The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Showing posts with label Nonfiction: Memoir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nonfiction: Memoir. Show all posts

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Dr. Wesley Britton Reviews "Tales of Rock Legends"


TITLE: Cover Stories 
SUBTITLE: Tales of rock legends and the albums that made them famous
Author: Robert L. Heimall
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (June 13, 2019)
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1096400448
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1096400448

Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton

Available on Amazon 

    
Dr. Wesley Britton Reviews "Tales of Rock Legends"
As former Electra Records president Jac Holzman reminds us in his introduction to  Robert L. Heimall’s Cover Stories, the cover art for those 7” musical artifacts were often the most important and sometimes only marketing tool a given album would get to capture the eye and then hopefully ear of the record buying public. While the musicians, producers, engineers etc. invested their time in creating what would appear in those old grooves,   the equally creative visual artists like Robert L. Heimall were hard at work finding just the right cover art to visually represent something of the flavor of the music to us, the buying public.
 
Not surprisingly, Heimall’s fast-paced memoir is a long series of anecdotes telling us just how many album covers came to be.  That means behind-the-scenes stories of his working relationships with the likes of The Doors, Carly Simon, David Peel, Paul Butterfield,  Patti Smith, The Kinks and lesser known names like the highly influential Mickey Newbury and  Lonnie Mack. Did you know Mack not only played bass throughout the Doors’ Morrison Hotel but also the bluesy guitar on “Roadhouse Blues”?
 
Especially revelatory to me were stories of bands I never heard of like Wild Things, Gulliver and Bamboo. The chapter on Barry Manilow was entertaining where we learn New Zealand shopping mall execs learned playing Barry Manilow music discouraged the presence of rowdy teenagers. A Colorado judge learned sentencing loud noise offenders   to an hour of loud Manilow albums greatly reduced the number of repeat offenders.
 
Along the way, we learn much about the artistic decision making process of album designers,   a lot about  Heimall’s private life, like the protracted disillusion of his marriage to his bosses’ daughter, and his increasing religiosity.
 
Judging from some reviews at Amazon, there are readers who will be turned off by the growing evangelism in the latter chapters. Perhaps some readers might be miffed by the amount of repetition. Did I mention he married the bosses’ daughter?  He points that out so often there’s no way you’ll ever forget that fact.
 
Of course, one dimension of the book not typical of most rock memoirs are the record covers being discussed, front, back, gatefold. So if you’re a fan with a nostalgic love for the music of the ‘60s and ‘70s and have a fondness for the packaging the old vinyl was protected in, Cover Art  might just fit a slot on your rock and roll bookshelf.
 

           MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER
  Dr. Wesley Britton is a reviewer for BookPleasures.com and #TheNewBookReview. He is the author of four nonfiction books on espionage in literature and the media. Starting in fall 2015, his new six-book science fiction series, The Beta-Earth Chronicles, debuted via BearManor Media. In 2018, he self-published the seventh book in the Chronicles, Alpha Tales, 2044, a collection of short stories, many of which first appeared at a number of online venues.  
For seven years, Britton was co-host of online radio’s Dave White Presents where he contributed interviews with a host of entertainment insiders. Before his retirement in 2016, Dr. Britton taught English at Harrisburg Area Community College.  H

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Children's Author Linda Wilson Reviews Deborah Lyn Stanley's Memoir on Dementia


TITLE: Mom & Me

SUBTITLE: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love

AUTHOR: Deborah Lyn Stanley

AUTHOR’S WEBSITE: “The Caregiver’s Retreat—a Place to Refresh, Restore, Affirm and Supply”  https://deborahlyncaregiver.com

GENRE: Non-fiction, Biography, Memoir

AGE / INTEREST LEVEL: Adult

PAGES: 94

PUBLISHER: 2 Timothy Publishing

LINKS FOR PURCHASE:

Kindle and paperback editions available on Amazon 

Find eBooks sources at: https://books2read.com/b/valuestories

 

Reviewed by Linda Wilson


Deborah Lyn Stanley’s book, Mom & Me: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love, has helped me more than I can say with a challenge I’ve been living with for almost ten years: my husband’s decline due to Parkinson’s disease, Parkinson’s dementia, and Alzheimer’s. I had to place my husband in a home, which was the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make. 

