1 comments about The Life of Oswald Chambers: Revered, Surprising and Beguiling Author of My Utmost For His Highest.

1. I've been reading my utmost for his highest since 1986 (14 Years). Each time I read it I draw closer to our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. As I read his biography, I again was drawn closer to God. His life is a reflection of Jesus Christ in our modern day. While we live in a day of pleading and begging for funds and help, Chambers has again brought us back to the reality of trusting the Father and Jesus Christ, for our most basic needs. When we trust and obey, Jesus can move mountains. Jesus never whined, nor begged, nor worried; neither did He ever seek for Himself. It was always for the Father. Oswald's life always pointed to Christ, never himself! His eyes were always focused on our Lord, and material possesions never obstructed his view (That's because he continually gave away everything he ever had). David McCasland has done a tremendous job of researching, compiling, and blending: the life, writings, and the humaness of Oswald Chambers. Seeing his life has really helped me to understand his radical devotion to Christ, and how I can practically give my utmost for His highest. If you desire to be a disciple of Christ, this is a must read for you. No other man has brought me to the feet of Jesus, like Oswald Chambers.

   Bob Moorer A man who loves Jesus

5 comments about The Great One: The Life and Legend of Jackie Gleason.

1. What Mr Henry reveals in this biography is the true ugliness of Jackie Gleason. Yes, he was an outstanding performer. Yes, he was loyal to his "pals". Yes, he worked his way up from nothing to become something. But what, exactly, did Gleason become? "The Great One", a title he bestowed upon himself? Or a miserable, bitter drunk, who twisted and controlled everything and everyone around him just to project the image of a genius?

   I believe every word of William Henry's excellent book, even though Jackie fans most certainly do not. I believe it because Mr Henry went to the sources--he interviewed Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, Jane Meadows and Joyce Randolph; he interviewed The Great One's directors, producers, castmates and writers (the people that truly made him great)--and they all agree to a universal conclusion, even when they try to be kind: Jackie Gleason was a crude, cruel, manipulative man, even beyond what you may expect. Read this book and prepare to be shocked.




2. As far as I know, this is the only biography written by someone who was not a friend of Gleason's, and it shows. While the book is well-researched, the author takes an inordinate amount of pleasure in pointing out as many of Gleason's faults as he can. I was left with the impression that the author was jealous that Gleason enjoyed such enormous success despite not always being a pleasant person.

   Audrey Meadows commented at the end of her book "Love, Alice" that the author skewered Gleason for not living up to his (the author's) standards, and that sounds about right. To pay Meadows back for this, the author tries to discredit her story about how she won the role of Alice on "The Honeymooners," but only ends up looking vindictive again, as Meadows has published the photos taken of herself auditioning for Alice that prove her story true. This is only one of several instances where Henry tries to attack people who try to disagree with his negative view of Gleason.

   There are many instances in the book of phrases like "Gleason said..." or "Gleason often commented..." but very few of these quotes are backed up with any kind of source in the text itself, and there are no endnotes in the book. In addition, many other people quoted in the book are identified only as "colleagues," with no one specific being cited as the source(s) of many of the stories about how horrible Gleason really was.

   I noted the comments from various celebrities on the back of the dust jacket, and was surprised to hear praise from people who call themselves Gleason's friends. It makes you wonder just what kinds of friends they were.




