Book Spectrum

On Lou Gehrig Day, we commemorate the great ballplayer who contracted the rare disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain causing loss of muscle control. When Rachel Kerr Schneider's husband was diagnosed with ALS, they were raising young children, running the home, planning for an uncertain financial future, managing medical treatments, welcoming hospice, and accepting the help of supportive friends and relatives. It is challenging to remain Christ-like while living in a cloud of chaos. Rachel chronicled the family's journey in her book, The Widow Chose Red.There's never enough time to breathe, to sleep, to eat, to relax, to pray, or to take a bath. However, there's plenty of time to suffer.When her husband died, Rachel chose to wear red to honor her him at his service, choosing to celebrate his life amid her and her children's grieving. Red conveyed an important symbol for her and to those who have been there to support her, John and the family throughout.Rachel tells her story on Book Spectrum with host Chris Cordani. About Rachel KerrSchneiderSince her husband died in 2011, Rachel's faith continues to be challenged by widowhood, single parenting, a son with an addiction, relocation, relationships—a new husband, after ten years of long-distance dating, bonus mom to four girls who lost their mom to breast cancer, and becoming a Yaya, unexpectedly. Through it all, her reliance on and relationship with Jesus has given her the resilience that only the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit can provide. Her mission is to remind women that they do, in fact, possess a super-power of their own in the form of the Holy Spirit which lives and breathes in each one of us.Rachel is a member of the National Association for Christian Women Entrepreneurs and BRI Talks. She enjoys travel, which is good, since her parents live in Melbourne, Australia. She is a graduate of Cottey College and holds a B.B.A. from Southern Methodist University. A southern gal at heart, she currently calls the Dallas area home.On a professional level, Rachel created Spirited Prosperity to provide support, encouragement, and inspiration for women seeking to grow their faith, with a special emphasis on their relationship with the Holy Spirit. Her work has included personal training with Patty Aubery, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman's Soul, and Jack Canfield, co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Ignite with Lisa Nichols, John Tesh's All Access Coaching, and Platform with Michael Hyatt. As a Senior Regional Vice President for PartyLite, she was a contributing author to the bestseller Build It Big and has trained and spoken with hundreds of women. Visit Rachel's website at www.SpiritedProsperity.com

Kristin Casey wrote about her wild and interesting life with her previous book, Rock Monster: My Life with Joe Walsh, but follows up with Casey Dancer: A Memoir About Dating, Stripping, and a Little Hot Yoga , where she reveals more about herself beyond life in the proverbial fast lane.Many people who watch television and read tabloids thing of celebrity girlfriends as one-dimensional arm candy and dancers as paid live window dressing, but rarely see there are real human beings underneath the surface of that their eyes show them.Ms. Casey offers a look at the real person beyond a pretty face in Casey Dancer. She shows the reader more of her own life, thoughts and inner conflict with herself within what could be considered a follow-up to her first book as much as a sequel to her life. Kristin goes in-depth about her recovery, dating philosophy, professional struggles, personal vulnerabilities and how they all helped her grow, prosper as well as flourish.: Kristin is a recovered alcoholic and addict who's rigorously inventoried her every resentment and relinquished ninety percent of them. She's survived clinical depression, numerous addictions, the panhandle of Texas, and seventeen years of Catholicism. Her first book, Rock Monster: My Life with Joe Walsh, documents a tumultuous six-year relationship with rock legend and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, their drug-fueled train-wreck breakup, and her ensuing suicidal spiral. Her writing has appeared in The Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, The Nervous Breakdown, Please Kill Me, $pread, The Fix, and more. Her expertise resides in addiction, dependency, intimacy, and sexuality, with particular knowledge of the commercial sex industry. She resides in Austin, Texas, where she worked as a certified sexuality counselor, intimacy coach, and IPSA-trained Surrogate Partner. Recently retired, Kristin is now a full-time author of both memoirs and screenplays. Visit her website at www.KristinCasey.com

While politicians have used the Fentanyl crisis to grandstand while more people are dying each day from drugs laced with the deadly chemical, Lethal Doses tells the story of an undercover agent who was on the front lines, doing something about it.In the book, author and former undercover agent John Madinger takes us into the world of clandestine operations in a quest to find one of the most notorious and dangerous illicit drug chemist, George Erik Marquardt, known as the “Godfather of Fentanyl.” While we usually only get to read the headlines after a major drug bust, Madinger brings  the reader deeply into the world of fentanyl creation and a mental chess match between him, law enforcement and Marquardt in an effort to gather enough evidence to bring the prodigy chemical creator to justice.While Madinger allows readers to appreciate what actually goes into investigating and prosecuting international drug criminals while virtually embedding them into the front lines of the War against Fentanyl, he also takes us into the mind of his adversary. We learn of the genius of Marquardt, his childhood, his personal trauma and what drove him into a life where he would soon become responsible for massive deaths of unsuspecting Americans.  Rarely do we get that kind of perspective and fly-on-the-wall view of the intricacies of undercover drug enforcement ops and at the same time learn to understand the mentality of a criminal mastermind as well as what makes him proverbially tick.Lethal Doses is an essential read for those who want to understand the War on Fentanyl, world of drug creation and what drives a highly intelligent person to such an illegal and deadly occupation.

What's Your Exit Strategy? opened my eyes to the future outside of running my business. While we tend to focus on staying strong and expanding, Linda Jensen offers us valuable advice so we can be ready for outside hurdles and what to do when it's time to sell.Often we see books, and valuable ones, helping small and mid-size business owners build and strengthen. There are also plenty of books about life after retirement. Ms. Jensen's book is unique and important as she teaches us in a pleasantly unorthodox way how to prepare for the ending of one's business whether it be preparing to sell it or setting up a succession plan. What's Your Exit Strategy? also helps those whose businesses might be suffering from an economic downturn, aiding someone who needs to transition from that particular endeavor to another venture. As a business owner, I have always looked toward running my day-to-day operations, servicing clients and looking for new challenges. Reading Ms. Jensen's book has me more prepared for when the time comes to cash in on the many years of hard work, navigate the hoops one must travel through and look toward a nice post-business ownership life.This is not a typical procedural “how to” book. Inside What's Your Exit Strategy?, the reader will find lessons learned from the successes and failures of others who told their stories as Ms. Jensen narrates and delves into relatable, even when unanticipated, potential situations. These true tales keep the attention of the curious business owner whose time, frankly, is valuable and perhaps would not want to labor through a droning instruction pamphlet.What's Your Exit Strategy? is an extremely valuable book for Boomer and Gen X business owners who need to look ahead to very serious concerns outside the confines of the work days from not only Ms. Jensen's expertise, but also through the experiences of others.Get the book here: Amazon.com: What Is Your Exit Strategy: Maximize Your Business Mindset. Minimize the Minefields: 9781948261890: Jensen, Linda: Books

Author Lorraine Geraci set an intriguing fictional story based on her own real-life experience with recently finding her own birth mother in her new book: Girls from Brooklyn.In the story, Ms. Geraci takes the reader to secret hidden magical realms, the lives of three unique women from the sixties into today, their lifelong connection and their showing that family is not always blood. Readers will the heroic actions of family and friendships that shaped their journeys. Mystery, adventure, magical powers and the unknowing demon that lies in the magical realm of Brooklyn is a rather enjoyable story on several levels both in the real world and fantasy realm.Lorraine has been a Learning and Professional Development leader and speaker in the Mortgage and Utility Industries over the last 30 years.Her professional experience has also allowed her to instruct and present to over 15,000 Real Estate and Mortgage professionals nationwide. The art of verbal expression and writing was always part of what she focused on.As a certified professional coach, and novice writer for many years prior, Lorraine finally wrote and published her first book Living A RockStar Life in 2014. This self-help focused book provided advice on getting out of your own way to have the life you want and deserve. She incorporated this thought process into her personal and professional life over the years in Corporate America. In 2023, some major unforeseen life events provided her with the direction and passion to continue her writing crusade and share important stories and lessons.