Living with a loved one afflicted with this disease cannot be understood by anyone not affected, finding help can be difficult and expensive; in the long run caregivers find that they must be creative in finding solutions, resilient in being able to bounce back from the most frustrating problems, and are generally isolated much of the time. Deborah’s book offers hope, sage advice, and bits of wisdom throughout her book, such as “Find a way, your endurance depends on it.” I highly recommend Deborah’s book to anyone in a caregiving situation. The love and assurances she offers have helped me do more than cope, they’ve offered something I never thought possible: a way to learn how to thrive. 


MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER 

 Linda Wilson, Children's Author

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/lindawilsonchildrensauthor

Coming soon: Secret in the Mist

Fun for readers and tips for writers:  https://www.lindawilsonauthor.com

Find me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/lindawilson.kidsmysterywriter.com37017794 

On Twitter: @LinWilsonauthor

Posts the 28th of each month: www.writersonthemove.com


MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF MOM & ME 

Mom & Me: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love is a journal of my experiences while caregiving memory-impaired seniors—in particular, caring for Helen, my dear “second Mom,” for many years. 

 

This memoir embraces Helen’s personal journey from the onset of Alzheimer’s Dementia through stories and letters to caregivers. Mom’s journey is portrayed through the lens of my personal knowledge as her daughter-in-law and caregiver. The book speaks of challenges common to caregivers, day-to-day needs, and the progression of dementia disease. It is an account of joy and sadness, trauma and triumph, peace and anxiety. It is a story of love, the exhaustion of caregiving, denial, and mending misunderstandings. It is about high-stakes decisions, stressful days, and knowing you did the best you could at that crucial moment. 

Learn more at: My Writer’s Life: https://deborahlynwriter.com/

Writing for Caregivers: https://deborahlyncaregiver.com/   

Artist’s Website: https://lynstanleyart.com

My eBook Author’s Page: https://books2read.com/b/valuestories

Goodreads Author: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomdeborahlyn

Amazon Author's Page: https://www.amazon.com/Deborah-Lyn-Stanley/

 

Children's Author Linda Wilson Reviews Deborah Lyn Stanley's Memoir on Dementia

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. 

Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing 

Monday, September 14, 2020

L. Artzer Reviews Diane Mullins New Book on Empowerment


Title: Dying to Belong: How I Accidentally Found Myself  
Author: Diane Mullins  
Genre: memoir, self-help, empowerment  
ISBN 978-0997431605 
Available on Amazon 

Reviewed by L. Artzer
 

This book will get your attention for anyone captivated by a true story. Dying to Belong is an inspiring book about a young girl desiring to belong anywhere or with anyone.  Throughout her life and her journey that God has taken her on woke her up to an important realization.  Through an unbelievable tragedy, she begins to find out and to know who she really is. I was attracted to the title of this book because I too wanted to belong to something.  It helped me to go after finding myself. So, if you are looking for help to find yourself, then this book is for you. 


MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Diane has her master’s degree from Grand Canyon University where she studied psychology to better understand people and how to help them succeed. As an author she tells how a tragic accident literally saved her life. She is now inspired to help others.  Learn more about her at:
L. Artzer Reviews Diane Mullins New Book on Empowerment



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 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

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Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Midwest Book Review Loves New Literary Memoir

Book Girl
Sarah Clarkson
Tyndale Momentum
c/o Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496425805,
$15.99, PB, 288pp
www.amazon.com

Reviewed by Jim Cox, Editor-in-Chief at MidwestBookReview.com

Synopsis: When you hear a riveting story, does it thrill your heart and stir your soul? Do you hunger for truth and goodness? Do you secretly relate to Belle’s delight in the library in Beauty and the Beast? If so, you may be on your way to being a book girl (or boy!).

