KTBR - BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEWS

JIM'S BAHAMAS ADVENTURE by Stephen L. Blain

2007-02-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Publish America, LLLP, Baltimore
www.PublishAmerica.com
Genre: Travel Adventure Memoir
Rating: Average
ISBN: 1424158478, $12.95, 52 pp.

This short memoir of an adventurous group vacation is well written and an easy, fast read. I think the price of $12.95 is a bit high considering its length. If you are interested in a personal memoir about a group of men on three boats who take a sea voyage from West Palm Beach across the Devil’s Triangle to Freeport, Grand Bahamas and what they did while vacationing, then I can recommend it.

Stephen Blain is a good writer and tells this travel adventure with an upbeat flair.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - February 10, 2007

BEYOND THE VEIL OF INNOCENCE by D. L. Jones

2007-02-10T09:02:00.000-08:00

Beyond the Veil of Innocence
by D. L. Jones
Booklocker.com, Inc.
Genre: Inspirational Memoir
Rating: Good
ISBN: 1601450745, $13.95, 156 pp.

D. L. Jones had an amazing experience as a young boy, and I quote:

"Forty-two years ago when I touched an aluminum pipe to a high line wire, I died. I found myself in a very dark place with a light in the distance. When someone called out to me for the light, I went in to see whom it was. I met a friend I never knew I had. He told me many amazing things; he showed me many more."

Beyond the Veil of Innocence is an easy to read book: well organized, presented in an honest straight-forward manner, and the text is open, clean and designed for easy reading. While reading, I felt that D. L. Jones is a simple man with extraordinary life experiences who came to believe that it was time to tell his story. He does not present this material from a religiously fanatical perspective but with a spiritually inspirational attitude.

You may find his recollections of life after death interesting, along with his ideas about communication, energy and the soul. I can certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in true life stories and after death experiences.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - February 10, 2007

PET PEOPLE: SURVIVING THE ALCOHOLIC HOME WITH THE FAMILY PET by Lesley Anne Schaffer

2006-12-14T07:57:00.000-08:00

Aventine Press
1023 4th Ave #102, San Diego, CA
Genre: Memoir
Rating: Good
ISBN: 1593304250, $10.95, 112 pp.

About this book? . . . well, Lesley Anne tells it best: "Pet People - Surviving the Alcoholic Home with the Family Pet is a memoir of the 18 pets that have come into and out of my life over fifty years. It describes their loving presence throughout my upbringing in an alcoholic home and subsequent moves to Texas and New Mexico. I’ve written and illustrated this book for all the pet people out there who like their pets more than people but are too embarrassed to admit it."

This is a wonderful story, particularly if you’ve come from a dysfunctional family, which most of us have . . . to some degree. Lesley writes with an easy, honest style, and I do appreciate a book that is designed to be easily read–large dark print, open spacing and a unique font style (Comic Sans MS), which adds to the flavor of her story.

I would like to share several excerpts that were meaningful to me . . . from page 30:

"What I did learn through all this is that the human heart is capable of actually expanding when multiple pets occupy a place in it. When one pet passes on he leaves that part of your heart marked with his name forever. So the more pets you have in your life the larger your heart becomes. I’m not totally sure that the theory has ever been scientifically tested, but I know from life experience this it is so."

. . . and from page 36 . . . "This would be an excellent place for me to interject some important pet principles that I have learned over the years:

#1 Not every loose animal is lost
#2 You cannot rescue every lost animal
#3 Just because you rescue an animal does not mean you have to keep it."

This memoir will appeal to many of us dysfunctional pet lovers. Lesley Anne currently lives with her husband of 27 years (kudos to you), 3 dogs and 4 cats in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Congratulations!

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - December 14, 2006

RIDING WITH MISS LINDSEY by Jim Alexander

2006-12-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

American Book Publishing
orders@american-book.com
Genre: Memoir
Rating: Good
ISBN: 1589823591, $16.95, 105 pp.

About this book? . . . quoting from the back cover:

"Lindsey Alexander came into this world with Down syndrome and serious heart defects. Against the odds, she fought back to live sixteen joyous years with her family. This tender memoir written by her own father, celebrates the love and the laughter Lindsey brought to all who knew her, a compelling story about a remarkable young girl and a father’s love that you won’t want to miss. You’ll be glad you came along for the ride."

And that pretty much sums it up. However, you’ll need to read this memoir to learn about Lindsey–her life, loves, and what made her so special. Jim Alexander does an excellent job in creating this well-written memorial to his daughter.

This story would appeal to just about anyone, but I think it will be an inspiration to other families challenged by raising a special-need child. All profits from this book are donated to charities for special needs and pediatric heart patients.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - December 8, 2006

THE FAT LADY NEVER SINGS by Steve Reilly

2006-10-30T16:41:00.000-08:00

iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Rd, Lincoln, NE
www.iuniverse.com
www.TheFatLadyNeverSings.com
Genre: Memoir/Sports
Rating: Very Good
ISBN: 0595394671, $18.95, 228 pp.

Steve Reilly has coached baseball in Connecticut’s Lower Naugatuck Valley since 1976 and has assisted high school coaches for the past twenty years. He writes this true tale about defeat, dedication, perseverance and redemption using his extensive background and skills.

Three high school seniors–Gino, Ben and Donny–lose the Derby Hill School Red Raiders football game which broke the 28-year-winning streak, and think of themselves as marked losers, eventually finding redemption at the Middletown’s Palmer Field.

This memoir is well-written, edited and flows smoothly, and I’m certain will appeal to sports fans and anyone who likes a plain good inspirational story.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - October 30, 2006

MOMMY CONFIDENTIAL: ADVENTURES FROM THE WONDERBELLY OF MOTHERHOOD - A Memoir of Sorts by Melinda Roberts

2006-10-09T15:50:00.000-07:00

Mommy Confidential: Adventures from the Wonderbelly of Motherhood
A Memoir of Sorts
by Melinda Roberts
Aventine Press
http://www.lulu.com/content/420156
Genre: Parenting Memoir
Rating: Very Good
ISBN: 1593304358, $19.95, 502 pp.

Melinda Roberts certainly has a gift, and it’s wonderful that she’s taken the time to share it with us. Mommy Confidential is a compilations of family stories including: her children’s creative comments, a mother’s daily challenges and frustrations as she raises three active children, pursues a career, and deals with divorce and health issues. The memoir is considerable in depth and divided into seasons over a three year period–2002-2005–and then into days with catchy titles.

Allow me to quote from the back cover:
"Mommy Confidential: Adventures from the Wonderbelly of Motherhood is a naked, brutally funny, endearingly honest chronicle of family life beset by disaster on many fronts. Mindy keeps her family together through catastrophic illness, four bouts of postpartum depression, financial peril, familial Waterloo, and job instability. All through it her sense of humor and her sharp, edgy, witty writing keeps her together and upright. No, really."

That pretty much tells it like it is. It’s a book you can pick up, open to any page and find something to make you laugh or to which you can relate. Mindy’s sense of humor about life and living can’t help but inspire and lighten our loads just a little.

This diarylike memoir is well-written and well-edited but considerably long. I’m certain it will appeal to all parents . . . of all ages, but particularly to mothers.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - October 9, 2006

HOOKED ON A HORN - Memoirs of a Recovered Musician by Gene Hull

2006-08-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

Trafford Publishing
Victoria, BC V8T4P4 Canada
www.trafford.com
Genre: Memoir
Rating: Highly recommended
ISBN: 1412067219, $22.00, 261 pp, 2005

As I specialize in reviewing POD published book, I regularly receive memoirs–twenty-five in the past four months, to be exact. In addition, I have reviewed novels based on the true-life experiences of the authors: Clouds Are Always White on Top by Nolan Lewis, Battle Downunder by Charles Rush and Fears Flutterby by Rose Lamatt, to name a few. Memoirs are written for many different reasons: to share a problem, loss and insight with others; to help work through the loss of a loved one; to share travel adventures and aspects of different cultures; to purge one’s soul–confess our human foibles; and, in the end, to remember and immortalize one’s own life.

Hooked on Horn is indeed a memoir, but in many ways, so much more! It’s a sea adventure, a musical adventure, a small insight into our greatest jazz musicians in eras past, a family adventure, a mother’s pride for her son’s success. It is the story of a young man’s dream, begun at age 10, and his disciplined ‘alpha’ efforts to make that dream come true.

The parts of Gene Hull’s life that he has chosen to share about his professional musical journey are entertaining, educational, humorous, musically enlightening, heart wrenching, poignantly inspirational and presented with a creative flair. Gene has been in the music/entertainment field just about all his life. He has put together a number of bands, been on the road with big-name bands, conducted bands and produced shows. Prior to retiring, he produced award-winning productions and ice shows for Royal Caribbean International.

Several stories conjured up a tear or two. The first is about the 1962 Newport Jazz Festival. Gene’s group, the Jazz Giants–a band of ex-professional musicians who wanted to play interesting big band arrangements, was selected to be the guest opening band. This was their big opportunity! Allow me to quote several passages:

"Months zoomed by with extra rehearsals, arrangements being polished, new ones written, PR mailings to hundreds of jazz fans, stories and interviews in local papers, even radio interviews. Interest in us steamrolled. We were becoming a household name in Connecticut. . . .

"We kicked off our program at 8:00 PM. I don’t remember a note we played; it went so fast. But I do remember the brass section screaming out into the night with colossal fire. The saxes steamed together like bonded brothers and took their ensemble sound to another level. From our first note, the energy and drive poured over me, almost putting me in a trance. The band was like a locomotive. Get out of the way everybody. Here we come.

"The applause was generous from the sell-out crowd who had come expecting to see the famous. . . . In reality most every player had managed to play close to his best at the same time. A rare moment for us. I was proud to stand up there in front of this real band of brothers, who had laid it out for all to hear. This is who we are, world."

