Reviewed by Vincent F. A. Golphin

 for Readers' Favorite.Com

The subtitle of this 130-page nonfiction work is "a fun book about little things that make a big difference." Readers who approach the book with a hunger for "fun" or to learn the importance of the "little things" in mind, rather than rockets or science in any form, will not be disappointed. Rodney A Blaukat, whose day job is in sales, delivers everything promised. Rocket Science Made Easy is a series of brief essays or stories that poke readers' consciences to make them consider why they needlessly strive to make life complicated.

As the writer explains, story by story, written in the breezy style and length of a blog entry, most of us make life far more complex than is needed. Rodney's Hot Dog Stand, the author's online journal, is a great source for more reflections and insight. However, more than the blog, Rocket Science Made Easy is filled with tales that create an 'ah-hah' moment readers can make use of in everyday life. The stories also contain insights that will repair behaviors in businesses, churches and organizations.

The book's tone is not preachy, a plus in a work that offers advice. Blaukat is a professional trainer, speaker and salesman, yet the author also avoids making readers feel as if they are in the midst of a sales pitch or workshop. The well-paced prose and diction make for an almost flawless tool for motivation because those who love a good, quick read will be easily pulled into his stories. For example, in a chapter cleverly titled "Tripping Over Mouse Turds," he writes about a "how a small problem at work had turned into a big deal." 

How many times have you been in meetings and the conversation turns into a topic that somehow becomes the crisis of the century? We spend hours trying to figure out what picture to hang in the lobby while the receptionist doesn’t have a computer. We spend hours trying to figure out what color the baseball uniform should be while the team is still picking flowers in the outfield. Tripping over mouse turds has become a full time job for some people. I’ve come to find over the years that not everyone particularly likes the phrase. But “tripping over tiny pellets that come from the back end of a small rodent” doesn’t seem to have the same effect. But the end result (no pun intended) is still the same.

The best thing about Rocket Science Made Easy is that it powers beyond the average self-help book into entertainment. If readers do not crave the author's advice, they will find amusement in its 54 first-person narratives. Much like someone you meet at a party, the author slowly reveals himself through the text. The more he shares, the closer the reader will feel until the writer as main character and his advice are trusted. 

Give this book to any person who is very busy. Give it to someone who wants to run a more effective business or organization, even a club. A high school or college student might not let you see them read it, after all, they tend to know already what life is all about. Yet if one of them were to get past the first chapter, they too will be hooked. This is a book for anyone who has the patience to spend time with a story. They will come away all the better for the encounter.