2 comments about Dear Mem Fox, I Have Read All Your Books Even the Pathetic Ones: And Other Incidents in the Life of a Children's Book Author.

1. Having never read a Mem Fox book, it was the title of this book that caught my eye. For anyone who has fancied writing children's books, this is a must-read. It covers the writing and editing processes and provides insight into obtaining publishers and illustrators. Great book, as are all of Ms. Fox's books.



2. I enjoyed this quick read. Mem is such a clear and concise writer. It provides a entertaining overview of Mem's life experiences. Contrary to the other review on Amazon this book BARELY covers the process of getting a children's book published. I would estimate that 5 pages MAX of the over 200 pages is devoted to this so don't buy this book for this reason. Otherwise a worthwhile read if you wanted to know more about what goes on behind the scenes of writing a children's book.

4 comments about All the Dogs of My Life.

1. I loved this book! I have bought several copies to give as gifts, but will keep one for myself to re-read. Elizabeth von Armin's relationship with the people, dogs, and houses in her life is recounted with a great deal of charm, wit, and droll humor.



2. I own all 21 of Elizabeth's book..am trying to replace the ones that were water damaged. I would highly recommend any books written by this author



3. This book is a throughly charming account of Elizabeth von Arnim's sometimes idyllic, sometimes challenging but always witty and amusing life with her beloved dogs. Her writing reflects the experiences of her happy days in Germany with her older husband, five children, and the beginning of many canine characters that inhabit her life. Elizabeth is widowed and moves on to England, Switzerland, and Provence. Each new stage of her life includes new dogs and many funny and poignant memories. She clearly loves her many dogs- some stand out among all of them as her favorites- and shares her life as enriched and enlivened by her dogs' companionship. Anyone who has ever loved and lost a dog will appreciate her regard and love of dogs.



4. Elizabeth von Arnim lived an unconventional life, shot through with both tragedy and personal success. It is characteristic of the sense of humor found in her writing that she should ignore the sparkling social circle of which she was a part at the turn of the century and choose instead to write the lives of her dogs.
   
   Throughout the book we are given tantalising glimpses of the turbulance - and joy - of von Arnim's wider experiences. This short work will delight both dog-lovers and fans of the author

2 comments about Mary Poppins, She Wrote: The Life of P. L. Travers.

1. Valerie Lawson has done something P. L. Travers claimed she didn't want anyone to do: write her biography. It's a very good book. Travers discouraged personal questions in interviews, and preferred to discuss her work and, in later years, her philosophy of life -- the essence of experience as opposed to the mundane details of living. Lawson makes the case that if Travers had been serious about this she would have destroyed her papers -- which she decidedly did not do. Whatever her true feelings on the matter, this is a fascinating book, filled with insights into Travers' life and work, and with a respectable amount of attention to the work itself, especially the meanings and importance of the Mary Poppins books.
   
   I think Lawson gives somewhat short shrift to Travers work with Parabola magazine, which is some of her most brilliant writing -- inspiring to thousands of her readers, and collected in the now out of print "What the Bee Knows." (Note to publishers: bring it back!) You may also find out more than you want to known about her endless toing and froing with Disney, and the ways in which the movie deal echoed through the last thirty years of her life.
   
   But Lawson also gives the first comprehensive account of Travers' private life, her involvement AE and Gurdieff, her adoption of one twin, her son Camillus, and her early career as an actress. Her love affairs are touched on.
   
   I'm not sure, in the end, if all the private matters, interesting as they may be, really add to our understanding of Travers' work, though Lawson makes some persuasive connections between the fantasy and the reality. Mary Poppins herself, the Great Exception, survives the biography with her mystery intact, and in spite of Lawson's sympathetic and thorough craftsmanship, so does Travers. For those of us lucky ones who count Travers as a touchstone in our lives, that's just fine. Questions without answers can often be more satisfying than the other kind.



2. 
   Lawson provides some information on a fellow Australian, who despite protestations to the contrary, may have wanted someone to present a biography of her. Travers left notes and diaries but it appears to be information and not real knowledge. Her life was mirage, down to her name, national allegiance and way of relating to her mentors, adopted son and sponsor, Walt Disney and his staff.
   
   The book tells the story as much as it can be told.

3 comments about Shadows on the Wall.

1. Stan Krasnoff's tale 'Shadows on the Wall' is at best a piece of fiction, which is tied together with pieces of fantasy. Firstly, the then Captain Krasnoff was not in Vietnam during operation Rapid Fire IV. He did not get to Saigon until 5 December 1967. His participation in Rapid Fire Operations was limited to five patrols that amounted to less than 24 hours in the field. Copies of the official after action reports from these patrols do not match Krasnoff's hyperbole, especially the 'heart yammering' action where he allegedly killed the enemy soldier in the 'spider hole'. Krasnoff has made basic errors of description throughout the novel and some of his Acronyms are wrong. Shadows on the wall does not live up to its extravagant promotion. At best the words are a promotional tease written by someone with not one iota of knowledge about special forces operations in Vietnam and at worst it is a deliberate misleading of the reading public. False advertising, if you will. The book should be treated as a tale based around some actual events, but Shadows on the wall should never make it to the history or reference shelves of any library. In the telling of a story that needs no embellishment, this writer has done himself a disservice. It is a sloppy book.



2. Bo Gritz wrote the forward and it IS ABOUT
   his first tour in the Cambodia region of
   Southeast Asia. Written in vulgar (and non-
   Christian) style by an Aussie named Krasnoff,
   who served under Gritz for about one-and-a-
   half years. The previous reviewer, who is
   such a coward, he won't reveal his name, this
   story IS MOST ASSUREDLY not fiction. By the
   writting style is best suited for someone other
   than a fine Christian like Bo Gritz to be assoc-
   iated with. Bo's intro is very good though. It
   adds to: 'A Nationa Betrayed', 'Called To Serve',
   and 'My Brother's Keeper'. Interesting if you can
   stand the language...



3. Capt. Krasnoff was the team leader of 5 Australian SAS attached to a U.S. Special Forces unit for project Rapid Fire (B-36). If you enjoy true first-hand accounts of SF operations then this is for you. I had some reservations about buying this book because of another 'anonymous' reviewer who somewhat bitterly alleged that it was a work of fiction. I contacted via email the commander of this particular operation, Col. Bo Gritz. He stated in no uncertain terms that Capt. Krasnoff did indeed serve under him during the operation and that the account was true in every word. He further added that anyone who says different - wasn't there. Since the negative reviewer declined to identify himself it is his own credibility (at best) that is obviously lacking. I enjoyed the book thoroughly!

4 comments about The Last Explorer: Hubert Wilkins, Hero of the Great Age of Polar Exploration.

1. The fact the Sir George Hubert Wilkins is a virtual unknown against the supposed greatness of his contemporaries, Hurley and Mawson, is due mainly to his "aggressive modesty".
   
   Now Australians are rediscovering this truly remarkable man's life and Simon Nasht does him an immensely great service.
   
   Simply a 'must-read'!



2. THE LAST EXPLORER: HUBERT WILKINS, HERO OF THE GREAT AGE OF POLAR EXPLORATION tells of the most successful explorer in history: a self-taught farm boy from the Australian outback who became a cameraman, reporter, pilot, spy and adventurer. His surveys were captured on camera, he helped map the Canadian Arctic, and his amazing life has only not received much in-depth coverage in past because he avoided publicity. Author Simon Nasht discovered Wilkins' journals, records and photos and used them to recreate his life and achievements: any library interested in adventure biography will welcome this vivid account.



3. This true account of one man's lifelong exploration
   of the polar regions makes history come alive. Yet for some reason Hubert Wilkins amazing exploits have faded from public memory.
   This biography about a far-sighted adventurer who understood the importance of polar ice caps on global climate. It is a page turner that deserves a place on every bookshelf,an inspiration to the youth.



4. Simon Nasht's book is like an icebreaker charting a course through the Antarctic and revealing one of its greatest explorers. It is hard to believe that one person so "aggressively modest" could have done so much with so little. Up until now, few had remembered him. What a pity. Thanks for bringing him back to life. Now, when is the movie coming out?

1 comments about Skidboot: The Amazing Dog.

1. Skidboot started out like a little rascal, but ended up a diamond in the rough. It is a sweet story. I enjoyed reading it.

3 comments about One for the Road: Hitchhiking Through the Australian Outback.

1. Horwitz does a wonderful job of depicting ordinary life in Australia. However, his sense of humour adds a brilliant quality to the essay which makes an ordinary account of his travels something far from mundane. I recommend this book for anyone interested in travel essays or a good laugh.



2. Horwitz has captured the Outback and its weird bunch of denizens down to it's last blowfly and tortured vowel. His descriptions of unlikely places such as (the mostly underground) Coober Pedy and(unfortunately mostly above-ground) Mt. Isa are uncannily accurate and appropriately scathing. For all those about to travel the Outback; those who have been lucky enough to do so; or those who merely wish they were among the aformentioned. (Should be read along with the Lonely Planet Guide to Outback Australia.)



3. There are constraints to Australian road travel - the chief one being that the cities, hence, the roads, hug the coasts. There are dangers, desolation, loneliness, above all, heat. And flies. It takes some courage to face these conditions alone, even in modern times. Tony Horwitz faced them alone and on foot - some of the time. The result was a fantastic voyage and a superb account.

   Horwitz is an unlikely prospect for an Australian adventurer. A transplanted Yank [Washington, DC to Sydney], urban [New York City to, again, Sydney] and Jewish [rather anomalous in the Outback]. These conditions might fatally impair the less adventurous, but Horwitz can "boldly go" [as he did in a later book] and so he does. With singular dedication, he even starts his trek heading West from Sydney past Dubbo to the Alice. With no direct Sydney to Alice route, the journey is circuitous, a fine introduction to the later expedition. Here, Horwitz encounters people and displays his talent at recording them. The limited number of roads implies limited options and few rides. It's a closed world and he becomes "the crazy Yank we heard about back in Nevertire."

