Author: Stephanie

Happy Monday, everyone! It’s the start of a new week and, in a few days, the start of a new month. I must apologize for the long absence. Editing, beta reading, my master’s dissertation, it’s all caught up to me past the couple months, some of which I’ll be sharing with you in upcoming posts. First, however, I want to bring you a new book review, this time for a how-to guide called Lean Mastery: A Study Guide for Lean Six Sigma, Scrum, Kanban and Agile Management (Inc. Certification Training for White, Green, Yellow and Black Belts with 300 Test Questions and Answers) by Michael Craig.

Lean Mastery is a beginner’s guide to Lean Six Sigma, a statistics- and analytics-based approach to making a business more efficient and more functional. (For more on the basics of Lean Six Sigma and what it is, you can check out this Wikipedia article.) The guide takes readers through everything they need to know when preparing for Six Sigma Certification, including the pros and cons of utilizing Six Sigma; the five basic steps of Six Sigma, which are also known as DMAIC; the different belt levels of Six Sigma Certification and their roles; the incorporation of Scrum, Kanban, and Agile Management; and much more, all culminating in practice questions and answers for each level of Six Sigma Certification. By the end of the book, readers should know what Six Sigma is, the benefits, and how to apply it either to their own personal businesses or workplaces.

Michael Craig provides everything the full title promises and more. He gives a complete, detailed guide on Lean Six Sigma that even includes some easy-to-follow examples as to how the approach might make a business better for its customers and employees alike. Craig even takes this information a step further by admitting to the potential cons of this process and how they can be turned from negatives into positives. I do wish that Craig had explained the general concept of Lean Six Sigma more clearly and explicitly during the introduction for readers who are just getting started in business and business management, but it is cleared up as the process is described in detail throughout the rest of the book.

My favorite part of the guide—and, I would argue, one of the most crucial parts—is one Craig discusses organizing and using the data gathered earlier in the Six Sigma process. I am a very visual person, so being able to put data into a visual form such as with the value stream map which Craig describes makes more difficult concepts both easier for me to grasp and more enjoyable. While not a fully-visual concept, visual learners will still appreciate the idea/use of a value stream map when trying to understand how Six Sigma leads to a more efficient and functional business.

I can’t say that Lean Mastery is an easy read. While Craig uses plain, straightforward language in his writing, the information is dense and a lot is thrown at the reader in 521 pages. Craig is thorough, seeming to cover everything one could possibly need in order to take the certification exams, but that also means readers will have a lot to process and might need to read this book multiple times, especially since Craig could have been more concise in his approach to the subject. I also do not recommend it to readers not already familiar with statistical terms and some degree of business management. Otherwise, you will spend a lot of time looking terms up and will not get all that you can out of the guide.

Overall, I think that Lean Mastery by Michael Craig does a good job in conveying the process of Lean Six Sigma and how it can help businesses while also preparing readers for certification. However, it is not something to read lightly. It requires some knowledge of statistics and business management in order to follow along, so even if you’re starting a business and want to know how to apply this method to your new venture, you should wait until you have a better understanding these concepts before attempting to read this book or learn the Six Sigma process. If you already have this knowledge, time to read the guide carefully, and a true desire to become Six Sigma certified then Lean Mastery is definitely for you.

You can buy Lean Mastery by Michael Craig as an eBook or in paperback on Amazon.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

Hello, readers and writers! It seems that the hectic holiday season has finally come to an end, and the world has already rung in the New Year. I normally don’t put much stock into a new year bringing a lot of change, but I’d be lying if I said that a lot hasn’t been changing on my end. At the very least, I’m getting even more work than usual and one book for which I served as editor (Natir Whitebridge: A Grain of Respect by Ameel Koro) has finally been published. But that’s for another post. Today I want to focus on one thing that hasn’t changed: my book reviews. In particular, I want to review Michael B. White’s Mastering Java: An Effective Project Based Approach Including Web Development, Data Structure, GUI Programming and Object Oriented Programming (Beginner to Advanced).

Mastering Java—much like White’s other programming language book, Mastering Python—is a thorough guide introducing readers to Java, how it works, and how to use it. White uses a hands-on teaching method mixed with typical textbook/how-to writing to take readers on the complete journey from installing Java and learning the basics to exploring complex concepts as web development and GUI programming. From explanations on how to create your first program to a list of Java-related interview questions and their answers, this book contains a little something for both the more beginning-level programmers to advanced users.

