Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Narrative Non-Fiction

WORDSTRUCK! by Susanna Janssen – Pop Culture Encyclopedias, Language Humor, Phonetics & Phonics Reference

As Susanna Janssen notes in this eclectic and fabulously fun study of all things language-related, “The world of words is ever-changing, dynamic, and alive with the times as we constantly invent vocabulary to talk about new realities.” And she proves just that in this book that overflows with wit, wisdom, humor, and an infectious love of spoken and written words and phrases.

Janssen warmly engages the reader to take an etymological adventure with her, one that has me listening for new words in conversations and scanning newspaper articles for recent additions to the English language. Her book is a potent reminder that language is not static, that at this very moment it’s evolving. Yes, it’s alive!

Consider some of the words used in the second decade of the 21st Century: Beatbox. Catfish. Frenemy. Geocache. Selfie-stick. Quinzhee (I confess, I had to look this one up). Could we have anticipated their advent? No, just as we can’t say with certainty what new words will enter our vocabulary with the next generation. Children will be asking Santa for gifts with names that currently elude us. The uncertainty, though, only underscores how wondrous language is as it chronicles and shapes life around the globe.

Wordstruck! is brimming with research (check out the impressive list of sources consulted), anecdotes, charming and often hilarious footnotes that chart the author’s efforts to bring us this enthusiastic celebration of language and its evolution. For example, did you know that Homer used a total of 9,000 different words to write the Iliad and the Odyssey? Shakespeare, centuries later, used 30,000 to write his plays, although part of the reason he was so much wordier than Homer is that the Bard birthed new words right and left and gave older words a new versatility. He did amazing things by simply adding “un” to the front of a noun. We may use words like “clean” and “unclean” without thinking today, but at one time, flipping the meaning of a word was both a novelty and an innovation.

If you’re a grammar nerd like I am, you’ll love Janssen’s observations of people who “overcompensate” and use “I” when “me” is the correct pronoun. And is there a more beautiful definition of a preposition than “…just a handy little word that usually tells us the relationship between what precedes it and what follows it”? Words migrate with people; they morph when cultures bump up against each other via war (M’aidy! For “Aid Me” becomes Mayday!), religion (consider the Diet of Worms, eeeew! Papal Bulls?!), and love (Do you prefer, “Will you be my valentine”? or “Will you be my little poopsie?”) And why does the color yellow evoke different feelings in Germany than it does in the United States? Yes, language is the vehicle for humans loving, fighting, worshipping, and feeling. Language is the thread that connects and weaves together every aspect of life.

In the second half of the book, the author shares her story and how she first came to write the chapters as articles for a local paper. Her stint as a journalist followed a career as a professor of Spanish with a lifelong bent for all things related to the Romance languages. Her upbringing in a Catholic family of Dutch and Italian origins put her on a path to a lingual life. She would love her readers to share her joy, and she urges all to study a second language to reap countless benefits, including keeping a sharp mind as we age.

There are just too many gems to fit into a single review of this book, and that is precisely why you must read Wordstruck! and experience its subtitle, The Fun and Fascination of Language, firsthand. Be ready to learn, to laugh, and to love language in all its complexity!

May 31, 2019
In Celebration of Mother’s Day – Interesting Tidbits, Some History, and a Few of Our Favorite Books
Photo by George Dolgikh of Giftpundits

While mothers are as varied and diverse as the many varieties of flowers in the world, none of us would be here without them! When I think of the word “mother,” there is no possible way I can disassociate the word from my mother. She is strong-willed, strong-minded, and strong-opinioned. And her love rivals the strength of the greatest army the world has ever known. She is my mother. She is the one person who loves me enough to tell me when I am wrong and, yet, loves me anyway.

How and When was “Mother’s Day” Started

As all things of Western Civilisation seem to have started in ancient Greece it seems (reference: My Big Fat Greek Wedding), so did Mother’s Day. Well, sort of, honoring the goddess, Cybele/Rhea (depending on time and region). The early Christian Church co-opted the day, calling it “Mothering Sunday,” a festival day in which the faithful would return to the church of their birth.

