Don't Be A Loner: Book Review

Don't Be A Loner

3 1/2 stars

An Oak Tree Late in Winter is a biography following the life of musician Josh Rosenthal. As you start to open it, you will see to whom this book is dedicated: “This is for the cowboys out there.”  Why, you ask? When Josh was young, he had a fascination with cowboys and the aura of being a loner. Like a man who wandered the plains alone – seeking solitude. This is pretty self explanatory. From this, we continue on - reading about Josh’s childhood dreams and struggles.

We watch him grow into a teenager, the hardest time in anyone’s life - but often the most crucial. Josh’s scores in school aren’t entirely the best and on top of that, he soon finds himself moving away from home. When he moves, he finds a very different place than his prior home. The styles are unfamiliar; there’s a desert, and he’s alone. No friends. So he decides to do something with his time and pick up a hobby of cross-stitching (this is hilarious) “My dad started to worry about me, justifiably. So, he bought me a guitar.” This is how it all began for Josh Rosenthal.

My Thoughts on An Oak Tree Late in Winter:

Being a designer, the first thing that strikes me is the book cover. Whoever created it did an excellent job. I would definitely say that it is unique.

Okay, let’s get to the writing angle of this. I enjoyed reading and following the life of Josh Rosenthal (I have no inkling as to what type of music he plays, perhaps country?). I find it awesome in fact; I’ve never actually read a biography by a Christian musician. It was intriguing, learning how one becomes a musician. At times, I did relate a little with the author. Not having anything to do with music, but dealing with insecurity, I guess. It’s nice when you’re reminded that you’re not alone in feeling like this. There are countless others who deal with it everyday but are afraid to be honest about it. It does indeed feel good to get it out there. Who knows? You might just inspire someone.

There are a few things to note from this book: I wasn’t expecting to find the couple of curse words thrown in every once in a while. Honestly, it did pull down the rating for me. I just don’t think there’s a reason for it. But then, that’s me. A cool factor – each chapter is a lyric. It wasn’t until I looked at it carefully, though, that I realized it said “chapter.” Silly me!

At the end of this review, I can say it’s a good three-and-a-half-star book - which old and new fans of Josh Rosenthal will both like. And I am now curious to hear his music…

Visit Josh Rosenthal’s website: joshrosenthal.net

God bless!
~Grace