After reading Mastering Python, I have to admit that I still understand very little about programming. Frankly, I don’t have the time or the patience to devote as much attention as is needed to learning it; I might not even have the mind for it. However, I was interested in checking out how Java works as well because it is the most-used programming language out there. While I will need to re-read both of these books multiple times in order to proceed any further, I do think that Mastering Java will be useful for those with more of a mind for programming.

White’s writing continues to be just as comprehensive here as it is in Mastering Python. The more casual voice makes it easy to follow along with his explanations and instructions, although the terminology is still a lot for someone entirely new to programming to process. It feels as though White is in the room with you, like a college professor trying to lead a workshop on Java programming. That also means that this book is not a passive read. Instead, as the title implies by calling it a “project-based approach”, you have to follow along with White’s instructions for using Java to create your first project. Given the nature of the subject, this is the best way to learning how to program using Java—hands-on—but that also means that you must more actively engage with this book and it will take a while to get through each section.

With the level of interaction this book requires and the fact that it includes interview questions, Mastering Java is not really for those with casual interest or vague curiosity in programming. Those with absolutely no knowledge of programming and Java might also find everything a bit overwhelming at first and will need to re-read the book several times in order to fully absorb the information. For these reasons, this guide is probably best for those with at least a basic understanding of programming and/or Java who are looking to do something significant with what they learn, especially those who want to pursue a career in this area. The most novice of programmers, such as myself, will want to try something more concise and basic and then pursue the more in-depth information provided here.

Overall, just like with his Mastering Python book, Michael B. White’s Mastering Java is not for everyone. It is very detailed and covers just about everything that can be covered in a book like this, which can either confuse and/or frustrate novice users or initially feel repetitive for advanced programmers. Nevertheless, it is a good place to find almost everything you would need to know about using Java or to brush up on the knowledge you’ve already gained. At around 687 pages, the length of the book can be intimidating, but every bit of it is useful and necessary for the purpose of this guide. If you have some knowledge of Java that you wish to expand or you want to review what you already know in preparation for an interview, this guide is the book for you.

You can buy an eBook of Mastering Java by Michael B. White on Amazon.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com.

Often, our feelings about a character are pretty straightforward: we love them, we like them, we dislike them, or we hate them. Successfully creating a mixture of these emotions can be a challenge, although many of the best authors seem to pull it off. Within this challenge, one of the hardest things for a writer to accomplish is making a character which we love to hate. It’s even harder to change our feelings about that character over the course of a novel, yet that is exactly what William H. Coles does with the protagonist of McDowell. That is why today’s review will be focused on this novel.

McDowell by William H. Coles follows the rise and fall of Hiram McDowell, a renowned American surgeon and philanthropist. McDowell has spent years meticulously building his career and life. He has founded a hospital for the underprivileged in Nepal, has climbed some of the world’s tallest mountains (including Mt. Everest), and has navigated the world of healthcare politics with hardly a scratch to his reputation. All of this and he manages to financially provide for an ever-growing family. However, everything is not what it seems. Beneath his public persona, McDowell is not the saint he would like everyone to believe. Adultery, broken promises, weakened family ties and friendships, McDowell seems to have sacrificed every relationship in his life in favor of his own pleasure and career advancements. Little does McDowell know, karma has a way of catching up with everyone.

At the beginning of the novel, McDowell is rapidly approaching the peak of his career. He is nationally recognized and considered to be one of the best, if not the best, in his field. He can travel all over the country and the world,fulfilling his lust for adventure and women while also using his skills as a surgeon to help the less fortunate. Now the ultimate honor is in sight: a seat on the President’s cabinet. Then disaster strikes, ripping his entire family apart and leading McDowell toward financial ruin. Thus begins McDowell’s slide down a slippery slope into anger, deceit, and even felonies. Can anything redeem this ambitious, self-centered man? Or is he doomed to forever be ignorant of his own wrongdoings?

I can genuinely say that I have never come across a novel quite like this one Coles has written. Coles has created something incredibly complex, not only inits plot and characters but in the emotions which it evokes. I began the novel absolutely despising McDowell and, for much of the book, I remained that way. However, little by little, Coles complicates my feelings for the character, sometimes thinking that there is a slim possibility for redemption and other times thinking that a man like him can never change. By the end, my feelings for McDowell landed somewhere in between like and dislike. He started as a character I loved to hate and ended a character I truly cared about, although I know he is not innocent of all wrongdoing and would not want to socialize with someone like him real life.

