Book Review: Against Medical Advice by James Patterson and Hal Friedman

From Goodreads: 


Cory Friedman woke up one morning when he was five years old with the uncontrollable urge to twitch his neck. From that day forward his life became a hell of irrepressible tics and involuntary utterances, and Cory embarked on an excruciating journey from specialist to specialist to discover the cause of his disease. Soon it became unclear what tics were symptoms of his disease and what were side effects of the countless combinations of drugs. The only certainty is that it kept getting worse. Simply put: Cory Friedman's life was a living hell

Published: October, 2008
Author: James Patterson, Hal Friedman
Genre: Non Fiction, Biography
My Rating: 5/5
Pages: 304

Once in a while, you read a book that leaves you so spell bounded and heart broken that you cannot even think about it. It is not just a story for you. It becomes more like a memoir. Last month I read The Fault In Our Stars and I thought to myself, I won't be reading anything this heart breaking and sobbing any time soon. And as Cory puts it, I was wrong.

I was reading something very boring and I opened James Patterson to read something different and feel the thrill of what he writes. But I had no idea that this book was life changing. I guarantee one thing. If you read this book, it will change your life. It will change the way you think about it. The way you perceive it.

Cory is a drug addict. Not the kind you are thinking right now, no. Doctors made him one. He had Tourettes Syndrome and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). In short, his mind is not in his control, let alone his body. Its worse than cancer. And reading about him trying to figure out why he is spitting on his own sister when he does not want to, will make you cry.

Cory is a legend. He has achieved things in such a young age that people do not even do in their lifetime. I salute Cory Friedman. I loved ever bit of his journey, his failures and his triumphs, his struggles with life, struggles which were not even his own creation. He just had to deal with the crap that life is. But thing is, he made the most out of it, unlike any of us. He defeated life at its own game.  He turned his fears into his wins. His life was hell and one day, something changed and he decided to turn his life around. I am actually hoping that happens to me, some switch turns on and I get to see life in a different way.

The book itself was written in a very simple way, with the narrative being Cory himself but the story was so heart breaking that it needed nothing else. The story itself was very strong and had a great impact.The best part about the book was that he enjoyed his life even through all the awkward situations he went through. And I want to ride a bike like he does, someday.

"I will survive. I will love life; if life will love me." -Cory Friedman 

...SAP... 

Book Review: The Camel Club by David Baldacci

Goodreads Review:

Existing at the fringes of Washington D.C., the Club consists of four eccentric members. Led by a mysterious man know as "Oliver Stone," they study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions. Their efforts bear little fruit --- until the group witnesses a shocking murder ... and become embroiled in an astounding, far reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a Secret Service agent to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil --- an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. And all that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes.

Published: 2005
Author: David Baldacci
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, 

Amazon:


My Review:

I love David Baldacci. So obviously, I loved this as well. I am in awe of him. And my respect has increased so much more for him. I have read a lot of books that have written about Islam and Pakistan in relation to terrorism. And somehow even in books, terrorism and Jihad gets related to Islam and its teachings. This was the FIRST book that I read which was so true. I felt like my feelings were spoken out loud. I could tell how much research has been done by the author and how much knowledge he holds. I have never read or met a person who knows as much about Islam as a Muslim. And being portrayed right in a book for the first time, I was exhilarated. Salute ! 

He has explained Islam first and then terrorism. Not only that he has actually written the truth about USA. We were searching for a debate topic last year when I came to know that US actually has a debt of 3 trillion. And very few people are aware of that. He has explained everything in such an amazing manner that you are shocked to learn the actual facts from the garbage that is portrayed on TV. 

I am a conspiracy thriller lover, so I loved it. The build up of suspense in it, all the action going and than everything falling into place, it was all worth a read. 

I do have a problem with one thing though. And that is Oliver Stones age. He is 62 which is old for me. I get that its not considered old in US but its old. I loved the mix and match up of all the different personalities from the rare books librarian to the computer genius. I would love to meet Caleb and see the Library of Congress. 

After reading this book, I got all nostalgic and now I want to meet Baldacci. I want to tell him how big a deal it is for me to see someone write the truth for something I believe in. Everyone has faults, America is no saint. Than why is it that third world countries get blamed for most of the things ? This book gives you an insider to what actually happens and the fact that half of the wars are inflicted by US itself. We need to see the good and bad in everyone. We only see good in people or bad in the other. 

This was one informative book which I thoroughly enjoyed and I look forward to reading the rest of Baldacci. 

...SAP...