Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

In Land of My Birth: A Historical Sketch of the First Forty Years of the People's National Party of Jamaica, Leroy E. Cooke, a patriot, revisits the history of his country and pens an engrossing narrative that showcases the journey of the first forty years of the first political party in the country, the People’s National Party. While this narrative explores how the party was born, its mission, its leadership, and the challenges it has faced over the years, it is also a story of a people, a tale of independence and pioneering leadership. It is a story of discrimination and injustices orchestrated on the poor Jamaicans by the white minority. I have known about Jamaica only through music — thanks to Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff — but what I knew about this country was very superficial, until I stumbled on this book.

Leroy E. Cooke’s book is packed with information, and while it takes readers through some of the most important moments in the country’s history, it allows the reader to feel the scars of the Jamaican people, to visit its locales, and to feel the soul of its people. The author has a great sense of history and leaves the reader in no doubt that this book is well-researched. It features powerful references — speeches, newspaper clippings, journals, and other historic works. Land of My Birth: A Historical Sketch of the First Forty Years of the People's National Party of Jamaica examines the work of the first political party and unveils the challenges that must be overcome to move the country into the future. This is an invaluable tool for politicians, patriots, and anyone who wants to know more about Jamaica. Apart from being a fascinating history, it is a work that reveals the culture of the people.

Reviewed by Amanda Rofe for Readers' Favorite

Healthcare 911 by Bhupendra O. Khatri MD, FAAN provides a unique glimpse into the US healthcare system and the damage caused to patients and doctors alike. Physicians tell their personal stories about a working environment which has the highest rates of suicide of any profession. The author points out the many flaws in the system including administrative, legislative, and the insidious control of insurance companies with their endless pursuit of profit over health. He also exposes the crushing working environment, including many bad practices which result in stress on the physician and poor care for the patient. This is a system in crisis and one which pays hospital executives and administrative staff more than the physicians themselves.

This book is a shocking exposé of the way doctors are losing autonomy over the medical treatment of patients in America today. The extent to which corporate America has turned the care of the sick into a profit-making venture is laid bare. Dr Khatri reveals a fascinating account of administrative and corporate takeover. He must be admired for the eloquent way he explains the issues and he should be applauded for his courage in bringing these issues to our attention. The personal stories of both physicians and patients on the receiving end of this corporate-run health care system are absolutely heartbreaking. The beauty of this book is that it also provides a range of solutions, including simple actions such as positive thinking and acts of kindness. Healthcare 911 is a forward-thinking book which should be read by all.

Reviewed by Kimberlee J Benart for Readers' Favorite

In Adoption History 101: An Orphan's Research, author and adoption rights activist Janine Myung Ja uncovers the ugly underbelly of the modern world-wide adoption industry and recounts some of the heartbreaking and even shocking truths about historical adoption movements and programs. In a well-researched, well-referenced text which she humbly describes as “a short summary,” she educates, advocates, and warns. We need to understand the history of adoption movements, she tells us, and how some were tools in child indenturing, religious conversion, or ethnic subjugation. We need to support changes to laws, she urges, so that adoptees have full human rights, including easy and direct access to any records related to their own birth and parentage. And, she warns, we need to recognize that adoption is a very lucrative and effective screen for criminal child trafficking taking place around the world today, and which leaves countless victims in its wake.

Myung Ja wrote Adoption History 101 not just as a concerned human being, but as an international child adoptee herself who struggled to learn the truth of her own birth and was met with barriers and runarounds at every turn. “This book is a portrait of adoption from the back door,” she writes, “a view that no one really wants to look at, talk about or even acknowledge, but to me is vitally important because adoption is not always a ‘win-win-win’ for all.”

This may be a difficult book for some to read. It’s an emotional topic and an eye-opening one. In the United States, adoption has been so commonplace that any of us may have ancestors who were adopted; or friends and family who are adoptees or adoptive parents; or we may be adopted ourselves. The image of orphaned children, abandoned children, or children willingly placed for adoption being given a better start in life than they would otherwise have had, is a touching and sympathetic one. Unfortunately, it isn’t always a true one.

