The New Book Review

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Dr. Wesley Britton Pay Attention to Women Who Helped Win WWII

Blogger's Note: Visitors and subscribers to this #TheNewBookReview and like to celebrate holidays dedicated to women's contributions to history by reading good books will find this review especially useful! #EqualityDay, #WomensDay #50/50Leadership

A Woman of No Importance:

Subtitle: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II

Author: Sonia Purnell

Hardcover: 368 pages

Publisher: Viking (April 9, 2019)

ISBN-10: 073522529X

ISBN-13: 978-0735225299

Purchase on Amazon

Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton originally for BookPleasures.com

This summer turned out to be my unexpected exploration into female participants in the French resistance during World War II. It began when I read D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win World War II by Sarah Rose as well as Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler by Lynne Olson. Now, I've read a long-overdue, in-depth biography of American spy Virginia Hall by Sonia Purnell. I must concur with all the other complimentary reviewers who gave this history five star reviews.

I first read a short but very complimentary biography of Virginia Hall in Emily Yellen'sOur Mother's War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II (2004). In fact, Hall was the premiere lady spy in Yellen's overview that only glancingly looked at behind-the-lines operatives in France. Of course, Purnell's tome reaches far beyond the sort of general information Yellen had access to.

Purnell's years of research is an impressive achievement considering the gaps in available files and the likelihood many of Hall's exploits were never recorded by anyone. Part of this oversight is likely based on the reality Hall's labors were so clandestine there was every reason not to keep files on her work. Equally important is the fact female agents were not the norm and there was a widespread prejudice against women being involved in the war at all except as support staff, code-breakers, ambulance-drivers, the like.

In the case of Hall, her persistence in breaking through the glass ceiling is even more impressive when you realize she was raised and groomed for a life as well-off--and married--woman in high society, not a rough-and-tumble agent living on the lam and in often dire circumstances. Add to that that the lower half of her left leg had been amputated leaving Hall a woman with a disability that could have dimmed her prospects--if not for that determined, iron will of hers.

Because of that leg and her age, Hall wasn't the most likely covert agent for the Gestapo to hunt. She was versatile in her use of disguises, using her disability as a way to throw the hounds off her trail. All she really couldn't do was run. But she could hike across a treacherous mountain trail in the snowy Pyrenees. And that was just one exploit to admire in Hall's many-faceted career.

Another woman to admire is biographer Sonia Purnell who not only keeps a fast-paced, detailed story going, but she keeps reader interest with her scattered indications of what is to come, especially the consequences of certain events. It becomes very clear Virginia Hall was a stand-out officer during World War II and could have become a valuable asset in the CIA had the agency not been populated by the Father Knows Best mentality of the Cold War years.

So readers learn much more than the day-to-day operations of Hall's covert actions and I often wondered where Purnell found so many minute details of conversations, movements, relationships, etc. As with the other books I've read this summer, I ended up feeling a sense of shame that there was a time when women, no matter how talented, creative, motivated or successful, just didn't get their due and rightful recognition. Until now.

Monday, August 26, 2019

A Travel Journalist Explores the Final Frontier: Death

Title: How to Communicate with the Dead and How Cultures Do It around the World

Author: Judith Fein

Publisher: Global Adventure

ISBN: 978-0-9884019-9-0
Author Website: www.globaladventure.us
September 4, 2019 Release

Reviewed by Marlan Warren, Reviewer originally for Roadmap Girl’s Book Buzz

“Communicating with the dead has been a secret

part of my life for many years.” –Judith Fein

Judith Fein’s fourth deep travel memoir, How to Communicate with the Dead and How Cultures do It around the World, invites us along on her decades of investigations and explorations of the final frontier: Death.

For most of her life, Judith Fein has seen and heard dead people. Not all the time, thank goodness, or it would not leave much time for this prolific journalist to write about her soul-searching globetrotting with her ever-skeptical photojournalist husband, Paul Ross. “Judie and Paul” are the “Nick and Nora” of the travel adventure-supernatural set. She can see a ghostly figure in the middle of nowhere and believe it to be a specter. He can be right next to her, eyes huge, and afterward admit “maybe” it was real. Their yin-yang bonding and love adds to the delightful humor of this Odyssey.

