Official Review: Something for Everyone by Leslie Hines

Post by **Christabel Uzoamaka** » 09 Jan 2021, 19:03

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Something for Everyone" by Leslie Hines.]

3 out of 4 stars

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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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Praise GodWord · Post by **Praise GodWord** » 22 Jan 2021, 15:07

The idea of writing in prison is still a surprise for me. I don't want to experience it.

Mvictoria · Post by **Mvictoria** » 23 Jan 2021, 17:14

This sounds like an interesting book. I would like to get to know this author through his work, just like you did! I love that his poems rhymed and sounded lyrical!

Victoria Copsey · Post by **Victoria Copsey** » 24 Jan 2021, 14:17

I will have to give this a read to develop an opinion. Thanks for your informative review.

GreatReviews · Post by **GreatReviews** » 24 Jan 2021, 19:05

i've been longing to get a poem book. I'm not used to reading poem books though. But I hope i'll enjoy this. Thanks for d informative review

Michael Jerry_ · Post by **Michael Jerry_** » 03 Feb 2021, 18:46

I'm not much of a poetry fan. However, there seems to be some interesting poems about the author's life. I too think that this is a good fit for black Americans since there are snippets of wholesome black culture.

zyxskip · Post by **zyxskip** » 04 Feb 2021, 13:20

You did a very interesting review. This is somehow a kind of window into prison-life written through poems. An imaginative way for the author to convey his thoughts on everything that concern his being in prison, his faith and relationship. Maybe a very good read for everyone.