MY '70s BOOK by Darryll Sherman

The "When I Was A Kid..." Book
For The Generation That Grew Up in The ‘70s
Dog Ear Publishing
www.dogearpublishing.net
Genre: Generational Memoir
Rating: Good
ISBN: 9781598586909, $11.95, 100 pp.

Quoting from the back cover:

"Do you sometimes find yourself longing for ‘the good old days’? Do you laugh at yourself for even thinking this because - after all - you’re not even 50 yet? And - upon seeing some of the things the kids of today have, or when you see how easy they have it, do you catch yourself thinking out loud ‘When I was a kid...’ only to cover your mouth in horror as you realize that you sound just like your parents? Do you feel a jolt of... you’re not sure what... when you realize that you’re thinking of the ‘70s? How good things were in the ‘70s?

"Join the author as he recounts his own experiences growing up in this avocado green and burnt orange decade. The things we had and the things we didn’t have; the things we took for granted and what family life was like in those years. Remember the music, the movies, the cars, the toys, the fashions, and so much more as your sentimental recollections play once again before you like a worn out 8mm movie in your mind.

"We were kids of the ‘60s, teens in the ‘70s, and now we’re almost 50. This is a humorous, nostalgic, pensive, and fun-filled look at what it was like to grow up in this generation. Try to keep up with the fun as you revisit your childhood memories, and don’t be surprised it you, like the author, find yourself longing once again for ‘the good old days.’"

This is a fun, well edited little book and not bad for the price. If you grew up in the ‘70s, you might like a copy to refresh your own memory, and the author has created a material memoir for himself and his family. It’s always interesting to see life from another person’s unique perspective, and for Darryll Sherman the ‘70s were ‘the good old days’. I agree they were good–not as complicated or dangerous as today, but, the ‘50s, now there were some Happy Days.

Kaye Trout - June 29, 2009

HOTEL - Untold Stories II by Rene D. Egle

Food and Beverage Private and Confidential
Llumina Press
Coral Springs, FL
Genre: Memoir
Rating: Good
ISBN: 9781605941912, $17.95, pp. 324

Quoting from the back cover:

"Hotel - Untold Stories II, Food & Beverage, Private & Confidential tells the story of Andre Schwarz, a young hotel professional who leaves his native Europe to work in Beijing, China, where has been offered the position of assistant Food & Beverage Manager at the Sheldon Grand Hotel in Beijing.

"The book picks up where Hotel - Untold Stories left off, but instead of relying entirely on Andre’s memory for details of incidents, accidents, and anecdotes, in Hotel - Untold Stories II..., all untold stories are facts based on Andre’s archived documents. As the name already indicates, some of these documents were, at one point in time, very private and confidential.

"Some of Andre’s stories are funny and others are shocking, but all have one thing in common: they are true; they happened. Some are still happening now and will still be happening when we are long gone. Private & Confidential give you a rare insider’s view into the exciting world of the finest five-star hotels."

Rene Egle’s memoir is very interesting, especially his experiences in China with the culture and the Chinese people. The book is well written, has a few, minor editing errors but in general, is an interesting read. As the author emphasizes that this is a non-fiction, true story, I have to question why he uses the name Andre Schwarz.

If you’re interested in five-star hotel management and exotic places, you’ll find something of interest here.

Kaye Trout - June 21, 2009

WINTER GHOST by Don Meyer

BookLocker.com, Inc.
Genre: Fiction/Mystery
Rating: Average
ISBN: 9781601458209, $16.95, 332 pp.

Quoting from the front cover:

"The discovery of the body, a woman, naked, frozen solid, outside the cabin, hands pressed against the glass of the oversized center window, looking in, ultimately leaves Sheriff Tom Monason, with more questions than answers.

"Although originally listed as an accidental death, the story just won’t go away, especially with continued reports of an unknown woman visiting that cabin on winter weekends. While these sightings only continue to fuel the legend, the undeniable fact that two couples have turned up dead after reported visits, makes this tale no longer just another ghost story."

Don’t have too much to say about this novel. Initially it annoyed me, didn’t ring true, and Sheriff Monason didn’t actually solve the murder. As for the author’s style of writing, there’s nothing unique or special here. It would be my suggestion that Meyer study his craft further, one, to learn the difference between further and farther or get a better editor. When I pick up a book and the first page has multiple errors, there’s very little to say.

Kaye Trout - June 13, 2009