Book Review: The Sons of Wetbacks: A Memoir about America, Immigration, and Jacob's 5 Uncles Who Were the Sons of Wetbacks and All Served in WWII by Jacob Montilijo Monty

The Sons of Wetbacks: A Memoir about America, Immigration, and Jacob's 5 Uncles Who Were the Sons of Wetbacks and All Served in WWII by Jacob Montilijo Monty

Many years ago, the Irish in America were exactly where Mexicans in America are today. We were seen as a necessary evil. It was fine to use us, abuse us, and discriminate against us, but they needed us to fill jobs no one else would.

In the book The Sons of Wetbacks: A Memoir about America, Immigration, and Jacob's 5 Uncles Who Were the Sons of Wetbacks and All Served in WWII by Jacob Montilijo Monty, we read about how necessary Mexican immigrants are, those who come in legally and otherwise.

To be sure, there are many things business and the government are doing to exacerbate the problem. There are things like a special checkbox on most forms and surveys that give the option to select Hispanic or not Hispanic. This seems wrong to most non-Hispanics, and maybe to some Hispanics.

We live on the Texas Gulf Coast where most of the Hispanics we know are conservative and speak better English than many native-born Americans.

I cannot count the number of times we had people come into the convenience store where we worked complaining that the legally required signs were in English and Spanish, but not other languages that are represented in the area, like Czech and Polish.

It would seem that in order to smooth out problems like this, the government should publish official forms only in English and the federal government should adopt English as the official language of the U. S., once and for all.

The Sons of Wetbacks is very well-written. It makes some very good points and helps to dispel several myths. We give it all five stars. We think that anyone on either side of the issue of immigration reform should read this book.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

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Press Release: A Mother’s Dying Wish – A Daughter’s Heartfelt Promise - Daughter gives her dying mother her wish and gets her writings published.

A Mother’s Dying Wish – A Daughter’s Heartfelt Promise

Daughter gives her dying mother her wish and gets her writings published.

New York, NY - Pauli Rose Libsohn made a promise to her mother before she died to get her writing published and she has delivered four times on that promise.

In her new book, What is Love, Pauli Rose Libsohn chronicles her parents 60 year love affair, the secret writings that made that love so strong, and the promise to tell the world their story.

The story behind What is Love had its beginnings in the 1930’s at the beach in Far Rockaway, Queens, NY. A true-life narrative of a love affair that encompasses over 60 years, beginning with a 12 year old girl named Mitzi, who fell in love at first sight with David, the handsome lifeguard, and her years pursuing him. It tells a captivating tale of emotions, desire, and a bond never broken between a man and a woman, a husband and wife, and a promise kept by a daughter.

A story of incredible odds, Mitzi and David succeed through inner strength and perseverance of a love so strong that it overcame all obstacles. The compelling story of their life-long passion and a love confirmed and reconfirmed throughout the years. A story of romance and commitment, which in today’s world is almost non-existent. The message of love and the question – What is love?

The author of What is Love is the daughter of Mitzi and David, Pauli Rose Libsohn, who has written an enthralling and fascinating biography about a fairytale that DID come true.

Pauli Rose has published 3 books, Immortal Kisses – Confessions of a Poet, Songs of You: A Postscript, Silhouettes: Literary Passageways, based on the poetry and writings of her talented mother Mitzi, that tells the story of their love, the bond that was never broken and Pauli Rose’s promise to tell the story of love to the world.


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Book Review: Holding the Net: Caring for My Mother on the Tightrope of Aging by Melanie P. Merriman

Holding the Net: Caring for My Mother on the Tightrope of Aging by Melanie P. Merriman

By now we have read all sorts of books about aging in place, end of life care, and so forth. Holding the Net: Caring for My Mother on the Tightrope of Aging by Melanie P. Merriman actually provides a backspin on all of those.

I, David, have been in two nursing homes since 2012. Suzanne and I realize that no matter how hard these people try, a nursing home is as close to prison as most of us will ever get. One day I said to our friend Jerry that I had been in a nursing home, had never been to prison, but imagined that the nursing home was as close to prison as most of us will ever get. Jerry said he had been in both and the nursing home is worse.

This book is an enthralling story of one family's struggle with their mother’s end of life and how they dealt with it. But there is a backspin. The backspin is that the author had been a hospice professional for years and knew most of the ins and outs of how the system works, or doesn’t.

This family wasn’t hurting financially, but still had to deal with at least some of the heartache many families have to deal with when putting their loved ones in rehab. Merriman was able to see first-hand how Medicaid patients are treated far differently than others, even though the nursing facility does its best to provide top quality services for all.

We feel that all rooms in all medical facilities should be private, not semi-private. How good are our privacy walls when we share a room with another person and their visitors?

This is a book you will want to read without stopping. You won’t want to put it down. The author shows us how scared her mother is in all of this. The author was scared and lost; her sister was, too. How could they help their mother?

