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Reflections: Personalizing Life, Nature, Man and God

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Radenko Fanuka has written a book, Reflections: Personalizing Life, Nature, Man and God, that is unique in almost every way. Most books are about stories, real, or imagined, that seize the reader's interest until the final chapter, or epilogue, when the outcome is at last disclosed. Other books are written for the express purpose of helping the reader in very specific ways. These books fall into the "How to" category, where the range of topics, and subjects has truly become endless. They include such diverse categories as health, finance, gardening, home decorations, sports, hobbies, etc. They serve their purpose well because they provide their readers with the information and directions they seek.
Mr. Fanuka's book has no such purpose in mind. Thankfully so, otherwise, it would fall into the same big basket of books available to readers at any good book store, or public library. What Mr. Fanuka has done, is something very different, very special, very valuable, and extremely insightful. He has chosen to share major character forming experiences that took place in his life as he grew up on a rural farm in Croatia. He also included those experiences which greatly affected his life from the time he moved to America in 1962 until the present day.
In essence, his book is a series of short essays which revolve around a variety of everyday subjects, people, animals, birds, morals, ethics, and feelings. In each essay, we are asked to think and reflect in ways we never do during the course of our everyday lives. Thankfully Mr. Fanuka constantly reminds us of the simple beauty, glory, and joy of nature and all living things that inhabit it, especially people.
I cannot recall, or imagine an author who writes about animals, birds, plants and even insects in such descriptive terms which show their place and value in the grand scheme of life. Mr. Fanuka accomplishes this task because he has lived it, believes in it, and has used it to shape and guide his life and dealings with family and friends alike. His main theme in the book and in his personal life is, truth in all things, with nature serving as his guiding light. A poet once wrote, "Truth is beauty, beauty is truth." How fittingly this describes Mr. Fanuka's simple philosophy about how life should be lived by all people.
Answer this question objectively and honestly. How many of us truly take the time or spend the energy to faithfully carry out the commandment, "Honor your Father and your Mother?" Again, Mr. Fanuka leads and guides us through his own personal care and devotion to and reflections about his parents. It is a constant source of strength and pride throughout the book.
Unfortunately, our lives are here and gone at such a rapid pace that we often don't
devote our time, energy and efforts on those who brought us into this world, cared for us, protected us, and guided our lives toward productive ends. To read and understand how Mr. Fanuka accomplished this greatest of all commandments is to realize and appreciate the meaning of only one of the many messages the author conveys. The list of lessons is long and vital, yet there is one more that I wish to include in this review.
People who were born here in America, as I was, can never fully comprehend, or appreciate what freedom really means. Yes, we mumble the usual platitudes about freedom, and how sacred it is to us, but we can never fully understand the value of such a blessing when we have never been without it since birth. Can a person ever truly appreciate water or food when he/she has never once been thirsty or hungry? Obviously, the answer is no, and the same can be said about freedom.
America, its freedoms, values and way of life, is a constantly recurring theme in the book, and it is not by accident, but by design and appreciation. Indeed, the terrible events of 9/11 are a source of deep, traumatic and sad reflection by the author. This theme surfaces in several of his essays. It is thus his hope and prayer that our suffering as individuals, families, and as a nation can be sustained and eventually overcome by our devotion to the ideas, ideals, and loving spirit that have made us the freest, kindest and greatest nation in the history of mankind.

Mr. Fanuka's book, Reflections: Personalizing Life, Nature, Man and God, is unique. Pride in America, his new home, is one of his many topics. He has essays which are touching and others which make you laugh. His sensitivity and respect for his parents are heart warming. Love of his mother is very pronounced and treated with great tenderness. His early years in Croatia and his outlook on life is mesmerizing and refreshing. Mr. Fanuka's book is like a breath of fresh air. It reflects his appreciation of life and his eagerness to take time to smell the roses. He encourages us to do the same.

The words for Reflections: Personalizing Life, Nature, Man and God were born in the mind of a very simple man who lacks formal education, yet possesses much more knowledge than any human being I have ever encountered. That man is my brother, Radenko Fanuka, the author of this book. I worked with my brother and helped him to edit his work before its publication. Our time spent on this project was a wonderful time of sharing the good old times, the old memories, the laughter and the hardships we lived through our young lives in Croatia. I know Radenko my entire life, yet when I began working with him on this book, his ideas inspired me in a new way. Here was a man who I know as my older brother, my helper, the good cabinet maker in the family, and now I saw him in yet another light. I now saw an inspiring writer with solid ideas, once again attempting to help others. These ideas touched me as a human being, a woman, a sister, a daughter, a wife, a friend, a teacher and a mother. His heartfelt, genuine concern for a simple, good life and preservation of nature as our foundation, his desire to help others, his love for all children, the past, the present and future generation is stated in simple, loving terms, for that is the only way that he knows how to express himself. Simplicity was how our parents brought us up. Pride, respect and belief in God was what our Mother and Father taught us. Our survival depended on that, as well as on our willingness to work, and the ability to recognize and help those less fortunate than us. This book is a wonderful revelation of basic truth and beauty. It is a form and guide for survival from a man who was taught the best possible way, by "simply" living.

