For whatever reason, God took a humble, ordinary man named Arthur Mercado, aka Papa Cado, on a breathtaking roller-coaster ride through life. And, for whatever reason, Arthur has granted me the extraordinary privilege of telling his true story in Arthur's words, in Arthur's way.
Papa Cado's life has been filled with little tests: notably, 51 heart procedures, a five-bypass, 2 outer-body experiences, 36 cancer radiation treatments, and stage four Parkinson's. He has passed each and every one of these tests with dignity, determination, wit, wisdom, and the unshakable belief that "God would never give a person more tests than he could handle."
Papa Cado is more than just a one-of-a-kind book about overcoming obstacles. It is a celebration of the pure joy every day holds for everyone, if only you reach out and take hold.
M.G. Crisci is the critically acclaimed author of 16 books inspired by real events, a former Fortune 500 senior executive, an internationally recognized brand-building expert, a thought-provoking East-West social commentator, and an award-winning journalist.
Born and raised in Manhattan, Crisci's work explores the people, places, and stories that define culture, history, and the human experience. He has been elected to Who's Who in the World 23 times for his business, literary, and cultural contributions and has received multiple lifetime achievement awards.
He is the creator of the Only In New York series, a collection of true stories celebrating New York's unique DNA through unforgettable characters, remarkable events, and hidden pieces of history. The series continues to grow through books, video content, and upcoming audiobook editions.
In addition to his books, Crisci publishes ongoing commentary and storytelling through his Substack publication and YouTube channel, where he shares insights on literature, culture, history, and current events.
After living a full life everyone has something to share with the world. Add in having a severe medical diagnosis, and your attitude in life becomes everything. In Papa Cado’s Book of Wisdom: Wit and Wisdom For the Heart and Soul, author M.G. Crisci immortalizes the optimism and gritty attitude of his friend Arthur Mercado, and shares it for the benefit of the reader and world at large. I love the type of aperitif or sound bite format of the book. You can just open it up anywhere and read a quote that is impactful. The organization by topic is a lovely feature as well as it acts as a sort of dictionary allowing you to look for something that correlates to whatever it is you are experiencing/thinking of at the time. Overall, an inspiring and uplifting book, Papa Cado’s Book of Wisdom has something for everyone and gives us a glimpse into the life and mind of an incredible man. I think a good summary of the optimism can be summed up in my favorite quote of the book: “Amuse yourself. It’s not important if people don’t find your jokes funny.”
I really like reading and being influenced by good stories. True stories are the most inspirational ones, and for me, “Papa Cado” by M. G. Crisci is such a story. It is the kind of story that I want to read over and over again because every time I feel more and more thrilled with it.
This fascinating book is about Arthur Mercado, known as Papa Cado, who had a really “hard” life. He went through several difficult tests but after all he had an amazing life. He is an example of strength and determination. He is a survivor and has a message to transmit.
This novel is divided into fifty-nine chapters. Each part is more exciting and better than the last one so I can’t choose my favourite one. All of them, leaves you a life lesson.
To sum up, this book is certainly at the top of my list. It will change the way you see your priorities and some aspects of your life. I highly recommend it.
A book that keeps everyone’s heart warm If you like stories based on real life events, you will definitely love this one. I must warn you, this is not just a book. The story inside this cover is life-changing, unique and heart-warming. You might think that this reader contains fiction because the tale written in these lines is actually hard to believe. Papa Cado is not just a story, but a true example of courage, perseverance, love and passion. The writer chosen to share this story with us is M. G. Crisci. He is a spectacular storyteller that changes simple words into the most touching and valuable lessons. Crisci splits passion in his writing and he is able to reach our hearts with this particular piece. The reader gathers pictures and real-life letters in its 330 pages. I believe that every teenager and young adult should have this story in their bookcase.
Let me start by saying that this is an incredible story of determination and overcoming. This is the story of Arthur Mercado, known as Papa Cado, an ordinary man, with an incredible story to tell.
“Papa Cado” is a true story written by M.G Crisci. Written in the 1st person, and from the perspective of Arthur, readers know everything. The book is full of photographs of Arthur and his family. This is a very good technique used by the author, so readers can see what Arthur and their relatives look like.
I really liked the approach that M.G Crisci gave to this story. His prose is incredible, and he managed to tell Arthur's story in a unique way. Very intelligently, Crisci described Arthur´s life.
I strongly recommend this book and invite you all to read this fantastic story of an ordinary man, with an incredible life.
