Official Review: Take the money and run by Jim Gardner
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- Oyedeji Okikioluwa
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Official Review: Take the money and run by Jim Gardner
Take the Money and Run by Jim Gardner is a riveting chronicle of Joe Armstrong’s early life and navigation from adulthood to a successful businessman. He was raised in a close-knitted environment saturated with abject poverty, weak parental guidance, religious bigotry, domestic violence, drug abuse, crime, and sexual perversion. The author details the many odds and adversities Joe defied to become a successful businessman.
Joe’s mother, Joan Armstrong, had blind faith and unshakable loyalty to her husband, Harry Armstrong. He was, on the other hand, committed to torturing her by stealing from her frequently. They had a bad parental influence on Joe. Peer pressure was also a huge problem; Joe never made the right decisions in picking friends. Destined for a life of mediocrity, Joe became absorbed in the street games; stealing from the church, smoking at a tender age, petty shoplifting, and gang fights were all means of survival.
At 17 years old, Joe was in and out of jail, but he lived his ambitions of going to school. A new struggling lifestyle exposed him to alcoholism and womanizing. Married at 19 to Janice, they had two sons and a daughter. He rose through the ranks of an apprentice to that of a general manager of Yarrow shipbuilders. At 27 years old, Joe resigned as a manager to start a business. The business became a success, but old habits die hard. Was he able to sustain his marriage and business? How was he able to run the company with his bad habit? Did he meet someone who helps with his attitude dysfunction? The answers to these questions make Take the Money and Run a fascinating read.
This thriller offers a non-stop plot and layers of mystery that will keep readers guessing where Joe’s choices will take him. Jim Gardner crafted a surprising, absorbing narrative full of sacrifices and emotions in this book. Also, Take the Money and Run is wittily constructed, and although a trifle overlong, it still comes in as my humorous novel of the year. It teaches us to look more closely and to appreciate the good in the unfortunate situation that is overlooked in everyday society.
However, I think the story glorifies developing an unhealthy lifestyle and body shaming by some words used in the book. Also, some sentences are obsolete, gritty, and sincere. I was at a point not satisfied with the vulgar and profane words used in the book, but the suspense kept me going.
I discovered some grammatical errors in this book; however, due to the layers of mystery and suspense in the book, I rate it 3 out of 4 stars. I do not recommend this book for kids. Nevertheless, young adults, entrepreneurs, and students that love an excellent realistic success story that they can relate with can learn one or two from the book.
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Take the money and run
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@Cynthia, he did and it was splendid.Cynthia_Oluchi wrote: ↑01 Apr 2020, 11:26 I knew Joe's case is a matter of attitude dysfunction. I believe he met someone that helped him to have had his story told. The title is quite catchy! Thanks for reviewing.
- Oyedeji Okikioluwa
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@Caffrey_19, this is exceptional. Just read with an open mind.Caffrey_19 wrote: ↑01 Apr 2020, 12:51 Joe Armstrong’s life is relatable to a huge number of boys-becoming-men story. Transition from abject poverty to stardom requires an awful lot of psychological battle. A must read for me.
- Oyedeji Okikioluwa
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@praise+anyi, I wonder too but sometimes it defiles rational thinking...praise+anyi wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 19:01 Joe was really a case of misplaced attitudes and wrong upbringing having come from a negative environment. Ones environment can constitute to the development of an unhealthy lifestyle. I wonder how he was able to rise to stardom with all these bad habits.
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@@kdstrack, i am sure u will enjoy the book. It's so full of humor.
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Kudos to the reviewer
- Oyedeji Okikioluwa
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@Uncle_Praise, thanks for commenting.Uncle_Praise wrote: ↑05 Apr 2020, 04:08 This book relates to soo many life styles people face from their transition from childhood to adulthood
Kudos to the reviewer
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- Oyedeji Okikioluwa
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@Fem187, it is indeed a fascinating read. Thanks for stopping by.Fem187 wrote: ↑07 Apr 2020, 08:51 Take the Money and Run; tell a story of Joe Armstrong and the many odd he went through to adulthood and a successful businessman. Joe’s mother, Joan Armstrong, believed strongly in her husband Harry Armstrong’s loyalty. This is a fascinating book to read. Thanks for this excellent review.
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Great review!
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