Encounters: Relationships in Conflict was an thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking read and clearly the result of the author’s long career in business, on boards, and as Chair of the New Jersey Historical Society. His stories cross age groups and are set in different time periods, but all concern the conflict between people based on differing perceptions, and are written with a wisdom that comes only with age and experience.
I found the stories oddly soothing and gentle and could directly relate to some of them myself. The Piano Recital concerns an amazing resolution of the conflict between a boy being bullied and the one doing the bullying. Bicycle describes the change in the relationship between a small boy and his much older brother. Harry is the poignant story of the deteriorating relationship between Harry, who is descending to dementia, and his caregiver and wife Shirley, whom he thinks is a waitress, through an old Duke Ellington song. It brought tears to my eyes as well as a chuckle. The Dan Flanders Column, about a man who decides to rewrite a published self-help column with which he strongly disagrees made me laugh out loud. Men…
There are many more, but the constant among them is the compromise and adjustment necessary to resolve the problems between two people. Human relationships don’t change in this respect, no matter the time.
I recommend this book for a lovely, short read that will make you think about your own conflicting relationships.
About the author
Fred H. Rohn is a life-long Madison, N.J. resident, has been married for seventy years and has four married children and nine grandchildren. One of those children you may recognize is Barbara Vitelli, whom I met via her blog, Book Club Mom. Now I know where she gets her writing skills.
An English major at Colgate University, Rohn has an MBA degree in accounting from New York University and honed his writing skills at The New School in New York. His previous published books include the international award-winning How To Make Your Services Worth More and So You Want To Be An Accountant and a memoir, A Fortunate Life. Rohn retired as a senior partner in the Deloitte & Touche accounting firm and then served for many years as general partner of North American Venture Capital Funds, president of the New Jersey State Board of Accountancy, the public member of the New Jersey State Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors, president of the New Jersey Historical Society and president of the Madison Area YMCA. He presently serves as a director of four for-profit businesses.
Rohn is especially interested in the relationship – conflict and reconciliation – which forms the basis of many of the stories in Encounters.
You can find Mr. Rohn at
https://www.facebook.com/FredHRohn/
and this book on Amazon:
Reblogged this on Book Club Mom and commented:
I am very pleased to share Noelle Granger’s thoughtful review of my father’s book of short stories, Encounters. Thank you Noelle!
Sounds like an excellent collection, Noelle! Sharing your thoughtful review…
You’re most welcome, Bette. Mr. Rohn was an insightful writer.
Sounds like a book that would help some caregivers and others in relationships. I’ll definitely pass it along.
That would be lovely. Your Aunt Willa would have enjoyed it! Sad thing – he died right after this was published.