How to Communicate with the Dead signals a coming out of the woo-woo closet for Fein. The Oxford dictionary defines “woo-woo” as “unconventional beliefs regarded as having little or no scientific basis, especially those relating to spirituality, mysticism, or alternative medicine…” Throughout her illustrious career as a journalist, Fein has occasionally penned articles about seeking healers and rituals in “exotic” locales; although mostly she has flown under the radar as a gifted intuitive herself. This book puts the spotlight on Fein’s spiritual truths as she has lived them, revealing how she has embraced and been embraced by others around the world who perceive those truths without shame.

There is no navel-gazing in these stories that take us from her father’s untimely death (and her first stunned awareness that she could hear him beyond the grave) to her late mother’s skepticism that she and her daughter could communicate after her transition (and how wrong that turned out to be) to various vortexes of cultures and religions that accept death as a fact of life that does not end the soul.

Fein’s passion to communicate with her living readers shines as an honest desire to help others move through their grief and fears to an understanding that death itself is not the final word on existence.

A discussion guide ends the book with such thought-provoking gems as:

“Would you like someone to contact you after you die? Why or why not?”

No matter what the answer, I’m willing to bet it won’t be boring. Fein invites readers to discuss the most taboo topic in America, as if to say:

“Hey, it couldn’t hurt.”

About the Author

Available in e-book and paperback via Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Booksamillion, Global Adventure. Judith Fein is based in Santa Fe and available to speak at venues.

About the Reviewer

Marlan Warren is an L.A. journalist, novelist, playwright, screenwriter, blogger, and publicist with Roadmap Communications [http://bit.ly/2Mak8fJ and Book Publicity by Marlan. She reviews for the Midwest Book Review and her blogs include “Roadmap Girl’s Book Buzz” and “L.A. Now & Then.” She is the author of the fictionalized memoir, “Roadmaps for the Sexually Challenged: All’s Not Fair in Love or War” and the producer/writer of the acclaimed documentary, “Reunion. Marlan is now in production for the documentary “What Did You Do in the War, Mama?: Kochiyama’s Crusaders” based on her play" “Bits of Paradise.". She is a member of the Nonfiction Authors Association and on the faculty of The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society.

A Travel Journalist Explores the Final Frontier: Death

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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 everything 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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Friday, August 23, 2019

Read Our Lips Reviewer Shares Fave with The New Book Review Readers

Title: Reverb

Author: J. Cafesin
Reverb website: http://reverbnovel.com
Genre: Romantic Suspense; Literary Fiction
ISBN-10: 0615756395
ISBN-13: 978-0615756394
Rating: 5 Stars
Purchase on Amazon.

Reviewed by Angie originally for Read Our Lips

Listed as Favorite Book!

Sir James Michael Whren goes by James Logan is attending his half brother's funeral in England. He's anxious to get back to his music studio to continue working on his current project. His father, Edward Whren wants to have chat with him about his future which leaves James feeling resentful and sullen to his father's presence. Edward continues the conversation he started five years prior to which James replies let's not go down this road again because he wants nothing to do with Whren Trust or inheriting anything from his father. Edward Whren hatches a plan to keep James in England but he could not foresee what happens next to James. James is arrested at Heathrow Airport on a trumped up charge of dealing drugs and forced into rehab but that is the beginning of his worst nightmare of his life for the next year and half. James manages to escape where he's being held to eventually States to gain access to his money~so he can disappear again. James does that and more. He's hidden on island of Greece called Corfu and eventually meets Elisabeth Whitestone and her son Cameron. James slowly comes out of his shell being around Elisabeth and Cameron. James is completely haunted by his past and can't seem to shake just wanting to die. Elisabeth knows that something awful happened to James eventually gets him to start eating and pick up his musical skills again. Will James let his past continue to haunt him? Will James find his muse again? Will James love both Elisabeth and Cameron? Will Elisabeth admit her feelings for James? Your answers await you in Reverb.

Reverb is gut wrenching emotional rollercoaster from first page to last page. I've found my favorite book and character of the year in this book. I honestly don't have the words to explain or describe how this book affected me. I applaud the author for bolding stepping into this dark path and the courage to follow thru with it. I highly recommend this book. I look forward to next book presented by this author.

