Cover for Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge

The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge

Because Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.

Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.

IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.

This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.

Bianka Walter

502647
I am not a reader of memoirs, so this is not a book that I would have sampled without the first ten program. I am also not religious, so the memoir of a priest is definitely one that doesn't interest me. The sample of this book was typical of a memoir. It gives an introduction and a preface explaining why Father Bury decided to write (or orate to a writer) this book. He states a few of his life principles before jumping into his early life and his upbringing by his parents. The sample seemed well edited. There weren't any huge errors, although the word 'sixties' has been unnecessarily capitalised. This is not a book that I will be reading further. As mentioned, I don't read memoirs and this falls firmly into that category.

First Ten review added on April 11, 2019, at 4:50 am by Bianka Walter.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

va2016

119030
The cover and the title of the book adequately denotes the theme of the book. There are 7 Amazon customer reviews. The Amazon summary details about the author of the book, and says that the book is his true story. Based on the above factors, I would have skipped sampling the book as religious non-fiction is not my genre. As I sampled through the book, I found the story narrating the author's protest in Vietnam against Vietnam war. The author discusses how he felt protesting - against the U.S. laws. Although it sounded interesting, since I am not into these kind of serious genres, I am not going to read this book in full. I found the book professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is the author's attempt to write about social justice. I could not find anything that could be improved with the book. Although I found one OBC review for the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.

First Ten review added on April 11, 2019, at 4:19 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Alice Heritage

173569
I was intrigued by the title, though it wasn't clear from that, that this would be a book about nonviolent protest. I probably wouldn't have sampled it because I don't normally read either religious books or memoirs. I will buy and read it, however, because the messages of love and conviction in the first ten pages struck a strong emotional chord. Although the text seems polished, I noticed: "Her generous idea pieced my mental and emotional blockages" - surely this should read "pierced". Also, reference is made to "four basic conscious assumptions" above a list of six points, and the mix of tenses seems odd in the sentence: "I had no trouble obeying when it is perceived to be in my own self-interest". I liked the power of the author's message - he mentions the need to focus on opportunities and challenges and education rather than punishment, as well as the crucial importance of social justice. The first ten pages could maybe be improved with the inclusion of a little more background information about the Vietnam war. That might not be an issue for readers who are better informed than I am, however, and I see that more information is coming after the first ten pages. I felt the OnlineBookClub review didn't do justice to the author's heartiness; my decision is entirely based on the sample.

First Ten review added on April 11, 2019, at 3:01 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Annelore Trujillo

97769
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. I don’t usually read non-fiction, especially when a religious aspect is involved. I also thought the Amazon blurb seemed just a bit thrown together. The same part was copied twice. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I agreed with the author on a lot of concepts, but the faith based aspects of the book aren’t for me. I liked the 4 assumptions the author provided. I also thought the anecdote about being chained to the fence without actually being chained was interesting. The book did seem to be professionally edited. It really just isn’t my type of book.

First Ten review added on April 11, 2019, at 2:03 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Ekta Kumari

896308
I wouldn't have read this as I'm not very much into memoirs. But I read the official review and then decided to sample it. I liked the portion I read. The conversational tone of writing was engaging, and the quotes mentioned by the author were full of wisdom. The author documents his experiences in his quest for peace and nonviolence, and his courage in pursuing that is infectious. I didn't find a single error. The book seems to be exceptionally edited. I would like to congratulate the author for his brave work in the direction of nonviolent activism. However, I'll not be reading this book any further as I usually don't enjoy reading memoirs. People who like and read memoirs should definitely look into this inspirational novel.

First Ten review added on April 11, 2019, at 1:10 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Vickie Noel

249577
I wouldn't have read this book outside the program because it's a religious book, and that's a genre I'm strictly averse to reading. Sampling a few pages didn't change my opinion. I quickly got bored because of lack of interest in memoirs centered on political/religious activism. Even when I read about the author and his companions chaining themselves to the United States Embassy in Saigon, I didn't feel moved with support or comradery. The book, though, seems well edited because I spotted no errors. The OBC review I read didn't stimulate my interest in the book, not necessarily because of poor writing, but because the genre never appeals to me.

First Ten review added on April 11, 2019, at 12:04 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sonya Nicolaidis

1005818
There is a certain haunting quality to the photo on the front cover that would certainly make me stop and pick up this book for a closer look. The title, too, promises a story somewhat out of the ordinary, so I read this sample optimistically. Reviewers certainly gave this book their stamp of approval and all had very positive things to say. The writing was clear and easy to read, and all grammatically very correct. However, I found that while I do admire this priest’s conviction and courage, I do not really agree with his actions in the first account. My concern about this book is that many more similar experiences might annoy me to the point of not enjoying the story anymore, so I’d rather steer clear of such books altogether. I cannot suggest anything to improve the story, because it is what it is, but it just doesn’t appeal to me personally. Hence, I won’t be reading it, despite all the good reviews. I wish the author the best of luck in his writing, though.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 11:11 pm by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Fu Zaila

878840
The cover and blurb confirmed this book wasn't my cup of tea. Although the writing is edited professionally, I didn't really like the first person narrative. I liked how he is open and thorough about his experiences. I was surprised to discover he was not Catholic but Lutheran. I liked how he is ready to answer the unanimous question of why he remained a priest. The official review states that the timelines aren't very organised which made me more skeptical towards the book. I'm not a christian, and I don't like memoirs, so I won't read further.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 10:56 pm by Fu Zaila.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

briellejee

309975
Based on the cover and title, I think I wouldn't have sampled the book. Not really appealing with the colors on the cover and it does not quite say "interesting" to someone like me who does not like non-fictions. As for the first few pages, I think the start of chapter one was a good one. Priests in chains protesting at the front of the U. S. Embassy during Vietnam War is enough to keep my curiosity aflame. Reading on the passion of these priests on their mission to make people realize peace and stop the wars is inspiring. I mean, walking away from their comfort zones in the church and as priests, endangering their lives, was downright brave. This memoir sparked inspiration and awe for Father Bury and his colleagues. However, his writing style isn't for me. I read mostly fantasy and adventure genres so I think this one isn't for me. I am not the right reader for this book but this could be a good read in history classes. With that said, I will not be buying the book. I found no noticeable errors and the official OBC review was persuasive enough to tell me to sample it despite being a seldom reader of non-fiction.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 9:28 pm by briellejee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Catherine Hsu

104096
If I had not read the official sample, I would not have read the book as I do not read religious books. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind for the same reason. I did think the four basic conscious assumptions helped a lot in simplifying the information. I do disagree with number four of these assumptions though, the one that assumes no evil people exist. The book was professionally edited. I did not read the official review but that did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 8:20 pm by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

micoleon13

97247
This is cover page which didn't really get my attention as it looks religiously based which I am not a fan of reading about. I would not choose this book to read. The OnlineBookClub review was very complementary and outlined a story filled more with adventure than what I was expecting. Father Bury certainly has lived a very interesting life. I was more curious about the book than my original impression. The pages which I read were well written and edited, although I felt that the acknowledgements, then the prolongue then the preface, and then the introduction made the starting drag a little. The writing was easy to follow, and it's not often you read about people meeting with the Vietnamese during the War to find out more about their opinions. However, there are still very strong religious themes and content which makes this a book which I will not be continuing to read. I have no ideas for improvement.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 7:42 pm by micoleon13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Yoli García

139064
I would not have sampled this book without this program because I rarely read biographies. The OBC review did not convince me to read the book as it is about the life of a priest. I think the book was professionally edited. I liked that the priest turned into a political activist during the Vietnam era. However, the story of his life is not a subject that appeals to me, so I will not read it.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 6:08 pm by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Heidi M Simone

76506
If it wasn't for this program, I would not have sampled this read. In general, religion and nonfiction are genres that normally don't pique my interest. Therefore, the cover, title, blurb, and genre are not appealing. Though there are positive OBC and customer ratings, these do not affect my opinion of the book. Based on what I read, the book could use another round of editing. For instance, toward the end of Chapter One, the line, "Muslims, Christians, Jews, Afghans..." has an opening quotation mark, but it does not include an ending quotation mark. The author certainly opened with a bang as he and his friends were protesting and were brought to a Vietnamese police station. I can't imagine chaining myself up in front of anything for a cause. It definitely takes a certain kind of person to be able to do that. Glad that Jerry was able to get the protesters out! However, at first, it was a bit confusing as to what was happening in Chapter One as the author and others are protesting the war, which I believe it was referencing the Vietnam War. Though the author seemed to have lived an exciting life as a peace activist, I'm afraid memoirs and the general content of the book isn't something I'm interested in reading. Therefore, I do not plan on buying and reading the book.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 4:52 pm by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

