The Road We Took by Cathy A Lewis

The Road We Took by Cathy A. Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This story is a fictionalized account of the author’s father’s experience. Set in pre-World War Two, it takes place is Germany, Austria and Hungry. A German teen meets an American Boy Scout and a friendship blooms. The depth of friendship is beyond belief and is inspiring. The German teen and his father meet a disastrous fate with the American teen and his father attempting to intervene.
Tied into the story are the fates of several characters of Jewish background and the horrific discrimination they face.

 
The level of hatred shown by the Nazis is sad but true. Unrelenting hate and consistent telling of the huge lie that Jews were responsible for all of post-World War One Germany’s ills underpins much of the stories drama.

 
Gangs of gun toting brown shirts and jack-booted Gestapo all following a moral less leader provide a wealth of villains.

 
It was an interesting look at Germany and the rise of a  narcissistic  despot.


View all my reviews

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Have a Happy and Healthy 2021 Thanksgiving!

Kingdom of Bones by James Rollins

This was a Sigma book but not too much was made of the semi-secret organization in this book.   Gray, Tucker, Kane and Kowalski were the leads in this story.

The Congo is the setting and the villain is an enormously wealthy viper that is preying on the people of the Congo.   He disregards environmental safety and humanity.

The Sigma gang along with a Dr. and biologist find themselves facing a viral infection of monumental proportions.   Animals and plants running amuck.

I particularly liked the afterword by Rollins. He points out the dangers of runaway viruses.   He also explains many of the aspects of the book.  I was impressed with his insight.

I recommend the book. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Chariots in the Sky by Larry Freeland

Author then                                  and now.

Finishing this book on Veterans Day seems very appropriate. In addition, I see ample reason for PTSD. This book is loosely based on the authors own tour of duty in Vietnam.

There is plenty of action in the book. In many instances you are holding your breath waiting to see if TJ, the protagonist, makes it in and out of a LZ while under fire.  

Motivation for our being in Vietnam in the first place is alluded to through the book.  TJ notes several times that it just seems like the Vietnamese would just like to be left alone.   Historically they have been invaded multiple times to no avail.  They are a tough people who sadly ended up in a civil war.   The author does not pontificate on motivation but details what the life of a Huey piolet was in this war.

It wasn’t exactly enjoyable, but it was memorable.

I recommend it.

Purchase at Amazon

Thank you for your service!

 This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Fair Game by Patricia Briggs

Charles, the alpha, and Anna, the omega, are paired, bonded, linked at the hip.  Charles has shuttered the bond due to his struggle with the role he plays as hit man for his father.   Anna is being driven crazy by her need to share with Charles. The two are sent to Boston to deal with a serial killer.

The Alpha and Omega series is every bit as good as the Mercy Thompson series.  The relationship between Charles and Anna may be illustrative of many relationships today.   Too many partnerships have one member trying to protect the other by closing down what they see as a problem.  Open communication can eliminate so many interpersonal difficulties.  Yes, I did counseling as one of my careers.

Back to the book, Briggs does a great job showing emotions and action.   Her characters are given depth and color.  I enjoy her books.

I recommend the book and the series. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

An interview of Melkart Rouhan, the author of Greatness is NOWhere

An interview of Melkart Rouhan, the author of Greatness is NOWhere  

 

1. What is your education/career background?

Melkart: I held previous positions such as Corporate Head of Learning & Development for Emaar Hospitality Group and Armani Hotels & Resorts; Corporate Director of Global Learning at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company; Public Speaker & Consultant for The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, Executive Director of Human Resources; Manager of Human Resources & Leadership Development as well as Director of Training and Organizational Effectiveness in the Ritz-Carlton international arena and lead the opening countdowns for many of The Ritz-Carlton Hotels. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Tourism Management (NDU, Lebanon), Post Graduate Diploma in International Hospitality Administration (University Cesar Ritz UCCR, Switzerland) and a Master of Science Degree in International Hospitality Management (UCCR & Manchester Metropolitan University, England MMU). My Master studies and thesis focused on organizational effectiveness and transformational leadership.

 

2. You book title is intriguing, what’s it all about?

Melkart: The title ‘Greatness is NOWhere’ is playful indeed. How did you read it? Greatness is nowhere OR greatness is NOW here? At first, we mostly see “nowhere” instead of “NOW here” because as human beings, we are wired to exaggerate the negative because it helped us survive the dark ages. We moved beyond those days though, but we still carry this ‘shredder.’ It steels our inner peace, rips out our energy, and robs us of our dreams and aspirations. The book will inspire you to make the shift from greatness is nowhere to greatness in now here…and enable you to find the best version of yourself, your team, and your organization.

