5 READS YOU
SHOULDN’T MISS “The Terrorist Son”
“The Sandman”
By Zak Ebrahim
By Lars Kepler
Review by Sara Obermeyer
Review by Elaine Wieser
“The Terrorist’s Son” is the story of the son/family of a convicted terrorist. Ebrahim tells a fascinating tale about what his family experiences in America after his father is arrested and convicted of planning the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center. I know many people jump to the conclusion that if the father could do something like that, his sons must be just like him because that is how they were raised. That is not necessarily the case. Everyone needs to understand life is about choices. We can choose to do good, or we can choose to do bad. But it is always our choice.
This a thriller crime novel set in Stockholm, Sweden. Mikael and his sister were kidnapped 13 years ago. They were thought to have been victims of Swedish serial killer Jorek Walters and they were declared dead. But one cold winter night, Mikael is found wandering outside Stockholm. He tells police his sister is alive and being held by the sandman; he has no other details to offer. Jorek is in jail, and the police feel he is the only one who knows where Mikael’s sister is, and somehow they need to get him to talk. There were a lot of twists and turns. It keeps you guessing, and I did not see the ending coming.
“The Art of Racing in the Rain”
“Understanding Trump”
By Garth Stein
By Newt Gingrich
Review by MaChar Kingstrom
Review by Angel Hawkinson
A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty and hope — a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life, as only a dog could tell it. After reading this book, I can never look at another dog in the same way! The story made me laugh and cry. The imagery makes you think, “Do dogs think that way?” I am not interested in car racing or dogs, but I would recommend everyone read this book. It is a book that makes you really feel anger, joy and love.
“Then She Was Gone” By Lisa Jewell
Review by MaChar Kingstrom Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was 15, the youngest of three. She was beloved by her parents, friends and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her. And then she was gone. Now, her mother, Laurel Mack, is trying to put her life back together. It has been 10 years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a café, no one is more surprised than Laurel at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters — and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away. Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie. And now, the unanswered questions she has tried so hard to put to rest begin to haunt Laurel anew. Where did Ellie go? Did she really run away from home, as the police have long suspected, or was there a more sinister reason for her disappearance? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl? This book is a gripping twisty plot that really makes you think about the people around you, how you treat them and how that affects your own life and others. A well-written book that was a bit scary and makes you think and reflect on what we take for granted.
Newt Gingrich starts out by proclaiming his support for President Trump. He then goes into some background on him. President Trump grew up in Queens with four other siblings. He attended military school for five years. He grew up in a large home, and his father was the bread-winner. His mother stayed home; however, she remained busy all the time. She did her wifely duties, took care of the children and volunteered at a hospital. His family stayed close to one another and understood the value of a dollar. Gingrich goes into detail on many of Trump’s accomplishments and future projects. President Trump’s children’s accomplishments were also mentioned. His children really do look up to their father as a great role model. He is very proud of his children. One example of how proud President Trump was is when Eric Trump renovated Turnberry Golf Resort in Scotland. Eric was also credited for the Trump Winery. The president’s daughter, Ivanka, was also well accomplished. She designed and renovated an old building and turned it to a world class hotel. According to President Trump, Ivanka always dreamed of building things. She started building with Legos. President Trump is a pragmatist and a builder. He will learn what he wants to learn, not what someone will teach. Knowledge is a tool to achieve something. President Trump is also an entrepreneur. He encourages others to be entrepreneurs, too. He sees the best in people and then wants to help them fulfill their destiny. It wasn’t easy for Donald Trump to become president, and he has a long road ahead. He has many enemies who want to see him fail. However, he doesn’t let them stop him from trying to make America great again. Back in the ’80s, Ronald Reagan wanted to make America great again, and he did a great job. Donald Trump did get to meet Ronald back in the ’80s. Just think, at that time Trump had no idea he would be president someday. The book also goes into detail on all the projects President Trump will be working on — there are at least 35 projects. His goals are to create jobs, have global stability, lead Congress and establish a better future. He would also like to change the health care system. One thing he would like to change is to make sure there are non-addictive pain killers. If we are able to do this, we may save thousands of lives. I really enjoyed reading this book. There was so much information about President Trump. There was also information on other presidents who President Trump could relate to. I admire him for standing for his own convictions. If you don’t understand Trump, I would recommend this book. My favorite part of the reading was his projects he will be working on. He wants to improve the workforce and create more construction jobs and train more Americans to do those jobs. I could go on about other projects that interest me, but you will have to read to find out what those projects are. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | 31