They were expecting the album from the 1962 Newport Jazz Festival to be their "big break." But, as fate would have it, all the tapes were spoiled by an electronic quirk. There would be no album, and ultimately, the Jazz Giants’s sound was lost with no ‘recorded’ history. If Gene was 12 in 1941 when he received his first saxophone, he would have been 33 in 1962.

The second story took place over forty years after that Newport Festival. Peter, one of Gene’s eight children, tracked down the live recording of the 1962 Festival and contacted the Library of Congress.

"The Gene Hull Orchestra, The Jazz Giants," had been recorded at Newport '62. A single CD could be assembled from the tape and made available with permission of the producer and for non-commercial purposes only."

Peter chose a family reunion in 2003 to present Gene with the CD of the live recording.

""Just looking at the packaged CD placed before me gave me a jolt like a sudden electric current. Shivers came right from the stomach. Then I completely lost it.

"Dad," my daughter Amy whispered, "why are you crying? I’ve never seen you cry."

"I don’t know."

But I did know. I was seeing my yesterdays. My grown children as wide-eyed little kids, asking me where I was going. And me telling them, "Straight up." The Jazz Giants rehearsing at Bill’s Castle. A boy sitting on a bus on a cold winter night, clutching his first saxophone wrapped in a pillow case. All the jazz concerts the band had played. Katherine Hepburn scolding me. Benny Goodman captivating me. Paul Whiteman berating me. Woody Herman and Duke Ellington making me feel humble. Las Vegas dazzling and disappointing me. The years with Damone. Elvis greeting me with such honesty. The miles of piled-up travel. And saying good-bye to a teary young family on the front porch, as I’d leave to seek fame and fortune on yet another road trip. . . .

I tried to tell my family that this CD was more than just a recording, that their lives were in it as much as mine. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t find the words. They knew.

We listened to the CD together. The sound of the band–its energy and musicality–far exceeded the memories I had parked away. Now suddenly the sounds were alive and bright again, clearer than ever.

The look on their faces was worth the struggling years. The kids understood at last why the Jazz Giants had been one of the most important musical accomplishments of my life, and appreciated what it took to create it.""

So, if that doesn’t grab you, you’re either dead or nothing will. I highly recommend this delightful, entertaining memoir. The second edition comes with the CD so that we too can enjoy the sound of the Jazz Giants.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - January 4, 2007

ERIC, MY SON . . . lost to drugs by Joanne Baker

2006-08-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

Llumina Press
7915 W. McNab Rd, Tamarac, FL 33321
www.llumina.com
Genre: Memoir
Rating: Average
ISBN: 1595265325, $14.95, 260 pp

To tell you about this book, first I will quote from the back cover–just as it is presented:

"This is a true story about a mother’s losing battle with her drug-addicted son and their many ups and downs through life. His story begins as a hyperactive child and progresses to a troubled, drug-addicted teenager. The book discribes the forces that drove him to take drugs. It talks about society, his genetic inheritence, and his parents’ failure. Eric was raised like a child in the fifties, his parents not realizing how dangerous the world had become by the eighties. Eric gave up drugs and alcohol for a year at a time, and everyone thought he would be fine. However, the temptation would never go away! His poor judgement, due to being slightly slow, always added to his problems. His family always gave him more credit than they should have. Perhaps it is hard for parents to face reality. They always want to believe their children are doing fine. His parents encouraged Eric to make his own decisions, but this led to many frightening situations; still no one thought his life would end the way it did. They always thought that some day he would find himself."

Based on what I have quoted, you can decide for yourself if this book is one you might want to read. If you are dealing with a similar problem, possibly the book may give you insights into the problem and support to let you know that you are not alone with the problem. The book is presented in a journal-like memoir fashion and may have been written to help the author work through her grief and the complexity of losing her son.

Eric, My Son is Joanne Baker’s first effort at writing a book--it's a long, hard process and a rich learning experience.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - August 3, 2006 - Copyright

PORTIONS OF A LIFE - Recollections & Reflections by Michael Fak

2006-07-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

Booklocker.com, Inc.
Genre: Autobiographical Memoir
Rating: Average
ISBN: 1591139694, $14.95, 248 pp

This book with its attractive cover is an autobiographical memoir presented in a reader-friendly manner. If you enjoy reading true-life memoirs, you’ll probably enjoy this book. It is just what the title says: recollections and reflections.

Allow me to quote from the back cover:

"This Anthology Includes - Angels on the Ninth Floor: Follow Mike and Sharon’s journal in reall time as new parents of a two-pound premature baby fighting for his life. Timothy didn’t breath for 5 minutes after being pulled from his mother’s womb and had an APGAR score of 1. This honest and compelling story is a lesson in hope and faith and eventual triumph.

Before it Was Wrigleyville: A new expanded version of the popular short story. Mike grew up in the shadow of Wrigley Field in the 1950s. This reverie makes you believe you were there with Mike in that marvelous neighborhood so many years ago."

Mike Fak currently lives in Lincoln, Illinois, with his wife and son. He is a freelance writer which a strong background in the writing field.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 29, 2006 - Copyright

IONE - CIRCA 1930 - One of the Damn Kids by Nolan Lewis

2006-07-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

Pen d’Oreille Press
PO Box 793, Ione, WA 99139
www.pendoreillepress.com
Genre: Historical Memoir
Rating: Very Good
ISBN: 0975508806, $11.95

This historical memoir is about the small town of Ione, Washington . . .
"In the Nineteen Thirties Through The Eyes Of One Of The Damn Kids, and not everyone saw it the same way as I.

"For the enlightenment of those who don’t know, Ione, Washington, was a town of 500 then, that has grown to 400 now, in the far north east corner of the state. Thirty miles farther north and we would be punctuating our sentences with "hey," twenty miles farther east and we would be advertising spuds on our license plates."

Nolan Lewis’s writing style has a Mark Twain flavor, and it doesn’t take much imagination to see similarities between Nolan’s misadventures and those of Huck Finn’s, and I quote:

"He would keep us after school for fighting, then let both sides of the fight go at the same time so I would have to defend myself again to get out of town to go home. The guys would blame me for telling the teacher and getting them in trouble and the fight would be on. Ida would tell the teach again the next day, and I was in trouble again for fighting.

After several of these, with threats getting more and more dire, the teacher decided to use corporal punishment. I don’t remember it applying to the others, but he made me bend over his desk and took out his favorite persuader. It was a piece of rubber hose about two feet long, which he applied liberally to my backside at the front of the room in front of the class.

If left me sore enough to not move easily, but I toughed it out for a couple of days until my brother say my bruises that went from my belt to the middle of my thighs. He told mom. She made me drop my pants and show her. She took me to school and made me drop my pants and show the teacher. She then informed the teacher that if he ever touched another of her kids she would come to school with a baseball bat and use it on him. My mother never used much profanity so it surprised me when she several times used references to his ancestry that inferred his mother was of the canine family. He must have believed her as life got a little easier. In fact I never saw the hose used on anyone else again either."

This little book is not just the history of Ione, Washington. It’s a true story of a hard-working family as remembered by the oldest son of four children, as they lived and played during those difficult times. If such stories are of interest to you, you can purchase this book from: www.pendoreillepress.com.

Nolan Lewis has traveled many miles but returned to Ione, Washington. Other novels by this author include Mauled, a humorous mystery, and his newest, Clouds Are Always White On Top, based on his WWII experiences while flying B-24s over Germany.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 27, 2006 - Copyright

THAT DAY IN SEPTEMBER by Artie Van Why

2006-07-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

Van Hughes Publishing
New York, NY - Lancaster, PA
www.thatdayinseptember.blogspot.com
http://www.artievanwhy.com
www.lulu.com/thatdayinsept
Genre: Autobiographical Memoir
Rating: Good
ISBN: 9781411683150, $9.95, 108 pp

That Day in September is a well-written memoir of Artie’s experience before, during and after September 11, 2001–why he was there, what he saw and did and how it affected him. Artie has also written the script for a one-man play with the same title which played in New York City, at the California Lutheran University, at the Celebration Theater in Los Angeles and then back to New York where it opened Off Broadway for a limited run.

Allow me to provide a sample of Artie’s writing, quoting from page 33:

""The middle floors of the tower blew outward in a massive inferno of bright orange flames and dense clouds of black smoke. Time stood still for just a second, as if we all were suspended in disbelief. In the next beat, pandemonium broke out. Screaming, panic, mass confusion. I, along with everyone in the street, just started running, literally running for our lives. Twisted metal, glass and other debris were raining down on us. I ran towards Fulton Street, thinking, at one point, that I was going to run right out of the loafers I was wearing. As I turned east onto Fulton, I slipped and fell to my hands and knees. Some people stepped on top of me, pushing me to the ground, and I thought for one brief moment, that I was going to be trampled to death. But I got back on my feet, started running and stepped on someone, myself. I remember running and saying out loud, "God save us all."

To my right, I saw a man scrambling to get under a van. He was dressed in a suit and was lying on his back, desperately trying to slither beneath the protection of the vehicle. I remember glancing at his face, and our eyes locked for one brief second. The look of sheer terror on his face was so contorted that I almost laughed out loud. I don’t know why I didn’t.""

And from page 84:

"During my limited lifetime, I’ve learned to accept, and not be ashamed of, who I am. I’ve learned to admit being powerless over some things. I’ve learned I don’t have to regret my past, or shut the door on it. I’ve learned to ask for help–from others and from whatever higher power this is beyond myself.

And now as I learn to live for today: I will remember all the goodness that we are capable of, that we displayed to ourselves and to the world. I will know what it means to show courage when I think of the men and women who died–while trying to help others live. I will know that only through feeling can healing begin. I will believe that those who are gone would encourage us to live. I will trust that they are smiling down on us as we each try the best we can to do just that. No, I will not forget what I lived through, what we all lived through, that day in September. And to honor those who are gone, I will not forget to live."