-----

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 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 13, 2019

Critique of Two Books About the Champawat Tiger: Man-Eaters of Kumaon and No Beast So Fierce

A question every human has in their mind is whether monsters are born or created. If monsters are born, then no one is to blame for the death, destruction, and sorrow left in their wake. But if a monster is made, then who is culpable for the misery inflicted on others?

One monster arguably made is the Champawat Tiger or rather the Champawat Tigress. She is attributed to no less than 436 deaths: 200 in Nepal and 236 in the Kumaon area of northern India. Her reign of terror is thought to have lasted almost a decade around eight or nine years before a brave hunter from a modest background laid her to rest.

Jim Corbett, born in India during the British occupation of India, was not part of the British elite, being of Irish ancestry and not being from a wealthy family. With a large family, six older half-siblings, and eight younger full siblings, he learned the ways of the Indian wilderness when need drove him to hunt to provide for his siblings due to his father’s untimely death.

Critique of Two Books About the Champawat Tiger: Man-Eaters of Kumaon and No Beast So Fierce

Eventually, Jim Corbett’s reputation as a skilled hunter led the British Raj to call upon him to destroy the tiger. He traveled north to the Himalayan foothills where the tiger reigned over the terrified populace. Through cooperation with the local populace combined with an understanding of tiger behavior and acts of bravery by many people, the Champawat tiger was brought to bay and slain by Jim Corbett.

The Champawat Tiger was his first experience with a fearsome man-eating carnivore. Unlike all the others who had attempted to hunt this killing machine, he quickly ascertained the animal in question was an older tigress. Did the others simply not care or were they so lacking in an understanding of their quarry?

The story can be read in Jim Corbett’s own words in the book Man-Eaters of Kumaon. He has an engaging but simple storytelling style. He sidesteps some thorny issues of the day but it is clear that he was a humble man and one surprisingly open-minded towards Indians. Keep in mind that in this era it was perfectly acceptable to refer to anyone not white as savages and barbarians and open racism was expected from a “civilized” gentleman.

Unusually for an adventure story, the author is honest about the discomforts offered by the landscape. He talks about the dangers of malaria, risk of wounds turning septic, and uncomfortable nights in trees and getting rained on. He also acknowledges the danger from India’s wildlife itself, which included king cobras, leopards, mugger crocodiles, and of course enraged tigers.

It’s hardly a surprise the story of the Champawat Tiger would continue to fascinate even over a hundred years from when it occurred. There is a lone hero, Jim Corbett. A cast of stalwart sidekicks and supporters of the hero. Of course, no story would be complete without an anguished villain, the tigress herself.

Jim Corbett retains a simple but tactful style. He avoids falling for the temptation of sensationalism, avoiding gory detail about the tiger’s victims. He states enough to communicate the horror of what the victims were subjected to but in deference to the people who loved them, he avoids unnecessary details of the nightmare scenes that he witnessed.

Of course, aspects of the story almost require suspension of disbelief. Some ask if one lone tiger could really eat 436 people. The story caught the attention of journalist Dane Huckelbridge who set out to research the story, which has reached legendary proportions.

In No Beast So Fierce: The Terrifying True Story of the Champawat Tiger, the Deadliest Animal in History, the author sets about verifying the facts of the legend. While he does not fully endorse the 436 alleged victims, he does note that while it may have been lower, it could have been a much higher number due to various social circumstances in British run India.

While the author is not a tiger expert he did travel to the region for his research and took pains to research not only tigers but also the socio-economic conditions in the region during the Chapawat’s reign of terror. There are a few minor mistakes such as saying tigers flip porcupines onto their bellies when I am sure he meant backs, as porcupines typically walk (maybe waddle is more correct) with their bellies to the ground.

Overall though it is well written and provides additional insight into the Champawat Tiger and British run India. For many reasons, Jim Corbett kept his stories politically neutral although he does hint at the tensions between the native-born population and the British colonizing them. When one understands the hostility of the Kumaoni towards the British Raj and their representatives, it just shows how extraordinary Jim Corbett was to earn their trust and love.