Reviewed by Fiona Ingram for Readers' Favorite

For the rest of the world, the Vietnam War is over. For the soldiers who fought in it, no matter what their role, it will never be over. Silent Spring: Deadly Autumn of the Vietnam War is described by author and Vietnam veteran Patrick Hogan as “part memoir, part exposé, and part call to action against the bureaucratic and legislative negligence and indifference that has violated, and continues to violate, the trust of veterans and US citizens as a whole.” Succinct and well put, this is the perfect description of a horrific cover-up, one of the greatest crimes against humanity of the 20th century, and one that, had it happened today, would have been labelled genocide. The author served two years, nine months and 22 days in Vietnam and that was enough to poison his body to the extent that he ended up with a laundry list of ailments. These only manifested 43 years after his service ended, but confirmed Patrick’s conviction that his time in Vietnam and his numerous illnesses were linked. After all, on many occasions, among the reasons cited by medical experts for his problems were the two chilling words “environmental agents.” And thus began his exhaustive and minutely detailed investigation into the witches’ brew of potentially lethal tactical pesticides which he is sure contributed to the decline in his health and that of many other veterans.

Sidelined and pushed from pillar to post, Patrick came up against the stone-walling tactics of the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and the US government, both of which deny the effects of the toxic chemicals Vietnam veterans were exposed to during the war. The reasonable person wonders why the government and chemical companies did not set about covering medical bills and compensating these men. The answer is simple. Money and greed. The refusal of the DVA and the US administration to accept responsibility is to protect them from international liability and accusations of use of chemical warfare/weapons (which is the case) and to avoid the massive payouts they would be forced to make. This is a shameful indictment of the political administration of the time, and the current one, when reparations could but won’t be made.

I had a vague idea of the Vietnam War when I picked up this book, and of course I had heard of the infamous Agent Orange, a horrifying and deadly herbicide and defoliant chemical used to destroy jungle cover for the enemy and any food supplies they might locate there. The US government destroyed millions of acres of South Vietnam jungles. It was an environmental catastrophe beyond any natural disaster ever known. I had never heard of Agent White and the numerous other toxic and deadly concoctions, a chemical poisonous soup, used as pesticides. Vietnam is home to myriad insects, bugs, and critters all carrying their own types of bites, stings and diseases. They had to be exterminated. The problem was that daily exposure to these poisons inevitably altered the molecular structure of the cells of people exposed, but took years, even decades, to manifest. This gave the government and the DVA enough wiggle room to claim inconclusive evidence and to fudge the facts and manipulate the statistics.

Despite the mind-boggling details and chilling statistics contained in this memoir, the author has no moments of self-pity. He includes very detailed research, scientific, chemical and medical information, but all in a very readable, user-friendly style. I felt as if I were sitting with the author and chatting over coffee. He manages to intersperse facts and figures with events in a way that makes it easy to absorb the statistics and the information which is so relevant to his story. Photographs are an added bonus to help the reader visualize the location and the living conditions of the men who served in Vietnam. The facts are thoroughly researched with bibliographic and reference end notes to give credibility to Patrick Hogan’s story, one of tragedy shared by many, many other soldiers who gave their lives in a war that should never have been fought. Very impressive and highly recommended.

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Confessions of an Old Man: How I Am Stealing From Future Generations by Munir Moon reflects the thoughts of an elderly man who looks past his age into what tomorrow holds for his offspring. Working from the premise that what millennials inherit depends on the choices we have made in the past and the choices we make today, he makes a strong case against the contemporary American political landscape and unveils glaring flaws in the system. The author explains how the political scene is structured to rob millennials of their future and plunge them into a life of misery, being on the receiving end of the repercussions of the decisions made by today’s politicians and decisions inspired by sheer greed. The author makes readers understand how society cares less about the legacy it leaves to future generations.

Well-researched and intelligently written, this book is a tool for reflection that everyone with a good conscience should read, a book for those who love the children of America. The author deftly exposes the stupidity in domestic and foreign policies, starting from policies related to taxes to foreign relations and to our relationship with the environment. I was shocked to learn for the first time that the cost of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan stands at an estimate of “$5,600,000,000,000 dollars and nearly 6,800 mostly young American soldiers killed, and counting.”