Book Spectrum is extremely honored to have Gen. John G. Kulhavi on with us to talk about his life and the biography written about hin titled: NO SOLDIER LEFT BEHINDThe phrase “No soldier left behind” has been repeated by many and practiced by true leaders. Author Don Steele offers the reader a look into the life of one of those great leaders: Army Brigadier General John G. Kulhavi in his book titled “NO SOLDIER LEFT BEHIND.”Often, we hear from military leaders who are now regular pundits on television. General Kulhavi stepped away from a potentially waiting spotlight after serving in Vietnam and rising through the Army ranks to take a quieter path as a financial advisor. There, he altered the history of the financial industry – quietly and humbly – by convincing fellow military man, Morgan Stanley CEO Donald Regan, to go with his idea to employ investment teams rather than individuals to make important decisions for their clients. Through Don Steele, we learn what makes a truly brave, yet humble hero as the author takes the reader back to the General's influences during his younger days, including from his mother who owned a store in a small Michigan town where they moved. He learned to virtue of selflessness and “no man left behind” from his mother and perhaps from after his dad left the family ,The biographer keeps sure to describe Gen. Kulhavi's early life and his having to help lead his family at a young age as important in shaping his leadership and life principles. In the book, we not only learn of the General's leadership and personal virtues which shaped him, but how he treated opportunities. Steele describes how Gen. Kuhlavi found a life-changing opportunity to join the ROTC while in college, leading to an officer's commission, his battles, hardships and recovery from his plane being shot down during the Vietnam War and his innovative thought while working within the private sector. Having been close with the General (they were college roommates), Steele brings us not simply a great man and his exploits, but a real look at what made him not only accomplished and a great leader, but also what out of his personal life and experience built his attitude, drive, leadership acumen and humility.  Those who delve into the General's life in the book will find there is more to a man than his deeds (whether they are life-changing ones or perhaps small victories) while younger people reading will learn what true leadership is about and perhaps offer someone to whom they can look up and aspire toward.  Powered by Get RX Meds Now:  https://www.getrxmedsnow.com

Immortality is a long-coveted fantasy of many a fictional supervillain and one which has intrigued many among us. It's an idea which invokes both wonder and fear, but often sought by those who desire to stay alive for varied reasons. How does one gain immortality? Is modern transhumanist science – combining the powers of tech with one's human bran and body – the answer? At what cost would one want to become immortal? Would it a gift, curse or perhaps both at the same time? Dr. David Martorano explores the questions from varied points of view while telling a fascinating story in Immortality.In the book, Dr. Martorano takes the reader to New Babylon, a post-E-pocalypse technology-dominated future world run by artificial intelligence and occupied by the results of humans merging with computers (similar to the vision of today's transhumanists, some of whom are devising microchips for human brains).The author's fictional world has some interesting parallels to our own: The corporate technocrats, the tech-worshippers, those wary of the dangers of a technocracy, anti-tech extremists and many who are caught in the middle.Dr. Mortorano cleverly balances the positive impacts of alternative intelligence and transhumanist tech with its destructive potential, asking two rather interesting questions: What happens if people lost much of their humanity in exchange for computer-based convenience and could powerful artificial intelligence gain a level of humanity as the two entities interact? He offers perspectives on the latter through an AI named MARTIN, who balances his role in the world and his familiarity with humans. Dr. Martorano takes a rather intriguing look at the world today's Transhumanists fantasize about through their ambitious lenses. He also looks at the extreme on the other side, which see technological progress as dangerous and, in some cases, evil. Readers will both be engulfed by the story and provoked into thought about a question scientists, theologists, philosophers, storytellers, politicians and free-thinkers have asked for decades: Could Artificial Intelligence, as it keeps moving toward its full potential, evolve or destroy humanity?About Dr. David Martorano:  Dr. Martorano is a visionary board-certified informatician and psychiatrist with a distinguished career in management and clinical care. After completing his medical training at Columbia University and his residency in psychiatry at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute, Dr. Martorano has dedicated over a decade to advancing clinical services and medical leadership.His expertise spans psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and addiction treatment. He has honed his skills at prestigious institutions such as UCLA's Addiction Medicine Clinic, Mood Disorders Clinic, Anxiety Disorders Clinic, and Interpersonal Psychotherapy Clinic. His research background includes groundbreaking work in reproductive neuroendocrinology at the Rockefeller Institute and contributions to electrophysiology and alternative medicine literature.

Harry Houdini's magic, career and life were all fascinating. He escaped all kinds of restraints, encasements and situations. Still, there was one thing even the great Houdini could not escape: mortality, which hit him at an early age in 1926. He did, however, say he would try. Houdini reportedly told his wife, Bess, “If there is any way out. I will find it… I will find you and I will make contact with you on the anniversary of my death.” While that never happened, the escape artists' fascination with spirituality and communication with those in the afterlife from his attempts to contact his deceased mother though to his own passing provide the background for this highly intriguing “what if” historical fiction book, Houdini's Last Handcuffs, by Charles C. Young and Cheryl L. Young.The Young siblings drew from their own childhood and family background, providing a real-life scenario for the book. Their father, Morris Young, was a stellar magician in his own right and hugely influenced by Houdini. In this alternative world, the authors take Houdini's own dabblings into the spiritual realm to a new level, hypothesizing the potential of the performer's resurrection.Charles and Cheryl Young brilliantly balance Houdini's own explorations into spiritualism, skepticism of the realm's grifters, real artifacts from the escapologist's performance years and the showman's mystique while telling a captivating story through their younger selves' eyes about what started as a mere curiosity which snowballed into a battle between good and evil involving not only powerful forces, but their own childhood friends.Pick up the book here: Houdini's Last Handcuffs by Charlie and Cheryl Young - VINE LEAVES PRESS

Registered Nurse and Psychotherapist Laurie Elizabeth Murphy draws from her own experience working in the field to create a uniquely intellectual and entertaining mystery in her new book, Dream Me Home.The idea of one's real life and dreams intersecting into an interwoven story fascinated me. While I expect twists and curveballs involving the main characters, Laurie Elizabeth Murphy brings the reader into different planes and with this psychological mystery and, dare I say, mind's adventure.Ms. Murphy's background as a nurse and in the psychological field enables her to present to the reader a more unique and thought-provoking journey quite different from the regular whodunnits and love/relationship stories. Many authors have combined the two, but Ms. Murphy introduces us into the minds and motives of the main protagonist through several means: her experiences, her conversations with a therapist and through her own dreams – all realized after a traumatic home invasion which gradually changed her life in several ways. The writer also looks more deeply into our own human emotions, desires and failings through the other main characters.In Dream Me Home, Ms. Murphy offers the reader not only the thrills of a mystery, psychological drama and unexpected turns, she conveys real-life ponderances about marriage, crime, passion vs. true love, control and finding one's true self.Laurie is a full-time author of both non-fiction and fiction books. She previously worked as a Registered Nurse and Psychotherapist with degrees from the Mount Sinai Hospital School of Nursing and St. Joseph's College. Growing up, she was a ballet student at the MET in New York City and The Juilliard School of Music and Dance. She currently resides in Florida, and she has four children and six grandchildren. She has published many nonfiction books, co-authoring with her late husband to write In the Best Interest of the Child: A Manual for Divorcing Parents, Eight Strategies for Successful Step-Parenting, and You Don't Know Anything: A Manual for Parenting Teenagers. She has also written and self-published Satori, Wherever the Wind Blows Me, and Cellophane Memories. Additionally, she writes a bi-monthly column for My Living, a local magazine. Her most recent work, Dream Me Home, is her debut fiction novel, a psychological thriller drawing from her own career as a therapist. She is currently writing a sequel to Dream Me Home

As someone whose hair is thinning, I was intigued when hearing about Laser Phototherapy (LPT), which is eight times more powerful than any drug. That's why I invited former NASA scientist Sayyid Tamim Hamid, LPT's inventor and author of the book Grow it Back, as the first and only book to cover all aspects of laser treatment for hair. Tamim references extensive clinical studies and translates decades of research into easy-to-grasp terms so anyone can appreciate the benefits of this technology.Grow it Back could be a benchmark guide to understanding hair, a step by step guide on how to stop and regrow one's hair and LPT through research, development, and innovation while educating readers about the advantages of using LPT over other types of treatmentBroken down into distinct sections, Grow it Back covers every aspect of hair growth and loss, hair treatments, and LPT, as well as the science behind how lasers can stop and regrow hair using LPT, Tamim's own invention for treating hair loss. He begins with a discussion on the benefits and uses of light in health and the medical field. Next, he dives deep into the science behind hair, covering everything readers could possibly want to know about hair. This includes what types of shampoos to use, why biotin is worthless, what supplements are best for hair loss, and much more.Get the book here: Grow It Back: How Laser Phototherapy Stops Hair Loss and Regrows Your Hair - Kindle edition by Hamid, Tamim. Professional & Technical Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

