Friday, November 27, 2020

First Chapter Review: AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS by Larry Alex Taunton #firstchapterreview

November 27, 2020 0 Comments



Thanks for visiting Literarily Speaking! Today's post is a first chapter review AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS by Larry Alex Taunton. First, a little about the book....



The belief in “American Exceptionalism” is under attack, declares Larry Alex Taunton, an award-winning author, columnist, and cultural commentator. “A battle rages for the heart and soul of America.”

For Taunton, the question comes down to: Is there a better place to live than America?

To explore the idea of “national greatness,” Taunton went on a global odyssey, visiting some 26 countries. He records his discoveries in his new book, AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS: DISCOVERING WHAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT AND WHY WE MUST FIGHT TO SAVE IT.

If all of this sounds like a slog over some serious philosophic and political terrain, it is, but Taunton’s wry humor leavens the loaf.

In a chapter on Sweden, for example, the author hears, on a boat tour of Stockholm, a litany of Swedish accomplishments from his guides: “America? We discovered that. Skype? We invented it. The flat screen? You’re welcome. IKEA? You guessed it.”

Taunton’s mix of socio-political observations and cheeky wit in AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS opens the book up to a large and diverse group of readers.

The online publication The Federalist says of Taunton’s work: “The social elites want evangelicals to be as dumb as they suspect they are. But when a person comes along who proves that tale false, which Taunton clearly does…they simply don’t know what to do.”

In advance praise for AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS, Paul Reid, co-author with William Manchester, of THE LAST LION: WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL: DEFENDER OF THE REALM, 1940-1965 observes:

Larry Taunton—historian, columnist, and a man of abiding Christian faith—traveled (often at great risk to himself) to twenty-six nations in order to hold a mirror up to the United States of America and ask: Is America Good and is America Great? Mark Twain did much the same more than a century ago. Twain’s and Taunton’s conclusions are identical: There is no place—literally No Place—like home. “Around the World in (More Than) 80 Days is fabulous.”  It’s going on my shelf next to “The Innocents Abroad.”

AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS is a book for all seasons.


FAVORITE QUOTE FROM FIRST CHAPTER:
 
At the end of our journey, we will have discovered one of two things: The Left is right, and America really isn't so great after all, or we will see she remains, as Abraham Lincoln put it, "the last best hope of earth."



BOOK COVER:

It's not flashy at all...to the point. Doesn't leave you guessing what's inside.

FIRST CHAPTER REVIEW:

 
The first chapter opens with the author giving us the background of Colin Kaepernick. How he started from being adopted to exploring his American dream - playing football in the big leagues. Everyone knows what happened after that but Colin Kaepernick is a prime example of someone who feels as if America has let him down. Let me tell you - this is one interesting chapter. It gives the reader an idea of where the rest of the book is going to go. The point the author is making is...does the American dream exist by taking us to different countries and cultures to help answer that question - what do they think about America? But I digress...this is just about the first chapter. What I find interesting and didn't know is that Colin Kaepernick got involved with radicals and that's what I believe turned him toward hating America. What gets me is that the guy achieved the American dream yet stomped on it, thus reveling in his millions of dollars. So is making money, prospering, what the American Dream is all about? We shall see in the upcoming pages....


KEEP READING?

You're darn right I'm going to keep reading. Getting people from other countries to tell us their perspective sounds more than interesting...it is going to be helpful. Kudos to the author I'm already intrigued. I will have a full review posted once I finish the book.

Pick up your copy!

Amazon → 

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2GCuGGY 


Meet The Author


Larry Alex Taunton is an American author, columnist, and cultural commentator. A frequent television and radio guest, he has appeared on CNN, CNN International, Fox News, Al Jazeera America, and BBC. You can find his columns on issues of faith and culture in The Atlantic, USA Today, CNN.com, and The Blaze. Taunton has been quoted by Rush Limbaugh, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, TIME, Vanity Fair, and NPR, among others. He is the author of “The Grace Effect” and “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens.”

