Category: Book Reviews

Book review: ‘Lulu’s Kitchen’ by Lucy Buffett

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‘LuLu’ Kitchen’ is Lucy Buffett’s most recent cookbook. Photo: google

Lucy Anne Buffett, known mostly as LuLu and Jimmy Buffett’s younger sister, is a former personal chef who has cooked for high profile clients from coast to coast. She has two restaurant locations and her first cookbook, formerly known as “Crazy Sista Cooking” has been reprinted as “LuLu’s Kitchen: A Taste of the Gulf Coast Good Life.” It has been updated with a new introduction and new photography and includes authentic family recipes from her Alabama and Florida destination restaurants.

“LuLu’s Kitchen” is Lucy Buffett’s culinary guide to classic Southern coastal cuisine and contains more than 120 signature recipes. A note on the revised edition starts it off and is followed by a word by both Jimmy Buffett and LuLu. Recipe sections include: Gumbo Love & Other Deep South Soups, Sassy Salads, Sandwiches & Such, Perfect Sauces & Salad Dressings, Sweet Things, Child’s Play, Life Is Good Grits and Party Favors. Sprinkled in between recipes and cooking tips are family stories and the stories behind some of the author’s favorite recipes. This part cook book, part autobiography is filled with interesting stories, pictures and cooking tips.

Cookbooks come and go but this one stands out because it is more than just recipes. In the section titled LuLu Food Philosophy, LuLu writes about her love of cooking what she has learned throughout the years about cooking and life. It is a charming book that is easy to read and the recipes are simple enough for anyone to try. The author’s voice is friendly and the overall tone of the book is relaxed, much like the coastal food she writes about. It is recommended for fans of well-developed cookbooks and readers who appreciated multi-dimensional books.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘Welcome to the Symphony’ by Carolyn Sloan

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‘Welcome to the Symphony’ by Carolyn Sloan is a children’s book that introduces readers to the world of classical music.  Photo: amazon

Carolyn Sloan is a native New Yorker and a music educator at the Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn, New York. She is also a songwriter and musician and has been writing music for theater, television and children. As an author she has written ‘Finding Your Voice: A Practical and Spiritual Approach to Singing and Living.’  Her new book is ‘Welcome to the Symphony: A Musical Exploration of the Orchestra Using Beethoven’s Symphony No.’ It is illustrated by James Williamson, an illustrator, designer and artist whose work has appeared in The New York Times and numerous children’s books.

‘Welcome to the Symphony’ is an illustrated book targeted for children ages four to eight and uses Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, one of the most popular musical pieces, to introduce young children to the world of classical music. It is an interactive picture book with a panel of 19 sound buttons that readers press when prompted during the narrative and takes them from the tuning of the orchestra to the end of the first movement. They can learn the basics of classical music including the definition of a symphony and conductor. From there they are immersed in the different aspects of music which includes melody, harmony, tempo and theme and the different type of instruments in a symphony.

This is an excellent book to introduce to young children who are becoming interested in classical music. It is informative and straight to the point and suitable for anyone who wants to learn about the different instruments, the background of each and the specific sounds they make. Even adults can benefit from it to learn the basics of classical music. It is recommended for parents looking to introduce their children to music in general and for anyone who appreciates musical instruments.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘Fearless and Free’ by Wendy Sachs

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‘Fearless and Free’ is new the book by Wendy Sachs

Wendy Sachs is an Emmy-award winning TV producer and a former Capitol Hill press secretary, public relations executive, media and content strategist and CNN contributor. She often writes about work and life issues and women’s issues and has appeared in dozens of radio and TV shows. Her new book ‘Fearless and Free: How Smart Women Pivot – and Relaunch Their Careers’ was released on February 7, 2017. It is a career advice reference book about how women can redefine themselves and their careers regardless of age or experience.

‘Fearless and Free’ begins with an introduction by the author where she introduces herself and what she has learned from her numerous career pivots. The rest is divided into chapters such as ‘Strike a Pose and Feel the Power,’ ‘Congratulations, You’re Fired!’ and ‘Branding Is Not Bragging.’ The job market is always evolving and workers need to adapt if they are to succeed. Some of the practical advice the author gives includes the need for women to believe in themselves, think outside the box and take risks. Most importantly, they should not be too timid to brag about themselves and their skills and should take full advantage of networking. There is also advice for women who have taken time off, sometimes years off, to raise a family. She writes about how these women can translate those experiences into transferable job skills that will help them ease back into the workforce.

Even though it may be geared towards women, both men and women can benefit from this book. The subject matter and conversational tone makes it easy to read and understand. Knowing that even the author herself has struggled makes her relatable and her advice more believable. The subject of branding may be new for some but in this day of age of social media it is more relevant than ever. It is worth nothing that she has previously worked on Capitol Hill so her political connections do come to light. Overall ‘Fearless and Free’ is an excellent resource for career advice. It is recommended for readers looking to sharpen their skills and work ethics to meet the demands of an ever evolving job market.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ by Corban Addison

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‘A Harvest of Thorns’ is the new novel by Corban Addison.Photo: amazon

Corban Addison is an attorney, activist, world traveler and author who supports numerous humanitarian causes including the abolition of modern slavery, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS. This latest novel ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ was released in January which was also National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. It tells the story of a factory fire in Bangladesh and the picture of one of its young victims that unmasked the abuses and working conditions that factory workers face.

‘A Harvest of Thorns’ begins with the Prologue set in Bangladesh at the Millennium Fashions Factory where a fire breaks out and claims the lives of hundreds of workers, most of them women. Two of those victims are Nasima and her younger sister Sonia. Nasima dies but Sonia survives by jumping out of the building and over her mouth is a mask made from pants belonging to an American retailer, Presto Omnishops Corporation. When Cameron Alexander, one of Presto’s employees, finds out he sets out to investigate but when he takes his findings to his bosses they ignore him. He has no choice but to rely on Joshua Griswold, a disgraced former journalist from the Washington Post who takes the information and uses to launch an investigation of his own. What follows is a historic case against Presto in the courtroom and the media that Joshua sees as his redemption and Cameron hopes will ease his guilty social conscience.

It is both a courtroom drama and an eye-opening account of working conditions, the enslavement of workers and the abuses that women suffer overseas at these manufacturing factories. Even though it is a work of fiction it makes readers aware that conditions such as these still exist and that they should at least stop and consider where their clothes come from. In the author’s note at the end he lists ways in which conscientious consumers can get involved and make a difference. The subject matter is intriguing and the language and pace of the story makes it a quick and easy read. There is enough character development to make them relatable and helps readers empathize with their stories. ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ by Corban Addison is recommended for socially conscious readers who want to widen their knowledge of worker and human rights.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ by Stephen King

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‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ is Stephen King’s newest collection of short stories.

Stephen King is the bestselling author of more than fifty books and is known the world over as the master of horror. He received the 2014 National Medal of the Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. His body of work includes everything from short stories to full size novels that can be more than 1,000 pages long. Most recently he has written The Bill Hodges Trilogy: ‘Mr Mercedes,’ ‘Finders Keepers’ and ‘End of Watch,’ ‘Doctor Sleep’ and the collection of short stories ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams.’

This collection of stories have the universal themes of mortality, the afterlife, guilt and the questions of what would people do if they could see the future or go back and correct mistakes that they have made. Long time King readers, who he describes as ‘Constant Readers’ know that he starts each book with an introduction that describes what they are about to read. In these introductions he addresses the ‘Constant Reader’ and the tone is familiar, as if they have known each other for years.

“Everything you see is handcrafted, and while I love each and every item, I’m happy to sell them, because I made them especially for you. Feel free to examine them, but please be careful. The best of them have teeth.”

In this particular collection he also starts each story with comments on when, why and how each story was written, or in some cases rewritten. There is a total of twenty stories including Mile 81, Premium Harmony, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, The Dune, Bad Little Kid, A Death, The Bone Church, Morality, Afterlife, Ur, Herman Wouk Is Still Alive, Under the Weather, Blockade Billy, Mister Yummy, Tommy, The Little Green God of Agony, That Bus Is Another World, Obits, Drunken Fireworks and Summer Thunder. As with any other collection of works, some appeal to readers while others may miss the mark completely. Standouts include Mile 81, which is similar to ‘Christine,’ Afterlife where the main character repeatedly relives his life and death with no chance to change anything and Ur where a Kindle is a portal to a parallel world. There is even a narrative poem in the mix ‘The Bone Church’ which proves that even Mr King has written poetry. Overall ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ will appeal to his faithful readers even though some stories are weaker than the others. It makes a perfect addition to any Stephen King library.

