Rodeo in Joliet is a book you'll HATE. Before you stop reading, let me explain.
You'll HATE the cancer hell that Glenn Rockowitz has to endure on this medical memoir of almost mythic proportion. You'll HATE what cancer does to his family. You'll HATE his flippant attitude towards the doctors, researchers and friends who try to help him. And last of all, you'll hate yourself for lacking the willpower to put down his book. Yes, it's that good.
Rodeo is powerful prose written by a man who's looked straight into the jaws of death - poured himself a drink and said WTF. This is a real page-turner that chronicles the comedian's (he's a veteran of the famed Second City troupe) terminal diagnosis - his miraculous remission - and the down-the-rabbit-hole path he takes to get there.
Be warned. It's not a pretty picture. He pukes his way across two continents and endures treatment so severe you often wonder if the cure will kill him before the disease. If you're looking for sweet, syrupy platitudes, you'll have to try another book. Rodeo is the gritty, unwashed version of what it's like to face the BIG C and live to tell about it.
Author: Glenn Rockowitz
Publisher: Bennett & Hastings
Penned: January 2010
Time Out: You'll put this 346-page book down after the first couple of paragraphs - swearing you'll never pick it up again. Since Rockowitz' prose won't leave you alone, you'll be forced to pick it up and you won't stop until you read the last page.
Beach Worthy: I read it on the beach, but Rockowitz had me seeing IV's and isolation rooms.
Available: Amazon.com
A Girl's War: A Childhood Lost in Britain's WWII Evacuation is proof that those grainy black and white movies you see on TCM tell only part of the story - the glossy part.
She was sent to the Yorkshire Moors during the bombing of Britain and was bounced from home to orphanage and back again when she was only five years old. It's a historical account of her life and the things she gained and (mostly lost) during the Battle of Britain.
Her storytelling skills are powerful. You'll get the feeling that you're the interviewer and she's the subject who's just reminiscing over a cuppa tea in a cozy English kitchen.
Her memory is remarkable down to minute detail (who else remembers the type of candy they ate when they were five?). When you've turned the last page and traveled this journey with her, you'll have a very good idea of the longing and loss experienced by this great member of the "Greatest Generation".
Author: Doreen Drewry Lehr
Publisher: Advantage Media Group
Penned: May 2010
Time Out: At 250 pages, it's a quick, engaging read.
Beach Worthy: I read it on the beach, but Doreen had me hearing exploding bombs instead of crashing waves.
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
Follow us on Twitter: @BoomerBrief
and @CharlotteBoomer
Know someone battling cancer? Baylor Health Care System's Sammons Says... cancer blog is a great place to go for help. Here, you'll find information, resources, physicians, support groups and just about everything you need to help you navigate your way through this illness.
Senior Forums is a great place to get the news and share views on everything from hobbies and healthcare, to food, family & travel.
Matt Drudge gets the goods and his site ain't bad either.
You don't have to live in Dallas to enjoy D Magazine.
