Joseph Sciuto's Blog: A Curious View: A Compilation of Short Stories by Joseph Sciuto, page 38

THERESA BROWN’S, “THE SHIFT: ONE NURSE, TWELVE HOURS, FOUR PATIENTS’ LIVES.”

Theresa Brown’s “The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients’ Lives” is an engrossing, in your face, well written novel about one nurse’s shift working on the oncology ward of a Pittsburg hospital. From the moment the reader enters the hospital, Mrs. Brown makes you feel that you are a witness, a participant, in the never ending struggle to help her patients stay alive. This book is a stark reminder of the real heroes among us. The nurses, doctors, and hospital personnel that deliver care, medicines, support, and timely updates that help save lives, keep families together, and to prolong the hopes and dreams of their patients.[image error]

JAMES BALDWIN’S “IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK.”

James Baldwin’s “If Beale Street Could Talk” is brutally honest and compassionate: a love story on many levels, a story of corruption and injustice, rebirth, despair, and endurance. Another example of why Mr. Baldwin is considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.[image error]

SIDDHARETHA MUKHERJEE’S “THE EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES: A BIOGRAPHY OF CANCER.”

Siddhartha Mukherjee’s “The Emperor of all Maladies: A Biography of Cancer” is one of the most important books I have ever read. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, it is an astonishing achievement that traces the history of cancer back over 2,000 years to the present (2009). It is beautifully written, easy to read and understand, informative, and it shines an illuminating light on the many scientists, researchers, doctors, nurses, philanthropists and patients that have all played such major roles in the fight against a disease with so many different faces and transformations… An adversary like none other.

It might be easy for people to want to shy away from a book about cancer, but Mr. Mukherjee’s approach is so uniquely humane, as many reviewers have noted, that the burden and heartache of this disease (maladies) are almost secondary to the information and history that is so brilliantly presented.

A MONUMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT.[image error]

TONY ATTWOOD’S “THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO ASPERGER’S SYNDROME.”

Tony Attwood’s “The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome” is more like a textbook, than a guide, beautifully written and easy to understand. I cannot recommend this book more highly, especially for children, adolescents, and adults diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, parents, relatives or friends who suspect someone close to them as possibly having Asperger’s syndrome, teachers, educators, medical and psychological professionals, criminal justice and law enforcement personnel, and people simply interested in this fascinating syndrome that has produced so many engineers, mathematicians, geniuses (Albert Einstein exhibited symptoms of Aspergers) musicians, artists, and tech innovators.

I read this book from cover to cover, but it is written in such a way that one could easily jump from chapter to chapter depending on your interest in the syndrome. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific subject related to Asperger’s Syndrome, from the diagnosis, to interpersonal relationships, to bullying, and to fields that individuals with the syndrome most likely excel, and how to improve social and family relationships. I loved this book. [image error]

“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

I found “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho to be interesting and the translation from Spanish into English by Alan R. Clarke to be exceptional. Yet, it is difficult for me to recommend this book, even though it has sold over 150 million copies. It is a book that deals heavily with philosophical and religious ideas, and at times I found the philosophical component of the book to be both burdensome and boring. The story of a boy in search of a treasure he dreams about and which takes him across the desert and to the Pyrimads of Egypt I found quite moving and the best part of the book, but this journey is loaded with so much philosophy and how ‘one’… a single human or plant or fossil… is united with the rest of the world is[image error] just a little too much for me.

Michelle Obama’s “BECOMING.”

It is kind of ironic that in one of the most painful weeks I have experienced as an American, that I would choose to read Michelle Obama’s wonderful, inspiring, biography “BECOMING.” In a week in which our military has been debased and used as pawns, as one indictment after another indictment has been handed down against our President and his cohorts of criminals and as one man’s ego and greed has triumphed over everything America stands for and has fought for over nearly a century it is refreshing to know that we as a country and people will triumph over this dark period and, if nothing else, Mrs. Obama book is reason to be hopeful.

“Becoming” is so much more than a biography. In many respects it is a sociological study of communities throughout the United States and the world through the eyes of the author. The story begins in the small, childhood apartment of the author where we are introduced to an array of fascinating characters, aunts and uncles, friends, a sibling and her parents… No individual more fascinating than Mrs Obama’s father, Fraser Robinson, who worked for over twenty years for the city of Chicago, tending boilers and never missing a day of work despite living with the devastating disease of MS.

Michelle and her brother, Craig, are raised by parents who believe that an education is the way to advance in the world and that, in no small part, explains how a girl from the South Side of Chicago would go on to graduate Princeton and Harvard Law School and work for a high-powered law firm where she would meet her future husband, President Obama.

The couple tosses aside a comfortable life and decide instead to take jobs, at one-third the earnings, in community outreach programs that further the development and help create a better environment for children and adults in poverty stricken areas of Chicago, and so begins both their lives of public service and eventually the gift of living for two terms in the White House where their unselfish and caring personalities are put on display for the nation to witness.

I strongly recommend this book. It is far less about politics and so much more about giving hope to women, minorities, and the disadvantaged. It is a classic example that an education should not be deprived to anyone who desires one, and once exposed to the world of learning that nothing is impossible. It is also a reminder that one should not criticize anyone unless you have walked in their shoes.[image error]

“FIRST SURVIVOR” BY MARK UNGER

“First Survivor” by Mark Unger is the extraordinary story of his son Louis, who at age three, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called “Neuroblastoma” and is diagnosed with a zero chance of survival when the cancer spreads to his brain.

