Uncle Sam's Plantation: How Big Government Enslaves America's Poor and What We Can Do About It, by Star Parker

This book takes an extremely unflinching look at: poverty in this country, the flaws in the current welfare system, and the steps the author believes we need to take to take the power away from the government, and put it back in the hands of the people in the form of personal responsibility. Having spent much of her life using and abusing the system herself, Ms Parker draws from her own experience, and recounts the freedom she experienced at turning her life around and no longer relying on government handouts.

She makes a strong plea for a return to personal responsibility, moral living, and old-fashioned family values. She also makes many compelling points about the problems with our current system, and sheds some light on what it would take to change it.

Unfortunately, whatever useful information is contained in the book - and I concede that it is indeed there - is eventually lost in what turns into a bitter diatribe against the liberal left. The author lost me about a third of the way in, and never really got me back.  The tone of the book comes across as sarcastic and arrogant, to the point that I had a difficult time finishing it.  I disagreed with her stance on a few big issues, but I disagreed more with her delivery.  No matter where one's political beliefs lie, it gets exhausting reading a one-woman attack on, well, anyone and everyone who isn't a conservative Republican.  I do not believe that any one group has the definitive answer (to this or any of our nation's problems), and I do not believe that slinging mud at anyone will ever truly further a cause. 

If you're a fan of Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity (both of whom gave the book high praise), you will likely love this book. If you're not, you may well glean some good information from its pages, but you might want to tread with caution.




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Butterfly Effect, by Andy Andrews

"Every single thing you do matters.  You have been created as one of a kind.  You have been created in order to make a difference.  You have within you the power to change the world."  ~Andy Andrews

The Butterfly Effect is based on a theory that was first presented back in 1863:  That a butterfly could flap its wings, which would move molecules of air... which would move other molecules of air... which would move other molecules of air.. which could eventually start a hurricane on the other side of the world.  Taken a step further, it follows that the decisions we make, both large and small, MATTER, and have a far-reaching "butterfly effect" not just on our lives, but on everyone - and everything - around us.

In this beautiful and thought-provoking little book, Andy Andrews perfectly illustrates this butterfly effect, first with the story of a man named Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, whose actions over 100 years ago greatly affect how we all live today.  Chamberlain was a Colonel in the Union army, and the decisions that he made during just one battle literally changed the course of our country.  Andrews then goes on to recount the contributions of another (connected to another, connected to another...): contributions that changed, and continue to change, the lives of billions of people.  He challenges the readers to remember that we too serve a purpose, and that our actions are far greater reaching than we can even imagine.  We are all connected, and just like the butterfly's wings, our most innocent decisions can affect the lives of countless others.

This is truly a lovely book, both aesthetically and in its message.  It is a book that encourages and a book that inspires.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Same Kind of Different As Me, by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

Same Kind of Different as Me is a first person account of the true story of a friendship that formed between Denver Moore, a poor sharecropper who grew up as a modern-day slave and eventually became a hardened and angry homeless man;  Ron Hall, a wealthy and privileged international art dealer;  and Ron's wife Deborah who, largely as the result of a divine vision, created the homeless shelter that eventually brought them together.  The story is told from two voices, alternating between both Denver and Ron's perspectives.

This was a compelling story and a quick read, but I felt a vague sense of disappointment when I'd finished it.  I think I ultimately didn't like it as much as I wanted to like it.

Denver's point of view had my interest right from the start.  Despite his history (or perhaps because of it), he immediately drew me in and tugged at my heart.  I couldn't help but root for him, and I truly enjoyed watching his transformation as he grew from the beginning of the story to the end.  Ron underwent his own transformation, to be sure, but I had a hard time emotionally connecting to his side of the story.  He held many prejudices throughout the book, and while he eventually let go of them as he forged a friendship with Denver, many of his epiphanies felt like they just came a little later than they should have.  He certainly made great strides, but I wanted him to get there faster.

Regardless, this was a good book, and an interesting story.  It was a bit heavy-handed with the religious tone, which might be off-putting if you're sensitive to feeling like you're being "preached" at.  The message was a solid one though, and it is worth a read, if for no other reason than to hear Denver's inspirational triumph over adversity.
 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Heart Mender, by Andy Andrews

The Heart Mender's inception was purely an accident. Author Andy Andrews stumbled upon a buried treasure next to his home on the Gulf Coast: an old, metal can containing Nazi artifacts from World War II. In his research and his quest to discover their origins, he ended up unearthing an amazing and touching story.

This book shares with us his discovery, then takes us back to 1942 to bring it all to life. Helen is a young American widow who lost her husband to World War II. Josef is a German sailor, wounded and left for dead on the beach. Still broken and grieving over the loss of her husband, and bitterly angry about the role the Nazis played in his death, she is at first tempted to leave the young sailor alone to die. She ultimately decides to come to his aid, and the story that follows is one of intrigue, heartbreak and forgiveness.

I'm not normally attracted to historical fiction, but this one won me over. I truly loved this book. The characters were so likable and relatable that they could have been friends of mine. The dialogue was crisp, real, and funny. The suspenseful pacing was excellent, revealing just enough at a time to make you keep reading, and it made it impossible to put the book down. The central theme of forgiveness was woven throughout the entire story, and it was illustrated in a powerful way. An added bonus? Some truly fascinating history about World War II that I'd never heard anywhere else.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, like to be inspired, or just love a really great story... read it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Lies The Government Told You, by Andrew P. Napolitano

Lies The Government Told You, by Andrew P. Napolitano

"If we fear our own government, if we accept its deceptions, its lies to us, if we take no action to redress them, our freedoms are doomed." - Andrew Napolitano

Part history lesson, part cautionary tale, "Lies the Government Told You," gives an honest and extremely unflinching look into the various ways we have been, and continue to be, lied to by the government. Using his vast knowledge and experience as a Superior Court Judge, Andrew Napolitano takes the reader through 17 specific lies, and shows us again and again how our freedoms are being assaulted by the very people we trust to protect them.

This book is an eye-opening must-read for anyone who is interested in learning the truth, no matter what your political affiliation. I was apprehensive to read it at first, as I didn't want to read a book that would disparage any one political party. My fear was unfounded. Democrat, Republican, and everything in between were all fair game for Napolitano and his no-holds-barred look at everyone from Lincoln to Obama. It in turns taught me and terrified me, but more than anything else it angered me.

It should be noted that this is not a light-hearted beach read. It is heavy on facts, court cases, and dates, so readers who tend to get bogged down with details may have difficulty with certain sections. Otherwise, it is an engaging and interesting book, one that should be read by every concerned American, particularly those that are not content with just sitting back and doing and believing as they are told.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”