Every book from M.G. Crisci is a real treat. I haven’t been able to choose my favourite yet because each one I read is better than the last one. I have absolutely loved “Papa Cado”. The book tells the wonderful, real story of a simple, ordinary man, named Arthur Mercado, better known as Papa Cado by his four granddaughters. It relates, in the first person, his journey through life, with its ups and downs, joys and sorrows. With an honest, straightforward style, the author has done an excellent job conveying emotions and feelings. The beginning of each chapter is illustrated with a picture. The photos belong to Arthur himself and show him and members of his family. I must say that they are a great way of complementing the written word. I enjoyed the fact that I could put faces to the people in the story. I really loved this book. I highly recommend it.
Strategic Management, by author Hicham and Mohamed ibn-alkadi, is the thirteenth book in the 2001 Non Fiction Book series. It is a short read, because it has some more than a hundred pages, but it is not a fast read; the information within the pages is challenging so I read it with all my attention, trying to get the most out of it. Once again, the author uses graphs and other tools to help the reader understand things in a didactic way. There is so much to learn in this book that I am eager to continue reading the others in the series. I would recommend this to those interested in the subject and warn them that this should be read with all the attention and, why not, taking down some notes; as I did.
M.G. Crisci has compiled a book of quotes from different stages of life. There are seventeen chapters and quotes on adversity, fear, women, and the afterlife, to name a few. The quotes all do not appear to be those of the author; however, they are witty.
The quote I found to be funny was “If someone disrespects you or your family act first, think about it second.” I found myself smiling after reading this particular quote because I envisioned myself getting into so much trouble if I use this as a piece of life advice.
Despite the short length of the book, it was an easy and interesting read.
Reading the quotes of Papa Cado - Arthur Mercado, I felt identified with some of them; some others were a bit strange but anyways they made me think about life in general so I must say that it is a thought-provoking book of quotes.
It is not very long and the quotes are quite short; it is a fast read that entertained me during an afternoon. Papa Cado’s book of wisdom is the type of book that leaves you thinking for days after finishing it. I was surprised by the life that Arthur had.
I thank author Crisci for this collection of quotes. I liked them and I would recommend this book to everyone.
“Papa Cado's Book of Wisdom: Wit and Wisdom for the Heart and Soul” by M.G. Crisci is a short book of quotes about life in general that are thought provoking and made me experience many feelings as well. Reading those quotes I could appreciate the wisdom Papa Cado has. I recommend this book to everyone and even more to those who need some kind of advice, because that is what I felt while reading it; as if a grandpa was giving me advice. Recommended!
A brief read about life from the authors friend. After going through multiple surgeries and procedures came our appreciating life and some rules to live by. Quick Course Life 101.
After living a full life everyone has something to share with the world. Add in having a severe medical diagnosis, and your attitude in life becomes everything. In Papa Cado’s Book of Wisdom: Wit and Wisdom For the Heart and Soul, author M.G. Crisci immortalizes the optimism and gritty attitude of his friend Arthur Mercado, and shares it for the benefit of the reader and world at large. I love the type of aperitif or sound bite format of the book. You can just open it up anywhere and read a quote that is impactful. The organization by topic is a lovely feature as well as it acts as a sort of dictionary allowing you to look for something that correlates to whatever it is you are experiencing/thinking of at the time. Overall, an inspiring and uplifting book, Papa Cado’s Book of Wisdom has something for everyone and gives us a glimpse into the life and mind of an incredible man. I think a good summary of the optimism can be summed up in my favorite quote of the book: “Amuse yourself. It’s not important if people don’t find your jokes funny.”
This is an amazing book. The story is narrated in a way that immediately captures the readers’ attention and the main character is very warm and empathic. It made me feel as if I was reading about a dear friend or a member of my family. I wish I knew this great man. Papa Cado was a humble man, very wise and with a great sense of humor that helped him overcome terrible and painful challenges and events in his life. As all the books I read from this author, Papa Cado’s Book of Wisdom is unmissable. M.G. Crisci knows how to transmit real life stories and to captivate readers. This time he completes the narration with pieces of advice, phrases and teachings by Papa Cado. I recommend it to anyone and especially to those who need extra encouragement to go through a difficult situation. I would read it again and again and share it with family and friends.
An inspirational tiny reading I enjoy reading books written by M.C. Crisci since I like his style. The one that I've chosen this time is "Papa Cado's Book of wisdom". It's a concise reading with a bunch of anecdotes that are transformed into inspirational ideas to any reader and to me, of course. That's the way I analyzed it. Every chapter deals with important aspects of Papa Cado's life; some of them are laughter, love , reality, food, dear, each of them taught something to him. Crisci meant every word and he transmitted the way his friend lived and learned during his stay on earth before travelling to the after-life. It's a well-written and interesting piece of writing that revives Arthur Mercado's life, with his ups and downs and with his wit and wisdom. It's really nice how Crisci remembers this man. It's absolutely recommendable. I loved it!
