Tag: Book Review

Book Review: Varina by Charles Frazier (2018)

Book Review: Varina by Charles Frazier (2018)

Bronze Anthology Book Review Varina by Charles Frazier (Historical Fiction 2018) ISBN: 9780062405982 Overview From the author of “Cold Mountain,” comes a historical fiction novel about Jefferson Davis’ wife, Varina. This book is similarly set during the Civil War, as Varina is the wife of 

Book Review: Circe by Madeline Miller (2018)

Book Review: Circe by Madeline Miller (2018)

Bronze Anthology Book Review Circe by Madeline Miller (Fiction 2018) ISBN: 9780316556347 Overview For anyone that read “The Odyssey” in high school, this story is like taking a trip down memory lane. Unlike “The Odyssey,” it is a novel, but along Circe’s journey, many of 

Book Review: Tangerine by Christine Mangan (2018)

Book Review: Tangerine by Christine Mangan (2018)

Bronze Anthology Book Review

Tangerine by Christine Mangan (Suspense 2018)

ISBN: 9780062686664

Overview
The quote on the cover by Joyce Carol Oates, regarding Donna Tartt and Gillian Flynn, could not be more accurate – it is ‘The Secret History’ meets ‘Gone Girl.’ It is frustrating and unnerving, but only because the story grabs you and does not let go.

In Three Words
Betrayal

Obsession

Friendship

Overall Thoughts
The writing is descriptive and clear, like Donna Tartt and Gillian Flynn. The story flips back and forth between the perspectives of the two main characters, Alice and Lucy, which enhances the foreboding and clandestine tone. It also flips between the present (1950’s in Tangier) and the past (a few years prior in Vermont). The back and forth between characters and times and places slowly reveals the pieces of the story and builds up to an unsettling ending, which for any good thriller book is ideal.

Our Bronze Star Rating

This is a fun read for anyone that enjoys a psychological thriller with a Casablanca feel; for example, it makes for a great addition to the poolside or while on vacation. It is not a good read for anyone who doesn’t have time to finish the story in a few days – it cannot be put down and picked up days later. Instead, set some time aside and become engrossed in the storyline. Overall, it is a four bronze star read; minus one star, because it is somewhat predictable, but again it is completely engrossing.

Book Review: Laura and Emma by Kate Greathead (2018)

Book Review: Laura and Emma by Kate Greathead (2018)

Bronze Anthology Book Review Laura and Emma by Kate Greathead (2018) ISBN: 9781501156601 Overview Mothers and daughters have relationships that change with age and time, which can oscillate between loving and fighting. ‘Laura and Emma’ covers the span of a relationship between a mother and 

Books for Easter

Books for Easter

Easter Books for Children **Our newest book reviewer, Koufax Tennyson, tackles the world of children’s literature. In staying true to her namesake, the books are given a 1 to 4 baseball score: single, double, triple, or a homerun!** Words to describe this group of books: 

Book Review: The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump (1987)

Book Review: The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump (1987)

Bronze Anthology Book Review

The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump (1987)

ISBN: 0394555287

Overview
Given the recent political environment, we wanted to try and understand the ideology, inner thoughts, and motivations behind Donald Trump. The first lines of the book are fore-telling and still ring true today, “I don’t do it for the money. I’ve got enough, much more than I’ll ever need. I do it to do it. Deals are my art form. Other people paint beautifully on canvas or write wonderful poetry. I like making deals, preferably big deals. That’s how I get my kicks.”

In this book, you begin to grasp better insight into Trump’s pursuit of success; he simply likes to chase opportunity. And as he likes to boast about time and time again, he usually does it with other people’s money!

In Three Words
Opportunistic

Manipulative

High Stakes

Overall Thoughts
In the first chapter, there is a great sense of excitement: the comings and goings of Mr. Trump as he traverses the business world, buying large stock positions in companies, working on real estate purchases, dealing with other businessmen, lawyers, and politicians. The pace of the book starts off frenzied and exhilarating. Once the structure of the book changes, it bogs down and becomes more of a biography, which is to be expected, as it is after all a book about Trump’s business experience.

The real estate development job seems like a tough gig, especially in New York City: ungodly sums of money, loopholes through contracts and government entities, high pressure deadlines, all accompanied by substantial operating and carrying costs. While Mr. Trump seems to take a more optimistic outlook on the deals he makes, it comes across as braggadocios, which as everyone is aware, plays right into his wheelhouse in terms of his personality.

One of the main reoccurring themes in this book is that Trump always finds an inside track. He does have a way of viewing the playing field from 10,000 feet, whereas most of his real estate competitors are short-sighted. In having this big picture vantage point, he is able to manipulate and plan the development of various commercial, retail, and residential buildings of grand proportions. In hindsight, being that the book is over 30 years old, there are some interesting events that have transpired since that point in time (i.e. Trump Castle turned Trump Marina turned Golden Nugget), which would take an entirely different book review to cover.

