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More from Norm Goldman... Reviews No. 21-30 (below) Reviews No. 1-10 Reviews No. 11-20 Reviews No. 31-40  Title: All Eyes Skyward Author: Dan Spencer ISBN: 1411607201 To read Norm's interview with Dan Spencer click: HERE Readers looking to find how it felt to be living in Berlin at the time of the Airlift of 1948-9 will not be disappointed with Dan Spencer’s, All Eyes Skyward. For those of you who may not be aware, post Second World War Germany had been divided into three sectors comprising the Allied section controlled by the USA, England and France and the remaining part by the Soviet Union. Berlin, although it was situated in the eastern Soviet section, was also divided into four parts, wherein the Allied interests controlled West Berlin and the Soviets East Berlin. In June 1948 there was an attempt by the Soviet Union to control all of Berlin. A blockade had been imposed on all surface traffic to and from the city. The result was a near catastrophic starvation of the population. This ultimately led to one of the greatest airlift operations in aviation history wherein food supplies and coal were dropped into Berlin by United States and its allies. The airlift lasted until September of 1949 when Stalin caved in, after realizing that his cruel plan was totally ineffective. It is against this backdrop that Spencer narrates the story of an American flyer Lt. Tucker Briggs, who falls in love with a German woman, Greta Ludke. Apparently, Greta’s husband was a SS Officer and is now missing in action or dead. This novel will probably whip up a mixture of feelings and emotional charge from its readers-always a sign of good drama. Tucker is portrayed as a very trustworthy, compassionate and naïve person believing in Greta’s sincerity, even as to her explanations pertaining to her lack of knowledge concerning the death camps. Readers, however, will question Tucker’s feelings. Were they influenced by his first encounter with Greta when she had saved him from a tight situation that could have ended in his incarceration or even death at the hands of the Soviets? To use the cliché, was his love blind? On the other hand, Tucker’s co-pilots, particularly Roy Couglin, who lost one brother during the war and another came home without legs, is painted as someone with bitter and callous feelings towards the Germans. He fails to understand how Tucker could believe Greta and why he would even consider marrying her. After all, her husband was a SS officer from a rich German family who had contributed considerable sums of money to the German war effort. It is his contention that she cannot be trusted and her only objective was to get a plane ticket for her daughter and herself into the USA. He questions her sincerity when he mentions to Tucker that she still wears her wedding ring, while other widows have sold theirs on the black market. Spencer effectively uses curiosity and delay to create compelling suspense. The novel is very well researched and is not a haphazard collection of pieces randomly put together, but rather a sequence of carefully organized chapters each fulfilling the last and supporting the next. The interactions among all of the characters together with natural-sounding dialogue are realistically portrayed. All Eyes Skyward is a moving and memorable novel, and no doubt we have in Dan Spencer a powerful new voice in fiction. Reviewer: NORM GOLDMAN EDITOR OF BOOKPLEASURES.COM back to top Title: Trusting Yourself: How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed and Live More Happily with Less Effort Author: M.J. Ryan ISBN: 0767914902 “To thine own self be true.” How often have we heard this famous Shakespearean quotation? Did we ever stop and think about it for a moment- probably not. In modern vernacular this advice would be rephrased as- “trust yourself.” This is particularly good advice when many of us our overwhelmed with our everyday activities and responsibilities. On any day or night of the week we turn our televisions on and we are bombarded with all kinds of so called experts telling us how to run our lives, what to do, how to react to certain situations, what is the right and wrong kind of behavior etc, implying that we have very little trust in our own instincts and decisions. M.J. Ryan, author of: Trusting Yourself: How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed and Live More Happily with Less Effort is a consultant with Professional Thinking Partners, where she is involved with coaching executives on issues of life purpose and leadership. It is her contention that the principal reason why we seem helpless in the face of all of these demands on ourselves is that “we don’t trust in our capacity to deal with life as it comes to us, so we are in a perpetual state of fear and worry.” Ryan focuses her book on three important emotional elements and spiritual qualities that shape self-trust- self-awareness, self- acceptance, and self-reliance. She builds a compelling case as to why these factors are important in helping us lead a more productive satisfying life, and the ultimate benefits that will result when we commit ourselves to the process of trusting ourselves. Dividing the book into six sections with a brief bibliography, the author examines the power, gifts, attitudes, and practices of self- trust, and she concludes with fifteen simple ways to increase your trust in yourself and the journey to wholeness. As an example of some of the sub-topics, readers are counseled as to how to cultivate thinking habits, how to ignore the “they” syndrome (what will they think about my actions), examining what worked before, realizing that you are the expert you are searching for, and endeavoring not to be the be-all and end all person, not to take life personally. Although the book is a great teacher, what I found to be a major shortcoming was its redundancy of variations on the same theme. I also found an over tendency to constantly use enumerable quotations from various sources that at times became annoying. Nonetheless, for those who lack self-trust, the sound advice tendered and the self-realization of the tools you have within you will no doubt prove to be very beneficial in your future endeavors. Reviewer: Norm Goldman Editor of BOOKPLEASURES.COM back to top Title: Stars In My Eyes, Then and Now Author: Burt Richards ISBN: 1418422983 Genre: General Non-Fiction To read an interview with Burt Richards conducted by Norm Goldman click HERE Many of us have fanaticized at one time or another as to how it would feel sitting down with one of our favorite Hollywood celebrities and having a conversation with them. Actor, writer, and celebrity interviewer, Burt Richards, had the good fortune to devote much of his adult life to meeting and conversing with many well - known actors and actresses, as well as other personalities. Stars In My Eyes Then And Now is a compilation of some of Richards’ interviews and information he gleaned as it pertains to such personalities as: Jane Russell, Eli Wallach, Jayne Meadows, Bob Hope, Joan Rivers, Edward Asner, Robert Klein, Jack Palance, Dionne Warwick, Shirley MacLaine, and many more. Although Richards’ interviews are not as in depth as the ones you would view on the television program "Inside the Actor’s Studio," hosted by James Lipton, they are nonetheless entertaining and provide a good read. Richards displays a keen perception as to which buttons to push when posing questions to his guests, and some of these actors, contrary to what we may have previously believed, do come across as down to earth human beings. As an example, Jack Palance’s modesty is very apparent when Richards poses the question, how did winning an Oscar change his life? The reply, "It does not change at all. It’s the same." Julie Budd’s answer to Richards question are you dating or married, her reply was, yes but you're a Yenta! I have to admit that some of the questions Richards did ask required a certain amount of "chutzpah,"- no doubt, an essential quality necessary to be an effective interviewer. Peppered throughout the book are also some humorous quotes from interviewees. When Ed Asner was asked how would he like his funeral to be held? His reply was, "I have dreamed of having my body aboard a huge boat, filled with about 100 people and a big band with plenty of corned beef, lox, rye bread, have a great party and then dump me at sea for the sharks to have a good time." However, having made this comment, anyone who enjoys reading about some of the old time Hollywood celebrities’ gastronomical likes and dislikes, their favorite producers, their love life, their acting experiences, and some personal tidbits, will find Richards’ short biographical sketches, interviews and anecdotes very interesting and informative. One point that the author did indicate that Bob Hope died on July 15th, 2003. Reviewer: Norm Goldman Editor of BOOKPLEASURES.COM back to top Title: Beyond Choice: Reproductive Freedom In The 21st Century Author: Alexander Sanger ISBN: 1586481169 If there is one thing that will surely stir up emotions is a heated debate between pro-life and pro-choice advocates. The debate invariably brings in political, legal, religious, moral, medical and sociological factors that often times only confuse those who are the spectators. Alexander Sanger is the recently retired president of Planned Parenthood of New York City and grandson of the renowned planning advocate Margaret Sanger. In his defense of pro-choice, as exposed in his recent book, Beyond Choice: Reproductive Freedom In The 21st Century, Sanger argues that having abortion legalized and accessible is morally right, nor morally wrong. It is his contention that there should be a new perspective when defending the right to abortion in that it should be viewed as less of a rights issue but rather more of a reproductive one. Up to now Sanger believes that the traditional arguments of the pro-choice as well as the pro-life defenders do not provide us with as much guidance as the public deserves and needs. As his principal objective is to defend pro-choice, Sanger maintains that the central challenge for those in favor of choice is to show that the movement has the ideas and philosophy to help people cope with the ethical dilemmas that new reproductive technologies present. Furthermore, he believes that American and worldwide views of abortion will become more pro-choice only when abortion is put into a reproductive and biological context. In other words, shift the perspective from rights to reproduction. As he states, “having the choice whether or not to become a parent and having a child has been and is essential to the survival and well-being of humanity.” Furthermore, as he maintains, the abortion debate in the last quarter of the twentieth century failed to address the issue as to why it is biologically vital that women control childbearing. In order to advance his argument, Sanger examines the following topics: the origins of choice, reproductive freedom and human evolution, the reproductive rights debate that ignored reproduction, putting reproduction back into reproductive freedom, enlisting men in support of reproductive freedom, defending reproductive freedom from the dangers of reproductive technology, and should the government have the right to enter our bedrooms and enact abortion laws. Sanger neatly presents his arguments with a great deal of historical and scientific information incorporating his own personal observations. As to the validity of his arguments, readers will have to judge for themselves, however, this is what makes the book intriguing food for thought. To read an interesting interview with the author conducted by Public Affairs in February 2004 click: HERE Reviewer: NORM GOLDMAN EDITOR OF BOOKPLEASURES.COM back to top Title: Letter Perfect The Marvelous History Of Our Alphabet From A to Z Author: David Sacks ISBN: 0767911733 Prior to reading David Sacks’ reference book, Letter Perfect The Marvelous History Of Our Alphabet From A to Z, it never dawned on me just how intriguing are the letters of our alphabet. As Sacks points out, these twenty- six letters all have personalities of their own. Combining his knowledge of history, linguistics, geography, literature, phonetics and other disciplines, readers are taken on a wonderful journey of discovery from ancient Egypt in the year 2000 B.C., when the alphabet was believed to have originated, up to the present. Dividing the book into twenty- six chapters, the author illustrates the principal significance of each letter of the alphabet or as Sacks terms it- “its personality, as expressed through speech or visual media.” As an example, if we look at the chapter pertaining to the letter “F,” we notice that it has been saddled with an obscenity or it can be comical just in itself. Another element of its personality is that this letter, and not the letter “E” that precedes it, has very often been associated with failure. If we contrast the personalities of “F” with “A,” we recognize how the first letter of the alphabet is associated with beginnings, fundamentals, and superiority. Sacks tells us that this letter has traveled first class throughout history. In fact, most alphabets start with “A” or its near equivalent. The Phoenicians, around 1000 B.C., named “A” the first letter of their alphabet and the Greeks followed around 800 B.C. Today, it is commonly associated with excellence pertaining to products such as meat, success at school, grading of bonds, stocks, and other credit obligations, as well as top service. We are informed that an alphabet is a writing system based on letters, which by definition symbolize phonemes only. A phoneme is the smallest phonetic unit in a language capable of conveying a distinction in meaning. Letters are used in combination to show words of a particular language that a writer shares with the reader. We must have enough letters with the right and essential sounds to adequately represent a particular language. Surprisingly, the number of letters needed is relatively small, “fewer than 30 for most languages.” What is noteworthy is that alphabets have been quite adaptable throughout history and have jumped from language to language across all kinds of barriers. If we look at our own Roman alphabet in English we notice that it is the product of four such leaps. It was initially copied from Phoenician letters by the Greeks who in turn had their letters copied by the Etruscans of Italy around 700 B.C. All three of these languages were quite different, nevertheless the letters were able to adapt. When the Romans came along, they copied the letters from the Etruscans, and as they conquered Italy and lands beyond they brought with them the Roman alphabet. “Roman letters were fitted to newer tongues, including primitive English (around A.D. 600). Today those letters have grown up to become our own.” These are some of the many revelations exposed in this thought provoking reference book wherein readers are apprised of how languages and their letters interact and change over time. Sack’s enthusiasm and sense of wonder for one of the world’s great inventions is contagious, and once you start reading about this fascinating topic you become addicted to it. His knowledge and unbelievable comprehensive research imbue this book with a great deal of revelations seducing the reader to continually return to its pages for another morsel of information. It is to be noted that the original hardcover edition was entitled Language Visible: Unraveling the Mystery of our Alphabet from A to Z. Reviewer: NORM GOLDMAN EDITOR OF BOOKPLEASURES.COM back to top Title: There Goes a Mermaid! A NorFolkTale Author: Lisa Suhay: Illustrator: Sam Hundley ISBN: 0964830809 The following review was contributed by: LILY AZERAD GOLDMAN CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR LIVING IN MONTREAL CANADA There Goes a Mermaid! A NorFolkTale authored by Lisa Suhay and illustrated by Sam Hundley is really a whimsical guidebook for children visiting the mermaid sculptures of Norfolk, Virginia. Kevin Gallup, who created the basic sculpture form for all the Norfolk mermaids, as well as the artists who created the designs on the Mermaids, are listed on the back cover of the book. Sam Hundley cleverly put them all together in order to design an imaginary world of mermaids. He matches the gentle text of Lisa Suhay with pictures that echo delight in the details of the mermaids as seen by children. Each individual sculpture is an apartment where imaginary mermaids live and work. Lisa Suhay has written two texts for this sweet book. The text on top of the pictures is for adults and the bottom for children. The top text is informative and clear while the bottom text directed to children is a bit wavy. I particularly liked “Rowena who serves afternoon tea” and “Kira who has art you must see!” The mermaid spotter’s guide is very imaginative. Are there real mermaids in Norfolk? Well, you have to believe there are, just look carefully! Lisa Suhay keeps the legends alive and encourages children to dream about the magical mermaids! What is very commendable is that proceeds from the book are divided between the Norfolk Literary Partnership and The Virginian Pilot Joy Fund. There Goes a Mermaid! A Norfolktale will be appreciated by parents as well as by preschoolers. back to top Title: 12th & McGraw Author: Forrest Haskell ISBN: 1929976291 Today, with the advent of self-published books there has been a proliferation of the personal narrative. It seems that everyone wants to join the bandwagon and recount his or her life story. The early chapters of 12th & McGraw, authored by Forrest Haskell Jr., gets off to a great start and succeeds in immediately hooking the reader. Forrest Haskell Jr. grew up in a tough Detroit neighborhood in the 40s and 50s born out of wedlock of a union between his French mother and her American lover, Forrest Haskell Sr. Although Forrest Sr. possessed incredible entrepreneurial skills, he was throughout his life involved in illicit criminal activities such as loan sharking, gambling, boot legging, bribing public officials, income tax evasion, and a slew of others. In addition, he also lived a double life fathering several children, while living alternatively on different days of the week with two women for over fifty years. One of these women was the author’s mother. Ironically he could never be accused of bigamy, as he was only legally married to one of the women. Nonetheless, Forrest Sr. treated both women with equal respect and fulfilled his fatherly obligations to both of his families. There is no shortage of interesting characters in the book. At times you think that some of these individuals associated with Forrest Sr. were out of a Damon Runyon novel. One character in particular, Harry, would be comical if his life did not end so tragically. It seems that Harry had black rotten teeth worn down to the gums and he covered them with white adhesive tape. In fact, they were in such a horrible condition that he drank goats’ milk, as he was unable to chew on solid food. Unfortunately, he passed away as a result of blood poisoning. The problem I found with this book is that it wanes toward the concluding chapters where the author seems to lose focus. He fails to elucidate why he did not follow in his father’s footpath into a life of crime. We are informed that the author was very successful in his business as a distributor of photocopying machines, and that some of his father’s entrepreneurial skills probably had rubbed off on him. Nonetheless, he never considered pursuing the same life style as his father. Personal narratives in order to be effective must clearly connect the meaning of experiences and how they played a role in the narrator’s character. Although, the author does state from time to time that he did not exactly condone his father’s criminal activities and also did not wish to inherit his money, he fails to show what was extraordinary or special about his experiences that would invoke universal interest. The reader is left with more questions than answers upon completion of the book’s reading. Reviewer: NORM GOLDMAN EDITOR OF BOOKPLEASURES.COM back to top Title: Inside Monster Garage Author: Ken Vose ISBN: 0696218909 “Mea Culpa”- I have to confess, I never watched the Discovery Channel’s television series, Monster Garage. Then again, for that matter, I have refrained these days from watching television altogether! Monster Garage, as I have been informed by several television mavens, is one of the hottest realty shows, and after reading the fan book Inside Monster Garage,” written by Ken Vose, I can fully understand why people are attracted to this fascinating series. Relying on glossy and detailed photos combined with Vose’s crafted words, this 175- page soft cover book show- cases how these unbelievable feats are accomplished. It is as if readers are given a backstage pass where they can witness what goes on behind the scenes, listen to the interviews with some of the principal characters, and savor tidbits of trivia mentioned in the pleasurable sidebars. The trivia will surely come in handy at cocktail parties. The book traces various episodes, wherein readers are privy to the workings of a group of skilled, imaginative and creative individuals, who nearly do the impossible by transforming an automobile into something outrageous. Bear in mind that their budget is limited to three thousand dollars, and the time frame to accomplish the feat is five days. Without doubt, readers who have seen the series, will vividly remember some of these mind boggling inventions such as: the school bus pontoon boat: the Lincoln Town Car Limousine turned into a fire truck: the Chevy Suburban transformed into a wedding chapel, where a couple actually performs their wedding ceremony: turning a Ford Mustang into the world’s fastest lawnmower. In addition, each episode lists the members of the crew, the specs, and comments made by their leader Jesse James pertaining to the objectives of the transformation, his final remarks, as well as some intriguing information concerning the vehicle or the project. An example- I bet you did not know that in 1939 the official color for school buses was changed from Omaha orange to chrome yellow. How about this tidbit-the largest pipe organ in the world is located not in a cathedral in Europe, but in a department store in Philadelphia. As an added bonus, the book includes interviews with some of the “movers and shakers” of the show. One that is particularly interesting is with Jesse James, whom the book states “may well become the first blue-collar television hero who actually works with his hands for a living. He is not an actor, singer, or an entertainer. He’s definitely not a talking head. He’s a welder and a fabricator, one who makes awesome machines that look great, work the way they should, and go fast.” James comes off, as a down to earth guy who maintains all he wanted to do was to focus on people making something out of nothing. As he says, “people dig that.” Vose successfully achieves a delicate balance between the stunning images and his words that are so critical in creating this memorable, solid, and sumptuously illustrated book. Inside Monster Garage is moreover a fun read, and to re-quote James, “people dig that.” I am sure one day the book will even become a collector’s item. The above review first appeared on the reviewer's own site: BOOKPLEASURES back to top Title: What They’ll Never Tell You About The Music Business: The Myths, the Secrets, the Lies (& a Few Truths) Author: Peter M. Thall ISBN: 0823084396 Recently retired from the legal profession, I can well appreciate how individuals, who may be well meaning, can freely pass along advice; however, very often they lack the appropriate credentials to offer sound counsel. This is particularly evident in the music world where unfortunately many an agent, accountant, attorney, manager or even friends are “out of their league” and unfortunately are not acting in the best interests of the artist. As Peter M. Thall mentions in his book What They’ll Never Tell You About The Music Business: The Myths, the Secrets, the Lies (& a Few Truths) “it is