Enjoy Every Sandwich: Living Each Day As If It Were Your Last - Lee Lipsenthal, M.D.

BOOK REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY - Read all the way down to enter to win one of two copies of this book from the publisher.

Publisher:  Crown Archetype
Pages:  224
Source: I received a copy for review from the publisher
Genre: Adult, Memoir

Dr. Lee Lipsenthal worked with Dr. Dean Ornish at the famed Preventive Medicine Research Institute. As medical director of the Institute, he helped thousands of patients to overcome their fear of pain and death and to embrace living life with joy every day. In his own life, happily married and the proud father of two remarkable children, Lee was similarly committed to living life fully and gratefully each day. The power of these beliefs was tested in July 2009, when Lee was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. As Lee and his wife, Kathy, navigated his illness and treatment over the past two years, Lee discovered that he did not fear death. Instead of fearing the future, he took the time to practice gratitude, connect with his loved ones, and make every attempt to live a full life with each breath. Enjoy Every Sandwich is Lee’s lasting gift to his family, his friends, his colleagues and to readers.

Lee died on Tuesday, September 20. It is now our honor to spread Lee's message with this special book.


Watch this powerful book trailer:




The topic of this book is a tough one to read about.  The big "C" word, whether it deals with breast cancer, lung cancer, or any other type of cancer is scary.  It is scary to the person who has just heard the diagnosis and it is scary to their friends and family.  It is not an unfamiliar word in my family.  As a matter of fact this book is on its way to my sister.  She was first diagnosed with cancer at the age of 19.  After surgery and radiation she was clear of cancer for 20 years.  Eight years ago she was diagnosed with lung cancer.  It is slowly moving throughout her body.  Her outlook is like Lee's.  Instead of focusing on death, she has chosen to focus on life and living it to her fullest.  She is enjoying time with he grand kids and daughter.  Like Lee she prays and meditates daily.  I enjoyed reading his philosophy although some aspects of it differ from mine.  He said, "many religions use meditation and some just call it prayer. Some say prayer is talking to God or the universe and meditation is listening  to the answer'. (page 50).  I  believe some people will feel threatened by his belief system.  He doesn't knock any ones religious beliefs.  He actually encourages people to pray and meditate.   As a Christian I can tell you that I feel out of balance if I don't start my day with prayer and meditation.  No matter what your religious beliefs Lee is right about several things.  First we should acknowledge that bad things happen to good people, just like good things happen to them.  Second, we should create a life that is full of love and laughter.  We should never put ourselves into a box of our own making.  When my father was alive my mom would come to him with a problem.  He would handle it.  She often told him that it drove her nuts that he didn't seem to worry or care about the situation.  His reply was always the same, "I care about it and I'll handle it, but worrying about it won't change it one bit.  So at this point in time I "choose" not to worry about it because worry won't add anything to my life, but it can take so much away.

I think the overall message of this book is to live life to the fullest no matter what the situation.

Links
Official Website:   http://www.enjoyeverysandwich.net
Product Page:        http://bit.ly/tPecOt


To Enter this giveaway fill out the form below and leave a comment.  Click on "Read More" to see the form.

The Fractured Life of 3743 and The Killer of Little Shepherds

The Fractured Life of 3743 – Rob Cabitto 

Publisher:  Beaver”s Pond Press

Pages:  248

Source:  Received a copy from publisher

Genre:  Adult, Memoir

From Goodreads:

The Life of 3743 is a journey, beginning with tragedy, addiction and culminating in redemption born out of desperation.

Rob Cabitto's story of his fractured life being redeemed is a powerful and cautionary tale of how a life can go horribly wrong. When Rob was five, he was put up for adoption because of the severe addictions of his parents.

As is often the case, these early hardships helped to make the man who he is today. Rob tells what it was like to live untethered to any spiritual, tribal or social belief system--and the consequences associated with an amoral lifestyle. He describes exactly what it was like to be homeless, penniless and jobless, with nowhere to go but down. However, what he believed to be his bottom was only a temporary stopping point. He had yet to fall further, and for many years, lived in the abyss of a life without meaning or direction.

This story is about overcoming immense obsta­cles as a child, the bad choices he made as a young adult and into adulthood, and the resilience of the human spirit. The Fractured Life Redeemed is insightful, captivating and has a universal message for all those who have been hopeless or lost--and that message is hope...

My Thoughts:

This book is one that will stick with the reader for a long time.  It is an honest look at one man’s life, the choices he made, and how those choices affected him.  The pictures in the book help bring you into his life.  Had he left the pictures out, his writing is so descriptive that you would still be able to picture the rollercoaster he called his life.  I am not sure, had I lived his life that I would have had the courage to tell the story.  I look at things in my past and read books and say, “Yeah, I understand because that happened to me.”  Yet, I have no courage to reach out and tell the story that may help others.  The reading of this book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride.  You look at what he had done the accomplishments and are so proud of what he’s done then the next moment you are in the valley with him.  I know this is an adult book yet I deal with teens every day.  I am tired of hearing their excuses. “But Miss, you don’t understand…I live in a single parent home…we got no money….my daddy’s on drugs…that’s why I’m in a gang so I can get some respect…”  We’ve all heard the sob stories.  The idea is to not let those stories be our entire life.  Seeing how far Rob Cabitto had to come to be the success he is, takes away all excuses.  There were QR codes throughout the book. I was able to utilize the ones at the front for Facebook and Twitter but the ones throughout the book would not open for me.  That has not stopped me.  I plan on taking the book to school with me and utilizing the phone of one of my fellow teachers to see what I have missed, then loaning the book to them.  I believe this should be read by anyone who has faced any challenges and just don’t feel they can pull themselves out.  With enough help, determination and effort I believe anyone can.