3. On the first page of the book you hit the statement that Jackie was "the laziest man alive." For me, that statement sets the tone. A quick look at the picture of the author will show he doesn't know much about excercise himself. I found it laughable that one of the big gripes William makes about Gleason was he proported musical talent was his that belonged to others, when whole paragraphs from the previous two biographies mysteriously found themselves into this book, word for word at times. Whereas the first two books were written by friends of Jackie's, William never had even a personal conversation with him, and spoke to NONE of the family. While he did speak to coworkers, I got the feeling from the beginning that he had set out to write a "Jackie is a smuck" book, and filtered everything accordingly. Within the first few chapters, I lost count of the number of factual errors that I found. Mae's mother had 11 children, not 5. They never actually lived in Ireland. Jackie's darkness didn't come from some ancestral Spainard sunk of the coast of Ireland, but from a maternal Great-Grandfather from Portugal. Herb, the father, was not a decade older than his wife, but three years. These were all easily researched items and were wrong. This cast a long shadow of suspicion over the rest of the book which consists of people's accounts of things long past. We all know how memories can be. The bookcover said the author treated shortcomings with compassion, but I found it closer to intense condemnation, such as with the statement, "the laziest man alive" because Jackie didn't walk 12 blocks in New York. Have to wonder if the author would have hoofed it, or hailed a cab. There may be some facts buried in the pile of misinformation and bad feeling, but it may be hard to find, or to identify. For me, I see Jackie's ever changing stories as a way for him to keep the truth private and just for himself. I certainly hope no one out there really believes that Tom Cruise is telling us the truth about his life, or Julia Roberts. Just because they do something, doesn't mean we deserve the intimate details of theirs lives. And just because Jackie wasn't upfront about his, doesn't change that mystical magic that happens when people watch the Honeymooners. He wasn't perfect, few of us are, but he gave us smiles we didn't have before. His life was sad and hard, but to be so spiteful and mean about it makes William's life even sadder. Imagine implying Jackie shouldn't feel upset because his mother died when he was a "man of nineteen" instead of boy of sixteen. I can't imagine having lost both parents by nineteen and to only have one cousin at my wedding for family. This book will only give you what you want if you already know that it has been written by someone who looked for the bad and down played the good, or quite possibly, simply didn't include those accounts. The book wasn't that interesting, and I certainly could put it down. It left a very bad taste in my mouth.



4. On the first page of the book you hit the statement that Jackie was "the laziest man alive." For me, that statement sets the tone. A quick look at the picture of the author will show he doesn't know much about excercise himself. I found it laughable that one of the big gripes William makes about Gleason was he proported musical talent was his that belonged to others, when whole paragraphs from the previous two biographies mysteriously found themselves into this book, word for word at times. Whereas the first two books were written by friends of Jackie's, William never had even a personal conversation with him, and spoke to NONE of the family. While he did speak to coworkers, I got the feeling from the beginning that he had set out to write a "Jackie is a smuck" book, and filtered everything accordingly. Within the first few chapters, I lost count of the number of factual errors that I found. Mae's mother had 11 children, not 5. They never actually lived in Ireland. Jackie's darkness didn't come from some ancestral Spainard sunk of the coast of Ireland, but from a maternal Great-Grandfather from Portugal. Herb, the father, was not a decade older than his wife, but three years. These were all easily researched items and were wrong. This cast a long shadow of suspicion over the rest of the book which consists of people's accounts of things long past. We all know how memories can be. The bookcover said the author treated shortcomings with compassion, but I found it closer to intense condemnation, such as with the statement, "the laziest man alive" because Jackie didn't walk 12 blocks in New York. Have to wonder if the author would have hoofed it, or hailed a cab. There may be some facts buried in the pile of misinformation and bad feeling, but it may be hard to find, or to identify. For me, I see Jackie's ever changing stories as a way for him to keep the truth private and just for himself. I certainly hope no one out there really believes that Tom Cruise is telling us the truth about his life, or Julia Roberts. Just because they do something, doesn't mean we deserve the intimate details of theirs lives. And just because Jackie wasn't upfront about his, doesn't change that mystical magic that happens when people watch the Honeymooners. He wasn't perfect, few of us are, but he gave us smiles we didn't have before. His life was sad and hard, but to be so spiteful and mean about it makes William's life even sadder. Imagine implying Jackie shouldn't feel upset because his mother died when he was a "man of nineteen" instead of boy of sixteen. I can't imagine having lost both parents by nineteen and to only have one cousin at my wedding for family. This book will only give you what you want if you already know that it has been written by someone who looked for the bad and down played the good, or quite possibly, simply didn't include those accounts. The book wasn't that interesting, and I certainly could put it down. It left a very bad taste in my mouth.



5. This author takes every opportunity to take The Great One down a few pegs. Even when begrudgingly admitting Gleason's strong points (such as his generosity and support of civil rights), there is an underlying tone of judgement throughout the book.
   
   Also, I kept waiting for the "Honeymooners" period to be discussed, but this entire period seems glossed over. No anecdotes, no behind the scenes tales...
   
   It seems the author just wasn't privy to much information and instead composed a smear campaign of a dead man. A shame.

1 comments about 84, Charing Cross Road.

1. Like many people I saw a movie first. Naturally due to media constraints, you expect certain amount of the book to be homogenized. So I wanted to read what was missing. To my amazement very little was missing or modified. I don't normally read this sort of book. So I was surprised at finding myself wanting more when it finished.
   
   Also until I read the book I did not realize that Charing Cross Road was a real place. The whole book is based on a collection of correspondence between Helene Hanff, an avid book reader, and Frank Doel an agent for British bookseller.
   