The American Revolution did not only lead to the birth of the United States as its own nation, but set the tone for the creation of what would soon become the Free World as many other countries followed suit with roads to their own independence. Sadly, however, political tones controlling the public education system and academia have either failed to teach or purposely minimized the true importance of the Revolutionary War. Historian Jack Warren, Jr. talks with host Chris Cordani on Book Spectrum about the war, its beginnings, the players (famous and not-so-well-known) and why it should be emphasized more to younger generations today and moving forward with his new book: Freedom: The Enduring Importance of the American RevolutionThe book provides a profound look into British America, the Revolutionary War, the birth of a new nation, what freedom truly means, and how the events of the past hold significant importance even in modern society.Freedom delves deep into what planted the seeds for revolution, the Revolutionary War, important figures, and the ideals that the new nation was built upon. Accompanied by a vast collection of full-color reproductions of paintings of the colonies, people, battles, and maps, as well as a multitude of quotes from America's founding fathers, Freedom is accurate, detailed, and all-encompassing.For more informatoin on Freedom: Freedom: The Enduring Importance of the American Revolution - The American Revolution Institute About Jack D. Warren, Jr.: Jack Duane Warren, Jr., is a native of Washington, D.C., whose work focuses on the enduring achievements of the American Revolution. He attended the University of Mississippi and Brown University. He is married to his wife, Janet, and they have three grown children. He has been studying and reflecting on American history since he learned to read. He considers himself a historian of American public life—much more than just politics and governance.Jack Warren has been actively involved in historic preservation and in how the places we preserve are presented. He was one of the leaders in the successful effort to preserve the site of George Washington's childhood home from development to securing its designation as a National Historic Landmark. He also helped preserve the house where Washington lived in Barbados and was involved in the successful effort to save a large and critical part of the Princeton battlefield, including the land over which Washington personally led the charge that resulted in his first great battlefield victory over British troops. During the summer of 2020, he sat beside a statue of George Washington to talk to protestors about why we have honored Washington and ought to honor him still—Washington challenged a world that was grotesquely unfree and laid the foundations of free society—while protecting the statue from vandalization.

Did you know that the way a child breathes will impact every aspect of their development including their sleep quality, learning, behaviour, jaw and facial development, speech, and future health? Dr, Sherren Lim wrote Breathe, Sleep, Thrive to connect the dots to help you identify the important developmental milestones for good airway health development and breathing, the red flags that indicate things are off track, and what can be done about it to help your child not just survive, but thrive.I found this quite a bit intriguing as it affected my own health from youth into adulthood. This book is an excellent resource for parents whose children may be experiencing the same issues. Their lives could be changed for the betterPick up Dr. Lim's book here: Breathe, Sleep, Thrive: Discover how airway health can unlock your child's greater health, learning, and potential : Lim, Shereen: Amazon.com.au: BooksDr Shereen Lim is a Perth based dentist with a post graduate diploma in dental sleep medicine from the University of Western Australia.She has been involved in the team management of snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea for over a decade.Dr Lim is dedicated to promoting airway health from infancy as an alternative approach to minimize the development of these problems, and is author of the book “Breathe, Sleep, Thrive: Discover How Airway Health Can Unlock Your Child's Greater Health, Learning and Potential.”Her work in private practice is restricted to tongue tie management from infancy to adulthood, early interceptive orthodontics and myofunctional therapy.

We talk with people who have overcome great adversity on the show and my guest today has had more than his share. From a remote village in Ghana, following his dreams to look for the life he wanted in America – Patrick Asare documents his trials and trail in the book: “The Boy from Boadua: One African's Journey of Hunger and Sacrifice in Pursuit of a Dream” Growing up in the jungles of Ghana and now thriving in suburban America, Patrick Asare defied all odds on his journey through life. In his incredible memoir, The Boy from Boadua: One African's Journey of Hunger and Sacrifice in Pursuit of a Dream, he recounts his childhood, family, education, and the experiences that made him into the person he is today, in addition to reflecting on socio-cultural relations, race, and the social structures in the different countries that he has lived. Patrick Asare offers a new perspective as someone who has had first-hand experience in a variety of cultures, specifically within the education system. Patrick was born and raised in Ghana. After completing secondary school, he attended university in the former Soviet Union, studying electrical engineering at Donetsk National Technical University in the then Soviet republic of Ukraine. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and also completed a certification program to become a Russian language teacher. Patrick resided in the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, during the historic perestroika era, when President Mikhail Gorbachev introduced the reforms that ultimately led to the breakup of the Soviet Union. He traveled extensively throughout Eastern and Western Europe and became one of the few people with firsthand knowledge of ordinary life on both sides of the Iron Curtain. After graduating from Donetsk, Patrick immigrated to America, where he initially taught Russian and math in public schools in Buffalo, New York. He earned a master's degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University in 1995 and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in 2003. Patrick is a principal at UGI Energy Services, LLC, a diversified energy services firm in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, where he lives with his family. He previously worked as a senior electrical engineer at Caterpillar, Inc. in Lafayette, Indiana. Patrick has written extensively on social, political, and energy policy topics. He is a Democracy and Development Fellow at the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, an Accra-based think-tank. Some of Patrick's energy policy articles have received attention worldwide.

September 4, 1967, marks a gruesome and terrifying day for U.S. Marine soldiers stationed in Vietnam. Based on 50 interviews with veterans, author Doyle Glass conveys what it was really like on the front lines of Operation Swift in the newest edition of his novel: Swift Sword: The True Story of the Marines of Mike 3/5 in Vietnam, 4 September 1967.This exploration of this operation comes from firsthand experiences and extensive research, culminating in a book that truly shows the impact of war as well as the courage and sacrifice of the soldiers.As someone with over a dozen combat vets in my family, Doyle Glass details the beginning of this 11-day operation in Swift Sword by recounting what the Marines witnessed, quoting their own words. Their accounts are shocking, brutal, and most importantly, very real.This is probably as close as one can get to reliving the terror of up-close personal combat without actually being there. Doyle tells the story in the book and joins us on Books Spectrum Doyle fills the book with detailed research on the operation, including maps, photos, and a glossary of military terms. For anyone interested in military history, this book provides an unparalleled look into Operation Swift.Swift Sword on Amazon: Amazon.com: Swift Sword: The True Story of the Marines of MIKE 3/5 in Vietnam, 4 September 1967 eBook : Glass, Doyle : Kindle StoreDoyle Glass is an author, historian, and sculptor dedicated to honoring those who fought for freedom. He is a master at recounting true stories of brave men and women who were outnumbered and out-gunned but continued to battle toe-to-toe with ferocious opponents in war. Doyle Glass was born in Midland, Texas among the fifth generation of a pioneer ranching family who was raised with an appreciation for hard work, adventure, and honor. After earning degrees in history and law from Southern Methodist University, he completed law school and worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Texas. Later, he served as Assistant Attorney General in Kentucky, prosecuting some of the worst violent crimes in the state. In 2000, Glass turned to the arts as a way to tell stories of his childhood heroes. He conceived and sculpted a bronze statue of John Squires, who braved enemy fire to save others during WWII and received the Medal of Honor. The statue stands in downtown Louisville, Kentucky as a reminder of the sacrifices made by local citizens who fought and died for freedom. In 2008, Glass designed and sculpted the Texas Medal of Honor Memorial, dedicated to George O'Brien who earned the Medal of Honor during the Korean War. The memorial stands at the International Artillery Museum in Saint Jo, Texas as a symbol recognizing those who earned America's highest award for combat valor.

We kick off Season 4 of Book Spectrum with Rick Cullerton, who tells the story of how he overcame mental illness, anziety and verbal abuse to become a success in life and prominent vacation hotel owner in his new book Messed Up Like You.Rick discusses his family life, how he learned entrepreneurship, how he hooked up with the wrong crowd, wound up in jail and later finally took over his own life -- losing several pounds, turning his career aronud and becomng the man he truly wanted to be.Weaved in and out of the book is Cullterton's tale of how he got his pilot's license, which is no small feat for anyone let alone a man with ADD and anziety. Rick's life is kind of like that of a movie character who had a lot of things happen to him, yet it all took place in the real world with no cameras, directors or actors. Come to think of it, we are all messed up in one way or more.