The Killer of Little Shepherds:  A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science – Douglas Starr

Publisher:  Knopf

Pages:  320

Source:  Received a copy from publisher in exchange for review

Genre:  Adult,  True Crime Story

From Goodreads:

A riveting true crime story that vividly recounts the birth of modern forensics.

At the end of the nineteenth century, serial murderer Joseph Vacher, known and feared as “The Killer of Little Shepherds,” terrorized the French countryside. He eluded authorities for years—until he ran up against prosecutor Emile Fourquet and Dr. Alexandre Lacassagne, the era’s most renowned criminologist. The two men—intelligent and bold—typified the Belle Époque, a period of immense scientific achievement and fascination with science’s promise to reveal the secrets of the human condition.

With high drama and stunning detail, Douglas Starr revisits Vacher’s infamous crime wave, interweaving the story of how Lacassagne and his colleagues were developing forensic science as we know it. We see one of the earliest uses of criminal profiling, as Fourquet painstakingly collects eyewitness accounts and constructs a map of Vacher’s crimes. We follow the tense and exciting events leading to the murderer’s arrest. And we witness the twists and turns of the trial, celebrated in its day. In an attempt to disprove Vacher’s defense by reason of insanity, Fourquet recruits Lacassagne, who in the previous decades had revolutionized criminal science by refining the use of blood-spatter evidence, systematizing the autopsy, and doing groundbreaking research in psychology. Lacassagne’s efforts lead to a gripping courtroom denouement.

The Killer of Little Shepherds is an important contribution to the history of criminal justice, impressively researched and thrillingly told.

My Thoughts:

It is sad to think that we know more about Jack the Ripper, except who he really was than we do about a man named Joseph Vacher.   Both of these murderers lived and killed around the same time and yet, until I read this book I had not heard of him.  Not only do we learn that this man started killing because he was rejected by a woman, but we learn that those involved in his capture were the ones who began using forensics.

Dr. Alexandre LaCassagne wa the professor at the university of Lyon.  It was under his tutelege that many scientists studied things like fibers and hair, blood types, even spatter patterns of blood.  Up until this point many people were institutionalized as insane.  The reasoning was they must have been insane to kill so many people.  Forensics brought into light patterns and the use of science to catch and keep criminals and allow them to be punished justifiably.  France had an influx of people who lost their jobs or livelihoods to the Industrial revolution.  Often it was these men who committed crimes, but as transients were not caught.  LaCassagne was able to take a scientific look at crime scenes and suspects and provide answers.  Rural areas often lacked more educated doctors and police.  It was kind of like, “having something was better than nothing”.  That is another reason so many went so long before being caught.

It was fascinating to learn that during that time period if you were wealthy and ticked off  the poor you could be accused of a crime you were totally innocent of and be executed.  The opposite was true for the poor as well who could not afford to defend themselves.  I kept thinking, Thank goodness we have forensic science now.  Yet I realize it has not been that long ago before DNA testing that innocent people were accused of crimes they were not guilty of because science had not develop enough to prove them innocent.

Although this book is graphic, for people like me who love all things forensics this is a must read.  It is truly one of the best books on the subject I have ever read.  It is one I will most definitely recommend to those like me who enjoy true crime stories.

The Long Night: William L. Shirer and the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich – Steve Wick

Publisher:  Palgrave MacMillan

Pages:  288

Source:  Received a copy from the publisher

Genre:  Memoirs

William L. Shirer was journalist who took chances many others wouldn’t to get the truth out.  Most of this story took place in Berlin at the height of Hitler’s reign.  I can’t imagine what it would have been like to not know who to trust, not know if you were going to get your information out or not.  The stress alone knowing that you could be booted out of the country and denied access to what was really going on around you while fighting to stay alive from the bombings had to have been horrible.   Even though most of his work was censored he tried to warn people about what Hitler and his men were really up to.  He attended Nazi Party Rally’s and got a first hand look at what was coming.  While reading about Shirer’s experiences I felt as if I had been transported back to a time long before I was even a thought and was living in Berlin watching event unfold.  I admire people like Shirer who are willing to risk everything to get to the truth.  It is by hearing watered down versions of the truth in the media today that we continue to make the same mistakes.  Anyone who loves this time period or history in general will love this book.  It is not an easy read but it is well worth it.

