Category: Book Reviews

Book review: ‘Lions of the Sky’ by Paco Chierici

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‘Lions of the Sky’ is the new novel by Paco Chierici. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Francesco “Paco” Chierici flew A-6 Intruders and F-14 Tomcats, deployed to conflict zones from Somalia to Iraq and was stationed aboard carriers including the USS Ranger, Lincoln and Kitty Hawk. Currently a 737 captain, he has used his aviation experience to publish extensively in Aviation Classics Magazine, AOPA Magazine and Fighter Sweep, as well as creating and producing the award-winning naval aviation documentary Speed and Angels. In his new book “Lions of the Sky: The Top Gun for the New Millennium,” Paco Chierici propels the reader into a realm where friendship, loyalty and skill are tested, battles are won and lost in an instant and lives are forever changed.

The action in “Lions of the Sky” begins solidly in the South China Sea, as a rower in a compact boat makes his way to an island that is home to a Vietnamese outpost. He expertly kills the soldiers and just as quickly and quietly as he arrived, he retreats. Throughout the book, he is referred to as “the commando” to highlight that his missions are more important than his name or background. The second chapter introduces readers to Sam Richardson, a fighter pilot’s pilot, a reluctant legend with a gut-eating secret who is on the last span of his tour as an instructor. All he wants is to get back to the real action of the Fleet. As he is driving away from a gentleman’s club in his 1966 Shelby AC Cobra after spending time with friends, he crosses paths with a driver in a Corvette driven by a woman, Keely Silvers, who, as fate would have it, will be in that last class.

The two stories alternate until they intersect in the South China Sea where a Chinese general is hoping to create an international crisis to give China the edge in territory disputes. A final air battle between Chinese fighters and the F/A -18 Hornets puts the trainees to the test as they are thrown into a real-life war situation and are eager to prove they belong there. In the end, the crisis is averted and even though not everyone makes it out alive, those remaining, including Keely “Quick” Silvers move on with their military training.

With his debut novel, Paco Chierici proves that his talent goes beyond the military world and flying planes and other aircrafts. His writing style includes deeply poetic descriptive language: “He took note of the AK- 47 machine guns leaning upright against each other like a little teepee near the fire, their oiled barrels joined together in a dark bouquet pointing at the night sky.” There is excellent character development, especially with Sam “Slammer” Richardson, whose backstory includes having romantic feelings for a woman he served with, feelings he never told anyone, and which may be responsible for his viewpoint that women should not be in combat. The military lingo is just enough to create a realistic atmosphere, especially the action in the cockpit and the Ready Room. Especially interesting is the point-of-view of the commando: the reader is privy to his planning and thought processes; and Quick’s inner thoughts and reactions during the final air battle.

“Lions of the Sky” is a must-read extraordinary novel of military storytelling that is perfectly balanced with action scenes and political suspense that keeps it from alienating readers who are not into strictly military themes. The language, though heavily about fighter pilots and their training, is easy to understand and the action flows easily from page to page. Friendship and camaraderie is central to the plot with just a hint of sexual tension. It is recommended for fans of military action thrillers and those who enjoy a fascinating espionage/political sub-plot.

“Watching powerlessly out her canopy as the descending Flanker converged on Slammer’s helpless Rhino, something about the picture clicked. The paralyzing static of indecision dissolved as the beautiful, instinctive part of her brain asserted itself.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

 

 

Book review: ‘She’s So Cold’ by Donald E. McInnis

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‘She’s So Cold’ is Donald E. Mcinnis’ new true crime novel about three teenage boys wrongly accused of Stephanie Crowe’s murder.

Donald E. McInnis is a California criminal defense attorney who represented one of the three accused boys, Aaron Houser, in the Stephanie Crowe murder case. Over the span of his 40-year legal career, he has worked for the prosecution and for the defense, having served as a deputy district attorney for two California counties and as a deputy defender for one California county during his early professional years. His new book “She’s So Cold: Murder, Accusations and the System that Devastated a Family” centers around the murder of twelve-year old Stephanie Crowe. It is the story of a broken system: a system stacked against families and, most of all, against children.

