Book Review Mondays

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Achieving Lasting Happiness: Timeless Secrets to Transform Your Life
by Robert E. Canright, Jr.

Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, PhD.

In this 280-page book, Canright uses the lessons of Confucius to encourage readers to live a good, prosperous, and happy life. The book has two parts and four chapters: Part 1, The Timeless Way, and Part 2, Timeless Lessons, The Analects of Confucius. Chapter 1, The Eternal Question, is divided into 18 sections and explains why we ought to look at Confucianism. Some knowledge of Chinese culture is helpful to understand the Analects. Chapter 2, The Timeless Answer, is divided into ten sections and explains Confucius’s concepts and relates them to American culture. Chapter 3, From Dream to Reality, is divided into 12 parts, and presents a four-step process for self-transformation. Chapter 4, A Better Life, A Better World, is a 28-day (4-Week) guided study, showing readers how to use the Analects within the four-step process. The plan Canright advocates is a path of self-transformation guided by four main principles: Seek Truth; Commit Yourself; Live Joyfully; Share Hope. Since Confucianism is a philosophy and not a religion, people of all faiths, including atheists, can enjoy this book and bring its lessons into their lives. It is definitely a “thinking person’s” guide to self-development and self-improvement.

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Save the males: Why men matter why women should care
by Kathleen Parker

Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, PhD.

In this 240-page book, Parker, a syndicated columnist who appears in our local newspaper (The (Toledo) Blade), with her sense of humor and delightful wit (which make the book truly enjoyable) fulfills the description explained on the book’s jacket: “[Parker] argues that the feminist movement veered off course from it’s original aim of helping women achieve equality and ended up making enemies of men.” This book is well-written, well-reasoned, humorous (tongue-in-cheek), and a quick read. More than anything else, it is a delightful collection of observations that the war between the sexes and radical feminism have high costs. For those unaware of the problem regarding the marginalization of males, this is a great introduction. Parker’s book immediately reminded me of Ralph Ellison’s, Invisible Man which was first released in 1952. That book, like this one, will arouse your sensibilities. Kosto Barry Granlund "K.R.G." (New York, NY), in his review of Parker’s book, writes: “The author attempts to make excuses for men and their hopeless, helpless, childish, pathetic behavior and where its gotten them. She valiantly attempts to defend ‘males’ and to re-focus the present-day perspectives on how useless and worthless men really are. The focus of this book ( between the lines, that is ) seems to be that self-responsibility and the individual adult don't really have very much to do with one another, and that they shouldn't.” I don’t disagree with Granlund, but Parker effectively calls attention to an important and, now, ongoing problem. Males can deny the problem or the extent of it, but that doesn’t make it go away. This book is likely to be more relevant for mothers and women generally than for men, and it needs to be made clear that it is the mature man’s job to save himself. Granlund’s review does not deny the contribution that Parker makes. Her book will be a resource for those interested in gender issues, family issues, and men's and women's issues because it is full of common sense with which they will identify.

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Through our reading, researching, and writing, And Then Some Publishing (and our extended family of readers) mine volumes of books representing a wide variety of tastes. We use the books in our writing, test and try suggested techniques, and we read for enjoyment as well. We wouldn't spend the time reviewing the books if we didn't get something out of it. Read more reviews on other fantastic books at our BookWorksRules.com website.