Many know Marilyn Monroe as the iconic movie star through her on-screen persona. On Book Spectrum's Season 3 finale, we will bring you a look the Hollywood legend as you never knew her, far from the spotlight.Biographer Jay Margolis, author of ‘My Maril, Marilyn Monroe, Ronald Reagan, Hollywood and Me.” tells Marilyn's personal story through the eyes of Terry Karger, whose family were close friends of the sliver screen legend dating back to when she was known as "Norma Jeane" and the young narrator's babysitter.Jay discusses Terry's memories of Ms. Monroe, who she really was when not pretending to be the "dizzy blonde" sterrotype, how Marilyn was an influence in Terry's own life and career, her loves and relationships away from the paparazzi and tabloids as well as both Jay's and Terry's thoughts on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the acclaimed actress' death. In the book, Terry also recalls her interactions and personal relationships with other members of the Hollywood Hierarchy like Ronald Reagan, Jane Wyman and many more.Pick the book up here: My Maril: Marilyn Monroe, Ronald Reagan, Hollywood, and Me: Karger, Terry, Margolis, Jay, Reagan, Michael: 9781637583265: Amazon.com: Books About Terry Karger: Terry Karger graduated from the University of Southern California in 1963, one year after Marilyn Monroe's death. She taught at Crescent Heights Elementary and would later teach at Westwood Elementary where her students had parents such as Micky Dolenz, Millie Perkins, Ronny Cox, and Richard Pryor.About Jay Margolis: New York Times bestselling author Jay Margolis graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California and became a Jesse Unruh Research Scholar for his paper on African American Reparations. On October 15, 2014, The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. accepted Margolis's book The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed for display at the 37th Annual Book Fair & Authors' Night, in partnership with Politics & Prose. The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed was translated into Italian, French, and Russian and became a New York Times bestseller. Jay Margolis appeared in the 2014 United Kingdom documentary, directed by Renny Bartlett, titled The Missing Evidence: The Death of Marilyn Monroe, a Blink Films production in association with the Smithsonian Channel.

Have you ever watched a true crime program where a psychic was recruited to aid investigators with the solving of a crime or perhaps to find a missing person and wondered how they were able to do that? Joining us on Book Spectrum is Nancy Orlen Weber who has worked difficult and high profile cases and wrote about many of them in her book, The Life of a Psychic Detective.During our conversation, Nancy discusses how she got into helping solve crimes and some of her most interesting investigations. While she has been instrumental in murder cases, she also tells of times when her talents led to happier endings like the finding of a missing loved one. The book is not only about her work as a psychic detective, but a primer on how the reader can tap into his or her own intuitive talents.Find out more about Nancy Orlen Weber and how to pick up her book on her website: The Life of a Psychic Detective - Nancy Orlen Weber

Many of us have wondered what an alien civilization might discover about us long after the extinction of humanity as well as what might lead to society's demise. Author and Modern-Day Philosopher Ishi Nobu explores this from foreign planet scholars' point of view in his new book, The Story of Humanity: Ecology & Consequence. While exploring mankind's history through the lens of visiting Anthropologic scholars decades beyond its end, not unlike modern humans of the same profession have done to explain discoveries pertaining to their observances of our own ancient civilizations. Such an approach by Nobu offers a surreal element to the way our story might be told through what we may leave behind as we of modern times are the mystery being unlocked and explored. Ishi Nobu is an independent scholar & guru who conveys his deep comprehension of Nature and reality. These efforts are displayed in his comprehensive coverage of all aspects of Nature, human endeavor, and spirituality. His previous books: The Red Pill: Mastering The Matrix; Clarity: The Path Inside; Unraveling Reality: Behind the Veil of Existence; and the 8-book Spokes of the Wheel cycle: The Science of Existence, The Web of Life, The Elements of Evolution, The Ecology of Humans, The Echoes of The Mind, The Fruits of Civilization, The Pathos of Politics, and The Hub of Being.Nobu is renowned for deliberate, incisive scholarship. He has the rare talent of drawing insights from multiple disciplines and weaving them into a revealing consilience. Follow Nobu on Twitter @ishinobu_actual.

Imagine a world where technology allows for direct interface between the human brain and quantum computers, exponentially increasing the creative abilities of humanity and holding the potential to make war, hunger, poverty, pandemics and other human suffering obsolete. When human capability is enhanced by that much, how does ego resist the temptation toward power and control? What would happen if an ultimate technological power gets into the wrong hands – those who further seek to link minds directly through this quantum computer into an augmented hive-mind? A sequel to his first offering, The Lost Theory, Michael Kelley takes the reader to the characters' lives nine years later in the thrilling sci-fi adventure, The Devil's Calling. Kelley mixes mystery, science-fiction, philosophy, spirituality and action in this globe-spanning thriller of a novel. As in the previous book, the story centers around Sean McQueen and Emily Edens, the latter nominated for a Nobel Prize in Physics, finding themselves thrust into the position of having to save the world with the help of friends and an AI the two befriended. On the surface, Kelley takes the reader around the planet for an intriguing high-tech experience while at the same time leading a similar tour of McQueen's mind, inner conflict and feelings for Emily. For those in our listening audience who enjoy the proverbial “Easter Eggs” within books and other creations, Kelley offers nods to some of the great classic rock artists sprinkled throughout the book.Michael Kelley fell in love with literature and creative writing while at the University of Pennsylvania. He put this passion to the side during a lengthy career on Wall Street, where he worked as a lawyer, built an international business, and founded his own investment management firm. After leaving the financial world, he engaged in studies of quantum physics, Eastern mysticism, and philosophy. From these studies, he developed a "Theory of Everything" which became the basis of his novels. After years of life in New York City, Michael now lives in the peaceful woods of Dutchess County with his wife and daughter. There, he enjoys meditation, yoga, wine, reading, and hiking, all of which inspire his writing.

In his timely new book, American Gaslighting: How America is Being Systematically Taught to Hate Itself, author Daniel A. Shyti provides an in-depth analysis of human psychology and historical precedent demonstrating how Americans are being manipulated into hating their own country to serve the ends of political extremists who have propagandized entertainment, education and several other aspects of the culture. Dan breaks this down and discusses how he did his research on this episode of Book Spectrum. Shyti minces no words about this manipulation, stating, “We need to blow the lid off woke ideology and expose it for what it really is – Marxism in disguise. The goal is to systematically deceive Americans into hating their own country. Its central tactic is pervasive gaslighting, a psychological ploy designed to make people doubt the reality that is right under their noses. "“There wasn't one specific event that triggered me to write this book,” says Shyti. “Rather, it was a build-up over time as I observed the egregious assaults on the American identity and the blatant self-hatred that the left is determined to create. As I heard the lies coming from the left, I noticed that they grew more and more outrageous, and it became obvious to me that the left was engaged in creating an alternate reality - persistent gaslighting intended to induce Americans to hate their own country.”Daniel A. Shyti is a professional speaker, leadership expert, speech coach, political commentator, author, and patriot. After graduating with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Pratt Institute and serving in the Army for four years, Dan made the transition to private industry. There he dedicated himself to being a good leader and eventually became the Vice President of a Fortune 100 technology company, until he left to start his own leadership training company. Dan founded 4 Power Leadership, with the goal of creating personal transformation through teaching the art of leadership. Dan is the author of 4 Power Leadership: Your Pathway to Leadership Success and Ten Timeless Rules for Life: Things Every Young Person Should Know for a Perfect Launch. His third book, American Gaslighting: How America is Being Systemically Taught to Hate Itself, examines political ideology in a combined context context of human nature, logical thought, and historical perspective to expose and counter Marxism cloaked as “woke ideology.” Shyti passionately believes that identity politics is destroying America and that Americans need to unite under the one identity that matters – the American Identity – and commit to the Constitution as our unifying framework. Daniel and his wife live in Sterling, VA.

