Friday, December 9, 2011

The Carpenters Bench Review by David Wright


                               THE CARPENTERS BENCH   Reviewed By David Wright


There are times in life when happenstance matters. Running in to Joe Carpenter is one of those times for me. An author, entrepreneur, and prof T ound humanitarian, we sat anonymously across a café table in Summerland, CA. Eventually we shared an ‘hello.’ We began to chat, and we weren’t into our conversation for more than a minute when the topic of his new book, “The Carpenter’s Bench’ came up. Joe rattled on about the journey that led to his decision to write this work of the heart. I became fascinated by what was clearly a compelling storyline. As a writer myself, I can easily discern literary passion when I see it. I can also appreciate the time and dedication it takes to bring that passion to fruition. I was hooked; I had to get a copy of the book and read it. I’m glad I did.

‘The Carpenter’s Bench’ represents a common man’s point-of -view regarding not only the struggle to survive in a rapidly changing economic climate, but the consequences of that struggle as one tries to maintain a sense of dignity and perspective amidst the chaos and near ruination of the workingman’s culture. At the heart of the argument Joe so brilliantly lays out his conundrum that reasonableness and being right are not enough any longer to protect one’s rights. It now takes money- too much money- to wrestle with the power elite. In essence, the average citizens’ rights have not been abrogated by the lack of access to legal defense or representation of the law in the court system. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights still all stand as clearly definable hallmarks to the quest for fair play amongst the citizenry of Americans. But it is the way in which the system itself supports these hallowed guidelines of democracy that render it dysfunctional. And this dysfunction hinges not only on baseless and clever tactics performed by those that can afford to make a mear sideshow out of the justice system, but along the way, the relevance of argumentation that is so much the driving force of true justice becomes irrelevant as well. It is a tragedy when logic its self is actually lost in the fervor and phlegm of the power elite prostrating their dollars like spoiled children who demand yet another toy to pile on top of their already over-filled closet of unnecessary distractions.

Joe is a simple guy. He cares about others. He has an uncanny ability to see the big picture. He is a person that cannot acquiesce to the injustices perpetrated against him as a willing victim. Snarled in a labor dispute with an unreasonable client, he decides, “ no “ and he is propelled into action. He initially has an inherent faith in the system and even in the end still has some left.  After all, from his studied analysis, he is only asking for fair compensation for a job well done. On one level, what is at stake is a mere $4,800.00. On the other, is a looming sense of contempt for what is happening to the working class in our country today. “The Carpenter’s Bench” details this court proceeding, and reveals the heart of a good man struggling, not just for himself, but for us all. What Joe learns along the way says much about his tenacious character. He fights with reason and compelling facts, which are ignored. He fires back again and again until his money can be stretched no further. From a reader’s point-of-view, we understand that although he loses the technical battle, something much more important is won.

This book is a timely reminder to us all that we do not live in a fair nor just world; not yet, anyway. We see struggles all around us now: occupy Wall Street; millions of people struggling to save their homes; all in a time where poverty and despair are on the precipitous rise. For those struggling in today’s world, please, read Joe’s book. It will help you, give you strength, and make you believe in the prospect of a better tomorrow.
 


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