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THE OKLAHOMAN
Sunday, April 9, 2006
(excerpted from)
Books by Dennie Hall
Small Books Yield Great Enjoyment
Books don’t have to be large to be enjoyable. Examples
are two recently published books that show the range can be from sublime to ridiculous.
The sublime is David Shuch’s
“The Charm Carver” (Integrative Arts Press, $20), named Reviewer’s Choice Top Selection by the Midwest Book Review. Shuch,
a dentist as well as a writer, uses a charm carver named Simon and a young girl named Madeline to impart timeless truths.
The writing soars and sweeps, making the reader cling to each beautiful passage. Such graceful writing is seldom seen these
days.
As Simon carves his charms, he instructs Madeline in the essence of life. His wisdom thrills the soul. As
an example, consider these words of Simon’s: “I have eyed the bore of my own golden cord, like a sailor peering into a spyglass.
But I find no masts of distant ships and I find no distant shore. Instead, I see through gauzy veils, like the spray of salt
on an outer lens. Yet my clouded view does not deny the knowing in my soul. For distant, lies the Face of God, and in spite
of that brilliance all that is given to my sight are brightly glowing veils.”
A Book such as this would be perfect
as a gift for Mother’s Day or any other special occasion. It is not a book one would want to skim; rather the reader should
drink deeply.
THE STAR LEDGER
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Tales that can charm and inspire awareness
Book:
"The Charm Carver" (Integrated Arts Press, $20)
Author: David Shuch
Jersey ties: Shuch is a dentist in the Augusta
section of Frankford, Sussex County. He lives in Andover Township. While he was living in Rutherford and practicing in Totowa,
he and his wife decided they wanted to live in either a really rural area or a city. They found Sussex County and chose that.
His previous writings were articles for professional journals and a nonfiction book, "Doctor Be Well: Integrating the Spirit
of Healing with Scientific Medicine," which is used as a text by the Mayo Clinic's Program in Integrative Medicine. Shuch
did research for this book at the Sterling Mine.
Overview: "The Charm Carver" feels like poetry or elemental folk
tales about an old man, Simon, the charm carver, and Madeline, who learns from him. Here is what Shuch says about his book:
"Sit at the feet of a wise old woman and listen to her tell 21 tales about a man named Simon, the charm carver. Each one is
a key to greater awareness on the quest for understanding and higher love." Shuch tells us he wants "to tune readers to a
finer vibration and let them experience a sense of heaven."
How he chose the topic: "The closest I can come is that
the topic chose me. I got glimpses of things I wanted to convey. I was never able to produce an outline, no matter how hard
I tried. It's an allegory about different minerals. It took me four years."
What he wants readers to take from the
book: "I'd like readers to come away from 'The Charm Carver' with a different feeling about how one can be, a feeling of being
more open in the heart and more balanced between the mind and the heart."
-- Patricia C. Turner
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