Showing posts with label Non-Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Non-Fiction. Show all posts

Monday, February 25, 2013

Review: Before You Say I Do by Benjamin Berkley


Book Description:
Publisher: Frederick Fell Trade (September 15, 2009
Category: Non-Fiction, Self-Help (Legal)
Available in: Print, 240 pages
Learning from the mistakes of a failed first marriage and telling yourself you will do better the next time around is like saying if you lose a football game you’ll win the next one.  You will but only if you learn some new plays before you go back on the field.  Presented   by an attorney who has seen all the warning signs, “BEFORE YOU SAY I DO, AGAIN!” will teach those new plays to avoid coming up on the losing side again.
Note, book shelves are filled with warm and fuzzy titles authored by psychologists and family counselors.  Their message is to teach how to listen to each other and improve the relationship.  “BEFORE YOU SAY I DO, AGAIN!”is not a how to book to get back together or to stay together.  Instead it takes the gloves off and provides insight as to the issues one must consider before walking down the aisle a second time.  Tackling a serious subject, but presented in a sometimes whimsical fashion, “BEFORE YOU SAY I DO, AGAIN!” puts the brakes on the wedding ceremony and provides the reader with the questions that must be answered before she drives down the path of destruction.
In addition,   it provides information regarding the legal consequences of a failed second marriage. “BEFORE YOU SAY I DO, AGAIN!” is a “tell it is like it is guide”   to avoid an impending disaster.
My Thoughts:
Boy do I wish this book would have been around when I was younger.  I was only 19 when I got married and it was for all the wrong reasons.  I was very shy at the time and lacked self confidence.  That was a recipe for disaster for me.  The guy I married ended up being very abusive.
My parents and siblings knew something was wrong and when one of my older brother's came to town for a visit, he got it out of me.  With my family's support, I got out of it. I had to quit my job because he kept showing up there but that ended up being a good thing.  I decided to go back to university and little by little my confidence grew.  I was finally living totally in my own apartment, something I never thought I could.  Eventually I even moved to a Canada from the U,S. for a great job.
The thing is, I believe that if I hadn't gone through that horrible experience, I wouldn't be who I am today.  I've been here in Canada for over 20 years now.  16 years ago I married a Canadian.  I was never going to marry again.  I found my independence and no one was going to take that away from me.  However, I did agree to lived with Bill and a year later agreed to marry him.  We did some relationship workshops together, which really help.  Today, he is still the love of my life.
What I didn't know then is that I was following some of the advice of Before You Say I do Again by Benjamin Berkley.  Believe me, it is sound, no nonsense advice that anyone can follow.  Though the book is directed at women, men can certainly benefit from it too. I also recommend it for people thinking about getting married for the first time.  In fact, I think it should be required reading!
I highly recommend Before You Say I Do Again by Benjami Berkley!  In fact,  today is the last day of my giveaway to win a copy for yourself.  Go enter the giveaway, here.
About Benjamin Berkley:
Benjamin Berkley is the author of four self-help books:  ”My Wishes, Your Plan for Organizing Your Family’s Needs” (Sourcebooks, June, 2006)   “The Complete Executor’s Guide” (Sourcebooks, June 2007)   “Winning Your Social Security Disability Case” (Sourcebooks, February, 2008) and “Before You Say I Do Again, A Buyer’s Beware Guide to Remarriage.” (Frederick Fell Publishers, September, 2009). “Against My Will” (Fell Publishers, September, 2012) is Benjamin Berkley’s fifth book and debut novel.
And though writing is his passion, for over 34 years he has conducted a busy law practice in which he has seen many interesting clients come through his door.  One in particular, an older woman with white hair, the kindest smile, and an amazing story became the inspiration for one of his characters for “Against My Will.”   Berkley lives in southern California with his wife Phyllis and their cat Riley.   He has two grown children and is always bragging about his most beautiful grandson and granddaughter.

