Blog Archives
Faces Of Evil
Faces of Evil- a memoir by Edwin J Kitchen, is a powerful recollection of Berta Eisfeld Kitchen, who lived in a brutal world ruled by Hitler and Stalin. In this riveting historical memoir, the author narrates their mother Berta’s remarkable life, and how she sets out on a tumultuous journey to find freedom from the terror of World War II.
Representing a normal woman from the most oppressive era, Berta is one of those unsung heroes who suffered a great deal, but never shied away from helping others in the face of adversity. Kitchen gives chronological details of Berta’s childhood and lays a strong foundation to the events that took place in her life.
As a reader, it is easy to navigate through Berta’s life – her war stricken tragedies, and ultimately her quest to conquer misery to pursue a free life in the U.S. As a writer, Kitchen is impeccable with words in describing Berta’s free spirited life, and offers readers fascinating details on human courage and resilience. For someone who loves to read historical memoirs based on a true wartime story, I was happy to become a witness to Berta’s extraordinary life, with Kitchen’s straightforward writing.
Faces of Evil is simple, yet grand, and celebrates life, death and every human emotion. There are many occasions when readers can admire Kitchen’s attempt to provide meaning of foreign words, and clarify several scenarios in a simple manner. Berta Eisfeld is brave and her story gave me a hint of Anne Frank in the Diary of a Young Girl. Though Berta’s outcome was completely different than that of Anne, they both suffered insurmountably. One important feature of Faces of Evil is the short length of each chapter. Berta’s life events are well presented in those chapters, and it does not feel any stones are left unturned.
Faces of Evil is Kitchen’s way of giving Berta a voice. This memoir gives readers a bird’s eye view of Berta’s life in an enthralling and engaging manner. A superb recollection of a brave woman, Berta Eisfeld Kitchen, whose life was turned upside down during the reign of Hitler and Stalin; and how she took hold of her life in spite of all the sufferings, to pursue a life that gives her freedom to live peacefully.
Page: 76 | ASIN : B09FJ7CSY1
Hiding in Plain Sight – Book Trailer
Multi Award Winning Book; HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT – My Life & Adventures Protecting Celebrities is the inspiring true story of how a boy with a firm purpose behind his dreams, overcame many personal obstacles, challenges, sacrifices and injuries to forge a life dedicated to ensuring the safety of others When Tom LeBrun was 5 years old he was like most kids his age, full of energy, dreams and imagination galore. But, unlike other kids, young Tom had a stated purpose. He told his Dad that, one-day, like his hero SUPERMAN, “I want to fly around the world protecting people.” This purpose and passion created his journey.
Thomas LeBrun has been active within the Executive Protection industry for over 3 decades. often being the advance agent in the world’s most dangerous of cities, Mexico City, Johannesburg So. Africa and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil being a few of them. His consistency in his studies both in the physical and academic world has resulted in clientele in the entertainment, corporate and HNW arenas of the highest caliber. The academic element includes subject matter in Anti-Terrorist studies through ATAB (Anti-Terrorism Accreditation Board), Maritime Security as it has to do with Anti-piracy issues and Crisis Risk Management as well as various Executive Protection courses. Thomas LeBrun has received Tactical Hall of Fame accolades as the 1999 and 2005 Executive Protection Specialist of the Year.
Link-Up 2 Lift-Up
Link-Up 2 Lift-Up by educator and author Doreszell Cohen is written from an emic perspective to give a deeper insight into the lives of the descendants of the enslaved Africans in the United States of America. Cohen is a highly qualified educator living in Jacksonville, Florida. After facing institutionalized racism herself, she realized that a significant reason why instances like this still happen is that there is a lack of knowledge not just for people from outside the community but even from within. She went ahead and established an institution called Link-Up 2 Lift-Up Inc. as a helping hand for African Citizens living in the States, who might need assistance to overcome the hurdles of institutionalized racism and even help eliminate it completely.
Link-Up 2 Lift-Up is a “wokebook” intended to eliminate the ignorance about and within the African community. Cohen’s book also aims to help not only eliminate the institutionalized racism but also create a state of pluralism wherein the African community can peacefully and respectfully coexist with the rest of the population of the States.
The book starts with an introduction to the personal story of Cohen, then dives into the beginnings of Link-Up 2 Lift-Up as an institution. Cohen puts all her emotions and thoughts out on the page for readers. There is nothing held back from Cohen’s telling of her story, there are photos, emails, letters, all attesting to the experiences her family has endured. Cohen relies heavily on her faith to get her through some of the hardest moments in her life. When her daughter was brutally stabbed seventeen times she prayed nonstop for her to recover. Those that take comfort in faith will admire how spirituality helps define who Cohen is and impacts the direction of her life.