When is Mother’s Day Celebrated Around the World?
- Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, in the USA, Canada, most European countries, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Japan, the Philippines, and South Africa.
- The UK and Ireland celebrate Mother’s Day on the fourth Sunday in Lent.
- Most Arab countries celebrate Mother’s Day on March 21st (vernal equinox).
- Most East European countries celebrate Mother’s Day on March 8th. For a complete overview of the dates of Mother’s Day around the world see Mother’s Day on Wikipedia.
The Rise of Mother’s Day in America

Before the Civil War, Ann Jarvis and her friend, Julia Ward Howe decided to set up regional clubs, “Mothers Day Work Clubs” designed to teach young mothers how to care for their infants. Their involvement and the clubs continued throughout the Civil War and once the war ended, they held a Mothers’ Friendship Day and invited both Union and Confederate soldiers and their mothers to attend. Big strides toward reconciliation were made through the efforts of these women.

The women who inspired Mother’s Day were social activists, abolitionists, suffragettes, and educators who wanted to make their world – and their children’s world a much better place. And that is something to celebrate!

It was all made a legal holiday when Anna Jarvis, inspired by her social activist mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis, decided to memorialize a day in which to celebrate her mother. In 1907, three years after her mother’s death, she did just that. She chose a white carnation to inspire people to remember their mothers and what they sacrificed for them.

“Its whiteness is to symbolize the truth, purity and broad-charity of mother love; its fragrance, her memory, and her prayers. The carnation does not drop its petals, but hugs them to its heart as it dies, and so, too, mothers hug their children to their hearts, their mother love never dying. When I selected this flower, I was remembering my mother’s bed of white pinks (flowers)…” – Anna Jarvis (quote)

It wasn’t until 1914 that Woodrow Wilson signed a decree that designated the second Sunday in May as the United States official day to celebrate Mother’s Day. Of course, Mother’s Day is celebrated all over the world (in at least 49 countries) on different days.

It should be noted that Anna Jarvis wasn’t very happy with the commercialization of Mother’s Day and she fought long and hard to try and get it withdrawn as a national holiday, but we all know how that ended. And if you don’t, well, let’s just say it is a most intriguing mystery…

Suggested Reads

Because mothers are incredibly diverse in their habits and reading lists, we invite you to dive into our reviews and choose what’s you think your mother would like to read most and to perhaps enjoy the books yourself.

Chanticleer Mother’s Day Reading List!

Jaimie Ford‘s Love and Other Consolation Prizes is powerful storytelling from a master storyteller! Jaimie Ford breathes to life a little-known piece of Seattle history spanning the early to the mid 21st century. And a truly unique story of the many ways a mother’s love can manifest itself.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate is a disturbing look into what those who should know better, choose to do to society’s most vulnerable during the 30-years between 1920 and 1950 at the Tennessee Children’s Home Society.

Dian a F orbes‘ Mistress Suffragette examines the facts of life, the challenges of social restrictions, and the woes of youthful love through the eyes of a sharp-minded, sharp-shooting young woman. Mistress Suffragette is now available on Audible!

Nicole Evelina‘s Madame Presidentess is a fascinating story of a woman’s meteoric rise from rags to riches, from subservience to achievement – based on a true story that was instrumental in propelling the Suffragette Movement.

A Theory of Expanded Love by Caitlin Hicks is a bold, authentic, & captivating –a young teen in the 1960s confronts doctrine when it threatens to outweigh compassion.

Caregiving Our Loved Ones by Nanette Davis, Ph.D. Dr. Davis passes on her knowledge to caregivers for dealing with the ongoing emotional, financial and health toll of taking care of someone who will never get better.

Nick Adams‘ Away at War: A Civil War Story of the Family Left Behind is a rich and fascinating account of day-to-day life in rural America in the mid-19th century set against the backdrop of the Civil War. Taken from primary sources, this narrative brings to life all that was loved and all that was lost.

This is just the beginning of our list! To find more amazing reads in every genre, please click here to discover our favorites!

We would like to wish all mothers, mothers-to-be, stand-in mothers, and those who possess the mothering instinct, a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Electronic Bibliography:

Mother’s Day Photo Attribution: https://giftpundits.com/our-free-photos/

History.com

Wikipedia

http://www.calendarpedia.com/when-is/mothers-day.html
May 12, 2019
The 2020 CANDIDATE by Lloyd Bruce Miller – Political, Presidential Bid, Non-Fiction
There are so many hopefuls gearing up for the United States 2020 election, what’s one more?

Meet Lloyd Bruce Miller, 75-year-old who wants your vote. Or not. You see, Mr. Miller is a complicated man. Crazy, some may say – and why not, for he calls himself ‘crazy’ several times throughout his bid for the presidency.