There are many parts that are difficult to relate to for the normal person, an average Joe if you will. Most of the deals that Trump talks about are in the tens of millions, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars. He works on timeframes that run for several years. Trump takes on projects in areas that he persistently admits are in dire straits and yet, big banks still lend money for his projects. He always manages to make a profit. Even harder to grasp, he has the ability to pursue lawsuits on a whim if things begin to sour. He has access to people only a phone call away, powerful individuals the average person would never have a chance to speak with.

The best character in the entire book is Walter Hoving, the former owner of Tiffany & Co., a man true to his word and the pure embodiment of honesty and integrity. Trump gives tremendous praise to Mr. Hoving for honoring his agreement to sell air rights that would eventually pave the way for Trump Tower to be built. In the midst of securing those air rights, Trump believed Hoving would renege, to which Walter Hoving stated, “Young man, perhaps you didn’t understand. I shook your hand. I made a deal with you. That’s that.” If only everyone did business that way!

Our Bronze Star Rating

You’ll like this book if you appreciate business, speculation, real estate, city living, or even a non-fiction read about an eccentric character. If you’re expecting to find some useable tips on how to become successful or simply to get motivated, keep looking. If this book is one that’s been on your to-read list, try the audio version as it has a casual writing form and would make for easy listening.

Unfortunately, the book can be a bit of a letdown, which is why we’ve rated it two bronze stars. While chapter two seems to allude to the reader on how to make big deals (e.g. think big, protect the downside, maximize your options), he doesn’t focus on teaching the art form in the book, instead he merely provides a historical perspective on the deals he’s made. At times, he seems to sugarcoat the deals and provide general information, instead of giving an honest and thorough outline for the reader to determine what traits to acquire in becoming better at making deals. The one motivational thing that it does is to encourage you to think bigger! Trump discusses this time and again, to think grander and pursue bigger opportunities.

Valentine’s Day – Book Suggestions

Valentine’s Day – Book Suggestions

Valentine’s Day Books for Young Children **Our newest book reviewer, Koufax Tennyson, tackles the world of children’s literature. In staying true to her namesake, the books are given a 1 to 4 baseball score: single, double, triple, or a homerun!** Words to describe this group 

Book Review: Artemis by Andy Weir (2017)

Book Review: Artemis by Andy Weir (2017)

Bronze Anthology Book Review Artemis by Andy Weir (2017) ISBN: 9780553448122 Overview If you were to live on the moon, where would you sleep? What would you eat? How would you earn money? How would you breath? What would life be like… up there? The 

Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant – Gail Honeyman (2017)

Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant – Gail Honeyman (2017)

Bronze Anthology Book Review

Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman (2017)

ISBN: 9780735220683

Overview
How do you respond when someone asks how you are doing? Do you say fine? Whether or not you are actually fine? That is Eleanor Oliphant. She is fine. She is really not fine – it is painfully clear that she is not fine – but that is the face she wants the world to see and the mirror to show. Hence, the following self-talk:

“I do exist, don’t I? It often feels as if I’m not here, that I’m a figment of my own imagination. There are days I feel so lightly connected to the earth that the threads that tether me to the planet are gossamer thin, spun sugar. A strong gust of wind could dislodge me completely, and I’d lift off and blow away, like one of those seeds in the dandelion clock.”

Compared to:

“I have always taken great pride in managing my life alone. I’m a sole survivor – I’m Eleanor Oliphant. I don’t need anyone else – there’s no big hole in my life, no missing part of my own particular puzzle. I am a self-contained entity.”

How can someone feel both insecurely tethered and confidently grounded to reality? You can’t, which becomes abundantly evident as Eleanor Oliphant comes to see her true self.

In Three Words
Isolated

Awkward

Baggage

Overall Thoughts
It is not until half way through the book that you begin to connect with the main character. At which point, it is debatable whether the connection is because of the amount of time spent with her or a genuine understanding of her. To elaborate, she has several rants that are relatable, like the overall decline in communication (e.g. the use of acronyms like LOL and OMG), but there are even more situations that are painful, like her social ineptitude (e.g. gifting a playboy or a used bottle of vodka). Clearly the author developed a unique main character, but it requires a dedicated effort to appreciate that uniqueness.

Several positive messages emerged at the end of the book, such as facing the past and appreciating the present, but those messages are both fleeting and predictable. The majority of the book is spent on Eleanor’s whack-a-doo behavior and it is mildly alarming when, at about the halfway point, her behavior begins to make sense.

Our Bronze Star Rating

It is a good read for anyone that has felt isolated or misunderstood. It is not a good read for anyone that is disinclined to be patient with a fictional character. Overall, it is a three bronze star read; minus a star because it is not a book I would re-read given the predictable ending and minus a second star because of the struggle to connect with the main character.

Book Review: Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders (2017)

Book Review: Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders (2017)

Bronze Anthology Book Review Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2017) ISBN: 9780812995343 Overview The winner of the 2017 Man Booker Prize and a highly acclaimed book, which was supposedly about the death of President Lincoln’s son, Willie, and his proceeding time in the