Book Reviews by Phil Yeh
by Alex and wondered, “How did he do that?” Alex has worked in comic books and also animation. He worked for DC, Marvel, and Heavy Metal to name a few publications. Eventually, his talent would be used in animated films. His design work on Disney’s Mulan was exceptional. I would highly recommend his new book, Art Quest of Alex Nino, and also The Art of Alex Nino, which was published in 2008 by Auad Publishing. You can buy Alex’s books and original artwork at www.alexnino.net Uncle Jam interviewed Alex in UJ104 which is available online at issuu.com
strong stand against drugs. But for my money, I tend to stay away from organizations that seem to get too personal into your life. That is the reason that I left organized religion at the age of 15 and got into Taoism; the philosophy not the religion. I believe that there is good in all religions generally, but when you get into how certain things get translated by certain leaders, it can be anything but good. Remini goes into details about what goes on in the Church of Scientology. It’s eye-opening and I hope instructional for anyone considering joining this group. I believe that all religions should be completely transparent and allow their members to come and go as they wish. I know that many religions do not practice this; that may explain my reluctance to join. We talk about freedom a lot in this country of ours, but the truest form of freedom is the freedom to believe in whatever you like. Reading about all religions will give you a better understanding of which path may be right for you. If people in this world really had this choice, we would have a much more peaceful world.
Art Quest of Alex Nino “Engulf in this quest since I first picked up a pencil and a paper. There were instances where I was in a desperate situation. In reality, one must use his inner strength to choose the paths and explore the magnificence in life.” So writes Alex Nino in his new book featuring over 130 pages of his incredible art. When you look at Alex’s work, you do not think that he ever had trouble creating it. There is an ease to his art. It always seems to flow from his pen, pencil and brush; like water coming off a cliff in the mountains. It moves in a way that just makes you want to create. I first met Alex in San Francisco back in the early 70s. He arrived in 1974 from his native land of the Philippines. From the moment I first saw his work, it made me want to devote my life to creating artwork; original artwork that would take the viewer to different worlds. Alex made it look easy and I tried to see if there was some kind of trick to his images. But the more I would try and see how he worked, the less I could tell how he created the image. In the end, I learned to just relax and allow the subconscious mind to take over. When you are a young artist, you feel that you will grow if you meet someone who has mastered their craft. I can recall that my friend Steve Leialoha and I visited Alex in San Francisco. We both admired his work. Over the decades, I have often looked at something
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Troublemaker – Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini
This is an excellent insider story on why actor Leah Remini left the Church of Scientology, that was started by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. Remini really goes into some detail about Tom Cruise and the leader of the Church, David Miscavige. I have to say that over the years, I have had a few dealings with the Church of Scientology. A lot of people I know were members or ex-members. I have always made my position clear that I personally respect your choice to practice any religion you like or not. Scientology has done many good things, like promoting literacy, and they have a
Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 43, #106 Summer 2016
My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
This is an excellent autobiography by one of our Supreme Court Justices. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic and the third woman on the court.