In all actuality, it is uncertain whether or not Mr. Miller is indeed throwing his hat into the ring for 2020. He realizes he’s a “nobody” but goes on to comment that if “Trump could win, I don’t see why I, or anyone for that matter, couldn’t be a valid candidate.” By the way, Mr. Bruce did make a run for mayor of New York City back in 2009, he even registered, but Michael Bloomberg stole the election from underneath him. It’s as simple as that.

Reading through his 10,962-word bid for the 2020 Presidency (this is, the point of fact, what Mr. Miller’s book is all about), we begin to wonder who this man is. Where did he come from? He helps us out on page 24 by stating that “…(he) doesn’t really want to be president. (He’s) a fictional character in a story or novel.” We should all think of him in this way.

And yet, he has these thoughts… “I am a lunatic of some sort, a screwball in a novel. My name is Harold. That’s enough for you to know, at least for now.” He goes on to say, “The man who wrote something called ‘Utopia’, Thomas Moore I believe, must have been also a little crazy, like me.” Further along, he gives himself the title, “Harold the madman.”

From my perspective, there is nothing unusual for a politician to be a ‘madman.’ Most politicians have to be a little off in order to open themselves up to ridicule and public display. That being said, should you wish to cast your vote for Harold the Madman in 2020, you should know what he stands for, what his policies are, and how he approaches things.

Here’s a head’s up, Harold the Madman is not ‘politically correct’ in any fashion. Reading through his bid, here is what I’ve discovered:
1. Criminal Justice System. Criminals should be treated with respect and reasoned with. Therefore, no prison terms in years; prison terms should be measured by if the individual has had a real change.
2. Bullies have a right to bully. It’s a matter of protecting their Freedom of Speech. Victims of the so-called bullying should “toughen up.” (I warned you…) But, even so this is the age of “Jordan Petersen” and his penchant for political incorrectness that attracts both support and criticism.
3. #Metoo. It is, according to Harold the Madman, wrong for a woman to ruin a man’s career simply because he touched her. It’s up to women to tell men what behavior is right or wrong. He arrives at this because “100 French actresses came forward opposed to the Me, too, movement*.” Also, according to HtM, “women and men play sexually with each other.” He is also from the “Mad Men” era, much like that uncle we all have and care for but disagree with at Thanksgiving dinner. Perhaps Harold the Madman isn’t a misnomer after all, but perchance a lingering after effect?
4. Freedom of speech is the foundation of a free society; therefore, people have the right to talk about wanting to kill themselves, wanting to kill other people, etc. Because the only way to help these people is to talk to them and reason with them. HtM is opposed to the Suicide Hotline, and they are monitored by the government, and the government is more interested in collecting information about you to aid in your arrest**.
5. Foreign policy. Because HtM doesn’t have a lot of experience with foreign policy, he is going to leave it in the hands of the military. He believes in compromise and Manifest Destiny. This allows for the policy he proposes next: Because we cannot fit “the entire population of the whole world into the area of the current United States… you are welcome to join us, but now, your land is our land, part of the United States under the jurisdiction of our federal government.” At first, HtM will focus on friendly democracies like “… Mexico, Canada, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, France, Germany…” and extend the invitation to become part of the United States. Undoubtedly, HtM will find support for his foreign policy platform as I did see a red truck the other day with “I LOVE WALLS” painted across both sides of it.
6. “Compromise is actually the force which enabled the human race to survive over the centuries. Without compromise, no nation could even be formed or last a day. Compromise, more than anything else, is the basis of human society.” This is when HtM starts to make some sense and I found myself nodding my head in agreement—just when I was shaking my head in confoundedness on some of his other platforms.
While it is true that there certainly is much in his proposition to scratch your head about and ponder over, the true beauty of The 2020 Candidate is the freedom by which its author can express his opinions. That, after all, is the American Way.

And then in his closing remarks, he recommends that we all need to talk to each other and get to know each other on an individual basis. Because there are so many variations of us communication is key—if not the most important agenda of his bid.

In closing, if you choose to read Harold the Madman’s bid for the presidency, please read it through to the end. It’s not so “mad” after all…

All things considered, Lloyd Bruce Miller, a.k.a. Harold the Madman, is a unique character and perhaps someone with whom one might like to sit down for a conversation and a pint at Samwise Gamgee’s Old Gaffer’s table at the Green Dragon.