The tone in Confessions of an Old Man is strong, filled with rage — and rightly so — and the author comes across as informed and very insightful in his message. His arguments are backed by clear references, which even feature some Tweets, memos, conversations, and documents by or relating to key decision makers in the United States. This book should be perceived as a wake-up call to right the wrongs the generation before this one and the present generation are doing to the future of millennials. It’s a very realistic, prophetic statement about what we’ll leave to those who will come after us.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

Why They Stay: Sex Scandals, Deals, and Hidden Agendas of Nine Political Wives by Anne Michaud is a nonfiction book that explores one of the questions that have baffled many American citizens and political enthusiasts: Why do the wives of politicians decide to stay in the marriage in spite of reported scandals, shady deals, and their husbands' sometimes wanton cheating? The author takes readers on a ride through the lives of some of the political couples in this well-researched and masterfully articulated work to unveil the surprising reasons why these women chose to stay. Among other things, she talks about submission to tradition, a personal sense of patriotism, a deep sense of the emotional health and well-being of the family, and the drive to build a legacy as some of the strong reasons political wives in a shaky relationship choose to stay.

Anne Michaud has masterfully profiled nine political wives whose husbands have cheated and who chose to stay in the marriage, featuring Eleanor and FDR, Jackie and JFK, Valerie Hobson and Jack Profumo, Hillary and Bill Clinton and many others. The author unveils secrets that are not so accessible to the public, exploring the psychology of women married to cheating politicians, and what it costs and means to them to stay. No one could have written this book better than Anne Michaud, a columnist who has covered politicians for decades. Her observations are sharp and compelling and her prose shines with her unique signature for phraseology, crispness, and excellent diction. Why They Stay: Sex Scandals, Deals, and Hidden Agendas of Nine Political Wives is a very informative, engaging, and entertaining work.

Reviewed by JB McPherson for Readers' Favorite

A Deeper Truth: The New Science of Innovation, Human Choice and Societal Scale Behavior by Tim Stroh is a thought-provoking book for those who wonder why people act as they do, especially in this day when digital items go viral and products become overnight successes. Based on his experience with marketing and entrepreneurship, Stroh integrates the newest brain research with Christensen’s concept of disruptive innovation, Gladwell’s “Tipping Point,” Roger’s diffusion of innovation principles, and Kahneman’s “Thinking Fast and Slow” to create an insightful theory that brings together the research in the field. One of his main ideas is that genetic cognitive traits such as the drive for status, mastery and novelty can account for many of the behaviors that seem to contradict popular theories. For those who find that behavioral models cannot account for seemingly irrational behavior, this book provides an intriguing premise.

In A Deeper Truth, I appreciated the clear writing style that speaks to a popular audience while at the same time giving a clear overview of the best theories in the field of innovation and how ideas/products are adopted. Stroh’s writing will give entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, and business forecasters a great deal to consider. The new research in brain science is especially interesting, though some evolutionary rationalizations detract from the discussion. Even if you don’t agree with all of the ideas in Stroh’s Motivational Drive Trait Theory, you will gain useful ideas about human behavior. Great book with excellent summary of leading theories. I'm a doctoral student in learning and leadership so I especially appreciate your thorough research. Highly recommended for those who want to understand more deeply why people decide and act as they do.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

Compassionate Capitalism: The Intersection of Economic Growth and Social Justice by Gerard L. Hasenhuettl is a great book. It is an idea that society needs, but seems to always to be ignored because one of the ways capitalism is defined is greed; and greed is the problem with the current system. Greed is ruining our system and it’s going to take a concerted effort from the bottom and the top to solve this problem, and prevent our economy and our country from running off the rails. Everybody appreciates the benefits of capitalism here in America. Most of us just want those benefits to spread to all segments of society instead of just the top one percent. This book looks at our system as well as others, and suggests ways we can spread the wealth and make it work for everyone.

