Official Review: Master of Ceremonies by Jonathan C. Harris

[LivreAmour217]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Master of Ceremonies" by Jonathan C. Harris.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Master of Ceremonies: A Male's Guide for a Successful Life is a straightforward, easy-to-read guidebook for young men on the verge of adulthood. Author Jonathan Harris draws examples from his personal life, as well as his experience as Residence Hall Coordinator at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, to provide practical advice on an array of topics, including (but not limited to) relationships, academics, and independent living.

I chose to review this book because I have a son that is currently in middle school, and his future is something that is often on my mind. As a mother, I was curious to see what sort of advice Mr. Harris had to offer, and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed.

Mr. Harris did an excellent job of tailoring this book to the intended audience. At only ninety-six pages, the length is perfect for the young men of today's "Google" generation. He speaks articulately and passionately throughout the book, yet maintains a friendly, casual demeanor that will resonate with the intended age group. The advice given is direct, practical, and free of preachy or sanctimonious statements.

The book is divided into two parts: "Master of the Kingdom" and "Master of the Jungle." In the "Master of the Kingdom" section, Mr. Harris encourages young men to cultivate themselves on a personal level, and contains topics that relate to health and overall well-being. "Master of the Jungle" covers "real world" topics such as professionalism and financial management. The end of each chapter contains critical thinking exercises that are thought-provoking without being too complicated.

As a parent, I learned a few things about how my husband and I can help our son transition into adulthood. When my husband and I turned eighteen, the world was a simpler place; terrorism had yet to become a household world, almost no one owned a cellular phone, and social media was non-existent. All of that being said, we cannot exclusively use our personal experiences at that age to guide our son. Mr. Harris' book opened my eyes to the fact that there are certain things that we must teach our son that our parents did not have to teach us. Instructing my son on how to behave while going through airport security, or how to avoid common mistakes on social media, may fall under the umbrella of "common sense," but it's amazing how these kinds of things can be overlooked. The very fact that this book contains chapters on these subjects lets me know that many young people are heading out into the world with insufficient knowledge on some very important matters.

I only have two criticisms of this book. First, the book does contain some grammatical errors here and there. The errors in question are relatively minor, but still somewhat distracting. Second, I believe that the final chapter of the book, which is basically a list of quick tips, could be better organized. While the advice in this chapter is as sound as any found throughout the book, I felt that the tips were arranged in a haphazard manner. For example, tip number eight pertains to health, while tip number nine is about academics. In my opinion, this chapter could be improved if the author arranged the tips by topic.

But on the whole, Master of Ceremonies is a worthwhile read for its intended audience, and I give it 3 out of 4 stars. I would recommend the book not only to young men, but also to parents, teachers, and even employers as a helpful teaching tool.

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Master of Ceremonies
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Like LivreAmour217's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Kourtney Bradley]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed this book and were able to connect with it in real life.

[LivreAmour217]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed this book and were able to connect with it in real life.

Thanks!!

[kimmyschemy06]

Sounds like a very informative and helpful book. The mention of your son reminds me of my own boy aged 14 and I think I have to add this to my To Read list

[LivreAmour217]

Sounds like a very informative and helpful book. The mention of your son reminds me of my own boy aged 14 and I think I have to add this to my To Read list

Thank you, Kimmy! I hope that you find the book to be helpful!

[Heidi M Simone]

Very insightful review, LivreAmour217! This does sound like a very helpful book for young men, and I think it's sweet that you picked it up because you have a young son. Despite the couple flaws, I'm glad you enjoyed it and found it beneficial!

[LivreAmour217]

Very insightful review, LivreAmour217! This does sound like a very helpful book for young men, and I think it's sweet that you picked it up because you have a young son. Despite the couple flaws, I'm glad you enjoyed it and found it beneficial!

Thank you for your kind words, Hsimone! I have learned quite a bit from this useful little book!