Mr. Unger and his wife Mary Ellen refuse to give up on their son and as a final resort join a trial at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC where 3F8 antibodies 8H9 antibodies circumvents the brain’s barrier and are released into the fluid surrounding the brain and attack and kill all remaining cancer cells.

The story starts with Louis first being diagnosed on Thanksgiving 2001 and is finally declared cured in March 2008. During that time the child is put through hundreds of treatments that are in many ways might be considered cruel, but which in the end are all part of the cure. Louis is one hell of a courageous boy and his parents, doctors, family members, and friends play a major part in his recovery and cure.

Mr. Unger writing is clear and concise and never once did I find myself lost or unable to understand certain procedures and terms. The procedures and treatments used on Louis to cure the cancer were in some ways experimental and in some cases were only in the trial stages. One procedure was actually named after the young patient, and because of its success children suffering from this terrible disease have upward to a sixty percent cure rate at the present time…an amazing leap thanks to the doctors, researchers, and personnel who have dedicated their lives to the treatment and cure of children with cancers. Real Heroes!!!![image error]

“MY CHILD HAS CANCER” BY DELLA L. HOWELL, MD

“My Child Has Cancer” by Della L. Howell, MD is a comprehensive, detailed, easy to understand guide that takes you through the entire process of diagnosing, treating, and surviving cancer. I learned a sufficient amount, and whereas I might never be able to properly pronounce the names of most of the cancers, my appreciation and dedication for those involved in the field of pediatric oncology continues to grow and grow.


 


As the author says, “In an ideal world the words cancer and children would never go together.” Sadly, that is not the case, but thankfully over the years the cure rate for children with cancer has reached 80 percent or better.


 


Dr Howell, explains virtually every type of cancer, the treatment procedures, and the procedures available to make sure that every child cured of cancer has the real possibility of living a long, productive, and happy life.


 


Whereas, I cannot recommend this book to everyone simply because it is a very difficult subject to approach and at times I found it hard to read on, but I was so happy I did.


 


One very important point I feel I need to pass along is the importance of parents paying close attention to their infants and children’s bodies and social behavior. If while changing an infant you notice an unusual lump you need to take action, if your child is suffering from fevers, viruses, or rashes, just don’t wait and hope it’s nothing. If your child suddenly seems tired and has stopped playing with his siblings and friends these are all signs that something is wrong and should be looked at by a doctor. In most cases, they won’t turn out to be cancer, but if your worst fears are realized, the sooner you take action the quicker and better chance your child has of being cured and living a healthy and happy life. Regular appointments with pediatricians is a great way of staying on top of your game and providing the best care for your children.


 


Books such as “My Child has Cancer,” is a constant reminder of who the real heroes are – the doctors, researchers, nurses, support groups. They don’t play in the world of make believe and make millions of dollars. They save lives. [image error]

“THE 13TH GIFT” by Joanne Huist Smith

I loved this book. Out of the four holiday books I have read this season this is my favorite. “The 13th Gift” written by Joanne Huist Smith, a reporter for The Dayton Daily News, is a true story about a family battling to survive after losing their dad and her husband a couple of months before Christmas. It deals with the grief they feel and how they are able to get over it and celebrate the season, without ever forgetting about the lost loved one. A truly wonderful piece of writing.[image error]

Blythe Grossberg’s “Asperger’s and Adulthood: A guide to working, loving, and living with Asperger’s Syndrome”

I had heard about the Asperger’s Syndrome and knew a little something about it, but nothing I would call definite. Then, a young lady on Goodreads suggested I read a book by Rudy Simone titled, “22 Things a Woman with Asperger’s Syndrome Wants her Partner to Know.” After reading the book which I thought was fabulously written, I got a much clearer picture of what a person with the Asperger’s syndrome is like, the difficulties the syndrome causes for people who suffer from it, especially in social situations, but more amazingly the level of intense concentration and creativity that so many people with Asperger’s Syndrome possess.

Suddenly, I was looking back on some of the most creative people I have had the privilege to be acquainted with and quite a few seem to possess many of the characteristics described in the book. One girl in particular was so caught up in her painting that nothing else in the world seemed to matter. Many of my friends thought she was just rude and stuck up, but I used to think to myself that if I had that ability to concentrate and be so focused on my work I would be so further along in my career. She was a pretty girl who at times desperately needed to wash her hair and all I ever saw her eat was plain pasta with butter.

Many people with characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome have been some of the most creative and innovative individuals the world has ever known, and without their expertise it is quite likely the world would be a much different place and advances in technology, medicine, film, and engineering would be nowhere close to where it is presently at.

Yet, many of the people with Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty socializing, dating, becoming fully independent, and being able to read between the lines of what a colleague might be saying to them. Blythe Grossberg’s[image error] “Asperger’s and Adulthood: A guide to working, loving, and living with Asperger’s Syndrome” is a wonderful guide and self-help book that helps those individuals with the syndrome to better integrate and live fuller lives. The book is really written for people with the syndrome, but as someone not living with the syndrome it greatly increased my understanding of this fascinating gift and some of the difficulties it presents.