—
- Catherine Deneuve and 99 other prominent women in France did speak out against Harvey Weinstein, but also raised concerns with the Me, Too, movement going too far. Here’s the link to the NPR article:https://www.npr.org/2018/01/10/577163155/100-french-women-pen-letter-saying-metoo-movement-has-gone-too-far
**This is not our view at Chanticleer Reviews. Suicide Hotline is a vital service in our society, one we could scarcely do without. So if you are thinking of doing something dangerous to yourself or someone else, we strongly encourage you to reach out to this service at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or call them at 800-273-8255
April 6, 2019
SUICIDE TANGO: My Year Killin’ it with a Shrink by Tripsy South – Teen Suicide, Psychology, Satire

A novelistic look at the serious issue of teen suicide, Suicide Tango walks us through the relationship between a young woman who wants to end it all and the psychiatrist who wants to keep her alive.

Doctor Jon Moore, a-just-okay-psychiatrist considers himself an expert on the issues surrounding teen suicide. One day a tall, beautiful girl, Tripsy South, strolls into his office without an appointment, lights a hooter (a joint) and tells him she has only a year to live. She intends to get rid of herself sometime soon. Her attitude is defiant with the overarching theme apparent: she is sick of her life.

Exploring who South is and who she might become takes one year, 52 sessions all recorded, even the ones South sleeps through. Moore points out that going from infancy to physical adulthood in only fifteen years is a massive endeavor that some may view as cataclysmic. The notion of suicide might provide solace to someone trapped in that maelstrom, especially since, to the young, it’s hard to envision a future beyond the moment. There is much opposition expressed to over-medicating and “big pharma,” and a leaning toward a simpler, more eclectic view of mental deviation through the vexing, ever-changing personality of South.

She is styled as an “indigo child,” more perceptive than her peers and more intelligent. These differences cause her to experience painful social alienation. At times the doctor becomes the student, and the patient becomes the teacher. South suggests, for example, that people like her need to talk to people like her – potentially suicidal peers. And by the time her therapy year has been successfully completed, Moore’s life has been upturned and needs examining.

This is a well-written book that slaps the reader upside the head with the snark of a young woman thinking of doing the most devastating act possible. And while the Suicide Tango is classified as Satire, it must be noted that Tripsy’s longing to commit suicide and her observations about it seem intensely honest and therefore able to speak to teen readers.

South presents a few practical ideas that may resonate with those who are at war with themselves. She is brash, unapologetic, and in-your-face in a way that demands and holds your attention, uncomfortable as that may be.

The best observation is from the dedication page: “…for Every Beautiful Soul who struggles with personal demons and, on occasion, slays the fuck out of ‘em.” Amen, Tripsy South. A-men.

April 4, 2019
AWAY at WAR: A CIVIL WAR STORY of the FAMILY LEFT BEHIND by Nick K. Adams – Historical/Bibiography, Family Saga, Civil War

In 1861, like so many other American men, David Brainard Griffen took leave of his family and enlisted in the army, volunteering as a soldier for the Union. Also like so many other American men, he hoped he’d be home in a few months, that this Civil War would soon be over, and he’d be reunited with his wife, Minerva, his daughters, Alice, seven-years-old, Ida May, five-years-old, and his infant son, Edgar Lincoln. To minimize the pain of separation from his family, he wrote them letters from the field of battle, more than 100 accounts of what he was doing and witnessing as a 2^nd Minnesota Volunteer. While the book is one of historic fiction, the letters are genuine, and the characters are based on actual people. The author of this fine account, Nick K. Adams, is the great-great-grandson of Corporal David Brainard Griffen.

As compelling as the Corporal’s letters are, the mainstay of this book is about those left behind on the Minnesota prairie. In the introduction, Adams notes, “I invite you, dear reader, into the lives of this family who represent the high personal cost that waging war – for whatever cause, good or evil, inevitably produces.” In this manner, the reader spends time with a family doing the best it can while the head of the household is away.

One feels like an invisible member of the clan while watching Minerva and her children go about their ordinary, but in many ways, extraordinary lives. Their days are made up of chores. They care for chickens and livestock, barter eggs in the nearby town of Alba for fruit, shoes, and fabric. They make candles out of beeswax and tallow and plant crops to harvest. Livestock are slaughtered. Minerva teaches her daughters to make cheese, a skill she learned during her girlhood in Vermont. They visit with family members who live in the area, enjoy spring and summer days and bundle warmly for the frigid Minnesota winters. Alice attends school and, eventually, Ida May does as well. Edgar Lincoln graduates from baby clothes to his first set of overalls.