Hey Kids, Want Some Chocolates? - Melitta Strandberg & George E. Pfautsch

Publisher:  AuthorHouse

Pages: 84

Source:  Review copy from Bostick Communications

Genre:  Historical Memoir

 

 Every now and again we hear in the news of a baby disappearing from a hospital.  I have always felt for those parents who are traumatized in this manner.  So it was with this book.  This is Melitta’s story.  It is a story of her abduction and return.  It is not an easy story to read.  Imagine you have given birth to a child and then when they bring the child in, you know they have made a mistake.  You pitch a fit and so they remove the baby but don’t return your child.  Melitta was actually taken from her mother by the Nazi’s.  This was a time when babies were experimented upon at Hitler’s command.  He chose women who were from Poland, Romania, Hungary, etc.  He didn’t consider them purebred so he figured he could do with the children as he wanted.  What is unusual about this story is that six months after disappearing Melitta is reunited with her family.   This was not the usual case.  This is the telling of that time, and the events that took place shortly thereafter.    Melitta’s parents managed to make it onto the last train leaving East Germany and ended up in Augsberg, Germany.  This was freedom to them.  Children leaving the train were met by soldiers who offered them chocolate.  This is where the title comes from.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves this time period.  I have a former student who did an entire history project on survivors of the holocaust and I know that this is a book she will definitely want to read.  I enjoyed learning another part of this time period I was not familiar with.

About the authors:

Melitta Strandberg was born on September 3, 1944. Her parents' story began in Romania and is filled with the many risks and the many narrow escapes that could have ended prematurely their quest for freedom. Melitta's own quest ended before she was one year old, but those first few months of her life are intriguing and much about them remains a mystery. Thereafter she has led a successful and typical life. Her first eighteen years were spent in Germany and the remainder of her life has been in the United States. Today she lives with her husband, Herb, in Northern California.

 

George E. Pfautsch spent most of his working life as a financial executive with Potlatch Corporation, a major forest products and paper company. His final years with them were spent as the Senior Vice President of Finance and the Chief Financial Officer. Following his retirement, he began writing and speaking on the subjects of morality, justice and faith. He has published several books on those topics and he views this book as encompassing each of those subjects. 

Irena's Jars of Secrets - Marcia Vaughan

Publisher: Lee & Low Books

Pages: 35
Genre: Children, Picture Book, Autobiography, Biography, & History
Source: Review copy from Netgalley

Irena Sendler, born to a Polish Catholic family, was raised to respect people of all backgrounds and to help those in need. She became a social worker; and after the German army occupied Poland during World War II, Irena knew she had to help the sick and starving Jews who were imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto. She began by smuggling food, clothing, and medicine into the ghetto, then turned to smuggling children out of the ghetto. Using false papers and creative means of escape, and at great personal risk, Irena helped rescue Jewish children and hide them in safe surroundings. Hoping to reunite the children with their families after the war, Irena kept secret lists of the children's identities.

Motivated by conscience and armed with compassion and a belief in human dignity, Irena Sendler confronted an enormous moral challenge and proved to the world that an ordinary person can accomplish deeds of extraordinary courage.


My Thoughts

This was a wonderful story. This is a book I will definitely recommend to my history department at school. It is beautifully and simply written yet the message is so powerful. It is the story of a woman, one of many selfless people, willing to put their own safety on the line to save as many Jewish children as possible from the Warsaw Ghetto. The Holocaust happened so many years ago that our children know very little about it. This is one way to start an inquiry based lesson on the Holocaust. This is an excellent book and one that needs to be on the shelves of all schools.

Love Twelve Miles Long - Glenda Armand

Illustrated by: Colin Bootman

Publisher: lee & Low Books
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Children's Biography/Autobiography & History

Synopsis from Publisher:
It's late at night, and Frederick's mother has traveled twelve miles to visit him. When Frederick asks Mama how she can walk so far, Mama recounts her journey mile by mile. Every step of the way is special, as it brings them closer together; and Mama passes the time by remembering, listening, praying, singing, and more.
Set on a plantation in 1820s Maryland, this story based on the life of young Frederick Douglass shows the power of his mother's love. The faith she has in her son puts him on a path to escape enslavement and to become a champion of human rights, an influential writer and speaker, and an unforgettable leader.
Expressive, candlelit paintings illuminate the bond between parent and child in this heartfelt story. Love Twelve Miles Long will resonate with children of all backgrounds who cherish the tender moments they share with those they love.

My Thoughts:This was a beautiful book. It is the story of young Frederick Douglas. His mother lived twelve miles away and walked to visit him. He asked her about each mile. She tells him the first mile is for forgetting, the second is for remembering, the third is for listening. The fourth mile is for looking up, the fifth is for wondering, the sixth is for praying, the seventh is for singing, the eighth is for smiling, the ninth is for giving thanks. The tenth mile is for hoping, the eleventh is for dreaming and the twelfth is for love.

If you want to know what exactly they are dreaming and remembering and forgetting then read the book. It is no wonder Frederick Douglas grew up to be the man he was. With a mother with such high hopes and dreams for her son he could do nothing less.