We give Holding the Net all five stars. It is very well-written and very informative. It is written in a very readable style. If you or someone you love will be facing end of life issues any time soon, you will want to read this book.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.  

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Book Review: Fighting Parkinson's...and Winning: A memoir of my recovery from Parkinson's Disease by Howard Shifke

Fighting Parkinson's...and Winning: A memoir of my recovery from Parkinson's Disease by Howard Shifke

For most doctors the only tool in their tool box is giving their patients drugs. There are many reasons for this. One is that this is what most patients are expecting.

When Howard Shifke discovered he had Parkinson’s Disease, he decided that since the only tools Western medicine has in its toolbox are chemical drugs, he needed to find himself a new toolbox.

He began to research alternatives and, finding very little, he decided to create his own tool box.

Fighting Parkinson's...and Winning: A memoir of my recovery from Parkinson's Disease by Howard Shifke is a detailed account of what he did and how he did it, to BEAT PARKINSON’S DISEASE.

He also explains in great detail about the development of his website called fightingparkinsonsdrugfree.com.

We give Fighting Parkinson's...and Winning all five stars. If you or someone you love has Parkinson’s Disease, you really owe it to yourself to read this book.

This book is very well-written and explains what he did, and why he did it. He includes a description of the exercises he did.

Using the methods described by Shifke is a lot like eating chicken soup when you have a cold. It couldn’t hurt you and it will probably make you feel better.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.  

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Book Review: Touched by the Finger of God: The Heartfelt True Story of a Faithful Believer by Robert E. Grant

Touched by the Finger of God: The Heartfelt True Story of a Faithful Believer by Robert E. Grant

We try to provide as many uplifting stories as we can on our How to Manage Your Monkey blog over at Blogger. We feel that Touched by the Finger of God: The Heartfelt True Story of a Faithful Believer by Robert E. Grant fits right in with that idea.

This story is one of those that you read and realize how AWESOME our God really is.

This memoir is very well-written and chock full of amazing stories. The author, Robert Grant, saw many tragedies in his life along with some amazing miracles.

It is amazing how our God orchestrates things so that they work out to His glory. You will be overwhelmed by the uplifting stories throughout this book. One warning, keep a box of tissues handy as you read about the different people in his life.

By now we are sure you are ready to click the “Add to Cart” button. You will be glad you did. This book is truly inspired by God.

We give Touched by the Finger of God all five stars. You will want to give this to moms on Mothers’ Day. Some fathers out there would appreciate this book as a Fathers’ Day gift, too.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.  

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Book Review: Fighting for Our Lives: My Battle With Cancer to Save My Baby and Myself By Heather Choate

Fighting for Our Lives: My Battle With Cancer to Save My Baby and Myself

By Heather Choate

Fighting for Our Lives: My Battle With Cancer to Save My Baby and Myself by Heather Choate is probably the most emotional book that I have read all year. It is an awesome testimony of the determination of a mother and the power of faith.

Life throws some very upsetting punches in Heather’s direction. Imagine being told that you have breast cancer at age 29...while you’re 10 weeks pregnant, with your 6th child. Any one of these things can be overwhelming, but to have them all on you at one time - and thrive - takes one strong, determined woman, a devoted husband and family, and faith in a loving Heavenly Father. Heather is, and has, all of those.

Fighting for Our Lives brought me to tears on more than one occasion. There are smiles and even a giggle or two along the way. Though I have not been diagnosed with breast cancer, I could relate to Heather’s feelings on many occasions. It is an emotional story, but she has a positive attitude and her faith is evident throughout the book.

This book is written like one would write in a diary or journal. Some days are skipped along the way. Some days just have a line or two. Other days, Heather pours out her heart in words that engage your heart, leaving you wanting to reach through the pages and give her a hug, as you both bawl your eyes out.

Fighting for Our Lives is an inspiring story of faith and hope.  It is a story of being scared, but doing it anyway, because not doing it would mean the end of the story.

This book earns all 5 stars. I highly recommend it to anyone going through a tremendous test of faith, even if it isn’t cancer. You may cry an awful lot as you read it, but you won’t be sorry that you did. You may just find a revival of your own faith within the pages of Heather’s story.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book.  We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
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Book Review: A License to Heal: Random Memories of an ER Doctor by Steven Bentley M. D.

A License to Heal: Random Memories of an ER Doctor 

By Steven Bentley M. D.

Granny Clampett said the the M. D. after her name stood for “Mountain Doctor”. This could apply to Dr. Steven Bentley as well in his book A License to Heal: Random Memories of an ER Doctor where he tells of his experiences in various ERs, some of which were located in the very rural mountains of North Carolina.

People around you might begin to believe you have become half a bubble off center when they observe you reading A License to Heal.

You will laugh so hard your sides will ache.  Then, just a few paragraphs later, you will want to cry.  As you read further, you will become outraged. This roller coaster of emotions goes on throughout the book.