The murder case in “She’s So Cold” is that of Stephanie Crowe in the winter of January 1998 in the small town of Escondido, California. Rightly so, the town is horrified when her body is found and it is discovered that she had been brutally murdered in her own bedroom. Since there was no sign of a break-in and no physical evidence pointing to a possible suspect, the police zeroed in on her fourteen-year old brother Michael and two of his friends, Joshua and Aaron. Just because Michael failed to show emotion in the aftermath, the police concluded that he must be guilty because “he didn’t cry.” The policed used psychological manipulation to force three fourteen-year old boys to falsely confess to the murder. All without the benefit of legal counsel and in the pursuit of a misguided challenge to win at all costs. It was not until May 2012, fourteen years after Stephanie’s death, that Michael, Joshua and Aaron were found innocent because the evidence showed “beyond a reasonable doubt that the teens were innocent.”

In this true crime narrative, the author traces the twists and turns of a real-life mystery which eventually changed the lives of fifteen people and cost a district attorney his job. To protect children and teens from such manipulation in the future, McInnis proposes a new Children’s Miranda Rights Warning and a Bill of Rights for Children who are being questioned as suspects – which must be adopted in order to prevent minors from making false confessions that could destroy their futures. “She’s So Cold” is divided into four parts: Part One – murder and mind games: Stephanie and Michael; Part Two – a tapestry of deceit; Part Three – an alternative theory and Part Four – conclusions, vicious cycles. The Appendix (Children’s Rights) includes the aforementioned Children’s Rights, Children’s Miranda Warning and Children’s Bill of Rights.

In this eye-opening account of the police’s handling of the Stephanie Crowe case, one must wonder how the parents could allow this to happen to their child. After all, it happened in 1998, not in the 1940s or 50s. Part of the reasoning is that they assumed the police were just doing their job but in the end, false confessions do occur and not all of them are found out and people have been falsely imprisoned. Donald E. McInnis does an excellent job of outlining the incredulous chain of events but sometimes the details of the boys’ interrogations drag on too long, like in Chapter 8. The hearings and other legal proceedings do not begin until Chapter 16 and the narration starts to move forward. With a perfect balance between dialogue and description, the story flows through the pages and is easy to follow and understand without complicated police jargon. Aside from being a compelling crime novel, it is also a cautionary tale. Overall, “She’s So Cold” is recommended for readers who enjoy true crime novels and anyone willing to learn something new in terms of police procedures.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Off the Grid’ by Robert McCaw

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Robert McCaw’s second book in the Koa Kane Hawaiian mystery series, ‘Off the Grid’ will be available starting July 2. Courtesy photo, used with permission. 

Robert McCaw is an American author who graduated from Georgetown University and served as a lieutenant in the US Army before earning his law degree from the University of Virginia. He was a partner in a major international law firm with offices in Washington, DC and New York City and maintained a home on the Big Island of Hawai’i. This allows him to bring a unique authenticity to his Koa Kāne Hawaiian mystery novels in both his law enforcement expertise and his ability to portray the richness of Hawai’i’s history, culture and people. “Death of a Messenger” is the first book in the series and the second, “Off the Grid” is due out on Tuesday July 2. In “Off the Grid” Hilo police Detective Koa Kāne investigates two deaths that at first seem unrelated but when he discovers how they are linked, the crimes could rewrite history or cost him his career.