You decide for yourself.

Artie moved from New York to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, after the last New York production of That Day In September.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 26, 2006 - Copyright

HERETIC - Confessions of an Ex-Catholic Rebel by Jerome Tuccille

2006-07-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

iUniverse
www.iuniverse.com
www.jerometuccille.com
Genre: Autobiographical Memoir
Rating: Excellent
ISBN: 0595384293, $19.95, 240 pp, 2006

Heretic - a person who has a contrary belief/opinion to an orthodox religious doctrine. In other words, just about everyone, and I quote the author:

"Most practicing Catholics today are heretics in the technical sense of the term. They consider themselves to be cafeteria Catholics, accepting those tenets of their religion that make sense to them and rejecting those that don’t."

And from the back cover:

"Religious fanaticism and intolerance are perhaps the greatest evils afflicting the human race. Most of the violence in the world today and throughout history has been caused by major religions trying to exterminate those who don’t share the same beliefs."

Confessions of an Ex-Catholic Rebel - and will it wipe the slate clean? Whether God or no, now humanity knows as Jerry has shared with us his struggle between his Apollonian nature and his Dionysian sexual appetites.

Heretic is a down-and-dirty chronicle of Jerome Tuccille’s life from 1958 to 1970 and most interestingly, written from a second person point of view (POV)–rarely used. Most memoirs and autobiographies are written from the first person "I" POV. And what was the result of writing from the second person POV? First, it’s a refreshing change in a memoir from I, me, mine to you, you, your; second, the reader gets the feeling that the author is talking to himself–strange, unique, unusual; and third, per the author, it gave him some distance and perspective from/on the emotional and traumatic incidents in his life.

Jerry’s life was hard from the start–a childhood terrorized by neighborhood bullies, harsh Catholic nuns and tensions at home, largely due to his parents’ loveless marriage–and began to improve only after an uncle taught him to fight and defend himself. The author does a masterful job of weaving this tapestry of an Italian-American family’s history and his upbringing in the Bronx around and through his sexual and spiritual contemporary odyssey–describing his carnal activities with explicit honesty.

Allow me to give you a sample of Jerry’s writing and the second person point of view from pages 40-41:

"". . . Twenty-three hours later, you reached your destination: an Aussie version of the American frontier, complete with swinging door pubs and cowboys at the bar. You rented a room upstairs, stowed your satchel for the evening, and took your place at the bar between two barbarous-looking-cretins wearing filthy jeans, sweat-stained, broad-brimmed hats, and a three-month growth of hair on their lined and weathered faces.

"Garruf, yer flaggin mizzen pot piss-head faggot," said the first.

"Right on," you replied, ordering your first pint of the evening.

"Siddly queer poddly bitch, effen yer ask me," said his partner.

"Delighted," you responded.

Who were these toothless, unshaven, barbaric morons? What language were they speaking? Were these nincompoops actually questioning your manhood in their alien tongue? You were about to make some comments about the toxic genetic pool they had obviously sprung from when frantic gesturing from the next room caught your attention. You turned to see a well-dressed man about fifty waving you in his direction. At the table with him was a woman who was apparently his wife, and a younger man and woman close to your own age. The urgency of his hand action made you think twice about broaching the subject of your drinking companions’ genetic makeup, so you picked up your pint and left the barroom.

"Those are jackaroos, lad," the gentleman said when you reached his table.

"Jackaroos?"

"You must be a Yank. Here, have a seat with us. Jackaroos are like American cowboys. You don’t want to mess with them. They live on a ranch for three months at a time, with no women and no alcohol allowed. When the owner of the sheep station finally flies them to the nearest outpost of civilization after three months in the outback, there are three things they want to do."

Probably the same three things I want to do most of the time myself, you thought.

"First, they want a bit of a poke," he said, smiling apologetically at his wife and daughter. "Second, they want to get roaring drunk. And third, they want to have a punch-up with the nearest stranger. And you, young man, are the first Yank they’ve ever set eyes on, a strange and alien life form to them. They’ve never punched up a Yank before, so I wanted to get you out of there before they had a go at you.""

And throughout this memoir, you will discover that, indeed, these three things were exactly what Jerry enjoyed doing. He did discipline himself, however, to write, to meditate and to pursue his spiritual studies. And in closing allow to quote from page 233:

"A palpable weight lifted from your shoulders. For the first time in your life, you were truly at peace. This was your real spiritual calling. You were put here by a higher power to write, to do the best work you could, to turn within for guidance, to find inspiration and strength, to give thanks to your Creator for the talents he had given you and use them to the best of your ability. The search would never end; it wasn’t supposed to. No one had all the answers, and it was up to each of us to keep looking in the hope that we would find answers to some of the big questions as we grew older, understanding that we would never be fully satisfied until after we died . . . if then, maybe then. This was the only religion that made any sense to you. . . ."

And that is exactly what Jerome Tuccille did and continues to do–write. He is a consummate author with honed skills and a talent for telling the down-and-dirty truth about life. He has written more than twenty books, including the biographies of Donald Trump, The Hunts of Texas, Rupert Murdoch and Alan Greenspan.

As a memoir, Heretic is unique from multiple perspectives and to be savored for its quality of writing and craftsmanship. I highly recommend the book, but you must decide for yourself.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 22, 2006 - Copyright

TRAVEL TALES - Insights of a U.N. Inspector by A.B.M. Nurul Islam

2006-07-04T17:07:00.000-07:00

Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Rd - 515,
Parker, CO 80134
http://outskirtspress.com/traveltales
Genre: Autobiographical Travel Tales
Rating: Very Good
ISBN: 1598001698, $9.95, 88 pp, 2006

This small book of short stories by Mr. Islam, a Muslim from Bangladesh, about his prior occupation (1983-1999) and travels as a Safeguards Inspector for the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is very interesting. Safeguards is a verification system within the framework of international non-proliferation policy applied to peaceful uses of nuclear energy and entrusted to the IAEA. Inspectors work to meet the IAEA objective of timely detection of diversion of significant quantities of nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities.

The author writes with a simple honesty and sense of humor. Through his adventures, misadventures, temptations and celebrations he weaves threads of history, culture and religion, adding richness to the texture. Of course, his job is of particular interest, and I quote:

"Since Japan is quite far from Vienna and the round-trip airfare is somewhat expensive, our tours of duty are of necessity rather long–usually 4 weeks–to justify the costs. Once one get one’s biological clock adjusted (in my case it takes about a week), inspection life can be a rewarding experience if taken in the right spirit.

It is a kind of detective game that we play to check that nuclear materials are really present in the amount and characteristics as declared by the facility. The most difficult inspection are the annual stocktaking (physical inventory verification or PIVs in Safeguards jargon) in large bulk-handling facilities (i.e. facilities that deal with materials in powder or liquid form). Although we are not expected to become cozy with the facility personnel, a spirit of confrontation is also not warranted. Rather, when faced with a problem situation, effort is made by both sides to establish the truth. . . ."

I certainly would recommend Travel Tales - Insights of a U.N. Inspector to anyone interested in other countries, cultures and history.

Insha-Allah, Mr. Islam’s book will be a success and enjoyed by many.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 4, 2006 - Copyright

FORGOTTEN TEARS: A Grandmother's Journey Through Grief by Nina Bennett

2006-07-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

Booklocker.com
Genre: Autobiographical Grief Memoir
Rating: Average
ISBN: 1591137640, $12.95, 144 pp, 2005

This book is about Nina Bennett’s personal grief experience over the death of her granddaughter, Maddy Hodgdon, who died during childbirth. In this book she shares her knowledge as a healthcare professional (former childbirth educator and reproductive healthcare specialist) and she shares her inspiration as she works her way through the pain.

Nina wrote Forgotten Tears to help other grandparents with their personal grief while they try to help their bereaved child, and I think to help work through her own grief. Quoting from the back cover:

"Being a grieving grandparent means seeing your own child suffer and being powerless to help while experiencing the lack of support and understanding of your might-have-beens."

I personally don’t dwell on "might-have-beens," for I see no point, except to make oneself unhappy, but who am I? Life goes on and so must we. Nina Bennett certainly makes it clear that grieving is a very personal thing with no time limits.

The author currently works in the HIV/AIDS field, where she has been employed since the beginning of the epidemic. She lectures and presents workshops, both locally and nationally, on the psychological aspects of living with HIV.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 1, 2006 - Copyright

YOUNG FEMALE, TRAVELING ALONE by Anne-Marie M. Pop

2006-06-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

iUniverse, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, Ste 100, Lincoln, NE
http://www.neo-hippy.com
Genre: Fiction/General
Rating: Very Good
ISBN: 0595360246, $12.95, 156 pp, 2006

The author has classified her book as "General Fiction"; however, as it is based upon her seven-month backpacking experiences while traveling throughout Southeast Asia and India, I would modify that classification to: fiction/biographical travel adventure. Not everything in the book happened to the author but does happen in Asia. Allow me to quote from the back cover:

"Young Female, Traveling Alone tells the story of a successful western female in her late twenties, who is on the verge of serious depression and leaves her comfort zone behind, embarking on a backpacking journey throughout Southeast Asia and India.

On her journey, Anna discovers herself in different towns, beaches and mountains. She experiments with spirituality, drugs and rave parties. Following the loss of a close friend and the failure of a romantic relationship, in the underground rave scene of Goa, Anna roams around aloof, from one Indian town to another. Ultimately, she discovers that conversations with the locals bring insight to the search for her own identity in the world.

In the end, she learns that life is a long hard lesson, but a great gift worth living, despite the bumps along the way."

This is an inspirational story because it takes a lot of courage to leave ones comfort zone and to travel as Anna did. The author tells me that her target audience is young travelers, particularly women, interested in visiting Asia.

