Review by edztan15 -- Winners and Losers in words and ca...

[edztan15]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Winners and Losers in words and cartoons" by Arthur Hartz.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Winners and Losers in words and cartoons, written by Arthur Hartz, shows the readers what it means to be a winner or loser in today's society through witty aphorisms and humorous cartoons. It is an observation of how society and culture shape our perception of these types of people. We as humans are hard-wired to chase success, whatever arbitrary definition we have of what success is. By definition, winning is good, and losing is bad. However, society distorted the meaning of these words, for better or worse, to align them according to what's convenient for them.

What makes a person a winner and how he is being perceived by society are discussed in the first half of the book. The second half tackles the shortcomings of people that make them losers and their coping mechanisms to make it through life with the burden of that self-awareness.

Winners and Losers in words and cartoons carefully walks a tight rope in communicating the positive and negatives sides of being either a winner or a loser. What I loved most in the book is that it does not spoon-feed the readers on what to make of with the author's observations. Instead, it makes them think and let them have their own interpretations of the aphorisms within the book. The book, at times, implies that being a winner has its downside, while there are advantages to being a loser. Some statements hit home hard for me. Quoting the author below:

Most of us waste years before realizing no one knows anything. Those born with that knowledge get a big head start.

Ouch, Mr. Hantz. Ouch. Sarcasms are sprinkled across the book and sometimes, it's hard to tell whether you are looking at one or not, but that's what I loved about it because it keeps you on your toes. I also have to give props to the cartoonists as they did the book's messages justice. Some passages are disconcerting, yet speak the truth. Here's an example:

Kindness is the last refuge of the socially inferior.

I was in the middle of nodding my head on this one then it hit me. Then I sobbed. Then I cried myself to sleep. Kidding aside, although the book is entertaining and funny, its underlying messages are meant to be seriously analyzed, pondered, and debated. It is a quick read but it has a lasting impact on the readers, especially the final panel. With that, I'm giving Winners and Losers in words and cartoons a winning score of 4 out of 4 stars. The book seems to be professionally edited as I only found a single error in it. It is an entertaining, yet thought-provoking book that is suitable for those who love social commentaries or those who like a good discourse.

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Winners and Losers in words and cartoons
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[bookreviewmi1111]

I also rated this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book was fun and deep at the same time. Thank you for the review!