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 Lulu Press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lulu Press. Show all posts

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Frank Finley reviews John Dewar's Hospital Soup...

Title: Hospital Soup by the River: Collected Letters
Author: John Dewar
Link to Book: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/hospital-soup-by-the-river/7106189Genre: Nonfiction

Reviewer: Frank Finley (with book jacket review), Sussex, England

Hospital Soup by the River brings together a collection of highly amusing letters written to friends, chronicling the journey from a cancer diagnosis to post bone marrow transplant. The letters reveal the author's yearnings to return to a world he hopes is only temporarily lost: the world of fishing his beloved River Cairn and the natural world itself. If you like to laugh, like to fish and wish to hear of a dreaded medical condition being scythed down to size, then you will be captivated by this bizarre and wonderful collection."

So says the book jacket review and it says it very well. This is a very special book, by an author who writes with highly individual and exceptional talent. John Dewar clearly knows intimately, and in this book expresses with great depth and in large measure, much concerning life's rich drama and insecurity. This book positively exudes love, joy, and pain but especially humour. There are lots of "can't put down" books and this is another. The difference is this one is truly extraordinary. Thank you Mr. Dewar for a roller-coaster read...you made me laugh out loud when I really shouldn't have!



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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. It 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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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, July 26, 2008

Free (and True!) Story Offered

Olga - A Daughter's Tale
By Marie-Thérèse Browne
Website: www.lulu.com/mariecampbell
Family saga
ISBN: 978-1-84753-047-9
Publisher: Lulu


Reviewed by Marie Campbell



Based on a true story a fascinating and moving book about an inspirational personal life, which has an epic feel about it from Jamaica to England amidst World War II. Olga - A Daughter's Tale is story of one woman's inspirational life.

Marie-Thérèse Browne, the author, realized as her mother lay seriously ill in hospital in Brighton, England in 1994 that had she died so too would Marie's chance of finding out about her mother's past, her family in Jamaica and, of particular importance to Marie, who her father was. All information her mother had resolutely refused to share with her. So she resolved to find out for herself.

Marie discovered her mother's real name was Olga Browney, born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica - one of eleven children from a close-knit, coloured Catholic family. A kind, naïve and gentle girl, Olga arrived in London in 1939 to stay with a malevolent, alcoholic aunt and intending to remain for only six months. However, world events, personal tragedy and malicious intent all combined to prevent her from returning home to Kingston .

Olga – A Daughter's Tale is about cruelty, revenge and jealousy inflicted on an innocent young woman and about her moral courage, dignity, resilience and, in particular, love. It is the story of a remarkable woman who, because of circumstances, made a choice, which resulted in her losing contact with her beloved family in Jamaica. That is, until nearly half a century later, when her past caught up her.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marie-Thérèse Browne was born in London in 1943. At the age of five she was sent to a Catholic boarding school in Dartford, Kent. From there she moved to a Catholic day convent in Brighton where she lived on and off for the next fifty years, until she emigrated to Australia. Her book Olga – A Daughter's Tale was written as a tribute to her mother after Marie discovered the truth about her mother's past, and also as a record for future generations of her family. Olga – A Daughter's Tale is her first book and is available to buy on www.lulu.com/mariecampbell


For a limited time a PDF copy can be downloaded free from www.olga-a-daughters-tale.com


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It 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 and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.