World, what has happened to God's creation? Nature's balance is lost. Why? Step one, step two, step three and on, and on, and . . . . .? World, do you know how many steps this ladder has? I wonder if the creators of the ladder and of the words in the dictionary were twins? The night is dark, nature is resting and waiting for another day, another sunrise.
Three dictionary words have been on my mind for a very long time and they woke me up. They are the words SMART, TRUTH and NOTHING. The word SMART is laughing and climbing, the word TRUTH is worrying and the word NOTHING is underneath the ladder, waiting. TRUTH is begging, please write a review, but not tomorrow, write it today.

Mr. Fanuka has the ability to analyze life through his own experiences with nature and God. His feelings come across simply, but purely genuine, and awakens the reader to ideas that surely are imbedded, surely, in their own mind.

I have given copies to my children who have grown up in today's "High Tech World". I want to remind them of some of the very basic principles of life that are neither computer nor scientifically generated, but rather inborn and a part of our own human nature. I particularly enjoyed some of the stories relating to the author's own life as a young boy. He truly captured the colors, sounds and the beauty of our earth; the world we live in.

Reflections set a wonderful example for young people of what you can accomplish with little education but a big heart, combined with strong family relationships, will and determination.

My name is Peter Czekan .It is my pleasure to express my fillings about this book "Reflections: Personalizing Life, Nature, Man and God" and about the man who wrote it. Seven years ago I was twenty years old. My wife just gave birth to my daughter. I had no skills and no job, but I was looking for one. I met Mr. Fanuka .He took one good look at me and said: " If you'd like to work for me, you have to be good, honest man and always think". Then slowly he started asking me about my childhood, my parents and my grandparents. He spent time talking to me more than anyone before. He is a man like he says in his book "soft like a butter and hard like a rock". Through seven years working for Mr. Fanuka I learned trade, discipline and value -all that my life can give me. All these years Mr. Fanuka never stopped teaching me about life's value which I find in my wife Jola and my two children. Last week Mr. Fanuka told me "look what you have- beautiful wife two children and food on the table. Is there any better luck what God can give you?" Mr. Fanuka did let me read his writing during the process of making his book. My wife Jola who works with computers helped him to process his book. "Reflections: Personalizing Life, Nature, Man and God" is one title, one book which covers thousand other books, and I belief it's hard to find category for one man writing. It's new writing, which makes me think and read it over and over again. I found in Mr. Fanuka's book what I never found in any other book before. If you read this book, you will not be able to say :I lost my time reading this book. I strongly belief it will help anyone.

Time has come that Mr. Fanuka's book, Reflections: Personalizing Life, Nature, Man and God be written. I love God and I believe in Him. I found Mr. Fanuka's book to be refreshing and inspiring. His writing encompasses the ideas of the last offer of a gift of power above that of any other power for the existing world and how we as humans live today. Five years ago I was a passenger in my own car, driven by my husband, and I was carrying my daughter who is now five years old. I experienced a miracle. When my husband made a very sharp turn, our car turned over twice and yet, noone was hurt.
This book is a constant reminder that we should not forget God and all he created. I find it to be an outstanding gift which teaches, offers and tells the world that there is only one existing power found within love and respect, which can help you. It is the kind of a book which will be appreciated generation after generation.
Reflections: Personalizing Life, Nature, Man and God will help your mind, heart and soul and it will have an everlasting encouragement upon you to walk with hope.

As long as I will read this book, I will reveal new messages. This book is definitely written otherwise than others. From any part of this book come forth the writer's love of nature while at the same time come forth and his message what to do to be better. Someone, who wants to be deep involved in writer's consideration, can sometimes pull parallelism between one of the possible views of world and actual happening. The writer feel himself some things which surround us and have a strong effect on our life but unfortunately these things affect adversely. According to writer's philosophy many of things in human life would be better to change if we want to be better in our future. Briefly told in a human life we can meet real nature only in the tracks in our ideas, while at the same time artifical nature knocks on the door.

Fanuka, a man behind the book REFLECTIONS, personalizing life, nature,
man and God; has knowledge brought on by his simple life and poverty in his
youth. Read his book and you will gain what you have lost. His writing will
refresh your mind and your soul. God bless Mr. Fanuka!


Carmelo Ramos, New York

Radenko Fanuka's book,Reflections,Personalizing, Life, Nature Man and God, is an inspiring road through Mr. Fanuka's reflections upon his life here and in his native Crotia. I found the book to be fascinating and inspiring. It kept my interest throughout. His ideas and beliefs in family, Life and God are truly an inspiration to us all. I highly recommend this book.