Chapter One of “Off the Grid” begins on a poetic note “The plume of smoky steam rising like a sulfur cloud from a volcanic vent told Hilo Chief Detective Koa Kāne he’d been called to a nasty scene” but ends with a staged accident that left a woman dead. That leads him to the second murder of the day: the tortured remains of an unfortunate soul left to burn in the path of an advancing lava flow. He soon discovers that the two murders are related when they turn out to be a reclusive couple living off the grid. They are mysterious fugitives, so naturally the CIA, the Chinese government and the Defense Intelligence agency try to impede all attempts to get to the truth of who wanted this couple dead. Despite growing political pressure, Koa digs further only to find himself drawn into a web of international intrigue. His investigation uncovers a government conspiracy that culminates in the arrest of Nāinoa Nihoa, the Hawai’i state representative running for governor, for murder in the deaths of the couple.

Robert McCaw brings the beauty of Hawai’i to the average reader and softens an otherwise grisly tale of murder and conspiracy. Espionage, treason and murder makes for a fascinating read and the action flows effortlessly through the pages. The language is easy to read and understand including the law enforcement and military lingo. An interesting detail is that the protagonist, Hilo Detective Chief Koa Kāne has a secret: as a young man, he killed a sugar mill manager to exact revenge on behalf of his father. He still feels guilt and remorse, yet he has not told anyone, including his girlfriend, and it affects his crime solving decisions. How long will it take for the secret to catch up to him? Stay tuned. “Off the Grid” is an intriguing crime mystery novel with enough plot twists to keep the reader turning pages until its jaw dropping ending. It is recommended for fans of mystery/crime novels with a flawed leading man who would not mind learning a thing or two about Hawai’i’s culture and its people. A definite must-read.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘The Ultimate Droodles Compendium’

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Courtesy photo: used with permission.

Roger Price was an American humorist, author and publisher who created Droodles in the 1950s and later collaborated with Leonard B. Stern on the Mad Libs series. Before he delighted fans with Mad Libs, comedian Roger Price invented Droodles – absurdly funny drawings that joined hula hoops and UFOs as one of the biggest fads of the 1950s. His Droodles books sold more than 1 million copies between their debut in 1953 and his death in 1990. On what would have been Roger Price’s 101st birthday, Tallfellow Press released “The Ultimate Droodles Compendium: The Absurdly Complete Collection of All the Classic Zany Creations of Roger Price.” Featuring over 350 hilarious Droodles, it is the first and only full retrospective of Price and his creations.

“The Ultimate Droodles Compendium” is arranged and annotated by Emmy-winning writer Fritz Holznagel and features a foreword by America’s best-known film historian, critic and author, Leonard Maltin. In the foreword titled ‘Roger Price and Me,’ Maltin recalls how he met Price and how he helped him grow up and guided him in his quest to becoming professional writer. In ‘What Are Droodles’ he defines them as “small silly drawings in a square box.” Price, in his 1952 collection “The Rich Sardine,” describes them as “the new IMPROVED way to waste time. You….can show them to other people and waste their time too.” The rest of the book is divided into the different types of Droodles: Droodles, Madison Avenue Droodles and Kinda Croodles. There is even ‘A Brief History of Roger Price and Droodles’ that features his biography and career highlights: Radio Years, Bob Hope years, Nightclubs and Broadway, Television and Books, Droodles and Mad Libs.

Always funny and often provocative, Price was one of America’s most original comic voices. At the peak of their popularity, Droodles had their own TV show, daily newspaper column, bestselling books and even cocktail napkins. This book has something for everyone: more than enough Droodles to tickle the funny bone and a biography and behind the scenes information. It is a one-of-a-kind collection that longtime fans will enjoy while newbies might discover the joys of silly drawings and humor. “The Ultimate Droodles Compendium” is recommended for fans of humor and history of humor and is a definite conversation starter.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘General Meade: A Novel of the Civil War’ by Robert Kofman

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‘General Meade: A Novel of the Civil War’ is Robert Kofman’s new book about the Civil War. Courtesy photo: used with permission. 

