Book Review #11 "The Future We Want."

Hey Everyone,

     In spirit of the upcoming election I decided to read and review the book  "The Future We Want Radical Ideas for a New Century," by Sarah Leonard and Bhaskar Sunkara. Overall I would rate this 4 stars out of 5. This is a brilliant book to read. At first I was skeptical and hesitant to read it, but I am very glad I did. I feel that in reading a political book, it is very black and white. Either it was excellent or horrible, and there is no in between. You are either going to agree with it or not. And when you disagree with political beliefs it is not a very pleasant experience. You get angry and frustrated and many other things. This is why I think it is better having an open and receptive mind when attempting to read this. If you go into this book with an open and receptive mind, I think you will enjoy it and be as intrigued as I did.
     This book introduced a whole new way of political thought. It took on a new approach, different from the democratic or republican mindset. This book was very well organized, it is broken down to ten essays each tackling a different aspect of the political, economic, and social issues that we face today. Each essay attempts to break down the current system of why it does not work, the history behind each issue and finally proposes a new way of solving the issue. Often you hear from politicians how they promise to change the status quo. You hear promises of getting rid of unemployment, create more jobs, raise minimum wage, decrease our deficit and so forth. You hear all these promises and commitments but no one ever tells you how they are going to accomplish it, i.e. what is their plan? This book for the most part, not only committed to solving these same issues but discussed a plan how exactly it would be done and how to get from here to there. It goes deeper than that it explains why things are the way things are, the factors that led to where we are today. I was truly amazed and surprised that this book is not all entirely new set of ideas. That things like full employment by where everyone who wants to work can find work. Where the workweek is shortened to 30 hours but still retaining your 40 hour pay. With having enough money to sustain you and your family. A life where you have more benefits and at the same time, have more time off and more time to spend with your family or leisure activities. Take a moment to ponder this to sit back and imagine what life would be like? How your life would be different? Guess what! This plan was introduced to congress many years ago but sadly never made it into legislation. What if your life or the life of your children could be like this? This book will tell you how it is possible. I bet you are thinking this seems all too good to be true. I did to have that feeling several times while reading this book. With the plans that are presented in this book makes sense. And sometimes it makes too much sense in that you are left wondering why this or that hasn't occurred yet. You find yourself saying jeez this is not rocket science here. And because the ideas and plans presented in this book make sense and are understandable, it gives you that hope you need to be able to believe it, and ultimately not dismiss it as being too good to be true.
     During some parts of the books, although it presented an intriguing idea and plan, I had a hard time envisioning the plans taking place in our society today. Such as there is a chapter in the book that discusses dismantling the police force so that crime, poverty, economies, racism to get better. I definitely think that MAJOR changes need to be done in police force, as well as the criminal justice system and incarceration rates. I agree fully with the information presented in this chapter. The way it is explained, how dismantling the police force would work, it makes perfect sense. I just don't see it happening. I can't envision how that exactly would work in today's current society. I can see it working in an ideal society. But sometimes we have to accept that things aren't going to be ideal. Part of it is, that I think there are too many unpredictable factors that could interfere with this and cause more damage than necessary. Believe me I am no political expert, so this is just my opinion. I guess what I find annoying here and is making me very frustrated, is that I agree with everything that is said in this essay, I understand it, it is common sense to me. I am frustrated because I have my doubts.
     The authors took a lot of risk in writing this book, presenting a novel, intriguing, a different mindset that society is not familiar or maybe comfortable with. It talks about change and a lot of people are afraid of change. They took risk in writing this book because there are going to be people who don't agree and have different opinions.  At the other side of the coin, in order to form an opinion you have to see both sides of the coin. I am glad the authors took this risk, I admire people who are not scared of taking risks. I enjoyed this book thoroughly, yes it was a little dry at times but it was so thought provoking that it made up for the dryness. I can't say enough about this book. It is refreshing. Usually you read political books where the tone and everything in it is so negative, hopeless and is a complete rant of bashing the people you disagree with. This book is different than that, it is different from a lot of any other books that you have read or will read. It is different because it leaves you feeling very hopeful and allows your imagination to wander the what if's in life.
     I want to thank Netgalley, Henry Holt and Co. (the publisher) and the authors Sarah Leonard and Bhaskar Sunkara for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is available for purchase February 2, 2016. For those of you who are interested in purchasing a copy CLICK HERE