The book is written in a journal-like fashion and although the chapters or entries are very short, they are fascinating, intense and yet, simply written. Anne-Marie Pop is a good writer and there’s more depth to this story than just an adventure travel log. I will quote some passage from several chapters for your consideration:

"Anxiety - I couldn’t fall asleep. The mattress was too thin, and I could hear the cockroaches running around on the wooden floors. Four other women were lying down sleeping in the small room. The air was tuffy and humid. I was fidgeting and felt emotionally drained.

I had a thousand question in my mind–but no answers. How can there be so much poverty in this world? Nobody cares about the poor, only about the rich. Why are people in the West so unhappy? They live such a luxurious life. Why was I unhappy? I had everything I wanted, but no happiness. What would it take for me to be happy?"

"Under the Desert Sky - We had been riding the camels in the desert for three days. I could no longer sense the camel smell. I probably smelled like one. The guide, Raman, led us through the desert. He was riding the camel on one side, the way a dainty lady would. At times, he’d look behind. We followed him closely. He’d sing songs in Hindi or try to humor us. . . ."

We’d ride the camels in the hot sun a few hours during the day, and at night we slept under the sky. When it was time to eat, the guide set up a fire and cooked us chapatti and food. He’d first tie the camels’ front left foot with the back left foot and set them free to eat the dry desert grass. Then he’d make us chai and cook the food. Jose and I lay down on a blanket under a tree, waiting for the food."

"Goa - We arrived in Panjim. The driver opened the bus door, and I stepped down through the small crowd of rickshaw drivers gathered in front of the bus. It felt like a jungle–the predators eyeing me, like prey, waiting for the right moment to jump."

"Goa Trance - The crowd was beautiful. Their faces shone in the night, and their tanned bodies, covered in colorful hippie clothes, moved along with the music. They were free, free of expectations and judgmental thoughts. It was a diverse crowd coming together under the moonlight, letting go of all limitations and exploring the connection with the music.

The speakers cried out repetitive high-pitched sounds into the air, grouped together through a tribal rhythm. I felt goose bumps all over my skin. I do not know how to express what I experienced. I felt uplifted and transposed through the crowd. The rhythms made me want to scream and lash out."

"Epilogue - One thing I’ve learned in Asia is to let go of judgmental thoughts and surround myself with new ideas. I’ll leave it up to destiny to bring me to the right path, the path of happiness for which we all strive. After all, maybe we aren’t supposed to be happy. Maybe we will never be. Humans have complex feeling that are hard to satisfy, and I’ve learned to accept this.

I now try to live a peaceful life and look for happiness in small things, like grocery shopping and short walks. I no longer take drugs or drink alcohol, and I believe in peace of mind. I often think about my spiritual journey through Asia, and I feel blessed to have experienced it."

I highly recommend this informative, inspirational and honest adventure story.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 30, 2006 - Copyright.

ELEVEN YEARS AFLOAT by Peter Haase

2006-06-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

Instantpublisher.com
http://haasebooks.blogspot.com
http://peterhaasebooks.blogspot.com
http://readmybooks.blogspot.com
email: peterhaase@adelphia.net
Genre: Autobiographical Sea Adventure
Rating: Very Good
ISBN: 1598721895, $21.95, pp 308, 2005

A story about sailing, a survivor - a hard-nosed practical man, not heroic perhaps but still, in his own way . . . courageous.

This book is about a man living his dream. What makes his story and this book so special and an inspiration to other dreamers is that Peter was fifty-seven when he made the decision to cross his Rubicon--to take a decisive and irrevocable step. Quoting from page 195:

""My life, from school to retirement, has not been one straight line. There were bends and curves and detours. The end of World War II left me at the age of seventeen without a clear view or idea of my future. After trying my hand at repairing dentures in a dentist’s laboratory and closer to my ancestral roots, I learned the fur trade in Frankfurt, and then I functioned as a fur salesman in my father’s failing business. When the opportunity to emigrate presented itself in form of a letter from a distant relative, I did not hesitate and shipped out to Ecuador, South America. For two years my work had to do with importation of industrial goods and heavy machinery, before going into business on my own. Three years of traveling through the country followed, selling or trying to sell, anything and everything, including kitchen sinks.

"In 1960, married and with a daughter, I took up residence in New York. After a year and a half with an automotive parts import firm, I joined a Far East company. For twenty-four years I worked in the Foods Division of the New York office of one of the largest trading concerns in the world.

"At the age of fifty-seven and divorced I accepted an early retirement offer. In a short speech at my farewell reception, I pointed out, "I am not retiring, I only change my life style." I embarked on a life on the ocean, a life of as much freedom as it was possible to find. The sea has represented that freedom for me since childhood.""

Peter wrote about his first sea adventures in Call of the Sea which chronicles his experiences as crew on several boats. He purchased his own twenty-eight-foot 1980 Bristol sailboat on August 19, 1986, and named her TRITON 3. This book is full of his everyday challenges, but I would like to quote some passages from the chapter titled One Thousand Solitary Miles:

"I must admit, I did have butterflies in my belly. Doubts kept creeping up in my mind, questions whether I had overlooked some important factor in my calculations, about the courses and the distances. Again I asked myself: will I have the stamina, will I be able to endure the physical and mental stress, the solitude? Am I equipped for bad weather? How about places to replenish water, food and fuel, or get parts if something breaks down? And the biggest concern of all: would the Diesel make it all the way to Florida? . . . "

"The two most exciting moments in long distance sailing were for me the departure and the arrival. On the one hand there is the anticipation of adventure when the last anchor breaks loose from the bottom and the boat is free, and on the other, the great feeling of accomplishment when the anchor goes down at destination. . . ."

"My body felt numb, a humming ran through my limbs, like a mild electrical current. There was a trembling in the nerves of my arms and legs. My hand was shaking when I lifted a bottle of fruit juice to my lips. As I stood at the stove, preparing a bowl of larmen, Japanes noodle soup, my knee did not stop twitching. I sat down to fill in a page in my logbook, but I could not control the pen. After a while, sitting in the cockpit with the logbook in hand, I figured out how long it had been since I last slept. That was at Six Shilling Cay. I woke up at eight that morning, 4 June; now it was the 6th, seven o’clock in the evening. That’s fifty-nine hours. Fifty-nine hours without sleep!"

Peter’s not quite a Tristan Jones but close, and actually, he’s of more interest to us in some ways because he was just an average guy with a dream who started to follow that dream late in life. He sailed for eleven years on his TRITON 3. Not all his dreams came true, such as retiring in the Virgin Islands. He decided, "Make your Paradise where you are, wherever that may be." He returned to Stuart, Florida, and sold the TRITON 3. In closing I would like to quote from page 289:

"In the morning I drove to a spot near the St. Lucie Inlet. I knew he was going to sail the boat to Fort Lauderdale. TRITON 3, no longer mine, sailed past me into the ocean. She was a beautiful sight. The mainsail was up, the Genoa unfurled, but the engine was driving the boat on this totally calm morning. Sean and a friend of his were on board. I did not let them see me. When the top of the white sail disappeared behind the jetty I turned around and went back to my car. I was surprised that not a single tear came to my eyes."

Tears may not have come to his eyes, but they came to mine. I have quoted passages to give you an idea of Peter's writing style. You won’t be disappointed if you like true-life sea adventures, and you can purchase this book by contacting Peter directly at peterhaase@adelphia.net.

In addition to Eleven Years Afloat and Call of the Sea, Peter has written a novel, When Love is Not Enough, published this year. His most recent book, Rostock, City by the Sea - The Story of a Young German, should be available very soon.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 25, 2006 - Copyright

MEMOIRS OF MY LIFE AND YOURS by Karlene Hunt

2006-06-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

Memoirs of My Life and Yours
-Using the Issues of Life to Shape our Destiny
by Karlene Hunt
BookSurge, LLC
www.booksurge.com
Genre: Inspirational Memoir
ISBN: 1419626159, $10. 99, 78 pp, 2006

Karlene Hunt was born in St Ann, Jamaica. Her family moved to the United States in 1983. In this book Karlene shares some of her life, personal problems and observations with us, but more importantly, she shares her inspiration which is grounded in her belief in God and the teachings of the Bible. Allow me to quote some from the back cover:

"How do you navigate a relationship through the rough patches? How can you raise your children to respect themselves and trust God? And how can you live the way God intended to you live? Hunt’s advice is practical, inspirational and right on target. Tune out inappropriate media. Nurture the body and soul with the right food and the right thinking. Parent so you produce children who will honor God, and always rely on the Bible as your ultimate teacher."

From this short paragraph, you can decide for yourself whether or not this book is for you.

As constructive criticism, I would suggest that Karlene have her book proofread and edited by a professional editor. In addition, as writing is a craft and writers work to hone their skills, I recommend she add the following three books to her writing tool box: The Chicago Manual of Style - 15th edition, The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E. B. White and The Wordwatcher’s Guide to Good Writing & Grammar by Morton S. Freeman.

Readers will forgive an error or two but soon lose patience with a writer who hasn’t taken the time to study and learn the basics.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 20, 2006 - Copyright

THE FIRST LADY OF MUSIC by C. Yvonne Hooper

2006-06-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

The First Lady of Music
by C. Yvonne Hooper
Southern Belle Publishing
www.compellingbooks.com
Genre: Fictional Memoir
ISBN: 1591339627, $13.95, 180 pp, 2006

To begin, allow me to quote from the back cover:

"The First Lady of Music is the riveting story of the formation of the Rousseau family dynasty, which was spearheaded by the dashing young Frenchman, Alexandre Rousseau and his beautiful young Italian wife, Angelica Romano Rousseau. Together, they created a family of beautiful, ambitious, and remarkable children, which included the stunning and exotic superstar vocalist, Massina Rousseau, a gorgeous and immensely talented singer who endures numerous tragedies and life-altering losses to become one of the most successful performers in history."

My feeling while reading this book was: these fictional people are too beautiful, too wealthy, too talented and too successful for me. The story is written from a first person point of view, Massina’s, in a chronological memoir fashion. If it were a true biography, it might be of more interest, but I do not understand why the author chose to write in this manner about a fictional person. I would describe her style of writing as straight forward and the book is well edited. It would make a good read if you like biographies about fictional characters. The front cover designed by Julia L. Dungan is an eye-catcher and one of the best features of this book.

C. Yvonne Hooper is an aspiring novelist from Tappahannock, Virginia. You can find her books at www.compellingbooks.com.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 13, 2006 - Copyright

[REFUGE]E by Adnan Mahmutovic

2006-06-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Self-Published by A. Mahmutovic and A. Osmancevic
c/o Werk, St Eriksgatan 72, 113 20 Stockholm, Sweden
www.refugeebook.com
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN:9163166690, $12.95, 95 pp, 2006

This book is a collection of short stories and poetry about Bosnian refugees in Sweden. The main character in the stories is a woman named Almasa, and I quote from the back cover:

"Almasa, a woman already not young, a woman daily growing less Bosnian but not becoming more Swedish, a woman with irrepressible memories of violence, a woman looking for intimacy and home, writes, ‘It didn’t happen in a day. It wasn’t a spontaneous reaction of anguished souls that rushed into our homes like starving dogs to devour our provisions. Nothing like that. At least not in my hometown. Bosnia is a small country, but the war had many faces. The stories of its every man, woman and child make a ladder to the moon of suppressed memories.’"

And to continue from the book:
"Everything started off by renaming and prefix-ation. Grounding cliches of war. The word ‘Serbian’ was annexed to our mother tongue and with it, to everything else as in an avalanche. The names of streets and municipal buildings mutated. Houses of other nationalities were emptied one-by-one, or in smaller clusters, on a daily basis by so called Serbian soldiers. I say ‘so-called’ because until just a year or so before the havoc, everybody was Bosnian. The Serbs were in Serbia as the Swedes were in Sweden. Or perhaps I’m a misinterpreter. Now proposals were put forward that people be labelled by their nationality (as Jew, Gypsies, Poles, and some other not so long ago). Suddenly the word Muslim became a nationality-marker. My father would just mutter, ‘Ridiculous’ at any such thing and go on with his silence. It was a ghostly sight, to see my father bitter and silent.

The aggressors, themselves beside tanks armed with rotten reasons, knew we had no weapons, having confiscated the few hunting rifles that had been gathering dust in people’s cellars. In the middle of it, we were still busy furnishing our house and working in fields. Even the bloody footages from places all over Croatia, followed by Sarajevo, and other Bosnian cities, towns and villages, could not make us believe the war was really here to stay. At least till we were gone.

Firstly, men who would not join the party and kill Croatians lost their jobs and consequently, so did their wives. Next came a curfew. Students were being harassed in schools. Going to the market to buy vegetables meant risking a beating. Still, nothing could make us believe it all was more than just an ephemeral whim of a malevolent wind.

It went on. Frequent raids. Taking a few men every day to test the pliability of bats and batons, to examine how severely you could be insulted and humiliated. Razing of the mosques and burning down a house or two per night. They would drive by like American ghetto gangsters, shooting, drifting around like a materialized scarecrow message: your house could be next.

So little by little, people put on their best shoes, packed what a pair of calloused hands could carry, and fled for their lives. Some walked forest corridors. Others were stuffed into dusty old buses and transported abroad to the beneficent countries that sheltered refugees from the Balkans.

This is how I became a ‘run-ee’ or run-away-ee’, as we nicknamed ourselves.

Take care.
Almasa"

I have quoted Almasa’s letter from Chapter VII, Red Cross Message–Unadulterated, because it is the heart of these stories and also, because it is a poignant example of how, even today, such tragic things can happen, that evil does exist . . . and that no place, no town, no city and no country is immune to technically organized evil.

We choose to suppress unpleasant memories and move on with life, but it is important to remember evil does exist and is just waiting for the right opportunity. You may not believe it could happen to you or us, but many great civilizations and governments have passed away, and if we do not pay attention, so may we.

Through Adnan’s little stories you will catch a glimpse and feel for life as lived by these Bosnian refugees. He’s a good writer and is telling us something we need to hear . . . remember: pay attention to what’s happening around you and never take for granted the life and freedoms we enjoy.

To get more information or to purchase this book, please go to:

http://www.refugueebook.com or write to adnan.mahmutovic@yahoo.se. Adnan will send the book anywhere, shipment free, media mail for 6.99 pounds or $9.99.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 13, 2006 - Copyright

CALL OF THE SEA by Peter Haase

2006-06-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

Call of the Sea
by Peter Haase
Jawbone Publishing Corp
2907 Paddington Way, Kissimmee, FL 34747
www.Jawbonepublishing.com
Genre: Autobiographical Sea Adventure
ISBN: 1590940873, 245 pp, 2005

This is an autobiographical memoir of one man's success at changing a lifestyle and following a dream. I quote from the back cover:

""Peter Haase has always been fascinated with the ocean and with sailing. At the age of 57, he was at last able to fulfill his childhood dream. Early retirement from a major trading company in New York allowed him to emback on a life on the sea.

He had an opportunity to sail around the world in a 42-ft. ketch. However, her owner gave up after a month of island hopping in the Caribbean. Peter was unwilling to return to New York. "I am changing my lifestyle," he had announced to his co-workers when he retired. And that lifestyle was sailing!

From April, 1985, to May, 1986, Haase sailed on several boats, grew his sealegs, and learned to sail, work, and live on ocean yachts. In Call of the Sea, he shares his experiences - the boats, the weather, the islands and the people he encountered.

After 14 months on boats in various conditions, in good and bad weather, with an assortment of people and two shipwrecks, Haase realized he must have his own boat in order to pursue a life on the sea.

He found and bought the perfect boat on which he lived and sailed for 11 years. His second book, Eleven Years Afloat, is an account of his adventures, based on the logbooks of his sailboat, TRITON 3.

Haase lives in Stuart on the east coast of Florida, where he remains near the water that he loves.""

If you enjoy true sea adventures, you’ll enjoy Peter’s book. If you have a dream of your own, his story will be an inspiration. The book is well-written, in an honest and simple style.

Other books by Peter Haase include When Love is Not Enough, a novel published in April of 2006.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 12, 2006 - Copyright

EMOTIONAL BONDAGE by Deb Raffo

2006-06-08T13:49:00.000-07:00

Emotional Bondage
The Quest for Peace
by Deb Raffo
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker - 515, Parker, CO
Genre: Spiritualism
ISBN: 15998003275, $14.95, 204 pp, 2006

This is a story about Donna, a woman who was molested at age five and grew up in an alcoholic family. The young girl had absolutely no sense of self-esteem and was easily drawn to drugs and became drug addicted. Most of the story is about her teenage and early adult years.

The book is divided into Donna Past: The Girl and Donna Present. When the author is writing about Donna’s past, she refers to her as ‘the girl’ and when writing about Donna’s present, she refers to her as Donna. There is a considerable gap between her early adult years and Donna at age 45 who has a son Doug of college age.

Toward the end of the story, Donna Present, has a spiritual experience which changes her life and she tells her therapist, "Well, it’s gone. The dread, the uneasiness, gone, all gone, Mike. It started a few months ago with these words, and like these feelings, they were surreal, bright, and they would creep in my mind and kind of talk to me. This is why I thought I was going crazy, Mike."

Donna believes that the pain was necessary to arrive at a higher level of consciousness. "I would not have this higher level of being. Therefore, to all those skeptics I can now say that I am blessed yes I am blessed. Yes thanks to God I am blessed."

The author writes insightfully about the confused feelings of a young girl with no self-esteem who is looking to be accepted and loved. And who isn’t? I felt the leap from Donna’s late teens to age 45 was abrupt. As a constructive criticism, I would suggest that the author use italics for internal thoughts instead of quote marks or no marks at all.

This is Deb Raffo’s first novel, and I wish her much success with her writing.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 8, 2006 - Copyright

The Tattered Tapestry - A Family's Search for Peace with Bipolar Disorder by Tom Smith

2006-06-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

The Tattered Tapestry
A Family’s Search for Peace with Bipolar Disorder
by Tom Smith with Kevin & Karla Smith
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road, Ste 100
Lincoln, NE 68512
http://www.iuniverse.com
http://www.karlasmithfoundation.org
Genre: Nonfiction/Memoir
ISBN: 0595361374, $18.95, 224 pp, 2005

This book is a memoir written by: Tom Smith--the father of Karla Smith who took her own life on January 13, 2003 after six years of dealing with bipolar disorder, Kevin Smith–her twin brother who kept a chronological log of her manic behavior and activities, and Karla Smith herself as she tries to tell us about her illness.

As you can imagine, the six years of illness and the loss of Karla have been very difficult, trying, heartbreaking years for this family, and The Karla Smith Foundation has been created to provide hope to families and friends of anyone with a mental illness or who has lost a loved one to suicide.

About the book itself, it is one of the better-written books I have read on the subject of bipolar disorder. Many such books are written by the care givers and deal with their problems, frustrations and pain. What I found of particular interest was Karla’s writing and I quote from Chapter 4 - Karla Speaks For Herself:

""In all the memoirs of mental illness that I’ve read, each author at some point laments that it is impossible to really describe acute depression (or mania, or schizophrenia); the experience itself defies words. This is discouraging. But I want this problem to be a theme of my book, directly addressed and worked through: the very impossibility of writing what I am trying to write. Similar to the experience of an acute episode itself, the causes of the illness are equally elusive. I have to remember the truth that William Styron, in his book Darkness Visible, so plainly declares: "I shall never learn what ‘caused’ my depression, as no one will ever learn about their own. To be able to do so will likely forever prove to be an impossibility, so complex are the intermingled factors of abnormal chemistry, behavior and genetics." There is no accounting for why mental illness strikes some and not others. As Styron says, "Bloody and bowed by the outrages of life, most human beings still stagger on down the road, unscathed by real depression. To discover why some people plunge into the downward spiral of depression, one must search beyond the manifest crisis–and then still fail to come up with anything beyond wise conjecture."

