Month: July 2008

children, memoir

Becoming a Superhero

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: William D. Smith
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Genre: Children’s
ISBN: 978-1-4327-2071-1
Pages: 118
Price: $13.95

Buy it at Amazon

Billy is a ten year-old boy living in a Pennsylvania coal mining town at the end of World War II, and he wants to be a Superhero. He’s read about Superman in his comic books, listens to the Shadow on the radio, and wants to save the world just like they do. But first he has to learn how to fly.

Becoming a Superhero is the semi-autobiographical first-person narrative of his year as a sixth-grader. In it, Billy shares his thoughts, adventures, and mis-adventures as he grows up during this turbulent time in US history.

In the style of “A Christmas Story,” Billy seems to find trouble at every turn. Dared to climb onto one of the coal company’s catwalks, he runs into problems with the law. A camping trip turns into an evening of night-fishing in the outhouse. And he never does figure out how to fly. But in the end, he becomes a hero in a way he never intended.

A well-written coming-of-age story, Becoming a Superhero is an enjoyable read – not just for children, but also for adults who haven’t yet forgotten how much fun it was to be a kid.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health

The Empowered Patient

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Dr. Julia A. Hallisy
Publisher: Bold Spirit Press
Genre: Medical / Health & Fitness
ISBN: 978-0-6151-7791-5
Pages: 351
Price: $25.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

If you or a loved one have ever had an extended hospital stay or been treated for a long-standing illness, you’ve likely run into problems in the medical establishment. Author Dr. Julia A. Hallisy has experienced many of these incidents in the ten-year treatment of her daughter’s cancer, and she shares the wisdom she acquired in The Empowered Patient.

The first step in becoming a savvy medical consumer is knowing who you’re talking to. Therefore, she begins by introducing all the titles of the various personnel you’re likely to encounter in a hospital, along with their roles and responsibilities.

those who are ill are more susceptible to infection, so one chapter is devoted to prevention of hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections. Along with the precautions family and hospital staff can take, reporting infections to the right hospital personnel can help prevent future problems. Although much of this information was helpful, as a “green” reviewer, I was disturbed by the author’s insistence that only toxic and harmful chemical disinfectants should be used. If I were a patient, I would not find the spraying of toxic fumes around me to be helpful in my recovery.

Errors occur more frequently than most of us would feel comfortable with, so the patient and family members need to be extra vigilant in making sure all care received is appropriate. Second opinions are encouraged for diagnoses and treatment options, to be sure the patient is comfortable with the procedure he’s signed on for.

Hospital paperwork can be daunting, so the author explains exactly what a consent form allows the hospital to do, and how you can be sure your needs are met. And if you need to see or even alter your medical records, she explains the procedure to handle your request.

Dr. Julia A. Hallisy was able to help others navigate the medical scene during the time she cared for her daughter, and now she’s sharing her acquired knowledge with the rest of us in The Empowered Patient. Reading this well-written and well-researched book before you face a crisis will surely prepare you to get through one as smoothly as possible.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

finance, self improvement

The Wealth Manifesto

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Mark T. Rafter
Publisher: New Knowledge Press
Genre: Self-help / Personal Growth / Success
ISBN: 978-0-9796682-0-3
Pages: 214
Price: $17.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

How do you define wealth? Do you even know, or do you just assume it has something to do with how much money you’ve managed to accumulate? According to Mark T. Rafter, money is only part of the wealth equation, and The Wealth Manifesto shows you what makes up the missing pieces.

This book, along with the downloadable companion workbook, helps you define a lifestyle that will ultimately make you wealthy, through a series of thought-provoking exercises. The first section looks at the path to wealth – how you define wealth and what you need to make you happy. The second section invites you to determine your own value and competencies, as you offer your services to the world. And the third section explores the accumulation of wealth through the concept of building systems.

If you’ve ever read The Science of Getting Rich, you may have felt the author left out a key element of how to get rich. Focusing on metaphysical elements has its place, and it certainly helps us to stay on course as we plan our future. The Wealth Manifesto explores those metaphysical concepts and takes them a step further, explaining exactly how to create systems that can generate wealth for us long into the future.

Creating wealth can feel like an insurmountable task, but Mark T. Rafter makes it seem simple and effortless. Follow the directions as laid out, and you’ll be inspired to take action and become wealthy yourself. I highly recommend this well-written and motivational book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health, self improvement

The Lifestyle Fitness Program

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Debi Silber
Publisher: Morgan James
Genre: Health & Fitness / Healthy Living
ISBN: 978-1-60037-426-5
Pages: 218
Price: $17.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

A mom has so much to juggle each day that her own self-care is often the last thing she thinks about. But can a mom be effective taking care of others if she hasn’t met her own basic needs? Debi Silber doesn’t think so, and that’s why she’s created The Lifestyle Fitness Program to guide moms in looking, feeling and living their best.

This guidebook is divided into six sections: Nutrition, Fitness, Relationships, Emotions, Spirituality, and Stress Control. Each section is then further divided into chapter sub-topics, with goals set for each chapter. The author encourages moms to set only one goal per week, with the intent to create new healthy habits as these small changes become part of their lives.

Silber has a light and breezy style of chatting with the reader, almost as if she’s in a personal coaching session in her role as the “Mojo Coach.” But because she covers so much material in such a short book, the individual chapters don’t go into any real depth. Instead, they’re more motivational than informational. The author also provides an on-line forum at her website for readers to discuss the challenges and successes they’ve had in working this program.

If you’re looking for bite-sized chunks of information that will help you make small incremental changes that will lead to a happier and healthier life, you’ll find the guidance in The Lifestyle Fitness Program a valuable resource.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

romance, teen

Amor and Summer Secrets

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2553-5
Pages: 296
Price: $9.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Mariana Ruiz doesn’t know why she’s being exiled to Puerto Rico for the summer. She should be at home, helping her best friend, Madison, celebrate her Sweet Sixteen. Instead she’s sent to visit relatives she’s never met before, most of whom don’t even speak English.

Mariana is part Puerto Rican and part Polish, but the only Spanish she’s ever picked up has been from her classes at school. Her cousin, Lilly, speaks English, but Mariana doesn’t trust her motives, and keeps her distance, despite Lilly’s attempts to be friends. Instead she helps her aunt plan Lilly’s Quinceanera.

An unexpected romantic surprise awaits Mariana at Lilly’s party, and soon she finds she’s enjoying the summer she never wanted to happen. But along with amor, she also finds out about a family secret that shocks her.

This fast-paced and tension-filled story pulls the reader into Mariana’s world, as she experiences her first adventure off her own turf and finds love. Amor and Summer Secrets is an enjoyable read, and once you pick this book up, you won’t be able to put it down. The first of three books, it will leave you wanting to read more from this talented new author.

Reviewer: Alice Berger