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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Ever wonder why we meet certain people?" (opening line, pg. 1), September 14, 2006
I did not sense the irony of that question until I finished page 84 of Richard Walters' "The NinJew". It was then that I realized how much I had taken away from this reading experience; how an author's request that I might read and review his practical and humorous memoir would somehow affect me so deeply... To explain this effect, I'll start with what remains vivid in my mind first... the grand finale of the book:
"DON'T MESS WITH D'JEWS!" (pg. 84)
This exuberant and emphatic declaration ends the story but begins my review...
I enjoyed the twist of the storyline from semi non-fiction to semi-fiction in the last one third of the book. Walters' tale mildly reminded me of the books I have greatly enjoyed by the Christian author, Frank Peretti. For being his first foray into writing a book, especially one that is a hybrid of genres and encapsulates a varied content, Walters does a remarkable job keeping his reader alternately enthralled and on the edge of one's seat! He uses just enough fantastic imagery to lose the reader in a surrealistic atmosphere of the espionage capers of a Jewish warrior and his Jewish sidekick while drawing on the everyday knowledge that we are truely faced with the very real dangers of terrorism, not only here in the United States but abroad as well.
Walters engages us with tidbits of his familial history by way of relating stories to his wife Marsha and/or sidekick Buddy as a way of entertaining distraction or encouragement. He creates images of days gone by in Pittsburgh, his hometown; days when his father was growing up in "a smoky, dirty, steel mill town" and coal was the source used for heating their homes. Days when hearing "hucksters" call out "Apples for Sale!" was common and his father watched other boys lose every hard-earned penny they'd made shooting craps. A lesson of "gamblers never win" was passed down to his son who later learned that Jewish law frowns on gambling. In turn, Walters and his wife made a conscious decision together to learn more about Judaism for the sake of their children. It was this decision that remains evident throughout this story of "The NinJew". (pg. 55)
"Because of his [Rabbi Moshe Weingarten] teachings, we were inspired to a new way of life. I AM STILL FAR FROM PERFECT. At least, though, I have a Lighthouse to guide me when I am lost at sea." (pg. 55)
Walters' dedication to his Faith plays an innate role in not only his day to day home and spiritual life but also in his calling to share with others the vital importance of clean living and taking proper care of the bodies God has given us. He guides us through the setting and meeting of goals of healthy eating and strength training as he teaches them to his student Barry (who also doubles as Walters' sidekick as the story rolls on).
He provides a brief step by step instructional for strength training coupled with his magic formula called "Sixty-Thirty-Ten-M-S". He outlines how to apply the formula starting on page 21 and does a wonderful job explaining the process complete with examples as well as some philosophical and intellectual support from noted sources.
In my own newborn quest to find my way to healthy living and personal fitness, I find "The NinJew" to be a treasure trove of solid advice and support settled in a practical bed of knowledge. The road to revelation is embellished with bits and pieces of the life and times of a modern day Jewish warrior: Richard Walters by day and "The NinJew" by night...
I'm please to make your acquaintance!
~Diane Anjoue
Author of "Collection de Jolie-Laide, wanting to be lost within..."
www.aclassofasin.com
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Ninja for Today, November 24, 2005
The mind-body connection has been explored by writers, philosophers, and doctors. Richard Walters offers a new take on this idea. In his semi-autobiographical book NINJEW, he unites practical health advice with spiritual insight. Ostensibly a book about strength-training, this work is also a musing on man's connection to G-d. In fact, the writing defies traditional categorization by genre as it is at once a memoir, a physical fitness guide, an action-packed novel, and a philosophical search for identity, meaning, truth, and justice. This is the ultimate self-help book, exemplifying one man's attempt to maximize his potential and underscoring "the capability of man to rise to nobility." The author's description of life also serves as an apt description of his terse and intense book:
"In G-d's great Omnimax Theater... life is filled with drama, comedy, violence, adventure, man against man, man against nature, and man against himself. It is my opinion that the last, man against himself, is the most difficult and challenging scene for each of us to face. As to myself, my battle rages on...."
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT READ!!, December 25, 2005
"The Ninjew" delivers on multiple levels. The storyline is exciting, engaging, and thought provoking. The main characters are admirable and reflect the type of person that we should all strive to become. The Ninjew is not just an entertaining read, but an informative one as well. After finishing the book, the reader can always refer back to it for the wealth of real-world fitness and weight training knowledge that it provides.
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