Student Saturday: Soul Surfer - Bethany Hamilton

Student Reviewer:  Lucretia
Publisher:  MTV Books
Pages:  240
Genre:  Young Adult, Biography

This book was a book about Bethany Hamilton.  Bethany Hamilton is a famous surfer that had her arm bitten off by a shark while she was surfing.  Bethany had written this story in her own words which made it fun to read her own opinions.

Bethany Hamilton was the main character.  She has two brothers named Noah and Timmy.  Her parents are Tom and Cheri.  Alana was Bethany’s best friend and Ginger was her first pet.  The setting took place in many places.  Bethany lives in Hawaii and that is where the book started.  It followed her wherever she went, so when she went to New York for shows and interviews we went there.  When the family was in New York they decided to visit family in New Jersey.

The only connections I got from Bethany were when she surfed.  I felt the waves splash in my face almost, and felt the joy when she got to surf a wave in.  I loved this book.  Well, I think it’s because I love Bethany Hamilton.  This book was so well written it actually felt like you were there.  You can feel her feelings and I loved how I could agree with her opinions.

This book is definitely not for anyone.  The book talks about surfing all the time and there is a lot of surf talk.  Bethany is a Christian and all she does is look at the Christian side.  She respects everyone.

The Night Sky: A Journey from Dachau to Denver and Back by Maria Sutton

Kindle Edition

Published June 26th 2011

Source:  I received a copy from the author in exchange for a review

From Goodreads:

This extraordinary and unflinchingly honest memoir takes us on a riveting journey into the hearts and souls of three enigmatic people whose destinies are forever changed by the events of World War II. The secrets of misguided love and passions are revealed as the author journeys between the past and the present to solve the mystery of a handsome Polish officer with piercing blue eyes and sun-colored hair. Maria Sutton takes us to the dark green hills and valleys of the ancient Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine, where the woody fragrance of birch trees and new-mown hay fills the fresh, crisp air after a heavy rain. Vicariously, we see a sunrise over Poland obscured by brightly colored swastikas on warplanes and then we will be taken into suffocating cattle cars, lice-infested stalags, and to the Dachau death camp. Further down a country road, the hearty laughter and beer steins clinking with each salute to the Fuhrer’s astonishing victories can be heard.

As Maria takes us on this odyssey to solve a decades-long mystery, she learns the family secrets of untold heroism, quiet courage, and a mother’s love – and of tragedy, disillusionment and heartbreak. At the end of her long journey, Maria uncovers a shattering and painful truth. But the secret, however heartbreaking, would also become the greatest gift she would receive.

Ultimately, the quest to uncover a painful truth becomes an inspiring and absorbing journey of the heart.

My Thoughts:

When I had received the request to review this book I agreed with the understanding I would not be able to get to it until around Christmas time.  I was home sick today and decided to just check it out.  I could not stop reading the book.  The time Marie put into searching for her father and other family members is a testament to her family's perseverance in the face of what seemed like impossible issues.  I know that a lot of what Marie learned was painful, yet she is very positive about what she has learned.  There are lessons for all of us.  I told her in an email  that I could relate to some of what she had felt when discovering her family.  My husband ran into an aunt he had been told was dead.  This accidental meeting led him to the father he had never known and allowed them to have two years together before he lost his dad.  He learned he had step-sisters and a step-brother.  He learned a short time after this that he had a daughter and grand-kids.

Reading her book has made me realize how many gaps I have in my own history and how I need to fill them for my own children.  Often things are lost through divorce.  My daughter learned a few years back that her grandmother on her dad's side had pictures of her home in Cuba.  She learned her uncle had barely escaped Cuba while his two best friends had been executed.  We owe it to our children to pass on our history whether it is good or bad so that they have answers to their questions. 

This book is a memoir that I would say is a must read.  I look forward to telling all of my friends about it.  

Book Review and Giveaway - SUV's Suck in Combat

SUV’s Suck in Combat by Kerry Kachejian

Publisher:  Fortis

Pages:  376

Genre:  Memoire

Source:  I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a review

From Goodreads:

It was an unbelievable mission - to rebuild Iraq while the U.S. military was fighting a raging insurgency. In 2004, the soldiers and civilians of the Gulf Region Division (GRD) answered the call to duty and began the largest and most complex reconstruction project ever undertaken by our nation. They made great personal sacrifices that few of their fellow Americans would dare endure. This book tells the rest of the inspiring story - much of which was ignored by the mainstream media as "not newsworthy" or reduced to mere sound bytes. In the face of imminent danger, the GRD team braved daily car bombs, rocket attacks, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and kidnappings to rebuild thousands of projects throughout a chaotic war zone. These projects spread throughout a hostile country included schools, hospitals, police stations, oil production, electrical power and water treatment plants. Despite the odds, GRD was able to complete its critical strategic mission, and its members were awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. A few of the amazing stories include: - A massive car bomb on author's first day in Baghdad that leveled a nearby hotel. - High speed "Mad Max" drives through the streets of Baghdad in unarmored SUVs. - The dependence on security contractors who performed with great valor while protecting American civilians. - The perilous war waged on the reconstruction mission that was largely invisible to U.S. combat forces and the American public. - The accidental rescue of an American hostage. - Living and working in Saddam's great palaces. - How a Yahoo email message was used to send an urgent plea for help. - A daring rescue mission in the Tigris River that ended in tragic loss. - The parade of Congressional Delegations that diverted precious combat resources from the war effort. - The unbelievable (but true) story of how a Yahoo email account is used to send an urgent message to the author to "PLEASE SAVE US".

