moves into telling, rather than showing, three-quarters through. Perhaps, because it's Rob Bell, I can't help but tease out what could've (or perhaps should've) been another podcast or two. But this book is a convincing way to get you reading Heschel.
July 7, 2018
Brilliant!
Brilliant not for its literary deftness or its deep character development, but brilliant in its beautiful simplicity and message. The fact that it kept me smiling, laughing and brought tears to my eyes a half dozen times with a message I needed at this time. Brilliant because Rob wrote from the heart, without tons of editorial changes and just put this out there. Brilliant because the message is timely and true.
I’d highly recommend Millones Cajones!
Brilliant not for its literary deftness or its deep character development, but brilliant in its beautiful simplicity and message. The fact that it kept me smiling, laughing and brought tears to my eyes a half dozen times with a message I needed at this time. Brilliant because Rob wrote from the heart, without tons of editorial changes and just put this out there. Brilliant because the message is timely and true.
I’d highly recommend Millones Cajones!
February 25, 2020
Picked up this book in a Little Free Library at a state park in Pennsylvania. It was an entertaining read, but I found the part about Heschel a little bit trite, especially when there were seemingly no other cultural reference points to Judaism even at Hesed House. However, I thought the other characters were quirky and compelling and I enjoyed the motif of inspirational speakers throughout the book.
August 20, 2020
This book was okay. I have read everyone of Bell's books and this one was my least favorite. However, the story is a good reminder to us that we must live our lives and not let work and achieving be our life.
February 21, 2023
Rob Bell is a masterful storyteller who needs an editor. It’s not that the unconventional, chapter-less structure doesn’t work, it’s that the many mechanical errors are a distraction.
I hope to read more fiction from Bell, and I hope he tires a proofreader next time.
I hope to read more fiction from Bell, and I hope he tires a proofreader next time.
Read
March 1, 2025A book about rest, identity, and what it means to live a good life. It’s a fiction book about a motivational speaker who never stops working. What happens when the thing you’ve done forever … just doesn’t work for you anymore?
January 15, 2018
Easy read, relatable and relevant.
February 7, 2018
Great message... fun beach read...
April 30, 2019
It’s basically a fiction book explaining Abraham Joshua Heschel’s book Sabbath.
March 3, 2020
Silly, spiritual, and sacrilegious. So fun to read.
May 31, 2021
Entertaining and enlightening. The name alone is worth buying the book. The fact that the story is good is a bonus.
February 3, 2016
An interesting one. As a book given away for free on Rob Bell's website, I'm assuming that Millones Cajones hasn't had a lot in the way of editing. And it really really could do with it. There are typing errors and spelling mistakes, and the formatting on my Kindle was abominable; it made the book twice as hard to read which was a shame because otherwise it would have been a lovely easy read.
Having said that, as a novel I really did enjoy it. Again, there were imperfections. I found it slightly odd that the narration begins with Rooster when, to me, the main and most engaging character was Yves. Rooster was rather dull. The plot was slight but interesting and Yves was a character I really enjoyed, although the others were bland.
Millones Cajones was very much a book with a moral, but fortunately Rob Bell's writing style is engaging enough to make a moral tale enjoyable. I think the whole thing could have done with a bit of plumping out - a little more plot, a dollop more character development and a good hard edit would do it a lot of good. I still liked it though, and that's testament to the fact that Rob Bell is an intelligent, instinctive writer.
Having said that, as a novel I really did enjoy it. Again, there were imperfections. I found it slightly odd that the narration begins with Rooster when, to me, the main and most engaging character was Yves. Rooster was rather dull. The plot was slight but interesting and Yves was a character I really enjoyed, although the others were bland.
Millones Cajones was very much a book with a moral, but fortunately Rob Bell's writing style is engaging enough to make a moral tale enjoyable. I think the whole thing could have done with a bit of plumping out - a little more plot, a dollop more character development and a good hard edit would do it a lot of good. I still liked it though, and that's testament to the fact that Rob Bell is an intelligent, instinctive writer.
January 14, 2016
Rob Bell's first novel is actually really good! He could have written a non-fiction book on the topic of work/rest and the importance of time with one's family and friends. (Maybe he'll do that too: his next book is apparently entitled "How to be here".) Instead, he's written an interesting work of fiction, somewhat reminiscent of John Green. The novel is presented from the perspective of a number of different characters, but focusing mostly on two: Yves Green, an aspirational speaker clearly drawn from Rob's own experiences, and Rooster, his right-hand make-it-happen guy. The unfolding of the novel is interesting (that said, there's actually not a lot of plot; most of the interest comes from watching the central character work through his work/life crisis), the characters are well drawn and there are a few amusing moments. The novel has been released as a free ebook on Rob's web site. Find it here. Note that the ebook is slightly marred by some textual errors and does not come with a cover image (yet).
July 29, 2016
I loved this book. Yes it was free and yes it could use a little editing but twice in this book I was reduced to tears both sad and happy. I just started reading Rob Bell's newest "How to be here" when I was about half way through this book. The two books are fiction and nonfiction books with the same themes. As I finished this book I kept noticing the themes and thinking "oh I see what you did there".
February 12, 2016
Rob Bells first novel and he is giving it away for free. seriously, go to robbell.com. As far as the book, I thought it was great. Any fans of his will recognize the themes and references in the book. The book centers around a motivational speaker who has a crisis of sorts. He checks in to a retreat center and the experiences there change his outlook on life dramatically. I enjoyed the feeling of hope and the wisdom imparted by the story.
August 5, 2016
After a couple of false starts, I really got into Rob's first novel. I couldn't put it down. Weaving Bell's take on work-life balance and the powerful call of Sabbath with an eclectic cast of characters. They say write what you know and Bell knows burnout, sabbath, and deciding to walk the road less traveled by... I'd highly recommend it. It should also take you to Heschel's book, Sabbath - it will change how you see the world around you.
December 26, 2015
I didn't want to like the book. It was awkward at first, the writing style of Rob Bell in fiction form, but I ended up loving it and couldn't put the book down. Not five stars because I felt like he just touched the service, it was too much candy thought and could have been a bit deeper, but still, writing game on point Rob
June 14, 2016
Great unexpected story! I really enjoyed reading Rob Bell's creation. The story was almost unbelievable at times but as you continue you realize that's the point in a way. If you get caught up in the little details you will miss the subtle messages found in this great story.
December 17, 2015
can't wait to read it again. Not because it's the most amazing book ever, but because there is a lot to allow to grab you. Well done, Rob Bell.
January 1, 2016
A fun quick read. I really enjoyed it. Great vivid characters, entertaining, and hopeful.
January 20, 2016
I liked the message of the book, but I did not like the literary conventions. I Didn't like that the whole book was one chapter, I got easily confused by the ever-changing narrator. Ugh.
March 29, 2016
Fun and thought-provoking read. Could use a bit more polish, but really enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews