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One of the classic lines in “The Imitation of Patsy Burke” must be: “What came first? Was it the overdrinking or was it the voices?”(page 10). If the reader has not figured it out by this early point in the novel, this quote ensures a better understanding of the narration. The “voices”, the “friends”, exist within the very compelling mind of the main character, Patsy Burke; in actual fact, the only true character in the novel. The other characters exist, but they exist within Patsy’s very complicated mind. It is from this perspective that John J. Gaynard spins this tale of emotion, action, and vivid description. The tone is raw, irreverent, racy, provocative, and infrequently soft.
When I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, it was in exchange for an impartial review. At that time, I thought I was about to read an action packed thriller, with a psychological bent. That was not how it turned out! But the writer’s style caught my attention after only a couple of pages. Then the plotline caught my eye, and I was hooked.
Due to the use of offensive language, there were times when completion of the novel seemed out of reach. Throw in some graphic violence, and it is not my pick for summer afternoon reading. However, the author still held my attention. You see, each of the voices in Patsy Burke’s mind, made up an aspect of Patsy’s personality. The skill of the author is in holding the reader’s attention to see how all the voices fit together, and how the author can actually create quite a storyline, all from the voices in the lead character’s mind. Are you intrigued yet??
As a word of caution, I would suggest that the reader keep in mind that this is a work of fiction ��" even though at times it reads like history. I choose not to expand on that comment, as I try to avoid ‘spoilers’ in my book reviews.
One skill of Gaynard’s is the ability to remain neutral throughout this book. By that I mean, the reader is left guessing about Gaynard’s own history and personal beliefs. And I think in a book of this nature that is key to the plotline and readability of the book itself. Keep your mind open, and your wits sharp, and this book may be just what you are looking for!
A number of months ago, I came across the unfamiliar term “literary fiction”. What is Literary Fiction? There are various definitions and opinions, but the one that stood out for me is that with Literary Fiction “what is really important are the thoughts, desires, and motivations of the characters as well as the underlying social and cultural threads that act upon them”. (Nathan Bransford) (“What Makes Literary Fiction Literary”) For me, “The Girl in the Box” is Literary Fiction. In the character of Caitlin Shaughnessy, as much as we think we know her thoughts, desires, and motivations, as the novel evolves so do these aspects of Caitlin’s personality. The human conditions existing in Guatemala are among the subjects tackled by Sheila Dalton. This book speaks to human relationships of love, friendship, trust, jealousy, pain, suffering, and enlightenment.The characters are complex and the plot line is intricate and deftly woven by the author. While not technically highlighted as a mystery novel, there were many elements of mystery throughout this novel. I found the most intriguing mysteries were between the characters, how relationships developed, changed, grew, and in some cases, deteriorated.“The Girl in the Box” caught my attention before I finished the first page. And it still had my attention on the last page. I will qualify that by saying that, in the first part of the second half of the book I found the story started to slow down, and I found it a little tougher reading. There was a lot of descriptive narrative, and a lot of introspection by the character of Caitlin Shaughnessy. I found it slowed the pace of the novel, and I resisted the urge to skip a few pages.There was an added bonus to reading this book, and that was: Education. It is very clear that Sheila Dalton has an impressive knowledge of Guatemala, and the various political and social conflicts that have plagued that region for many years. It is also eye opening to know that a number of these conflicts are current or recent history in nature.The murder victim’s life story included professional jealousies that exist specifically in the mental health profession, & generally within many professions today. While the character of Inez is at an extreme end of a spectrum, the way other characters react to her, and around her, is reminiscent of how mental health is often both overlooked and ignored.As a psychological drama, “The Girl in the Box” pulls the reader deeply into the lives of the characters. As a work of Literary Fiction, the motivations of the characters become intriguing puzzles. As a mystery, the ending brings everything together in one place, ties all the connections together.To say that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel sounds trite given the nature of the book. But, it is true! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I surprised myself by my depth of involvement with the characters. The book became more about the characters, than about solving the murder mystery. I grew in my knowledge of some international issues. And the ending was one I accepted on an emotional level.
