Iran never Again

 Iran Never Again, Parisa Daniel, Independently Published, 2021

This is the inspirational, but difficult-to-read, story of a woman growing up in the Jewish community in present-day Iran.

The author got little, or no, support from her mother, while growing up, because of her gender. When it cam time for her (arranged) marriage, Omid, also part of the Jewish community, said Yes only because of the expected size of her dowry. When it was less than expected, Omid basically ignored her. Love, or the author's feelings on the matter, were never considered. A Jewish woman falling for, and marrying, a Muslim man would have been a Major Scandal.

Daniel was a talented artist, and made a living as a graphic artist. Giving birth to a daughter made Ovid dislike her even more, as if it was her fault. The author spent a month in Israel, visiting relatives. For the first time, she felt like she could breathe normally. The relatives urged her to get a divorce, and stay in Israel. She is very tempted, but goes back to try and save her marriage. When she gives birth to a second daughter, no one is at the hospital with her.

After several years, Daniel is forced to flee Iran; the government feels that she is a dangerous person because she speaks up for the less fortunate. With two small children, she is forced to undertake a harrowing, overland journey through the mountains. They eventually reach Israel.

It takes a long time, but the family is eventually established in Israel. The girls are in school, so Daniel goes to a doctor about persistent chest pain. The diagnosis is: Stage 4 Cancer.

To say that the author was treated like garbage in Iran is too generous. She was treated worse than garbage, but overcame, and made something of herself. This is a very inspirational story for anyone in a similar situation, and is very much worth reading.

As It Should Be

 As It Should Be, Shawna James, Drummond Martin Publishing, 2021

This novel is about Andrew and Stephanie, your average married couple who are trying to deal with Roberta, Andrew's extremely greedy ex-wife.

Andrew and Stephanie, and their two daughters, have moved from Canada to Norway, Andrew's homeland, to get away from Roberta's constant demands for more and more child support money. The two children involved, Kevin and Muffy, may not even be Andrew's children, but Roberta absolutely refuses to allow a paternity test.

In Norway, life is good. That is, until a large envelope of legal documents forces them to move back to Canada. Roberta alleges that Andrew has not paid any of his child support obligations for the past several years, despite the fact that he has paid them. After moving back to Canada, Andrew and Stephanie move back to Canada, they meet privately with Kevin, now in college. He shows them a brand-new truck, and property, that he has bought (with Andrew's money). He attends college on a government program that pays all of his expenses. He knows that Andrew is not his real father; they look nothing like each other. Roberta's constant demands for money reach the point where Andrew is handing over more than half of his salary to the Court. 

On the good side, except for the Roberta-caused stress, the family is happy and healthy. Full scholarships for the daughters to a private dance school help a lot. Does Kevin help Andrew and Stephanie to stop Roberta, once and for all? Is there a big courtroom confrontation between them?

This novel certainly shows another side to the world of divorce and child support. Sometimes, the ex-wife is the "bad guy." It's a very good tale, and is well worth checking out.

Despite the Devil

 Despite the Devil, Shawna James, Drummond Martin Publishing, 2020

This is the story of two people in love, who are simply trying to get through life, despite a major obstacle.

Stephanie and Andrew teach at a local college in present-day Canada. She works in the English Department. Andrew, who is blond, Norwegian and very handsome, teaches in the Athletic Department. After dating for several months, they are married. Two children soon follow, Life is good.

The obstacle comes in the form of Roberta, Andrew's ex-wife. His command of English might be less-than-fluent, because he literally did not know he was married. They are divorced, but Andrew is stuck in a very bitter custody battle over their two children, Kevin and Muffy. Roberta keeps refusing to allow a paternity test; the children may not be Andrew's. There is no joint custody arrangement. As often as is legal, Roberta is in court, demanding more and more child support from Andrew, with little evidence that the money actually gets to the children. 

Andrew is forced to work longer hours to pay the legal bills and child support. Stephanie's hours at the college have been cut, so she starts an online business selling sports equipment. Something has to give between Andrew and Roberta. Does anyone "win" this emotional battle?

This is a very interesting tale of an average guy, and his loving wife, trying to do the right thing for a pair of innocent children. He is not a billionaire, or a werewolf (or a billionaire werewolf). Romance fans will enjoy it; this gets at least 4 stars.

How to Win With Your Data Visualizations

 How to Win With Your Data Visualizations, Elizabeth Clarke, 2021, Ken Fornari

You have been tasked with giving a big presentation at work. How do you keep your audience from yawning, and reaching for their cellphones, in the first five minutes?

First and foremost, what is the goal of your presentation? Is it to get a potential client to buy your product? Is it to present last year's numbers in your department to higher-ups? After that, know your audience. Are they "numbers" people (the more numbers, the better)? Are they "concept" people, who hate numbers?

It's tempting to want to want to do a separate chart for each number, or put the entire department in one giant chart. It's also tempting to want to get creative with the font and amount of color in each chart. Don't Do It - Keep It Simple.