Mia Odeh was Imprisoned in an abusive marriage, but how can a woman whose culture emphasizes female submission escape the clutches of her husband? Mia Odeh shares her journey and how she finally re-took control of her live in the revealing new memoir, Mia's Odyssey: Taking Back My Soul. In the book, Mia revisits her life story, beginning in Palestine at age sixteen, where she was forced into an arranged marriage. After being brought to the United States, Mia realizes that her marriage is not only unwanted, it is unsafe, as she experiences routine sexual and physical assault. Mia's Odyssey shines an unflinching light on the horrors of domestic abuse and reveals how a survivor with enough determination can find the resources to forge a path to freedom.“Sometimes you have to get a little distance from something before you can really see it,” Mia says. “From the time I was sixteen years my husband surrounded me like a putrid fog, permeating every minute of every day and completely blocking the sun from entering my life. When my husband left us behind in Arizona and moved to Michigan for work I began to see him as he really was, nothing more than a small, evil, isolated creature. I made it my goal to keep my children pure, to keep them from ever becoming like their father.”

Disaster and Destiny Collide in New Sci-Fi Adventure RomanceFionne Foxxe Farraday talks with Chris Cordani on Book Spectrum about her first novel: KAIRN, Mates of the Alliance. It is what she calls a a sci-fi adventure romance which combines an alien invasion, a rescue effort an inter-species love story and a thrilling adventure. Farraday's story brings us sometime in the near future, Earth is reeling from its first contact with a predatory alien species, the Ichori. Daria, a human ICU doctor, struggles with loneliness and wishes for a partner to share her life, but puts her own desires aside to tend to the wounded. On the heels of the invasion, things look dire until another species of aliens – the Luperans - show up to help repair and rebuild. Members of the Galactic Alliance, the stunningly handsome and muscular Luperans and their captain, Kairn, establish an alliance with Earth and utilize their advanced technology to begin repairing the ravages of the Ichori. Kairn and Daria, members of two different species, each with hopes, dreams, and visions of a one of a kind relationship, meet and are instantly drawn to each other. The book shows parallels between the plot's events and today's world turmoil while exposing the flaws in pre-perceptions of others, whether they be ally or enemy though the eyes of complex characters and perhaps will raise questions as to whether world technological leaders should or should not step up efforts to try and communicate with other life forms throughout the universe. Will we attract friendly aliens or perhaps a predatory society much like the Ichori?

What does it mean to live a truly substantial life?How does a visionary entrepreneur repeatedly overcome risk and rejection?Is there more to a life well lived than the sum of a person's successes and failures? A Summer Classic: The Bew White Story explores these questions and more through the life and eyes of William Bew White III, the founder of Summer Classics, a manufacturer of luxury outdoor furniture. “When you start a small business and grow it, you go through a lot of trials and tribulations,” observes Bew. “This really is sort of a modern re-telling of the Jimmy Stewart It's a Wonderful Life movie.”The biography, written by Christopher Taunton, delivers a detailed chronicle of Bew's childhood, college years, early professional life, the successes and failures that got him to where he is today and how he overcame a health condition which nearly killed him as he makes the most of his life on Earth. The high costs and sacrifices behind this success make A Summer Classic compelling and instructive, a gripping illustration of the saying, “One step forward, two steps back.” Bew's career was beset with “hurdles, challenges, sleepless nights, poor health, things that didn't work, (facing) the recession” and the twists and turns of a life spent doing business with a host of people. Trustworthy business partners were hard to find, and those who did not share Bew's commitment to faith, character caused big problems along the way. At each obstacle, his creative thinking, foresight, and leadership helped the company to move forward with its vision that people might look at Summer Classics furniture and see “beautifully furnished spaces where they might share memorable moments with their friends, family, and loved ones.”Bew White III is the Chairman of the Board of Gabriella White and its brands, Summer Classics, Gabby, and Wendy Jane. He graduated from Auburn University in 1972 with a degree in textile engineering. The phrase “outdoor living” had hardly been coined, as outdoor furniture was simply known as a table and chairs you would find on a basic patio deckAt just 28 years old, Mr. White left his job at his family-owned business, Avondale Mills, and started a sales representative company in 1978 called Vista Corporation, specializing in selling outdoor furniture. In 1987, Bew started multiple companies in an effort to expand from selling on the road to building a national brand. One of those companies was Summer Classics, which was created around Bew's thought of designing and manufacturing products that he would want for his own backyard. With a business model based on creating products that were consumer driven, would stand the test of time, and would not go out of style, Summer Classics officially took off in 1987.Born in 1950 in Birmingham, Alabama to William Bew White II and Gabriella Corner White, Bew is the great-grandson of Braxton Bragg Corner, governor and then senator for Alabama, as well as the founder of the Alabama-based Fortune 500 textile company Avondale Mills.

What does it mean to negotiate like a CEO? How important are employment agreements? How can you learn to protect yourself and your family if the worst does happen? These are all questions Jotham Stein addresses in his book Negotiate Like a CEO, with the goal of equipping employees, executives and entreprenerus with the tools they need to safeguard themselves. A lively, engaging read, Negotiate Like a CEO outlines how employees, executives, and entrepreneurs have protected themselves in the past, and gives readers eye-opening advice on how to make sure they won't get taken advantage of. The book describes best practices, common pitfalls, and sky's-the-limit possibilities at any career stage, whether you're just out of college or you're gunning for that C-suite job.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine commences and captures worldwide headlines, what people might not know is this is only a small portion of Vladimir Putin's long game. What does he have planned next? What is the bigger picture? How does he plan to go about his ambitious goals?With me on Book Spectrum for this episode is Rebekah Koffler, a Soviet-born former US intelligence officer with the DIA and author of the book, “Putin's Playbook: Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America” As we are seeing some of the Russian President's games play out these days, Koffler says this has been in the works for a while. In Putin's Playbook, Koffler goes in-depth on how Putin rose to power from behind the scenes to pushing himself onto the world stage. She also delves into:Why Putin wants to rebuild the old USSR under his ruleHow Putin wants to cement his legacyWhy Putin sees himself as the "Good Guy" amid the controversies with some of the former Soviet RepublicsPutin's disdain for NATO before and after publicly declaring the western treaty group as a threat to Russia's existence. When why and how Putin picks and chooses the times and circumstances involved with executing his plansAre the US and the rest of the NATO nations strong enough to go against Putin in a potential world war or are they too weakened by internal wokeness policies to respond to the Russian threat?Koffler's goes inside the mind of the Russian oligarch in Putin's Playbook.

We are in an era of increased health-minded awareness and a plethora of books as well as PSAs and news pieces dedicated to wellness for women, children and seniors. Sadly, Dr. Judson Brendeis says while increased information is available, younger and middle-aged men still are not fully invested in their own health. Why is that? Dr. Brandeis not only answers this question, but provides the definitive guide to men's health titled The 21st Century Man.Dr. Brandeis takes a unique approach to this essential tome as he not only provides what one might use as an owner's manual of one's body, but styles it as a "hero's journey" story with the reader as the main character.In the book, Dr. Brandies encourages men to not ignore taking care of themselves while still focusing on their natural instincts to pay more attention to and protect others, answering such questions as: What does a successful and healthy life look like? How can men maximize their health to live their best lives? In a man's life, what changes are needed to build a mind and body that will help him develop health, strength, and vigor?Dr. Judson Brandeis, in his straightforward and compelling guide to men's health, The Twenty-First Century Man, addresses these questions and so many more while providing a clear road map for maximizing men's health.Dr. Judson Brandeis is an award-winning urologist and sexual medicine expert, clinical researcher, physician educator, and a caring clinician and surgeon. A graduate of Brown University and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, with Urologic Surgery residency at UCLA and a post-doc fellowship at Harvard, today he specializes in the emerging field of sexual health and medicine.Over the course of his 25-year career as a board-certified urologist he has performed thousands of surgeries and pioneered surgical robotics. In February of 2019, he opened BrandeisMD, a national leader in technology and sexual medicine innovations for men. BrandeisMD engages in ongoing clinical research to improve wellbeing and provide tools for men to live their best lives.

