Non-Fiction | Book Spectrum

S3 E07- Mia’s Odyssey: After an Abusive Marriage, Mia Odeh Takes Back Her Soul

Mia Odeh was Imprisoned in an abusive marriage, but how can a woman whose culture emphasizes female submission escape the clutches of her husband? Mia Odeh shares her journey and how she finally re-took control of her live in the revealing new memoir, Mia’s Odyssey: Taking Back My Soul.
In the book, Mia revisits her life story, beginning in Palestine at age sixteen, where she was forced into an arranged marriage. After being brought to the United States, Mia realizes that her marriage is not only unwanted, it is unsafe, as she experiences routine sexual and physical assault. Mia’s Odyssey shines an unflinching light on the horrors of domestic abuse and reveals how a survivor with enough determination can find the resources to forge a path to freedom.

“Sometimes you have to get a little distance from something before you can really see it,” Mia says. “From the time I was sixteen years my husband surrounded me like a putrid fog, permeating every minute of every day and completely blocking the sun from entering my life. When my husband left us behind in Arizona and moved to Michigan for work I began to see him as he really was, nothing more than a small, evil, isolated creature. I made it my goal to keep my children pure, to keep them from ever becoming like their father.”

Business Inspirational Lifestyle Non-Fiction Success

S3 E05- Bew White Reveals His New Outlook on Life After Recovering From a Near-Fatal Disease

What does it mean to live a truly substantial life?
How does a visionary entrepreneur repeatedly overcome risk and rejection?
Is there more to a life well lived than the sum of a person’s successes and failures?
A Summer Classic: The Bew White Story explores these questions and more through the life and eyes of William Bew White III, the founder of Summer Classics, a manufacturer of luxury outdoor furniture.

“When you start a small business and grow it, you go through a lot of trials and tribulations,” observes Bew. “This really is sort of a modern re-telling of the Jimmy Stewart It’s a Wonderful Life movie.”

The biography, written by Christopher Taunton, delivers a detailed chronicle of Bew’s childhood, college years, early professional life, the successes and failures that got him to where he is today and how he overcame a health condition which nearly killed him as he makes the most of his life on Earth.

The high costs and sacrifices behind this success make A Summer Classic compelling and instructive, a gripping illustration of the saying, “One step forward, two steps back.” Bew’s career was beset with “hurdles, challenges, sleepless nights, poor health, things that didn’t work, (facing) the recession” and the twists and turns of a life spent doing business with a host of people. Trustworthy business partners were hard to find, and those who did not share Bew’s commitment to faith, character caused big problems along the way. At each obstacle, his creative thinking, foresight, and leadership helped the company to move forward with its vision that people might look at Summer Classics furniture and see “beautifully furnished spaces where they might share memorable moments with their friends, family, and loved ones.”

Bew White III is the Chairman of the Board of Gabriella White and its brands, Summer Classics, Gabby, and Wendy Jane. He graduated from Auburn University in 1972 with a degree in textile engineering. The phrase “outdoor living” had hardly been coined, as outdoor furniture was simply known as a table and chairs you would find on a basic patio deck
At just 28 years old, Mr. White left his job at his family-owned business, Avondale Mills, and started a sales representative company in 1978 called Vista Corporation, specializing in selling outdoor furniture. In 1987, Bew started multiple companies in an effort to expand from selling on the road to building a national brand. One of those companies was Summer Classics, which was created around Bew’s thought of designing and manufacturing products that he would want for his own backyard. With a business model based on creating products that were consumer driven, would stand the test of time, and would not go out of style, Summer Classics officially took off in 1987.
Born in 1950 in Birmingham, Alabama to William Bew White II and Gabriella Corner White, Bew is the great-grandson of Braxton Bragg Corner, governor and then senator for Alabama, as well as the founder of the Alabama-based Fortune 500 textile company Avondale Mills.

Business Non-Fiction Success

S3 E04- Jotham Stein’s Unique Guide to Negotiating Like a CEO

What does it mean to negotiate like a CEO? How important are employment agreements? How can you learn to protect yourself and your family if the worst does happen? These are all questions Jotham Stein addresses in his book Negotiate Like a CEO, with the goal of equipping employees, executives and entreprenerus with the tools they need to safeguard themselves.

A lively, engaging read, Negotiate Like a CEO outlines how employees, executives, and entrepreneurs have protected themselves in the past, and gives readers eye-opening advice on how to make sure they won’t get taken advantage of. The book describes best practices, common pitfalls, and sky’s-the-limit possibilities at any career stage, whether you’re just out of college or you’re gunning for that C-suite job.

Current Events History Non-Fiction politics

S3 E03 – A Deep Dive into Putin’s Playbook with former DIA Agent Rebekah Koffler

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine commences and captures worldwide headlines, what people might not know is this is only a small portion of Vladimir Putin’s long game. What does he have planned next? What is the bigger picture? How does he plan to go about his ambitious goals?
With me on Book Spectrum for this episode is Rebekah Koffler, a Soviet-born former US intelligence officer with the DIA and author of the book, “Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America”
As we are seeing some of the Russian President’s games play out these days, Koffler says this has been in the works for a while. In Putin’s Playbook, Koffler goes in-depth on how Putin rose to power from behind the scenes to pushing himself onto the world stage. She also delves into:
Why Putin wants to rebuild the old USSR under his rule
How Putin wants to cement his legacy
Why Putin sees himself as the “Good Guy” amid the controversies with some of the former Soviet Republics
Putin’s disdain for NATO before and after publicly declaring the western treaty group as a threat to Russia’s existence.
When why and how Putin picks and chooses the times and circumstances involved with executing his plans
Are the US and the rest of the NATO nations strong enough to go against Putin in a potential world war or are they too weakened by internal wokeness policies to respond to the Russian threat?

Koffler’s goes inside the mind of the Russian oligarch in Putin’s Playbook.

Health Healthy Living Lifestyle Mental Health Non-Fiction

S3 E02 – Men's Health and the 21st Century Man with Dr Judson Brandeis

We are in an era of increased health-minded awareness and a plethora of books as well as PSAs and news pieces dedicated to wellness for women, children and seniors. Sadly, Dr. Judson Brendeis says while increased information is available, younger and middle-aged men still are not fully invested in their own health. Why is that? Dr. Brandeis not only answers this question, but provides the definitive guide to men’s health titled The 21st Century Man.
Dr. Brandeis takes a unique approach to this essential tome as he not only provides what one might use as an owner’s manual of one’s body, but styles it as a “hero’s journey” story with the reader as the main character.
In the book, Dr. Brandies encourages men to not ignore taking care of themselves while still focusing on their natural instincts to pay more attention to and protect others, answering such questions as:
What does a successful and healthy life look like?
How can men maximize their health to live their best lives?
In a man’s life, what changes are needed to build a mind and body that will help him develop health, strength, and vigor?

Dr. Judson Brandeis, in his straightforward and compelling guide to men’s health, The Twenty-First Century Man, addresses these questions and so many more while providing a clear road map for maximizing men’s health.

Dr. Judson Brandeis is an award-winning urologist and sexual medicine expert, clinical researcher, physician educator, and a caring clinician and surgeon. A graduate of Brown University and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, with Urologic Surgery residency at UCLA and a post-doc fellowship at Harvard, today he specializes in the emerging field of sexual health and medicine.

Over the course of his 25-year career as a board-certified urologist he has performed thousands of surgeries and pioneered surgical robotics. In February of 2019, he opened BrandeisMD, a national leader in technology and sexual medicine innovations for men. BrandeisMD engages in ongoing clinical research to improve wellbeing and provide tools for men to live their best lives.

Current Events Education History Issues Non-Fiction politics

S2 E20 – Scott Shay Exposes Anti-Jewish Conspiracy Theories Being Taught at US Universities

While writing a tribute to his father, a survivor of the Holocaust who educated him on the importance of faith and Jewish values, Scott Shay was disturbed and dismayed to discover the presence of extremist anti-Zionist professors (Far Left and Far Right) on the faculty of his alma mater, Northwestern University. As a student of Jewish thought, history, and current events, who has written extensively on contemporary Jewish issues, he was compelled to take a deep dive into the world of anti-Zionist conspiracy theories and academia.

“I learned that Northwestern University, my beloved alma mater and a jewel of American academia, has enabled some of its professors to openly promote conspiracy theories,” says Shay. “Sadly, many academics can no longer even identify conspiracy theories. Professorial proponents insist that far from being conspiracy theorists, they are brave truth tellers.”