It’s the minutiae of life, the everyday details that build and hold this family, and every family, together. But the reminder of the Civil War is always there. Alice uses a game of checkers to explain warfare to her little sister, and the family gathers to read and reread letters from a husband and a father they miss dearly. They write to him, as well, letting him know how they are coping in his absence. And, of course, there is the added tension of not knowing how long the war will last and whether Brainard will be among the fortunate men to make it home.

Like the best young adult novels, this book draws a universal audience. Every reader will feel enriched reading this vivid, charming, and poignant account of farm life in the mid-19^th century amidst the backdrop of the Civil War. In addition to an account of family life, one learns much about practical matters in a rural, historic setting.

Teachers who use Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books in their curriculums will want to add Away at War: A Civil War Story of the Family Left Behind to their lesson plans. There’s a connection between the authors; Alice Griffen married Laura Ingalls Wilder’s cousin. For those interested in simply reading Brainard Griffen’s letters, Adams published them as a collection in an earlier work, My Dear Wife and Children: Civil War Letters from a 2^nd Minnesota Volunteer. Put in the context in this lovely novel, however, the letters are a reminder of what was happening in these lives when pen wasn’t put to paper, when a mother and her children had to do whatever was necessary to get through the day and rest for the coming one. This book is both simple and profound, a reminder of a time and place during a tumultuous time in American history.

Away at War: A Civil War Story of the Family Left Behind won 1^st Place in the 2017 CIBA competitions for unique stories of the United States, the Laramie Awards.

My Dear Wife and Children: Civil War Letters from a 2^nd Minnesota Volunteer won Mr. Adams 1^st Place in the 2016 CIBA competitions for Memoir, the Journey Awards.

February 12, 2019
THE BUBBLE: Everything I Learned as a Target of the Political, and Often Corrupt, World of Youth Sports by Maya Castro – NonFiction, Youth Sports, Soccer

Maya Castro, the daughter of a Puerto Rican father and Anglo mother, mixes memoir and personal essay styles in a passionate narrative describing her experiences as a minority soccer player on an elite, mostly white, high-school soccer team.

Castro joined her middle-school soccer team in seventh grade, in order to avoid dodgeball in regular PE. She soon finds playing soccer better than “roller-coaster rides, a sugar-rush, or a present on Christmas day.” From that innocuous beginning, playing the game becomes her passion, and by the end of middle school, she develops advanced skills in the sport.

At the end of eighth grade, Maya opts to transfer to a high school in a different part of town which has a highly-rated soccer program, where she hopes to learn more about the sport and further improve her skills. That decision leads to personal growth as an athlete but also results in a painful, profound loss of innocence relative to the roles and motives of adults associated with this program dominated by school politics, “entitled” students, and hints of racism.

Castro cites detailed descriptions of events and her perceptions. These often engender reader empathy and raise reader awareness of the emotional fragility of early adolescence. They also suggest that a “wink and a nod” are still alive and well in many areas of competitive team sports.

This story works well and carries with it a social statement. The voice is strong and unique, often written in vernacular. It reveals interesting aspects of the author’s personality—passion, humor, and a well-defined sense of right and wrong–someone the reader would like to know, and someone we will want to hear from again.

Maya relates her experiences to those of other athletes whose stories have recently been “front page” news. She provides a strong indictment of individuals who “… overlook misconduct (for their own personal gain) rather than correct it.”

Her concluding words will resonate with many parents, coaches, and fans. “The sooner the ‘grown-ups’ on the sidelines understand that to overlook corruption, in all of its stages of severity is to enable it, the safer and more meaningful the youth athletic environment will be.”

The Bubble: Everything I Learned as a Target of the Political, and Often Corrupt, World of Youth Sports by Maya Castro is a strong statement, reflective of one young woman’s experience in youth sports, a treatise that coaches, parents, and young players will do well to note. Recommended.