I am so captivated by Styron’s book because it combines the details of his own story with more generl discussions of important questions surrounding mental illness. If this book were widely read in the ‘90's, as I have heard it was, then he has contributed crucial understandings to those who have never suffered from severe depression; for example, he argues that the stigma and shame commonly attached to suicide, the frequent assumption that the person must have been weak, is just ridiculous and must be replaced by a more sympathetic awareness that a person commits suicide because the psychic torment is simply too much to endure.

Like Styron, I want to include some critical comments about the larger world, using examples from my own life as starting points. For example, I want to question the capacity of any institution to administer carefully and correctly to the patient suffering from mental illness, and instead of proposing mere reform, I’d like to envision a completely radical method of treatment (still working out the details of this in my head). I also want to situate my story within a larger sociological framework: growing up in an American, upper-middle class, religious family, with pressure to succeed, and I want to express the "depression-inducing" elements of those circumstances (while still refusing to name a singular cause of my illness). But my story also visits the impoverished underside of society and I especially want to point out the vast difference between hospitals for the rich and for the poor. Along similar lines, I want to look at gender: I want to show how it does, at least partially, make sense that my brother did not suffer depression but I did; how it works in adolescence that so much of a girl’s self esteem is derived from her looks and attention from boys, and how hard it is to out-grow this; and drawing largely on Showalter’s amazing book The Female Malady, how frailty, dependence, and even madness have been linked with the Western conception of woman since Aristole.""

Karla Smith was a beautiful, intelligent, gifted, well-read young woman, and the above quote is just a small sample of her writing, insight, and plans to write about her illness. In another piece which she titled ‘To Whom It May Concern’ and in which she tries to encourage others with similar problems to find gratitude and to "rise from the ashes" I quote:

"So perhaps you spend most of your time alone, thinking endlessly, and trapping yourself in those thoughts. Most likely there are people who are concerned for you, and stand by helplessly as you grow more and more isolated. You are tired of their trite pick-me-ups, and hollow suggestions, and sugary anecdotes. They ask what they can do to help, and they offer words that do not penetrate your thick cloud. Tell one of these friends that you do not really want to talk, but that it would help you to be with him or her, perhaps to read in the same room, or do some cooking, or watch a movie. Maybe you need to get out of your usual environment, so ask if you could come over and spend some time doing your own thing as their home. The end of the day will be different than the end of most days. You can say to yourself that you did something today; you shared something sacred with a friend."

Besides the personal insights shared by Karla, her father Tom and her brother Kevin, this book will also inform you about suicide which is the leading cause of violent deaths worldwide, outnumbering homicide and war-related deaths.

If you want further information about bipolar disorder and mental illness, I suggest that you visit The Karla Smith Foundation website.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 7, 2006 - Copyright

TERRORIST IN OUR MIDST (A Memoir)

2006-06-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Terrorist in Our Midst (A Memoir)
by The Stone The Builder’s Rejected
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Rd - 515, Parker, CO
http://outskirtspress.com/terroristinourmidst
Genre: Autobiography
ISBN: 1598005324, $11.95, 156 pp, 2006

This book is one woman’s effort to express her concerns about the health and welfare of America and its political and terrorist problems. Her belief that there are terrorists affecting her personal life stem from a disagreement she had with a young black male who said he would help scan a book she had written into her computer and then didn’t follow through. This is where the problem began.

As far as writing quality and style, there are no chapters . . . just a continual stream of thoughts, and it would be my recommendation that this book be professionally edited with regards to grammar, spelling and punctuation. In my experience of reviewing POD published books, I find the majority to be well written and edited. This book, however, is an exception.

Quoting from the back cover: "They’re heeeere! Yes, the terrorists are here. Let in by this right-wing administration. For love of an oil deal, Bush, Cheney, Haliburton and the right-wing let in the anti-Saddam terrorists forces."

From that statement you can decide for yourself if you want to read this book; however, I cannot honestly recommend the book and my opinion is based primarily on the quality of writing.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 2, 2006 - Copyright

FLASHBACK An actor's life by David Barry

2006-05-31T09:15:00.000-07:00

Flashback
An actor's life
by David Barry
Authors OnLine Ltd
19 The Cinques, Gamlingay, Sandy
Bedfordshire, SG19 3NU, England
Genre: Autobiography
http://www.carelesstalksoap.btinternet.co.uk
ISBN: 0755202260, $14.95, 192 pp, 2006

Are you interested in the real life stories of real live actors? If you are and are particularly interested in British actors, you’ll certainly enjoy David’s story. It is a book about significant events and people in his acting career of almost fifty years including theatre, film and television.

The basic format of this autobiography is somewhat of a journal which he started in 1998 when he agreed to be in the Bill Kenwright production of Funny Money which toured for 16 weeks and is described as "The Tour from Hell." Scattered throughout this journal are flashbacks about his childhood experiences while touring Europe in the play Titus Andronicus with Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. David was fourteen at the time, and it was the summer of 1957 when Peter Brook’s bloody production had people fainting in their seats.

David starred as Frankie Abbott in the hit television sitcoms Please, Sir! and Fenn Street Gang in his early twenties. If I were a theatre goer and more familiar with British entertainment, I’m sure this book would have been more meaningful to me. As I am familiar with Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, I found the flashbacks about the group's tour through Europe to be of particular interest.

David Barry is a very talented man and his writing is a natural extension of his talents. The autobiography is well-written, entertaining and I’m certain will appeal to his fans. I do hope he will write another book with more personal information about himself–his talents, how he studied and prepared, his goals, his family, the problems and realities of living an actor’s life, and how one finds the faith that there will be another play . . . when the tour has finished.

In addition to Flashback, the author has written Each Man Kills. Thank you, David, for sharing part of your life with us.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - May 31, 2006 - Copyright

KNOW ME TOMORROW by Michael Shocket

2006-05-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

Know Me Tomorrow
Michael Shocket
United Press Ltd
Genre: Autobiographical
ISBN: 1844360784, 216 pp, 2004
Availabe through Amazon, UK; Gardners, UK; and for $15 payable to Mailabook, 14 Millennium Wharf, Rickmansworth, Hert., U.K. WD3 1AZ

Michael Shocket wrote The Binding of Isaac which I reviewed earlier this year and which I included in my 'In Search of Excellence POD Book List'. He has a marvelous sense for writing and it doesn't seem to matter what he writes about. Of all the books I've read this year, Michael's writing speaks to me in a way I cannot describe, nor do I understand just what it is about his writing that is so unique and appealing. He has an intimate, casual tone (not quite as intimate and casual as Stephen King's, but similar) with spurts of humor, drama and a strong sense of sexuality. His honesty, human foibles and compassion ring true and clear, and I feel blessed to know something of this man through his writings.

This memoir is an exceptionally well-written autobiography which moves back and forth between now and then, from taking care of his wife Irene's daily/nightly needs as he slowly loses her to the Lew Body Disease . . . to his own personal history, extended family, childhood, adolescence, wartime and marriage.

I have read several books this year in which the authors have shared their experiences about taking care of loved ones who had some form of dementia--Fears Flutterby by rm Lamatt and The Bipolar Dementia Art Chronicles by Lynne Taetzsch--and I thank them for taking the time to write their stories and give us some realistic insights into the difficulties and frustrations which arise in dealing with such problems. What is clear in Michael's story is how deeply he loved his beautiful wife, and although it is heartbreaking to lose one's beloved in such a manner, how fortunate for Michael to have loved so deeply for so long in one's lifetime--a truly poignant love story. He was truly blessed . . . and continues to be so with his daughters and grandchildren.

If you are interested in this wonderful writer, you might want to read my March review of The Binding of Isaac. You can also find out more about Dr. Michael Shocket in my Authors Interview link. He has recently completed another novel which as yet has not been published.

Thank you, Michael, for the signed copy, and it is now part of my lst edition book collection.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - May 12, 2006 - Copyright

SHUNKA WAKAN, A HORSE FOR MY SPIRIT by C.S. Jennings

2006-05-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

Shunka Wakan, A Horse for My Spirit:
The Story of My First Years As a Wild Horse Adopter.
How It Changed My Life and Shunka’s.
C.S. Jennings
Booklocker.com, Inc.
Genre: Personal Journal
ISBN: 1591138639, $16.95, 204 pp, 2006

This book is C.S. Jennings’s personal journal of a dream come true–her adoption of a BLM Mustang. She states at the beginning of the journal what it was written with no thought of publication and that she chose to do very little editing. She say that this is not a how-to book but just a simple sharing of her experiences during the first year of working with Shunka Wakan.

It is, however, a very informative book as she shares her training methods which evolved from several sources. C.S. Jennings was 59 when she made the decision to adopt and work with a wild Mustang. She has published the book with the hope that it may inspire others to make their dreams come true.

If I were to make one constructive criticism of the book, my suggestion would be to have if proofread for typos, spelling and grammar errors. If it’s worth publishing for others to read, it’s worth taking the time; and I think the information in this book is worth making such an effort.

If you like horses and are interested in training wild ones, you’ll probably enjoy this book.

C.S. Jennings lives with her husband, grandson, two cats, some chickens, and two BLM Mustangs on a farm in Southern Illinois. She has written mysteries, and this is her first nonfiction book.