   My wife has taken this one step further and is collecting all the books that were mentioned in the correspondence. Some of these books appear to have been reprinted due to this publication.
   
   If you can find it there is a book called "The Library of Helene Hanff."
   I wonder what became of all the other people described in the correspondents after the book.
   
   The Library of Helene Hanff Limited Edition Signed

5 comments about The Ditchdigger's Daughters (Bookcassette(r) Edition).

1. This was a great read. I heard about this book on a book panel hosted in the Harlem book fair this past summer. The story of a man who wanted all of his daughters to become doctors was definitely off the chart, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be tried. This author presented her story in a matter that any family can relate to especially when it comes to hardships. I enjoyed the spiritual meaning in this story, especially knowing that God is always there no matter how hard the task. The author was also impartial, she able to show members of her family without having any negative or positive extremes. She just showed them as they are with a little humor. Overall, this was a great read that showed that Black Americans paved the way for many people especially immigrants of different ethnic backgrounds coming into this country.



2. My wife and I saw Brian Lamb's interview with Dr. Thornton on CSpan and were inspired. I thoroughly enjoyed every word of the book and recommend it to all our friends. I felt like I was walking 4 feet off the floor after finishing this wonderful book. Good parenting does not depend on education, money, or anything else but determination to set good and easily understood rules and sticking to them.
   
   The New Jersey ditch digger was a great man and a master parent. All parents of children need to read this book and follow its precepts. It is fun to read so don't worry about being bored.



3. In my introduction of Dr. Yvonne Thornton, for our interview about her memoir, The Ditchdigger's Daughters, I gave this synopsis of the book:
   
   "It's the story of five girls born into a black family as World War II came to a close and America looked to its next challenge: the Civil Rights movement. Donald and Tass Thornton loved each other and they loved their children. That's it. He was a laborer and she was a housekeeper. But, as often is the case, what we do isn't always the true measure of what we are. They saw a country on the verge of change. Through astounding dedication and love, they wrung more hours than there are to be had out of a mere mortal's day and boosted their daughters to regional musical fame and to accomplishment and security via the highest achievements in education. They ended up with two doctors, a dentist, a court stenographer, a teacher, and a nurse. Yeah, I know that's six, but the plan only got bigger as this family pulled together and sent strong, successful woman out into the world, one-by-one, until the nest emptied."
   
   And, indeed, that is what happens in The Ditchdigger's Daughters. But as we talked, I was no longer sure that was what the book is about.
   
   This week in my own little corner of the world, I titled my work-in-progress, a novel that I hope to present to an agent soon. To do so without a title feels like the hallmark of a rank amateur, so I've been tearing my hair out in avoidance of such a fate. I kept milling over what happened in my story, but I realized that the `what' may not be as important as the `why'. This is how I came to my title and also how I came to the conclusion, by something she said during the interview, that Dr. Thorton's memoir is a parenting book. And it's about parenting with a goal in mind, about parenting in hard times, and about parenting with the conviction that education trumps all. The book's not been out of print in thirteen years and it's never been more relevant.
   
   They had a hard time, and a long road to run, in getting this book published. It was said that it didn't have enough conflict. Rubbish. It's fascinating and enthralling and inspirational. And the Pulitzer Board thought so too, enough to consider it for the top prize in literary achievement in 1995.
   
   Our interview can be heard at PsychJourney dot com.



4. Hreat book, Covers fatherhood, parenting, racism, etc. Powerfully and humorously written. Must read



5. Dr. Thorton knocked it out the park with this one. It was so inspiring to me and there was such wonderful character development, that I sought out and bought the TV movie. This is a true story about what you can accomplish if you work hard and get an education. I made my kids watch the movie based on this book and the movie based on the book "The Pact". Read this book.

5 comments about Sons of Camelot: The Fate of an American Dynasty.

1. This is a comprehensive, non sensationalized account of the lives of the younger Kennedys. The book manages to be interesting without becoming tabloidish in tone (as some of the other books have). The author appears to have made an effort to be thorough and fair in his reporting of events.



2. Here is the next generation of the Kennedys, warts and all. If you idolize the Kennedys, you won't be happy and if you hate the Kennedys, you won't be happy. But if you want a fairly well rounded account of the younger generation of Kennedys, Laurence Leamer's book does a good job. The sordid (the liberal use of drugs among the next generation, death of David Kennedy, the scandalous life of Michael Kennedy, etc.) and the positive (JFK Jr.'s loyalty to his friends, RFK Jr.'s rehabilitation into a leading environmentalist, Tim Shriver's teaching career helping disadvantaged children, etc.) are both discussed here. It deals in scandal, of course, but all in all is pretty even handed.
   