An interesting aspect of No Beast So Fierce is the author asserts that the Champawat Tiger was a man-made ecological disaster. He draws attention to the deforestation and mass killing of animals that occurred at the time. Sadly such things continue today.

While the author of No Beast So Fierce imagines the original poacher who set off the deadly chain of events to be a poacher who set off to kill a tiger, Jim Corbett does name the person a poacher but refrains from further judgment and speculation. Given the Champawat was injured by a gunshot to the mouth, there is no doubt it was a poacher for who else would set out in the jungle with a gun? But it could have just as easily been someone hunting for game birds or the deer who inhabited the jungle, and having been surprised by the tigress, shot her in terror and self-defense, and then took off as fast as he could.

Both authors, however, agree upon the danger of leaving a wounded animal in the wild. Jim Corbett is more explicit on the irresponsible actions of a hunter who does not end an animal’s suffering.

An accidental shooting would explain why no attempt was made to follow the tigress after wounding, but it just as easily could have been an irresponsible hunter. Either way, it had dire consequences for those who lived in the Himalayan foothills. One does have to wonder if this person did become one of her victims. Note: I assert the poacher was a male not just because both authors do but because hunting was a decidedly male task.

Dane Huckelbridge asserts the Champawat Tiger had her own name in Nepal, from the village of Rupal where she killed her Nepalese victims. He takes a very idealized view of Nepal and Indian society in the area, which must be taken with some reserve because every society has a dark side.

While at times Dane Huckelbridge adopts a condescending tone towards those who lived during the events, the tone changes by the end of the book. Especially towards Jim Corbett who early in the book he insinuates is a fame-seeking social climber, but by the end, his tone has changed to neutral or even some admiration.

If anything, reading the books written by Jim Corbett show him to be a truly humble and self-effacing man who downplayed his merits such as his extraordinary skill in tracking and his remarkable marksmanship. He was universally reputed to be humble, honest, and well-liked by all who knew him, although also a solitary man.

I believe his pursuit of material comforts was driven by wanting to provide for his family and having suffered from deprivation as a child, he would naturally seek financial security. This is a normal human instinct. He had a special relationship with his sister Maggie, who I am guessing was close in age with him and one of his many siblings he was closest to. By special I am not insinuating anything other than his sister Maggie was also his best friend.

Reading the books by Jim Corbett himself are pleasant reads despite the rather unpleasant subjects of his story. Through the stories, you get to know the man himself. It’s easy to understand why the Indian Government after his death named a national park after him. Today the Jim Corbett National Park is a safe haven in north India for the Bengal tigers he so admired.

Guest Blogger i-Reid

I. Reid is an insatiably curious, overeducated homo sapiens-sapiens who much to the dismay of family and friends has never outgrown the why phase (or how phase if applied to how a thing works). As I. Reid is gainfully employed and considered a productive adult in polite society, I. Reid guest blogs on occasion guided by whatever is the curiosity of the nanosecond. Find her on the Wise Owl Site at https://www.thewiseowlfactory.com/guest-posts-by-i-reid/

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.

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Midwest Book Review Gives Nod to “Iconoclastic” Book

Title: Damn the Novel

Author: Amr Muneer Dahab
Publisher: AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
ISBN: 9781546271307

$23.99, Hard Cover, 160pp

Available on Amazon

Reviewed by Jim Cox originally for Midwest Book Review

In "Damn the Novel: when a Privileged Genre Prevails Over All Forms of Creative Writing" Dahab proposes that it is time to extend our reading arena outside the novel and narrative fiction.

As Dahab notes, life is profound and gorgeous; it deserves to be experienced beyond fantasy! So in "Damn the Novel" he asserts an overt condemnation of all forms of privilege granted to a literary genre over other writing genres.

Though "Damn the Novel" could be perceived as a vociferous cry against the novel per se, it is actually an objective view against the process of perpetuating the delusion that the novel specifically, and narrative fiction in general, should inevitably be the most dominating and influential literary trend.

GAmrcDahab,

"Damn the Novel" offers an exciting and challenging reading experience, through which the reader will be able to realize that it is time for literature to embrace a fresh literary atmosphere in which all genres are granted equality to get the same chance to flourish in total freedom without any literary sponsorship.