Ok, I might as well admit it right up front ��" I am not a sci-fi kind of gal ��" especially books. So, how did I come by this novel? Well, I became acquainted with the author through Goodreads, in a Group Discussion. Bob Pease spoke about his new novel “Noah Zarc”, and as someone who loves lighthearted plays on words, and is familiar with bible stories, “Noah Zarc” went on my radar. I also enjoy occasionally reading a book aimed at younger readers. In short, I agreed to read and review “Noah Zarc”, which Bob Pease kindly gifted to me in eBook format. Challenging, because as of yet this writer does not own an eReader!! But, an on-line eReader program helped! I advised Bob Pease I would do my best reading and then writing honestly about his book.
“Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble” captured my attention slowly ��" not that the book was slow ��" I was slow. My lack of sci-fi lingo and imagination started to cause me trouble. So, I read about three chapters, was caught by the storyline, and read those chapters again ��" and I was hooked! Now I get it! And I freed my imagination for time travel and for fantasy.
The novel is told from the perspective of Noah, at 12 he is the youngest of three children in the Zarc family. Noah was born paraplegic, so spends his time in a wheelchair ��" unless he is out chasing bad guys, and wearing his EV (Extra Vehicle) suit, which allows him to run. Oops! Now you know there are bad guys in this novel! Actually bad guy singular ��" but a powerful and threatening character. Noah’s wheelchair is actually called a magchair, whose movement is controlled by Noah speaking or thinking thoughts, which are transferred to his chair, via a neuro-implant at the base of Noah’s skull.
Alright, let’s get a few facts out of the way. The story is set in 3100AD after the cataclysm on Earth ��" which left Earth devoid of human and animal life, uninhabitable. Human life exists on Mars and Venus. The Zarc family lives on the ARC, Animal Rescue Cruiser, which is the size of a large city! Most of the ARC is set up as rainforest, desert, water, or grassland, whatever is necessary to accommodate a large animal population. The job of the Zarc family is to travel back in time to earth 2100AD, which is prior to Earth’s cataclysm. The Zarcs collect and bring back to the ARC two of every kind of animal, one male and one female, keeping them housed on the ARC.
Of course life does not go smoothly and the Zarc family find themselves on different space ships, jumping and travelling through time, meeting new friends from 8500BC, and fighting the evil forces of Haon who does not want the animal rescue to succeed. Noah finds himself in the most difficult situations ��" often by choice ��" struggling to bring his family safely back together.
I think if I was to say too much more about the plot and storyline, I would have to declare “spoiler alert”! I will say that Noah meets more than one kind of mammoth, in his travels!
This book is fun! It is fun for many reasons, one of which is Noah’s age ��" twelve. In 2012 we marvel at the knowledge and computer skills of 12 year old young people. Well, it looks like by 3100AD those same twelve year olds will be commanding spaceships and time travel. Isn’t it amazing to think about those possibilities? Individuals requiring wheelchairs are regarded as no different than individuals who walk under their own power. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? And don’t we all want to live like The Jetsons? One of my favourite cartoons from the past! Being transported long distances within our own ARCS, via “the series of tubes that crisscrossed the decks allow[ing] the spheres (think chairs) to travel at extremely high speeds while keeping their passengers safe in gel-padded seats” (page 16).
For Noah, he feels the best when he is out of his magchair, and into the pilot seat of a space ship. I think we can all find a comparable instance in our own lives, and identify with how Noah is feeling.
One of the traits of this novel that I especially appreciated was the kindness and concern expressed by the characters to each other and everyone they meet. Also, the concern for safety popped up quite often in the book. We find out that no one has a perfect life, (sound familiar?), or has been born into perfect circumstances; but “what makes each of us special is how we deal with our circumstances” (page 41).
The rulers and law-enforcers in “Noah Zarc”, comprise the Poligarchy. Noah’s older brother, Hamilton, supports the Poligarchy’s mantra: “We must atone for our past sins. We must keep earth from being destroyed again” (page 120). Follow the laws. Be good people. Environmentally conscious. Does this sound familiar?
A storyline within the story is undeniably biblically based. D. Robert Pease does this skillfully and gently, not forcing any doctrine on the reader. However, as a person whose belief system is biblically based, this theme was very enjoyable and contained a good amount of humour! Even to the scouting robot belonging to Noah’s parents, Hannah and Noah Sr., whose acronym is M.O.S.E.S. (Mobile Oriented Spacetime Energy Signal).
One of the great things about this book is the enjoyment it gave me, and the enjoyment the characters had in their lives. The author’s ability to spin the tale and include the reader stands out throughout the book.