   However, Leamer does not discuss some of the outstanding female members of the next generation, including Kathleen Kennedy, Lt. Governor of Maryland, Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver. Joseph Kennedy promoted his sons in public life while virtually ignoring his daughters (even old Joe admitted that if daughter Eunice "had b*lls, she'd be president."), but several of the female members of the next generation have made their mark. It's too bad that Leamer brings his book down a notch by ignoring the Kennedy women -- they deserve some mention as well.



3. Spreading lies about JFK Jr. and his wife using anonymous sources.
   People that think that this was for selling better are in denial.
   The reason is much more sinister. For some reason the goal of the book is to cover-up the circumstances of his death.
   The other reason is to diffamate his memory. Does November 2, 2004 ring a bell ?



4. This book has handsome JFK, Jr. on the cover and opens with young John-John saluting his father's coffin, and capturing our hearts. However this book is not devoted to President Kennedy's namesake. He's included here, but so are his equally fascinating -- if not as glamorous -- male cousins. Here are doomed Michael and David, ambitious Joe and a pair of gifted Bobbys (Kennedy and Shriver). There's Tim Shriver, trying to find his way within a powerful family. Ted Kennedy's sons have led particularly poignant lives, dealing with the legacy of Chappaquidick and their mother's alcoholism as well as their uncles' assasinations. I came away from this book with a renewed respect for Jackie and Eunice for their mothering skills, for their sons of Camelot were guided with surer, more attentive and imaginative hands than many of their cousins. While it was an interesting and educational read, I wish it had been longer and gone into more detail. So many of these young men were previously unknown to me and I wanted to know more. Still, I recommend it.



5. This book is a horror! All it does is lament that the younger generation of Kennedy men ARE Kennedys. Yes they are, but it's no one's fault. This is over 500 pages of dry rot as far as I'm concerned. Joe II has trouble in his marriage because of politics. That's not news! Bobby, Jr. and Bobby Shriver, Jr. have substance abuse problems. That's not news!
   
   Don't waste your money unless you buy this book used for 0.01.

5 comments about The Other Woman: My Years with O. J. Simpson.

1. This book is amazingly poorly written; Ms. Barbieri should have pursued her original plans to attend law school. Her writing perpetuates the myth that models and actresses are extremely self-centered. Never once does she mention any sorrow or remorse that a woman and man were murdered. Her pity is all for herself and how she "gave herself up" to falsely defend her lover and, in effect, to commit "perjury by silence and presence." Although it's true that nobody asked her if she'd left a "Dear OJ" e-mail on Simpson's voice mail just before she flew off to meet another man, she knew that this was crucial evidence. She also explains why she lied under oath about whether or not O.J. had ever been violent with her; she had "amnesia." What the book does provide--and that's why I read it--is a glance into the ultimate in dependency. I've always wondered why horrible killers, such as Ted Bundy, manage to attract women even after the world is pretty aware of what they've done. Paula Barbieri's book illustrates the strange magnetism that sociopaths can have when they find the right victim(s).



2. I don't know how someone could be so naive and promiscuous to beleive that OJ is a good man. Before reading this book, i read the 'reader reviews' to see what others thought of it. I read how bad this book was, but i was curious as to how naive this woman really was, i loaned the book from the local library. Even with the heads up from the reviews as to how much this book was lacking, i was still shocked at its content. i could not bring myself to read the rest of the book, therefore i only read the first half. so if the second half makes up for the first half's pure lack of thought, i give Paula credit for writing a good book...on second thought, even if the second half of the book made up for the first half, i still would not give her any credit for writing this...literature..if you can call it that. she didn't lose money from all of this, (as much as i would like to think this is not true) she earned 3 million dollars from it. if i were in Ms. Barbieri's shoes, i know one thing i would do is take my $3million, buy a private island and keep as far away from civilization as possible, to avoid any further humiliation from the public. and i would burn any of these books i owned to keep warm on my island, thats about the best use they have.