ritah

236447
Based on the title and genre, I wouldn't have sampled the book because I don't usually go for books in this genre. I read the official review and then sampled the book. I liked that the author's first trip to Vietnam as a researcher was to find out how the Vietnamese felt about the presence of American troops on their land. I also liked that the author values diplomacy over fighting as do I. I didn't not find any errors in the pages I read. Though there are sentiments/ values that I share and appreciated, I won't be reading the rest of the book because the central focus of it is not for me.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 3:29 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Jsovermyer

1045410
I thought the cover photo was great, especially after I read the first chapter and found out who these men are and what they are doing. The title, Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge, is also good and attracted me to the book at once. Father Harry J. Bury has led an exciting and fulfilling life. I'm impressed that he worked with Mother Theresa and that he fought to bring the Vietnam War to an end. I liked the story of the priests chaining themselves to the gates of the United States’ Embassy in Saigon. Then the guards came out with bolt cutters, cut the chains off, and pushed the men back out to the street. I was surprised that they were not detained. The official review interested me, telling about all of the famous people Father Bury has met or worked with. I didn't find any spelling or grammatical errors and believe that this book has been professionally edited. I liked this story and would like to read the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 11:13 am by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Kendra M Parker

654688
I don’t care for memoirs. As I started reading this sample, I noticed that there was an About the Author, Acknowledgements, Prologue, Preface, and Introduction. This feels like a ton of prelude to this book, and honestly turns me even further away from wanting to read this book. The sections I read were clearly edited. I was intrigued a little bit by the author’s philosophy in his preface, especially his point about his experiences causing a radical change of mind, but it’s not really enough to induce me to read this book.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 10:45 am by Kendra M Parker.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Emy Katherine

94929
As I do not read memoirs, I would not have chosen to read the book based on the genre and blurb. After reading the sample and the OBC review, I did not change my mind. In his book, "Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge," Father Harry J. Bury shares his real-life experiences as a priest and peace activist; he traveled around the world seeking social justice in the name of love, hope, and faith. For example, he shares his experience of being arrested in Vietnam for protesting the war in 1971. The humorous, conversational writing style makes this book pleasant to read. Also, I appreciate that the book seems to be professionally edited; I did not find any typos or grammatical errors. Even though I admire the author for sharing his experiences, I will not read the book as it is not my genre. However, readers who enjoy reading inspirational non-fiction books will surely enjoy it.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 9:20 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mercelle

204747
Judging by the cover, I wasn't going to read this book, but the OBC review urged me on when it mentioned that the author narrates his life story, highlighting the challenges he faced as a political activist. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the author improvised when he realized that his friends had used up all the chain to tie themselves to the iron bars. Since I noticed no errors, I will conclude that the text underwent professional editing, but I won't read the rest of the book because it doesn't appeal to me. As it is, there's nothing I would change about the bit I read.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 7:21 am by Mercelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

MarisaRose

106960
Based on the book title and the Amazon blurb, "Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge" by Harry J Bury isn't a book I'm interested in purchasing. I rarely read memoirs, so the writer would really have to stand out to me for me to want to pick up a memoir. That being said, a memoir about a priest didn't appeal to me all that much. Priesthood isn't a topic I know much about, but it's also not something I'm really interested in learning about. An OBC review wouldn't sway my opinion in this case because the book topic simply doesn't appeal to me. After sampling the first ten pages, my biggest takeaway is that the narrative is rather tedious to read. I didn't notice any grammatical errors, but the author's writing style is just boring. The author begins the memoir by describing his philosophies about life and his basic assumptions about life. I didn't find any of these philosophies/assumptions to be anything out of the ordinary. Further, the narrative seemed to lack focus. At one point, the author is describing his beginnings and the life his parents gave him, then the narrative moves on quickly to a story about being a Marine in Vietnam. However, I thought the photographs included throughout the chapters were interesting, and they added some personality to the text. Overall, this book didn't hold my attention. It's not something I plan to continue reading.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 6:40 am by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Dolor