Reviewd by Kaye Trout - May 11, 2006 - Copyright

I NEVER LOOKED FOR MY MOTHER AND OTHER REGRETS OF A JOURNALIST by Joseph P. Ritz

2006-05-08T09:10:00.000-07:00

I Never Looked for My Mother
And Other Regrets of a Journalist
Joseph P. Ritz
Booklocker.com, Inc.
Genre: Autobiographical
ISBN: 1591138795, $14.95, 184 pp, 2006

This book is a memoir of short stories from the life of Joseph P. Ritz. He is an award-winning journalist, published author and playwright. He has a rich and varied background which adds to the interest, quality and humor in this book.

I think what impressed me the most about his life growing up was the impact the Catholic church had on his thinking and in particular on his ideas about sexuality and sinfulness. It’s nice to know, judging from the number of children he sired, that he finally figured out the mystery for himself.

If you enjoy memoirs of interesting people who were involved in historical events, want to experience the challenges of growing up in another time with dysfunctional parents and are interested in knowing something about the newspaper business, I’m certain you will enjoy the author’s story.

Other books by the author include The Despised Poor.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - May 8, 2006 - Copyright

HELP ME, I'M IRISH! by Ray Hamill

2006-05-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

Help Me, I’m Irish!
A Book About the Non-Meaning of Life
Ray Hamill
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Rd - 515, Parker, CO, USA
outskirtspress.com
Genre: Biographical
ISBN: 1932672486, $16.95, 326pp, 2004

This book is a memoir in form, whether true or fictional, with short stories from here and then. My favorites are of Eamon McCann’s misadventures with his young, creative friend Eugene during their summers spent at Donabate–running away to Africa at age eight to live like Tarzan, building their raft, recovering golf balls from the ponds to sell for candy money.

Ray Hamill makes his living as a journalist in Arcata, California and has a gift for humor. He writes a good Irish vernacular and some Australian, shares some Irish words with us such as craic (fun) and eejit (fool) and curses a bit here and there. His style is open and honest, easy and creative . . . enjoyable to read.

As I am interested in other people’s insights into life, the heart of this book to me are his conversations with Arty. As Eamon thinks again of running away, I quote:

"Sometimes I feel like there’s too many idiots surrounding me, suffocating me. And I hear little honesty, Arty, not in a long, long time, and it makes me wonder if running away wouldn’t be a better option. And sometimes I lie awake at night and I look out the window, and on a clear night you can see forever and what seems like a billion stars, some of them long since having extinguished themselves but still somehow shining down on us. And I think to myself that in the great scheme of things we’re less significant than an iota of a smidgen of an amoeba of a single hair on the back of a flea’s arse, and we can’t even get that right. We still mange to fuck that up, and we do so with such ease and natural ability."

"We’re not very smart sometimes are we?" Arty offered back.

"No, we're not, Arty. We fight over religion, over greed, over ideological nonsense and over girls. We kill each other sometimes merely because we can. We have invented numerous drugs to give you a hard on or to grow your hair or perhaps even both at the same time, yet half the fuckin world goes to bed hungry at night and suffering from all kinds of curable diseases. A small handful of people have all the money in the world, and most of the rest of us waste our lives trying to figure out a way to join them, and most of them aren’t even that happy in the first place. We dream, we delude ourselves, and we don’t know why or how or even that we’re doing it. Billions of us throw away our left-over food every night, while hundreds of millions more have to trek two miles every day just to get some clean water, and only on a lucky day. It just all seems so stupid Arty, and I betcha other life forms have discovered us, but when they get here, they say we’re way to stupid for them to introduce themselves to us because it would cause mayhem here. . . ."

"And that, Arty, that’s why sometimes I think I want to run away again, to leave all this crap behind me. To find a place where people have a pulse and not an agenda, where the truth is not something to be feared, where life forms are real and where pouring a pint of Guinness from my own personal key is the most stressful thing I’ll do all day."

"And tell me, my young friend, do you believe such a place as this exists?"

"As a friend of mine once said, ‘ye have to believe in magic."

"You know, sometimes running away just promises such things as you’re trying to imagine, dangling them in your face till you become so mesmerized you can’t see past them, and then you waste your time and your life searching for a fulfillment you will never find, and you spend the rest of your life running around in circles, forever unfulfilled."

"Yeah, but is it not better to take a chance sometimes, when the alternative is...
well, the alternative is dull? I mean, life’s not about what you take out of it, it’s about what you put into it, right?"

"A lot of what you say is very true, my young friend, but there’s more to it than just that."

I looked confused again, so Arty went on.

"Too many people dwell on the past, plan for the future and forget all about the present, my young friend. Don’t forget who you are, where you are, how you got here, and most importantly of all, when you are. You life is right here, right now, this moment, right in front of you. . . ."

"You are, my young friend, afflicted with the condition known as human futility," he then added. "We spend our first eighteen years wishing we were adults, the next ten years not caring one way or the other, and the rest of our lives wishing we were kids again."

I contemplated what he said, and he continued.

"Life is relative, my young friend, and everything in it , as well. You think you’re unhappy, yet the material possessions you have, the situation in life you have attained, the food on your table, the roof over your head, the freedom you awake to each morning, the atmosphere you traverse on a daily basis, all of these would make other people so happy words can’t explain. And what others might have would make you so happy words can’t explain, yet often it leaves them unfulfilled, feeling hopeless, suffocated, unhappy and without any real direction in their existence. Happiness is relative and purely in the eye of the beholder, my young friend."

And so it goes.

Ray Hamill was born in Dublin, Ireland, and Help Me, I’m Irish! is his debut book. Well done and thanks for the fun read!

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - May 6, 2006 - Copyright

THE BIPOLAR DEMENTIA ART CHRONICLES by Lynne Taetzsch

2006-05-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

The Bipolar Dementia Art Chronicles
How a Manic-Depressive Artist Survives Being the
Primary Caregiver for Her Father & Ex-Mother-in-Law:
A Memoir
Lynne Taetzsch
Booklocker.com, Inc.
www.artbylt.com
Genre: Memoir
ISBN: 159113854X, $14.95, 244 pp, 2005

Life is hard to correct the illusion that it should be easy. . . Buddha might say, and this book reinforces how difficult life can be at times. Anton LaVey might say, "Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself." And therein is lies a clue.

The author, in a moment of irrational exuberance, you might say, and over estimating her patience and endurance, relocated her 93-year-old father and 92-year-old ex-mother-in-law to live near her in an assisted living facility. When she could not meet all their demands and needs, she became manically depressed or, in contemporary terms, bipolar dementive.

There are many memoir books written about taking care of elderly parents, spouses or beloved friends, and I am certain they are helpful and informative to others who find themselves with such a responsibility. Ms. Taetzsch is openly honest about her feelings and frustrations throughout this period of her life. To me the book read like a journal which possibly a counselor suggested she keep in order to maintain her sanity–a release you might say.

I certainly can understand why one would become depressed when one has reached the limit of his/her endurance and has to turn the problem over to someone else. It would be a fact of personal failure; however, there is always something good that comes out of something bad, if one can recognize and embrace it . . . if nothing more than to learn one’s limits. Ms. Taetzsch recognized a part of the good, and I quote: "I’m glad I brought Dad to Ithaca to live, though. We became close in a way we had never been before, and taking care of him brought me closer to my brothers and sisters."

Did I learn anything from this book? Yes, to remember what my limits are, as I too have thought I could fix everything for the ones I love, which was not true.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - May 5, 2006 - Copyright

DESPERATELY SEEKING SEX & SOBRIETY by Paul Pisces

2006-04-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

Desperately Seeking Sex & Sobriety
A cautionary tale of Sex Tourism, Drugs, Alcohol, Prostitution & Suicide
Paul Pisces
Authors Online Ltd
40 Castle Street, Hertford SG14 1HR, England
www.authorsonline.co.uk
ISBN: 0755201140, $14.95, 136 pp, 2004

To begin, I would not recommend this book to anyone who is offended by sexually explicit language and descriptions, and if you are, you may not want to read my review.

This autobiography is about the author, Paul, who realized at an early age that he had an alcohol problem and liked beautiful women. In his search for sex and sobriety, he takes us from London to Amsterdam; to San Francisco; to Bangkok and Pattaya in Thailand; to Manila, Angeles City and Subic Bay in the Philippines. He takes us through his education, jobs, women and brothels in exotic places. I quote:

"Beautiful women fascinate me. They always have, they always will. It’s my Achilles heel. I’ll do almost anything to be in the company of beautiful women. To hold them, to touch them, to love them, to fuck them. I’ll do anything - I’ll even pay (within reason of course).

Wandering the red light area is interesting. It’s prostitution at its most efficient. The deal can be done and the transaction executed in less than twenty minutes. I wander into a bar and order a whisky and lemonade. A petite Asian girl wanders over to me."

I thought Paul had good insight not to marry and have children (although he is still young enough, if he found recovery and a woman to love). Even though he's telling us what a butthead he is and that he’s not a very nice man, I found it reassuring that he understood the concept of love and had feelings for some of the women with whom he shared himself. I found humor in this book, too . . . Paul’s measuring stick for a good time . . . how many fucks to the buck.

I don’t personally see Paul’s life as a waste (though others may)–nothing’s ever a waste. Life is a guru and gives us puzzles to solve. When you can no longer take the abuse you are afflicting upon yourself, you stop or die. It’s really a pisser to be addicted to something that controls you, and alcohol is a master at control. Paul followed what he loved . . . women. I’m sure he had lots of fun and good sex. Whose to say that wanting-to-be-with-beautiful-women is a wasted life? . . . especially for a man who does not feel he can be responsible for a family and children (considering our divorce rates and domestic violence problems).

For myself, I admire Paul’s down-and-dirty honesty (even though the language may be considered objectionable) because it reflects real life, and real life is more interesting than fiction. I hope you can appreciate his honesty, too. As a woman, he has taken me to places I could never go and shared experiences I could never have. I personally believe that prostitution should be legalized. It’s been around forever, which supports the premise that it must fill a definite need. If it were legalized, it could be taxed and health problems addressed with some control. Men have a need and there are women who want to fill it.