About the Author:

 Kerry Kachejian is one of the nation's most qualified soldiers and engineers, having served in and supported reconstruction operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan as well as relief operations during Hurricane Katrina. A 1982 graduate of the US Military Academy (West Point), Kachejian also holds a Master's Degree in Systems Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces earning a second Master's Degree in National Resource Strategy. Kachejian has numerous military decorations, awards and qualifications, including the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Action Badge. He is Airborne and Ranger qualified. Kachejian currently serves as a Director of Homeland Security at Raytheon, a Fortune 500 Company. He has spoken at a number of major conferences and private events on topics, including the Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Psychology of Terrorism, Contractors on the Battlefield, and Critical Infrastructure Protection. Kerry lives with his wife, Alice, and three children near Springfield, Virginia.

My thoughts

My brother and 4 nephews served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  My brother sent my mother these sweet, innocent emails.  He showed me the “real” side of Iraq through pictures he brought back with him.  Many of the pictures he had taken, resembled pictures in the book.  Reading the book and seeing the pictures brought back to my mind some of what my brother went through. 

Kerry had gone through many personal trials throughout his life.  He credits God “The Ranger in the Sky” with guiding him and giving him the strength he needed,  to handle all situations.  Although he comes across as a humble leader, it is obvious he was a great leader.  His candor when discussing the challenges he and his men faced daily while trying to rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure, was refreshing.  I had heard about the SUV’s being so unsafe, yet the most popular vehicle.  The majority did not have the proper armor protection needed.  They would weld steel to the frame or put sandbags under their seats, even hang body armor over the sides of the vehicle to put a layer  of protection between them and their enemy.  They were often stalked by the enemy waiting for the right moment to take them out. 

In my own opinion this is a must read book.  I really enjoyed it because it gave me the opportunity to learn more about a topic I feel I know little about.  The pictures brought the book visually alive for me.  I will recommend it to my friends at school as we talk so often about the war.  This is a book every American should read.  Maybe if they did they would not be so critical of our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Maybe we need to send those in charge who don’t seem to care enough about the men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan this book, or better yet maybe we should put them in one of those less protected SUV’s and see how fast they get the necessary and proper equipment for our people who stand on the front lines.

To learn more you can visit Kerry’s website at kerrykachejian.com

Giveaway

The publisher has graciously given me two books to give away to two of my readers.  Please leave a comment  and your email to be entered into the  giveaway.  I will use Random Number Generator to pick two winners on Saturday morning, September 24.  Good luck to everyone.

The Unbelievable Adventures of a German WWII War Bride – Ingeborg M. Johnston

Publisher:  BookSurge

Pages:  226

Source:  Received a copy from author

Genre:  Adult Memoir

Press Release:

New memoir traces journey of teenage nurse in Nazi Germany to American dream

Unbelievable Adventures of a WWII German War Bride by Ingeborg M. Johnston tells of a young

woman’s escape from post-war Europe to becoming a respected American educator

WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. – The Unbelievable Adventures of a WWII German Bride by Ingeborg M. Johnston

opens in the 1940s with the super-human struggles of a young teenage nurse in Berlin who survived the Nazi

Party build-up and the brutal Russian occupation of East Berlin with her family while behind the Berlin Wall.

While nursing injured civilians and German officers during the war, Johnston re-bandaged wounded soldiers at

railroad stations who were returning to the Russian front and worked in an emergency first aid station during

bombings. Johnston’s memoir includes heart-wrenching experiences such as holding a dying Mongolian forced

laborer in her arms while he bled to death and consoling a mother with a 2-year-old girl who seemed to be

sleeping but whose lungs had burst from an allied air bomb and was dead.

Unbelievable Adventures of a WWII German War Bride takes readers through the unbelievable and dangerous

adventures of a family torn apart and reunited by war. Johnston recounts slipping across borders hidden in the

shovel locker of freight trains, smuggling drugs through Check Point Charlie to help her sick father and how she

came to marry an American and grew to love her adopted home. The book seeks to offer unique personal

perspectives of a woman who directly experienced war and the almost hopeless economic and cultural situations

forced upon her family and others.

“My family and friends often tell me that my life has been filled with unbelievable, inspirational adventures,”

says Johnston. “I’ve never been one to sit in the bleachers and watch the world go by. I look for adventures

suited to me to continue to give back to my adopted country.”

A firm believer that something good is always hidden in something bad, Johnston was inspired by personal

challenges caused by the 2008 economic downturn. This situation reminded her of the many struggles she faced

in her lifetime, so she began writing about them. The book was written to engage and inspire while showing the

value of kindness in all circumstances. She maintains that she is a “fierce American citizen” and her actions in

her new country prove her statement. “You are put on earth for a purpose and have the obligation to find that

purpose and carry it out to the best of your ability,” says Johnston.