We kick off Season 3 of Book Spectrum with a new author, M. K. Lever, whose new book Surviving the Second Tier depicts a dystopian world with an all-powerful NCAA which consolidated every collegiate sport into one super smackdown league. Lever's knockout debut book weaves major issues and themes throughout a parallel Earth and the main character, "Sis," to display the real world truths that face athletes in the college athletic world as told by someone with experience inside and a track record of in-depth research into the system. “I wrote this book to educate readers about the reality of the college sports industry, as someone who has been there before,” Lever says. “Sometimes, facts and statistics don't stick with people and since we are intrinsically wired to follow narratives, I wanted to tell people a story in hopes that the message would resonate in a unique and powerful way. I wanted to give college sports the 1984 treatment and create a narrative that would be impactful and a little unsettling.”Lever, a former Division 1 athlete and PhD candidate at UT Austin, combines her personal experiences as a student athlete and the weight of her academic research in areas concerning NCAA rhetoric, discourse, and policy to create her stunning and emotionally driven literary debut. She tells the story through "Sis," who competes in the only NCAA sport, a no-holds-barred fighting league while dealing with trying to keep winning and maintaining a perfect GPA.M. K. Lever is a doctoral candidate at the University of Texas, researching NCAA rhetoric and policy, and working as a freelance sportswriter and sports consultant. She graduated from Western Kentucky Univiersity with a B.A. in Communication Studies and an M.A. in Organizational Communication. While at WKU, she was a Division 1 athlete running track and cross country and was a two-time Sun Belt Conference champion in track and field (indoor and outdoor).

While writing a tribute to his father, a survivor of the Holocaust who educated him on the importance of faith and Jewish values, Scott Shay was disturbed and dismayed to discover the presence of extremist anti-Zionist professors (Far Left and Far Right) on the faculty of his alma mater, Northwestern University. As a student of Jewish thought, history, and current events, who has written extensively on contemporary Jewish issues, he was compelled to take a deep dive into the world of anti-Zionist conspiracy theories and academia.“I learned that Northwestern University, my beloved alma mater and a jewel of American academia, has enabled some of its professors to openly promote conspiracy theories,” says Shay. “Sadly, many academics can no longer even identify conspiracy theories. Professorial proponents insist that far from being conspiracy theorists, they are brave truth tellers.”Set against the framework of Northwestern University's motto, Conspiracy U not only illustrates the issues present when serious and trustworthy scholarship is abandoned in favor of theory and ideology, but proposes that the motto itself points toward a better option. Rather than dismissing ideology or giving it undue precedence, Shay suggests that the motto and the Golden Rule together form an unbiased and universally applicable framework which provides the intellectual and moral criteria to distinguish between facts and conspiracy theories, leaving room for diversity while also excluding approaches that devalue our common humanity.

Erika Weathers is a two-time breast cancer survivor, actress, real estate agent, advocate, biker chick and soon to be adding a lot more to that list including first-time author with her new book Free Me 2 Be Me: My Turbulent Journey With Breast Cancer.While Erika reveals her battles with cancer in the book, Free Me 2 Be Me is also a story meant to inspire those going through the same fight while revealing the ups and downs of the author's own life as she looks both back to her early years and forward to those to come. Pick up Erika's book through her website, http://www.iamerikaweathers.com

From Russian spies to Nazi plots, to alien planets, to true love, Kevin L. Schewe is back on Book Spectrum with another action-packed romp in his critically acclaimed Bad Love series that will have you wishing for more. Bad Love Medicine takes readers from the deep-space beauty of Planet Azur back to a WWII Europe riddled with danger and espionage, bringing the Bad Love Gang face-to-face with one of history's greatest villains—Adolf Hitler himself.In this 4th book of the Bad Love Series, The Gang (based on his own friends in high school) once again set out to save history—this time, by stopping the Nazis from efforts to create a time machine of their own.

There aren't too many Comedy Dystopian Thrillers out there, so naturally we had to put its author, Phil Granchi, on Book Spectrum. In Mart of Darkness, the debut author takes readers (and your audience) to an American which has turned into a weird materialistic dystopia where Ted -- a screenwriter with no marketable skills with little screenwriting talent and a long list of temp jobs -- who finds himself somehow assigned to take down the CEO of Allmart, who is bent on taking over the world. Ted and his new team face off with Zombie shoppers, Purple Psycho People, Converts and Black Light Specials in this satirical homage to Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now.

Politically-charged debates are often passionate, yet at times cloud people's abilities to agree how and when to right a true wrong. While Crying “wolf,” buzzwords and misinformation have become the norm, they minimized those who are actually suffering or lost in the proverbial cracks. Let's take the story in “Hush Money,” by my guest Jacqui Abrams, a tale based on a true story of racism in the workplace. Due to many factors – not the least of which is fear of losing job and other people lying about or minimizing such at their own workplaces -- racial preferences and racism in companies and other work environments goes unreported or ignored. Through the eyes of the characters in her book - -HUSH MONEY -- , Jacquie relays an actually true story of a woman who called this out, won her argument, changed things and kept her job. We at Book Spectrum do not run with the "Woke" crowd, but we are interested in treating everyone with the respect they deserve and calling out wrongdoing when we see it. The story in Jacquie's Hush Money is rarely told and needs to be heard.Hush Money tells a compelling and cautionary tale that is all too familiar to Black people across the globe about the rigors of working in a large, highly bureaucratic organization and dealing with covert and overt racism. Levels and types of discrimination are chronicled in the five-year journey of Ebony Ardoin, an ambitious, young, Black woman in search of a fulfilling and rewarding career path that allows her to live the American Dream.The twisting arcs of Ebony's story reveal layers of emotional complexity and racial trauma as each new promotion invites praise, jealous rancor, and outright loathing. Organizational politics and protecting turf go hand in hand with discrimination, retaliation, intimidation, and racial hatred expressed in a variety of ways.Hush Money: How One Woman Proved Systemic Racism in her Workplace and Kept Her Job, by Jacquie Abram, has been selected by the Unity and Equality Alliance, located in Canada, as their next book to read. While the organization seeks to help people of color with issues locally, in Brockville, Ontario, they also see the big picture by pushing their messages far and wide. Abram's fictional story, inspired by true events, lays bare the struggles against racism many Black and Brown people experience in the U.S. and across the globe.

What do you do when your doctor recommends surgery to you or to a loved one? Do you question their decision? The answer for the vast majority of Americans is no. Most of us have been trained to trust our physicians completely. After all, they're the experts. They should know best.In his new book, Resetting Healthcare, our Book Spectrum guest this episode, Dr. Sanjay Prasad examines the lack of transparency in surgical care and offers a solution to the problem: a new, innovative tool called SurgiQuality that connects patients with qualified surgeons, offering second and third opinions, and even suggesting more conservative, non-surgical solutions as appropriate. Dr. Prasad reveals that between 10–20 percent of all surgeries in the US are unnecessary, either because of misdiagnosis or because a more conservative therapy may have been just as or even more effective.

Is it possible to change one's financial destiny and legacy? Do get-rich-quick schemes work? Are there proven principles that lead to financial security? Why is good time management important in building wealth? Mark Lazar tackles these questions and more in Pathway to Prosperity: Your Guide to Money and Economics, a comprehensive financial literacy program that takes the mystery out of money.Lazar knows this from personal experience, with a childhood marked by financial stress and uncertainty in a family that lived below the poverty line and struggled to make ends meet. While not a promising start, these early experiences gave him perspective, drive, and the motivation to change his future. He began working at age twelve, achieved financial independence early on, and was a millionaire by age 40. In Pathway to Prosperity he shares the common sense principles, values, and strategies that led to his success.“The bad news is there is no magic formula or get-rich-quick scheme,” states Lazar. “The good news, however, is that by building your wealth the right way—by understanding and incorporating sound financial principles into your everyday life and doing a handful of things a little better—over time you will become financially secure.”