Some people might find this book a little old-fashioned, especially with regards to contemporary topics that are seen in a different light today. The themes are mostly related to life, relationships, and challenges. It seems to be simple advice given by a man through his own life experiences. If you prefer books that have an easy structure with short sentences, then you might enjoy the way it is compiled. However, if you prefer contemporary topics that are more relevant today, you might want to purchase another book about Arthur Mercado written by the same author which is longer. Overall, I think the book tried connecting with people in a way that an elderly figure would. At some points, it does feel as if the author is directly speaking to you.
M.G. Crisci has compiled a book of quotes from different stages of life. There are seventeen chapters and quotes on adversity, fear, women, and the afterlife, to name a few. The quotes all do not appear to be those of the author, however, they are witty. The quote I found to be funny was “If someone disrespects you or your family act first, think about it second.” I found myself smiling after reading this particular quote because I envisioned myself getting into so much trouble if I use this as a piece of life advice. Despite the short length of the book, it was an easy and interesting read.
M.G. Crisci is a published author that has several books but this one is a bit closer to the heart. Papa Cado's Book of Wisdom is a book written by Crisci but narrated by Arthur Mercado a humble, ordinary man who survived an astounding 51 heart procedures, Stage 4 Parkinson’s, and many other hard circumstances in his life. In this book, these two gentlemen put together both their wisdom and humor to create a pocketbook filled with respect and love for Arthur's life.
I found this book to be a security blanket for the soul. Everything written has so much love and it left me a strong message about life and trying to overcome the troubles it can have. Arthur's life was amazing, and it is shown the kindness and strength he had. A lovely story, beautiful quotes for every step of life. Great reading.
This is a nice written book by the author M.G. Crisci. It’s the first one I choose from him and I have to recognize that he got me forever. I’m thrilled to add him to my library! I really enjoyed his writing style; all the knowledge he pours into every page and the clarity he uses to explain something. There is an obvious educational intent in the whole book but, it's been done with practical words in mind, which made it more meaningful, easy to understand and interesting. I strongly believe that it was just what I needed in this crazy and chaotic year. Sometimes, we all need an extra bit of wisdom and encouragement and I highly recommend this book because I particularly couldn’t wait to finish it as well as I hope that there’s more works in the making!
Papa Cado’s Book of Wisdom is an interesting and inspiring book written by M.G. Crisci. I have read many books from this author and he has a great ability to transmit real life stories of ordinary, simple people in a way that fascinates readers. In the book Papa Cado, Crisci narrated the journey through life of Arthur Mercado, better known as Papa Cado by his four granddaughters. He was an amazing man who suffered from severe medical conditions and endured many treatments and procedures but that was strong enough to transmit joy, wit and wisdom to everyone around him. In this new book, the author compiled pieces of advice, phrases and teachings provided by Papa Cado that reflect the great man he was and that become a source of inspiration to others. I really enjoyed this new work of M.G. Crisci and I recommend it.
M.G. Crisci has done it again! This man has so much talent, that his writing skills seem to have no ending.
This time he has chosen to share with us the incredible story of his dear friend Arthur Mercado, who happened to go through very tough times, but never felt sad or devastated about it. His positivity and renew way of seeing the world has changed mi perspective in life forever.
I think this little book is definitely what any person needs to read, to really value their life and stop focusing on the bad things, like I used to do, all the time.
In this amazing book, Crisci has put together a great collection of his friend’s advice on life in general. This is the kind of wisdom that just makes anyone's life easier. A must read!
Arthur Mercado, lovingly known as Papa Cado to his four grandchildren was an ordinary yet very special person. This book is a short collection of quotes from the personal experiences of Papa Cado penned down by author M.G. Crisci.
The book is actually an extraordinary journey of an ordinary man on this earth. It is crisp, not politically correct, but very realistic guidance for living. It is also sympathetic, encouraging, and clever. And that is the wisdom of experience with lots of humor added to keep things interesting. The book would keep you interested and motivated till the climax and the readers definitely enjoy reading the life stories of Papa Cado.
Very delightfully amusing, threaded with the scary but true facts of life of loving Papa Cado. A worthy read.
Papa Cado’s book of wisdom is a short book that encompases quotes of Arthur Mercado. I liked them all. Reading the quotes made me feel like listening to him giving some sort of advice. M. G. Crisci did a very good job with this book. It is well organized and he chose nice quotes to add to this book. I think that this can be read at any time and by young and old alike. Every quote left me thinking so it was a good mental exercise. Some quotes are better than others but all in all this is a book that I would recommend! Also, I really like the new cover because it gives life to the book being clear and denoting happiness.