So, the author took a chance and exposed himself to the world, actually. It certainly took some courage. And though, as POD published authors, we may not sell many books, we evidently feel the need to share ourselves with others, even to the extent of expending many hours and much energy to get our book published. The bottom line certainly is not a profit margin. We all hope our books will be read, but that’s not solely why we write them.

When Paul enquired if I would consider reviewing his book, he stated: "It is not a particularly nice book (I am in many respects a bad man) but it is an honest book."
My take was that Paul is just a man struggling between his Apollonian nature and his Dionysian sexual appetites. There are many worse things in this life than alcoholism and patronizing prostitutes . . . war and greed to name just two.

Paul Pisces is an intelligent man. His story and the quality of his writing will appeal to readers looking for an honest, unique, provocative read.

Glad you're still with us, Paul, and thanks for the honesty . . . so refreshing!

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - April 21, 2006 - Copyright

NATURE IS AN ARTIST by Helena Gunther

2006-04-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

AS YOU LIKE IT or A LITTLE BIT OF THE UNUSUAL by June Thomas Reed

2006-04-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

As you like it or A Little Bit of the Unusual
June Thomas Reed
Authors Online Ltd
40 Castle StreetHertford SG14 1HR, England
www.authorsonline.co.uk
Genre: Biography
ISBN: 0755202201, $14.95, 164 pp, 2006

June, the author, and Jean, her long-time friend, are both seventy-nine now and this book is a compilation of their adventures together prior to marriage.

In the early 1950's they were both twenty-three, single and working. They quit their jobs and with a little financial help from family purchased "Lisa," a vending truck from which they sold sandwiches and teas at fairs and events. Eventually they upgraded to a truck, named "Jonathon."

Among their adventures is the sharing of a large house with a group of actors. Eventually the girls decided they wanted to live on the river Thames and purchased a boat called "San Ree." After they sold the San Ree, they purchased the restaurant, "Toby Cottage."

Considering that this was all happening in the early 1950's, one must give credit to these very adventuresome gals. It is certainly clear that they had a lot of spirit and perseverance.The cover of the book shows June and Jean selling their teas from one of their vending trucks and other photos of their trucks, boat, scooter (Tilly), Beau Site chalet are also included in the book.

June Thomas Reed has a pleasant style of writing, and the memoirs are presented as short anecdotes. If you enjoy biographies, particularly about adventuresome women prior to women’s lib, you will certainly enjoy this book.

June and Jean are still great friends and share a garden which overlooks the South Downs. June gardens, plays golf, spins and weaves fleece, works at her computer, volunteers for the Chichester Area Talking News for the Visually Impaired, and travels when she can.A fun read, June, and thanks for sharing your story.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - April 11, 2006 - Copyright

BRICKS & TORTURE by Alan Neale

2006-03-30T19:00:00.002-08:00

Bricks & Torture
Alan Neale
Authors Online Ltd
40 Castle Street, Hertford SG14 1HR, England
www.authorsonline.co.uk
Genre: Autobiographical/Humor
ISBN: 0755201205, $16.50, 232 pp, 2004

To start, I just love the cover design by Sandra Davis and the expression on the father's face. The art work is cartoonish and captures the essence of this journal-like account of Alan and his family's day-to-day living in a house which was being remodelled around them. It was a six-month project begun at the onset of winter in October, continued through the coldest and wettest months, and finished in the spring.

I can empathize with Alan, maybe more so than others, because I have personally built a house with a partner--doing all the work ourselves--which took us eight years to complete, two of which were drywalling--talk about mess.

It's sort of an unusual subject to write a book about, and I don't really know what the market is for such a book. Possibly the author just used this journal-like technique and particular situation in time to tickle us with his wit and sarcastic humor. He asks if you've ever had one of those Wiley Coyote moments? His life during this six-month period was one, very large, long Wiley Coyote moment.

But, allow me to quote from page 130 . . . a key to Alan's sanity.

All in all, this was not a pleasant day and once again tempers frayed rather badly, always signified by shouting at the children for the smallest of indiscretions, all punctuatedby long, tense periods of total silence between all. By the end of the day, virtually no-one is speaking to anyone else, save Cara, who has not yet developed the prejudice, resentment and all round antipathy of adults, and in these circumstances rather perversely acts more like an adult than the adults, who are being far too childish to notice. Just before bed, she sends me back into the land of the living, and makes me feel desperatley ashamed, by giving me a big, warm soft hug, the type that only your children can give you, and generally only up until the age of about ten.

"You're the best daddy that anyone could ever have!" she says with genuine feeling.

I am unable to say anything, but hug her back, gently stroke her hair, kiss her on the forehead, and bid her good night.

There is a reason to live after all.

This excerpt, from page 109, gave some local insight, at least from Alan's perspective, into Christmas in England. And I thought we Americans had the corner on avaricious consumerism.

It is difficult not to reach the conclusion that Christmas is the most enormous monument to avaricious consumerism. This is not the scene portrayed by so many films, TV dramas and sitcoms, of people pleasantly ambling around from shop to shop, all jolly and smiling, brass bands playing to an attentive gathering, snow falling gently, general joy and wellbeing gushing forth from the screen. The reality is, there is nothing joyous about this at all, there is not the merest shred of joy and contentment on people's faces, no feeling of happiness and ambience, and bugger all goodwill-to-all-men, women, children and dogs. There is not a smile on a single face, no social interaction, no acknowledgement and no manners. While shopping is never necessarily the most warming experience, I can't help feeling that the level of selfish, single-minded pursuit of something is perversely increased at the time of year when it is meant to be eased. It is actually pretty depressing to see people in a severe state of angst, rushing around with ever increasing burdens of shopping, hell bent in purchasing, rather than thinking and giving.

Alan Neale does not give us much information about his background or occupation; however, it is very clear by the quality and complexity of his writing, that he is a well-informed man and an accomplished writer. He definitely has a strong foundation in the English language and an interesting, colorful vocabulary. Of course, the heart of the book is Alan's sharp wit and sarcastic humor.

In closing he asks . . . "would I do it all again?" To which he answers, "Not on your life!" And I say, ditto! Glad you made it through and stilll have your marriage and family.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - March 30, 2006 - Copyright

STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH by Keith Hughan

2006-03-30T08:49:00.000-08:00

Straight from the Horse’s Mouth
Keith Hughan
Ladcrooks Publishing Company
11 Pevensey House, Castle CloseReigate, Surrey, RH2 8DJ
www.Ladcrooks.com
ISBN: 095491 120 2, $14.95, 240 pp, 2004

I'm a firm believer that something good comes out of something bad . . . if only you can recognize it. Keith Hughan’s book is the something good that has come out this life-shattering saga–his ongoing, twelve-year battle with Ladbrokes, the bookmaker, over a large bet he won in 1994 and they refuse to pay.

All the events in this story are true. When Keith became frustrated trying to work within the bureaucratic system to resolve his problem, he decided to take matters into his own hands, and through many misadventures finally ended up in prison, which he found to be most unpleasant. A good portion of the book is documentation of his efforts to work within the legal system.

He admits that revenge is sweet, but has come to find that the word is immensely more powerful than the sledgehammer, which he has used upon occasion. After the first writing of this book and ten years after the original bet, the Assistant Manager confessed that the error was his mistake and wrote a letter to that effect which is included in the book; however, Keith still has not received any settlement from Ladbrokes. You’ve got to admire this guy’s perseverance.

About his style of writing, allow me to quote from page 2:
My knowledge of the English language is that of the common man. Not wanting to use a ghost writer meant that I had to go and buy a box of Metaphors, Synonyms, Adjectives, etc, and when I got home I tipped them all over the kitchen table. I then thought how the fuck do these work? I am just your normal man you would see walking down the street whistling, with a sledgehammer holding my hand.

I personally enjoyed learning some contemporary English slang like hump, bugger me and wank mag. He admits, "I have used some very naughty words while writing this book. Fudge off! Oh damn! And Oh dear! Would not express how I felt at certain times, so bollocks to anyone who is offended."

Since he lost his lady Deb, he invites, "If there is an attractive woman out there, middle-aged and can understand men a wee little bit, please get in touch." Just thought I’d add that in for you single gals who might be interested. He’s a bit of hunk, ladies, judging from the pictures in the book, and I'm sure a hand full. He tells us a few things about his best friend Harry. Is this guy cute, or what?

Here's another excerpt, from page 238.
I guess the shit will hit the fan for printing my story, but will I worry? And if I am having a shave one day and I notice that there is a small red dot on my forehead then I’d better duck - a Hindu I’m not! It just may be that Ladbrokes have got the hump with me. Believe me, a lot of my life has been lost, and tears have been shed many times. The experiences I have encountered whilst battling it out with Ladbrokes, have opened my eyes. The World could be a better place, and it’s a shame that many of us go through life hoping that other people will change it. I now know that the word is stronger than the sword, but, bugger me; I did enjoy the sword at certain times. Perhaps men relish in the physical and not the mental side of life more. I’m just a stubborn bastard. It took a lot more gumption to write this book.

Even though this book was inspired and completed because of Keith’s ongoing battle, I do hope he will write another book from his "common man’s" perspective. He knows he can write now, he's an honest writer, he has a sense of humor, and I bet he’s hooked.

Kayfucius say: Resentments and grudges only hurt man who holds them. The trick is . . . how to let them go. Negative things draw you in and suck out your positive energy. Can I hear an Amen!

Now that you know you can write, a whole new world is opening. If you’re serious, Keith, I highly recommend Stephen King’s book, On Writing - A Memoir of the Craft. A breath of fresh air, to be sure. And, if I were a wee bit younger, I might like to meet your friend Harry.

Good luck, Keith!

Review by Kaye Trout - March 28, 2006 - Copyright