   Constricted view doesn't inhibit Horwitz' abilities. He has an advantage over many travel writers - he's a journalist first and a traveller after. A perceptive eye and a talented pen record his reaction to the land of Australia. And the people he encounters who become the focus of his attention. He's good with people, drawing them out - fulfilling the image of the chatty Yank, entertaining, but somehow provocative. The drivers, pub keepers and drinkers respond to his novelty. He records them with lively asides, keeping your interest with every page. 'Surely, these can't be real people,' you may think. No worries - Horwitz has captured them intimately, intruding only lightly as they respond to his queries.

   A poignant chapter, describing his search for a Jewish family in Broome with whom to celebrate Passover, is the highlight of the book. Noting the town's multiracial population, he observes: "Australians . . . seem uncomfortable when the subject of Judaism is raised." He attributes the feeling purely to ignorance, not prejudice, a welcome change from attitudes toward the "Abos." Horowitz, although claiming atheism, remains drawn to the family assemblage of the seder. Alone in Broome, he discovers a new level of solitude - in this polyglot community, Jews are rarer than jewels. He pores over the telephone directory which only displays "an Anglo-Saxon litany of Browns, Harrisons and Smiths." A solution beckons in the guise of a local priest. "It is a common sort of misconception. If there's no rabbi about, well, try a priest. One religious ratbag's as good as another." The solution, however, lies elsewhere. The situation amply portrays Horwitz' humanity, absolving him of any stigma of the detached, unfeeling journalist. His roots are a significant element in his life, one that gently, but insistently, haunts him. This book can haunt you, as it does me.

5 comments about Crystal Woman: The Sisters of the Dreamtime.

1. When i first picked up this book it was by accident, but the title intrigued me so I checked it out. Boy I was in for a surprise! As I read this book I was amazed at how much power that a female possesses inside of herself. I was so into this book I read it in 2 days. After this first book I was hooked on all the rest of her books. The thing that got me the most was that these books were based on her real life experiences. From then on I have been trying to find my spirituality, this and the other books has inspired me



2. I have read most of Lynn Andrews books (I started with Medicine Woman) and even though her first experiences and journeys were quite fascinating, this particular narration explains much more about female spirituality and what a woman can give to herself and those around her. Through Andrews different experiences in the Australian aboriginal landscape (they are many), we see that once you start on your spiritual quest, you receive/acquire more and more gifts that are directly related to your spiritual courage. "Crystal Woman" truly moved me - and I've been into New Age studies since for the past twenty years!



3. I have most if not all of lynn's books and they are the most informative and interesting books I have ever had the Honor of reading. There is one book I do not have. That Is Crystal Woman. I work with crystals in my daily life I feel this book will help me on this journey of crystals and as always Lynn's books are always my favorite to read. Thank you, Michele



4. As a work of fiction, this book may have some merit. But, please be informed that this book IS fiction and not fact. It is currently being protested by the aboriginal community of Australia as a fabrication and outrageous exploitation of their culture. Please see their website on this matter at www.dumbartung.org.au/report2.html



5. An enthralling read a must for those who Lynn Andrews fans, and for all who are following a feminist spiritual path.

1 comments about A Boy's War (An Omf Book).

1. "A Boy's War" tells of a six-year old Australian boy, son of a missionary, who went off to Chefoo boarding school in China in 1939 and didn't see his parents again until 1945. World War II intervened and he was interned by the Japanese in Weihsien camp in Shandong province, China.
   
   This is a brief book of 170 pages, but Michell covers a lot of ground. He tells about his life at the boarding school as the clouds of war gather and Japan conquers more and more of China. Then, he endures two years of internment with more than one thousand other foreigners at Weihsein. The internees were rescued dramatically by American partroopers at the end of the war and young David undertakes an epic journey back to Australia by ship where he is reunited with his family. The author concludes by telling us about his 1985 return visit to Weihsein.
   
   This is a missionary's story and the author affirms his faith, although not in a way that will offend the non-religious. The boy was fortunate in having many surrogate parents during his years of isolation, of whom one of the most important was Eric Liddell, the Olympic runner (recall "Chariots of Fire?") who lived and died at Weihsein. John Birch -- who inspired the radical political organization, the John Birch Society -- is a minor character in the book as he too was a "mish kid" in pre-Communist China.
   
   Weihsien camp in China has generated a great deal of literature. Rarely have so many talented people resided together in such close quarters. "Shantung Compound" is a sociology classic by Langdon Gilkey and "The Call" by John Hersey is one of my favorite novels. "A Boy's War" is a brief introduction to missionary life in China and the experiences of foreigners trapped by war.
   
   Smallchief

No comments about Sock It to 'Em, Baby: Forward Air Controller in Vietnam.