3. If you never made a mistake in your younger years, raise your hand... No hands, right? Because everyone is stupid and naive in their younger years, some more than others. We were all naive at one point or another, and everyone out-grows that at different times. Paul Barbieri spoke the truth in her own perspective, just like every other author/PERSON on this planet. To tell a story without any bias or perspective is impossible, and that is a written and documented fact. She went through hell on earth and is now married to a lawyer in Panama City with a beautiful little girl. She has made many silly mistakes, but I think it is amazing that she came back from them. How many people today screwed up their lives while they were young and are now sitting on their rear ends with 15 kids, no spouse, sucking up unemployment checks! She made something out of her life telling her story. And if she managed to smack some sense into even one teenager out there currently making the same kinds of mistakes, then her book was worth it. I know Ms. Barbieri personally, I stayed with her on a college trip a few years ago. She is an amazing person and tells you how it is. She is not a writer, just one person trying to influence society with her story. And there is nothing wrong with that. Nothing.



4. This is an excellent book, im rereading it now..... Its amazing how one-sided certain situations seem and are presented...but when you take a closer look you see just how something like this affects and changes the lives of so many. This was an amazing book, I never knew, and can only say wow, what an amazing person.



5. This book was very good.
   Paula tells us of her life with Oj
   She holds nothing back about her feelings for Oj and the rocky relationship
   they had. it is a good read. I did read the Oj book and wrote two reviews but they have not been posted yet that is a really good book as well and very interesting!

5 comments about When Money Isn't Enough: How Women Are Finding the Soul of Success.

1. The authors have done an outstanding job by communicating to readers how to acheive fufilling, balanced life-styles. The stories are great lessons for women who are questioning the meaning of success. Is it how much money you make or how much time you have to relax and enjoy your family and friends?

   This book provides inspiration for women who desire something more than a title and a six-figure salary. Success is defined many different ways by the women featured in this book. The numerous examples of redefined success are refreshing and thought provoking.




2. Connie Glaser is right on target. All who have not read her book, When Money Isn't Enough, get it. She shares with us reality today. It is tough. The time pressures and family pressures are a reality. Nobody outlines the current environment and the choices better than Connie Glaser in this very special book. It is command reading for everyone, woman and man alike. Give it to your colleagues and discuss the challenges. Glaser makes us stop and reflect on choices we all have. Congratulations to Connie Glaser and all of us will be helped with the right balance we choose. Her work advances our own thinking.



3. Glaser and Smalley are among the most influential of current business scholars because they think so clearly and write so well while discussing the most important issues. Perhaps you have already read their Swim with the Dolphins. If not, you are urged to do so. In this book, they focus on an especially timely subject: The importance of "soul" in the equation for "success." In recent years, I have examined the results of more than 30 "employee satisfaction" surveys and was surprised, frankly, by what were rated the highest attributes: feeling appreciated, being treated with respect, believing in the value of the work to be done, enjoying the work to be done, and trusting the organization by which one is employed. What about compensation? Depending upon the individual survey, it was ranked anywhere from ninth to thirteen in importance. For those who participated in the surveys and probably for most other workers, money is never enough and seldom most important. The authors ask all of the right questions but, to their credit, resist the temptation to advocate any ":right answers." That responsibility they entrust to each reader. Although this is another of recently published books which have a gender-specific frame-of-reference, almost everything the authors share can also be of substantial value to men...not only to understand much better their mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, business associates, etc. but, more to the point, to understand themselves much better.



4. I am a professional personnel who dove head first into being a stay at home mom - who misses the professional world, but knows she is in the right place w/kids right now, home - it can be a shocker. Even with all of the stay at home mom stress, it's worth it to me to make $0 and stay home with our kids. The biggest lesson I've learned these past 4 years is to take care of your mind, body and spirit (self-esteem). This book shows others (even non-moms) how they can regain balance in their lives by determining what they love to do and shifting their professional gears to a more fulfilling position. Excellent read!



5. Authors Connie Brown Glaser and Barbara Steinberg Smalley deftly combine solid reporting of facts, figures and poll results with insightful stories about women who have abandoned the corporate rat race. This concise look at a pivotal trend is not limited to women only, though they are its emphasis. The authors introduce high-powered executive women who seek more purpose, balance and fulfillment, and find it by taking less stressful positions, starting their own businesses or switching careers. Much of the story is told through the personal case histories of corporate strivers who decide to chuck it all and go home. Many of these pioneers asked, "What good is all this money when I have no time to enjoy it?" They got tired of being "corporate machines," sick of jeopardizing their health and their important relationships. While many employers now understand that satisfaction, purposefulness and appreciation can trump money, some ground still need to get broken here. We highly recommend this book to people at all levels in the work force because it will help you consider your destiny - even if you love the electricity of corporate life and would be bored to tears making gift baskets in your garage.