Book review: ‘The Waiting Room’ by Leah Kaminsky

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‘The Waiting Room’ is the debut novel by Leah Kaminsky

Leah Kaminsky is a physician, an award winning author of poetry, short stories and literary non-fiction and the poetry and fiction editor at the Medical Journal of Australia. She edited ‘Writer M.D.,’ an anthology of contemporary doctor-writers and is the author of the award-winning poetry collection ‘Stitching Things Together.’ ‘The Waiting Room: A Novel’ is her debut novel about an Australian doctor named Dina who was born to Holocaust survivors and struggles to cope with daily life in Haifa.

‘The Waiting Room’ chronicles a day in the life of Dina, the daughter of Holocaust survivors whose daily life in Israel includes difficult patients, a six year old son and another one on the way, a strained marriage, the ghost of her dead mother and the ever present threat of a terrorist attack. It is the personal journey of a woman whose past is interwoven with her present as she learns to deal with her mother’s traumatic experiences. The story begins with a Prologue that recounts a memory from her past. Chapter 1 has Dina busy at work gathering evidence at a crime scene and Chapter 2 rewinds the action to six hours earlier and the beginning of the longest day in her life. The scenes where she interacts with her dead mother show how important and influential family is in her decision making.

It is not often that readers get a front row seat to witness daily life in Israel where citizens live under the constant threat of a terrorist attack yet they still go on with their day. This is evident as the radio announcement issues an alert for a possible attack as casually as it does the weather report when Dina and her family are getting ready in the morning. When the attack does come it is impossible not to feel the fear and dismay that the citizens experience. Overall it is a heartbreaking and poignant story of a woman who is close to her breaking point but somehow manages to keep it together. The action flows effortlessly through the pages making it hard to put down. ‘The Waiting Room’ by Leah Kaminsky is an easy to read novel and recommended for readers looking to gain insight into the Israeli conflict and the Holocaust experience from the survivors’ point of view.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘No Place to Pray’ by James Carpenter

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‘No Place to Pray’ is the new novel by James Carpenter. Photo: amazon.com

James Carpenter began his career teaching middle and high school English. After fourteen years teaching computer programming, system design and entrepreneurship at The Wharton School he retired to write fiction. His writing has appeared in publications such as “The Chicago Tribune,” “Fiction International,” “Fifth Wednesday Journal,” “North Dakota Quarterly” and “Ambit.” Three of his stories were nominated for the Pushcart Prize and he is a recipient of Descant’s Frank O’Connor Prize. His new novel ‘No Place to Pray’ tells the story of two young men who meet when they spend a night in the same jail cell.

This is a Southern gothic tale about two young men, LeRoy who is bi-racial and Harmon who is white. LeRoy comes from a poor background and never knew his father because his mother was a prostitute. When they both end up in jail overnight they end up becoming the best of friends. They share a lifetime of experiences that includes working together and drinking together. Towards the end of Harmon’s life they both become involved with Edna, a wealthy widow who takes them into her vacation home by the river. Their stories are similar in the sense that they both have a hard life and struggle to survive and rely on alcohol to help them cope which only makes life more difficult for them. The people and experiences that make up their lives are intertwined with race, class and religion.

‘No Place to Pray’ by James Carpenter is a gritty and dark tale of American life peppered with issues dealing with class, race, alcoholism and friendships that endure the test of time. It contains adult language and situations that may not be appropriate for all readers. The story is told through a series of flashbacks and has shifting points of view mixed in with LeRoy’s fantasy and adventure stories. At times this makes it hard to follow the story but it does not take away from the richness and impact of the overall tale. The characters are relatable and well developed and the prose is rich with imagery. It is recommended for fans of Southern gothic stories that deal with deep friendships, survival, as well as race and class struggles.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘The Other Einstein’ by Marie Benedict

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‘The Other Einstein’ is Marie Benedict’s historical fiction novel about Albert Einstein’s first wife. Photo: amazon.com

Marie Benedict is a lawyer and, with the pen name Heather Terrell, author of historical novels such as ‘The Chrysalis,’ ‘The Map Thief,’ and ‘Brigid of Kildare.’ Her most recent novel ‘The Other Einstein’ was released in October. It is a historical novel about Mileva “Mitza” Marić, Albert Einstein’s first wife and whose contributions to the special theory of relativity have been the subject of much debate for more than a century.

‘The Other Einstein’ tells the story of a brilliant young woman whose story was lost in Einstein’s shadow. At the age of twenty she is the only woman studying physics at an elite school in Zürich while other women her age are already married with children. She is determined to master physics and mathematics and has put marriage and friendships on the backburner to achieve her dreams. Her parents, particularly her father, have always encouraged her pursuit of a higher education. This was partly because she has a limp due to a bad hip so they feared she would never have suitors and would have to rely on herself. Everything is going well until she catches the eye of a fellow student. His name is Albert Einstein and he promises to treat her as an equal in both love and science. He keeps his promise at first but due to difficult circumstances they eventually grow apart and go their separate ways.

Very little is known about Mileva “Mitza” Marić so it is worth noting that ‘The Other Einstein’ is a fictional account of her early life. It is told from her point of view and gives readers an insight into what it must have been like to be a woman trying to have it all in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The story flows effortlessly and the characters are well developed and relatable. At the end there is a Q and A section with the author that is worth reading to get background information about her research and views on the book’s subjects. This would make an interesting choice for a book club and the reading group guide’s questions are sure to get the conversation going. It is recommended for fans of historical fiction centered on intellectual female characters.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘Law and Disorder’ by Mike Papantonio

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Mike Papantonio is a prominent trial attorney and co-host of Ring of Fire, a nationally syndicated weekly radio talk show, along with Robert F Kennedy, Jr and Sam Seder where he is known as ‘America’s lawyer.’ His new legal thriller ‘Law and Disorder’ was released in September of last year and tells the story of a highly successful Florida attorney who suddenly finds the system working against him.

In ‘Law and Disorder’ Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis is a successful attorney who despite coming from a humble background has built a successful practice where he defends the rights of the innocent in the form of multimillion dollar lawsuits. While in the middle of a highly publicized lawsuit against a powerful pharmaceutical company he makes the wrong kind of enemies including the local bible thumpers, a district attorney out to win at any cost and two corrupt brothers who own one of the country’s biggest oil corporations. To bring Deke down they plan to set him up on a murder charge and during the murder trial which becomes a media circus he must find a way to exonerate himself before his family becomes the next target.

‘Law and Disorder’ by Mike Papantonio is a fast paced legal thriller and an impressive addition to the genre. Readers get an in-depth look at the justice system from the inside out. The author makes the legal jargon and courtroom drama easy to understand and even though the characters are diverse they are relatable and well developed. Given the progressive themes of the story it is disappointing to have the housekeeper character be a Hispanic woman driving a burrito-stained jalopy and speaking in broken English. Aside from that it is an enjoyable read with enough plot twists to keep the story from becoming predictable. It is recommended for fans legal thrillers but it should be noted that the main character is a progressive liberal and that might turn off the more conservative readers.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

 

Book review: ‘Bedlam’s Door’ by Mark Rubinstein, MD

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‘Bedlam’s Door’ by Mark Rubinstein, MD is a collection of true stories.

It is interesting when authors take the experiences in their professional lives and use them to guide their writing. Whether they are medical doctors, lawyers or psychiatrists, these experience give their writing credibility and depth. One such author is Mark Rubinstein. He is a physician, psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry who writes mysteries and thrillers about people driven by forces they cannot control. Some of these include “Mad Dog House,” “The Lovers’ Tango” and “Mad Dog Justice” which was a finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year Award. He has also written five nonfiction medical advice books. His latest book is “Bedlam’s Door: True Tales of Madness and Hope.” It is a collection of true stories of patients that the author and his colleagues saw in psychiatric consultation or for treatment.

In the preface to “Bedlam’s Door” Mr Rubinstein states that as is often the case where true cases are presented and to protect those involved, the patients and facilities are composites of real patients and locations. That does not make the stories any less poignant or shocking as they take the reader deep into the world of mental illness. Each of the fourteen cases is presented separately and most come with an afterword that gives additional information such as treatment or analysis of the patient’s condition and what happened to the patient in the long run. Some of the ones that stand out include “A Man of Means” because no one ever found out what was wrong with this patient and “When a Patient Knows More Than the Doctor” because the patient came in asking for help because she feared she might harm herself but was sent away with no treatment and ended up killing herself. The patient in “Off the Wall” comes in suicidal and even though he is put in a straitjacket and every precaution is taken to prevent him from killing himself he rams himself again a wall and dies of a head trauma.

“Bedlam’s Door” by Mark Rubinstein MD reads like a collection of short stories but these are true stories of patients who required mental help. They are each interesting on their own but as a whole it is an impressive look at mental illness. Hopefully this will lessen the stigma attributed to mental illness in modern society. It is recommended for readers who appreciate an in-depth look into a psychiatrist’s point of view as well as the treatments given. For those wishing to learn more about psychiatry, psychology and mental illness there is a section of suggested readings at the end as well as a glossary of terms used.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.