“Harvey’s Hutch” by Philip Dodd is a charming memoir about Philip Dodd’s life. It’s not an autobiography like the typical life story that tells you all about a person’s great achievements and impact on the world. Dodd tells his life through memories, which he presents through “mirrors” as if we are reliving his life with him. He does not write to impress. In fact, his memoir is not at all about his impact on the world but about life’s impact on him.
Discovering Life's Purpose by Del Smith is a critical examination of the multi-denominational Christian Church. Del Smith calls it "The Club." His re-examination is neither dogmatic nor dry, however. He uses a process called "Experiential Learning," which uses life experiences to evaluate assertions, ideas, and beliefs. He employs this method to the various assertions made by Jesus, the Bible, and the Roman Catholic Church. His experiential and analytical approach is lucid and common-sense.
The Outside Intervention by Andrew Orange is set in a new world order world where there are no countries. There is a Leader over the whole world population while the world's population is divided into segments or castes. The Vors are the ruling class while the simples live to serve the whims of the Vors. But the Vors are actually not the highest in society. The "outs" are higher and have the special ability to read peoples' emotions and even manipulate them. Most of the "outs" are entirely self-serving, self-righteous, and self-absorbed. Except Keir.
Pura Vida by Jim Utsler is about Jacob Miller, a hapless detective in Detroit. He had a moderately successful career until he had enough of the bad guys getting away with stuff. He and his partner took justice in their own hands against a drug dealer. But as the investigation heats up, the evidence begins to pile on, and they're both found guilty. Jacob gets off with a reduced sentence for cooperating with the investigation, which also leaves him with the notoriety of being a rat. Even his father, a former detective, hates him for snitching on his partner.
Of course Beau Devereaux has a dark side. He's the popular football quarterback, good looking, rich, an academic success, and everyone likes him. He also throws the best parties down by the river. His father owns the town, running a lucrative business that employs most of the town residents. He also stands in a long line of Devereauxs. But it's not the family pressure that drives Beau's dark side. He believes he owns the river and the parties he hosts there are just an extension of himself, doing his sinister will.
Comets by Joseph Allen Costa is a collage about Roberto's life, who we meet as a teenager working in his father's cabinet shop. Roberto's life careens through the struggles of Italian, Cuban, and American cabinetmakers, especially the challenges of his father. The various characters have their own particular troubles, all of which deeply shape their characters and their interactions with Roberto. Through these struggles, Roberto learns and matures. His own mistakes are instructive. His father's weaknesses and strengths mold the son.