Even someone ��" me ��" devoid of any experience with sci-fi, is sure to find pleasure in the Zarc family adventures. The reader does not need to understand outer space and time travel lingo to go with the flow of Noah’s adventures. Noah doesn’t understand, so I was in good company! I found some of the actions detailed by the author did get a little out of sync in a couple of places, and I would have enjoyed reading the ending of some of the secondary story lines, especially those related to Noah’s older sister Sam.
The author touches on some social awareness issues, including child labour laws ��" or the lack of them. But it is done in such an easy way; it would not become a burden to the young reader.
One of my favourite scenes involves something we all battle today ��" automated phone systems. If you have ever tried to reach an individual within an organization, you will laugh out loud at Noah’s brief predicament!
For my first venture into young reader fantasy, Pease definitely caught and held my attention. “Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble” will be a wonderful adventure for many young readers.
I highly recommend this novel, and trust it will be enjoyed by eager young minds.
I was also thinking: the good guy’s name is Noah, and the bad guy’s name is Haon. Does that strike anyone else as funny…..?
This exceptional book is a short story, (approximately 10,000 words), written as a rhyming poem, which really makes it a long, (51 page), poem! However you choose to describe it, however you choose to summarize it, this literary work is something incredibly special.
I was not sure how I would feel about a long prose-poem, and I was a little intimidated by it. However, it did not take long for me to know how I felt about the book itself. I was hooked by the second page.
Most of us can probably relate to a story of a man spending too much time away from his family, and not enough time appreciating the time he has on this earth. Why is it that we can all find ourselves in this situation, even when the world around us is filled with examples of how "not-to"? I am reminded of two famous sayings: "Learn by example" and "Learn by our own mistakes". Which one is correct? Or are they both correct?
The main character in this short story is depicted, in the beginning, as one who has a passion for his job, or if not a passion, then dedication and loyalty. When everyone else leaves for the day, he and his boss remain. And it is clear that he believes this is the way to get through life, the way that will lead to a wonderful time of retirement.
Reading the opening stanza, it seems as though this man's life theory is: to live for the day. "Say Not What If", embrace life and all it offers. We learn, almost immediately, that this philosophy of life was only arrived at after some big moments of regret. The bulk of the story finds the main character struggling with his life choices.
While it might be tempting to read this book in one short period of time, I would caution against this. I took multiple sittings, as the subject matter was heavy, even though the style of writing was light. And as the book progressed I was pleased with the slower pace of my reading.
As I read his story, I could not help but feel pain for the main character. But also pain for those of us living part, or all of our lives, saying "what if". For a short book, this story addresses major life issues, ones which the reader will find speak to the core of our beings. The author has the skill to reach directly into our hearts, souls, and minds - in a very short amount of time.
I highly recommend this book, and hope that we as readers, will learn life lessons that will stay with us for the rest of our journey.
I would like to thank Andrew Friedman, for providing a complimentary copy of his book, for my review.
"Where is the Joy?"!!!!!
My very next post, after deciding I would ask that question at the end of any post, I forgot! So, I will add it in here. Maybe no one else remembered either!!
So, where is the Joy in this post, in this book? I thought that might be a challenging question, given the subject matter of the book "Say Not What If", (maybe that's why I `forgot'!??).
However, the answer came quite easily. I found Joy in the rhyming pattern of the stanzas, in the flow of the words, and from there the images of what was being depicted.
I received this exciting and well written book from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an impartial review. When I opened the box and looked at the cover, my instinct was to say: “Oh, it’s a kid’s book”, and “it’s all about sports, looks like basketball”. Wonderful! I know basically nothing about sports, and definitely nothing about basketball. What do I do now for my review?? I quickly flipped through the pages and saw pictures of guys throwing basketballs outside, inside, and upside down!
I eventually pulled back from my initial reaction and gave the book another check. And am I ever glad that I did! This book is all the things I mentioned above ��" but it is SO much more. What started as six university guys throwing basketballs in the backyard of their house, and challenging each other to “go forward”; as well as a few dares: “You’ll never make this shot”, has now turned into a strong motivational force with a web page, an on-line game app, group presentations, and of course, this book. In this social media world the “Go Big” Philosophy has reached to faraway places, and impacted many lives. And all this has happened in the last two years.
Although this book is written by just one of the “Go Big” guys, it is really a compilation of all their efforts to reach their highest goals. Over time the original six became five, as one member decided to follow another dream ��" a dream well understood and accepted by the team. Throughout the book we are introduced to all members of DudePerfect.com. We get to know each individual and what they bring to the team. For me, one of the brightest lights in this book is how the group shines as a team, how they work together and grow even stronger.