Robert Kofman is an American author born in Bellefonte, PA and a graduate of Penn State and Duke Law School. He became a labor lawyer with the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia before entering private practice in Miami, FL as a management side labor and employment attorney. After retiring from practicing law, Kofman desired to keep intellectually engaged by writing a historical novel as a way to help educate people in an engaging fashion about the Civil War. His new book “General Meade: A Novel of the Civil War” resulted from that effort. (Smith Publicity, 2019)

In “General Meade: A Novel of the Civil War” Robert Kofman has written a work of historical fiction detailing a fascinating character, who has been relegated to the margins of history, with credibility and intrigue. It begins with a note by the author where he explains that the novel covers many significant events of the last three years of the American Civil War from the perspective of Major General George Gordon Meade, sometimes in his own words through letters that he wrote to the person he most trusted: his wife Margaret. The Prologue describes what happens in 1860 when Abraham Lincoln becomes President, specifically how the Southern states begin seceding from the Union before he even takes office.

Just three days after taking command, General Meade confronts Lee’s army at Gettysburg, resulting in the bloodiest and most dramatic battle of the war. After that incredible victory, at first he is heralded as a hero who turns the tide of the war, but he then falls victim to a smear campaign that threatens to ruin his reputation and his career. He is forced to muster all of his strength to persevere against an onslaught of political and newspaper attacks, all while leading the Army of the Potomac and serving his superiors: General Ulysses S. Grant and President Lincoln.

Much more than a novel of historical fiction, “General Meade” is also a view of the issues plaguing the nation then and now. Themes include a country divided by social issues, polarized political parties, partisan newspaper attacks, false news stories, war heroes and villains and an unscrupulous Congressional Committee out to destroy the careers of generals who do not share its political ideology. Considering that the main subject is history, the language is easy to understand and the action flows from page to page aided by maps when appropriate. Highlights include the mention of history in the making, like the big story in the paper about Lincoln’s preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and details of vicious hand-to-hand combat: “Blood and brain matter splattered the combatants. A Rebel flag-bearer climbed atop one of the Napoleons and waved his colors. Seconds later, his bullet-ridden, lifeless body fell to the ground.”

Kofman provides sources and a bibliography for anyone interested in reading more on the subject. An interesting section is the Afterward, where he lists what happens to the people in the story: “Robert E. Lee was indicted but never tried for treason,” Ulysses S. Grant “created the Justice Department and used it to prosecute the Ku Klux Klan, which was using violence to deny freed blacks their civil rights” and how Old Baldy, General Meade’s warhorse outlived him by ten years. At Meade’s funeral, “Old Baldy followed the caisson carrying Meade’s casket as the rider-less horse.” “General Meade” is an extraordinary work of historical fiction that spotlights the lesser-known side of history’s legends. It is recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction at its finest.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Deep Water Blues’ by Fred Waitzkin

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‘Deep Water Blues’ is the new novel by Fred Waitzkin. Courtesy photo: used with permission. 

Fred Waitzkin is an American novelist and writer for The New York Times, Sunday Magazine, New York and Esquire. His works include the books “Mortal Games,” “The Last Marlin” and “The Dream Merchant” but he is best known for his memoir “Searching for Bobby Fischer” about his son Josh Waitzkin, a chess prodigy. It was made into the 1993 Academy Award nominated movie of the same name. His new book “Deep Water Blues” is based on a true story about a Bahamian island that becomes a battleground for a savage private war. Illustrations courtesy of American artist John Mitchell.

“Deep Water Blues” takes place on the Bahamian island of Rum Cay, where Bobby Little, a charismatic character who is loved by many, uses his gifts to create businesses where rich tourists can live it up. He has many friends, but like anything else, his success elicits jealousy from others. The tranquility of this fisherman’s haven is spoiled when tragedy strikes. A boat transporting Haitian refugees crashes into the reef and capsizes, spilling everyone into the sea. Bobby and his friends try to help but end up burying most of them. The former paradise is now engulfed in gloom and horror and soon after, Bobby leaves for his annual European trip. He returns to find shoal covering the marina entrance, the beaches deserted and the small cemetery desecrated with bones sticking up through the sand. To top it off, someone has begun to develop the marina and undoing everything that Bobby had done. Dennis, his old friend, is responsible for all the changes and at first Bobby takes it lightheartedly but soon, he and Dennis lock horns and all hell breaks loose.

Fred Waitzkin successfully translates his love of the ocean, boats and fishing onto the written page in this delightful new book. By combining poetic prose “Stella’s dark blues were thickly textured like roiling ocean with intimations of agony rising from below like the cries of drowning sailors” and deep character development, readers get a front row seat to the majesty that is the beach life. His real boat, the Ebb Tide, makes an appearance, as do his friends, especially John Mitchell, whose drawings punctuate the storyline. The only downer is when some of Bobby’s dogs are poisoned but he eventually bounces back from that. The language is easy to understand and the story flows easily without any extraneous narration. With colorful characters and beautiful beach scenery, “Deep Water Blues” is the perfect summer beach read. It is a small book, only 140 pages, but its enchanting yet haunting story is recommended for fans who appreciate plot twists where good triumphs over evil.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘The Shaman’s Guide to Power Animals’ by Lori Morrison

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‘The Shaman’s Guide to Power Animals’ by Lori Morrison is an informative and inspirational book on power animals. 

Lori Morrison is a best-selling author, inspirationalist and mystic who, combining her skills as a coach, spiritual counselor, healer and medical intuitive, has built a successful alternative wellness practice in Sedona, Arizona. She works with clients from around the world in supporting those who are looking for a renewed approach in dealing with physical and mental health issues. Her first book and memoir “Lori: The Disintegration of my Ordinary Reality” is a winner of four prestigious book awards, including the 2017 Gold Medal winner in the Living Now Book Awards. “The Shaman’s Guide to Power Animals” is her current book and a cross-cultural journey into the mystical symbolism and stories of almost 200 birds, fish, insects and mammals drawn from ancient and indigenous cultures worldwide.

“The Shaman’s Guide to Power Animals” begins with a Preface by the author in which she recounts her early childhood’s exposure to nature and animals courtesy of her father. These experiences influenced her adulthood as she and her husband shared a love of wildlife that took them to places like Yellowstone National Park and Alaska. The book is divided into two parts: Part One: The World of Shamans and their Power Animals that has sections with extensive information about The Three Worlds, the Types of Power Animals, Determining Your Power Animal and Calling in Your Power Animal; and Part Two: A to Z Guide to Power Animals where the reader can either read through each animal to learn about its characteristics and powers, or just use it to read up on his or her particular power animal. Towards the end, there is a List of Endangered Species, a Table of Powers and Minerals, a summary of the A to Z Guide and References, a list of reference material for anyone interested in learning more about the subjects presented.

Lori Morrison’s impressive new book is an extensive encyclopedia of knowledge regarding shamanism, the spiritual world and power animals. For readers who are interested in these subjects but are not too familiar with the basics, it explains in detail what the non-ordinary reality is (“a supernatural place…where we can connect to spirits and experience the past, present and future simultaneously”); The Three Worlds (Upper, Middle and Lower) that are accessed through chanting, drumming, dancing or consuming of medicinal plants; and how to determine what an individual’s  spirit animal is. It is insightful and thought provoking because even if readers have no interest in actually getting involved in spiritual ceremonies, they will walk away with a deeper understanding of how important it is for humans to be connected to nature and animals, which should be viewed as sisters and brothers instead of creatures to be mastered and manipulated for selfish gains. “The Shaman’s Guide to Power Animals” is recommended for fans of the mystical arts or anyone with an open mind who is willing to enrich their lives by learning more about nature, Mother Earth and the variety of animals and their characteristics and strengths.

“We need to interact with or observe animals in natural settings in order to truly see the planet as a whole. Perhaps the root cause of our planetary dysfunction and imbalance in this era of history is the disintegration of humanity’s connection to the spirit world in everyday life.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Dark Blossom’ by Neel Mullick

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‘Dark Blossom’ is the exciting debut novel by Neel Mullick. Courtesy photo, used with permission. 