5 comments about RFK - A Candid Biography of Robert F. Kennedy.

1. one star is too much, the book doesn't do anything tern RFK?s legacy. the arguments are false, and the book is boring.
   DONT SPEND EVEN ONE CENT ON THIS BOOK.



2. My title tells it all and to spent too much time on a review is to assign this an importance it does not merit. If you are interested in any thoughtful analysis of RFK you will not find it here. The focus is on lurid one source and second hand tall tales and obviously the author has an axe to grind. If you love the National Enquirer and Fox News you will probably like this and there's no saving you. If you want to learn more about this complicated man and his era, this will fill you with disgust.



3. RFK fans may not like this biography because it ain't a biased one. And this may be the first attempt to write a cruel and honest account of RFK's life. I've read some reviews here, and people who did not like this book are commeting that it is just gossip plain and simple. It must be remember that Heymann spent 7 years researching for this book. RFK was not the liberal icon that many thought he was. Many of the things he did wasn't only because he cared (I do believe he did care) but also for political ambition. He had a dark side (which he did use a lot with LBJ) and also a good side. The dark side is shown exhaustively in this book, and in the end, as amanzingly as it seems, Heymann writes a sympathetic image of RFK. Another thing, just because it is shown that RFK was not very different from his brothers when it came to sex doesn't mean that it is not truth (and who says otherwise must known that Heymann did much more researched in this subject than the others biographers did), this is a "candid" biography after all. People who bought this must not be naive and have an idea of what they'll find when they read it.



4. Mr Heymann has an interesting interpretation of the word 'integrity'. I was simply aghast at some of the bizarre assertions that the author seems to accept as fact. Check the sources (and I did!) and you'll not find much to back up his rather bold claims. Many of those interviewed or quoted have rather questionable motives and a lot is second hand information or hearsay.
   
   Also many of RFK's own comments were taken completely out of context. When asking "Where are all the women?" on the '68 campaign trail this was not in a sexual context. As far back as the early '50s while running JFK's senatorial campaign Bobby would often say that he preferred women in a campaign because he thought they tend to work harder.
   
   This is NOT an unbiased biography. For a completely unbiased account of Robert Kennedy's life I refer you to Evan Thomas' 'Robert Kennedy: His Life'. It takes a look at both 'Good' and 'Bad' Bobby but sticks strictly to the facts.
   
   The most exhaustive and indepth RFK biography is of course Arhtur Schlesinger's 'Robert Kennedy and His Times'. Not from a completely objective standpoint as it's written by a Kennedy friend but ultimately reliable and informative.



5. I picked this up for $2 used. I paid too much. This book is an offensive hatchet job, full of ridiculous claims that the author makes no attempt to substantiate. People simply make claims about RFK, and Heymann prints them. I know Bobby was no saint, and I don't expect hagiography. But this biography goes way too far in the other direction. One source compares Bobby to Caligula. At that point, I stopped reading the book. Save your money -- even if it is just $2.

5 comments about Voice of an Angel: My Life (So Far).

1. I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. Can someone please tell me why so much hype concenring this "child prodigy"? Yes, at 12 years old she was good, however not as amazing as America percieved her to be. Now, years later she's gotten worse, and still everyone fusses about her! and now the next thing i see, we have to read about her life so far? please! she seems very shallow according to this book, to tell you the truth, she doesn't seem interesting enough or have enough depth to her to write a book. she just seems like a one-dimensional money-making machine that once showed potential and now is just something to make money off of. I'm sorry if this is cruel, but that's the price publishers risk when releasing nonsense like this.



2. I too am a classical singer, and I must admit that Church might not be as wonderful as the World has made her to be. I do also have to say that I very much enjoy listening to her music and I think she has a lot of potential. Those who give her such low reviews, in my opinion, are jealous and unfair to Church.

   As for the book? I thought it was very well written and I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter! I'm 15 and it kept my attention through the whole book. I found her life to be not that of a rich and famous singer/star, but that of a regular teenage girl. Sure, she's got about a million times more than most regular people will ever have, but she lives in a semi-regual way compared to other stars. It tells a lot of interesting facts about how she got started, her family, her home and travels.

   In all, I have to say that this was very entertaining. I would recomend this book to those of you who are not jealous of this teenage star and for those of you who like to read about famous people.