This is hard to believe coming from a group of guys just interested in trick basketball shots. Here’s the catch, if this was just about trick basketball shots, it would not have captured and held my interest past the end of the book. This book is many things, and to me it is a great business model centred in something that is bigger than the individuals involved. This group of young men are clear in their dedication to God, and their dedication to social justice causes. Stated clearly throughout the book, and printed on the back cover, 5% of author’s proceeds will go to charity: water, a nonprofit organization bringing clean, safe water to people in developing nations. The author is clear in their spiritual beliefs, and their need to bring better lives to the needy. For a book that is “not-religious”, when was the last book you read that could make those claims? These guys are making an impact on this world.
The Dude Perfect brand is based on five principles:
Get Excited, Own It, Blink Later, Inspire Others, and Give Back.
Each principle is expanded upon, highlighted, and made clearer, as the reader moves through each page, each chapter.
Dude Perfect started out with a number of personal goals, and if you check their website, some goals are still on the horizon ��" life goals. It is clear that Dude Perfect will be around for a while! Their motto is ‘Go Big’, their brand is Dude Perfect, and their hope is to inspire readers to reach and obtain their own goals.
“Go Big” gives us, the readers, the tools we need to reach our own Dude Perfect phenomenon. The skills set forth can be used in many of life’s situations: team building, management skills, conflict resolution, positive attitude formation, life skills, and spirit building, (to say the least).
What started out as a book that held a vague interest for me, became a book I had to force myself to put down when life called me away! To say that I felt the momentum begin in the Introduction is not an exaggeration. The subject, the writing style, the graphics, all worked together to capture and hold my interest and enthusiasm.
This is not just a book about a group of guys who took trick basketball shots to a new level, (although it is), this is a reference book for many years ahead. I value this book as a book that will push me at times I need pushing; and congratulate me at times I need encouragement.
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The Imitation of Patsy Burke by John J. Gaynard
Madley93, May 20, 2012
One of the classic lines in “The Imitation of Patsy Burke” must be: “What came first? Was it the overdrinking or was it the voices?”(page 10). If the reader has not figured it out by this early point in the novel, this quote ensures a better understanding of the narration. The “voices”, the “friends”, exist within the very compelling mind of the main character, Patsy Burke; in actual fact, the only true character in the novel. The other characters exist, but they exist within Patsy’s very complicated mind. It is from this perspective that John J. Gaynard spins this tale of emotion, action, and vivid description. The tone is raw, irreverent, racy, provocative, and infrequently soft.When I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, it was in exchange for an impartial review. At that time, I thought I was about to read an action packed thriller, with a psychological bent. That was not how it turned out! But the writer’s style caught my attention after only a couple of pages. Then the plotline caught my eye, and I was hooked.
Due to the use of offensive language, there were times when completion of the novel seemed out of reach. Throw in some graphic violence, and it is not my pick for summer afternoon reading. However, the author still held my attention. You see, each of the voices in Patsy Burke’s mind, made up an aspect of Patsy’s personality. The skill of the author is in holding the reader’s attention to see how all the voices fit together, and how the author can actually create quite a storyline, all from the voices in the lead character’s mind. Are you intrigued yet??
As a word of caution, I would suggest that the reader keep in mind that this is a work of fiction ��" even though at times it reads like history. I choose not to expand on that comment, as I try to avoid ‘spoilers’ in my book reviews.
One skill of Gaynard’s is the ability to remain neutral throughout this book. By that I mean, the reader is left guessing about Gaynard’s own history and personal beliefs. And I think in a book of this nature that is key to the plotline and readability of the book itself. Keep your mind open, and your wits sharp, and this book may be just what you are looking for!