November 5, 2018
GOD ANSWERS SCIENCE! FROM ORIGIN to END by Pastor Gary W. Driver – Religion, Science, Inspirational

In this highly detailed and illustrated work, Pastor Gary W. Driver demonstrates a genuine zeal and unwavering respect for scientific knowledge, while holding to his conviction that, contrary to the opinion of many scientists, God cannot be left out of the picture when considering how the universe began, how it is sustained and how it might someday end.

Driver quotes Einstein to support his ideas: “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” [Albert Einstein, “Science, Philosophy and Religion: a Symposium”, 1941]

Starting with the premise that the biblical account of creation needed science to develop to the point that it could be accurately understood, Driver cites the Big Bang Theory as supporting the story in Genesis that God simply created all that was, from nothing. To make everything from nothing requires a plan and a plan requires a planner. According to Driver, Edwin Hubble revealed the profound vastness of the universe and the inability for humankind to count the stars (both truths, the vastness of the universe and the number of stars, are stressed in the Christian Bible.) Similarly, he notes that the Bible describes space as a fabric. Scientists also use that metaphor to explain three-dimensional space.

Driver suggests that the “days” of creation described in the Bible are symbolic and that any one of those days could have lasted eons. He goes into detail propounding his ideas of the geologic and anthropological happenings of each “day.” He does not shy away from tackling the concept of evolution, seeing earlier humanoid life forms as simpler versions of human beings. He posits that on the seventh day, God’s work was complete, and we continue to live in that day, experiencing the challenges of ecological change and the natural working of the law of entropy. He views God as the sustainer, who will in His own time see to the creation of a new heaven and earth, already part of the divine blueprint.

Driver writes in a conversational yet thoughtful and organized manner, using charts, photos and numerous quotations from the Bible and the annals of science to support his theories. His arguments for God’s hand in creation bear weight because his research and studious attention to many arcane scientific facts go further than many standard treatments of this subject. He has labored diligently to confront and answer most of the arguments that scientists, naturalists or skeptics might produce.

God Answers Science! is an engaging treatise on the role of religion in the cosmos; it has the potential to solidify the beliefs of the author’s religious cohort, while perhaps changing the views of those with a more secular mindset.

August 30, 2018
FISHING WITH HYENAS by Theresa Mathews – Narrative Non-Fiction, Memoir, Sea-Faring, Romance

Romance, typhoons, and exotic scenery highlight this exceptional sea-faring memoir about love and surviving loss by debut author, Theresa Mathews.

When the author first meets Bart, he strikes her as a “wonderful blend of sophistication and blue collar.” Captain of a fishing boat, he prowls the seas for albacore, the long-fin tuna beloved of sushi fans. To hook up with this romantic figure, Mathews must accept the reality of connection with one of the “Hyenas”—a group of hardy fishermen (and some women) who give each other humorous nicknames and look after one another at sea and “on the beach” (their term for being on dry land). Bart fishes for three-month stretches, so it isn’t long before Mathews decides to drop her professional career and sign on as the cook and a deckhand on his next voyage.

On that voyage, Mathews learns more than she ever imagined about the perils and pleasures of the sea, tuna fishing, and—herself. She hauls in the big fish, cutting and wounding her hands so severely she can barely hold a toothbrush. She cooks and also keeps watch, once needing the assistance of a fellow crewman to avoid a close encounter with another vessel.

It gradually becomes clear, as the Hyenas often say, that “Mother Ocean” changes a person. On land, Bart is talkative and flirtatious; at sea, he is the Captain with no time for chitchat. On their last voyage together, the couple, now married, discovers that the going rate for a tuna haul is half what it had been. They are beyond broke, so Bart keeps fishing while Mathews stays on land and works. Then she receives a call—her beloved husband has died at sea of a heart attack.

Flashing from the shock of that news to the halcyon, sometimes perilous and often amusing days at sea with a cast of colorful characters too fascinating to be fictional, Fishing With Hyenas evokes heartthrob and heartbreak. Mathews’ creative competence is beyond question, as this skillfully constructed narrative attests. Well-chosen photographs bring the episodes alive.

The memoir is partly catharsis and partly a paean to Bart and his many staunch friends. Mathews deftly weaves the lore of the independent fishermen and adventures on the water through every page: the rescue of a kitten, the freeing of a bird, camaraderie among fishing families, and the occasional spectacular sunset.

The aftermath of Bart’s death leaves Mathews grief-stricken, penniless and fighting for his legacy—the boat he had borrowed everything to possess. But we know from her courageous account that Mathews will overcome any hardship—having experienced a weathered life at sea and the loss of a good man.

