A Renaissance Man
A Book Review by Dominick Maino
A Renaissance Man: A Book Review by Dominick Maino
Katsaros, P. M. (2016). A Renaissance man. Berwick Court Publishing. 89 pages
A friend of mine, Dr. Charles Martinez, a nuclear medicine physician, founded the Old Irving Park Community Clinic. This clinic is located in Portage Park (a neighborhood of Chicago) which provides mental and medical health care for free for those who are under-insured or have no insurance at all. I am a consultant to this incredible group helping them with patients who have eye and vision problems. I am also often the individual who assists them with community engagement.
In the not too distance past, he and a number of his friends came together to pay homage to their creative side. They shared their stories, poetry and other imaginative musings with each other. It was a Master Class in writing with men who were physicians, lawyers and others who excelled at whatever they did.
During a conversation with Dr. Martinez, I mentioned that I was also into creative writing and will soon be publishing some of my work in a book with a group of other writers. He then thought about once again convening his original group to share our stories together.
We met.
Our host lived in a senior residence where a surgeon, a lawyer, another MD, who had had a stroke and his caretaker nephew, came together to share stories and poems. This nephew was recently released from prison for selling cannabis. I was there as well, an eye doc who specialized in pediatrics and working with individuals with special needs.
As we introduced ourselves, I found out that the surgeon went to Gaza. He told a story about a Palestinian girl who was burned from head to toe and would not survive. She wanted her mother and father.
The successful lawyer was Greek and knew Chicago inside out. We bonded immediately . Having been raised within the embrace of our Mediterranean families, we could have been brothers.
The fellow with the stroke loved to tell stories as well but could not speak. He brought a book he published. His nephew read from this book and knew him well enough to be able to translate his needs to all.
I told stories like those entitled The ScrewTrump Emails (think CS Lewis’ Screwtape Letters) and various poems (Go Gentle into that Good Night and Come You Masters of the Big Lie.) [These can be read at dominickmaino.substack.com.]
The nephew spoke Rap about his experiences in jail and his battle with alcohol and drugs. He was staying clean and sober for his teenage daughter.
This book was written by Peter Katsaros, a well-known and respected Chicago labor lawyer. Since he gave me the copy I now hold in my hand and we are cultural brothers, I do not even attempt to be unbiased as I review his work.
The first story, Judge Donut, told a tale of an inept, crooked and despicable judge in Chicago.
[Wait! Chicago has inept, crooked and despicable judges? Who knew?].
Judge Evan Lafayete Danauet loved to drink until 3:30AM at Gibsons where he met Carol Lombard. She touches him in all the right places. Sadly, Judge Donut doesn’t get what he wants. He drinks two more Maker’s Mark Manhattans and goes home alone.
Judge Donut is a racist who was just assigned a race discrimination case. The lawyer for the plaintiff (Petrakis) was Greek and a well-known and respected labor lawyer. The cards, however, were stacked against him and his plaintiff.
Petrakis could not win an argument within Judge Donut’s court. When the defense lawyer actions moved towards illegality [and at times crossing that line], Petrakis was often overruled.
Were Petrakis and his client doomed to lose this trial?
You’ll have to read the book.
The first story about a crooked Chicago Judge hooked me immediately. The other stories were good, but there was something about how Katsaros brought all he knew about his hometown into the telling of the crooked judge in a town that “Ain’t Ready for Reform.”
These other stories explored his loving relationship with his wife, a (fictional) relationship with Dr. Charles Martinez, and his “tough guy” dad. Peter also wrote about sharing a birthday with William Blake, (an English poet, visual artist and evangelist of the imagination), the object of his lust (his wife) and gratitude.
These are stories were written by an accomplished, well read and affable man. Stories from his life and imagination. Simple stories and poems that enlightened us, surprised us and moved us. Hopefully, they move us to be more caring, loving and human.
By the way, Peter Katsaros loves donuts; the edible kind that is.
Available at Amazon for $13.00. I have no financial interest in the sale of this book.