Girl in the Box by Sheila Dalton
Madley93, February 9, 2012
A number of months ago, I came across the unfamiliar term “literary fiction”. What is Literary Fiction? There are various definitions and opinions, but the one that stood out for me is that with Literary Fiction “what is really important are the thoughts, desires, and motivations of the characters as well as the underlying social and cultural threads that act upon them”. (Nathan Bransford) (“What Makes Literary Fiction Literary”) For me, “The Girl in the Box” is Literary Fiction. In the character of Caitlin Shaughnessy, as much as we think we know her thoughts, desires, and motivations, as the novel evolves so do these aspects of Caitlin’s personality. The human conditions existing in Guatemala are among the subjects tackled by Sheila Dalton. This book speaks to human relationships of love, friendship, trust, jealousy, pain, suffering, and enlightenment.The characters are complex and the plot line is intricate and deftly woven by the author. While not technically highlighted as a mystery novel, there were many elements of mystery throughout this novel. I found the most intriguing mysteries were between the characters, how relationships developed, changed, grew, and in some cases, deteriorated.“The Girl in the Box” caught my attention before I finished the first page. And it still had my attention on the last page. I will qualify that by saying that, in the first part of the second half of the book I found the story started to slow down, and I found it a little tougher reading. There was a lot of descriptive narrative, and a lot of introspection by the character of Caitlin Shaughnessy. I found it slowed the pace of the novel, and I resisted the urge to skip a few pages.There was an added bonus to reading this book, and that was: Education. It is very clear that Sheila Dalton has an impressive knowledge of Guatemala, and the various political and social conflicts that have plagued that region for many years. It is also eye opening to know that a number of these conflicts are current or recent history in nature.The murder victim’s life story included professional jealousies that exist specifically in the mental health profession, & generally within many professions today. While the character of Inez is at an extreme end of a spectrum, the way other characters react to her, and around her, is reminiscent of how mental health is often both overlooked and ignored.As a psychological drama, “The Girl in the Box” pulls the reader deeply into the lives of the characters. As a work of Literary Fiction, the motivations of the characters become intriguing puzzles. As a mystery, the ending brings everything together in one place, ties all the connections together.To say that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel sounds trite given the nature of the book. But, it is true! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I surprised myself by my depth of involvement with the characters. The book became more about the characters, than about solving the murder mystery. I grew in my knowledge of some international issues. And the ending was one I accepted on an emotional level.Noah Zarc by D. Robert Pease
Madley93, January 26, 2012
Ok, I might as well admit it right up front ��" I am not a sci-fi kind of gal ��" especially books. So, how did I come by this novel? Well, I became acquainted with the author through Goodreads, in a Group Discussion. Bob Pease spoke about his new novel “Noah Zarc”, and as someone who loves lighthearted plays on words, and is familiar with bible stories, “Noah Zarc” went on my radar. I also enjoy occasionally reading a book aimed at younger readers. In short, I agreed to read and review “Noah Zarc”, which Bob Pease kindly gifted to me in eBook format. Challenging, because as of yet this writer does not own an eReader!! But, an on-line eReader program helped! I advised Bob Pease I would do my best reading and then writing honestly about his book.“Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble” captured my attention slowly ��" not that the book was slow ��" I was slow. My lack of sci-fi lingo and imagination started to cause me trouble. So, I read about three chapters, was caught by the storyline, and read those chapters again ��" and I was hooked! Now I get it! And I freed my imagination for time travel and for fantasy.
The novel is told from the perspective of Noah, at 12 he is the youngest of three children in the Zarc family. Noah was born paraplegic, so spends his time in a wheelchair ��" unless he is out chasing bad guys, and wearing his EV (Extra Vehicle) suit, which allows him to run. Oops! Now you know there are bad guys in this novel! Actually bad guy singular ��" but a powerful and threatening character. Noah’s wheelchair is actually called a magchair, whose movement is controlled by Noah speaking or thinking thoughts, which are transferred to his chair, via a neuro-implant at the base of Noah’s skull.
Alright, let’s get a few facts out of the way. The story is set in 3100AD after the cataclysm on Earth ��" which left Earth devoid of human and animal life, uninhabitable. Human life exists on Mars and Venus. The Zarc family lives on the ARC, Animal Rescue Cruiser, which is the size of a large city! Most of the ARC is set up as rainforest, desert, water, or grassland, whatever is necessary to accommodate a large animal population. The job of the Zarc family is to travel back in time to earth 2100AD, which is prior to Earth’s cataclysm. The Zarcs collect and bring back to the ARC two of every kind of animal, one male and one female, keeping them housed on the ARC.
Of course life does not go smoothly and the Zarc family find themselves on different space ships, jumping and travelling through time, meeting new friends from 8500BC, and fighting the evil forces of Haon who does not want the animal rescue to succeed. Noah finds himself in the most difficult situations ��" often by choice ��" struggling to bring his family safely back together.
I think if I was to say too much more about the plot and storyline, I would have to declare “spoiler alert”! I will say that Noah meets more than one kind of mammoth, in his travels!
