OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Life is to Short to Waste and do Nothing" by Gracie Curry Holman.]

Life is filled with so many happy and painful moments during our near century-long journey on this earth. We are born, we get married, we have children, we grow old and we die. At the end of life, we have grown to learn that life’s difficult and painful moments are inevitable, even though we fight pain and sadness our entire lives, even hurting those who try so hard to love us back.

Gracie Holman shares in her collection of poetry, Life Is Too Short to Waste and Do Nothing, that acceptance is the only answer to pain and injustice. Holman, whose other work includes, My Most Warm And Deepest Inner Feelings,
is not only a poet but also a seasoned Christian. Although Holman talks about pain and injustice as if it can never be conquered, she is no martyr. She wants us to recognize the richness of life in all its aspects, good or bad. The human condition is not only one of struggle and assertion but also the will to prevail: “I can’t give up on me because I am all I have, and giving up on me is not an option at all (In the poem, 'I Can't Give Up').” Here the radiance of her wisdom falls across the page.

The first sentence of each paragraph in nearly every poem is repeated to mirror anaphora of poetry, which gives the reader the beat you might experience in the stanzas of a song. The author’s writing style showcases not only an element of passion but also an interesting assortment of vivid imagery.

Poetry is musical. Poetry is passion and compassion on paper. Poetry is heartwarming, and it is therapeutic. But most of all, poetry is personal. In Gracie Holman’s book, Life Is Too Short to Waste and Do Nothing, her poems are all these things. Personally, I was deeply moved by her works.

Another thing that moved me was the author's reflection on her experiences. The author often wonders about the decisions she made throughout her life, and whether those different choices would have changed her fate. Specifically, she reflects on her recent accident and on the love she has for her husband and two sons. She laments the loss of her husband but takes joy that she now has two children from her marriage.

Besides emphasizing the contrasting circumstances she faced during lifetime, Holman also provides subtle advice which a person can take to achieve a strong personality and a virtuous character and illustrates how to handle those situations with virtue and dignity. “I will do all I can to make a difference to make this world a better place for all of us, but I can do this only by taking one step at a time (In the poem, 'One Step at a Time')." Her poems made me stop and think by reaching into my own personal and spiritual memories.

Life Is Too Short to Waste and Do Nothing by Gracie Holman, on the whole, is very well edited with only a few small errors. In spite of these, there are much more positive points than negative. Anyone, no matter their background or ethnicity, can appreciate Holman’s work. I rate Life Is Too Short to Waste and Do Nothing 4 out of 4 stars, as the book provides a valuable and absorbing window into a worldview that for most of us reach only in the latter years of our lives.

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Life is to Short to Waste and do Nothing
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I love the quotes, very meaningful. Thank you for sharing, I want to get this book!

The path you take in life determined the quality of decisions you make which also based on the quality of information you have, your decisions to live a successful life lies within you. You are the master architect of your life.

Yes, pain and struggles are inevitable but there are lots of things to be thankfuk for and one must never turn his back on life.

Thank you for the lovely review - it seems like a touching and sincere book, one in which Holman has put her heart in. Thank you for the beautiful quote as well.

This collection of poetry sounds insightful and beautifully written. Thank you for your informative review!

I love poetry, especially unpretentious, easy-to-relate-to, uplifting works like this book apparently is. I will be adding this to my "Want to Read" shelf, thanks to your review!

I love the poetry , very meaningful. Thank you for sharing

This book a bit truth of our life. It’s too short to waste. And the book’s name has the axiom of life.

Your review was as poetic as the words in the book. Your description of her poems make me feel the light and dark in your quotes. This book sounds very heartwarming and full of self reflection that we all can learn from. I will definitely be adding this to my bookshelf. Thank you for your descriptive and thorough review.

I have not delved into poetry, and this just might be the one to start with on my shelf. I find myself staying away from this genre because I don’t always get the message, but it sounds like the author does a great job getting her messages across here. Just the title alone makes me want to crack open the page and take a peek. I think from what you said, the subjects are to open our eyes to the fact that this IS it! And we should enjoy it. Sounds like a meaningful work! Thanks for this review. It makes poetry less scary.

From the review, Gracie has proven to be both honest and straight forward with life. To agree that life has issues that discourages and to remind the readers that we can always overcome these issue is a good foundation in life . I like the review and I believe this book is a must read.

Poetry is the best way to get to the soul. This book sounds like a good one and I definitely try it. Thanks for the review.

Great review! This sounds like a truly exceptional book with some captivating poems. I am actually excited to read this. Thank you.

Life is too short, we have to enjoy this life to the fullest because only few will make out of this life alive