The Losing Role by Steve Anderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was looking for a historical novel on Smashwords and took a chance on The Losing Role. I didn’t expect much. Many of the self-published novels on Smashwords are barely readable. But after reading the sample of The Losing Role, I was hooked. I found that I really cared what happened to Max, the main character.
Max is German, spent some time in the U.S., returned to Germany just before WWII. He’s an actor, not terribly political. He just wants to act. When the war starts, his roles dry up. He’s drafted and sent to the Russian front. His only way out of miserable (and futile) duty in the infantry is a dangerous mission that involves disguising himself as an American soldier and sneaking behind enemy lines to do intelligence work. He decides to use the opportunity to try try to find his way back to the U.S. Max is a likable “every man.” He uses the one skill he’s confident of, his acting ability, to try to regain control of a life that’s gone way out of control.
The book is not fine literature, but it’s a good read.
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Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A very strange book. It promises more than it delivers. At times it has flashes of brilliance and depth of insight. At other times the pacing is odd and the dialogue and description puerile. At the very least I have to give Maquire credit for a wonderful premise. I suspect I will reread the book at some time. Something about it calls to me. However, I wish it were more than it is.
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American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China by Matthew Polly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was surprised how much I liked [amazonify]1592403379::text::::American Shaolin[/amazonify]. When I saw “flying kicks. . . and the legend of the iron crotch” in the title, I expected it to be a lot of bluff and bravado. The book is, however, surprisingly thoughtful. The Shaolin Temple is a young man’s world, and this book is a description of that world as seen through a young man’s eyes. It’s a worthy read for anyone who has come through the ranks of a martial art, and it might appeal to nonmartial artists as well.
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Here are the slides for the Western Herbs for Martial Injuries seminar. They are a pdf form of the PowerPoint slides. They are an introductory word on the topic only. If you want more information, check out my book Western Herbs for Martial Artists and Contact Athletes.
My novel, Clare, is being rereleased in 2011 Alcuin House. Right now, however, you can get it on Kindle at a special introductory rate. See the Clare book page on my Website for more information. Clare (the novel) has had almost as long a journey as Clare (the character). It will be nice to see it more widely available.
The results are in. Western Herbs for Martial Artists and Contact Athletes is the “Best Books 2010″ Award winner for the Health: Alternative Medicine category. The award is given each year by USABookNews.com, one of the largest online magazine and book review websites for mainstream and independent publishing houses.