Fishing With Hyenas won 1st Place in the JOURNEY Awards, the narrative non-fiction category of the Chanticleer International Book Awards in 2017.

August 22, 2018
JOURNEY Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction – 2018 SHORT LIST #CIBA
The Journey Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Narrative Non-Fiction and Memoir. The Journey Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBA).

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from the Long List to the 2018 Journey Book Awards SHORT LIST (aka the Slush Pile Survivors). We incorporate the Long List when the judges request an additional round of judging to accommodate the number and/or quality of entries received. These entries are now in competition for the 2018 Journey Semi-Finalists List. First Place Category winners and the Journey Grand Prize winners will be selected from the Semi-Finalists and the winners will be announced at the Awards Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 27th, 2019.

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring true stories about adventures, life events, unique experiences, travel, personal journeys, global enlightenment, and more. We will put books about true and inspiring stories to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles are in the running for the 2018 JOURNEY Book Awards Semi-finalists list for the Narrative Non-fiction Fiction and Memoir CIBA Awards. Good Luck to all of the CIBA Journey Short Listers 2018!
- Joy Ross Davis – Mother Can You Hear Me?
- Sean Dwyer – A Quest for Tears: Overcoming a Traumatic Brain Injury
- Philip Muls – Mind on Fire: A Case of Successful Addiction Recovery
- H. Alan Day with Lynn Wiese Sneyd – Cowboy Up! Life Lessons from Lazy B
- Andrew Jurkowski and Lisa Wright – Between The Swastika and the Bear: A Polish Memoir 1925 – 1948
- Janice S. Ellis – From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream
- Kayce Stevens Hughlett – SoulStroller: experiencing the weight, whispers, & wings of the world
- Liberty Elias Miller – The Heart of the Runaway
- Karen A. Anderson – The Amazing Afterlife of Animals; Messages and Signs From Our Pets on the Other Side
- Jeff O’Driscoll, MD – Not Yet
- Julie Morrison – Barbed
- GySgt L Christian Bussler – No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor – a memoir of a Mortuary Affairs Marine
- Terry Milos – North of Familiar: A Woman’s Story of Homesteading and Adventure in the Canadian Wilderness
- Janis Couvreux – Sail Cowabunga! A Family’s Ten Years at Sea
- Dennis M. Clausen – Goodbye to Main Street
- Russell Vann – Ghetto Bastard, A Memoir
- Dr. Rick Scarnati – God’s Light
- Rebecca Brockway – Miss Matched at Midlife: Dating Episodes of a Middle-Aged Woman
- Austin M Hopkins – The Loose Ends Became Knots
- Katrina Shawver – HENRY: A Polish Swimmer’s True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America
- Lou McKee – Klee wyck Journal
- Donna LeClair – IMMUNITY: Entitlement of Wealthy Political Notables
- Cheryl Hughes Musick – The Day the Musick Died
- Cheryl Aguiar – Great Horned Owlets Rescue: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way…
Journey Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction 2018 Judging Rounds
1. Slush Pile (all entries)
2. Long List (Slush Pile Survivors)
3. Short List (Stickers and Digital Badges available (Website and e-newsletter notifications. Please LIKE and Follow Chanticleer Book Reviews to be tagged in social media).
4. Semi-Finalists (notified by email) Selected from Short List.
5. First Place Category Positions (announced at the CIBA ceremony in April, 27th 2019. (Selected from Semi-Finalists). Ribbon packages, stickers, digital badges awarded.
6. Journey Book Awards Grand Prize winner (selected from First Place Category Positions). Ribbon packages, stickers, digital badges awarded.
CIBA Grand Prize Winner
1. CIBA Grand Prize Winner (selected from the 16 CIBA divisions grand prize winners). $1,000 cash prize, CIBA ribbon packages, stickers, digital badges awarded.
All Short Listers will receive high visibility along with special badges to wear during the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala.

Susan Marie Conrad, 2017 JOURNEY GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Journey Book Award Winners

Good Luck to each of you as your works compete for the JOURNEY Book Awards Semi-Finalists positions.

The JOURNEY Grand Prize Winner and the Five First Place Category Position award winners will be announced at the April 27th, 2019 Chanticleer Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2019 JOURNEY Awards writing competition. The deadline for submissions is April 30th, 2019. Please click here for more information.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com.
August 1, 2018
JOURNEY Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction – 2018 Slush Pile Survivors
The Journey Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Narrative Non-Fiction and Memoir. The Journey Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAwards).