Books were always Sarah Clarkson’s delight. Raised in the company of the lively Anne of Green Gables, the brave Pevensie children of Narnia, and the wise Austen heroines, she discovered reading early on as a daily gift, a way of encountering the world in all its wonder. But what she came to realize as an adult was just how powerfully books had shaped her as a woman to live a story within that world, to be a lifelong learner, to grasp hope in struggle, and to create and act with courage. She’s convinced that books can do the same for you.

In the pages of "Book Girl: A Journey through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life" readers will join Sarah in exploring the reading life as a gift and an adventure, one meant to enrich, broaden, and delight in each season of life as a woman.

In Book Girl, reader's will discover: How reading can strengthen your spiritual life and deepen your faith; Why a journey through classic literature might be just what you need (and where to begin); How stories form your sense of identity; How Sarah’s parents raised her to be a reader -- and can be done to cultivate a love of reading in the growing readers around us; and some 20+ annotated book lists, including some old favorites and many new discoveries.

Whether you’ve long considered yourself a reader or have dreams of becoming one, "Book Girl" will draw you into the life-giving journey of becoming a woman (or a man!) who reads and lives well.

Critique: Although primarily written for female readers as reflected in the title, "Book Girl: A Journey through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life" by author, blogger, and student of theology Sarah Clarkson is an extraordinary read that is very highly recommended to the attention of all dedicated bibliophiles regardless of gender. Rarely has a truer portrait of the joy and influence of a literate life been so well exemplified or showcased.

While "Book Girl" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.44) for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialists general readers with an interest in the subject. Librarians should note that "Book Girl" is also available as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982558284, $34.95, CD).

And for the record, I have no personal or professional relationship to Sarah Clarkson and wouldn't recognize her if I were to pass her on the street.


MORE ABOUT MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

When you subscribe to Midwest Book Review's newsletters from--either the one edited by Jim Cox or Beth Cox--you get reviews directly to your e-mail box.  Jim's are always (most always?) related to reading or writing in one way or another.  He often ends the editorial portion of his letter with, "Now on to reviews of other new books with particular relevance and interest for authors and publishers: The Writing/Publishing Shelf." midwestbookreview.com

Midwest Book Review Loves New Literary Memoir


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Theodore Cohen Reviews Memoir "Bus to Brookhaven"

Theodore Cohen Reviews Memoir Bus to Brookhaven

Bus to Brookhaven: and Other Recollections
Genre: Memoir 
AMAZON review and self-published book listing
  • Paperback: 228 pages
  • Publisher: John De Haven (August 4, 2018)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0692995315
  • ISBN-13: 978-0692995310
  • Five-Star Review

De Haven has magically captured stories starting from when he was a very young man living in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, through early adulthood, and beyond, in ways that are so enchanting you almost wish you were listening to him read them to you as an audio book. Particularly poignant are his memories of growing up in the Kenilworth Corridor near his boyhood home, near the train bridge that is so much in contention today. (As an aside, and as someone who is a few years De Haven's senior, I have to agree with his observation: how, indeed, did we ever manage to survive to adulthood, much less to our teenage years, being allowed to roam our neighborhoods unsupervised at all hours, given the many dangers presented by traffic, vermin, and other "threats"???! It could never happen in today culture, where parents hover like Black Hawks on the battlefield.)

In any event, in one story after another--all told in his unique, gentle manner--De Haven holds us spellbound as he reveals how he came of age, growing up particularly fast on an unaccompanied bus trip to Brookhaven, Mississippi, when he ends up, accidentally, in what then was a Colored-Only restaurant of the bus station in Memphis. What happened, and its impact on De Haven, say a lot about the boy, then, and the man, now.

This is a book you will enjoy reading, perhaps event twice. It is, in a word, a literary treasure.

