Official Review: Something for Everyone by Leslie Hines
- Christabel Uzoamaka
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Official Review: Something for Everyone by Leslie Hines
Something for Everyone by Leslie B. Hines is a collection of writings, and it is Book 1 of Clank! Now I Have Time to Write. Following the author’s imprisonment for an alleged crime, he decided to write poems and short stories to keep boredom and negativity away. This book is a collection of some pieces that Hines wrote both after his release and in prison. The author began by introducing himself, his situation, and what led to his writing this book. The author delivers heartfelt rhyming poems that were entertaining as well. Added to the poems were short stories; one told a tale of his service in the U.S Army.
I have decided to rate this book three out of four stars. I did not give it a perfect rating because half of the poems were not profound and did not leave much of an impression on me. I did not rate it lower because I liked that the poems rhymed in a way that made a lot of sense, and I did not find any errors in the book. Some poems, however, were heartfelt and perfect. I especially liked the author’s introduction, and it left me on the edge of my seat. He talked about the justice system and what led him to write. I, for one, would love to read his autobiography.
I must salute the author for the way he rhymed the poems. I began reading them out loud because they sounded lyrical. Another thing I liked was that the author’s words felt honest. I felt like I knew Hines and could understand his struggle from his imprisonment days. I especially felt, “Give a Thug a Hug.” It was a poem that expressed how thugs are misconceived and misjudged. People we may call thugs are only humans trying to survive with what society has given to them. I also liked that the poems were organized into parts. A part contained poems revealing the author’s family tree. Another talked about society. Then another was dedicated to Jesus. This organization allowed me to progress nicely, and I never felt confused at any point.
I, however, did not like that some poems were not as profound. I especially did not like that the author used some words and phrases excessively; they felt repetitive and made me lose interest anytime I saw them. An example is an expression that something made the author or his day warm and “gay.” The word “gay” is not offensive, but the repetitiveness made it lose value in the context. There was no profanity, but the author mentioned his religion and faith. Even though one part is dedicated to Jesus, it expresses praise and doesn’t try to force religion on readers.
The author explained that he titled this book “Something for Everyone” because everyone can find something for themselves to enjoy inside it. But I don’t think this assertion is true because I can only recommend this piece to readers who like poetry. I also recommend it to Black Americans because they may be able to relate to poems about the author’s family tree and Black culture. There are also poems about unjust imprisonment that can be heartbreaking for Black Americans.
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Something for Everyone
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