Set against the framework of Northwestern University’s motto, Conspiracy U not only illustrates the issues present when serious and trustworthy scholarship is abandoned in favor of theory and ideology, but proposes that the motto itself points toward a better option. Rather than dismissing ideology or giving it undue precedence, Shay suggests that the motto and the Golden Rule together form an unbiased and universally applicable framework which provides the intellectual and moral criteria to distinguish between facts and conspiracy theories, leaving room for diversity while also excluding approaches that devalue our common humanity.

Health Health Care Healthy Living Lifestyle Non-Fiction

S2 E15 – Dr. Sanjay Prasad: Resetting Healthcare Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

What do you do when your doctor recommends surgery to you or to a loved one? Do you question their decision? The answer for the vast majority of Americans is no. Most of us have been trained to trust our physicians completely. After all, they’re the experts. They should know best.

In his new book, Resetting Healthcare, our Book Spectrum guest this episode, Dr. Sanjay Prasad examines the lack of transparency in surgical care and offers a solution to the problem: a new, innovative tool called SurgiQuality that connects patients with qualified surgeons, offering second and third opinions, and even suggesting more conservative, non-surgical solutions as appropriate. Dr. Prasad reveals that between 10–20 percent of all surgeries in the US are unnecessary, either because of misdiagnosis or because a more conservative therapy may have been just as or even more effective.

History Humor Non-Fiction

S2 E12 – 100 of the Worst Ideas in History with Mike Smith

There were some pretty bad ideas throughout history, and not just picking the wrong color for a room or something line that. Writer and Producer Mike Smith has compiled a list of 100 huge ones in his new audiobook, The 100 Worst Ideas in History.

Mike – with a lot of humor and several guest voices – tells these stories in the audiobook and will discuss them with you and your audience, hoping we are not doomed to repeat humanity’s historically boneheaded moves including:

How a confused chauffeur helped start World War I
Who turned down the greatest product placement opportunity in cinema history
How a baseball game helped hasten the death of discoa
A toad that nearly ate Australia
The most dangerous children’s game ever invented
The tasty new snack food that’s likely to give you diarrhea
What was President William McKinley thinking by opting to not wear a bullet proof vest on the day he was assassinated?

Enjoy our conversation with Mike Smith.

Business Issues Military Non-Fiction Technology

S2 E09 – Julie Willis: Conceal Reveal

Did you know the U.S. Military’s technical and defensive capabilities are not exactly up to the level it should be? Why would that be? Did you also know there are a lot of business opportunities for entrepreneurs to work with the Defense Department?
This week on Book Spectrum, Julie Willis, CEO of DEFIANT Communication and author of Conceal Reveal: The Space between Entrepreneurs and the Defense Industry, discusses both aspects of military contracting: the opportunities and where national defense is lacking when it should not be,
Willis reveals the dysfunctionality of military modernization and the environment built around it, why we should be more advanced, tech-wise, than we are and potential openness to espionage.

In the book, you will find out:
What is blocking the disruptive technology our warfighters need to protect and defend our country
The true cost of research and development
How you can contribute to the success of our military in 2028 (and beyond)
How DEFIANT Communication pivoted to serve the community of disruptors at the heart of defense innovation

Julie Willis is an entrepreneur, longtime military contractor and CEO of DEFIANT Communication. Find out more about Julie on her website: https://www.defiantcomms.com/
To pick up Julie’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Conceal-Reveal-between-Entrepreneurs-Industry-ebook/dp/B08Q3H57WR

Business Non-Fiction Success

S2 E08 -Leena Patel and Raising Your Innovation IQ

Leena Patel is an innovator, leader, philosopher, CEO and yoga guru who is also one of the nation’s most sought-after speakers.
Learning much of her ideals and principles from her grandfather. a direct disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, who mentored her from a young age, Leena offers insights in her new book, Raise Your Innovation IQ, far beyond what a normal business tome would. Drawing from her grandfather’s teachings, life lessons and entrepreneurial acumen, the founder of Sandbox2Boardroom and best-selling author will teach you how to tap into your own inner innovator.

Leena has trained and consulted for leaders from USA, England, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Scotland, India, Kenya, and Thailand.

We talk about all of this and her many talents on this episode of Book Spectrum.

Find out more about Leena and her book, Raise Your Innovation IQ, on her website: https://www.leenapatel.net/