363055
Without The First Ten program, I wouldn't have chosen to read this book because it is a memoir of a religious person. I might have a lot of objections to its contents. The cover depicts Father Harry and 3 of his friends were padlocked to the gate of the U. S. embassy. Way back in 1971, they resisted the war in Vietnam by padlocking themselves to the U.S. embassy gate. I only found this minor error (lacking closing quotation mark): I can hear us urgently shouting much the same message: “Muslims, Christians, Jews, Afghans, Americans, Israelis, Iranians, all of us are God’s children, one family for whom Jesus gave his life. With or without the official OBC review, I had decided to bypass reading this book. My original decision did not waver. I don't have any improvement suggestion for this book. Harry J. Bury's Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge is a #Memoir written in a conversational first-person narrative. It chronicles the author's unique journey around the world in the name of the human connection, peace, justice, and active nonviolence.

#NonFiction #KindleUnlimited #Inspirational #Activist

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 6:35 am by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Gravy

60847
This one would not have caught my attention. Without this program, I would not have sampled this, and the sample did not *completely* change my mind about it.
I saw no errors. I enjoyed the writing style, it's very readable and conversational, and the author's story is fascinating. I especially liked the comment about cassocks and what they do (and do not) cover.
Truth be told, if I wasn't already being buried beneath my to-read list, I'd probably be reading this. Unfortunately, despite the fact that I enjoyed what I read of this, I just can't commit to reading it at this moment. I may revisit it at a later date.
I do think there was a review for this book, but that does not affect my opinion in any way.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 4:07 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Cristina Chifane

418146
I wouldn't have sampled this book without the first ten program because I didn't like the design of the cover or the sensational aspect of the title. On the other hand, the Amazon blurb describes a truly amazing story of a priest who traveled around the world and passed through many hardships in the name of peace and nonviolence. Despite the lack of editorial reviews, the 7 customer reviews give the book only 4 or 5 stars. The sample is definitely well written. The author's style is clear and easy to follow. I agree with the message he wants to deliver to people and to the conlusions he reaches (the relativism of truth, the lack of human perfection, the importance of mutual understanding, and the assumption that there are no exclusively evil people). One of his quotations still echoes in my mind: "Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know." I also share his opinions that justice is not retribution or punishment, but forgiveness. The same as in the case of Father Harry, I've been told that "I live in la-la-land" simply because I believe in the power of unconditional love. In terms of editing, I noticed some missing inverted commas at the end of a quotation: "Muslims, Christians, Jews, Afghans, Americans, [...]" (33% of Sample). The OBC reviewer is right when finding this story genuinely inspirational. I'll add it to my reading list.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 3:58 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Lorraine De Vos

140922
I probably would not have read this book based on the cover and title alone, but the official OnlineBookClub review was excellent and created an intriguing introduction to a book filled with the life experiences of a very unique individual. The first ten pages proved to be a reflection of the title. Starting with protesting the immorality of the Vietnamese war, the author lives a full and meaningful life that most people would only dare to read about. I enjoyed how even the recollection of the turmoil the author still appears to be as calm as ever. So far there’s nothing I don’t like. The book does appear to be professionally edited. I didn’t notice any errors.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 2:36 am by Lorraine De Vos.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

CataclysmicKnight

67089
I'll admit, I wasn't a fan of the cover of this book at first. After reading over half of the sample and finding out more about it, I've certainly changed my mind, but I probably wouldn't have looked into Maverick Priest based on the cover alone.

I'm enjoying the book a lot so far, it's genuine and has a cavalier spirit. At one point the author wrote he "wanted to act boldly", and that's the one word I'd use to describe what I've read so far: bold. It's not boastful, it's just a man standing for what he believes is right... in some very bold situations. In the first couple of chapters, the author and a few other priests chain themselves to the American embassy in Vietnam to make a statement about peace.

I haven't seen anything negative about the book or any errors thus far, and the writing is silky smooth. I definitely changed my mind about this book and want to finish it.

First Ten review added on April 10, 2019, at 2:30 am by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Chelsy Scherba

75151
Father Bury tells an interesting story about his life and upbringing. I liked how he started with his travels to Vietnam with his fellow clergymen and the way he had to fake that he was chained up like the rest in order to protest the war. His passion is social justice and the review mentioned the way his life reads is like an adventure novel. I like the cover and the photographs. They help bring his story to life. I’m not really in the market for an autobiography right now, but I’ll consider adding this book to my list for future reading. The editing looks fantastic, I didn’t see any errors.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 11:59 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

revna01

587493
The first ten pages were free of errors and very heart-warming. Father Bury wrote of his principle belief systems and what drives him to seek non violence and social justice. He believes in the good of people and that we are all one, all children of God. He believes nothing is perfect on Earth nor is anything completely right. He went to Saigon after the Tet offensive and showed a picture of him with other protesting men. I like the authors organization of the book and the inclusion of his main beliefs and reasons for doing what he does against the odds. I wouldn't improve anything in the first ten pages. The OBC reviewer noted the author's political stances not needing to be shared to enjoy the book and valued the messages of non violence. I think the cover looks a little second rate, but the title is appropriate and appealing. I am intrigued by the content so will be reading this book. I am curious especially about time spent with Mother Teresa.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 11:09 pm by revna01.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Nisha Ward

1192566
I'm less picky with non-fiction books by people of faith than I am with fiction books, but even by those standards, this book stands out. Father Bury's story is both exciting and offers much to reflect upon in this new era of violence and hatred. He not only preaches peace, but practices it as well.

With that being said, it's hard not to get into this book. I enjoyed the recollections of his experiences during the Vietnamese war, particularly his own self reflection on how he approached things and people. Even without the review, I would have picked up the book based on the title and the summary, but that part in particularly kept my interest, even at the late hour in which I read. It's a book that I'm fully expecting to buy and read at some point in the future, wanting to know more about this extraordinary man.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 10:51 pm by Nisha Ward.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Sahani Nimandra

385393
Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge by Harry J Bury is a true story about a missionary's journey to convey God's blessings to the world. What interested me from the review was: "At eighty-eight years of age, Father Bury's story of his experiences as a priest, professor, and peace activist reads like an adventure novel. His desire to live a life that makes a difference has often placed him in danger with foreign governments. He served alongside Mother Teresa of Calcutta and participated in the release of American POWs in Vietnam. Spanning over sixty years, he has traveled to Vietnam, India, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Costa Rica, Thailand, Israel, and Palestine. He was arrested at the Pentagon, chained to the American Embassy gates in Saigon, and abducted at gunpoint in Gaza. He is a Professor Emeritus of Organizational Behavior and Administration and taught at Baldwin Wallace University for thirty years. He currently serves as a facilitator on the nonviolence committee for the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests. On International Peace Day, September 21, they will be initiating Ten Days of Nonviolence in hopes of creating a nonviolent environment in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul." It's interesting how he never considered his age an obstacle to achieve what he wanted. To me it sounds like an eventful read worth paying attention too. When I read the book, I felt the author was a simple and calm person. It reflected him in person. I admire him for that, but since it's a Christian read which is out of my genre of interest I wish to look over. I'm sure Christian readers may find this book surprising. I didn't encounter any grammatical hindrances while reading.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 10:34 pm by Sahani Nimandra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

LV2R

708077
The book cover and title were both OK, but I wasn’t sure about reading the book or not. The Amazon Blurb made the book sound interesting by including Father Bury’s travels to many countries and adding some of the things that have happened to him over the years. I wanted to read the sample, which only contained the Dedication, About the Author, Acknowledgments, and Prologue. I would like to have read a part of the first chapter. However, I best liked that a student was quoted in saying, “Father Bury’s special gift was to touch the hearts of people.” This seems to sum up a lot about Father Bury, and I hope that reading his memoir will touch my heart. The book seems to be edited well, as I did not notice any errors. The OBC reviewer mentioned that Father Bury had many great quotes in the book and that his memoir evoked many emotions. I want to read this book because it sounds interesting to know about Father Bury’s travels to many different countries, meeting lots of people, and promoting peace and love.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 8:45 pm by LV2R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

unamilagra

1197956
Before sampling this book, I would not have picked it up, because I am not religious and books about Christianity do not appeal to me. After learning briefly about this priest's history, it appears he led a very inspiring life. I read the first ten pages, which consisted of the "About the Author" section, the Acknowledgements, the Prologue written by someone else, and the Preface. I was turned off by the Prologue and all of its religious talk, and I was prepared not to like the book. However, the author's preface with its list of assumptions really grabbed me in, particularly number 2, which states: "Both the positive and the negative exist in every person, in everything, in every situation. It makes sense then to look for what is good, and direct our energy to make it better..." This phrase really spoke to me, and I really want to read the book at this point. I'm sure I will not agree with everything the author has to say due to the religious content, but something about his belief system really speaks to me. I do plan to continue to read this book. I did not note any errors in the pages I read.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 7:50 pm by unamilagra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Kristy Khem

533451
The cover design and title didn’t appeal to me because I’m not a fan of religious books. However, there were several great reviews on Amazon and the blurb provided interesting highlights of Father Bury’s adventures. This book seemed different to the typical religious novel, and because of this, I would have selected it to read. The sample was engaging from the first page. For instance, when Father Bury and his three acquaintances decided to protest the war in Vietnam by chaining themselves to a gate, they ran out of chain links and he had to pretend he was chained. This was hilarious. I really liked the humor in this book. There were also thoughtful quotes at the start of each chapter which made me pause and think. One such quote was, ‘Like many other peace workers, I never hesitated to risk the worst in order to achieve something better’. I did not see any errors in the sample so I believe that it was edited fully. Based on my enjoyment of the sample and the excellent rating by the review team, I will buy and read the rest of this memoir.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 7:23 pm by Kristy Khem.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Juliana_Isabella

1210914
After reading the summary and review, I was intrigued by the author's wild life. Even though I love the author's simple storytelling and his blatant honesty about his thoughts at the time of various events, I won't be buying the book because the price is quite high for a Kindle book. I also noticed a couple grammatically questionable parts, including the first sentence of the introduction.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 7:03 pm by Juliana_Isabella.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

NuelUkah

842399
Father Harry and his three friends (Bob, John, and Leonard) took a big risk in their peaceful protest against the killings of Vietnamese and Americans. I'd like to find out how it all ended. Did anyone die in the process of the protest?
The cover and title are okay. The official OBC reviewer's profile of Father Harry makes me want to read this book. I'd like to read about a man who strived to be different wherever he went and how he overcame the challenges he faced from the government. The book seems to be professionally edited.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 6:50 pm by NuelUkah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

AA1495

104697
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books and from the cover, this one seemed like a religious book. After reading the OBC review, however, I was impressed. I wish the cover conveyed more about the accomplishments of the author. Having read the sample, I liked how the author began with positive reviews of the book. It gave me a good impression of the book even before reading its actual content. Also, the quote at the end of the preface inspired me. I had no major issues with the book. However, I felt like the sample had many dates and I could not keep track of them. While I found no grammatical errors in the sample, I would have liked spacing between paragraphs to make the text easier to read. The author's journey seems inspiring. However, I do not usually read the genre. I will not be buying the book today, but I might buy it in the future.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 6:48 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Delaney35

1181892
Normally, I would not chose this as a book to read. It's not my genre so without this program I wouldn't give it a second thought. This book details a priest and his journeys around the world. The first few pages gave some background on him, including a set of principles of his life and beliefs. His life mission was social justice through religion. The book seems engaging. It seemed to be professionally edited and it has a very positive official review. The beginning was interested and there wasn't anything bad about it. However, I will not be buying this book. As I mentioned before, this is not my typical genre and the subject matter is of little interest to me.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 5:46 pm by Delaney35.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

sarahmarlowe randomeducator

812327
The cover isn't very attractive, and it wouldn't have caught my attention. The sample is nicely written and well-edited. I found no errors. The author is a priest who has been willing to step out on faith in the name of love. For instance, he and the three other men on the cover chained themselves to the American Embassy in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Their purpose was to grab the attention of governments who were sending troops to fight in the War. Their point was that nothing is so important that people should be killing each other for it. The author's platform his whole adult life has been to share the importance of love. There are several other stories that demonstrate that. I have not read an OBC review of this book. I will not be reading this book because it doesn't seem interesting to me.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 5:32 pm by sarahmarlowe randomeducator.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

cpru68

517613
The opening pages of this book detail a scene where the author, a Catholic priest, chained himself along with four other men to the US Embassy to protest the Vietnam War. His reason for doing so was based on the teaching of Jesus in that we are all God's children and should not be at war with one another. The rather humorous part was that he wasn't really chained because the others had used too chain much and left none for him. So, he had to pretend to be locked in with the rest.

I did not find any errors in punctuation, spelling or grammar, and the review hinted that this was professionally edited, and after reading the sample pages I would have to agree. I liked that this author is coming from a religion to tell a positive life story after all the media coverage about priests and their abuse of children. I won't be finishing this book as I am not interested in reading a memoir that focuses on Catholicism and the church. While I am sure that this priest has served God greatly in all of his years, now 88 years old, the subject matter doesn't interest me.

I appreciated the opportunity to have read the sample pages of this, and I probably wouldn't have found it on my own search without the online book club. I will send it out on my social media for others to look into.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 5:05 pm by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

desantismt_17

604219
Neither this book’s title nor description hooked me. I don’t often enjoy religious books or memoirs. Before sampling, I wasn’t thinking about reading. After sampling, I’ll pass. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed no errors. The writing, while good, just didn’t draw me in. Without a preexisting interest for the subject matter, the author’s discussion of the theme for his memoir in the prologue didn’t grab my attention. Though, some of the information presented was interesting. For instance, I found the various reasons why priests left the priesthood interesting. The glimpse at the 1960s and the effect of the sociopolitical climate of the time on the priesthood was something I’d never considered. My reasons for not wishing to read this are subjective, so I have no improvements to suggest. The OnlineBookClub.org review was glowing but didn’t change my mind. This just isn’t my kind of book.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 4:52 pm by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kajori Sheryl Paul

997537
M'averick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge' is a book written by Harry J Bury. The title, cover, OBC review, and Amazon review did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.

The sample leads me to believe that it is the life story of Father Bury, a Roman Catholic Priest. He has spend the better part of his life traveling and experiencing different things. His aims to bring social justice. I did not find any error. Hence, I consider it to be professionally edited. I liked the photographs included as it made the book more relatable. I will give this book a skip as I am not in the mind-frame to read a book of this genre.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 4:44 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

CinWin

717915
"Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge" by Harry J Bury begins by the author stating that his concern for social justice drove him to a life quite different than the ordinary Catholic priest. He then tells us how he began his intense peace activism in the 1970s during the Vietnam War. Father Bury tells us of his adventures around the world, interspersed with his beliefs, and talks about his devotion to Jesus Christ. I read the Amazon and the Onlinebookclub review and was very impressed as to the adventures he has been through in the pursuit of peace. I plan on reading the rest of the book, as it sounds to be an exciting read. I did not see anything that the author could improve upon, and there were no typos. The cover immediately grabbed my attention, but the first 10 pages turned out to be even better.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 4:26 pm by CinWin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Renu G

1230512
The author is a priest who has travelled a lot and works for peace through non-violence. He expressed his conscientious objection to the Vietnam war in the 60s. He was inspired by his parents to work for social justice. I like his inspirational quotes. The book is well edited and I did not notice any errors. If I find time, I may read the whole book.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 3:52 pm by Renu G.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Sarah_Khan

89585
At first glance, I would not have picked up this book because the subject matter does not interest me and I am not a fan of memoirs. The first ten pages seem professionally edited. I actually was intrigued by the young priests that were leaving. Unfortunately, the rest of the free sample was a bit too bland for my taste. Therefore, I will not be reading the rest. I did not feel the need to read any OBC review.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 3:08 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

HRichards

741384
I normally wouldn't have picked this book up as I'm not really interested in the topic. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book as it was a bit slow. The sample involves the introduction of several priests who were involved in protesting the situation in Vietnam in 1971. The priests chain themselves to the U.S. embassy demanding the US government address the killing of US and Vietnamese soldiers. The group gets in trouble for their protesting. The writing is pretty good, though I did notice a grammar error in the line "Shortly, the two returned," where the first comma is unnecessary. Those who like history or biographies might like this book. I find history from that era a little boring, so it's not really to my taste. I have not read any reviews for this book.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 2:58 pm by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Laura Ungureanu