not enough to know the things you think you need to know about the music industry. Those who live within it-whether at the artistic or the business pole or somewhere in between-must know more. They must know the difference between surface and substance; between truth and lie; between reality and myth.” Thall is an attorney specializing in entertainment and copyright law. Some of the clients he has represented have included ABBA, Pat Benatar, The Cars, Miles Davis, The Irish Tenors, Barry Manilow, Anna Moffo and Simon & Garfunkel. In other words “he is no babe in the woods,” and his book reflects his many years of invaluable experiences that he shares with his readers. Presented in a clear and efficient manner, the reader receives priceless counsel concerning royalties, personal managers, business manager, record producers, promotion, touring, merchandising, copyright issues, musicians contracts, music publishing, internet entrepreneurship, urban music, classical music, and the role of record companies. In fact, in many instances in order to grasp the full implications of what was being revealed, I was forced to re-read paragraphs or sections that offered deep insights of a topic. This was particularly evident when Thall discussed royalties and how the pie is divided among the various players. It was an eye opener to learn that very often the musician is left with “chicken feed” at the end of the day, after everyone takes a percentage of the earnings. Although much of the book is devoted to legal and accounting matters, there are also chapters dealing with personal finances and the importance of being surrounded with honest and competent advisors. Unfortunately, sometimes musicians are “shafted” by unscrupulous managers, accountants, lawyers or other individuals who form part of their entourage. Reading this book is beyond doubt a learning experience and will certainly serve as an important resource for musicians as well as their advisors. Reviewer: NORM GOLDMAN EDITOR OF BOOKPLEASURES.COM back to top Title: Miriam the Medium Author: Rochelle Jewel Shapiro ISBN: 0743244788 Even if you don’t believe in “bube meishes,” (Yiddish for grandmother tales), or psychics and mediums, you can’t help enjoying Rochelle Jewel Shapiro’s first delightful novel Miriam the Medium. Shapiro narrates a story of a phone psychic, Miriam Kaminsky, who inherited the gift of being able to communicate with the dead and to foretell the future from her Russian born “bubie” (Yiddish for grandmother). Unfortunately, this gift causes her much grief, as both her own mother and daughter were ashamed to divulge to anyone what unusual powers she possessed. In fact, her mother warned her not to let any of her neighbors in on her secret, when she had moved to Great Neck, New York. Her daughter dared not mention her mother’s skills to any of her school friends for fear of being ridiculed. When her husband’s pharmacy was about to go under, Miriam decides to come to his rescue by engaging the services of an agent. Her plan was to more effectively market herself and thus earn more money. The agent convinces Miriam to appear on a television show that, unfortunately, ends in her being humiliated. However, all is not lost and there are sparks of triumph, as Miriam succeeds in proving her worth to her immediate family, when she tracks down her daughter and boyfriend lost in the woods in the middle of nowhere. You have to wonder if the author’s narrative is based on some of her own true to life experiences, as she is likewise a phone psychic who lives in Great Neck, New York? Although narrated in a simple, accessible style, the story is replete with well- developed character descriptions and vivid conversations of not only of persons living but also the spirits of the deceased. The book from beginning to end seldom slows and our principal character, Miriam, engages readers from the first page, both as a narrator and a mysterious character. The dialogue with its sprinkling of colorful Yiddish expressions is hilarious, and the story is sure to delight even those who would say it is a bunch of malarkey, or as my late parents would utter- “bubie meishes.” However, you have to admit the book would undoubtedly supply readers with some good cocktail conversation pertaining to the legitimacy of psychics and mediums. After all, is it not true, as fans of the paranormal enjoy pointing out, that some of our well- known politicians, celebrities, and others defer to the opinions of these “gifted” individuals? Enjoy! Reviewer: NORM GOLDMAN EDITOR OF BOOKPLEASURES.COM back to top | The BANYON NETWORK | Betty Byers | Whitlow Synopsis | INNER-VIEWS WITH CELEBRITIES | ECLECTIC REVIEWS | BOOK REVIEWER'S CORNER | The NEWS | SHORT STORIES CORNER | | Return Home | GREAT LINKS | WHAT'S NEW? | CONTACT US | |
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