Journey has been in existence for nearly 50 years, selling millions of albums and topping charts along the way. This iconic rock band is back with a new release – Live in Japan 2017: Escape & Frontiers – and it’s awesome!
DK is back with another hardcover book about WWE. This one, WWE SmackDown 20 Years and Counting, celebrates the first 20 years of WWE SmackDown, one of WWE’s most popular and iconic TV shows. Is this book worth your hard-earned cash? Watch my video review below to find out.
Robert Kiyosaki, author Rich Dad Poor Dad, has a new book entitled Fake: Fake Money, Fake Teachers, Fake Assets. I chose to review the audiobook version of this book, and the narrator did a fine job with the material. That said, Fake is best described as a conspiracy book, explaining how certain key aspects of our society – money, teachers, and assets – aren’t what they appear to be. For example, he argues that U.S. currency is hanging by a thread and that “God’s money” (i.e., “real gold and silver”) is the way to go, for a variety of reasons. Kiyosaki also says that owning gold attracts money, as if it has some supernatural powers. While some of his logic in the book makes sense, the supernatural elements and conspiracy theories make him seem paranoid and out-of-touch with reality. Worse yet, entire sections of this book are copied and pasted throughout. In other words, identical sections and stories in one chapter appear in another. This has been noted in numerous Amazon reviews for the book, and this egregious quality-control error is present in the audiobook. That makes me wonder, did the narrator have to read the same parts over and over again? If so, wasn’t he wondering to himself, “Boy, this sounds familiar? I swore I already read this.” With all of this in mind, I can’t recommend this book. There are some interesting concepts but the quality control issues and goofy content in this book aren’t worth your “fake” money.
Photo by Micah Kandros.Jonathan Cain is a brilliant musician and an even-more-wonderful person. What follows is my third interview with him to date, and I find myself liking and respecting the man more each time we speak. During this interview we covered his brand-new album More Like Jesus, which is fantastic, his thoughts on Steve Perry’s comeback album, a new Journey release, and much more. Also included among the images and videos below, is a quote from a discussion I had with Jon backstage in Philadelphia last year, where he gave my writing the highest praise it has ever received. Jon’s music, writing, and friendship have enriched my life in a way that is immeasurable and, if you take a chance, he might have the same impact on you.
Paul Stanley has always been my favorite member of KISS. I’ve had the good fortune of doing a cover story interview with him, taking part in a backstage guitar meet and greet with the Starchild a few years back, meeting Paul numerous times during KISS meet and greets backstage, interviewing his son Evan for his first U.S. cover story, and much more. His music, personality, and sense of style are appealing and admirable. I loved his first book, Face The Music, so I was eager to check out Backstage Pass.
Breathe To Succeed is focused on the power of mindfulness and owning one’s breath. As someone who does DDP Yoga every day, I fully understand the power of my breath. While this is an important concept to understand and master, it doesn’t warrant an audiobook that is nearly five hours long. The narrator does a fine job with the material, and the author clearly cares about the subject matter. However, I think it would be better suited for a TED Talk or a podcast episode, not a full-length book. Therefore, I can’t recommend it unless you know absolutely nothing about owning your breath and are willing to sit through a nearly-five-hour discussion about it. If that sounds appealing, this is the book for you. If not, you should read a more comprehensive book on mindfulness.
Melissa Manchester, a timeless singer with an exquisite voice, performed a phenomenal concert on April 27 that benefited Lulu’s Rescue, an all-breed inclusive dog rescue.
I recently listened to the audiobook Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn’t Know It Was Broken! by Bill Apter. This Audible Original was highly enjoyable for a variety of reasons. First, Bill narrates the book himself, making it infinitely more charming and compelling. Second, I grew up watching professional wrestling (and still do) and I fondly recall buying many of the magazines Bill was affiliated with, including Pro Wrestling Illustrated, The Wrestler, and Inside Wrestling. Prior to the internet, these magazines were the best way to see amazing photos and read articles about my favorite professional wrestlers, and this was during the 1990s when the WWF (now WWE), WCW, and ECW were hotter than ever. It was a magical time to be a fan and this book captures that era, and many others, from Bill’s perspective.
Quantum Leap, one of the greatest TV shows of all time, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. For five seasons and nearly 100 episodes, this revolutionary show tackled a variety of topics, including important social issues in a unique way. It was humorous, moving, enlightening, and always compelling due, in large part, to the strong dialogue and fantastic acting. Not only were Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell phenomenal in their roles, the supporting cast was equally impressive. If you’re new to Quantum Leap or simply interested in revisiting this iconic series that was ahead of its time, you should read Beyond The Mirror Edge: The Observer’s Guide To Quantum Leap by Matt Dale.
I love stories in all forms, from books to movies to TV shows to video games to music. Stories bring us together, move us, and can inspire self-reflection. Several years back, I discovered how audiobooks can make a good story great by having a deft narrator breathe it to life. John Lithgow is one such narrator. His iconic voice has served him well in a variety of roles, including the narrator of his autobiography entitled Drama, which I bought through Audible and thoroughly enjoyed. With this in mind, I was eager to listen to Stories By Heart, an Audible Original that’s part of the Audible Theater collection of audiobooks.