The outstanding character development does not end with McDowell. Almost every character, including secondary characters, are well-rounded with extraordinary depth. Coles even hints at backstories for characters which only appear for a handful of chapters, and many of these characters are not what they seem to beat first glance. From Paige, the hard-hitting and truth-focused journalist, and Sophie, McDowell’s artistic and bisexual daughter with a heart of gold, to Rosenthal, Paige’s sexist and ageist new boss, McDowell has a wide cast of characters which seems to include samples of people from every walk of life. No one is perfect, and only one character can be considered “pure”. Everyone else is fueled to some degree by self-interest and, in some cases, revenge; even those characters with the best of intentions cannot be considered completely innocent.

At 472 pages long, one would think that the story would run into superfluous events or lagging in the storytelling. However, the plot proves to be both gripping and intricate, weaving events and characters together so tightly that one change or omission could cause the whole thing to fall apart. Everything Coles writes contributes directly to either character development or plot—usually both—and is all necessary for the novel to have such a powerful impact on the reader. Fortunately, Coles’s style is so compelling and crisp that one can read through a hundred pages without realizing how much time has passed. If it had not been for other commitments, I probably would not put the book down until I was finished.

It is only fair to warn my readers that McDowell covers some issues which are politically sensitive, especially right now. The book features sexism, questionable morals, members of the LGBT+ community, characters of multiple ethnic and racial backgrounds, depictions of poverty, emotionally abusive relationships, and murder. Essentially, Coles incorporates as many of modern society’s issues as is possible in a single novel. Surprisingly, each of these issues fits naturally into the narrative and is handled in a way which leaves it up to the reader to decide how they feel about it.

Overall, McDowell by William H. Coles can be considered a modern masterpiece. It is well-written, gripping, and provocative. The characters are realistically flawed and complex, and you are likely to find at least one character to whom you can relate. I noticed a few incredibly minor proofreading errors, but they are no reason at all to miss this book. In my opinion, it’s no wonder that it was a finalist in the William Faulkner Creative Writing Competition two years in a row.

You can buy a physical or eBook copy of McDowell by William H. Coles on Amazon. Also make sure to check out the McDowell website and Coles’s website and podcast.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

In the modern era, aging is one of the most dreaded parts of human life. From Alzheimer’s and dementia to social isolation and deteriorating bodies, mainstream media depicts aging as unnerving at best. Add on top of that the concerns about being able to fund retirement and/or losing our contemporaries, and aging sounds like one of the worst things to happen to us. What we tend to forget, however, is that just as many wonderful things happen when we get older: we have more free time, our families grow with the welcomed addition of grandchildren, and, overall, we get a new lease on life. If approached with the correct mindset, our golden years can truly be our golden years.

In his latest book, Rejuvenaging: The Art and Science of Growing Older with Enthusiasm, psychotherapist Dr. Ron Kaiser chooses to view aging in a much more positive light. He argues that advances in healthcare and science have extended the average life expectancy to the point that our retirement years will outlast our working years, so why not enjoy them? To help readers do just that, Dr. Kaiser presents them with a thorough, insightful guide which covers everything from shifting our view of life to maintaining our health and minds as we grow older. By the end of this book, older readers will have the tools to combat the effects of aging and younger readers will have a plan for enjoying the remaining stages of their lives.

Dealing with the aging process has been thoroughly discussed over the years. However, Dr. Kaiser approaches this topic from a very unique angle. While he does outline ways in which to counteract how aging has already affected someone, he mostly focuses on a proactive approach. He reminds readers that aging is not a spectator sport. Rather, we must work to keep ourselves feeling youthful and happy as we get older or else we really will waste away. As an experienced psychotherapist, the founder of The Mental Health Gym, and the creator of a branch of positive psychology dubbed “Goal-Achieving Psychotherapy”, Dr. Kaiser has the knowledge and first-hand experience to help people become active participants in their aging instead of bystanders.

All of Dr. Kaiser’s advice has roots in his psychotherapy practice, scientific research, and his own experiences as he gets older. He is even kind enough to provide a list of his sources in a bibliography at the end of the book, several of which I plan to read for myself. Nevertheless, Dr. Kaiser does not bog down his writing with too much medical jargon or statistics. Instead, he utilizes plain language and personal anecdotes from his clients and his own life to illustrate his points while keeping the reader engaged. In fact, this book is quite the page-turner, and readers will find themselves simultaneously wanting to continue reading and wanting to try out recommended exercises and websites.