3. After reading this book, you'll know what music is to Charlotte; it's in her. I thought the book was well written. I don't know why some people seem to be passionately against her. One reviewer says Charlotte doesn't write about her music, but that's not true. Most of this book IS about her music! As a matter of fact, I bought "Voice of an Angel" after reading this book. I only wish she showed her Welshness more in the book.



4. I bought this book recently at the Dollar Tree for $1 because I was curious. I read it and thought it was cute. BUT, that having been said, I believe the publishers really erred in how they originally released this book; they took it FAR too seriously for a "biography" purportedly written by a 15-year-old!
   
   First of all, the book as released was too expensive. The audience to which it should have been geared was pre-teen girls, unlikely to pay $22.95 for a (thin) hardcover book; it should have been released directly to paperback. Secondly, since the book was written in a chatty diary format, it would have been appropriate and more entertaining to have had portions of it in Charlotte's own handwriting (assuming it's not too dreadful), and other portions done like a scrapbook, particularly the tales of her travels.
   
   Given how Charlotte's life has changed since she wrote it, this book is also a nostalgic read. The "angelic" little girl with the lovely clear soprano voice seems to be long gone at this point, replaced by a "pop tart" who appears to want to be in the mold of a Britney Spears or a Christina Aguilara.



5. Charlotte Church can sing. what she Can't do is write. in fact I'm not all that sure she wrote all of this book herself. I think its more then likely that she had a ghost writer to help her. this book does give some good info about charlottes life and early career, but there is really WAY to much about her family. she also says that she read wuthering heights by Jane Austen. right. bottom line: get her CDs not her book. our get this book from the library like I did.

5 comments about Out On A Limb.

1. Here is this book in a nutshell: Shirley Maclaine, one-time Hollywood A-lister, finds herself in her early forties (during the mid-1970's) and as many people do upon reaching this hypothetical mid-point in life, Shirley Maclaine feels an inner motivation to seek out answers to humanity's heftiest questions. Does life have meaning? What happens when we die? Has she been on the right path? Is there a God? Is there anything beyond or outside the visible world? While all these are normal, natural, respectable inquiries that anyone with any substance surely makes at some point, the unfortunate fact is Maclaine asked these questions in the time and place she did---California in the '70's---and like the proverbial P.T. Barnum maxim about a you-know-what and his money, this financially-secure starlet soon fell into the clutches of a number of cons and frauds and fake "channelers" who filled her head with non-sense, even as they emptied her bank account. Toss into this retro-New Age tale a trek into the wilds of Peru, some asides about UFO's, an affair with a married British MP (later revealed to be a disguise for Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palma) a friendship with what was surely an emotionally-scarred young man whose mental issues Maclaine confused with "depth" and you got it all. Maclaine is perhaps to be commended for her courage in presenting her experiences and newfound convictions before the public, and for clinging to her beliefs while being made fun of by those who do not hail the legitimacy of spirit channelers who charge mega-bucks for their services, but what it all comes down to is this: she asked good questions and got (expensive) bad answers in return.



2. I thought this book was amazing when it first came out, when I was literally a teenager and first starting to think about life and what it all meant. I believe I have re-read this book over the years at least 6 times, and I always get something from it. For some reason this book is like an old friend I go back to again and again. I also loved the movie, love the ideas it presents, the way you watch Shirley struggle - as we all do (I am now 42, and can really relate to where she was at that time) - with relationships, friendships, family, and the search for spirituality and meaning in this life. I thought her love affair with Gerry was touching, how there was such a connection that she couldn't understand for a long time (though I am a little judgmental when it comes to affairs with married men, so I wasn't so comfortable about that part). We've all been drawn toward someone or repelled from someone so strongly and had trouble shaking the feeling, so it was interesting to see that it all may be about far more than what is happening on the surface. The movie was sweet, and sad, and funny, and touching, and really humanized celebrity in a way that brought home that we're all just people struggling to find our way. I've read nearly all of her books, with The Camino being the last. For some reason that was just too "out there" for me. A really good follow-up was It's All in the Playing, documenting Shirley's experience while filming the movie. It also discussed John Heard, "David" in the movie, who is such a tremendous actor. He wasn't much of a believer in the subject matter when approached to do the movie, and it was very interesting to read the behind-the-scenes of it all. So I would recommend this book whole-heartedly. Interesting and thought-provoking, both.



3. Shirley supplies her fans with the usual information one expects to find in a Hollywood tell-it-all book and so much more. Now you'll find out not only who's slept with whom but who they slept with in previous incarnations!
   