During the Revolutionary War, undermanned but with something of a home-field advantage, leaders of the Continental Army concocted a cunning plan to keep the British from advancing up the Hudson River: setting up long metal chains in some locations from end-to-end. While a sound defensive strategy, the chains were not needed. Historian and author Bevis Longstreth, a Hudson Valley resident, imagines a scenario where the British found a way into the Hudson and would face the mega-traps in his new book, Chains Across the River.Longstreth brings to life the efforts of the Secret Committee of the "Committee of Safety" and how Thomas Machin was dispatched to handle the situation. He then tells the story of what might have happened had the British Empire sent an armada upward to try and take the Hudson.“Why do historians devote so little attention to Machin?” says Longstreth. “It's because of what didn't happen on the Hudson. The British cut the first chain without testing it, and they never sailed against the second. Washington and Machin understood that the chain could deter without being tested at all.”Bevis Longstreth is the author of four historical novels: Spindle and Bow, Return of the Shade, Boats Against the Current, and Chains Across the River. He combines his passion for history with a unique, contemporary perspective.Pick up Chains Across the River here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56186392-chains-across-the-river---a-novel-of-the-american-revolution

There were some pretty bad ideas throughout history, and not just picking the wrong color for a room or something line that. Writer and Producer Mike Smith has compiled a list of 100 huge ones in his new audiobook, The 100 Worst Ideas in History. Mike - with a lot of humor and several guest voices - tells these stories in the audiobook and will discuss them with you and your audience, hoping we are not doomed to repeat humanity's historically boneheaded moves including: How a confused chauffeur helped start World War IWho turned down the greatest product placement opportunity in cinema historyHow a baseball game helped hasten the death of discoaA toad that nearly ate AustraliaThe most dangerous children's game ever inventedThe tasty new snack food that's likely to give you diarrheaWhat was President William McKinley thinking by opting to not wear a bullet proof vest on the day he was assassinated?Enjoy our conversation with Mike Smith.

What is the difference between an average career and a successful one? Why are stellar communication skills critically important? What is grit and why does it matter more than innate natural ability? How do some people pull themselves out of poverty and into the ranks of successful entrepreneurs and professionals? Top Entertainment Lawyer Norman Bacal, in his clear and insightful book Take Charge, faces these questions and challenges young professionals to build the skills which can empower them toward professional success.“You can float along, hoping everything works out; or you can take charge of your future beginning right now. There are tools you need to survive and thrive,” says Bacal.The founder of prestigious Canadian law firm Heenan Blaikie and an attorney, Bacal has decades of experience and learned wisdom to draw on. Across the span of his career, Bacal noticed a void between what he was taught in law school and the practical skills he later developed that actually made a difference in building a successful career. In Take Charge, he provides a guidebook which gives back to the world of budding professionals, helping students and young entrepreneurs find their way toward success.Norman Bacal is a retired attorney and the founder of the Toronto law office Heenan Blaikie. While building and leading this firm, he also became a widely sought expert in tax law for the entertainment business. He has represented studios such as Warner Brothers and MGM, and served on the Board of Directors for Lionsgate while they were producing the Hunger Games film franchise.Upon retirement from practice in 2015, he took up writing, authoring the Globe and Mail bestselling memoir, Breakdown, as well as his Amazon bestselling fiction novel Odell's Fall and a soon to be released second novel, Ophelia. Bacal actively mentors young professionals and is a frequent keynote speaker at universities, firm retreats, and conferences. Bacall holds a third degree black belt in Shotokan Karate and is an avid golfer. He currently resides in Toronto with his wife, Sharon.Visit his website at www.NormanBacal.com

If we do not learn, or know enough about history, perhaps we will repeat mistakes of the past. In an era when history has been oversimplified, much of the important events and lessons are forgotten or completely ignored. Such is the case with the atrocities committed against women by the Imperial Japanese before and during World War II. Kevin James Moore tells the story about the regime's "Comfort Women" in his new novel, Pieces of Wood.Kenneth James Moore was researching the whereabouts of his World War II hero uncle who died during the battles in the Pacific Ocean between US and Japanese forces. While tracking down the events of his uncle's service and death, Moore uncovered information about how women were taken from poor villages in Japan and the nations it occupied then brought to any one of a series of facilities to be used as "Comfort Women" to be brutalized and used as sexual slaves by Imperial Soldiers. Moore turned this information into the informative and intriguing novel designed to tell us what schools and much of the media eschewed. When one is seeking answers regarding World War II in the Pacific, it is virtually impossible to avoid uncovering Imperial Japanese atrocities,” says Moore. “I was looking for data regarding my uncle's plane. I initially had no intention of writing a novel focused on violence against women. Though that subject has haunted me the vast majority of my adult life, it wasn't until happening upon the ‘ovens' that the need to write such a work imploded across every measure of my being.”Kenneth James Moore was born in 1949 in Tacoma, Washington. He graduated from Arizona State University and continued his education as a graduate student at Georgetown University. Political science and international relations were his calling.Mentored by a former professor who was a Cold War counter-intelligence officer, Ken spent a year long stint as a volunteer alongside Admiral Bobby Inman, the Director of the National Security Agency during its reconstruction phase. Ken and his wife Patricia moved to Southern California, where Ken worked at Beverly Hills Securities as a commercial loan officer. He quickly moved to the investment banking side of the house and was able to retire at 45.In 1994, Ken was the victim of a horrific automobile accident. Rehabilitation consumed every moment of the next four years as he relearned how to talk, walk, and swallow solid foods. Ken was haunted by a promise he had made to his mother at age seven, pledging to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of her youngest brother during WWII, Lt. Billy Weber, a B-29 Bomber pilot. His journey to the Pacific theater lead him to write the books The Hunt for the Life of Riley and Pieces of Wood. Learn more about Ken at www.kennethjamesmoore.com.

Did you know the U.S. Military's technical and defensive capabilities are not exactly up to the level it should be? Why would that be? Did you also know there are a lot of business opportunities for entrepreneurs to work with the Defense Department? This week on Book Spectrum, Julie Willis, CEO of DEFIANT Communication and author of Conceal Reveal: The Space between Entrepreneurs and the Defense Industry, discusses both aspects of military contracting: the opportunities and where national defense is lacking when it should not be,Willis reveals the dysfunctionality of military modernization and the environment built around it, why we should be more advanced, tech-wise, than we are and potential openness to espionage.In the book, you will find out:What is blocking the disruptive technology our warfighters need to protect and defend our countryThe true cost of research and developmentHow you can contribute to the success of our military in 2028 (and beyond)How DEFIANT Communication pivoted to serve the community of disruptors at the heart of defense innovationJulie Willis is an entrepreneur, longtime military contractor and CEO of DEFIANT Communication. Find out more about Julie on her website: https://www.defiantcomms.com/To pick up Julie's book: https://www.amazon.com/Conceal-Reveal-between-Entrepreneurs-Industry-ebook/dp/B08Q3H57WR

Leena Patel is an innovator, leader, philosopher, CEO and yoga guru who is also one of the nation's most sought-after speakers. Learning much of her ideals and principles from her grandfather. a direct disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, who mentored her from a young age, Leena offers insights in her new book, Raise Your Innovation IQ, far beyond what a normal business tome would. Drawing from her grandfather's teachings, life lessons and entrepreneurial acumen, the founder of Sandbox2Boardroom and best-selling author will teach you how to tap into your own inner innovator.Leena has trained and consulted for leaders from USA, England, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Scotland, India, Kenya, and Thailand. We talk about all of this and her many talents on this episode of Book Spectrum.Find out more about Leena and her book, Raise Your Innovation IQ, on her website: https://www.leenapatel.net/

“Success is yours if you want it to be.” says Scott Andrew, who built more than thirty different national and international businesses in the multi-million-dollar playing field. Now he's telling you how he did it.In his new book, The Rugged Entrepreneur, What Every Disruptive Business Leader Should Know, Andrew reveals what it takes to achieve your dreams, and shares a wealth of personal stories to motivate and inspire.Having gone from millionaire to broke twice, Andrew draws on his own personal stories of success—and failure—in the ventures that he and Daphne have undertaken over the years. The Andrews' businesses include BoxDrop Mattress and Furniture, bioPURE, Royal Heritage Home Furnishings, Rugged American Spirits, Electric Productions, RSSCO Outlets, Sapphire Sleep, and more.Andrew also shares his stories and anecdotes on the way up, down and back up again as he helps you become a Rugged Entrepreneur.

It's amazing how one little mistake or decision can change one's life and, perhaps, history. This week on Book Spectrum, Chris talks with Jared Knott, who compiled a library of destiny-changing little mishaps throughout the centuries in his new book: Tiny Blunders, Big Disasters: Thirty-Nine Tiny Mistakes That Changed the World Forever.Did you know:• An unopened letter saved the American cause inthe Revolutionary War?• A badly designed paper ballot changed theoutcome of a presidential election and led directly toa major war, a war that most now agree should neverhave been fought in the first place?• A German pilot's small mistake saved Britainand changed the course of WWII?These are just a few little coincidences and mistakes which changed the course of world. Jared offers your listeners examples from ancient times through today.Among his array of talents, Jared Knott has published several articles in the Mensa Bulletin and in graduate school textbooks on subjects ranging from Supreme Court Reform to Arctic Exploration. He was a decorated combat infantry officer in Vietnam in the First Air Cavalry Division. In his civilian career, he has been a marketing leader in the home improvement industry.