Buy Before You Say I Do, Again at:






Posted by Teddy Rose at 6:00 AM 3 comments  

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Messages From an Unknown Chinese Mother by Xinran

Xinran was born and raised in China and worked there as a reporter for a radio station.  The book begins, "A Book Written for Adoptive Daughters."  Xinran begins,
"It took a long time for me to summon the courage to relive the personal memories and experiences of my life as a reporter in China." Page 1
China has a strict one child per family rule, due to over-population.  If you are caught with having more that 1 child, there are deep penalties, including losing your job.  Xinran  goes on to recount numerous stories of mothers forced to give up their daughters  because their parents in-law insist that they have a boy. 
For a very long time, China would not allow adoptions of children from outside the country.  Many of the stories Xinran heard and some that she even witnessed, firsthand were gruesome.  Parts of this book was shocking to read.
"Suddenly, I thought I heard a slight movement in the slops pail behind me, and automatically glanced toward it. I felt ice in my blood. To my absolute horror, I saw a tiny foot poking out of the pail. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Then the tiny foot twitched! It wasn’t possible. The midwife must have dropped that tiny baby alive into the slop pail!" Page 92
There were other stories of female babies being abandoned and left to die.  There were some orphanages but they were all very poor.
"The children were just left to cry all day. She mostly fed them on rice gruel, and kept them clean by sluicing the urine and excrement off the mat with cold water. By night she slept squeezed onto the mat with the babies, at the mercy of the mosquitoes just as they were."  Page 244
Things improved, some when adoption was opened up to families from other countries.  Though mothers don't know where their daughters live, they did give messages to Xinran to pass on to adopted daughters, her main motivation for writing this book.
I found these true stories to be raw, heart rendering, and shocking.  Xinran writes beautifully but opens the child issue in China up for the entire world to see.  If you don't know what is happening in China, even to this day, read this book.  If you know what is happening read this book and learn more.
4/5
Did you review this book?  Please leave the link in the comments and I will post it here.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:01 PM 7 comments  

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Monday, March 15, 2010

People of the Buffalo by Maria Campbell


People of the Buffalo is a children's book about how the Plains Indians lived in Canada. It is one book in a series about North America's native people.

This non-fiction book covered many different aspects of the Plains peoples lives and customs. It covered the area in which they lived, language, beliefs and cerimonies, the families, food and shelter, storage and utentsils, clothing, transportation, and warfare. It really covered a lot for a little book and was very interesting.

If you are at all interested in the native people in North America, I highly recommend this book. Adults can enjoy it as much as children.

Also reviewed by:
Books and Quilts

If you would like to participate in Short Story Mondays or just find out about some great short stories, go to John of The Book Mine Set. He has a short story review every Monday and a place for you to link your short story reviews. Come join in the fun!

Posted by Teddy Rose at 1:07 PM 4 comments  

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Sunday, February 10, 2008

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver and Steven L. Hopp


Non-Fiction

This is a feature lengh non-fiction book that was a family collaboration of the Kingsolver-Hopp Family.

Don’t expect plot, like Barbara Kingsolver’s fiction; instead expect well thought out and tried/tested information on how to eat as locally as possible.

This is not preachy like some other books on this topic. This is an informative, fun and practical book. Even those of us whom don’t have a farm can do many things to eat more locally and help save the environment. It’s not all or nothing. Everything you do to help the environment. It could be something as simple as not buying strawberries in January.

Note to vegetarians such as myself, Kingsolver is not a vegetarian and there were animals harmed in the writing of this book.
3.5/5
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Posted by Teddy Rose at 5:57 PM 3 comments  

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Monday, January 21, 2008

Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness by William Styron



A Famous Author’s Personal Battle with Depression
In this short but powerful memoir, William Styron, the author of "Sophie’s Choice", tells of his personal battle with clinical depression.

Suffering from depression myself and working in the mental health field, I can honestly say he captured this debilitating illness very well indeed. I have tried to explain to my friends how I felt going through depression at my lowest, low. It’s like sinking to the bottom of a well with no lifeline to hold on to, gasping for air.

There were so many things in this book that I could relate to first hand! People who have been lucky enough not to suffer from depression don’t usually realize how debilitating it is. Symptoms are not just psychological, but there are many physical aspects as well. Styron explains this in a way that everyone, suffers and non-suffers can understand.

I still have some smaller bouts of depression at times, but it’s more like treading water at the top of the well, thank goodness. Some of my experiences with the professionals were similar to his, but my ultimate recovery was a bit different. I was not hospitalized and my recovery took a lot longer.

This book is a bit dated. As I said above, I work in the mental health field. I can tell you that the hospitals that I have worked with, don’t have the budget to do many of the programs that Styron had the fortune to experience, such as a lot of art therapy. It’s a shame, because these would be beneficial!

Though this book is a little dated now, I recommend it for those that have suffered from depression and those who want to know more about what it is really like.

3.5/5

Posted by Teddy Rose at 2:05 PM 2 comments  

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