New Memoir "Check The Gs" Is Full Of Celebs, Amusing Stories And Colorful True Characters

New Book from Florida author Ray Shasho is a memoir titled "Check The Gs," a fascinating, nostalgic look at life in a DC electronics store with tales of celebrities, humorous stories and colorful true characters such as boxer Muhammad Ali, others
 
 
ChecktheGs
ChecktheGs
June 30, 2011 - PRLog -- Sarasota, Fla - - "Check the Gs: The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business" published by  iUniverse is from Florida banker/radio personality Ray Shasho. Book is an  event-filled memoir of his many years working alongside his off-the-wall, multi-ethnic family in a DC electronics store catering to foreign diplomats, the national press, entertainment, sports and political celebrities. At age six, Shasho, son of a Syrian Jewish father and a Cuban Catholic mother, entered the crazy world of secret lingo and bullying sales tactics at his father’s Chin Lung Art Gallery on the corner of Thirteenth and F Street.

The book covers his interactions with notables such as baseball star Ted Williams, James Mason, Dick Gregory, Art Buchwald, Dinah Shore, Chuck Norris, Muhammad Ali, Lee Atwater and a famous actress who was asked to leave.

When Ray’s father and twin brother opened this camera/electronics/souvenir business, they named it the Chin Lung Art Gallery, although it had nothing to do with Chinese art. That name drew the attention of the FBI, which twice interrogated both Shasho brothers to determine whether their store was laundering money for Chinese criminals.

“My relatives did business using a range of weird catch phrases, including fictitious words, Pig Latin and Arabic slang,” Ray recalls. “We drew customers from all over the world, including a lot of colorfully costumed Nigerians. Because of my mixed heritage, my home life was quite eclectic, including Cuban and Syrian food, Jewish and Catholic holidays, superstitions, folklore and belly dancers.

“Once, when the KKK marched downtown and an angry mob of youths retaliated down our street breaking windows, our store staff armed ourselves for protection, and I stood on guard, brandishing a .38 revolver while dad confronted the crowd outside on the street. We also survived the ’68 riots.”

Gary Sorkin, wrote for Pacific Book Review, “I found Check the Gs to be pure entertainment, fantastic fun and a catalyst to igniting many memories of my own life. If you have a bit of grey hair (or no hair), buy this book.”

A Florida high school English teacher declared, “Original, entertaining and hilarious, this book has all the elements of a classic in the making. The dynamic
characters really make this memoir.”

A New York business owner wrote, “The story is funny, mind-boggling and bizarre. I especially loved the way Ray described the awesome characters.”

Ray remembers, “Dad, in his excitement, would always ring the bell behind the register counter and shout out as if he were Paul Revere on his historic midnight ride, ‘Buy now and save! Everything must be sold to the bare walls! There’s plenty of room for everybody! Don’t push that lady!’”

Shasho admits that he wrote this book as therapy, as an attempt to remember funny and enjoyable times during his youth—at a time when he had been laid off from his banking job, was losing the house in foreclosure, was going through bankruptcy and was experiencing serious illness.

“Check the Gs should appeal to everyone who is both proud of and ridiculing of their family and its heritage,” Shasho suggests. “Anyone who has ever worked in retail will definitely identify with the many humorous anecdotes, situations and truths. I believe that rock ‘n roll music enthusiasts will also find things to enjoy here. The book is kind of a My Big Fat Greek Wedding with a Rock ‘n Roll twist.”

About Author Ray Shasho
As a child, Shasho worked in his family’s unusual retail store. He graduated from high school in Temple Hills, MD and then attended a broadcasting school run by CBS. He was a radio announcer and assistant music director at a Sebring, FL station. Next he worked simultaneously at two radio stations in Annapolis, MD—as a Top 40 DJ, a newscaster and in several other roles. Shasho returned to his family business, a new store named Worldwide Electronics, as manager. He opened and ran another electronics retailer, headed a dry cleaning franchise and then worked in banking for 13 years, as a commercial lender and mortgage broker. He is now a classic rock music reporter for Examiner.com.

Check the Gs: The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business
276-page paperback, ($20.95), hardcover ($30.95) and E-book ($7.99-$9.95)
Published by iUniverse (2011)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4502-9860-5
Available at amazon.com , barnesandnoble.com, iuniverse.com, booksonboard.com, dieselebooks.com, kobobooks.com, ereadable.com and various bookstores
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