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Thursday, November 26, 2020

5 Things You Should Know About Around the World in (More Than) 80 Days @larrytaunton #5Things

November 26, 2020 0 Comments

Larry Alex Taunton is an American author, columnist, and cultural commentator. A frequent television and radio guest, he has appeared on CNN, CNN International, Fox News, Al Jazeera America, and BBC. You can find his columns on issues of faith and culture in The Atlantic, USA Today, CNN.com, and The Blaze. Taunton has been quoted by Rush Limbaugh, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, TIME, Vanity Fair, and NPR, among others. He is the author of “The Grace Effect” and “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens.”

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

5 Things You Should Know About Around the World in (More Than) 80 Days

 

 

  1. It is good ol’ fashion adventure. Much like the Jules Verne story that inspired it, this is an exciting story of travel, adventure, and encountering the unexpected. That you are educated along the way is a bonus.

  2. It is real. This book was not written by a man pontificating about the world from the comfort of his New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles office as so many do. On the contrary, I literally went around the world—three times—to write it. Along the way, I dined with the elite and the humble; I rode elephants in Thailand and shot AK47s with former Viet Cong in the jungles of Vietnam; I enjoyed an elegant evening at the Bolshoi and hid from the Fulani Herdsmen Militia in Nigeria. All of these things color the pages of Around the World in (More Than) 80 Days: Discovering What Makes America Great and Why We Must Fight to Save It.

 

  1. It is controversial. My previous book, The Faith of Christopher Hitchens, was named Book of the Year and was praised by Publisher’s Weekly, The Times (of London), The Wall Street Journal, The Federalist, and MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. It was also dishonestly attacked by The Guardian, The New Yorker, BBC, and The Atlantic (three times!). Ironically, this book is much more controversial as it not only anticipates this specific cultural moment, but it takes a side in the culture war and offers a specific solution to that conflict. So far, however, this book has flown under the radar.

 

  1. It is relevant. Sensing where the cultural debate was going, I first conceived of this book four years ago. It could not be timelier. It is about the debate over America past, present, and future.

 

  1. It is entertaining. In their review of the book, Hollywood Digest writes: “I have not read a more entertaining nonfiction book in all my life! That he gives us an accurate and little-known history of each of these countries is an added gem.” Every openminded reader will like this book even if they disagree with my conclusions.

 


 


Book Description:

The belief in “American Exceptionalism” is under attack, declares Larry Alex Taunton, an award-winning author, columnist, and cultural commentator. “A battle rages for the heart and soul of America.”

For Taunton, the question comes down to: Is there a better place to live than America?

To explore the idea of “national greatness,” Taunton went on a global odyssey, visiting some 26 countries. He records his discoveries in his new book, AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS: DISCOVERING WHAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT AND WHY WE MUST FIGHT TO SAVE IT.

If all of this sounds like a slog over some serious philosophic and political terrain, it is, but Taunton’s wry humor leavens the loaf.

In a chapter on Sweden, for example, the author hears, on a boat tour of Stockholm, a litany of Swedish accomplishments from his guides: “America? We discovered that. Skype? We invented it. The flat screen? You’re welcome. IKEA? You guessed it.”

Taunton’s mix of socio-political observations and cheeky wit in AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS opens the book up to a large and diverse group of readers.

The online publication The Federalist says of Taunton’s work: “The social elites want evangelicals to be as dumb as they suspect they are. But when a person comes along who proves that tale false, which Taunton clearly does…they simply don’t know what to do.”

In advance praise for AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS, Paul Reid, co-author with William Manchester, of THE LAST LION: WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL: DEFENDER OF THE REALM, 1940-1965 observes:

Larry Taunton—historian, columnist, and a man of abiding Christian faith—traveled (often at great risk to himself) to twenty-six nations in order to hold a mirror up to the United States of America and ask: Is America Good and is America Great? Mark Twain did much the same more than a century ago. Twain’s and Taunton’s conclusions are identical: There is no place—literally No Place—like home. “Around the World in (More Than) 80 Days is fabulous.”  It’s going on my shelf next to “The Innocents Abroad.”

AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS is a book for all seasons.

Praise

“America—the freest, most tolerant and inclusive nation on earth—is under siege by radicals who make no effort to conceal their determination to destroy it. Larry Alex Taunton has provided patriotic Americans with a powerful weapon to defeat our enemies. Buy this book to arm yourself for the defense of your freedoms. Buy a second copy for a friend.”

— David Horowitz, author of Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America

“To truly understand how and why America is exceptional you could travel to country after country and see for yourself. You might even want to write a brilliant book about it! But lucky for you my friend, Larry Taunton has done all the traveling for you—think of the money you’ve saved!—and has written that brilliant book, making the case so clear that you owe it to yourself to grab a copy and read it! Please do!”

— Eric Metaxas, host of The Eric Metaxas Show; author of Bonhoeffer and If You Can Keep It

“The problem with being an American is that familiarity too often breeds contempt because we see our faults up close and take our virtues and blessings for granted. Larry Alex Taunton has provided a cure by lifting us up out of America, and taking us on a long and insightful tour of the world to see how other places actually stack up. Take the tour with him, and gain some very much needed perspective. You may find—as he did—there’s no place like home.”

— Benjamin Wiker, Ph.D., author of 10 Books That Screwed Up the World

“Larry Taunton—historian, columnist, and a man of abiding Christian faith—traveled (often at great risk to himself) to twenty-seven nations in order to hold a mirror up to the United States of America and ask: Is America Good and is America Great? Mark Twain did much the same more than a century ago. Twain’s and Taunton’s conclusions are identical: There is no place—literally No Place—like home. Around the World in (More Than) 80 Days is fabulous. It’s going on my shelf next to The Innocents Abroad.”

— Paul Reid, co-author with William Manchester, The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2GCuGGY






Thursday, November 19, 2020

HELLALYLE AND HILDEBRAND BOOK BLAST!

November 19, 2020 0 Comments


HELLALYLE AND HILDEBRAND
Tagai Tarutin
Silverwood Books
Medieval Romance

Hellalyle and Hildebrand, were drawn into a relationship engineered by those same unseen forces who had selected her bodyguard; their purpose, to thwart the devil, incarnate in Prinz Paulus, in its attempts to kill the princess.

A downs-syndrome girl of mysterious origins, named Ethla, emerges out of the wildwood. She is taken care of by Princess Hellalyle. and plays a crucial part in the narrative.

The king, while away, learns of the developing relationship between his daughter and the leader of her bodyguard, and feels betrayed by the English knight, and so dispatches his champions – his seven sons, and Paulus – to arrest, and execute Hildebrand, and confine Hellalyle until the king`s return.

The eleven, remaining protectors of the princess, leave the kingdom, believing their contract has been nullified by Thorstiens edict, leaving Hildebrand alone to face Hellalyle`s brothers and step-brother. The Englishman takes the fight to his adversaries, and slaughters all the unfortunate siblings of the princess, except Paulus, who after surrendering to Hildebrand, turns about and treacherously kills him, and then brutally, incarcerates his step-sister.

As these occurrences were unfolding, in another part of the continent, one of her bodyguards, the Teutonic knight, Karl von Altenburg, now living in a monastic order, experiences a vision, informing him of Hellalyle`s plight, and sets out to for Castle Preben.

Meanwhile, in her prison, Hellalyle gives birth to Hildebrand`s son, now sole heir, whom she names Hagen. On a fateful day, Ethla, at the princess’s urging, flees into the wilderness, taking to safety, the infant crown prince, to save him from Prinz Paulus, who, feeling outwitted mortally wounds the princess in revenge.



