Review of "Please Hold," by Tricia Stewart Shiu

Review of

Please Hold, by Tricia Stewart Shiu ISBN 9780996881609

Four out of five stars

 This novel depicts the life and career of a female executive assistant working in a studio where films and theater productions are made. It is described as a world of people being up, then down, where people battle over parking rights, cubicle space and jockey for position by going around, under and occasionally through others. It is clear that while the names have been changed to protect the innocent, the story is largely autobiographical.

 There is no sleaze or anything approaching Hollywood and celebrity style dirt, yet the story is surprisingly engaging. The subject matter, largely that of petty office politics, is not all that exciting, yet Shiu writes it so well that it keeps you engaged. Other plot devices are a budding love affair and unfinished business regarding her parents. However, because there is no intense drama or climactic events, it is a story that has a short mental shelf life. It is an item of “fiction” where you read, enjoy and then move on.

This book was made available for free for review purposes.

Review of "Instaread summary Andy Warhol Was a Hoarder Inside the Minds of History’s Greatest Personalities," by Claudia Kalb

Review of

Instaread summary Andy Warhol Was a Hoarder Inside the Minds of History’s Greatest Personalities, by Claudia Kalb

Four out of five stars

 The book being summarized contains very little that is new and the title is a bit grandiose. It contains short biographies of 12 people, not all of which are worthy of being described as “History’s Greatest Personalities.” If you are going to include all of history, nearly all of the people being described hardly rise to the level of “greatest personalities.”

 The twelve people are: Marilyn Monroe, Howard Hughes, Andy Warhol, Diana, Princess of Wales, Abraham Lincoln, Christine Jorgensen, Frank Lloyd Wright, Betty Ford, Charles Darwin, George Gershwin, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Albert Einstein. With the exception of Lincoln and Einstein, these people hardly rank as among the greatest of history.

 The key takeaways focus on the problems each of these people MAY have had. For example, key takeaway 1 is

“Marilyn Monroe may have suffered from a borderline personality disorder that robbed her of her sense of self and contributed to her sadness and desperation.”

This is hardly a statement of strength, it reinforces the speculative nature of the content. Furthermore, far stronger and more definitive descriptions of Monroe have been written. This situation continues through the other key takeaways, far more definitive material has been written about these people than appears in the book and this summary.

 That aside, the summary does give the reader enough information to reach a conclusion as to whether they want to read the book. If you are content with reading about the supposed psychological problems of famous people and have no need for depth, then this book will interest you. For all others, it is most likely far too shallow. 

This book was made available for free for review purposes.

http://www.amazon.com/Summary-Andy-Warhol-was-Hoarder-ebook/dp/B01CLHUMPW/ 

Review of "Fastner & Larson’s Beauties & Beasts"

Review of

Fastner & Larson’s Beauties & Beasts ISBN 9780865622067

Five stars

 The women feratured in this collection are both very curvy and often very deadly looking. Their breasts are large and they are often holding vicious-looking hand weapons such as swords, knives and spears. They are otherwise physically slim and beautiful, to the extent that they are stocky it is muscle rather than fat.

 One amusing feature of these battling beauties is that they all have shaven armpits, even the two female gladiators engaged in a battle to the death and those with a horse-like lower half are hairless under their arms.

 The artwork is of very high quality, detailed rib, kneecaps and other natural lines are evident. The coloration is also lifelike, if it were not for the fantasy-like content, for some of them there is very little difference from a photo.

 If you are into the artwork of fantasy that features attractive and deadly females, you will love this book.