Review of A Gift from the Wise Men

[Sou Hi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Gift from the Wise Men" by Vince Young.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

What is your definition of equality? What is the most effective method to communicate with others? How can our talk remain a converse instead of turning into an argument? How can we remove hatred from our lives? These are some questions that Vince Young encounters during his meetings with three seniors in the park near his house. They are of different ages, races, and occupations, but they form a group to exchange their beliefs and values. Fascinated by their respectful attitudes and wisdom, Vince asks to hear more. From them, he receives several opinions and suggestions to fix our current social problems. If you want to know what solutions they have for us, come join them in A Gift from the Wise Men.

I admire the demeanors of Alex, Chris, and Ben. Through their examples, the book gives us some insights into religions, politics, egos, prejudices, leadership, and mindsets. It exposes the dark secrets behind the scenes, and it also shows how these men cope with their situations. For example, Alex talks about his faith after the priests' sexual abuse in Boston. Chris expresses his thoughts about the political world and the way it operates. For Ben, it is his ego when he tells his companions about whether he should join a gang and follow in his brother's footsteps. However, instead of criticizing people or letting themselves be upset, they have different ways to face their issues.

Besides, they can see new aspects of their troubles while discussing their stories. This helps them recheck their views and come up with new understandings. To me, this valuable lesson reflects the power of teamwork. We alone may not be able to perceive the entire picture, but people observe the same thing from their respective standpoints. By combining our thoughts, we will gain a much wider prospect from various angles. Therefore, sharing your outlook with someone is always a good thing to do.

Nonetheless, the ideas presented in the copy are just analyses. The group points out the root causes of the issues, but they don't have any practical plans to solve those yet. Personally, I wish to see detailed proposals that are created from the possibilities discovered by the group. For instance, if we want to stop gun violence in the US, who will be in charge? How should the nation's leaders, police, and citizens contribute to that? If the Second Amendment is not effective, what exact methods can be implemented to control guns and their users? In addition, I would suggest another round of proofreading to fix the copy's grammar errors.

Because of the above negative aspects, I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It's a short and thought-provoking book, so those who are interested in making a better future can give it a try.

******
A Gift from the Wise Men
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Aisha Yakub]

These questions are important and deserve well thought about answers. Great review. Thank you for the review.

[Oyedele Tomijane]

I can see that this book touches a lot of the social issues faced in the world today. Thanks for the lovely review.

[Nwadinso Okoro]

This book is indeed a gift from the wise men as it delves into the discussion between Vince and his partners. The book addresses certain things, and I think I'd learn from it. Thanks for your review.

[Apple 7]

The book provides advice on an array of sensitive issues....very interesting review...

[Raluca_Mihaila]

This seems like an intriguing and original book. Thank you for your recommendation!

[Hana_Fabro]

Alex, Chris, and Ben surely are wise men. Thank you for your wonderful review.

[Muhammad Anwer]

To highlight various social ills and how to hint at their solutions from various angels is an admiring effort. Thanks for this indepth and informative review.

[Diana Lowery]

I agree with you that this is a thought-provoking book that deals with some critical issues.

[Wesusa]

The copious count of grammar errors is an instant damper on my decisions of reading this book. As of now I will pass, though the concept and premise sound interesting enough that in the future I could see myself sampling this.

[Beatrice Ochieng]

The title drew me and the review has created a curiosity to find out the views of the wise men on social ailments, it is unfortunate that there are no proposals for solutions but these are the kind of books that spark discussions and hence solutions are born.

[Vivian Stones]

Catchy title. Interesting book. Great review.

[markodim721]

I like the way the plot of the book is thought-out. Thanks for the unbiased review.

[Amenrodion]

The title aroused my curiosity and the review makes me want to read