Papa Cado’s Book of Wisdom is a nice and touching tribute to Arthur Mercado, a kind grandfather that always had a smile and a nice word, in spite of living a very challenging life.
M. G. Crisci was able to put together Papa Cado’s story and teachings in a heartwarming way, and through it we feel the love he had for life. This is an uplifting book, one where you can just grab it, select a random page and read it, and reflect on the beauty of life and how hard it must have been to stay positive and kind through all the hardships. It is a well-written recollection of thoughts that allows you to know more about Papa Cado’s life.
“Papa Cado's Book of Wisdom” by author M.G. Crisci delves with the kind of wiseness and sapiness that only age and experience can give. Arthur Mercado´s quotes are told in a way that lets readers sit in on them, much like when sitting along a grandfather while he shares his stories. The author´s words in the title are fully accurate for describing this reading: wit and wisdom for the heart and soul.
Well, I went through many emotions reading this simple but entertaining and inspiring book, and I think that for all readers who value experience and wise advise, it is something they can benefit from reading. All in all, I enjoyed it very much and I will definitely recommend reading it.
Sometimes life is so difficult that you want to scream. It is a hard but very real phrase. Papa Cado's Book of Wisdom by M.G. Crisci is a book that tells some thoughts of Arthur Mercado, a man who never saw tragedies as such but he knew how to save a positive message of life's darkest moments. For me, reading this book was like listening to the advice of my grandfather or an old man who has lived experiences of all kinds. The book has sayings that we constantly hear but it is always good to remember them. In my opinion, it is perfect to read when you are having a bad day because it will certainly improve it.
If I’m not wrong, this is like the third or fourth book I read from author M.G. Crisci and, once again, he does not disappoint. Papa Cado’s book of wisdom is told from the perspective of the main protagonist of the book, himself and through quotes. After having overcome plenty of difficulties during his entire life, he has something to tell all of us. I conceive of this book as a half-fiction-half-self-help kind of book. It is a relatable and honest book that keeps readers thinking and wondering about things which can easily occur to most of us. This is the first time I read a book loaded with quotes, and I found this stantingly original. Four out of five stars for this one!
In Papa Cado’s Book of Wisdom, author M. G. Crisci collects the sayings of an incredible man that went through the most painful situations before dying. Arthur Mercado’s life was neither simple nor easy. He survived around fifty heart interventions, Parkinson and many other disorders. In spite of all the situations he went through, he was able to motivate the people around him by showing strength and willingness to survive. In this book, there are plenty of sayings that helped him move forward and try again.
I felt inspired by most of these quotes, but I did not love them all, and for this reason I give this book four stars.
Papa Cado’s book of wisdom by author M. G. Crisci is a short book of quotes about life that are interesting, thought-provoking and funny - yes, all that!
I enjoyed reading the quotes because they helped me imagine how Arthur Mercado was. The quotes are about life in general so they will appeal readers across the genre.
I must say that I like this new cover rather than the dark old version. It is inspiring and attractive. I really liked one quote in particular: “Money is the root cause of all happiness, after love”. I would recommend this book! 5 stars for it!
This is a nice book of quotes written by M. G. Crisci but inspired by Arthur Mercado, better called as Papa Cado. The quotes are full of wisdom and when I read them, I could grasp all that this man may have been through. He did not have an easy life but this helped him see life as he saw it. Some quotes were hilarious, some other thought provoking; but all interesting. I would recommend reading this book; which is really short and I finished it in a single sitting. It was a nice way of spending time.
In this book, critically-acclaimed author M.G. Crisci, gives away the inspiring story of Arthur Mercado, known to his granddaughters as Papa Cado. Same as all his previous books, which are based on true stories or events, this is the real life of a man who the author met at a Healing Hearts support program in Southern California.
It is told in the first person, in the voice of Arthur, and written clearly and simply, but filled with honesty, humility, and dignity. This determined man has faced many health problems (36 stents, 11 angioplasties, a five-bypass, multiple mini-strokes, Parkinson’s, seed radiation treatments, nitro patches, and numerous other cardiac procedures) and other struggles with a great sense of humor, never giving up. So, at the end, this is an outstanding story of overcoming adversities, with humor, faith and the unshakable trust in the benevolence of God.
Moreover, what gives a color note is that each chapter begins with a real photograph from Arthur´s life and ends with a message which is really a quote of wisdom.
I earnestly invite you to get your own pleasure from this deeply moving memoir.