Until the next page,

Jill

Review #4 "Under the Black Flag" by Sami Moubayed

Hey Everyone,
     I am going to review "Under the Black Flag" by Sami Moubayed. First I want to thank Netgalley, I.B. Tauris (the publisher), and Sami Moubayed (the author) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I chose this book to read because being that ISIS is all over the place, I wanted to learn more about it, then what is being portrayed on U.S. media. I in particular chose this book because the author Sami Moubayed is a native of Syria and is specialized in Syrian History. I chose this book because I wanted to read this subject coming from the middle east region and specifically not from the U.S. I guess I assumed that I wouldn't get straightforward honest information if it came from elsewhere. I appreciated the risks that this author took in writing this book. Overall I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5.
     For anyone who wants to know more about ISIS about its full history, how it formed, how it grew, what forces enabled ISIS to form and grow, what ISIS's goals, beliefs, and vision are, then you need to read this book. If you are interested in buying this book click HERE. I think it is important and essential for people to be informed about ISIS in its true form, not just what you hear on the news. It is important to understand the nature of ISIS. Without being informed, it is too easy to make false assumptions, judgements and jump to the wrong conclusions. This book did an excellent job on educating its readers. It told a full straight forward story of ISIS. The book was well organized, it was clear, concise and to the point. The author told the story how it was. And some parts of the book were quite chilling to read. This book was able to answer a lot of questions I had about ISIS. It allowed me to put ISIS in perspective in a way that it was not like the sensationalized, fear-mongering media sources you hear everyday on the news. It surprised me that ISIS is not just a group of bad guys, it is a fully functioning government and society that is run by bad guys. I can understand the lure of ISIS of what draws people to it, how some join willingly and others are forced to submit to it. The fear and panic that ISIS creates in getting people to do what they want.  I am not sympathizing with ISIS I am merely saying I can understand why ISIS is so big.
     The only thing I can say was a downside to this book, was that it did not really have any personalization to it, that I was wishing for. I wanted to hear the author's voice more, just wanted little touches here and there throughout the book. By this I mean this book was a more straightforward chronology and history of ISIS, I would have liked to hear a little about the author's personal thoughts, experiences and opinions on what he is writing. I can understand why he chose not to. It didn't take anything away from this book it just would have been an added perk.
     The most powerful statement of this book was right at the end. It summed everything up with a perfect well said statement. Basically the author states that the problem is not with the Islamic State but with its leaders. That if ISIS was lead with a fair, just, non-violent leaders, then this book would have been a totally different story than it is being played out today. I am glad I read this book, I gained a lot of information and helpful knowledge out of this book and I hope that you will too.

Until the next page,
     Jill

Book Review #3 "Concussion" by Jeanne Marie Laskas

Hey Everybody!
    Hope you all are well. For this post I am reviewing the recently released (November 24, 2015) book "Concussion" by Jeanne Marie Laskas, which is also being made into a movie set to be released on Christmas. I want to first of all thank Netgalley, Random House Trade Paperbacks (the publisher), and Jeanne Marie Laskas (the author) for an Advanced Reading Copy in return for an honest review. For those of you who haven't yet bought this book, now is the time to do it. You have 21 days to read it before the movie comes out on Christmas. To buy a copy of this book please click HERE.
     I would give this book 4 stars out of 5. This book was so much more than the story of Dr. Omalu's discovery of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and the uproar it caused with the NFL. It was about Dr. Omalu, his journey spanning across two continents in finding himself. It is about a man who is determined to find the truth, find the answers to his questions. Dr. Omalu is a man of conviction, he has a strong moral character and doesn't back down when he is doubted or questioned. He stands up for what's right no matter what. It is the story and life of Dr. Omalu his own intimate narrative. And yes it is the stories of the retired football players who suffered with CTE and their long battle with the NFL.
     The author did such an excellent job of bringing Dr. Omalu to life. Reading this book felt so real, it was like I was observing Dr. Omalu's life and seeing his life through his eyes. This book was an eye opener, it boldly told the story exactly how it happened, nothing was sugarcoated or exaggerated, it told it like it was. It presented the timeline of events, the hardcore truth, the facts which allowed the reader to form his/her own opinions. This story portrayed how Dr. Omalu's Nigerian and American culture connected and collided with each other. Dr. Omalu was able to connect and related with the football players who suffered with CTE, and through this connection was how he made the discovery that would set the NFL into a frenzy. This story is sad, it could have been told in a pessimistic, cynical tone. However, it wasn't it was hopeful and inspiring, it told a story of tenacity, courage, hope, and conviction.
     The only criticism I can make was the beginning of the book was choppy it didn't flow well. I wish the story didn't start with the courtroom scene in the U.S. The storyline picked up and was a lot smoother after the second chapter. Overall this book was well done. It was a story worth telling. And I hope the movie will be just as great as the book is. The movie has a lot to live up to. So treat yourself to an early holiday gift and buy this book today so you can enjoy it as much as I did.

Until the next page,
Jill