   Yes is was Shirley MacLaine, well-known Hollywood actress, dancer and last surviving member of the infamous "Rat-Pack" who almost single-handedly brought "New Age Spirituality" into the American mainstream with her '83 autobiographical best-seller `Out on a Limb'. This easy to read and highly entertaining 377 page book is a veritable everything you ever wanted to know about the New Age compendium that brought the concept of channeling and reincarnation into mainstream consciousness in unprecedented fashion.
   
   Shirley's revolutionary book came along when the time was ripe for an alternative approach to the divine. A large portion of the population had given up on the Sunday go to church ritual to hear about how the experience of God had touched the lives of people in the remote past. They hungered for something more recent, more accessible and most of all more experiential. Ms. MacLaine provided just that, a contemporary spiritual quest encompassing a myriad of belief systems and personal encounters with living, illumined teachers dispensing wisdom. All this blended with numerous, always eerie and invigorating synchronistic occurrences (meaningful coincidence) that so enthrall us made `Out on a Limb' a sure hit with the public-at-large.
   
   Unthinkable as it may seem, her simplistic, naïve understanding of spirituality has now become the norm for many, especially within the Hollywood elite and has caused a paradigm shift in modern day society that is still evolving. I'm not sure whether the positive brought about by this new mindset outweighs the negative backwash of spurious information and shallow thinking brought about by this book, but it is change nonetheless.
   
   Whether you agree with Shirley or not is not the point. She stands alone as an agent of change, new age guru, spiritual guide, cultural phenomenon and a sociological event that cannot be denied no matter how many people sit back and laugh at her beliefs. Many years from now long after you and I are gone this book will still be read and recognized as an important milestone in the history of the `New Age' movement. Ah..., the power of Hollywood stardom.



4. Shirley supplies her fans with the usual information one expects to find in a Hollywood tell-it-all book and so much more. Now you'll find out not only who's slept with whom but who they slept with in previous incarnations!
   
   Yes is was Shirley MacLaine, well-known Hollywood actress, dancer and last surviving member of the infamous "Rat-Pack" who almost single-handedly brought "New Age Spirituality" into the American mainstream with her '83 autobiographical best-seller `Out on a Limb'. This easy to read and highly entertaining 380 page book is a veritable everything you ever wanted to know about the New Age compendium that brought the concept of channeling and reincarnation into mainstream consciousness in unprecedented fashion.
   
   Shirley's revolutionary book came along when the time was ripe for an alternative approach to the divine. A large portion of the population had given up on the Sunday go to church ritual to hear about how the experience of God had touched the lives of people in the remote past. They hungered for something more recent, more accessible and most of all more experiential. Ms. MacLaine provided just that, a contemporary spiritual quest encompassing a myriad of belief systems and personal encounters with living, illumined teachers dispensing wisdom. All this blended with numerous, always eerie and invigorating synchronistic occurrences (meaningful coincidence) that so enthrall us made `Out on a Limb' a sure hit with the public-at-large.
   
   Unthinkable as it may seem, her simplistic, naïve understanding of spirituality has now become the norm for many, especially within the Hollywood elite and has caused a paradigm shift in modern day society that is still evolving. I'm not sure whether the positive brought about by this new mindset outweighs the negative backwash of spurious information and shallow thinking brought about by this book, but it is change nonetheless.
   
   Whether you agree with Shirley or not is not the point. She stands alone as an agent of change, new age guru, spiritual guide, cultural phenomenon and a sociological event that cannot be denied no matter how many people sit back and laugh at her beliefs. Many years from now long after you and I are gone this book will still be read and recognized as an important milestone in the history of the `New Age' movement. Ah..., the power of Hollywood stardom.



5. Shirley Maclaine's willingness to risk ridicule with her candor is to be commended. She powerfully states what many people fear to speak of. This book inspired me and in fact, if the title had not been taken, may very well have been the title for "Blessings In The Mire." Because she is such a celebrity figure, Maclaine risked more than an average joe. By expressing her beliefs, she opened herself up to the skeptics, the critics, the hecklers. If for nothing else, Ms. Maclaine should be commended for her candor and bavery, but with this statement aside, the book stands on its own for being extremely thought provoking, for creating dialog between believers and skeptics, and for being an extremely well written volume. KUDOS to to Shirley Maclaine for her skill and talent as a proficient author. She is NOT "just another pretty face."