Review - Organ of Pain by Brad Ryder

Sometimes you just know you’re right even though everyone, including professionals, say you’re wrong. Or worse, they try to convince you that you it’s all in your mind.

Organ of Pain talks about experiences endured and lessons learned on various topics in a bold and straightforward manner. It includes Brad Ryder’s literally painful, six-year journey from finding someone who could give him an accurate diagnosis for erectile dysfunction to finding an acceptable treatment he could live with.

The book also shares experiences with family, personal, and business relationships; transitioning through several careers, and how one man continued to find the strength to persevere along unpleasant paths.

Other books may be available on the topic of erectile dysfunction; however, none are as direct and heartfelt as Organ of Pain. Ryder puts himself on the page, not to whine about his misfortune, but rather in the hope that someone else may be able to relate to some of the circumstances and take comfort in knowing someone else has been there. Life may not be perfect, but each of us has to come to terms with our circumstances in some manner.

Brad Ryder lives in Keene, New Hampshire, with his wife Joan. Organ of Pain: One Man’s Ordeal with Life, Erectile Dysfunction, and Other Ailments is his first book.

Organ of Pain is not for the faint of heart or squeamish, but I recommend it to anyone who doesn’t want to feel alone in their personal life struggles, whatever those may be.

Title: Organ of Pain: One Man’s Ordeal with Life, Erectile Dysfunction, and Other Ailments
Author: Brad Ryder
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
ISBN: 978-1439244616
Pages: 340
Price: $15.99

Review - Gray Matter by Gary Braver

Do intelligent people have better lives? Do more opportunities come their way? Do they get into better schools?

If you could give your child straight white teeth, would you? If your child needed plastic surgery to be accepted on the playground, would you have it done? If your child were falling behind in the classroom, would you do anything to help him become smarter?

Gray Matter is a page-turner by Northeastern University professor Gary Braver that asks these questions. I literally could not put this book down until I was finished.

Rachel Whitman has everything going for her: she's young, beautiful, and wants for nothing. Her husband is CEO of his own company. They've just moved to an upscale Boston suburb with their 6-year-old son Dylan.

Dylan is enrolled in DellKids, a kindergarten on the grounds of the Dells Country Club. Dylan isn't having an easy time. He's not as quick to learn as the other kids and is harassed by the star pupil.

His IQ is below average. Rachel struggles with the fact that her child has a learning disability and, due to past use of a drug that's now known to be dangerous, she may be to blame for his condition.

Not all is bad with Dylan. He may pronounce "Mrs. MacPhearson's Jaguar" as "Mrs. M'Phearson Jagger," but he has a fantastic singing voice and can remember songs as soon as he hears them. Still, Rachel worries that if he's already behind, he'll be picked on more as he gets older and that he won't be able to follow in his father's footsteps.

Then Rachel learns of an "enhancement" procedure that can increase a child's IQ threefold. Should she and her husband put up all their money now so that Dylan will have a chance at a successful life? As Rachel gathers information, she questions whether the procedure will be worth it to Dylan in the long run. The decision has to be made soon; the doctor won't perform the surgery if the child is more than 6 and a half years old.

Gray Matter is a must read for any fan of medical thrillers, mysteries, science fiction, or just damn good writing.

Gary Braver is the pen name for Gary Goshgarian. His first thriller, Elixir, about finding the fountain of youth, was published in 2001. He teaches creative writing and popular culture, and lives with his wife and two sons outside Boston.

Title: Gray Matter
Author: Gary Braver
Publisher: Forge Books
ISBN: 978-0312876135
Pages: 400
Price: $25.95