BOXER'S START-UP: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO BOXING by Doug Werner
Tracks Publishing
140 Brightwood Avenue, Chula Vista, CA
www.startupsports.comGenre: Sports/Non-fiction
Rating: Very Good
ISBN: 1884654096, $12.95, 160 pp.
For those interested in physical fitness, this may be just the book for you. The sport of boxing has grown in popularity over the past few years, not so much to fight, but as a general good workout with the added benefit of learning to defend oneself.
Boxer’s Start-Up is well organized and will provide the beginner with sufficient basics to get started. There are lots of pictures to help you learn about the gear, stances, basic footwork, punches, combinations, working with the heavy bag, basic defense and counters, the boxer’s workout, and sparring.
Werner has added some history and a boxer’s journal to complete this little book. For the price, you’ll get a lot of punch for your buck.
Reviewed by Kaye Trout - March 7, 2007
THE AMERICAN PROBLEM by Thomas J. Roatch
Llumina Press
PO Box 772246
Coral Springs, FL
www.llumina.comGenre: Non-Fiction/Opinion/Politics
Rating: Highly Recommended
ISBN: 9781595266774, $9.95, 96 pp.
In this compact little book Thomas J. Roatch addresses many of the problems we face in America today–eleven to be exact: automotive/energy, health, politics, air travel, the internet, borders, drugs and crime, space, Iraq and Afghanistan, racism and gender ignorance, and education.
He presents these problems in a precise, clear manner and adds documentation to inform and support his position. On the back cover it states: "Tom claims he wrote The American Problem ‘because I was raised never to complain about anything unless you had a solution for that problem.’" The problems may seem overwhelming to the average American, and they are indeed complex.
This little book, however, does not tell us "how to solve the problems" in the matrix in which they exist. Tom has his opinions, as we all do, but his little book may be one of many to be written to help us clarify the issues and inspire ‘the people’ to find the strength to stand up and say, "Enough is enough", particularly in regard to our energy problems. When the people have had enough, they will stand up, as they did in the Soviet Union.
Of particular interest are the facts presented about our energy problems and how our leaders have neglected to deal with them because as JP Morgan said to Nikola Tesla in 1905, "If anyone can draw on the power, where do we put the meter?" And, are you aware that the ‘country’ of Brazil does not use gasoline; they use ethanol make from sugar. Realistic solutions are out there to solve our energy problems, but it’s difficult to get around the greed of the automotive and energy monopolies.
Thomas J. Roatch has cared enough about our problems to write this book. If I were to make a constructive criticism, it would be that he has not provided us with a constructive means to unite the people to bring about the needed changes.
I highly recommend this book as an informative delineation of America’s problems and for the price of $9.95, it is well worth the price.
Reviewed by Kaye Trout - March 1, 2007
PRESCRIPTION FOR HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS & OPTIMUM HEALTH by Billy C. Johnson MD, Phd and Daniel Chong-Jimenez, B.S.
Llumina Press
PO Box 772246, Coral Springs, FL
Genre: Health/Diet
Rating: Very Good
ISBN: 1595263918, $27.95, 432 pp.
This is a large book filled with lots of information about diet, health issues and dieting. The authors have presented this information in a logical, organized manner. The essence of this particular diet is "balance your carb intake with how active you are" as carbs are necessary for energy and good health.
I can certainly recommend this quality publication to those interested in their health and to those who want to read another book about dieting. The authors have included a 30-day meal plan to assist you in trying their program. It is always interesting to read another diet plan to help us over weight Americans find some balance in our lives.
Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 17, 2007
LYNCHED BY CORPORATE AMERICA by Herman Malone & Robert Schwab
HM-RS Publishing
3840 York Street, Denver, CO 80205
www.LynchedbyCA.comGenre: Nonfiction/Business/Law
Rating: Very Good
ISBN: 0978509447, $15.95, 111 pp.
Lynched by Corporate America is a true story about African-American business leader, Herman Malone, and his race-discrimination lawsuit against US West (now Qwest Communications International, Inc.). After Dick McCormick became chairman of US West in 1992, the company began terminating contracts with African-American-owned businesses and later settled with six out of the seven plaintiffs. Malone was the sole holdout, and this is his story.
The book is well organized, concise and well written. He has put it all out there for you to decide–a case study in the reality of our legal system.
Herman Malone is the President and CEO of RMES Communications. He is the former Chairman of both the National and the Colorado Black Chambers of Commerce. Robert Schwab of Colorado Biz and former editor for the Denver Post helped get this book to press.
Lynched by Corporate America is a story about contemporary racial discrimination and shortcomings within our judicial system. If you’re interested and care about such things, I can highly recommend this book.
Reviewed by Kaye Trout - February 12, 2007
SUPERVISING SOLUTIONS - MANAGING PEOPLE MADE EASY by Tuwanda Jenkinson
PublishAmerica, LLLP - Baltimore
www.publishamerica.comGenre: Nonfiction - Self Help
Rating: Fair
ISBN: 1424156122, $12.95, 48 pp.
Supervising Solutions is a very small book and really should be a chapter in a larger text book on the subject. Tuwanda breaks down management styles into three types: aggressive, passive and assertive. She then explains a little about each one.
It is my opinion that most of what was written would be common sense to anyone interested in the subject of management. In the last chapter she present a number of problems a manager might face but gives no solutions to those problems, only "How would you handle that?"
It is not clear to me why this book was written as it certainly is not substantial enough to provide assistance to someone in a management position. The price of $12.95 is high for a 48 page book with little substance.
Review by Kaye Trout - February 10, 2007
WINNING OR LOSING - THE FINANCIAL & RETIREMENT RATE by Robert Lamoreaux, JD
Devere Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 970965, Orem, UT
Genre: Self-Help/Financial Guidance
Rating: Good
ISBN: 0978798805, $24.95, 165 pp.
Robert Lamoreaux shares with us some of the knowledge he has acquired during thirty-five years of estate planning. This is a hard cover book written in a logical manner to help guide you through the complexity of working with your financial situation. It is a well-written book and touches on pertinent subjects.
I have read many such books and am always looking for new and updated information. If I were to make one constructive criticism of this book, it would be that it could have gone into more detail in general. Robert Lamoreaux recommends that you use the services of professionals for your taxes and accounting, etc., rather than try to learn, understand and do it yourself. Personally, I like to try and do it myself and believe what Bob Brinker, a well-known financial adviser, said years ago: "When you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror, you’re looking at the only person you can trust with your money. So, you’d better learn how to manage it." Good advice.
Winning or Losing will help you to get an initial handle on your financial situation and if you’re not up to the financial challenge, then, by all means, find the professionals with whom you are comfortable to help you.
Reviewed by Kaye Trout - January 3, 2007
SNOT BUBBLES! A Football Primer for Moms, Wives & Significant Others by Helma Clark
Jersten Press
PO Box 688, McDonough, GA
Helmaclark@aol.comGenre: Sports
Rating: Good
ISBN: 0970279302, $8.50 (lst Ed), 128 pp.
This book is a basic primer for people who want to know a little something about football. It is very basic, but it will help you to understand the language, player positions and signals in the game. Actually the "snot bubbles" is a real term.
I can recommend this book as a rudimentary primer; however, the drawings of the figures demonstrating the signals are poorly done.
Reviewed by Kaye Trout - December 12, 2006