Compassionate Capitalism: The Intersection of Economic Growth and Social Justice is a serious look at how humanity handles wealth, security, survival, and business. This book takes a hard look at these issues, but it is written in a way that is easy to read and understand. I am not an economic expert, but I have thought about these issues and I could follow Gerard L. Hasenhuettl’s thinking on the subject and learned a lot as I read his words. The ideas are big, but simple. The solutions are elegant, but ultimately profound. Everything is organized and laid out in a way that keeps moving the reader forward. This may be a very important book.

Reviewed by Benjamin Ookami for Readers' Favorite

Why Does Government Need To Be Funded? In America Today, It Doesn't by Amphidromus is an interesting little piece of knowledge to consume for the mind that occasionally ponders about better structures for society. I cannot imagine anyone who has never asked that question of why a government needs to be funded at all. The name Amphidromus belongs to an individual who I think has quite a fascinating mind. There is an astounding truth to be discovered here that could result in America being home to an employer running a more effective business and an employee working many years while being truly motivated. The American government takes away more than they need. To push readers toward a place of understanding and consideration, the author first utilizes the surprising strategy of teaching them a few things about cosmology.

The origins of the universe, how humans came to be, and even an examination of that divine force that we've come to call God help readers to have a better understanding of money when it comes to government. I must write that Amphidromus makes cosmology sound interesting to the point that I wanted to dive more and more into the subject, but we must remember that the author wants to present a model that can lead to financial equilibrium for "we the people." Furthermore, the author writes with a massive vocabulary and a good sense of humor at his disposal. If anything, Amphidromus' work is certainly an effervescent topic for debate. If the world of the American reader will change as a result of it ... well, we'll just have to see.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

What Every Good Lawyer Wants You to Know: An Insider's Guide on How to Reduce Stress, Reduce Costs and Get the Most From Your Lawyer is a legal reference book for consumers written by Francine R. Tone. Tone has been a practicing attorney since 1989 and has also served as a judge pro tem for almost 20 years. She found herself in need of an attorney when she faced legal action over the breakup of a former law firm, which gave her invaluable insights into what goes on in the mind of a client. Lawsuits are expensive, time-consuming and confusing, no matter whether you're the aggrieved party or the defendant in the case at hand. This book does not replace the need for a lawyer nor does it give the reader solutions on how to personally deal with one’s legal problems. What it does do is introduce the reader to the legal process. Tone explains what a good lawyer is and how to select one. She discusses the need for the attorney and client to feel they can work together for a satisfactory conclusion, and she offers sample questions to ask the attorney you're considering hiring. From there, she covers fee agreements, settlements and arbitration, and she provides a brief look at the procedural steps that comprise a case. Throughout the text, she explains what actions a client can do to assist his/her attorney and, to save costs, and she cautions against activities that will negatively affect the lawyer/client relationship as well as the final outcome of the case.

Francine R. Tone's legal reference book for non-lawyers, What Every Good Lawyer Wants You to Know: An Insider's Guide on How to Reduce Stress, Reduce Costs and Get the Most From Your Lawyer, quickly gets past the emotions, the hostility and combativeness that accompany lawsuits and shows the layman how to navigate the legal process from selecting an attorney to reaching a settlement or verdict. Tone presents her subject using her own situation as an example of the need for an impartial, good attorney to act for you, whether you're the plaintiff or the defendant. As I read her opening chapter, I was reminded of the old saying that an attorney who represents his/herself has a fool for a client, and Tone eloquently explains the truth of that adage. Tone's discussion on how to select a good attorney is invaluable, and her presentation of what happens after one decides to file a lawsuit should be required reading for anyone who is considering suing another party or finds themselves in the position of defendant in a legal case. Tone's book is decidedly free of lawyer-speak and legal jargon, and her literate and informative style of writing was a pleasure to read. Her book gives enough information to allow the reader some familiarity with the legal process and to feel more in control of what can be a decidedly stressful, scary and costly series of events. In her appendix, she includes a number of resources as well as a copy of the Lawyer's Code of Ethics and a Glossary of legal terms. What Every Good Lawyer Wants You to Know: An Insider's Guide on How to Reduce Stress, Reduce Costs and Get the Most From Your Lawyer is most highly recommended.