A touching narrative that transcends its subject matter.
In horse lover and activist Normile’s memoir (co-authored with seasoned writer Lindner), she fights for the humane treatment of ex-racehorses.
Compelled by the idea of owning a thoroughbred, Normile acquires “Baby” from an ailing breeder, with the stipulation that she races him. Driven by a competitive spirit rather than financial gain, her main priority is ensuring her new horse’s well-being. Normile becomes indoctrinated in the early 1990s subculture of Detroit horse racing—and the corner-cutting and corruption that lurk in the unregulated sport. Her tender love for Baby compares to a mother’s love for her child who’s all the more vulnerable due to his inability to express himself. Baby shows promise as a winner, but due to a series of unsavory experiences, he never reaches his potential. He eventually meets a tragic, untimely end resulting from negligence on the track. This heart-wrenching loss launches Normile into a fight to protect other horses from the same fate. She’s motivated further when she learns some dark truths behind the industry, like the legal practice that has retired racehorses being slaughtered and sold for meat. Ultimately, she helms a nonprofit rescue that matches retired thoroughbreds with new owners. Like many tireless and committed activists, she sacrifices her family relationships and personal well-being for her cause. With the help of Lindner’s first class storytelling, action and emotion equally drive this compelling tale that will bring on the waterworks for any animal lover. The horses Normile loves are portrayed as dynamically as human beings, with imagined dialogue Normile gleans from their body language. Early in the book, she describes Baby’s departure from his mother and siblings: “There were cries and whinnies from the other horses as the trailers left. ‘Where are you going? We thought you were home to stay,’ ” the others horses are imagined saying. “Baby himself didn’t appear to be nervous. ‘I’ll be back,’ he whinnied confidently. ‘Just gone for a bit—have to make my mark.’ ”
A touching narrative that transcends its subject matter.Pub Date: April 16, 2013
ISBN: 978-0988878006
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Powder Point Publishing
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An excellent primer for gaining a better understanding of the U.S. health care system.
Reed—a neurologist—provides a passionate and detailed look at the American health care system.
The health care crisis in the United States has inspired a number of publicly expressed opinions, particularly in recent years, but rarely does the public hear from a vital component of the health care system: physicians. Beginning with her personal interests that led her into the field, Reed outlines her particular history and experiences in order to establish her authority as a medical doctor and to explain the differences between the historical system used in the U.S. and its present incarnation. Along the way, she highlights aspects of medicine that aren’t commonly discussed in public venues: the peculiar liability requirements physicians face, their lack of control over certain aspects of business most entrepreneurs take for granted, and the specific barriers to market entry for doctors. Dr. Reed winds up her explanations with a concise analysis of the modern U.S. health care system and her suggestions for its improvement. This insider’s view of health care—not the actual practice of medicine, but the nuts and bolts of how care providers, insurance and patient responsibility intertwine—clearly portrays complex concepts and the workings of the overall system. Although Reed clearly has opinions regarding the politics of health care, which she makes clear in an afterword, she explains her reasoning in evenhanded terms and takes care to avoid egregiously biased rhetoric. Despite the repetition of certain key words and lines, which creates a fleeting impression of heavy-handedness early in the text, the book educates readers about one of the thorniest issues in modern U.S. political discourse.
An excellent primer for gaining a better understanding of the U.S. health care system.Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1468544114
Page Count: 196
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A cut above other, more by-the-numbers thrillers.
In DeBernardo’s first thriller, a psychologist works with the police to thwart a serial killer who may be stalking her.
It’s been two years since the brutal murder of Dr. Sara Chioti’s partner, the star country singer Anna Belle. The doctor is a psychological consultant for the FBI, typically paired with Special Agent Scott Steele. Her latest case, however, can’t distract her from recurring nightmares and her persistent, vibrant memories of Anna. Women are being tortured, killed and left on grotesque display, but it’s the notes the killer leaves behind that are most disturbing—especially as they come to resemble the messages being left for Sara by an unknown antagonist. DeBernardo’s novel highlights the procedural aspect of law enforcement; there are many sequences involving discussions of the ongoing investigation. These are the book’s sturdiest points, as well as the characterization of Sara and Steele; they’re intelligent, meticulous and endlessly fascinating. There’s also an imposing expression of Sara’s love for Anna. A pager code that only Anna knew and a familiar book lead the doctor to believe that perhaps her love is haunting her, or even still alive; incessant reminiscences of Anna are both endearing and heartbreaking. The serial killer, meanwhile, writes letters (appearing as chapters) addressed to “Lovely,” vividly describing his childhood with an abusive mother and his perverse reflections. He has plenty to offer to maintain tension: an M.O. that’s altered as frequently as his victims and a trail of disfigured Barbie dolls left at the cops’ front doors. Sara’s friend Kris is intended as a lighthearted reprieve from the more apprehensive moments, but she sometimes hits a sour note; her hectic behavior—such as concerning herself more with seducing the doctor’s female bodyguard than Sara’s state of mind—occasionally makes her seem more dissonant than funny. The novel is rounded out with lurid descriptions—sidestepping brain matter and pools of blood at the morgue—and a copious amount of people in peril, clever surprises and red herrings.
A cut above other, more by-the-numbers thrillers.Pub Date: June 6, 2012
ISBN: 978-1469941141
Page Count: 606
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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