Review of My Yellow Brick Road

[Kirsi Cultrera]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "My Yellow Brick Road" by Patrick J Roelle Sr. / Mr. Pat.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Patrick J Roelle Sr. / Mr. Pat saw the daylight and let out his first squeal in 1942. He might have been born with a fishing rod in his hand and a bait in the other. Be it as it may, we know he developed a deep, long-lasting passion for fishing when he was only five. Blessed with an adventurous but somewhat foolhardy nature, he spent his early years under his parents' watchful eyes, catching fish and learning the basics of entrepreneurship with the effective method of learning by doing. The lessons learned carried through his whole life.

My Yellow Brick Road: A Train Wreck Without Regrets is an autobiographical novel covering his life from the early years to the present. We learn about his career, family life, and passion for fishing. The man has probably spent over half his life catching fish in boats or river banks. His career included uphill and downhill, taking him to remote places like Egypt or Africa. Mr. Pat's family life adds another colorful chapter to his life story; it has not always gone under the friendliest winds.

I found this book's title interesting, so let's briefly examine it first. Have you already made an association with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a famous children's novel written by L. Frank Baum? That is what I did when I first saw the book. Anyone who has read it or watched the film adaptation has heard of Dorothy and her road of yellow bricks. But the question is, what does this have to do with our author, Mr. Pat? As a matter of fact, he creates a connection to Dorothy in the first pages of his book. If you have yet to read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, do not worry. Generally, the yellow brick road is a proverbial idiom for one's path to the promised land where hopes and dreams come true. Of course, Mr. Pat's version of the yellow brick road differs quite a lot from Dorothy's. It is a road of harsh life, including severe bumps and wrecks. But it is his road and his dreams to follow, and he has invited us to walk along.

Now we know the background of the title, so let's move on to the content. The basic idea of using the road of yellow bricks as a metaphor and unifying factor that ties the details together was brilliant. In addition, the book was entertaining and colored with hilarious incidents. I loved the descriptions of the author's endless fishing trips, and I couldn't believe how accident-prone this man was. He seemed to specialize in all kinds of wrecks, especially those including cars or boats. He had me laughing, shaking my head in disbelief, and sometimes even feeling embarrassed on his behalf. For example, young Mr. Pat got lost in a foggy ocean with his kid sister, Donna. It was a time when cell phones or navigation systems did not exist! How did they return to the shore? What happened after that? You will have to read the story yourself.

As said above, the author's basic idea for this book and the association with Dorothy's road of yellow bricks was marvelous. However, the execution sometimes left a little something to desire. I felt the author was walking on a shaky ground with this; the implementation was somewhat far-stretched. Another thing that confused me was the occasionally disorganized narration. Mr. Pat, knowing his story better than anyone else, often got a bit carried away. The reader, however, was left behind to wonder what had just happened. Furthermore, this was a thick book, but I was still slightly disappointed that he left much of his family life out.

In this book, a reader can sense a certain feeling of a man in his sunset years writing his last greetings to the world. However, you never know what tomorrow might bring. I am confident we will hear from Mr. Pat again. Anyway, it is time to wrap up this book. Walking down his memory lane was an exciting adventure. Through his eyes, I enjoyed exploring the rivers, oceans, and different parts of the world. The dislikes I mentioned above are minor, but unfortunately, the editing of this book left something to wish for. I discovered more than ten grammatical errors. For this reason, I am bound to deduct a star. This book gets a well-deserved rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy colorful, adventurous memoirs. It will appeal especially to those who like nature, particularly fishing.

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My Yellow Brick Road
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[Olivier Muhammad]

Ya know, after reading this review, it seems like "My Yellow Brick Road: A Train Wreck Without Regrets" could be a pretty darn good read. This fella, Mr. Pat, seems to have lived quite the adventurous life, with fishing as his true passion. The review mentions humorous incidents and even some embarrassing moments that had the reader laughin' and shakin' their head. Now, the execution might have been a tad shaky, and the narration a bit disorganized at times, but overall, it sounds like a colorful and exciting memoir. Just gotta keep in mind, there were a few grammatical errors, but I reckon that won't ruin the whole experience. So, if you're into lively tales of nature and adventure, this here book might just be worth a read. Y'all enjoy now! Unpredictable twists, kept me on edge.

[Joshua Sawders]

This review gives a mixed perspective on the book "My Yellow Brick Road: A Train Wreck Without Regrets" by Patrick J Roelle Sr. While the reviewer finds the concept of the yellow brick road metaphor intriguing and praises the entertaining anecdotes, they also mention flaws in the execution and narration. The reviewer believes that the book is worth reading for those who enjoy adventurous memoirs and have an interest in nature. However, they caution that the editing could have been better, as they found multiple grammatical errors. Overall, the reviewer gives the book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Engaging dialogue, propelled the story forward.

[Loner Pen]

Hey y'all! After reading this insightful review, it seems like "My Yellow Brick Road: A Train Wreck Without Regrets" by Patrick J Roelle Sr. is quite an entertaining and adventurous memoir. With the author's passion for fishing and his knack for getting into amusingly disastrous situations, this book promises some great laughs and captivating stories. While the execution and narration might have some flaws, overall, it appears to be a good read for those who enjoy colorful memoirs and have an interest in nature. So, grab a copy, sit back, and enjoy the wild ride along Mr. Pat's yellow brick road! Atmospheric tension, kept me hooked throughout.

[Sandre Lamar]

The dialogue was natural and added great depth to the characters.