Book Review: “Upper West Side Story” by Susan Pashman
May 29, 2015 at 2:31 pm | Posted in Books | Leave a commentTags: Book Review, Fiction
Susan Pashman in her new book, “
Upper West Side Story” published by Harvard Square Editions introduces us to Bettina Grosjean.
From the back cover: Meet Bettina Grosjean, a professor of Women’s History, and her husband, a high-ranking environmental policymaker in the New York City mayor’s office. Once a pair of student radicals, they are now raising their two brainy children on New York’s Upper West Side.
Here is the tale of their fierce parental love as it is tested in a startling eruption of racial hostility and political chicanery within the very community they have long loved and helped to build. Despite the deep love and affection they have for each other, their domestic life is suddenly thrown into crisis by a shocking and tragic event: During a school field trip, their son Max and his best friend, Cyrus, are horsing around when, in a freak accident, Cyrus falls down a flight of stairs, and dies a few days later.
The fact that Cyrus is black, that his mother is Bettina’s closest friend–that jealousy, suspicion and resentment have long been simmering in the community, and that there are powerful political forces at work as well–all conspire to reveal an ugly underbelly of the community the Grosjeans have worked so hard to fashion into a model of an enlightened, multiracial world.
Upper West Side Story is also the story of a remarkable multi-racial friendship, of two women united by their ideals and their devotion to their children, then divided by events that spiral out of control.
With cries for racial justice rising up all around our country, we must stop and consider how recent headlines are impacting our children, kids raised to believe in an America that is different from the one now showing its face.
Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis did it the best in their movie, “The Defiant Ones”. A white man and a black man have racial issues, want to kill each other but need each other to survive and by the end find out they like each other. Susan Pashman has given us something similar except for two escaped convicts this story takes place on the Upper West Side. Bettina Grosjean’s marriage may be falling apart. Her son, white, is involved with the death of his best friend, black, and that is the tension that runs through the book. Will the Upper West Side explode because of this? There is racial unrest, political nastiness and friendship. The story is phenomenal. The themes are perfect and the characters seems to leap off the page. This is one engrossing experience. Well done.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from IRead Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Book Review: “Daughter of the Regiment” by Stephanie Grace Whitson
May 27, 2015 at 2:23 pm | Posted in Books | Leave a commentTags: Book Review, Christian Fiction, Romance Fiction, Stephanie Whitson
Stephanie Grace Whitson in her new book, “
Daughter of the Regiment” published by FaithWords takes us into the life of Maggie Malone.
From the back cover: Daughter of the Regiment
Irish immigrant Maggie Malone wants no part of the war. She’d rather let “the Americans” settle their differences-until her brothers join Missouri’s Union Irish Brigade, and one of their names appears on a list of injured soldiers. Desperate for news, Maggie heads for Boonville, where the Federal army is camped. There she captures the attention of Sergeant John Coulter. When circumstances force Maggie to remain with the brigade, she discovers how capable she is of helping the men she comes to think of as “her boys.” And while she doesn’t see herself as someone a man would court, John Coulter is determined to convince her otherwise.
As the mistress of her brother’s Missouri plantation, Elizabeth Blair has learned to play her part as the perfect hostess-and not to question her brother Walker’s business affairs. When Walker helps organize the Wildwood Guard for the Confederacy, and offers his plantation as the Center of Operations, Libbie must gracefully manage a house with officers in residence and soldiers camped on the lawn. As the war draws ever closer to her doorstep, she must also find a way to protect the people who depend on her.
Despite being neighbors, Maggie and Libbie have led such different lives that they barely know one another-until war brings them together, and each woman discovers that both friendship and love can come from the unlikeliest of places.
The Civil War was a terrible time as the country was fighting itself and no matter who won it was a time of great loss. 1861 Missouri and Maggie Malone really doesn’t want anything to do with the fighting but her brothers join up. When one of them is injured she is off to care for him and a Federal officer is attracted to her. Elizabeth Blair is trying to run the plantation by herself. As the War rages on around them these two women must learn to work together so that each one of them can succeed. This is Historical fiction at its best! I think this is one of the hardest stories to write as it is all character driven and takes a steady hand to guide the characters through the story while remaining true to each character and these characters are memorable. You come to love Maggie and Elizabeth as if they were alive (and they are within the pages of this book) and it is a thrill to watch them interact, grow and put aside their distrust, fear and the hurts of their pasts and find peace in their present. Many kudos to Ms. Whitson for a truly memorable book. I am so looking forward to the next book from the very talented Ms. Whitson.
You can find “Daughter of the Regiment” at a discount at http://www.deepershopping.com/item/whitson-stephanie/daughter-of-the-regiment/6170927.html
If you missed the interview for “A Claim Of Her Own”, another novel by Ms. Whitson, and would like to listen to it and/or interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from FaithWords. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Book Review: “Life Outside The Box” by Marilyn R. Wilson
May 27, 2015 at 8:27 am | Posted in Books | 1 CommentTags: Book Review, Non-Fiction
Marilyn R. Wilson in her new book, “
Life Outside The Box” published by Influence Publishing Inc gives us The extraordinary journeys of 10 unique individuals.
From the back cover: Get inspired to step out of your box and into a world full of potential. From the corporate world, to the arts, to working with the disenfranchised the message is clear. There is no such thing as a normal way to live your life and no one right solution to any problem. Selected from amongst over 100 interviews, the stories shared here open a window on the journeys of seven women and three men who have charted their own path, including Ruthie Davis top U.S. luxury shoe designer and the winner of the 2014 AAFA Footwear Designer of the Year award and Geir Ness whose perfume is a staple in Nordstrom, Disney World and on Disney Cruise Lines. Enjoy a glimpse behind the scenes into the unique ways these individuals chose to deal with life’s challenges and how they define success in their careers.
Success, Challenges and Destiny. These are ingredients in life that are available to all of us. When you look around, however, you see that not everyone is incorporating these ingredients in their lives. Why do you think that is? Ms. Wilson has had the opportunity to interview individuals who are successful. She has presented ten of those stories in this book in an effort to challenge and motivate us to achieve the success that we were born to. All of us face challenges it is how we deal with them that allows us to embrace our destiny. Ms. Wilson shows us, by example, how these ten individuals in various fields entered into their life’s purpose. You will be motivated. You will be challenged. You will be entertained. This is a highly fascinating book and well written by Ms. Wilson. You might want to give it as a gift to your friends and family so that they can be challenged to embrace their life’s purpose as well.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from IRead Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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