Neel Mullick is the Head of Product and Information Security at a Belgian family-office technology company and has degrees in Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon, USA and Business Administration from INSEAD, France. He mentors women entrepreneurs through the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, is involved in raising a generation of digital and socially-aware leaders with the Steering for Greatness Foundation (Nigeria), supports improvement in the quality of life of domestic workers at Emprendedoras del Hogar (Peru) and is helping IIMPACT (India) break the cycle of illiteracy plaguing young girls from socially and economically impoverished communities. In his new book “Dark Blossom,” the lives of Cynthia, a therapist, and Sam, her new client, intertwine in a story that shows a glimpse of what lies under the surface of apparently normal people.

“Dark Blossom” begins as Sam, who is struggling to deal with his son’s death a day before his thirteenth birthday, shows up at Cynthia’s office, seemingly ready to start counseling. His depressed demeanor and volatile mood say another story. Tragically, his son and wife were killed in an automobile accident which cruelly shattered his world. Cynthia has recently restarted her counseling practice after taking half a year to deal with a bitter divorce, so she sees in Sam a sort of kindred spirit who so desperately needs her help. At first she tries to brush off the similarities between them as coincidence, but when he meets her daughter Lilly, the pieces of the puzzle start coming together. Sam knows too much about their personal lives and as it turns out, he as well as Lilly have secrets. She has more to do with the death of Sam’s family than anyone knows and his presence in Cynthia and Lilly’s life is no accident.

Neel Mullick’s debut novel is part thriller/part drama and offers readers an inside view of a therapist’s mind as she deals with patients and how to properly treat them. Told in the first-person point of view of Cynthia, it starts off as a routine trip to a therapist’s office and soon unravels as situations are more complicated than they seem. Sam clearly is resisting Cynthia’s help, but it becomes evident that he has plans of his own. Even though it is a short book, the character development is excellent as it gives the necessary background needed to propel the plot forward. It is well written, with easy to understand language and the author tells the story without any extraneous information. Since this emotional rollercoaster of a novel is fast paced and a page turner, it can easily be read in a few days, but the plot twist and surprise ending will dwell in readers minds for days. To interact with them, the author has created a competition where readers can chime in with their opinions. Details and rules are available online. “Dark Blossom” is a suspenseful novel that packs an emotional punch and is recommended for readers who enjoy getting lost in the inner workings of the mind.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘The Book of Mistakes’ by Skip Prichard

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‘The Book of Mistakes’ is Skip Prichard’s new book on creating a successful future. Courtesy photo, used with permission. 

Skip Prichard is an accomplished CEO, growth-oriented business leader and keynote speaker. He has spoken on topics such as leadership, personal development, growth strategies, culture, corporate turnarounds and the future of publishing. In his new book “The Book of Mistakes: 9 Secrets to Creating a Successful Future” he shares the nine mistakes that prevent many people from achieving their goals and how to overcome them to help reinvent their lives.

“The Book of Mistakes” begins with a Prologue set in England in 1425 where an unnamed monk is on a mission to hide the last of the ten copies he had transcribed from an ancient manuscript. His goal is to keep them from falling into the wrong hands until they can be distributed to the nine Teachers and the new Keeper. From there, the stories take off: one is in the present where David is living a generic life that includes an unreliable job, until he meets a young woman who jump starts a journey that changes his life forever. The other story take place in the American colonies in 1771 and centers around Aria, a teenager who is trying to fulfill her sick Uncle Raymond’s last wish. She needs to retrieve a manuscript from the family home and protect it at all costs. The two stories eventually coincide as David crosses paths with several strangers he names the Playwright, the Bartender, the Artist and so on, who each give him one “mistake” that he can learn from to improve his life. These include, among others, “working on someone else’s dream,” “allowing some else to define your value” and “surrounding yourself with the wrong people.” As he gets each life lesson, he finds his life slowly improving until he is ready to share them with others.

