Manny gets five stars !
In the first international review of my novel, A New Era For Manny Youngman, on readersfavourite.com, book reviewer Faridah Nassozi awarded it five stars.
Here is her full review
Raising a teenager has never been an easy task, but it gets even more complex when you have to raise one whose existence you never knew about. Nothing in his life could have prepared Manny Youngman for the changes about to take place in his life. It all began when his super feminist ex, Katie, made a surprise appearance while he was giving one of his talks about the need to reconcile the rift that was continuously developing between men and women. A week later she broke into his house, bringing with her a big surprise in the form of a teenage daughter. Katie was going to prison and she needed a safe place to leave her daughter Jenny; and what better place than with a stranger of a father whose views on feminism contradicted everything she had raised Jenny to believe. With Katie off to prison, Manny and Jenny are left to forge a relationship and find some common ground in their beliefs and opinions.
A New Era For Manny Youngman by Mike Murphy gives a fresh and interesting take on feminism and how it affects the dynamics of the relationship between men and women, be it on a professional or social level. The story endeavors to portray the tilt in the balance in these relationships in a post feminism era. For me, the book raised two major questions: is feminism sometimes misunderstood by both sides, and how far can it be pushed before it alienates the important partnerships between men and women. Although a work of fiction, I found the book to be very insightful on the topic and tackling it through a well crafted story made it more fun to read and easier to grasp.
Reviewer Carol Seely, on her blog readingwritingandreisling.wordpress.com writes:
Mike Murphy presents some interesting view points and scenarios in this contemporary novel. Undoubtedly the role of men and women in today’s society is one that is complex; there are no “Golden Rules” to making a relationship work – or is there? Manny and his band of cohorts, family - immediate and extended, eventually prove that honesty and the use of passive listening techniques go a long way to understanding and living in harmony. Sounds easy doesn’t? Tricked you – life is never easy but it could be a lot easier for some of us if we just took some time to truly listen to someone else’s view; switch off, turn off, power down and listen. Mike Murphy’s writing demonstrates his high level of listening skills; the voices of his characters are realistic, their actions credible. The scenarios are a little complicated but then, so is life.
Paula Boer, author of The Okapi Promise and the Brumby series of Young Adult novels writes:
I am sure there are many bachelors who sometimes wonder if they're fathers without realising. For Manny, the discovery both delights and challenges him in ways he'd never considered. A heart-felt look into one man's journey, A New Era for Manny Youngman is provocative as well as entertaining, raising issues faced by many in today's society. Worth a read for more than a good story.
Jay Turrell, reviewing the book on Kobo, writes
In this story of a man trying to forge a relationship with a teenage daughter he never knew he had, Mike Murphy deals with what may be a touchy subject to some but he does it with good humour and a positive approach to there being a solution. This is not an anti-feminist novel, it is pro-people. It doesn't say feminism was wrong but that the story isn't finished yet; we still have to balance the other side of the equation and give men a new role in this new society. This book is both ground-breaking and bridge building. It also happens to be a very good read.
Purchasers of one of the first copies, Ken and Pat Ditchfield say:
A cracking pace, never boring and an easy, interesting read.
Book reviewerMaureen Eppen writes :
A compelling tale of relationships, men's and women's rights, parenting and love that combines an easy reading style with deep themes and great sensitivity.