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from SLUSH pile to the 2018 Journey Book Awards LONG LIST (aka the Slush Pile Survivors). We incorporate the Long List when the judges request an additional round of judging to accommodate the number and/or quality of entries received. These entries are now in competition for the 2018 Journey Semi-Finalists List known as the SHORT LIST. Short Listers will compete for the limited First Place Category Winners of the 2018 Journey Book Awards in the last rounds of judging and will be announced at the Awards Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 27th, 2019.

Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring true stories about adventures, life events, unique experiences, travel, personal journeys, global enlightenment, and more. We will put books about true and inspiring stories to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2018 JOURNEY Book Awards novel competition for Non-fiction Fiction and Memoir!
- Joy Ross Davis – Mother Can You Hear Me?
- Cheryl Aguiar – Great Horned Owlets Rescue: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way…
- Sean Dwyer – A Quest for Tears: Overcoming a Traumatic Brain Injury
- Philip Muls – Mind on Fire: A Case of Successful Addiction Recovery
- H. Alan Day with Lynn Wiese Sneyd – Cowboy Up! Life Lessons from Lazy B
- Andrew Jurkowski and Lisa Wright – Between The Swastika and the Bear: A Polish Memoir 1925 – 1948
- Reanne Hemingway-Douglass – Baidarka Diaries: Voyages and Explorations: British Columbia and Alaska, 1992 – 2003
- Donna LeClair – Waking Reality – Overcoming the Heartache of Abuse
- Janice S. Ellis – From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream
- Julie Morrison – Barbed
- Kayce Stevens Hughlett – SoulStroller: experiencing the weight, whispers, & wings of the world
- Liberty Elias Miller – The Heart of the Runaway
- Jody Rae – Criminy Sakes Alive: And Other Generational Curses
- Karen A. Anderson – The Amazing Afterlife of Animals; Messages and Signs From Our Pets on the Other Side
- Kevin Howard – The Evolution of a Man
- Abby Wilton – Machiavellian Bluff
- Jeff O’Driscoll, MD – Not Yet
- Dr. Rick Scarnati – Soul Explosion 2nd Edition
- R. Scott Decker – Recounting the Anthrax Attacks: Terror, the Amerithrax Task Force, and the Evolution of Forensics in the FBI
- Ellen Krohne – We Lost Her
- GySgt L Christian Bussler – No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor – a memoir of a Mortuary Affairs Marine
- Terry Milos – North of Familiar: A Woman’s Story of Homesteading and Adventure in the Canadian Wilderness
- Nick Delmedico – Biography
- Carolyn Porter – Marcel’s Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate
- Dennis M. Clausen – Goodbye to Main Street
- Russell Vann – Ghetto Bastard, A Memoir
- Diane Pomerantz – Lost in the Reflecting Pool: a memoir
- Rebecca Brockway – Miss Matched at Midlife: Dating Episodes of a Middle-Aged Woman
- Austin M Hopkins – The Loose Ends Became Knots
- Janis Couvreux – Sail Cowabunga! A Family’s Ten Years at Sea
- Katrina Shawver – HENRY: A Polish Swimmer’s True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America
- Carol Folbre, Ph.D. – Edge of Abundance: Asian Sketchbook
- Donna LeClair – IMMUNITY: Entitlement of Wealthy Political Notables
- Lou McKee – Klee Wyck Journal
- Cheryl Hughes Musick – The Day the Musick Died
The JOURNEY Long Listers will compete for the 2018 JOURNEY Short List. Short Listers will then compete for the First Place Category positions. The First Place Category winners will automatically be entered into the JOURNEY GRAND PRIZE AWARD competition. The CBR Grand Prize Genre Winners will compete for the CBR Overall Grand Prize for Best Book and its $1,000 purse.

All Short Listers will receive high visibility along with special badges to wear during the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com.

Grand Prize Ribbons!

Good Luck to each of you as your works compete for the JOURNEY Awards Short List.

The JOURNEY Grand Prize Winner and the Five First Place Category Position award winners will be announced at the April 27th, 2019 Chanticleer Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2019 JOURNEY Awards writing competition. The deadline for submissions is April 30th, 2019. Please click here for more information.
June 14, 2018