A novel based around real estate in Miami, I was not convinced that I would enjoy it. I had thoughts of tawdry love affairs among realtor's, and board room struggles between power brokers. But, instead I found a hugely entertaining, and side splittingly funny novel that makes me chuckle every time I see the cover. This is humor at its very apex. Humor is a hard genre to be successful in but this author definitely has 'The Write Stuff.'
Alan Rolnick has created a vignette of life in Miami with Landmark Status that deserves a spot on the best seller list. The characters are wild, bent politicians, bent land developers, and even a Ponzi scheme thrown in for good measure, and what finer setting than Miami?
The hero in our story is attorney Steven Benjamin Bluestone, Benjy to his friends. Benjy is a delightful character, and as he explains early in the book, he became an attorney because his father was one, but he has little interest in wrangling and courtroom drama preferring the more sedate type of lawyering that involves smoking Cuban cigars and ogling young ladies! He avoids at all cost the world of Real Estate, ?Dirt Lawyers? is how he describes them.
Unfortunately for Benjy an old client returns, one who had used his services in a divorce (something else that Benjy doesn't do), and persuades him to assist in a ?dirt deal?. If Benjy has a fault it is not being able to say no, when ex client, and friend Walter, who also happens to own one of Benji's favorite watering holes needs ?dirt help?, he leaps, albeit reluctantly, into the ride of his life.
The rather decrepit Century Club that Walter owns has suddenly become a much sought after piece of dirt. And there are few lengths that an unscrupulous developer will not go to secure it's ownership.
The characters that Alan Rolnick has created are wild. But they are so well crafted they take on a reality in the readers mind. From the accident prone Benjy, to the money hungry mayor Oscar Torres, the even money hungrier would be land developer Chuck Steinbeck and his slightly aging trophy wife Evelyn, they are all so well described I can guarantee you will love them. And these are just the beginning, we also have love interest from the Mayors niece Delia, we have Raj the Cigar Man, oh, and of course Rico the bungling bodyguard!
This is a riotous book, you are laughing on page one, and you are still laughing on the last page. There are cars wrecked, planes burned, Voodoo curses, even cemeteries desecrated, and this is all achieved with a dark humor that I find hard to believe comes from a first time author. This is also a book that would transition easily into a very very funny movie. And I did note that Alan Rolnick is not only an attorney, and an author, he is also a director, so come on Alan, make it happen!
Book Review Memoirs Of
When I first started seeing an ENT specialist years ago for my sinus problems, I purchased a couple of books on the subject of sinusitis. When I mentioned this to my doctor and asked a couple of questions that showed a bit more knowledge of the subject than most people had, he frowned and had a worried look on his face. He then commented that having only “a little bit of knowledge was dangerous". I therefore appreciated the comments by Dr. Josephson in his new book entitled “Sinus Relief Now- The Groundbreaking 5 Step Program for Sinus, Allergy, and Asthma Sufferers". He stated: “If your physician responds negatively to your newfound knowledge or is obviously uncomfortable working with a patient who is well educated about his or her disease, it’s another clear signal that it’s time to move on" (and find another doctor). I wish I had had this advice at that time, as the doctor eventually performed my first sinus surgery, caused me immense pain, and he didn’t improve my situation at all.
It should be mentioned at this point that Dr. Josephson is a well known and highly regarded ENT specialist and surgeon. He has several times been on New York magazine’s “Best Doctors" list. He has been an expert commentator on many local and national television programs, and he is the Director of the New York Nasal and Sinus Center. I personally believe this book should be part of the home library of anyone who suffers from what Dr. Josephson calls CAID, or Chronic Airway-Digestive Inflammatory Disease.
In the U.S. alone this includes about 70 million people who suffer from sinus disease, asthma, allergies, reflux diseases GERD and LRPD, as well as sleep problems like snoring and sleep apnea. Dr. Josephson believes that all these problems can be related for the simple reason that they all are associated with parts of the body which are directly connected together in the upper and lower respiratory and digestive systems. This is an interesting concept and is explained clearly and thoroughly in the early chapters of the book. Dr. Josephson discusses the symptoms of all these maladies and then offers a CAID test, which helps the reader understand which branch of CAID is causing his problems. He explains symptoms and possible treatment options in great detail for the various “limbs" of CAID, sinus disease, allergies, asthma, GERD and LPRD, and sleep disorders such as snoring and sleep apnea.
One point is made clear throughout the book: like high blood pressure, sinus disease cannot be “cured" in the sense that it is gone once and for all, but it can only be controlled. But with this awareness and being knowledgeable about one’s problem, it is possible to control these health issues, and one can improve his or her life and not be forced to “just live with it".
There are a number of things I was pleased to see in “Sinus Relief Now":
1.Dr. Josephson is a sinus sufferer himself. He has undergone sinus surgery, uses the therapies he recommends, and “knows the feeling". I got the feeling when reading the book that this person has gone through some of the same pain I have experienced.
2.Dr. Josephson strongly emphasizes the use of nasal irrigation. He uses a sinus irrigation device every day, as do I. He also talks about using a neti pot for sinus irrigation, but I’ve used both and find the irrigator much more effective. I personally would not even recommend the neti pot method.
3.Dr. Josephson is a surgeon, and he pushes for a very conservative approach regarding turbinates. In the past many surgeons routinely cut out parts or even most of the turbinates in people. In recent years it is becoming apparent that this can have disastrous effects on patients over time, and there are many horror stories to read at the forum of the ENS Association web site. ENS stands for Empty Nose Syndrome, which is the term coined for this condition.
4.Dr. Josephson says that smokers with CAID problems simply must quit. He has some appreciation of the difficulty of quitting, however, and offers some guidelines for that as well.
Both Simon Barrett & Walter Ballenberger are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Simon Barrett has sinced written about articles on various topics from Auto Insurance, Entertainment Guide and Writing. Simon Barrett is an adult educator in Calgary, Alberta. With the 11 months a year of winter, he reads a lot of books! He is also a contributing editor for an. Simon Barrett's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
Walter Ballenberger has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sinus Infections, Baby Shower and Arts. Walt Ballenberger is founder of a resource web site for sinusitis sufferers like himself. For a free report entitled “Sinus Treatment Succe. Walter Ballenberger's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