The Unbelievable Adventures of a WWII German Bride is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other

channels.

My Review:

Ingeborg M. Johnson has lived a full and adventurous life to say the least.  She starts out the book talking about running through the streets during bombings to get to the hospital where she worked.  She was willing to take this risk to help others.  This was the beginning of a life filled with adventure.  Because so many people helped her survive by deeds of kindness, she adopted that almost as a rule.    When she came to America she gave back to America the way others had given to her.  I am not as adventurous or a daredevil like Ingeborg but I hope to live my life to the fullest as she has lived hers.  There are so many wonderful stories or chapters to her life.  This is a book that I will keep on my shelf.  I will make sure I recommend it to my friends.

Go here to read the first chapter.

The Source of All Things – Tracy Ross

Publisher:  Free Press

Pages:  304

Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

Genre:  Adult Memoir

Forgiveness is often the hardest thing to do, yet it is also one of the most liberating things.  Forgiving the man who sexually abused you is almost unheard of.  Tracy Ross has written a heart-wrenching story that takes us into the darkest part of her life.  Through her eyes we are shown her life, her pain and her survival.  Her first outdoor experiences with her step-father are the experiences she retreats to as she begins to explore and try to understand the situation.  The outdoors is her safe haven.  This is a recommended read for anyone and everyone concerned with the abuses that go on around them.

The Dreamer - Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis

Publisher:  Scholastic Press
Pages:  384
Source:  Purchased
Genre:  Middle Grade Biography

This is the story of Neftali Reyes Known to the world as thepoet Pablo Neruda.  As a young boy, Neftali's mind wandered and he questioned everything around him.  His domineering father considered him "absentminded", "dim-witted", and "idiot"  He dictated what he expected his sons to become.  Somehow Neftali finds his own way.  As he grows older he takes on, through his writing the cause of the Mapuche people.  The Indigenous people of Chile.  The words flow throughout this book creating an image in the mind that is enhanced  by the drawings by Pepter Sis.  This is a book that you not only read, you feel it.


(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus

Publisher:  Amulet Books
Pages:  320
Source:  Library
Genre:  Middle Grade Historical Fiction/Biography

Manjiro was only fourteen years old and working on a fishing boat when a freak storm cause them to be marooned on an island.  This is where I learned something interesting.  The law of that time siad anyone leaving the country and returning would be put to death.  Manjiro is reminded of this.  Later they are rescued and taken to Hawaii.  The captain takes a liking to Manjiro and takes him home with him.  Manjiro finds out first hand about prejudice.  However, he doesn't let it get in his way.  Later on he goes to California for the Gold Rush.  He makes enough money to buy his own ship and sails back to Japan where his is captured and imprisoned.  About this same time the Americans start entering  the Japanese ports and Manjiro plays an important role in bringing the two countries together.  I was so amazed to find this was a true story.  This would make a wonderful addition to my book shelves at school.

(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

I Will Not Be Silent by April Maley

Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing, 2010
Pages: 173
Source: Received from author in exchange for review
Genre:  Adult Autiobiography/Memoir

This is the true story of a nine year old girl who grows up in an abusive family. By the age of nine she was practically raising her siblings. All the while she was maintaining her grades to keep from getting punished at home. Attempts to let someone know of her plight ended in more abuse. Then one day it all ended when her mother was killed by her father and her father was killed by the police. But abuse is not something that just goes away. There is a pattern to it and it is usually passed down from one generation to another. It has far reaching consequences that often the abused does not recognize or denies. Those around them often turn a blind eye or become abusers, whether it is verbally or mentally, out of frustration at the situation. This is April’s story of survival and her journey to break this cycle.



This happens more often than we would like to know. I had a girlfriend in high school that would call me and ask me to spend the night when her parents were going to a party. She needed someone to be there and to be a witness when they would come home drunk. There was never violence toward the two girls but it was a frightening time for them as they stayed locked up inside their rooms. They were lucky. We went to school with a girl who rode my church bus. We pulled up to her house one Sunday morning to a scene out of a police show. Her father had gotten up that morning and walked into the kitchen and shot her mother and then shot himself. All of this happened right in front of her. No one knew there had been problems at home. She had never told anyone. As a teacher I try to watch for signs from my students. A sudden change in behavior, signs they have not been sleeping, fighting at school may all be signs. It is hard to break the cycle of abuse. My own sister was married to three men who beat her, two of them tried to kill her. She kept going back because she thought she deserved it. It took her time to realize she wasn’t the problem. This is a book I think every woman should read. Yes, I know abuse happens to men as well, but they are more apt to leave, whereas women and children feel helpless. This is a great book with a great message of hope and healing. I am glad I was given the opportunity to read and review it.