This book is fun! It is fun for many reasons, one of which is Noah’s age ��" twelve. In 2012 we marvel at the knowledge and computer skills of 12 year old young people. Well, it looks like by 3100AD those same twelve year olds will be commanding spaceships and time travel. Isn’t it amazing to think about those possibilities? Individuals requiring wheelchairs are regarded as no different than individuals who walk under their own power. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? And don’t we all want to live like The Jetsons? One of my favourite cartoons from the past! Being transported long distances within our own ARCS, via “the series of tubes that crisscrossed the decks allow[ing] the spheres (think chairs) to travel at extremely high speeds while keeping their passengers safe in gel-padded seats” (page 16).
For Noah, he feels the best when he is out of his magchair, and into the pilot seat of a space ship. I think we can all find a comparable instance in our own lives, and identify with how Noah is feeling.
One of the traits of this novel that I especially appreciated was the kindness and concern expressed by the characters to each other and everyone they meet. Also, the concern for safety popped up quite often in the book. We find out that no one has a perfect life, (sound familiar?), or has been born into perfect circumstances; but “what makes each of us special is how we deal with our circumstances” (page 41).
The rulers and law-enforcers in “Noah Zarc”, comprise the Poligarchy. Noah’s older brother, Hamilton, supports the Poligarchy’s mantra: “We must atone for our past sins. We must keep earth from being destroyed again” (page 120). Follow the laws. Be good people. Environmentally conscious. Does this sound familiar?
A storyline within the story is undeniably biblically based. D. Robert Pease does this skillfully and gently, not forcing any doctrine on the reader. However, as a person whose belief system is biblically based, this theme was very enjoyable and contained a good amount of humour! Even to the scouting robot belonging to Noah’s parents, Hannah and Noah Sr., whose acronym is M.O.S.E.S. (Mobile Oriented Spacetime Energy Signal).
One of the great things about this book is the enjoyment it gave me, and the enjoyment the characters had in their lives. The author’s ability to spin the tale and include the reader stands out throughout the book.
Even someone ��" me ��" devoid of any experience with sci-fi, is sure to find pleasure in the Zarc family adventures. The reader does not need to understand outer space and time travel lingo to go with the flow of Noah’s adventures. Noah doesn’t understand, so I was in good company! I found some of the actions detailed by the author did get a little out of sync in a couple of places, and I would have enjoyed reading the ending of some of the secondary story lines, especially those related to Noah’s older sister Sam.
The author touches on some social awareness issues, including child labour laws ��" or the lack of them. But it is done in such an easy way; it would not become a burden to the young reader.
One of my favourite scenes involves something we all battle today ��" automated phone systems. If you have ever tried to reach an individual within an organization, you will laugh out loud at Noah’s brief predicament!
For my first venture into young reader fantasy, Pease definitely caught and held my attention. “Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble” will be a wonderful adventure for many young readers.
I highly recommend this novel, and trust it will be enjoyed by eager young minds.
I was also thinking: the good guy’s name is Noah, and the bad guy’s name is Haon. Does that strike anyone else as funny…..?
Say Not What If
Madley93, January 19, 2012
This exceptional book is a short story, (approximately 10,000 words), written as a rhyming poem, which really makes it a long, (51 page), poem! However you choose to describe it, however you choose to summarize it, this literary work is something incredibly special.I was not sure how I would feel about a long prose-poem, and I was a little intimidated by it. However, it did not take long for me to know how I felt about the book itself. I was hooked by the second page.
Most of us can probably relate to a story of a man spending too much time away from his family, and not enough time appreciating the time he has on this earth. Why is it that we can all find ourselves in this situation, even when the world around us is filled with examples of how "not-to"? I am reminded of two famous sayings: "Learn by example" and "Learn by our own mistakes". Which one is correct? Or are they both correct?
The main character in this short story is depicted, in the beginning, as one who has a passion for his job, or if not a passion, then dedication and loyalty. When everyone else leaves for the day, he and his boss remain. And it is clear that he believes this is the way to get through life, the way that will lead to a wonderful time of retirement.
Reading the opening stanza, it seems as though this man's life theory is: to live for the day. "Say Not What If", embrace life and all it offers. We learn, almost immediately, that this philosophy of life was only arrived at after some big moments of regret. The bulk of the story finds the main character struggling with his life choices.
