Reviews By Charline

“The Duke Don’t Dance”

Author: Richard Sharp

I have to be honest and state that in reading “The Duke Don’t Dance” I didn’t really “get” it at first. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was born quite a few decades after the “Greatest Generation,” the “Baby Boomers” and the “Silent Generation” and therefore am unable to fully understand the angst that this last “Silent Generation” endured. Who knew that the “Greatest Generation” and the “Baby Boomers” were the “it” of eras to be born into? With that said I’m guessing I should also feel cheated…I didn’t grow up listening to dinner table conversations that revolved around the “good ol’ days” of any of these apparently spectacular generations. Everything I know about them was discovered in books, pictures, movies, songs or museums.

So, armed with absolutely no point of reference I continued to slog my way through “The Duke Don’t Dance.” In all fairness it was a really good read. Author Richard Sharp has a unique writing style that at first I didn’t enjoy but as I got farther along in the story the words seemed to flow better. Maybe as Sharp became more engrossed in the writing of “The Duke Don’t Dance” his words became less stilted and freer or…maybe I was beginning to finally understand some aspect of each character’s life and why they did the crazy, outlandish things that they did. Whatever the reason it allowed me to read and successfully enjoy the last two thirds of “The Duke Don’t Dance.” While I couldn’t necessarily understand the thought processes behind some of their actions at least I was now able to empathize with each character to some extent.

In summary I would say that “The Duke Don’t Dance” is solid book; a good read. There isn’t a lot of “fluff” within the story and for the most part Sharp transitions seamlessly through the various timelines. And…the fact that I was able to finish “The Duke Don’t Dance” with a smile on my face rather than a frown speaks volumes for Sharp’s writing ability. While I didn’t connect with “The Duke Don’t Dance” as easily as I would have liked to…it was still a darn good read.

“My Top 40 at 40”

Author: Kari Loya

A few years ago when I was still a “newbie” writer I remember doing some “suggested” reading so that I would have a better understanding of the “Industry.” My first mistake was listening to this “helpful” advice; my second was actually following through with it. When you’re just starting out as a writer, working on getting your books out and published, the last thing you really want, or need, to hear is all the over-the-top and dramatically negative comments about how difficult this industry is. I mean really…don’t we already know that? If it were easy I daresay there would be a lot more books lining library shelves.

Anyway, I remember coming upon this three or four page rant written by a woman with a very high opinion of herself; a self-decided expert in the “Industry” who was providing tips on what people should and shouldn’t write. One of her suggestions was: “Don’t write your own biography; everyone does it and unless you’re someone interesting like Mick Jagger no one really cares.” I wasn’t writing a biography but I did file those words away for future reference because…I guess I could see her point.

However, after reading “My Top 40 at 40” I will most definitely need to forget this woman’s haughty suggestion because “My Top 40 at 40” is one of the most interesting books I’ve read so far this year. I will admit it helps that author Kari Loya has led such an interesting life. He has been unafraid to live life to the fullest and he writes his story with just the right amount of humor and sarcasm to make the experiences he chooses to share fun to read. Finding a book that makes me smile, much less laugh out loud, doesn’t happen very often so when I’m lucky enough to happen across one of these rare finds I definitely keep, and treasure, the book.

In summary, “My Top 40 at 40” was an amazingly fun read. This memoir / biography is well-written and an easy read for all as it is a compilation of very short stories. Great as a gift, a great pick me up on a bad day, a great coffee table conversation starter or…great bathroom reading material for all your dinner party guests. Just make sure it doesn’t walk out the door with them when they say good night…

“Do NOT Invent Buggy Whips

Author: Kenneth J. Thurber, Ph.D

I found the words “Do NOT Invent Buggy Whips” to be an extremely unusual title for a book; after all, in this day and age who would really contemplate inventing buggy whips? For starters they’ve already been invented and what use would anyone have for them? The last time I saw any type of horse / animal drawn buggy / carriage it was in a movie from the forties or fifties that was set in the early nineteen hundreds. Needless to say, my curiosity was piqued so I decided to read it.

It seems that author Kenneth J. Thurber, Ph.D has written at least one non-fiction / technical book prior to writing “Do NOT Invent Buggy Whips.” My understanding of his previous work is that it focused on big market waves, i.e. reinventions of technology that the world is already using but made better / more useful because someone with an innovative mind was able to clearly see how a specific product could be tweaked; advertised properly and bottom-line would be able to disrupt the current market demand and then take over / dominate it. A great (and well known) example of technology reinvention would of course be the iPhone… And…if you can follow along with this line of thought; Thurber’s current book title “Do NOT Invent Buggy Whips” probably makes more sense now.

If you go further and research Thurber, you too will most likely discover that he’s written / contributed to almost five hundred technical proposals; he’s won over forty percent of them; he has literally raised billions of dollars for research, development, et cetera so it probably comes as no surprise that his friends and colleagues have been going to him for advice for years. For this reason he wrote his first book “Big Wave Surfing” but according to Thurber “this book raised more questions than it answered” which is how “Do NOT Invent Buggy Whips” came to fruition.

In “Do NOT Invent Buggy Whips” Thurber attempts to answer all questions about causing a “big wave” including the most asked one: can a single individual cause / create a big wave? According to Thurber the answer is an emphatic “Yes!” as long as there is imagination, creativity and discipline. There are other questions answered / advice provided in this book but remember…while Thurber can explain his thoughts / experiences to you and then validate them he can’t understand them for you. *chuckle*

In summary “Do NOT Invent Buggy Whips” is a concise book that, believe it or not, is easy to read.

“A Patient’s Guide To Liposuction”

Author: Jeffrey B. Schafer, MD, FRSM

I’m one of those people who loves to read / learn new things; consequently when I saw the title “A Patient’s Guide To Liposuction” I figured I would read / review it. Plus…I’ve always secretly wondered how liposuction works. After reading this book I have to say I learned a lot and not just “how to make an informed decision” as stated on the book’s cover. I had no idea that liposuction has been around since the mid-seventies; nor did I know that it originated in France.

My earliest memories of anything pertaining to liposuction came during the late eighties / early nineties when I would hear hushed conversations about someone’s botched procedure which would be immediately followed up by a dramatic sigh and a horrified “what was she thinking?!”

Over the years (and in all fairness) I think liposuction / cosmetic surgery procedures have received a bad rap and I’m unsure why. Doctors encourage us to stay healthy and society seems to mirror that same sentiment but often times for very different reasons. Medical practitioners are concerned about their patient’s health while the general public expects everyone to conform to a certain “look.” Is it any wonder that women (and men) turned to liposuction as well as various other cosmetic procedures as soon as they became available?

The good news is that liposuction has come a long way from its original inception; in fact doctor knowledge coupled with today’s technology seems to be positively changing the face and scope of cosmetic procedures. Complete anaesthetization is no longer required for everything; procedures are shorter and recovery times are quicker. And let’s not forget that the cost of liposuction is much more affordable than it used to be; making it more easily available to anyone needing help / desiring a change.

And finally, in “A Patient’s Guide To Liposuction” author Jeffrey B. Schafer, MD, FRSM walks us through everything anyone would need or want to know about liposuction. Schafer explains things like how liposuction works; he discusses who is a good candidate; how to choose the right doctor and more. While “A Patient’s Guide To Liposuction” is a quick read at only one hundred and twenty-four pages; it’s chock full of useful information that’s written in an easy to read / understand manner. “A Patient’s Guide To Liposuction” is well laid out; the chapter titles succinctly explain what can be found in them (which makes this great reference material) and it’s obvious that Schafer is extremely knowledgeable in his field / loves what he does.