Admittedly, a lot of Dr. Kaiser’s advice seems obvious, such as reading more and taking small steps in order to accomplish a larger goal. Regardless, these are also tips that people either don’t think about because they seem so obvious or simply don’t follow. Dr. Kaiser reminds readers of these concepts, encouraging them to pick and choose what works for them, and gives them ways to keep themselves accountable for executing these concepts.

Overall, Rejuvenaging by Dr. Ron Kaiser is a wonderful read for people of any age looking to enjoy their retirement years. He helps prepare readers mentally, physically, and emotionally for growing old happily and highly encourages people to start this process young to make the most out of life later. Fortunately, Dr. Kaiser’s advice works for those who choose to “start growing old early,” to put it in the psychotherapist’s words, as well as those who are already at retirement age. So, if you’re worried about getting older, need help enjoying your retirement years, or just want to make sure you make the most out of life, I highly recommend Dr. Kaiser’s work.

You can buy a print copy of Rejuvenaging by Dr. Ron Kaiser on Amazon.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

When it comes to achieving one’s goals, I am a strong advocate for the “baby steps” concept. After all, one word leads to one sentence, one sentence leads to one paragraph, one paragraph leads to one chapter, and one chapter leads to an entire novel. The smallest actions can be the start of big things. The effects might not be obvious at first or might be slow to take off, but with effort and resilience, every little thing pays off in the long run. Just ask Wes Berry, successful business owner and author of Big Things Have Small Beginnings: Learn to Play in the Great Game.

Big Things Have Small Beginnings shows readers how to recognize and take advantage of the small things which will help them successfully play not just the great game of business but also the great game of life. Berry advises potential entrepreneurs on every aspect of running a business: setting and achieving objectives, making connections, helping the business grow, finding extraordinary personnel as well as an extraordinary product/service, and even channeling the ambition which comes with running a business in a productive manner. All the while, Berry tells the story of his own successes and failures in order to demonstrate how the small changes and initiatives can add up. By the end of the book, readers will know the value of the little things in life and business and have some helpful tips for launching and running a business that you won’t find in traditional business books.

There are thousands of books and websites out there for helping people start a business. Most of them have very useful information and some can be entertaining as well, but Berry’s work has clicked with me in a way that the others have not. The emphasis on paying attention to the smaller things to reach the bigger goals really resonated with me. I also found Berry’s personal success story to be inspiring and helpful; it demonstrates a level of creative, out-of-the-box thinking that everyone should aspire to, especially if they want to make an impact on this world. The stories about trading products/service for airtime and the section on learning about franchising were particular informative, unique, and, in the case of the franchising, chuckle-worthy.

Those are the most engaging aspects of this book: the unique perspective, the humor, and the optimism. I felt as though I were having a genuine, face-to-face conversation with the author himself. While it might not be considered the most “professional” approach, this tone really kept my attention and put me at ease enough to actually absorb Berry’s advice. It adds a personal touch which too many business resources lack and, when combined with the photographs and other visual aids, prevented the writing from becoming too dry. At times I felt this approach bordered on rambling, but Berry always returns to his point and ties everything together by the end of each chapter.

Berry’s personal history of growing up with a small family business, briefly attending a military school, and involvement with the Freemasons and other organizations perfectly supplements his business and life advice. His experience provides solid examples of how his tips do—and, sometimes, do not—work out. It also creates a connection between Berry and his readers and gives the readers a few laughs. I particularly got a kick out of him mentioning his Freemason membership, both because I thought it included great ideas for leadership building and because I have a few ancestors who were also Freemasons. There seems to be a little something that any reader can relate to in Berry’s experiences, and that alone makes this book worth the read for aspiring business people.

Overall, Big Things Have Small Beginnings by Wes Berry is a great tool for those looking to start or struggling to maintain their own businesses. While Berry covers a lot of ground, this book is not a complete, comprehensive guide to business. Nevertheless, the topics that it does cover are key to succeeding in business and in life, and there are very few business resources that will so clearly demonstrate the importance of focusing on the small things as Berry’s work does. If you are trying to break into business and feel like something is missing from your approach, give Big Things Have Small Beginnings a try. You never know, the Devil might just be in those small details you’re overlooking.

Big Things Have Small Beginnings by Wes Berry is available in print on Amazon.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!