Five STARS all the way!
SUBMITTED WITH PERMISSION BY

photo
Carolyn Wilhelm
Curriculum Writer and Blogger, Wise Owl Factory


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Saturday, January 27, 2018

New Book by Patty Duke and Stars of Her Time



IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS: MY SIXTY-YEAR JOURNEY AS AN ACTRESS
By Patty Duke and William J. Jankowski
Publisher: BearManor Media (February 14, 2018)
ISBN-10: 1629332364
ISBN-13: 978-1629332369

Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton Originally for Book Pleasures.com

On September 13, 2011, I had the pleasure of conducting an extensive interview with actress Patty Duke on “Dave White Presents, “an online radio show I co-hosted at the time.   As I always did considerable homework for these conversations, I had read her 1987 memoir, Call Me Anna, where I learned Patty far preferred using her birth name, Anna. I was also aware of her second best-selling memoir, Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic Depressive Illness (1992). So I was intrigued to see Anna had a third posthumous memoir coming out via BearManor Media in 2018. What could she say about her life she hadn’t already told us?

The answer is simple: this time around, the spotlight isn’t on Anna Duke Pierce (her last married name). Rather, it’s a treasure trove of character sketches, impressions of, and anecdotes about, many actors Anna knew over the decades. Some colleagues Anna knew well, others she encountered in passing. Most chapter titles are the names of the personalities Anna describes including Richard Burton, Laurence Olivier, Helen Hayes, Anne Bancroft, Judy Garland, President John F. Kennedy, Helen Keller, Gloria Vanderbilt, Lucille Ball and her son, Desi Arnez Jr., Frank Sinatra senior and Frank Sinatra Jr., Betty White, Patricia Neal, Liza Minnelli, and Helen Hunt. Some stories are extremely poignant including Anna’s memories of her friendship with the doomed beauty, Sharon Tate. Anna also expresses her longtime fondness for her Patty Duke Show co-stars including William Schallert, Jean Byron, Paul O'Keefe, and Eddie Applegate. Sadly, O’Keefe is now the only surviving cast member of the show.

It’s also sad to note, even after all these years, Anna’s unscrupulous and manipulative  talent managers, John and Ethel Ross, still cast a pall over so many passages covering Anna’s early years in show business. On the other hand, as Anna told her co-writer,   it has been 30 years since she published Call Me Anna which meant her new memoir gave her many opportunities to express how her mind had changed regarding a number of folks. In addition, Anna takes ownership of many errors in her life while acknowledging many of them came from her once undiagnosed bipolar disorder.  For me, the saddest sentences in the book were when she mentioned the sorts of roles she hoped for when she reached her 70s. When Anna Pierce died in 2016, she had a pretty deep bucket list.

So this is a book for anyone interested in Hollywood history of the past 60 years whether or not you’re a fan of Patty Duke.  You’ll get nuggets and insights into many of your favorite stars from an insider’s very human perspective.  It’s a book that positively glows with positive energy, as in Anna’s praise for so many colleagues like her favorite leading man, Richard Crenna. You’ll also likely learn about many of Anna’s other roles beyond The Miracle Worker, The Patty Duke Show, and The Valley of the Dolls, especially her many TV moviesYou can also trace her career with the 70 plus photos from Anna’s personal collection.

In short, In the Presence of Greatness is a nice final contribution to the Patty Duke legacy. I’m glad I spent the hours reading these warm, intimate, and very personable memories.       And I’d like to thank William J. Jankowski for instigating this project after hearing Anna telling him some of these tales.  And he should be thanked for completing this book after Anna’s passing in march of 2016.

