Hardy and Tiny are Back with Gusto!

Hardy Belch and Tiny Return, by William G. Bentrim is filled with real-life stories and situations and not-so-real life hysterics. This book is divided into four separate stories, each based on something Hardy Belch has read about or learned in school. Then a mystery presents itself and he and his 240-pound telepathic dog, Tiny, set out to solve it. With the knowledge he already has he and Tiny are able to solve each mystery. But the most fun in this book is the conversations between Hardy and Tiny. Yes, Tiny can converse - in Hardy’s mind, of course.

Children and young adolescents will love the mystery and humor in each of these stories. And they will learn something as they read through this book. If you have a good sense of humor, you won’t be able to help yourself – you’ll just laugh out loud reading Bentrim’s Hardy Belch and Tiny Return.

The Fight of Our Lives is Overstated

The Fight of Our Lives, by William Bennett and Seth Leibsohn had interesting points, most of which have been rehashed over and over again in the decade since September 11, 2001. I agree that most terrorists are from radical Islam, but I do not believe the majority of Muslim people are terrorists. Quite the opposite, in fact.

The authors seem to be saying that our national security is in greater danger because of political correctness. Give me a break! Why can’t we be open-minded and understanding of all people? No, I don’t mean we should bow down to radicals but we certainly shouldn’t be as narrow-minded as the radicals are!

According to this book, Bush got nearly everything right and Obama is getting everything wrong. I believe politics is politics. Bush’s administration certainly messed up and Obama’s administration isn’t perfect either. Why can’t our country and our politicians work together? Stop with the extreme conservative and extreme liberal side of politics – that’s nearly as bad as the radicals we’re trying to fight.

Don’t get me wrong, there was much truth in this book, but it’s nothing new and it’s certainly expressed from the extreme right. I define myself as a moderate and both extremes irritate the heck out of me. Let’s be a little more understanding of all peoples and all religions and let’s fight what we need to fight (the extremes).

OK, now I’ll calm down long enough to say that I wasn’t a great fan of this book. I truly hope we can, one day, achieve peace. I know, many say this is naïve but we can at least move in that direction by being a little more open-minded about all religions. And, no, I’m not saying we shouldn’t fight back when attacked but let’s try to do it responsibly. We’re in a war situation now that I know we can’t walk away from as much as many Americans would like to. But making comments about an entire religion is not the way to getting closer to some kind of peace.

Rick and Bubba's Story

We Be Big: The Mostly True Story of How Two Kids from Calhoun County, Alabama Became Rick and Bubba, by Rick Burgess and Bill Bussey is about two Southern good ol’ boys who made it big. I never heard of them until I agreed to review this book.

The book is not only about their journey in radio and television broadcasting, but also about their journey in faith. On their morning radio show they were themselves – and no one else. They loved sports, food and their God.

This is a very easy read and I enjoyed it despite my first impression. I was a bit distressed that I agreed to review the book but I really enjoyed it. My only gripe is that I could never quite figure out what was not completely true in their story. How much could I believe?

Their journey to stardom was not always easy. It took many detours as they were let go from station after station. But none of that was because they weren’t popular with their listeners. They were just “different” from the run-of-the-mill programs on radio. With perseverance and hard work, they continued to survive and finally made it big.

Their story includes their families and home life, their religion and politics. I don’t agree with everything they believe in but I do feel this is an easy read and an enjoyable book.

Spring Training – Time to Read About Baseball Too!

Pujols: More Than the Game by Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth, is a book many baseball fans would enjoy reading. I love watching baseball but would seldom bother to read about it. So reviewing a book about baseball would not have been my first choice. The statistics quoted in the book are rather boring although I’m sure my husband will enjoy reading the book.

Despite that, this book is quite interesting and kept my interest. The story of Pujol’s faith and family and how he grew within that faith is quite interesting. The book and Pujol’s story kept my interest and I read through the book much faster than I expected I would.

If you’re a baseball fan, you definitely should pick up Pujols: More than the Game.

Get Caught!

Caught, Harlan Coben, is a quick read. It’s a mystery dealing with a missing high school senior and a recently identified pedophile. But it goes way beyond that when a local TV reporter tries to connect all the dots and ends up looking into several lives of a group of friends from Princeton University.

I particularly enjoyed this book because it’s centered mainly in North Jersey near where I grew up. So I recognized many of the places mentioned and that’s always a bit of a kick. Beyond that, the story itself is full of twists and turns and confuses, not only the local TV reporter and a few persistent police investigators, but also the reader. Each time I thought we were close to solving the mystery another twist would develop. This book certainly keeps you on your toes.

My only criticism of the book is that Coben needs to get all his facts straight if he bases a story on a real-life place. Princeton does not have a medical school. That’s such a small part of the story it didn’t even need to be mentioned in the book, but it is, in fact, inaccurate.

If you like mysteries, you’ll love this book. You won’t be able to put it down until you reach the end. And then you’ll wish for more. Enjoy getting Caught!

Surviving Rejection

Left at the Altar, by Kimberley Kennedy is a short book and quick read. It tells the author’s true story of literally being left at the altar and how she got through the days, weeks, and years after her humiliating rejection. It’s also full of stories of others who had similar tales of their own. One thing I noticed is that the man is always the bad guy – seldom is it the other way around. It also is deeply religious. I have no problem with that but one must, of course, get through this with the love and support of friends and family, along with God. Beyond that, this book will surely touch those who have been through similar situations, whether they rely on God’s help or not. If you’ve been through this type of situation or if you know someone who has, this is a good book to read.

Entertaining but Predictable Storyline

Love on Assignment by Cara Lynn James is a quick read. It’s interesting but predictable. It’s about a young woman, Charlotte Hale, a secretary at a newspaper in the early 20th century. She’s one step closer to her goal to be a reporter when her boss asks her to take a position as a governess in order to “spy” on a local professor and devout Christian. She is torn between ethics and ambition. However, as the story unfolds it’s rather obvious what is going to happen. The storyline is typical where she feels guilty but also needs to finish the job in order to advance in journalism. As hard as she tries, she cannot find anything to pin on the professor and, of course, falls in love. If you’re looking for a light read, this book is for you. I found it easy to read but with little substance.