Link-Up 2 Lift-Up by Doreszell Cohen presents readers with an emic approach to the lives of African Americans and the sheer amount of social impact that Cohen has managed to create. I would recommend this book to anyone who seeks to get a deeper insight into the lives and struggles of the descendants of the enslaved Africans. A cross between a memoir and reference book, readers will see the world through Cohen’s eyes and learn from her experiences.
Pages: 108 | ASIN : B08KSWYZ3M
The Fragments Left Behind
Paradise Taken shares the story of Eden Flores to inspire and inform readers of the lasting effects of child abuse and sexual trauma. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Initially, I just set out to tell the story of my lifelong friend, Eden Flores. However, the more I heard about her traumatic childhood experiences, my inspiration changed. I did not just want to write a book about Eden Flores’ early life; I wanted to write a book that would inspire all who seek to understand or overcome the fragments left behind from child abuse and sexual trauma.
What was the most challenging thing you faced when putting this book together?
The most challenging part was the multiple interviews I conducted with Eden Flores. Some of the discussions became so intense that I often felt very uncomfortable and emotional and even stopped the interviews to give Eden and me a break.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Paradise Taken needed to serve as an advocacy recourse for sexual trauma and domestic violence victims. Sharing these strong and mature topics with Paradise Taken readers would also expose them to delicate and terrible issues some may find unfamiliar.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
I want readers to recollect the abuses young Eden had suffered and reflect on the ways childhood abuse and trauma rob people of their innocence and impact every facet of their outlook for the rest of their lives.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook
Knowing My True Worth
Bent Pages shares personal stories from your life that changed and inspired you. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I originally wrote the book as a gift for my daughter. Most of the events in the book were events I had never been able to talk to her about. But I thought it was important for her to know these things. Our history involves our family history. Our present is so affected by our history and how we respond to events in our lives. It took getting some professional help for me to be able to face many of these issues. They seemed like such huge elephants in the room. Yet, I have discovered by sharing these “secrets” that many people have such elephants that have affected their lives. How we view these events makes such a difference in living our lives and our relationships with others. I wanted to give my daughter the gift of knowing me, all of me…especially since I never felt I really knew my own parents. My father left his family and children, never to return when I was only 18 months old. My mother tried to commit suicide more than once. Perhaps if I had known their experiences, I wouldn’t have judged them so harshly. Most of all, I wanted my daughter to know how much I deeply love her. She has been a most precious and wonderful gift to me!
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Oh my, there were so many. Talking about the loneliness and isolation I felt as a child and how it affected me as an adult was very difficult to express. Reliving the sexual attack and the resulting chronic guilt that came with it was also difficult to relive. But perhaps the most difficult topic was learning to deal with rejection. They say time heals, but it merely masks emotional cuts. The least little action from someone can drudge up all that emotion when you least expect it. Healing comes from facing your fears, accepting the pain, and ultimately forgiving, while knowing my true worth is found in God rather than in other people or things. While writing, I had to once again learn to forgive. Sometimes that is the hardest thing to do, especially if the one you forgiving isn’t necessarily asking for forgiveness.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
If there is one point I hope to make, it’s the importance of faith. Living life with God at the helm is an adventure. But it is an adventure we can trust in because of his great love for us. We don’t always understand why things happen in our lives. But we have a choice in how we view them. We can see ourselves as martyrs or victims. Or, we can see ourselves as victors, overcoming adversity with grace, resilience, and joy.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
The critical life skills of trust, love, forgiveness, humility, mercy, unselfishness, and grace can still be learned as adults, even if they were not modeled well in our families. Don’t give up hope on that! No matter what age you are, hope can explode with possibilities, despite our circumstances, if we keep our focus on God. It is possible to let go and let God. As I watched my young daughter fall in love with God, the only father she had ever known, I inadvertently learned these critical life skills for myself through her innocent eyes and unconditional love.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
From the time I was a child, one of my habits that drove others in my family crazy was to bend the corner of a page down on a book I was reading if it contained information I wanted to remember and look back on. It was easy to tell which books I had read and had been inspired by…there would be many bent corners. This book is a snapshot of the bent corners of pages in my life that have inspired and taught me. They are moments I never want to forget, even if painful. They have made me who I am. And I would not change that for the world!
I have discovered that I can make a difference, one person at a time, beginning with me. I have learned that God is indeed in control, even when life seems chaotic.
I have also learned that I get to choose how I want to view those events that affected my life. I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to be a victor.
Welcome to the adventure!
A View From My Bay
Vincent Green is a man that struggles to be heard due to injuries related to 9/11. A View From My Bay is his way of letting his voice be heard. There is often a mystery to men of greatness. A person can be considered great for the battles they win, the lives they save or the life they live. Vincent Green has done all these things in his lifetime. In his intimate memoir A View from My Bay we are exposed to Vincent, or Vinny, the man. Readers experience his humble origins and his journey to the heights of his career and personal life. This book is both inspiring and personal. Part autobiography part memoir, Vinny shares parts of his soul that made him into the man he is today.
