Review: Ex-Acute: A Former Hospital Ceo Tells All on What’S Wrong with American Healthcare

Ex-Acute: A Former Hospital Ceo Tells All on What’S Wrong with American Healthcare by Josh D. Luke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ex-Acute: A Former Hospital CEO Tells All on What’s Wrong with American Healthcare. Listen, if you need this information, this is a great book to help you find your way. But don't say I didn't warn you that it will, or at least SHOULD, infuriate you. The United States healthcare system is beyond dysfunctional and not that it will come as a shock to anyone who is mildly paying attention, the patients are the ones who suffer. From insurance resolution nightmares to knowing who to see, when, and for what, Ex-Acute delves into most of the healthcare subjects we have all struggled with at one time or another, though rather shallowly, in my opinion. One cannot properly maneuver the colossal catastrophe that this subject really is in 176 pages. This is not even the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Hospital administrators as a whole aren't widely known for their compassion or sense of duty in the face of humanity. Dr Luke, redeemed the position somewhat by providing this information to the public and with his work as a leader in healthcare reform. Getting his personal story helped soften me up because I came in dubious to say the least.

View all my reviews

Review: Caspion & the White Buffalo

Caspion & the White Buffalo by Melvin Litton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Caspion & the White Buffalo by Melvin Litton is a mix of historical fiction, Native American culture and Old West action. The elusive white buffalo was, for me, an extraordinary theme linking the characters and their lives. That the author is also a poet doesn't come as much of a shock when you read the way he writes. They way the story was told is unique and enthralling. I loved the cadence of the character's speech throughout the entire book. It reminded me of the style in which Legends of the Fall was narrated. Litton made that time period rich and vibrant, something that should be noted considering how bland I usually find stories in the historical fiction and Old West genres.

Jim Caspion, being a Civil War veteran who finds himself making a living hunting buffalo, evolves beautifully as a character while the novel unfolds. Actually, all of the characters were fleshed out to the perfect level for their role in the story. An author who knows how to balance that in a novel is far rarer than one might imagine. I think Melvin Litton penned an epic tale of life during that era in American history.

View all my reviews

Review: Conquering your Stress and Fears: A treatment guide for anxiety and trauma-related disorders

Conquering your Stress and Fears: A treatment guide for anxiety and trauma-related disorders by Gustavo Kinrys MD
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Conquering your Stress and Fears: A Treatment Guide for Anxiety and Trauma-Related Disorders written by Gustavo Kinrys MD is a rather concise yet thorough peek into the self-help sun-genres of dealing with anxiety and overcoming trauma. The chapters are laid out linearly with a simple 'problem and optional remedies' formula. What really made me happy was that those remedies suggested were nutrient-based, herbal-based, and non-pharmacological. Notice no Big Pharma plugged chapters on the easy peasy $84 per pill wonder drug that will surely have the formerly house-bound patient diving into a placid lake full of friends and family three minutes after popping one. I think that is something to be noted, especially from a medical doctor because they are so pressured by pharmaceutical companies.

Overall, I found Conquering Your Stress and Fears a surprisingly all around approach to handling some intense issues in this modern world. Dr. Kinrys provided a no-nonsense, simple guide to assist those suffering.

My favorite part is the dedication: This book is dedicated to my family and my patients and their families from whom I learn so much everyday, and without whom this book would not have been possible.

View all my reviews

Review: Krakenscourge

Krakenscourge by John Graham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read Voidstalker, the title before this, in 2017 and was pretty impressed. Though it was infuriating with the level of evilness and depravity, it was a book that stayed with you for a bit after finishing. When the summary for the sequel goes like this... Far beyond Human space, a massive alien vessel appears, its systems badly damaged and its crew slaughtered in a mysterious ambush in the depths of the void. The emaciated survivors can only identify their attackers by one word: voidstalker... it's pretty clear this installment isn't going to be any rosier.

With a name like Krakenscourge, this Voidstalker book is bound to be, at the very least, interesting. Turns out John Graham didn't lose any steam in while writing. Again the characters are sharp in both wonderful and horrible ways and the world he has created is vivid and detailed with engrossing descriptions. But the tone here is what grabs the reader. It's a striking balance of despair and hope in the dark universe. Sci-fi fans are sure to be happy with this.

View all my reviews

Review: Peak Performance!!: Awaken and Achieve

Peak Performance!!: Awaken and Achieve by Alan Sullivan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The thing that stayed with me from this book is "know yourself". In Peak Performance!!, Alan Sullivan teaches the reader both that they should accept themselves, flaws and all, and that personal improvement is well within our grasp. That acceptance of ourselves does not mean overlooking improvements to be made. The reader gets a real sense of what it means to bare yourself and expose limitations that he or she are probably mostly unaware of. Social, spiritual, and even self-imposed constraints that have been in our own way all along are discussed along with steps that can be taken to remove the most burdensome from our lives completely. There is talk of Eastern vs Western ideals without coming down negatively on either one.

Peak Performance!! is written in layman's terms about themes in this genre in a way that doesn't turn off those readers who aren't immersed in self-help and spiritualism. That may not seem like such a big deal but for me, it it. There's nothing I loathe more than to feel I'm being talked down to when I've taken the uncomfortable action of reaching for a self-help book.

View all my reviews