At first glance, it seems that this is a self-help book, which it is. But it is a self-help book cleverly disguised as an adventure complete with an ancient origin story and a scavenger hunt of sorts. This makes learning fun as the reader goes along with David as he meets these strangers who share their knowledge with him, eagerly flipping pages to get to the next “mistake.” Without giving too much of the content away, the advice that Skip Prichard gives may sound like common sense, but sometimes it is necessary to be reminded that it is indeed a mistake to “stay in your comfort zone” and “blend in instead of standing out.” He does so without sounding condescending and in language that is easy to understand and filled with details and imagery. Since the sections are conveniently divided by Mistakes and Laws, it is easy to refer back to them as needed. Highlights include Mistake #9: Believing You Have All the Time in the World and Mistake #6: Allowing Temporary Setbacks to Become Permanent Failures. Self-help books tend to be dry and boring and therefore difficult to get through to get much needed advice, but this is a fast-paced book, similar to Dan Brown’s “The DaVinci Code.” “The Book of Mistakes” brilliantly combines advice and a storytelling to get the message across and is recommended for readers who enjoy a suspenseful story jam-packed with life lessons.

“…on the one hand, live each day as if it’s your last and, on the other, as if it’s your first. Your last keeps you focused on what really matters…Your first is important because you also must have a longer view, or you will never accomplish the goals that are hard and take longer.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Let Go of Emotional Overeating’ by Arlene B. Englander

emotionalovereatingArlene B. Englander, LCSW, MBA is a Columbia University trained licensed psychotherapist who has created health promotion programs on stress management, emotional overeating and other subjects for hospitals, corporations and law firms. Currently in private practice in North Palm Beach, she specializes in helping emotional overeaters move past their emotional issues to lead happier and healthier lives. “Let Go of Emotional Overeating and Love Your Food: A Five-Point Plan for Success” is her psychologically centered program to help people learn to eat whatever they like and stop just at the point of satisfaction without overeating.

Emotional overeating is “eating neither for enjoyment nor for the satisfaction of hunger, but in a desperate attempt to distract oneself from painful thoughts and feelings.” As a former emotional overeater, the author offers psychologically sound techniques for recognizing the symptoms of overeating and methods for addressing it in effective and enjoyable ways.

“Let Go of Emotional Overeating” begins with an Introduction, where she lists the sobering statistics from a 1999 article in American Demographics that stated that 54% of Americans clean their plates even when they are full and that 19% continue to eat even when they are stuffed. Her main purpose in writing this book is to help readers cope with life’s stressors without using food as a crutch and instead get more enjoyment out of food and life. The book is divided into ten chapters: the first two deal with the difference between truly tasting and savoring food versus using it as a stress reliever and how destructive diets really are; the rest explain how to deal more effectively with stress, how to learn to love exercise and how to eat at parties, vacations and with friends and family.

The subject of overeating can be hard to navigate but it is helpful to have someone who has been there and understands the struggles involved. This gives Arlene Englander the credibility to write such an insightful book that gives readers hope that they too can successfully manage the issue. Mindfulness has become mainstream lately and that, along with self-awareness, is the breakthrough method of dealing with overeating. She effectively uses her own experiences, case illustrations and humor to relate to her readers. The language is plain and simple to understand without too much medical and psychological terminology. Highlights include Chapter 3, where she explains how readers can spot the symptoms of excessive stress and Chapter 5 which gives readers the RAFT technique she uses to enjoy a meal so that they too can determine when they are full so they can stop eating. Also helpful is Chapter 6, as it gives helpful tips on learning to eat healthier foods. “Let Go of Emotional Overeating” is an incredibly useful resource guide and is recommended for readers who wants to learn how to stop letting food control their lives.

“The beauty of learning to soothe ourselves-on our own, or with the help of others-is that it enables us to seize the power that food once held for us.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.