 

3. Who should read Greatness is NOWhere and why?

Melkart: ‘Greatness is NOWhere’ is founded on one simple truth: Every human being is versed in greatness and leadership main purpose is to unveil the best in others. Therefore, this book is for every one of us, who is yearning for greatness. You might argue that you are not a leader. Well, leadership is not a title and whether you like it or not, you are a leader and in the business of serving a cause, something, or someone. Truth is, greatness is not exclusive to athletes, famous people or great organizations who have left their footprints in our world. Greatness concerns every one of us. Greatness concerns you and me. And in my book, I share 3 principles, 15 truths, and 20 tools to jazz up your culture, pep up your people, spice up your customer experience, and ultimately unleash greatness.

 

4. What inspired your story?

Melkart: I started this journey 10 years ago when I took the decision to open my own consulting firm, with the purpose to enable greatness in individual and organizations. Those first years were startling! I sketched the map, assembled the tools, and embarked on this ride of greatness. Truth be told, taking the first step was like jumping off a cliff. At first my philosophy of greatness was frightening; then things settled down as the parachute opened. I admit that I worked the parachute hard, but I owe all thankfulness and appreciation to those who believed in me and gave me the platform to share my philosophy in the form of workshops, events, and keynotes. The book is indeed the byproduct of my 10 years roaming the world, engaging with amazing people, spreading, refining, and redefining my philosophy of greatness. It is because of these unique encounters that Greatness is NOWhere came to life. It is true what the theologian, musician, philosopher, and Nobel Prize-winning physician Albert Schweitzer once said: “In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

 

5. What’s the best writing advice you have ever received?

Melkart: “2 words: Start Writing!” That was the best advise… Due to my travel schedule, it was so hard to find a routine or a writing ritual. I learned about authors best practices, but none served the purpose… Here I am, flying from an event to another and struggling to find the pace. And it was a simple advice from a friend that flipped my reality. So, I started writing at the end of a day, started writing after a speech, started writing after a training workshop, started writing while on 40,000 feet en route to my next destination. Because of this advice, the 65,000 words in my books Greatness is NOWhere, are written literally in every corner of this world. I remember writing few pages in Angola, Africa, continuing the chapter while on 40,000 feet flight en route to Paris, to finally finish the chapter in Atlanta. “Start Writing”, because if you don’t, your song might never see the light.

Buy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.  

 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Spotlight on Cynthia Starts a Band by Olivia Swindler

Olivia Swindler

These are some powerful words from an author who is writing from her own experience.  This missive seems written from the heart and moved me when I read it.  From the photo, she has recovered and appears to be someone you would be delighted to host for drinks and conversation. 

Here is the rationale for her book:

I have always been a storyteller. From the moment I learned that I could keep my sister's attention if I had a good enough story, I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

 When I started writing, it took me years to find my voice. No matter what the plot was, for some reason, the story kept falling flat. The words that I was writing didn't feel like me because they weren't me. The stories I was trying to tell were not mine to carry. I knew it. Those who read my words knew it. It was not authentic.

In my mid-twenties, I had an "oh-my-gosh-the-world-is-ending-and-I-will-never-find-love-again" breakup. (Older and wiser now, I wish I was dramatic when I typed those words, but I know that you can find that phrasing verbatim somewhere in a text to my sister). I really thought that my life was over.

 I started to tell a few of my friends about my recently ended relationship. After describing something my ex had said to me while we were dating, one of my dearest friends said the words I had been dreading and denying—that he had been emotionally abusive and manipulative.

 With the pieces of my broken heart, I refused to believe her. He HAD loved me. I loved him.

 A few months went by, and I did my best to forget her words. I moved on with my life. I figured out who I was again. I felt like myself. And then, one morning, I got on Twitter. The #metoo movement had begun, and I found myself absentmindedly scrolling through the tweets. I could relate to almost every tweet. The things these women were calling abuse were things that I had experienced in this relationship.

 I fell to the floor and cried.

From my spot on the floor, I wrote what would become the last song in Cynthia Starts a Band, Wasn't Love. I had spent the better half of a year justifying this bad behavior because I thought that the way I was being treated was the way love was supposed to look like. For years, I held onto that song, keeping it as an anthem to myself. It was a reminder of what I had walked through. A testament to my own strength and courage.

 And then, after years of writing stories that were not mine to write, the story of Eleanor Quinn, a woman who is escaping an abusive relationship, came to me. The words ultimately wrote themselves.

●        I wrote Cynthia Starts a Band as a beacon of hope for anyone trying to find their agency again.

●        I wrote Cynthia Starts a Band as a love letter to anyone who has felt alone in their pain.

●        I wrote Cynthia Starts a Band to remind myself of the courage it takes to start over.

 

I hope that through stories like Cynthia Starts a Band, readers feel empowered and remember that they can do hard things. I hope you feel seen. I hope you feel loved.

You can find the author at:

https://www.oliviaswindler.com/

FB: @olivia.swindler

IG: @oliviaswindler

Twitter: @oliviaswindler

Buy it at: Amazon

or : Barnes and Noble

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned