Book Review: The Legman

The Legman. Mike Kerr. Kindle Direct Publishing, March 10, 2019, Trade Paperback and E-book, 448 pages.

Reviewed by Janet Cole.

The Legman provides graphic accounts of violence resulting from integration attempts in a Chicago neighborhood in the late 1960s. The story unfolds with a group of one hundred black youths marching up the sidewalks of a Chicago neighborhood. Their organized intent was to intimidate and motivate the white residents to leave the area so that African Americans could move in. An older individual, well into his twenties, led the group of teenagers. An eyewitness to the event, a young white girl who lived in one of the houses along the march route, had the misfortune of making eye contact with the leader. He was close enough for her to see his features in detail, including the malice in his eyes and a distinctive tattoo on his neck—all of which terrified her. And, he was close enough to see her in detail and to note where she lived.

The march was just the first of many frightening and progressively more brutal acts. The church fire, clearly not an accident as declared by authorities, resulted in the death of the church’s minister and the loss of a small child’s eye. Several murders also occurred. The suspect was the march leader with the tattoo on his neck.

The cast of characters, including the inspired reporter, the artistically talented and successful widow of the minister burned in the church fire, a suspended police officer, a refined minister of another black church, and a physically powerful and loyal friend of the young reporter, join forces. They intend to stop the carnage by capturing and eliminating the instigator. During their investigations to discover his whereabouts, the group finds that the unlikely co-conspirators initiating this tragic series of events were the minister who was burned in the church fire and a decadent neighborhood realtor. One was motivated by greed, the other by "well-intentioned" aspirations for the Civil Rights movement. They also discover other complex relationships.

Events continue to escalate. The march leader that the conspirators hired turned out to be a madman obsessed with fire. His delusions lead him to kill innocent victims, including the girl who witnessed him at the march. The group’s investigations uncover the horrific childhood of the madman and his mother, perhaps the underlying cause for his violence. Their examination of archived documents reveals the relationship of the young reporter to a great uncle, who through violent and immoral actions, indirectly created the madman central to the violence. 

Kerr’s book is expertly written and edited. His story creates a reality through which the reader can experience conflicts between whites and blacks, and demonstrates how they can successfully work together to confront issues. The book includes extensive and detailed narration of the unfolding events.

After reading and enjoying the book, I felt there were two areas for improvement. At times, I wished it was clearer which character was speaking through dialog. Also, I was puzzled by the lack of despair and anger one would expect from the young widow of the minister who was burned in the church fire. These two small suggestions do not impact the overall positive impression of the book.

Through its elaborate descriptions and colorful characters, The Legman effectively brings to life the Civil Rights movement and issues present in Chicago’s neighborhoods during the '60s.

Book Review: My Own Ways Through This Life

My Own Ways Through This Life. Christopher Viau. Kindle Direct Publishing, March 8, 2020, Trade Paperback and E-book, 55 pages.

Reviewed by Julie S.Halpern.

Chris Viau is a nature enthusiast, poet, avid Cubs fan, artist, and archivist. He also has Cerebral Palsy, a condition which challenges but does not define him, as he eloquently shares his unique take on life. He has difficulty walking, speaking, and eating, and he depends on the help of aides to live the full life he has created for himself. His resiliency and determination to survive and thrive despite numerous setbacks will inspire anyone who has been abused or ignored by an unfair system. 

His condition was caused when he stopped breathing for fifteen minutes during birth. His early years were frustrating due to schools that were ill-equipped to handle his needs. His physical limitations were often seen as mental deficiencies, and he was sometimes referred to as “retarded.” Unable to receive physical and occupational therapy early on, he began to fall behind in his studies. Fortunately, Chris found outlets in camping, writing poetry, and creating visual art. He remains a loyal Cubs fan who appreciates the great view he has from the accessible seats at Wrigley Field, twenty rows from the field. His religious faith is strong, and he is grateful to his Pastor and to a teacher who helped sustain him through periods of depression. 

Chris’s early years in high school were enjoyable, but his studies began to deteriorate, causing him to remain in high school until he was 21. As advances in technology became available, Chris was better able to communicate and is grateful for the assisting devices he uses to help make life easier. Even with advanced devices, when he was finally able to attend college, he found some of the coursework difficult and was disappointed by the lack of teamwork among his fellow students.

When Chris realized it was time to leave his family’s home, he was confronted by a new set of challenges as he struggled to find the right group home. The state-run system did not serve his needs, and he was subjected to physical and emotional abuse, which caused him to spiral into despair. Ultimately, he was committed to a mental institution, where he was misdiagnosed and incorrectly medicated, and again abused and threatened.

After surviving these experiences, he finally found A Place Called Over the Rainbow, an apartment for disabled individuals. He now receives the services he needs to live an independent life. His home, located in a beautiful community near a nature preserve, suits him perfectly. He also has found his dream job as an archivist at Arts of Life, where he utilizes his computer and visual art skills. He has been a Special Olympian in baseball, playing left field, and works on the USA Youth Committee. 

Samples of Chris’s poetry appear at the end of the book. Each piece is a sensitive, thought-provoking window into his world.

Book Review: The Werewolf of Polnoye and Other Stories

The Werewolf of Polnoye and Other Stories. Harry White. Self-published, March 9, 2020, Trade Paperback and E-book, 160 pages.

Reviewed by Mike Freveletti.

Something I find exhilarating while moving through a short story collection is thinking about the time between the creation of stories and how the author has evolved throughout that process. The Werewolf of Polnoye and Other Stories by Harry White hits a lot of different notes tonally, and I found myself not entirely sure what to expect from story to story. It appears the author was experimenting with themes including solitude, family, higher education, religion, and the fantastic—all of which made for an interesting reading experience.

The collection starts very strong with “The Teacher,” a story that looks as though it draws on the author’s experience as a professor and the types of lasting relationships that can be forged between student and teacher. In this story, we get short, clipped sentences with just the right word selection to convey blunt emotion. The minimalist realism at play regarding what we should expect from our teachers had me thinking back to the teachers I’ve had throughout my educational career, how much those folks taught me, and how little I remember about them as people. White stays on the realism path with the next story in the collection, “The Enigma Man,” which pulled me in almost immediately with the title and ended up forcing me to think about that character we all see every day who seems to be following us. Who is that guy, and what’s his deal? Why is he always in the same place every time I see him?

After a couple of realist tales, the collection goes in a slightly different direction, that I wasn’t ready for. The author gave me pieces that looked to have religious connotations and mythologies built by the author that may have been rooted in history (I’ll confess it’s a history I’m not entirely familiar with). Then he pivoted and shared a fantastical piece, the title story, “The Werewolf of Polnoye,” which so awesomely flips the fairy tale form on its head. I’d recommend you just read it in case a werewolf ever shows up in your town. This story may help you handle it. In “The Rabbi’s Magic Wagon,” the author sticks to the fabulist subject matter, allowing the reader to find out what happens when a character has a penchant for thievery. White is a solid stylist in that I felt like he was transforming his storytelling methods for each piece, given how seamlessly they navigate between what is real and what isn’t. However, some stories that ventured outside the realistic vein didn’t always stick the landing.  

The author is at his best when he’s taking a deep dive into characters and the unknowable nature of day-to-day life. Another strong candidate for best piece in the collection, “Pillow Talks,” is a masterful exploration of loss and love, including what it means to be a parent and raise children, and what it’s like to fall in love after having your heart broken in more ways than one. It’s a beautiful story.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the artwork that’s peppered throughout the collection by Chicago born artist Leopold Segedin. Being a fan of visual art as well as short fiction, I felt like I was getting a mixture between an art book and a short story collection, something I found incredibly pleasant as I read. White’s The Werewolf of Polnoye and Other Storiesis a mostly satisfying read with some gems of realist short fiction. There are stories you’re going to want to visit again when you find yourself just in the mood for good old-fashioned storytelling.

Book Review: Things Behind the Sun

Things Behind the Sun. David W. Berner. Adelaide Books, March 31, 2020, Trade Paperback and E-book, 192 pages.

Reviewed by Michelle Burwell.

While secrets have a reputation of driving people apart, some secrets, when brought to light, have the potential of bringing people closer together. When Martin Gregory and his adopted son head out west, each has starkly different expectations for their road trip. The two are keeping secrets from one another, and each has plans to up-end the trip. But when the secrets are finally revealed, the two discover a newfound empathy for one another. A captivating exploration of identity, Things Behind the Sun reveals there is no chasm of secrets large enough that a summer road trip can't bridge.

Martin, a writer and college professor, has found himself in a stagnant stage of life. He is working and writing but feeling unmotivated. And, long-held secrets from his past are beginning to catch up to him. Chase, Martin’s adopted son, seems distant and guarded. Now that Chase is nearly eighteen, Martin is growing anxious. He hopes a road trip, during which he will ultimately reveal the past to Chase, will bring the two together.

Martin adopted Chase over seventeen years ago when a woman he’d loved became terminally ill. While Chase knows somewhat about his mom and his past, Martin has hidden many of the ominous, looming details. But a person from the past has secretly reached out to Chase, and Chase knows more than Martin thinks he does. While Martin is trying to finally connect with his son, Chase, overwhelmed, is beginning to feel like running away from it all. 

David Berner’s Things Behind the Sun is a revealing novel about fathers and sons, and letting go in order to come together. His earlier books have often been inspired by Jack Kerouac’s journeys on the road and highlighted themes of personal growth, companionship, and evolution in humanity. His newest offering has beautifully delivered on all three of these themes.

Book Review: Fury

Fury: Women’s Lived Experiences During the Trump Era. Amy Roost and Alissa Hirshfeld (Authors and Editors). Raleigh, NC: Pact Press, an imprint of Regal House Publishing, LLC., March 20, 2020, 240 pages.

Reviewed by Susan Fox.

Thirty-eight women. Thirty-eight essays. Thirty-eight shouts of rage, whispers of hope, confessions, and confrontations. Thirty-eight ways to proclaim the truth, reclaim our bodies, and find our true selves. These essays are written by smart, engaging, and articulate women who share personal insights on the 2016 presidential election as they attempt to make sense of a world that is suddenly less safe and less humane.

These talented authors represent the gay, straight, native-born, and immigrant communities. They are married and single. They are Caucasian, Latina, and women of color. They are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and non-religious. They come from such places as Trinidad, Haiti, Bangladesh, and Gary, Indiana. Collectively their work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and Vogue. These women are college professors, Fulbright teaching fellows, managing editors, and high school drop-outs. They are mothers, environmentalists, food critics, activists, podcasters, victims of violence, and therapists.

Their essays reflect who they are, detailing life experiences and how the Trump presidency has changed their world. Their voices are as diverse as the authors themselves, each personal and distinct. But collectively, they warn, commiserate, offer hope, and express rage.

The essays are grouped into six themes. In “Our Bodies,” writers explore misogyny and talk about how Trump repeatedly reduces women to their bodies only. In “Catholic Bodies or Notes from the Kavanaugh Hearings,” Mary Catherine Ford writes of her journey to find and trust her voice.

Essays grouped under another theme, “Our Selves," examine the effects of trauma on women, the lingering PTSD, and how Trump's rhetoric triggers the re-opening of wounds. In her poignant essay, “New Normal,” Amy Roost describes her son’s massive stroke and the permanent changes that occur. Roost’s son, a once-promising college student, begins a long and arduous rehabilitation with no guarantee of experiencing “normal” ever again. Roost deftly juxtaposes this new reality with Trump’s presidential campaign: hoping for the best but knowing on a gut level that his election marks the end of normalcy in the U.S. government. 

Essays in “Our Families” examine what women can teach their daughters. After the massacre at The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill, near the neighborhood where she grew up, Lea Grover writes in “How I’m Teaching My Jewish Daughters About Donald Trump” that she wants to tell her daughters to speak and be seen; that they are the future and the change we all need. Yet, she understands that no one is safe from the hate spewing from the Oval Office. Fear and the collective memory of Anne Frank produce in her the reflexive urge to hold them back and whisper, “Hide and be silent, my loves, and pray that silence will keep you safe.”

Other themes include “Our People,” "Our Work," and "Our Perseverance," the entries in each speaking powerfully to women’s experiences, feelings, and thoughts that result from living and working under a xenophobic president. Muslim author Mahin Ibrahim writes about belonging to a minority and the vigilance necessary to live and work. Of all the communities she encountered, she writes, “It was the homeless, the most marginalized, who were the most welcoming of all.” 

In “A Red Diaper Baby Returns to Her Roots,” 74-year-old Erica Manfred urges readers to contemplate the specter of losing the struggles for a clean environment, an end to racism, help for the poor and marginalized, and a woman’s right to choose. “No need to wait for the next generation,” she states. “We are that generation.” 

These brave, eloquent, and engaging women have written essays revealing their dreams, fears, and passions. For each essay I’ve cited, there are a dozen more, equally well written and provocative. Each author is captivating and confident in her voice, some telling cautionary tales, others divulging profound insights, and still others laying out plans of action. Together their work makes this recommended collection a glittering mosaic of experiences and thoughtful analysis.