MORE ON THE TOPIC

Here’s an excerpt from the book posted at the “Patty Duke Fans” Facebook page:

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

 Dr. Wesley Britton is the author of The Beta Earth Chronicles and reviews for BookPleasures.com. Learn more about Beta Earth Chronicles website:
Here’s a link to my   2011 interview with Patty Duke for “Dave White Presents”:

Follow Wes Britton’s Goodreads blog:


Follow Wes Britton’s Beta Earth Chronicles Facebook page:

View the snazzy Beta Earth Chronicles book trailer at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8rrP2warHc


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Malala Gets Reviewed--and Critiqued


Title: I Am Malala
Subtitle: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
Author: Malala Yousafzai
Co-author: Christina Lamb
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
307 Pages eBook $9.99 paperback $11.99
ISBN 978-0-316-32241-6

Reviewed by Scott Skipper originally for his blog at ScottSkipperblog.com


The whole world knows that Malala is the Pakistani girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban because she campaigned for girls’ education. I Am Malala is much more than recounting that gruesome event. It is a frank and accurate history of Pakistan, especially the Swat region and the Pashtun tribe. She is brutally honest about the barbarism of her people, particularly concerning the subjugation of women who are denied an education and forced to confine themselves to home and travel only with a husband or male relative. They often practice arranged marriages and sell daughters as brides to settle family blood feuds. Malala also reveals in vivid terms the dysfunction and duplicity of Pakistan’s government and army who, while claiming allegiance to the US and accepting billions of dollars, aided and abetted Osama bin Laden.

 All this is very interesting and on the mark. Because Pakistan is supposedly an ally, we seldom hear the truth about this ruthless, backstabbing, hypocritical nation of tribal barbarians who possess nuclear weapons. We can see video of Taliban in Afghanistan herding women into soccer stadiums and shooting them in the head, or stoning women on the street. What we don’t see are videos of the same atrocities in Pakistan. Malala describes these outrages in an almost offhand tone and never once considers that the root cause of the problem is Islam. Despite her ordeal and having become a world-renowned proponent for educational reform, she faithfully accepts the repression of women, keeps the scarf on her head, and claims to want nothing more than to return to the Swat valley where her attempted assassin has become leader of the local Taliban. She tells about, when visiting Mecca, her mother bought a new burqa for the occasion. It can’t be both ways. One is either subjugated or not. She even sugar coats parts of the Quran, once stating that Mohamed “migrated” from Mecca to Medina. History tells us that the Meccans had had enough of him and ran his ass out of town.

 I have to say that I am glad I read I Am Malala, but I can’t say that I ever warmed to the person. I also think that this book isn’t particularly well edited. How much the co-author contributed, I can’t say. The voice sounds genuinely Malala’s, but there are some places where a native English speaker might have suggested changes. It also bothered me that in her gushing admiration for Obama, she claimed that he rose from a struggling family. Struggling how? Is being raised by affluent white grandparents struggling? It’s a remarkable story that shines a light on a global crisis, but I’m not sure Malala Yousafzai actually sees the crisis.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Scott skipper is the author of authorHalf Life, A Little Rebellion Now and Then, and numerous other titles. Learn more about him at:
Official Author's Website www.ScottSkipper.com
Facebook.com/Scott Skipper
Twitter: @SSkipperAuthor--


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Immigrant Shares Spiritual Path in Memoir

Title: What I Gain Through His Pain
Author: Nicole Benoit-Roy
Genre: Autobiography
Buy the Book: goo.gl/dvfv7S

Reviewed by Patricia Renard Scholes originally for LoreKeepersPublishingServices
Do you ever feel like God isn't listening? Do you feel alone, discouraged, or abandoned? In this poignant self-reflection, Nicole Benoit-Roy shows how God is very active, no matter what we go through. 

Jesus gave his life so we could have a personal, fulfilling relationship with Him. Follow Benoit-Roy through her struggles to find where God was during each struggle, from an abusive work situation to the death of her brother, from separation from her husband through renewing their relationship, and much more. You are not alone.

Nicole is an amazing woman. She immigrated from Haiti, has overcome language and cultural conflicts, is highly educated, and is a woman fully devoted to God. Her book will inspire you.
MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Patricia Renard Scholes is the author of the Lorekeeper series.


MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Learn more about Nicole Benoit-Roy's new book at  http://nicoleroyministries.org/what-i-gain-through-his-pain. She is the award-winning author of Jesus Loves Everybody: Especially Me and you can lear more here:

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 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Saturday, June 17, 2017

UK Father Tells of Struggle with Government Agency



Title: My Fight For My Family (The Mega Pig File)
Author: David Jordan
Length: 224 pages
Genre: Nonfiction/ Memoir / Misery Memoir
Audience Type: 16+
Format available: Paperback and Ebook

BLURB FROM AMAZON CUSTOMER'S REVIEW

"If Dave, the author, had not been so committed to keeping his family together whatever it took, not only his first child, but his other two children would have been lost to the "CARE" system. DAVID took on a GOLIATH family court.... not many win."

BOOK BLURB

"A man's struggle to keep his family together against all odds. 
What would you do if social workers came knocking on your door, with only 'smoke and mirrors' evidence they had come for your children? Would you fight for your family or simply let them steal your children? "

SYNOPSIS
Written in the first person “My fight for my family” is a detailed story starting in 1985, it chronicles a man’s struggle to keep his family together against all odds. His girlfriend Martha was pregnant with nowhere to live, she was allocated a council flat. The flat was on the ground floor and she soon discovered that the tenant above was a schizophrenic who paced the floor and had loud argument’s with himself. When she brought her baby daughter back home she became tired and run down, a relation, trying to help, suggested that she should ask social services to help her find more suitable accommodation.  The intervention of Social Services resulted in the baby being taken into care and placed with a foster mother, this was the start of the family’s problems, which were to continue for many years.

Martha’s mental health grew worse. In the course of taking the child into care she was taken from her pram, when her mother tried to prevent this, she was accused of injuring her, causing her further anguish. Lengthy battles then ensued between the father of the child, who wished for custody and access for the child’s mother under supervision, and social services.
Appropriate accommodation was needed before the baby, Sally, could be returned to her father.

At a custody hearing, after reports had been read, an ex lady barrister approached the father and offered to speak on his behalf, her opinion was that social services had all but destroyed the family unit.  Considering the fact that Martha was told by the foster mother that she was no good as a mother and should give her child up for adoption, the reason for her mental decline was clear.

She received care for her mental problems and in due course went home to resume family life.

Two more children were born into the family, Rachel in 1991 and John in 1992.  In 1995 the children were visited by a health visitor and declared to be developmentally delayed.

A Care Order was sought by social services.

By now David, the children’s father, knew he had yet another battle on his hands.

He did not shirk his responsibility, driven on by the love for his family and his determination to keep them together he addressed every point with which he was attacked.  When social services concerns were not divulged to him he replied that this was a violation of his human rights. He wrote letters of complaint to the local authority, and also to the local Government Ombudsman.
Conflicting opinions regarding the children’s welfare caused him to question the reports and he enlisted the help of a solicitor to obtain Legal Aid in support of his claim that the actions of social services had caused Martha’s mental illness. In the course of obtaining the information which he needed, he received correspondence about his case printed by case workers and noticed that   the computer data base reference and name Mega Pig were printed at the bottom of the document.

He could draw only one conclusion from this, that it was derogatory comment.
David went to extraordinary lengths to challenge the unnecessary actions taken against his family even employing a Barrister, to unsuccessfully, sue social services due to a precedence that had previously been set by the House of Lords.

It is impossible to convey the power and depth of this story in a synopsis. The bravery and tenacity of the father, a fragile mother and three vulnerable children, their lives disrupted by a team of social workers who were not fit for purpose. Starting with a heart-rending scene of a mother being robbed of her child, followed by endless meetings and court appearances, sub standard housing and police involvement, the story is lifted by Martha’s adventures in a mental hospital and David’s bravery in confronting the establishment.  It has the makings of a good film.


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG



 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.