Suggesting ways to improve one’s life and achieve goals — either through a changed mental outlook or offering thoughtful, wisdom-tested advice – is the subject of two selections in this week’s Newsmax Rising Bestsellers. Other nonfiction choices include a look into a college admissions scandal that rocked the nation six years ago, and another that reminds every American of “Who we are.” And, as always, for fiction, three is an exciting new thriller, with twists and turns galore, co-written by America’s most prolific novelist.
“The Writer: A Thriller,” by James Patterson & J. D. Barker (Little, Brown and Company)
In this latest offering co-written by No. 1 New York Times bestselling novelist James Patterson, a true-crime author gets swept up in a murder plot. Police are called to the author’s apartment to find her covered in blood, and the victim lying dead on the living room floor. She denies responsibility, but only one person knows the ending to this story. “There were so many twists and turns that just when I thought I had it all figured out, there was yet another turn. By the end of ‘The Writer,’ the reader is left in a bit of a lurch in the way of a cliffhanger,” wrote The Running Bibliophile. “‘The Writer’ by James Patterson and J.D. Barker is one of the best books I’ve read that was co-written by Patterson.” [Fiction]
“Above The Illusion: The blueprint for mental clarity, self-respect, and irreplaceable value,” by Anthony G. Minaya (A. Minaya Enterprises, LLC)
This is a deep dive into the conditioning, beliefs, and stories, accepted as fact by most, that comprise all the hidden forces unknowingly shaping our lives. There are the psychological distractions, author Anthony G. Minaya writes, that keep us mired in cycles of limitation and make us unable to achieve our true potential. “Above the Illusion” is a book about learning how to see the world in order to make the reader more prepared, more conscious, and more powerful than ever before. “If you’re looking for a book that helps with growth, mindset shifts, awakening your purpose, and personal transformation, ‘Above the Illusion’ is it!” wrote Danielle Newman for Amazon. “Highly recommend to anyone that is ready to gain clarity and a deeper understanding of self. This book changed my life!!!!!!! Must read! Philosophy to live by for sure!” [Nonfiction]
“I Wish Someone Had Told Me . . .: The Best Advice for Building a Great Career and a Meaningful Life,” by Dana Perino (Harper)
This instant New York Times bestseller, written by Fox News co-host Dana Perino, is a blueprint for success in both life and career, presented through insightful stories, and powerful life lessons. The areas in which Perino offers direction include:
- Finding the right path and getting your foot in the door;
- How to break out in your job and get recognized;
- Making a transition in your career and betting on yourself;
- How to keep improving and adding new skills;
- Balancing relationships, avoiding burnout, and having a life.
“I Wish Someone Had Told Me” is the ideal gift for the graduate or someone entering the workplace for the very first time. “I love how this book is written- it is well organized which makes it an easy yet impactful read,” said EM for Amazon. “Dana Perino taps into her network of friends and colleagues to draw on how their experiences have shaped who they are and what tips they would suggest looking back. It includes some incredible work and life advice!!” [Nonfiction]
“Varsity Blues: Scandal Within the Scandal,” by John Wilson (Palmetto Publishing)z
This is the untold story of the infamous Operation Varsity Blues case, in which federal prosecutors targeted parents of college students for fraudulent applications. Wilson explains, backed by evidence, how he became collateral damage in a case of government overreach that was so egregious that 11 former chief prosecutors wrote to the appeals court, “John Wilson did not receive a fair trial.” “It’s hard to believe this all happened in the shadow of a headline-hungry media frenzy. John Wilson lays out a compelling case that he was caught up in something much bigger than himself,” said Guillermo Zanky Aguilera for Amazon. “This book offers more than just a defense — it offers clarity, honesty, and humanity. It changed how I view not only the scandal but also how easily truth can be distorted.” [Nonfiction]
“Who We Are: America’s Fight for Universal Progress, from Franklin to Kennedy: Volume II – 1830s to 1890s,” by Anton Chaitkin (Independently published)
During then-President Ronald Reagan’s farewell address to the nation, he noted that “If we forget what we did, we won’t know who we are.” Anton Chaitkin’s multi-volume “Who We Are” is his attempt to make sure we never forget.
Today other forces are hard at work trying to remake the United States into something it is not. “Who We Are,” however, explains:
- How the United States rose to become an industrial power with high living standards and world influence;
- Who promoted this rise, by what strategy and through which projects;
- Who has opposed the nation’s progress, and for what reasons;
Only this contrast of the two operative sides – the republic versus the empire – will allow the reader to see:
- How we have gone wrong;
- How other nations – some deemed our enemies – have adopted the methods which made America successful, policies which it has abandoned; and
- How our misleaders represent the interests we have always had to fight against to win national progress.
If we know what we did and who we are, we are better able to chart our course for the future. [Nonfiction]
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