Green has climbed from what many would describe as the bottom of the socio-economic ladder to impressive heights. Well respected and regarded through his law enforcement career he has shared his skills and knowledge with leaders from across the world. This illuminating biography shares his skills and his talents in fighting corruption like those heroes we all watched on television when we were young. He is more than an impressive male role model for young men and women. He is a human being with thoughts and feelings. He has granted us his grace in sharing those pieces of himself through this book.
A collection of styles are used by Green to share his emotions, thoughts, and ideals. These are pieces of his past and the incredible experiences he has lived. The first book in a planned trilogy, readers will get to experience the specific moments in time that helped shape Green into the person he became. The praises he attributes to his parents, the respect he gives to his dearly departed sister and the specks of his own soul.
A View from My Bay by Vincent Green is a humble and awe-inspiring glimpse into the world that shaped Vinny into the amazing person he became. These snippets and pieces are not inflated with hot air or selfish praises. These are beautiful portraits of a singular man who has risen from what others would call the depths. He does not deny his humble origins, yet he doesn’t attempt to make a ‘success’ story for himself out of them. He simply exists and shares his soul with his readers. And readers are better for it.
Pages: 278 | ASIN: B074R5FKTX
Hiding in Plain Sight
Hiding in plain sight by Thomas LeBrun, is the action-filled true story detailing a famous executive protection specialist’s life. It takes readers through his childhood, to his approach to weightlifting and martial arts all the way to providing security for entertainers.
LeBrun writes in an engaging way and explains his job in detail, underlining the difference between himself and a bodyguard, as he is an executive protection specialist. His life is intriguing, and the narration provides provocative details, but while there are some specifics about his family that are shared with the reader, the focus remains on sharing experiences of events in his storied life rather than taking a deep emotional dive into them.
I appreciated all the references to pop culture of the time. This does an excellent job of setting the backdrop of the story, making it feel grounded and immersing readers in that time. And these cultural references also serve to focus the story, and the reader, on deeper themes such as the attack on the twin towers or Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.
I enjoyed the photos that are included in the book. It made the book feel familiar and personal, so they were deeply appreciated. I enjoyed the book and felt it was an illuminating memoir. It provides an intriguing examination of ‘toxic masculinity’ and shows how persistence and hard work pays off.
Hiding in Plain Sight is a thought-provoking memoir that takes readers through the various personal moments in Thomas Lebrun’s life. The author also includes personal items that help the reader connect with his life; like his reference letters, photos and quotes from real people. This helps the story feel authentic and I think will it appeal to most readers. I would like to end this review with the author’s quote: “Further, I explained that Executive Protection Specialists operate as low-profile chameleon. With me, I called it “hiding in plain sight”.”
Pages: 361 | ASIN: B08YNX6KC5
Dear Barack
![Dear Barack: The Extraordinary Partnership of Barack Obama and Angela Merkel by [Claudia Clark]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41nfCEcp71L.jpg)
Human beings can always find common ground if they try hard enough. Being on two sides of disagreeing continents does not necessitate an enmity. Barack Obama and Angela Merkel understood this. It did not start with an obvious affinity for each other. Angela Merkel was adamant to warm up to the incumbent president of the U.S. Barack Obama was desperate to repair the strained relationship between America and Europe as well as get the country through the recession. He had his work cut out for him. It took a while but they finally developed a relationship based on mutual respect and genuine friendship as well as a harmonious effort to serve their people. Author Claudia Clark does a fantastic job of bringing this all together in her illuminating book, Dear Barack.
This is basically a buddy story. Only it is not fiction and the main characters are two of the most powerful people in the world. It is an eye-opening story about the human capacity to overcome the urge to become enemies in the pursuit of the interests that suit their cause. It may have been a difficult time in more ways than one but these two leaders were guiding lights not just for the people in their countries but for the world. It also renews hope that good leaders do exist, especially after the administration that succeeded Obama’s. The story is especially interesting that both of them were outliers – Barack, the first black president, and Angela, a female leader in the free world.
Claudia Clark has narrated history in a way that is engaging and uplifting. You do not need to be a history fanatic to enjoy this book. The author conveys history in a way that is compelling and captivating. She pulls in the reader and puts them in the meetings and private conversations between the two. This is a well-researched account of the inspiring relationship between these two highly admired leaders. Her regard for both of them shines through her words and her tone.
The author even adds a little bit of Obama’s wit and charm to the story. Her narration is nothing short of gripping. It is the kind of book you discuss with your friends and family because there is so much intellectually invigorating content.
You cannot help but shed a tear when Angela does as she watched her friend and fellow leader leave office. You will definitely chuckle when you read about Obama’s sign-off to his friend. Dear Barack is a beautifully written book about a wonderful partnership.
Pages: 336 | ASIN: B09HL8VQB1
LITERARY TITAN 