Official Review: Life is a Broccoli on the Slope

[CataclysmicKnight]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Life is a Broccoli on the Slope" by Scott Keiji Tan.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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It's rare that a book's cover and title are enough to make me curious about picking up a book without having any idea of what's going on inside it. Such was the case with Scott Keiji Tan's Life is a Broccoli on the Slope, certainly a title worthy of a fantastic (or awful) book! The cover even has a photoshopped piece of broccoli tethered to a mountain climber, who in their right mind can resist that?

Life is a Broccoli on the Slope is broken into short sections, preceded by one or more bite-sized Facebook posts and the posted dates. This is then followed by a bit of text explaining the bigger meaning of what was said, linking them together in one cohesive, often deep point. The author's catchphrase was made clear even before he states it in the end, as "life is such" is on nearly every page. This phrase, however, could easily be the title of the book as it really captures the entire spirit of the book. Sections are often inspirational, philosophical, heartfelt or any combination of those, and the concept of taking Twitter-sized Facebook posts and building upon them is both unique and fantastic.

The main problem, however, is just how short Life is a Broccoli on the Slope ended up being. It was 14 pages in the PDF file I reviewed, with only about 6-7 full pages worth of text aside from the cover, about the author and foreword. As such, even though there are some good points made, there just isn't enough to the book to make it worthwhile.

The other issue is simply that the poignant statements are very hit and miss. Some, like a short story comparing the surprising deliciousness of broccoli with ginger slices to the camaraderie of the three men enjoying the dinner together, are excellent. Unfortunately, especially with as short as the book is, there are too many underwhelming sections.

While I'm sure there are people who would enjoy the book, it's difficult to figure out who would be willing to pay for the experience. Portions of the book would make an excellent introduction to a new book or could even be used as a bit of text to open a new chapter in an inspirational guide, but it's just not enough to stand alone. As such, I have to rate the book 2 out of 4 stars despite being curious to see what Scott will write next.

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Life is a Broccoli on the Slope
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Like CataclysmicKnight's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Scott_Keiji]

Hi CataclysmicKnight,

Thank you so much for your detailed and sincere review of my book! Really appreciate your time reading it and acknowledging some of the points made inside. I agree it is a short book, will certainly look into the content for my next book.

I hope that more people out there will give this book a chance. Many friends who got the book had benefited by gaining new perspectives or takeaways, or simply by seeing things around differently and enjoying the beauty of life.

Let me know how I can reach out to more readers who like this category of topics. Thanks!

Scott

[LivreAmour217]

Nice review! Like you, I find myself intrigued by the name of this book. In spite of the shortcomings, I might just go ahead and read it to satisfy my curiosity!

[Scott_Keiji]

Hi LivreAmour217,

I hope you can read the book and share with me your feedback, thanks so much!

Scott

[Sarah_Khan]

Haha great review! Like you said, the title is alluring, it's what made me click on your review.
The book's concept also seems unique...I may just give it a try.