The Bad Love Gang is back again and so is Dr. Kevin Schewe. The first person featured on Book Spectrum has made well with the COVID lockdowns joins Chris Cordani to talk about his third book in the Bad Love Sci-Fi/Time Travel thriller series: Bad Love Beyond. This new book sees Bubble-But, Pud and the rest of the Bad Love Gang as they add space travel to their repertoire, driving across space and time to help President Gerald Ford deal with Soviet spies.These stories come from the mind of Dr. Kevin Schewe, an oncologist, and the characters are based on his neighborhood friends from his halcyon days.In our conversation, we discuss the story, what's next and what Kevin's friends think of their fictional counterparts.Pick up a copy of Bad Love Beyond here on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56054373-bad-love-beyond

Our guest on this week's Book Spectrum can not really be categorized. Is he a businessman? He did found S-M-and-A, led several companies and is what we call a “serial entrepreneur.” Is he an adventurer? In 1992, at the end of the Cold War, Steven Myers became the first American since Charles Lindbergh in 1931, to pilot an aircraft into the Russian Kamchatka peninsula – to do business. A life-improvement specialist? His dealings in Post-Soviet territories have made lives better for their populations. Steven Myers is also a Mathematician and served in the Air Force… that's a short list.We wanted to learn more about Myers after reading his book: CrossWinds: Adventures and Entrepreneurship in the Russian Far East, so we invited him on the show.For more on Steven Myers and his book, visit his website: https://stevenmyers.com/cross-winds/

The COVID-19 outbreak and government-induced shutdowns have caused mass unemployment, the loss of livelihoods, fear, depression, hopelessness and have separated families. During such times of uncertainty we must take advice, solace and guidance where we can find them. On this episode of Book Spectrum, Rev. Dr. Robert L. Gram (a fellow Hudson Valley resident) discusses a guidebook he created, titled Christ & Covid-19: Meditations for Peace in Times of Turmoil, through the tunnel of these troublesome times to bring wisdom of the ages to those seeking comfort. The Reverend drew from his personal experiences and Biblical teachings to create an easy to read book which gives people of all backgrounds the inspiration to persevere in the face of doubt. Rev. Gram talks with host Chris Cordani about the mental and physical health benefits of meditation as well as how practicing has helped him in his own life. This book is not only for followers of the Bible, says Gram, but all who want to find some peace in the middle of any tumultuous times. Rev. Dr. Robert L. Gram: retired from full time ministry in 2017. Some pastors end their careers publishing sermons, prayers, or meditations, but when Rev. Gram left the parish, he overslept for the first three months, catching up for the gradual depletion most clerics experience after decades of service. About his inspiration to write, then compose this book, Rev. Gram says: "Covid-19 provided a challenge, like an onrushing train, which couldn't be ignored. In the wake of the terror, a hope dispensing Jesus needed proclamation"

Can you look back at your life and say you have no regrets? Are you bogged down by the meaningless complexities of the world? In his witty and poignant first book: Let's Talk, lawyer and "Student of Humanity" - as he puts it - Art Rios says it's never too late to make your life exciting, easier, and exceptional.“When, where, why, and how did life stop being exciting and straightforward?” Rios asks. “We've taken on so much stress and worry. All the time. But why? For what?”The book, Let's Talk, is arranged as a series of "talks." Rios offers fun, simple ways you can improve your life today. It can be as easy as spending more time with family, relaxing with a long lunch, or enjoying a lazy Sunday in your pajamas. “Improving your life doesn't have to be complicated,” says Rios. “It's just a matter of putting a little common sense and thought into the way you're living your life.”Pick up Art's book through his website: https://riostalks.com/

While #conspiracytheories have gone mainstream over the past few years from the Russian Collusion #Hoax to the Sharpie Incident, the Queen Mother of events piled with such speculation is the #JFK Assassination. Fred Litwin, a former JFK Conspiracy Theorist has #debunked all of the several explanations surrounding the murder. He goes further into the investigations with his new book: On The Trail of Delusion: Jim Garrison: The Great Accuser. He looks into the rabbit hole the former prosecutor delved into and the injustices which followed. Enjoy our new season.Fred's website: https://www.onthetrailofdelusion.com/

Kevin Schewe is back with a new Sci-Fi Time Travel Sequel: Bad Love Tigers, his sequel to Bad Love Strikes (which was featured on our first Book Spectrum show).Author (and Oncologist) Dr. Kevin Schewe asks “What if you had the chance to go back in time and talk to President Roosevelt about the atomic bomb? What would you say to him?"Schewe explores this topic and more in his much-anticipated time-travel adventure novel, Bad Love Tigers. After going back in time to rescue people from the Nazis, Schewe's sequel to Bad Love Strikes sees the Bad Love Gang - Pud, Bubble Butt and the others - taking another trip to the World War II era, this time to warn President Franklin D. Roosevelt about the Germans' plans to create the atomic bomb. The President would enlist their help to protect The US' White Hole Time Travel Project, Area 51 and an adventure leading them all the way to WWII China.Pick up the book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DPCPGD Kevin's website: https://kevinschewe.com/

We celebrate #Christmas in July with professional Caroler, Spreader of Cheer and Speaker Renae Baker, whose mission is to spread holiday cheer all year. In her book, Defeating Scrooge: How to Harness the Power of Christmas Carols to Revive Your Spirit Any Time of Year, Renae delves into the history of some of our favorite seasonal songs, their meanings and how they are relevant to what is happening today. Renae reveals why the joyous feelings and goodness of the Christmas season can help us all get through the pandemic, adversity and turmoil of the time. We also talk about Renae's I S.M.I.L.E. Foundation.Renae's Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/30mcBCKRenae's Website https://renaebaker.com/#ChristmasInJuly #holidays #christmas #christmascarols #christmasspirit #GoodwilltoAll #books #authors #caroling

S1, E12: New on #Book Spectrum: #PR and #Publicity Pro Scott Lorenz, who has placed authors in national and international publications as well as #radio and #television stations, talks with host Chris Cordani about his book designed to help writers of their own books: Book Title Generator: A Proven System in Naming Your Book.#Authors work hard writing, proofreading, and re-writing their books several times. Still, the small amount of words on the cover can make a huge difference between a best-seller and a missed opportunity.Lorenz offers his experience and expertise in book promotion to help authors know what elements in a good title attract both readers and potential press. It is an important book for all those who want to compose a book. As a podcaster/broadcaster, I will add this book is also valuable for program, workshop and event creators.Pick up the book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2C2bHmlScott's website: https://www.book-marketing-expert.com/

This week on Book Spectrum: During a time of political vitriol and comedians who are trying to pass themselves off as political pundits, what happened to the good old American tradition of light-heartedly making fun of our political leaders on both sides? Every president has mannerisms and idiosyncrasies which are ripe for some jocular ribbing, so let's all lighten up a bit. Enter Satirist Dr. Preston Coleman, who has lampooned pols from all over the spectrum, who joins Book Spectrum to talk about his new book: The Lost Gospel of Donald. A couple of decades ago, he targeted the Clintons with his humorist glasses in the book Those Arkansaw Bumpkins.In The Lost Gospel of Donald, Dr. Coleman takes us back to Biblical times as we meet the Roman Empire's Donald of Gaul, a casino magnate who witnesses Jesus' miracles and constantly tries to sign the Son of God as a magic act at his venue. Coleman brilliantly plays around with the public persona that made pre-President Trump an enjoyably bombastic business celebrity to create a book which will entertain both Trump supporters and detractors.Dr. Coleman talks with host Chris Cordani about the book, the Donald of Gaul character, how poking some fun at leaders on both sides of the fence can be politically therapeutilc and how many in our nation might need to develop a sense of humor.Pick up The Lost Gospel of Donald on Amazon: https://amzn.to/30WwBOwPick up Those Arkansaw Bumpkins on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hGuHHKPreston's website: https://prestoncoleman.com/