While it might be tempting to read this book in one short period of time, I would caution against this. I took multiple sittings, as the subject matter was heavy, even though the style of writing was light. And as the book progressed I was pleased with the slower pace of my reading.
As I read his story, I could not help but feel pain for the main character. But also pain for those of us living part, or all of our lives, saying "what if". For a short book, this story addresses major life issues, ones which the reader will find speak to the core of our beings. The author has the skill to reach directly into our hearts, souls, and minds - in a very short amount of time.
I highly recommend this book, and hope that we as readers, will learn life lessons that will stay with us for the rest of our journey.
I would like to thank Andrew Friedman, for providing a complimentary copy of his book, for my review.
"Where is the Joy?"!!!!!
My very next post, after deciding I would ask that question at the end of any post, I forgot! So, I will add it in here. Maybe no one else remembered either!!
So, where is the Joy in this post, in this book? I thought that might be a challenging question, given the subject matter of the book "Say Not What If", (maybe that's why I `forgot'!??).
However, the answer came quite easily. I found Joy in the rhyming pattern of the stanzas, in the flow of the words, and from there the images of what was being depicted.
That was the Joy.
Patricia
Choose Joy!
Go Big: Make Your Shot Count in the Connected World by Cory Cotton
Madley93, January 8, 2012
I received this exciting and well written book from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an impartial review. When I opened the box and looked at the cover, my instinct was to say: “Oh, it’s a kid’s book”, and “it’s all about sports, looks like basketball”. Wonderful! I know basically nothing about sports, and definitely nothing about basketball. What do I do now for my review?? I quickly flipped through the pages and saw pictures of guys throwing basketballs outside, inside, and upside down!I eventually pulled back from my initial reaction and gave the book another check. And am I ever glad that I did! This book is all the things I mentioned above ��" but it is SO much more. What started as six university guys throwing basketballs in the backyard of their house, and challenging each other to “go forward”; as well as a few dares: “You’ll never make this shot”, has now turned into a strong motivational force with a web page, an on-line game app, group presentations, and of course, this book. In this social media world the “Go Big” Philosophy has reached to faraway places, and impacted many lives. And all this has happened in the last two years.
Although this book is written by just one of the “Go Big” guys, it is really a compilation of all their efforts to reach their highest goals. Over time the original six became five, as one member decided to follow another dream ��" a dream well understood and accepted by the team. Throughout the book we are introduced to all members of DudePerfect.com. We get to know each individual and what they bring to the team. For me, one of the brightest lights in this book is how the group shines as a team, how they work together and grow even stronger.
This is hard to believe coming from a group of guys just interested in trick basketball shots. Here’s the catch, if this was just about trick basketball shots, it would not have captured and held my interest past the end of the book. This book is many things, and to me it is a great business model centred in something that is bigger than the individuals involved. This group of young men are clear in their dedication to God, and their dedication to social justice causes. Stated clearly throughout the book, and printed on the back cover, 5% of author’s proceeds will go to charity: water, a nonprofit organization bringing clean, safe water to people in developing nations. The author is clear in their spiritual beliefs, and their need to bring better lives to the needy. For a book that is “not-religious”, when was the last book you read that could make those claims? These guys are making an impact on this world.
The Dude Perfect brand is based on five principles:
Get Excited, Own It, Blink Later, Inspire Others, and Give Back.
Each principle is expanded upon, highlighted, and made clearer, as the reader moves through each page, each chapter.
Dude Perfect started out with a number of personal goals, and if you check their website, some goals are still on the horizon ��" life goals. It is clear that Dude Perfect will be around for a while! Their motto is ‘Go Big’, their brand is Dude Perfect, and their hope is to inspire readers to reach and obtain their own goals.
“Go Big” gives us, the readers, the tools we need to reach our own Dude Perfect phenomenon. The skills set forth can be used in many of life’s situations: team building, management skills, conflict resolution, positive attitude formation, life skills, and spirit building, (to say the least).
What started out as a book that held a vague interest for me, became a book I had to force myself to put down when life called me away! To say that I felt the momentum begin in the Introduction is not an exaggeration. The subject, the writing style, the graphics, all worked together to capture and hold my interest and enthusiasm.
This is not just a book about a group of guys who took trick basketball shots to a new level, (although it is), this is a reference book for many years ahead. I value this book as a book that will push me at times I need pushing; and congratulate me at times I need encouragement.
And it can do that for you, too!!
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