MAY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE 79
arts&culture
LITERARY Scene
By Ryan G. Van Cleave
A WEALTH MANAGEMENT BOOK AND TWO THRILLERS
ARE RYAN’S PICKS FOR MAY.
W
WEALTH UNBROKEN
by Rebecca Walser
I’m going to be honest—I’m reluctant
t
to review any how-to finance book.
Why? Because more so than other
literary styles/genres, these are,
understandably, polarizing. For every
person who swears by the stated
advice, plenty will holler equally
much about it being fool’s gold.
This book by tax attorney, CFP,
wealth strategist, and iHeart radio
financial advisor Rebecca Walser is
no different. Her goal is a big one—
map out “how to be one of the few who not only survive but
thrives in the coming era of increasing taxes, extreme market
volatility, and an aged, debt-ridden America.” Does she deliver?
It’s hard to say.
The only advice I ever received about preparing for my
retirement? Spend less. Max out the 401k. And bank 10% of
my take-home pay. Kind of yawner stuff, but it’s what a lot of us
were told. Surely there’s more to it, though, right?
Enter Walser and Wealth Unbroken. In this book, she discusses
things that your own CPA might well have never mentioned.
That’s a plus. She’s also a fan of creating a sound tax plan that’s
more or less predicated on paying taxes today to avoid higher
rates in the future.
One of the real virtues of this book is that potentially complex
ideas are presented clearly in a conversational style. I also
think she does a good job in the first chapter of showing how
the world of retirement planning has changed. The days of 30+
years with the same company (like my father and father-in-law
enjoyed) are long gone.
Is this book for you? Probably so, if you prefer the certainty of
life insurance and annuities over stocks and options on indexes.
But you might also enjoy this if you want a fresh perspective on
American capitalism and taxes.
Rating:
www.wealthunbroken.com
THE CONSULTANT
by TJ O’Connor
While TJ O’Connor has published numerous books
already, his latest novel, published by Longboat
Key’s own Oceanview Publishing, is his first thriller.
O’Connor is an independent security consultant who
specializes in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat
analysis, so the level of authenticity and vividness in
The Consultant – Book 1 of the Jonathan Hunter thriller
series – is understandably quite high.
The Consultant tells the story of Jonathan Hunter, who,
in his own words, is a consultant. “Sort of a handyman
for very special clients. Well, one very special client.”
But Hunter gets involved on a personal level when his
brother sends a plea for help despite having not spoken
to him in years. What follows is Hunter stumbling upon
a hotbed of terrorist activity by Middle Eastern refugees
right here in the U.S. Couple that with Hunter’s spy
mentor playing his own high-stakes game with Russian
intelligence, and you’ve got a story that cooks along
nicely from start to finish.
Hunter’s more Jason Bourne than James Bond, though
he’s got a more pronounced sense of humor that many
readers will appreciate. O’Connor’s fast-paced writing
style will surely please readers, as well.
Rating:
www.TJOConnor.com
map out how to be on
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/www.wealthunbroken.com
/www.TJOConnor.com