My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen

Publisher:  Yearling, 1998
Pages:  137
Source:  My shelves
Genre:  Middle Grade Autobiography

All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Gary Paulsen has always written books that show us his love of all things nature.  Here we have a look at the dogs that have helped shape his life.  He dedicates the book to Cookie the sled dog who saved his life.  He tells us the story of Snowball, a dog he convinced his mom to purchase for him while they lived in the Philippine Islands.  He was trying to save it because the villagers ate dogs.  Ike was a dog that befriended him when he most needed a friend.  Dirk was a stray that became his protector.  He speaks of his experiences with Rex the farm dog, Caesar the giant, Fred who befriended a pig, Quincy small in stature but big in heart.  He ends his story with Josh the "smartest dog in the world". 

I loved this book because it was a realistic look at his relationship with his favorite pet, dogs.  I can't say I am a great dog lover.  I grew up on a farm.  We had several dogs which included a cocker spaniel and a collie.  My aunt gave us a German shepherd which had been abused by kids.  She figured he would do well at our house.  Flash was very quick and very protective.  However, screams while playing tag or any other childhood game set him on end and he would attack.  A bite from him created my fear of dogs.  He finally had to be put down when he bit my baby sister through the eye lid. To try to calm my fears my aunt gave us a cockapoo.  This yappy little dog was fun but still scared me.  Years later my father brought home a German shepherd.  He handed me the leash and told me to walk him.  I was terrified and the dog seemed to sense this.  He made a point of approaching me slowly.  One night while walking back to my house from the neighbors someone came around our house running for me.  I knew I would not be able to defend myself with a my leg in a cast and this dog heard me scream, came through the screen on the door and stood between me and my attacker allowing me to enter the house.  That was the beginning of my losing my fear of dogs.  Years later my husband wanted a rottweiler.  I knew how big they were and was terrified.  He took me to the house and had me sit on the ground.  The owners put a large pan of dog food in front of me and let the rottweiler puppies out.  One in particular plopped down in the middle of the pan and all the others had to eat around her.  She then stood up, untied my shoelace and then plopped in my lap like she belonged.  She was with us only only two years before she was murdered by a neighbor.  It is our dream to have some land where we can get another rottweiler.  Until that time I will be happy with my favorite pet "the worlds smartest" cat.

Kindertransport by Olga Levy Drucker

Publisher:  Henry Holt and company, 1992
Pages:  146
Source:  Purchased
Genre:  MG Autobiography/WWI

Olga Levy Drucker was one of teh thousand children who were rescued from Nazi  Germany.  They were sent across the ocean to safety.  From the beginning descriptions in the book, one can tell that Olga's parents had money.  Then enter Hitler.  Jews everywhere lost their rights.  Many lost their lives.  This book is the true story of Olga's survival and the hardships she faced.  It is a story of perseverance and hope.  I am glad this is one of the books listed on our curriculum's reading circle list.  I will highly recommend it.  Maybe some of my students will look into this fascinating event that saved so many lives.

Facing Terror by Carrie McDonnall

Publisher:  Thomas Nelson, 2005
Pages:  235
Source:  Loaned to me by my mother

My mother has been after me to read this book ever since she first got it.  Every day she would tell me something new.  Thursday evening she laid the book on my stand and said she was finished.  I picked it up last night and began to read it and could hardly put it down.  Carrie McDonnall had visited my mother's church and that is where my mother purchased her copy.  Carrie started her life as a journeyman missionary in Israel.  Her husband David started his life as a journeyman missionary in Sudan.  They met in Israel and their relationship slowly built from their.  This book is not just about their life together, although that was short.  It is not just about the tragedy that took David and three of her friends from her.  This is the story of living her life for Christ in all its fullness.  It made me ask myself if I was doing all I could in my faith and walk with God.  Could I stand in her shoes and handle things the way she has?  I was not called to do that.  I have not been asked to serve in another country but in schools right here in America.  These at times are just as dangerous as the countries Carrie and David served in.    Many will hear her story and declare them nuts or even suicidal for going to Iraq after 9/11.  You go where you are called.  This story was one of true love.  Love of the purest kind for God and each other, but more importantly the love and devotion they gave to the people in other countries.  Their jobs were not to go out and preach.  Carrie cleaned toilets and scrubbed floors for two years for an orphanage.  Her home for those two years was the front 1/3 of a shipping container.  The next time I meet someone who does not believe like I do or has different cultural ideals I will try to look at them through their eyes and with a little more love.  This was an awesome book.  I am so glad my mother allowed me to read it and I definitely recommend it to others.

Ponga Boy - Phil Lebherz & Philip Reed

Publisher: Epic Press, 2009
Pages: 180
Source: Review copy received in exchange for review

I have to say the reason I agreed to read and review this book is because I have many students who love soccer.  Many of them are from Mexico, Brazil, and Haiti where the one thing they have in common is soccer.  I teach reading and I also teach English to non-English speaking students.  They are constantly trying to read my books on my shelves.  The problem is that many of them can find nothing they relate to.  I believe they will be able to relate to this book on many levels.