We give A License to Heal all five stars.  It is very informative and very entertaining. If you didn’t already know that health care isn’t about treating patients these days - it’s all about the money, you will learn that in this book.

There is no money in making people well.  The money is in treating them.  Gone are the days when the kindly, old doctor made house calls.  Now, doctors get disciplined if they take too much time with a patient.  

This is a wonderful book and makes great reading.  It is well-written and entertaining.

We were sent a complimentary copy of A License to Heal.  We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Book Review: The Compass Solution: A Guide to Winning Your Career by Tim Cole

The Compass Solution: A Guide to Winning Your Career by Tim Cole

Have you ever wished you could go back and talk to your younger self and tell yourself the right thing to do in situations that were new to your younger self?

Well, since Tim Cole can’t do that, he wrote The Compass Solution: A Guide to Winning Your Career as the next best thing.

Cole mentors those younger than himself on how to survive the corporate world. He explains leadership and management and the difference between the two.

He gives a host of great books to read to help younger people navigate the corporate world they are woefully unprepared for after college.

This is the type of book we wish had been available when we were first starting out in the world.  This would have come in handy back when we were wet behind the ears.

Cole managed to survive employment with the the same company for over thirty years.  Part of this was dumb luck.  Part of it, though, was very astute planning and learning from past mistakes.

Cole provides very sage advice and a dose of common sense which is not so common these days. This would make a great gift for a soon-to-be college graduate.

The Compass Solution is a great read.  We give it all five stars.  The advice in this book could be very helpful for anyone who is first entering a career.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book.  We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

 

Notice: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Book Review: We Burn on Friday: A Memoir of My Father and Me By Richard Manieri

We Burn on Friday: A Memoir of My Father and Me

By Richard Manieri

 

There are books out there about people we did not know that are very interesting and entertaining. We Burn on Friday: A Memoir of My Father and Me by Richard Manieri is one of those books.

Here we have a story of the life of the author as he struggles to get into television journalism and his father who tries to help him and is his biggest fan.

Not only do we have that, we also have the story of a young man as he struggles with several issues and as he finds God in his life.

This is good and bad at the same time.  Good that we hear how Richard Manieri finds God.  It is bad, though, that this would-be very powerful message is eroded by multiple uses of God’s Holy Name in vain.

It is odd that the author will use euphemisms for the F word and the S word, but feels comfortable using God’s Name as curse words and expletives.

We Burn on Friday is very well-written and very entertaining.  We see Manieri’s relationship with his father and how much his father loved him and meant to him.

We would love to give We Burn on Friday all five stars.  However, the message sent is confusing.  Is Mr. Manieri sharing his struggle to find God and learn more about his father or is he still fighting the ways of the world?

We think We Burn on Friday would make a much more powerful message if the author had chosen to stick with those new-found Christian values and kept the profanity and use of God’s Name in vain out of the book.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book.  We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
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Book Review: A Walk With Purpose: Memoir of a Bioentrepreneur By Michael D. Becker

A Walk With Purpose: Memoir of a Bioentrepreneur

By Michael D. Becker

FTC Required Disclosure: We received a review copy of A Walk With Purpose: Memoir of a Bioentrepreneur by Michael D. Becker free of cost or obligation for the purpose of writing this review.

Grab yourself a box of tissues and sit back for the best read you have had all year. We are talking about the great book A Walk With Purpose by Michael D. Becker

In this book, Becker takes us through his life, starting out as a child with his one and only experiment with drugs, through his life as a young computer geek who dropped out of high school, all the way through his life as a stockbroker, Biotech stock analyst, CEO, CFO, entrepreneur, and more.

Throughout his career, Michael Becker was in contact with numerous doctors, scientists, researchers, and more who were on the cutting edge of cancer research.  

Little did he know at the time that he would soon draw on the self-education he was getting to fight the disease himself.

A Walk With Purpose is an excellent read that you can’t put down.  From a business perspective, it is a great read giving the history behind some companies that we had never heard of that evidently are very big players in the biotech industry.

From a Life Recipe perspective, this book is a great read because it has such a positive message. A message of hope.  

From an entertainment perspective, A Walk With Purpose is a wonderful read.  Bittersweet would be a good way to describe the book.

This book is happy, sad, funny, serious, informative, pretty much anything you want to find in a book is in this book.

The actual book is over 400 pages long.  That sounds like a lot, especially to anyone who normally only reads the 99¢ ebooks.  But, it is a very fast read. Primarily because it is impossible to put down.  We read it in less than a day.  Of course, part of that day was spent eating, blogging, etc., too.

We give A Walk With Purpose all five stars on our scale of zero to five stars.  It fits into just about every category of book we can think of, except maybe poetry.

We think you will enjoy your copy of A Walk With Purpose. Maybe you will be giving copies of it as gifts.  

Our video review is in production now and will be available soon as it is on an express schedule.

 

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
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