Highlight one number, or one concept, per chart. What will best illuminate your concept, a pie chart, a bar chart or a line chart? Use no more than a couple of colors per chart. Make sure that all the labels are clearly readable from the back of the room. The X and Y axes both need to start at zero (it may seem like a small thing, but it matters). Do not use 3D graphics unless absolutely necessary. People, especially business people, are known for having a very short attention span. Make it as easy as possible for them to, almost instantly, understand each chart.

When making your presentation, tell a story. No, you should try to turn a good (or bad) year in sales, for instance, into a fairytale. If you are standing at a lectern, Don't keep your eyes down, reading your presentation. Also, don't focus on the screen, keeping your back to your audience. Occasionally, look at your audience. See if their body language is saying "I'm interested. Tell me more," or "Lemme outta here!"

This is a very complete, and easy to read book. It's easy to do a bad presentation at work. This book will help anyone to do a good, maybe even memorable, presentation. Maybe it will lead to being Noticed by senior management.

We Have Been Harmonized

 We Have Been Harmonized: Life in China's Surveillance State, Kai Strittmatter, HarperCollins, 2020

In the last few years, much has been written about Big Brother and the surveillance state. In the area of social control of its citizens, China is far ahead of the rest of the world.

Under the Social Credit System, all citizens are given a three-digit number. Think of it as a FICO score that covers all aspects of daily life. A bad score can negatively affect a person's ability to travel by plane or train, their eligibility for certain jobs and their ability to get their children into a better school. No matter how innocuous an online posting, if it's even the tiniest bit not appreciated by the Chinese Communist Party, it will be deleted within minutes. The writer can also expect a very unfriendly visit from the police.

To get access to the lucrative Chinese market, Western companies, like Google, have agreed to remove all references to Tiananmen Square, 1989, June 4, or any other terms that the Communist Party would like to make disappear. There is facial recognition technology that can pick one person out of a stadium. In western China, more than one million Muslims have been sent to "re-education" camps.

This is a fascinating book. To see the "future" of total social control, look at present-day China. This book makes the worst of George Orwell look tame and boring. It is very much worth reading.

If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future

 If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future, Jill Lepore, Liveright Publishing Corp., 2020

It is reasonable to assert that attempts to predict, and manipulate, human behavior using computers is a recent phenomenon, started by companies like Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. According to this book, such an assertion is also very wrong.

It was the early 1960's, the days of UNIVAC and ENIAC. A corporation called Simulmatics was part of John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign. They were the first to use computer simulation and prediction to chop the US electorate into hundreds of categories. That way, they could test various campaign slogans and statements, to see how they would work. It led to much speculation about computers taking over America, and about office workers being fired by electronic bosses. In 1961, Simulmatics targeted segmented consumers with customized advertising messages. 

In 1963, Simulmatics attempted to simulate a developing nation's entire economy, with a view toward halting socialism. The Vietnam War was raging, so, in 1965, Simulmatics opened an office in Saigon. Their intention was to do psychological research as a way to wage war with computer run data analysis (these were also days of Robert McNamara's "whiz kids" in the Pentagon). Back in America, in 1967 and 1968, the company attempted to build a machine to predict race riots. It went bankrupt soon after.

This a fascinating book that illuminates a lesser-known bit of American history. Attempts to predict human behavior, with computers, have gone on for many years, even by white liberals (like the employees of Simulmatics). This book is very highly recommended. 

It Shall Be Light in the Evening Time

 It Shall Be Light in the Evening Time, Pierre S Hughes, Independently Published, 2021

Timothy Hill is a deacon whose faith has been shattered. He has had to deal with losing his entire family to COVID-19. Each of them become his guardian angel, and show him visions that The End Is Coming (for real, this time). He tries to commit suicide, and God stops it.

James Meadows is pastor of True Light Ministries, a giant mega-church. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, James falls to the floor, unconscious, during a service. He is taken back to his office, where he is declared dead from a "heart attack." Ashley, his loving wife, demands that she be made pastor, despite never having showed an interest in running the church. Weeks later, Grace, Ashley's adult daughter, who came home for Dad's funeral, came home late one night, and found Mom doing a very un-Christian thing with two men. She runs out of their mansion, drives in a random direction, pulls over to the side of the road, and walks into the forest. Her body is found three days later, dead from an apparent suicide.

Ashley is not as Christian as she seems. When she confronts her "employer" about Grace's death, Ashley is told that she means nothing, and can be easily replaced. Ashley does not take it well.

Mass panic erupts, all over the world, when people start falling to the ground, dead (by the millions). Some people think that it is some sort of reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine. Could it be the long-predicted End Times?

This is a really good story, more like a novella than a novel. It's a little bit strange and creepy, and talks about faith and current events. This is the sort of take that should be read in front of a roaring fire, with a cup of hot tea, or other favorite beverage, at your elbow.