620179
I wouldn't have checked this book out without the program because it is not a genre I like. I also don't read religious stories. However, I find the author's life very inspiring. I admire a priest who fought so much for justice, for humans. I guess everyone, even the ones like me, could learn something from this book. I liked reading the author's list of "basic conscious assumptions" from the Preface. Since it is not something I would usually read, I am inclined to say no to this book. It looks professionally edited.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 2:33 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jessacardinal

1130932
Based on the cover and title alone, this is not a book I would read because it does not appear to be a topic that would interest me in any way. I will admit I was surprised by the scenes that unfold at the beginning of chapter one. The story is not what I expected. The protest scene left me wanting to read far past the sample pages. Nonetheless, I do not plan to read this book because I have others I prefer to read at this time. The book must have been professionally edited, as I did not note any errors within the sample pages. I like that the author discusses realistic details about his life, which help the reader to see that priests live lives outside of church service. I do not care for the plethora of information provided prior to the start of the story. Some may appreciate the information, but I would include some of it within the story itself instead. I have not seen any reviews on this book before, but that is never a deciding factor for me when choosing a book.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 2:30 pm by Jessacardinal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Theresa Moffitt

857578
The cover of this book does not appeal to me. It doesn’t convey what the book is about based on the first ten pages. The first ten pages describe the four individuals in the photo protesting the Vietnam war in the United States embassy in Vietnam. The four people are then taken to a Vietnamese prison for questioning. Although the photo is of those four people, the title and cover don’t convey that this book is about protesting the Vietnam war. The title implies that it is a religious book. I would not have picked this book up based on the title. I have not read a review of this book yet, but I would like to read one to see if the book details only the protest or if it expands to cover other experiences by the author. Based on the first ten pages, I would not enjoy the subject matter of this book and will not finish reading it. However, if I read a book review that makes the book sound more appealing after the first ten pages, then I may read it. Based only on the first ten pages, I will not finish this book. I believe this book was professionally edited because I didn’t see any errors.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 2:23 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

ElizaBeth Adams

1218131
Based on the cover and description of the book alone, I probably would not have sampled this book. It is just not my cup of tea. However, after reading the beginning, I am intrigued by this man's dedication to live out his faith in active ways. I really liked the way the first chapter started with a memorable flashback. This hooked me and does make me want to read more. The book appears to be professionally edited thus far. I can't think of any improvements for this book. I am curious about the rest of the author's life. I probably won't buy the book today, but will keep it on my radar for a potential future read.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 1:57 pm by ElizaBeth Adams.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gali

50066
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as I don't read non-fiction. I didn't change my mind after sampling the book. The cover and blurb failed to appeal to me, and so did the sample. While a memoir recounting the author's experiences around the world sounds inspiring, he led quite a life, it doesn't appeal to me. I salute the author's wish to bring love and peace to all. I find it ironic that he was captured by the very same people (Palestinians) he came to help. Regarding that, there is an inaccuracy in the blurb. There is NO such thing as "Palestine state". Palestine was the old name of Israel before they changed it to Israel. I applaud the author's pursuit of social justice, his drive, and his humor in tough situations. The sample started with him chained to the gate of the US Embassy in Saigon in 1971. His remark that "the cassocks cover a multitude of sins" made me smile. I liked the spiritual quotes in the text and didn't notice any glaring errors. I won't read the book, as I am not interested in the subject matter. The official review further turned me off the book by mentioning its repetitious parts and political and religious themes.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 1:48 pm by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Scerakor

45879
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn’t have read it. Despite Father Bury sounding like he has led an interesting life, I'm not a fan of books with significant religious undertones. After reading the first ten pages I didn’t change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I really liked the glimpse that this memoir is able to give us into lives past. In particular, as shown in the beginning of the sample read, the opinions, conditions, and views of those surrounding POW of the Vietnam war was very prevalent. That being said, I noticed early on that I would get annoyed with the constant religious nature of this book. This is to be understood, given it is a book about a Father's life, but it isn't for me. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read, but it did seem well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.

First Ten review added on April 9, 2019, at 1:20 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Total ~ 29%

Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge earned a score of 29%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 29% plan to read the whole book.

IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.

Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.

Go to main Bookshelves page for Maverick Priest, A Story of Life on the Edge