Critique: An iconoclastic, thoughtful and thought-provoking read from first page to last, "Damn the Novel: when a Privileged Genre Prevails Over All Forms of Creative Writing" is an extraordinary and inherently fascinating literary argument and one that will be of particular interest to writers and readers in general, as well as everyone and anyone who has ever wanted to write 'The Great American Novel' in particular. While very highly recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary Literary Studies, as well as Writing/Publishing collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Damn the Novel" is also available in a paperback edition (9781546271321, $13.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).

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Sunday, August 4, 2019

Jim Cox Offers "Mindful Reading": "Extraordinary...Insights"

The Art of Mindful Reading
Ella Berthoud
Leaping Hare Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
Publisher website: www.quartoknows.com
ISBN: 9781782407683

$14.99, Hard cover, 144pp

Reviewed by Jim Cox originally for Midwest Book Review

Jim Cox Offers "Mindful Reading": "Extraordinary...Insights"

SYNOPSIS:

The healing power of reading has been renowned since Aristotle; focus, flow and enlightenment can all be discovered through this universal act.

"The Art of Mindful Reading: Embracing the Wisdom of Words" by bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud embraces the joy of absorbing words on a page, encouraging a state of mind as deeply therapeutic and vital to our wellbeing as breathing.

"The Art of Mindful Reading" poses such questions as: If reading is our daily nourishment how best should it be consumed? How should you read mindfully? And why will reading mindfully help you to read better?

"The Art of Mindful Reading" deftly explores how reading mindfully can shape the person you are, give you your moral backbone, and teaches empathy with others. Through meditative exercises, engaging anecdote, and expert insight, "The Art of Mindful Reading" reveals the enriching potential of reading for mindfulness.

CRITIQUE:

As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "The Art of Mindful Reading: Embracing the Wisdom of Words" is an extraordinary compilation of insights into the impact literacy has upon character, how what we read shapes who we are. It also subtle underscores the tragedy of functional illiteracy -- that is, the cultural impoverishment of those who can read but choose not to. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Art of Mindful Reading: Embracing the Wisdom of Words" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.36).

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ella Berthoud is a bibliotherapist at the international School of Life, prescribing literary cures to readers everywhere. She is the co-author of "The Novel Cure" and "The Story Cure", and read English literature at Cambridge University. Residing in West Sussex, England, Ella regularly gives talks on reading ailments and mindful reading at bookstores and other venues.

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Sunday, July 21, 2019

Alex Phuong Reviews Carol Smallwood's Poetry

Title: Patterns
Subtitle: Moments in Time
Author: Carol Smallwood,. Cincinnati, Ohio
Genre: Poetry,
2019, 103 pp.,
$19.
Purchase on Amazon

Review by Alex Phuong originally for BookSmugglersDen

One of the most interesting features of life is patterns that exist all around the world. Clever designs prepend artistic merit to an otherwise mundane life. After all, life without vivacity is oftentimes monotonous. Patterns help people connect with one another because of the universal and fundamental fact that everything is interconnected because of the diversity that defines the world and its inhabitants. Therefore, Carol Smallwood's newest poetry collection, entitled, Patterns: Moments in Time, once again explores the sublime nature of reality that reveals how life can be truly extraordinary.

Smallwood organizes her poetic masterpieces with a prologue, three sections, and an epilogue that create a gestalt-like collection that proves that the entirety of her collection as a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Within the prologue, Smallwood addresses how “Driving Into Town” offers the idea of embarking on the mystical journey known as life itself. Life has been compared to traveling on a road that can be a bumpy ride metaphorically, but Smallwood suggests that reality can be like a cabaret, or as she puts it, “a cocktail party” (4). The classiness of an elegant party compares life to an experience that must be felt to enjoy what life can offer any given person. Therefore, Carol Smallwood immediately establishes her assertion that “moments in time” must be enjoyed since time is limited.