“A beautiful love story of a medieval knight and a noble princess written by Tagai Tarutin. The book allows us to go back in history and hear more about the exploits of the legendary Hildebrand and his beloved Hellalyle. The book is full of picturesque scenes of the events in Medieval Europe and it gives us the opportunity to immerse in the spirit of those times. It will be a good read for those interested in history, literature and romance…” – Alexandra Suyazova, Teaching Fellow of English, Saint Petersburg, Russia

“A fabulous story that could be easily transformed into a screen version, about a truly romantic relationship beyond any prejudice, driven by pure intentions at the times when the chivalry and nobleness made the difference in survival of a human life.” – Anatoly Leonidovich Rasputin, graduate in English from the University of Linguistics, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.



Amazon → https://amzn.to/3mcbyi3

B&N → https://bit.ly/2TgAJnj






CHAPTER 26

In the great hall, Hellalyle, on hearing the news that her brothers were coming to arrest Hildebrand, pleaded with him to leave. “Hildebrand, you must leave – my father has dispatched my brothers to seize you. Our relationship has set in motion a fait accompli, and now your life is in great danger.”

However, Hildebrand, staring into the fire, was in no mood to listen to her pleading, saying, “Whatever the other knights decide to do, I cannot in all consciousness allow myself to abandon you to an uncertain fate, as I feel responsible for this dire situation.”

Hellalyle, in desperation, pleaded, “Will you, please, be sensible! You cannot defeat eight armed men! Remember, these are my brothers, and at the end of the fight you will lie dead, and so will most of my brethren, and for what end? My family destroyed, and

Prince Hildebrand ignominiously buried in a foreign field, which will be a tragedy for the English nation, and it will not end there, as I feel further calamity awaits those remaining at this fortress.”

“Fate must run its course!” exclaimed the defiant knight, raising his voice. “If you think I will deliver you into the hands of Paulus, you gravely underestimate me. No greater evil walks the land, and he will surely die on the blade of my sword! As for my remains lying beneath the woodland floor, that holds no fear for me, as you have introduced this knight to the beauty of nature, and honour awaits if wild creatures should walk across my grave!”

The soldier’s expose of his inner self prompted Hellalyle to gently grasp his forearm, in a gesture of empathy to his plight, with a pained expression etched on her face. The other bodyguards met to decide on what action to take considering the king’s command, knowing that they must not obstruct. All – save one – agreed that they should depart, convinced their contract with the monarch was severed by these unfortunate events. Von Altenburg, at first, declined to abandon his friend. He was fearful for the safety of the princess, but he eventually conceded, opting to join his comrades in arms.

News of their impending departure reached Hellalyle, who decided to visit them. In a fractured voice, she addressed the company.

“Honoured knights, whom I might almost regard as my brothers and such gallant men, warriors of the Christian church…my heart is about to break. I stand here now imploring you to persuade Hildebrand to leave at once with his fraternal fighters, for if he were to stay, I fear that some tragedy may befall him and my family.”

Her impassioned speech prompted the knight von Streitz to say, “He appears to be deaf to our pleading, Your Highness! What more can we do to sway him?”

Hellalyle, almost in despair, raised her hands to her face and burst into tears. All eleven knights, embarrassed, kept their eyes fixed on the ground before stealing past her prostrate figure, anxious to avoid an uncomfortable situation.

As they rode from the castle, von Altenburg lingered to pay one last visit to Hellalyle and Hildebrand. Entering a chamber, he observed them by the window, Hildebrand pacing up and down, stabbing the floor with his sword, in apparent frustration, the princess standing in sombre contemplation of the densely wooded prospect below. They were all alone as she had sent her staff to the safety of the kitchens. As they turned to face him, von Altenburg became struck by their dramatically altered demeanour. The once-resolute Prince of England now despondent and downcast; and Hellalyle, her face once so radiant now shut down, her eyes that brightly sparkled now eclipsed. She appeared almost lifeless.

 













‘Hellalyle and Hildebrand’ is Tagai Tarutin’s first completed novel.

There are two others of a completely different genre, that lie unfinished, awaiting inspiration.

He has worked most of his life in sales but has always had an interest in Arts and Humanities. Things that are beautiful and appealing play an essential part in his imagination.

