Amazon The Books of Philip Nork Category:  Relationships Publisher: All Things That Matter Press ISBN-10:  0985778962 Type: Fiction Pages: 278 Copyright: August 2012 ISBN-13: 9780985778965 The journey of seld-discovery continues as a boy of divorce grows up and tries to figure out how we all can get along. The journey of seld-discovery is a lifetime trip and just like fingerprints you possess, yours will be uniquely different than anyone else's.

Pay attention to the signs
"Life Is A Balance" is Nork's follow-up book to "Misguided Sensitivity". Both books are written in an autobiographical format, and deal with coming of age, and the issues that we face in the journey we call life. "Misguided Sensitivity" took us through the main character's graduation from high school, which is where "Life Is A Balance" picks up.

The journey of discovery that Phil, the main character in both books is on, is all about how to interact with other people. In his case, coming to understand his own sexuality is a major part of this journey. Phil also has a gift - that of making others feel good about themselves. In "Misguided Sensitivity:, we see how this gift is interwoven with his sexuality, and how he sees himself. In "Life Is A Balance", we see the journey become more about the people around him.

In the beginning of "Life Is A Balance", Phil makes the decision to take a trip to Florida to meet his father. He takes his younger brother along as support. What they find is a father who welcomes them with open arms. He asks one thing ... that they respect his alternate lifestyle. Phil decides to stay and live with his father, while his brother returns home. He is introduced to a lifestyle that includes his father's luxury home, spending time in his father's nightclub, and exploring drugs and alcohol.

He also goes through a series of relationships, each of which has a lesson for him. When the woman that he loves is killed in an accident with her alcoholic father, Phil decides to return to Missouri. With no destination in mind, he stops in a small town, gets a job, and starts setting down roots.

Throughout the book references are made to roses, and what different color roses mean. He also continues to have visits from his deceased great-grandmother, who brings him wisdom that he sometimes understands, and sometimes doesn't. He also gets a psychic reading from the mother of one of his friends ... one that has a long term effect on his life.

In the end, Phil marries and has a son. Little does he realize that the woman he marries is the granddaughter of one of his neighbors when he was growing up. They have a son, who Phil does his best to be there for.
An old flame from his past also comes back into his life ... this time as a friend.

Over his lifetime Phil deals with relationship issues, betrayal, abandonment, how to accept people of all persuasions, racial perceptions, the part alcohol can play in our life if we allow it to, and the issue of AIDS. He makes his choices, and takes responsibility for them. He is also open to God, through his great-grandmothers auspices. The manner in which spiritual contact is dealt with in this book is very well done.

I recommend this book as an enjoyable read, but also as a book that will help the reader to better understand themselves, and those around them. We all deal with the same issues in life, but we deal with them in our own unique way. Nork shows us that we have choices and that if we keep our hearts open. We will receive the guidance that we need. There is a scene at the end of the book that deals with crossing over, and Nork's perception of how that might go for him. Well worth reading!


The life of Disco Phil
It is Friday night, and the skating rink has suddenly gone dark. A signature song hints at his arrival. The darkness is pierced by gliding lights. Riding on transparent wheels that glow with light, in black angel flight pants and metallic shirt, someone different has arrived. The girls in the rink line up, reaching out to touch him as he passes them like a dream, a fantasy; an escape from all their problems. Welcome to the life of Disco Phil.

I started reading this book expecting a story that would entertain me. But there is much more to Disco Phil than glowing lights. Phil was once a shy boy dealing with the divorce of his parents. But all that changes when he reinvents himself as Disco Phil. Disco Phil has a rhythm, a certain style, and he seems unstoppable. His grandmother had given him the most valuable advice on the ladies. Always listen to their problems sincerely. And this ability becomes the magnet with which Disco Phil attracts and seduces women. While to his friends, Disco Phil is living the perfect life, there is an inner world of this very interesting man which pulls us deeper into the story. Phil wants to discover who he really is and wants to be loved by a woman, who sees beyond the glamour. This desire to rise above appearances and reach out to something higher and meaningful is what pulled me into his world.

As Phil leaves his hometown to visit his father in Florida we are introduced to a whole new kind of life style. I don't want to give away anything here, but it was intriguing how Philip gains access into the gay bar scene in Florida. The view he presents is detailed and so visual that those chapters could be their own book. These are also the years when America encountered the horrible AIDS virus. The details of these times and how people were reacting to it is fascinating. He is able to explain in his very clear and powerful way the allure and menace of getting involved with drugs. Throughout his journey, while listening to Rod Stewart, buying roses, and of course, skinny dipping, Phil struggles for his dream woman, always trying to leave behind `Disco Phil.' Yet we cheer for him, as he falls for a black woman and stands up to racism. His deep connections with women are highly entertaining and yet they are always accompanied by his deep insecurities. That is the success of this very important journey: The writer's ability to portray the glamorous lifestyle of a confident ladies man, while simultaneously informing us about his deepest fears.

The dialog is honest and feels very real. I feel I know these people! When his beautiful ex-girlfriend shows up dramatically at his workplace, claiming to be pregnant, we are suddenly jolted by the serious consequences of his lifestyle. At times, Phil gives everything he has, but the relationship still does not click. His greatest gift is also his greatest enemy. Phil loves women by empowering them, but this sensitivity also triggers in the women, a desire for self-discovery, and some of them discover that they don't really want him! Whether Disco Phil is mourning the loss of a lover, or swimming with a naked woman on a romantic night, a powerful and meaningful message is forming and lucky readers will get it.

I am a slow reader. I was in the world of Disco Phil for three evenings and I read the last line this sunny morning. I was working with my brother-in-law on his deck and as I was hammering away, on the nails, I felt the sunlight, and I suddenly realized, that it was not about the deck, or how good it will look, or when it will be finished, it is about the people standing on it, and how we see each other. Thanks Phil.


Not to be missed
Life is a balance picks up where MISGUIDED SENSITIVITY left off. While this can easily be read as a standalone novel, I highly encourage readers to pick up a copy of MISGUIDED SENSITIVITY and read it first just so you get the full and thorough picture of Philip's journey through his younger years, after becoming a child of divorce. I found LIFE IS A BALANCE just as fascinating as his first novel as we now follow Philip as he makes the move to Florida, reconnecting with his dad, and in search of himself. But it seems he is unable to shake the "old Phil" he left back in Missouri. He continues to learn lessons from each of the girls he has relationships with, but are these lessons really benefiting Phil in any way? While living at his father's he basically has free reign and begins to experiment with the partying lifestyle, dabbling with combinations of drugs, sex, and alcohol. An open heart and an open mind serve him well throughout his experiences . As he continues to sort and feel his way through his journey, eventually he experiences a significant loss and betrayals by those close to him. I found LIFE IS A BALANCE a captivating and quick read. It's a book you definitely don't want to miss! Highly recommended!