Smallwood reiterates the importance of time by acknowledging the cyclical nature of life. Her poem entitled, “A Dawn Trio” reveals how life operates like clockwork. Specifically, she capitalizes the phrases, “Dawn Comes” (1), “My Hands” (5), and “Every Morning” (17). The structure of this poem is similar to the doctrine of the Trinity because devout Christian believers believe that the purpose of life is serving with humility. Even though the “Dawn Comes” (1) daily, human hands must perform good work to add significance to an otherwise bland existence. The phrase “Every Morning” (17) emphasizes the fact that people who enjoy life will be able to “recall home” (24) since Earth itself is the only home. This “Dawn Trio” figuratively creates the daily circadian lifestyle that defines human existence and emphasizes how there is beauty in every day even though all people encounter bad days. Therefore, this powerful poem with a structured pattern suggests that life itself is beautiful no matter how bad life may seem.

The second part of this poetry collection, entitled, “In the Observing” demonstrates how people could observe patterns in both the natural world and their daily lives by simply looking around with their eyes. Patterns do exist in the world, and sometimes these patterns exist just because they exist. Specifically, the poem entitled “Carl Sagan Called Our Planet” openly exhibits one of the most puzzling questions about existence, which is, “what makes water blue?” (4). Smallwood then attempts to answer that question by reminding readers that young children might also ask, “why the sky's blue?” (6). This reply suggests that some patterns in the world might exist so that there is no need for an explanation. Maybe patterns exist just because they do, and all of the patterns in the world help create decorative elegance within an otherwise harsh and painful existence. Life can definitely be challenging, but big questions oftentimes have no easy answers, and should instead just be accepted for what it is (just like knowing life and loving life for what it is).

Alex Phuong Reviews Carol Smallwood's Poetry

The third section and epilogue of Patterns: Moments in Time emphasize the eponymous phrase through symbolic poetry. The third part is called, “Connections” and it contains poems that beautifully explore how patterns reveal the aestheticism within everything in the world and in life. Specifically, the poem “Select Moments” is actually similar to another poetry collection by Carol Smallwood, which is called A Matter of Selection. This beautiful poem contains the stanza "Surely if I stood tall as possible / Long enough, tried hard enough / there'd come some hints, some pattern? (18-20). The rhetorical question that concludes this poem directly relates to the importance of demonstrating sincere effort to live a meaningful life. Life itself is a matter of choices, as explored in A Matter of Selection, but Carol Smallwood uses this stanza to reveal how people would sometimes pursue their dreams while also confronting the anxiety associated with what the future holds. Sometimes choices lead to unintentional consequences, but that just shows how life is a process. People might make poor choices sometimes, but Smallwood suggests that there is no need to fret over making mistakes because of patterns that result from cause and effect. Therefore, causes and effects are essentially patterns that form from human behavior. Such an insightful examination of the way people act within moments in time ultimately create the patterns that exist all around them as they make choices based on their own matters of selection.

Carol Smallwood is truly a profound poet. Her previous poetry collections delve deep into what it means to be alive, which is what most writers hope to achieve when they create their own original works of written art. Smallwood's poetry offers insight into the connections that people in have along with their relationships with the world around them, and ultimately the entire universe itself. In Hubble's Shadow explores how people are compared to the unfathomable universe, and A Matter of Selection reveals how choices, both good and bad, really do determine the future. Once again, Carol Smallwood examines how human behavior establish patterns based on decisions they make within moments in time. Therefore, she has achieved fame as one of the most gifted and prolific authors in contemporary writing. Through simplicity and profundity, Smallwood's poetry examines what it means to be alive with audacity. Life itself is short anyways, so why not treasure moments in time? Carol Smallwood once again writes poetry that will hopefully inspire readers to re-examine what truly is beautiful in the world.

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Pages

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Dr. Wesley Britton Pay Attention to Women Who Helped Win WWII

Monday, August 26, 2019

A Travel Journalist Explores the Final Frontier: Death

Friday, August 23, 2019

Read Our Lips Reviewer Shares Fave with The New Book Review Readers

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Critique of Two Books About the Champawat Tiger: Man-Eaters of Kumaon and No Beast So Fierce

Critique of Two Books About the Champawat Tiger: Man-Eaters of Kumaon and No Beast So Fierce

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Midwest Book Review Gives Nod to “Iconoclastic” Book

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Jim Cox Offers "Mindful Reading": "Extraordinary...Insights"

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Alex Phuong Reviews Carol Smallwood's Poetry

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