Besides travelling in West Europe, he has journeyed to the far South Atlantic, and European Russia, anxious to see parts of the world that are for many mystical destinations on a historical map.

You can visit his website at www.hellalyleandhildebrand.com.




http://www.pumpupyourbook.com

Monday, November 16, 2020

5 Things You Should Know About Zrada by Lance Charnes #5Things

November 16, 2020 0 Comments

Lance Charnes has been an Air Force intelligence officer, information technology manager, computer-game artist, set designer, and Jeopardy! contestant, and is now an emergency management specialist. He’s had training in architectural rendering, terrorist incident response, and maritime archaeology, though not all at the same time. His Facebook author page features spies, archaeology, and art crime.

Lance is the author of the DeWitt Agency Files series of international art-crime novels (The CollectionStealing Ghosts, and Chasing Clay), the international thriller Doha 12, and the near-future thriller South. All are available in trade paperback and digital editions.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK

5 Things You Should Know About Zrada

 

1.      Zrada is based (loosely) on a real story. In 2005, thieves stole 24 paintings from the Westfries Museum in the Netherlands. The paintings ended up in the hands of a far-right Ukrainian militia in 2015. The museum tried to negotiate a “finder’s fee” (ransom) for the paintings but couldn’t conclude a deal. The Ukrainian SBU security service eventually returned four of the paintings to the Westfries in 2016; a private collector handed back a fifth artwork. The rest are rumored to be in Russian mafiya hands.

 

2.      Carson, the heroine, has already appeared in two novels (The Collection and Stealing Ghosts) as an accomplice to Matt Friedrich, that series’ lead. She’s the muscle of the duo. Zrada is her first solo outing. Readers who discovered Carson in those two books will find out a lot more about her in Zrada, which should explain why she is the way she is.

 

3.      Carson, a disgraced Toronto police detective, is based on several women I’ve known in the military and the police. Being a woman surrounded by all that macho can lead to extreme adaptive behaviors. Carson became one of the guys: she downplayed her femininity as much as possible and tried to work out, swear, drink, shoot, and fight just like (or better than) the men around her so it wouldn’t occur to them to hit on her. It didn’t work, but she gained skills she can use in her new line of work.

 

4.      All the towns the characters visit are real places, as are nearly all of the specific places in them. In most cases, they really look the way I describe them. I used satellite imagery from Google Earth to see what the land and foliage looked like in spring 2016, when the story is set.

 

5.      Galina – the Donbass native Carson hires as a guide – participated in the 2014 battle for Ilovaisk, one of the most brutal military actions in Europe since World War Two. She lost her husband and a big piece of herself on that battlefield. She’s every bit as tough as Carson, but in a different way and for different reasons. Galina bears an abiding hatred for everything Russian and a thirst for revenge, both of which become problematic as the story progresses.

 


 


Book Description:

Two priceless paintings. Two million euros. A civil war. What could go wrong?

The DeWitt Agency assigned disgraced ex-cop Carson a simple job: carry two briefcases of cash to swap for two artworks stolen from a German museum. Except nothing’s simple in the Donbass, the breakaway Ukrainian region overrun by militias, warlords, and bandits.

After a brutal zrada – betrayal – Carson finds herself alone and hunted forty miles behind the front lines with half the money, one of the paintings, and a huge target hung on her back. The militia behind the exchange thinks she blew up their deal and wants the money and her hide. Her co-workers were in on the double-cross. And the Agency can’t send help into the hottest war in Europe.

Carson’s never been one to wait to be rescued. She hires Galina – a tough local with a harrowing past and a taste for revenge – to help her cut through every checkpoint, freelance army, crooked cop, and firefight between her and the West. But the road to safety is long and poorly paved. A vengeful militia commander, a Russian special-forces operator with an agenda, and her own ex-colleagues have Carson in their crosshairs.

Carson’s life is now worth less than a suitcase of money or paint on a plank…but if they want to take it from her, she’s going to make them pay.

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3iOUP2o

Kobo  → http://store.kobobooks.com/Search?Query=9781733398923





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