Ponga Boy is the story of a young boy named Pichu.  He lives in the small fishing village of Los Barriles.  His father operates a ponga boat.  Pichu loves fishing with his father.  However, times are touch because the fish are not always there.  He usually arrives early and can be found on the beach juggling a soccer ball or doing some other fantastic athletic feat.  It is early one morning when two coaches from American happen upon him and see his ability.  They offer him a dream.  Come to America, go to college and play soccer.  Pichu makes the tough decision to leave his parents and Angelina behind to reach his dream.  However, he realizes that often times others do not have his dream in mind when they help make decisions for him.  He has to decide for himself what he really wants before he completely loses who he is and was.  He has to decide what his dream is and what he has to do to obtain it. 

I liked this book a lot because it really portrayed the world of sports the way it is.  It showed there are consequences, good or bad, for each decision we make.  It showed that sometimes to reach our dreams we have to make the toughest decisions of all.  I can't wait to take this book to school and offer it up to my students.  I know I will have so many who will be interested in it.

A Thriller and a Memoir

Primative - Mark Nyakanen
Publisher:  Bell Bridge Books
Pages:  384
Source:  Reveiw copy from publisher

Take a model who symbolizes American consumerism, mix in one extreme primitive group with their own agenda.  throw in a daughter with a shaky relationship with her mother.  Add a government with their own agenda and a bounty hunter into the mix and what you have is a thriller that will keep you turning pages.  Sonya Adams is a middle age model who is kidnapped and used as a spokesperson for an extreme environmental group.  They count on her former career to get their environmental message across.  Darcy is sonya's daughter and she is determined to rescue her mother even though they have not had the best relationship.  Suddenly both mother and daughter find themselves fighting to survive.  They are caught between the terrorists on one side and the government on the other side.  Both sides believe they are in teh right.  This is an excellent must read book.  Although I usually read and review young adult books, it is a book like Primitive that leads me back to adult books.

Making Toast - Roger Rosenblatt
Publisher:  Ecco, (Coming out February 16, 2010)
Source:  ARC from publisher

Roger Rosenblatt lost his daughter Amy and a very early age.  She left behind a husband and three children.  The youngest only a year old.  Roger and his wife pulled up stakes and moved in with their son-in-law to help him with the children.  together they all work together to get through this tough time.  This memoir rang vvery true for me.  Roger talks openly and honestly about dealing with grief and how it affects all involved.  Simple things such as realizing they were having an off day and took it out on one of the young kids who was a little rambunctious was just one example.  He went on to show that all was forgiven because of the love that was being fostered.  His grandkids always knew that they were loved.    He showed that no matter what your job or station in life we all feel and think and react the same when faced with death.  I am sure this was written as a tool in his healing process, yet has the ability to help others heal.  A very open and honest book, one I will gladly pass on to friends.

The Secret Holocaust Diaries

Author: Nonna Bannister

Publisher: Tyndale House, 2009

Pages: 299

ISBN: 978-1-4143-2546-0

Source: Giveaway

Nonna Bannister grew up in a Christian home in Russia during the time of Stalin and Hitler. This story was originally written on scraps of paper in five different languages and hidden in a small pillow she kept tied around her waist while she was in the labor camp. She didn't share this story with anyone, not even after she came to the United States and got married. She slowly translated her diaries into English. A few years before her death she took her husband by the hand and led him up the stairs into the attic. There she unlocked the trunks she had hidden her most precious secrets in and handed her husband her translated diaries. Her only request was that he not do anything with them until she was gone. He kept that promise.
The secret holocaust diaries tells of her life in Russia. It reminded me of Anne Frank's diaries and of Corrie ten Booms book "The Hiding Place". All three of these women chose to look at the bright side and not hold grudges or hate those who had imprisoned them. Nonna tells delightful stories of her family and her grandmother. She also writes of the terrible things she witnessed. There were parts of the story where I cried and yet she showed her innocence at times and I just laughed. Her is an example of an event that made me crack up. In this excerpt we find Nonna along with her mother and all of her aunts, uncles, and cousins visiting their grandmother. She wakes up in the morning and sees her youngest cousin wandering around. To make sure he doesn't get hurt or into trouble she follows him around the house. She discovers that every room has a religious icon. She and her cousin, Aljoscha wander into the pantry where they discover a pitcher of heavy breakfast cream and a jar of raspberry preserves, her favorite. Her cousin starts yelling for some so she quickly dips her finger in the preserves and the cream and places it in his mouth. She then takes a taste for herself. Here is the excerpt that followed from page 66.
"Just as we were enjoying 'our breakfast,' I looked up, and there in the corner--yes, in the pantry--was an icon. He was looking straight at me, as though He was saying, 'I saw that!' I knew that I had committed one of the 'worst' sins--which was to get into something without someones permission. I had to think quickly. There, near the bottom of the shelf, was a stool. Dipping my finger back into the preserves and into the cream, I stood on the stool; and, barely reaching the icon, I smeared Jesus' lips with it. Now that He had some, surely He would 'forgive me'."
The only problems I had with this book were the editor's comments to clarify things which came in the middle of the page. I felt they should have been placed at the bottom of the book and the lack of pictures. We are told throughout the book that there were pictures she brought back with her. There are two shown on the back of the book and that is it. Since this was an ARC maybe they put some in the finished book. No matter, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this period in history.