Review by diona_six -- The Not So Great American Novel
Posted: 22 Jul 2020, 13:22
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Not So Great American Novel" by James E. Doucette.]
The Not So Great American Novel will enlighten you on issues to do with racism at least on a general level as James E. Doucette, Sr. writes about how the minorities that surrounded him were often identified by his fellow white brethren. Inside this captivating book you will find details on cattle farming and cowboys and receive great insight on these two topics. The book also contains great wisdom for anyone who desires to own or start a business.
James has within him the American pride; this is a great trait for loving one’s country is important and beautiful in its own nature. This is shown when he says he hopes the United States Navy remains the ‘unchallenged master of the sea.’ Doucette is capable of vividly explaining his situation hence making it easy for the reader to understand him for example when he explains how uncomfortable chemotherapy was for him, he used statements such as, ‘I felt like I had walked through a spider web.’ I actually got to understand his level of discomfort even though I myself have never been through chemotherapy, but I have walked through a spider web on several occasions and I know the unsettling feeling.
I appreciated the humor in the book, for example he stated that his Grandfather Jones was surprised that ice had to be purchased when he visited New York in the late 1940s, he furthered stated that his Grandfather Jones proclaimed that soon people would be buying water. I found this to be funny because this is what we actually do now and yet in the late 1940s some people actually found it to be quite shocking.
I admire how the writer was willing to put picture images of his family members including himself, this really helped me connect more with his memoir. I absolutely loved him sharing some of his favorite poetry and also his mother’s. I was fascinated by how he described people who say they are bored as boring people and he justified this very well. He now got me thinking twice every time I want to utter the words ‘I am bored’, because I do not want to be viewed as boring. A favorite quote I got from the book is, ‘each person working to support his or her family, no matter the work, should be treated with respect.’ Page 25. I loved that James said this as it yields so much humility.
One of the things I liked most is how James is a family man, when asked what he is most proud of he said his children. He views his children as his ‘real legacy’ and when asked ‘what is the most important thing you need to have a successful career?’ he declared his wife, in which he acknowledged the importance of a spouse’s support when one is trying to build a successful career. The book motivated me to truly be kind to people as the writer showed countless examples in his book of people who were cruel in the present only to pay the price for their cruelty in the future. What I disliked most about The Not So Great American Novel are the two errors I identified as I was reading and as a result I ended up rating the book 3 out of 4 stars.
I loved how James openly shared about his faith and how God has been good to him, other believers could find his book a great motivator in trusting God and I also think divorcees who have married again may also relate to him. I really cannot say with confidence that there is an audience that may not enjoy this book but perhaps if you are an atheist, since the writer credits his success to God’s favor. Racists may also have a hard time fancying the book as the writer exposes some of the common racist ways and James is more aligned with the other races. Adding on if you strongly stand against men having an affair and divorcing their wives because of the affair you probably won’t appreciate the writer’s efforts. Lastly if you generally don’t like reading memoirs then this book is not for you.
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The Not So Great American Novel
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Not So Great American Novel will enlighten you on issues to do with racism at least on a general level as James E. Doucette, Sr. writes about how the minorities that surrounded him were often identified by his fellow white brethren. Inside this captivating book you will find details on cattle farming and cowboys and receive great insight on these two topics. The book also contains great wisdom for anyone who desires to own or start a business.
James has within him the American pride; this is a great trait for loving one’s country is important and beautiful in its own nature. This is shown when he says he hopes the United States Navy remains the ‘unchallenged master of the sea.’ Doucette is capable of vividly explaining his situation hence making it easy for the reader to understand him for example when he explains how uncomfortable chemotherapy was for him, he used statements such as, ‘I felt like I had walked through a spider web.’ I actually got to understand his level of discomfort even though I myself have never been through chemotherapy, but I have walked through a spider web on several occasions and I know the unsettling feeling.
I appreciated the humor in the book, for example he stated that his Grandfather Jones was surprised that ice had to be purchased when he visited New York in the late 1940s, he furthered stated that his Grandfather Jones proclaimed that soon people would be buying water. I found this to be funny because this is what we actually do now and yet in the late 1940s some people actually found it to be quite shocking.
I admire how the writer was willing to put picture images of his family members including himself, this really helped me connect more with his memoir. I absolutely loved him sharing some of his favorite poetry and also his mother’s. I was fascinated by how he described people who say they are bored as boring people and he justified this very well. He now got me thinking twice every time I want to utter the words ‘I am bored’, because I do not want to be viewed as boring. A favorite quote I got from the book is, ‘each person working to support his or her family, no matter the work, should be treated with respect.’ Page 25. I loved that James said this as it yields so much humility.
One of the things I liked most is how James is a family man, when asked what he is most proud of he said his children. He views his children as his ‘real legacy’ and when asked ‘what is the most important thing you need to have a successful career?’ he declared his wife, in which he acknowledged the importance of a spouse’s support when one is trying to build a successful career. The book motivated me to truly be kind to people as the writer showed countless examples in his book of people who were cruel in the present only to pay the price for their cruelty in the future. What I disliked most about The Not So Great American Novel are the two errors I identified as I was reading and as a result I ended up rating the book 3 out of 4 stars.
I loved how James openly shared about his faith and how God has been good to him, other believers could find his book a great motivator in trusting God and I also think divorcees who have married again may also relate to him. I really cannot say with confidence that there is an audience that may not enjoy this book but perhaps if you are an atheist, since the writer credits his success to God’s favor. Racists may also have a hard time fancying the book as the writer exposes some of the common racist ways and James is more aligned with the other races. Adding on if you strongly stand against men having an affair and divorcing their wives because of the affair you probably won’t appreciate the writer’s efforts. Lastly if you generally don’t like reading memoirs then this book is not for you.
******
The Not So Great American Novel
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon