Book Review - Those Who Are Gone by Lawrence F. Lihosit

 

It is nineteen-sixty-four, and Jack Colter recently moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, with his parents and older brother Dan. Soon after moving, Jack is on his bike exploring the area when he comes across a group of Mexican boys jumping ramps on their bikes. Jack asks if he can have a go, and the boys explore further afield as summer progresses. They swap the lunches they have taken with them, and Jack learns about the exciting flavors in Mexican food. 

The first Spanish Jack learns from his Mexican friends starts with swear words, then he buys a book and tape to teach himself, and soon, Jack can have conversations with his friend's families. The boys often get cuts and scrapes, and Jack learns about the healing properties of Aloe Vera from the grandmother of one of his friends. How is a young boy struck by lightning saved from death by an ancient Aymaran shaman? What is flag football? Moreover, what pamphlet was Jack given at school that his dad referred to as "hate garbage"? Read the novella Those Who Are Gone by Lawrence F. Lihosit to discover the answers to these questions and more.

I enjoyed learning about Mexican American Indians and their history while reading Those Who Are Gone. The book has a great title, which is appropriate for many of the subjects within it. Especially when Jack's class goes on a field trip to an archaeological dig, they learn a lot about the Hohokam, who built the great city about fifteen hundred years earlier. The author seems very knowledgeable about the history and archaeology of the area he is writing about. 

The boys in the story are keen on sports, and the author shows excellent knowledge of flag football and basketball. However, there were pages and pages of descriptions of basketball training and matches, which I did not enjoy. I felt that the author was using basketball to fill out his book. I was also not keen on the conversation at the top of page sixty-six, which was all in Spanish. I would have liked a footnote explaining what was said. Unfortunately, there were quite a few grammatical errors, and I feel Those Who Are Gone by Lawrence F. Lihosit would benefit from more proofreading. 

I would recommend Those Who Are Gone to anyone who enjoys factually correct fiction, where they can learn some of the histories of indigenous Mexican Indians in America. This is a novella of one hundred and eighteen pages which lovers of short novellas would also enjoy. As there are no swearing or sexual references, the book can be read by all, and in my opinion, anyone from young teenagers to older adults would find a lot to appreciate.

I want to give Those Who Are Gone 4 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed this novella, but I have reduced the rating by one star because grammatical errors spoilt the story's flow. Moreover, I did not enjoy that so much of the book has descriptions and stories of basketball. However, I am looking forward to reading more books by Lawrence F. Lihosit.

I want to thank Lawrence F. Lihosit for a copy of Those Who Are Gone in exchange for my honest and impartial review. 

You can see more of my reviews here http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tara-d-morgan.html

Book review - LIFE IS UNFAIR THE TRUTHS AND LIES ABOUT JOHN F KENNEDY by EDDY J NEYTS

 

At the age of fifteen, on November 22nd, 1963, Eddy J Neyts heard the news that American President John F Kennedy had been assassinated. Ever since Neyts has been passionately building the most extensive private collection of written material he could find about the man he thought amazing. He found that many authors who have written about Kennedy have yet to write accurately due to poor research and sensationalism. Who was Kennedy's father, the ruthless, womanizing businessman, Joseph P. Kennedy? Why was John Kennedy described in the family as the sickly brother? How did Kennedy injure his back? For the answers to these and other questions, read LIFE IS UNFAIR THE TRUTHS AND LIES ABOUT JOHN F KENNEDY by Eddy J Neyts. The historically accurate documentation of Neyts lifetime collection of all things John F Kennedy. 

Everything about LIFE IS UNFAIR THE TRUTHS AND LIES ABOUT JOHN F KENNEDY is fantastic. The genealogical research and family trees at the beginning of the book are beneficial. I enjoyed the chapter dedicated to Kennedy's father, which gives interesting information on the early shaping of Kennedy's character. John F Kennedy has always been a romanticized figure throughout my life. I was not born when he died, but my mum loved him, and I have been told she cried for weeks when he was assassinated. 

For many, Kennedy is remembered as the handsome, young, debonair thirty-fifth President of America. Neyts writes that all of this is true, but I was interested to read the chapter on Kennedy's family. John F Kennedy's older brother Joe was the golden boy; he was robust and consistently predicted to do well. In contrast, John was the frail and sickly younger brother. It is a testament to how his father bought him up that Kennedy was elected President. Another chapter in the book which I read with great interest was about The Cuban Missile Crisis, a part of American history I have never understood.

There was nothing to dislike about LIFE IS UNFAIR THE TRUTHS AND LIES ABOUT JOHN F KENNEDY by Eddy J Neots. The book is extensively researched and provides a complete history of the life and times of John F Kennedy.

There are quite a few grammatical errors in the acknowledgments. However, as this part of the book is the personal thanks of Eddy J Neots, a Belgian author, I was pleased to overlook them, especially as the rest of the book is well-edited. I enjoyed learning about John F Kennedy and am delighted to award it a resounding 5 out of 5 stars. 

LIFE IS UNFAIR THE TRUTHS AND LIES ABOUT JOHN F KENNEDY by Eddy J Neots is a weighty tomb; there are lots of facts and dates to take in. I recommend this book to historians who want factually correct history. Furthermore, this book would be appreciated by anyone interested in American history and John F Kennedy, his life, election, marriage, health, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and all the things that make JFK's legacy live on!