5 comments about Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation.

1. This is not infotainment. This is a page-turner merely because the subject matter just gets overlooked in the conventional accounts of history.
   
   And I'm being honest when I state that I had formerly assumed that American women's history did not significantly occur till Seneca Falls. Roberts's second well-researched volume continues documenting that history was occurring well before that landmark New York conference.
   
   I think that our school history classes and even the structure of our very sociery would today be much different if everybody fully knew and was appreciating the role which women had in shaping this nation. White women predominate in the volume, but also included is Sacajawea. She is the indian often mythologized for helping Lewis and Clark explore what ultimately became the western United States.
   
   And what else stands out for me is that these women aired their policy opinions in an era when they allegedly supposed to be sequestered away at home. These women then obviously had other ideas for themselves--and the nation! Such is a powerful lesson about cultural expectations and the-oft more nuanced reality.
   
   As the daughter of former 'Congresswoman' Lindy Boggs, Roberts certainly has had her own familial experiences navigating this terrain. I do not doubt it nurtured her interest in unearthing the stories which would otherwise never get told. Reflections on the historical evolution of women's status also move this book beyond a mere collection of biographical profiles.
   
   I'd recommend this book for anybody interested in American history and those curious about women's experiences and perspectives.



2. As fascinating as a today tell-all Ladies of Liberty is full of vignettes and episodes that reveal the strength, courage and perseverance of America's early heroines. Not only are there personal revelations regarding many of these women but also reminders of how a young country struggled to grow.
   
   Sometimes with only a few pages acclaimed journalist/commentator Cokie Roberts captures the essence of the women who played such an important role in our history. Among those included are Abigail Adams, Martha Jefferson, Dolley Madison, Martha Washington, Theodosia Burr, and Sacajawea.
   
   Strength was the hallmark of many in this sisterhood as we are reminded that for five years Boston born Abigail Adams was separated from her husband, John, while he attended to matters in France, Holland and England. As always during that period he relied upon her to be his faithful reporter of doings at home. Not only that but it was also her task to support their family by tending to their farm, selling whatever John sent from abroad, raise their young children, and care for ailing relatives.
   
   Of that period in his mother's life John Quincy Adams later wrote, "My mother with her infant children dwelt, liable every hour of the day and night to be butchered in cold blood, or taken and carried to Boston as hostages."
   
   It is quotations such as the above taken from journals, diaries, and personal letters that make the stories of these women so vivid as they fulfilled both their personal and public roles.
   
   Reading the words of Cokie Roberts is very much like listening to her - she is a marvelous storyteller, casting a spell with her words and drawing us in. Ladies Of Liberty is a remarkable work and a valuable contribution to the annals of our history.
   
   Highly recommended.
   
   - Gail Cooke



3. Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation by Cokie Roberts is a terrific addition to this growing body of information. Our founding fathers contributions to the early history of our nation are well understood and widely acknowledged by everyone. That the women that supported their efforts have long been ignored or under valued by scholars is also being acknowledged. Cokie Roberts' Ladies of Liberty is just the latest of a series of books recently released that attempt to shine a light on these often overlooked patriots. Also worth reading is My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams and A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation. It is often surprising just how much pluck these ladies had. I'm so impressed with Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison that I'm ashamed that it has taken 59 years for me to discover just how important they were (are) to this country's history. Thanks to authors like Cokie Roberts that veil of ignorance can be lifted. This awakening to these contributions isn't "revisionist history" either, but a long overdue acknowledgement of what really happened.
   
   Well researched, with varying and interesting coverage of each of the included women, Ladies of Liberty is sure to be an interesting read. It is quite obvious from reading the book that Cokie Roberts enjoyed writing this book. I highly recommend it.



4. That certainly warrants National Acclaim- by Author Paul D. Cohn, "Sao Tome".
   
   São Tome: Journey to the Abyss--Portugal's Stolen Children



5. This book fleshed out so much history that we knew or didn't know in the time frame from President Washington to President John Quincy Adams.There were political situations that were as relevant as today's newspapers. I feel it would be a fine reader for high school or early college where so many topics are brushed aside.

5 comments about A Wolf at the Table: A Memoir of My Father.

1. Augusten is my favorite writer. He is brillant- the story is amazing. And you HAVE to read his brother's book, "Look me in the Eye" because it is such a wild dynamic seen from the other side.



2. First off, I am a fan of Mr. Burroughs and am familiar with all of his books. The author's forte through most of his other work has been his sense of humor and I was curious to find out how he would tackle a serious subject (i.e. his tumultuous relationship with his father).
   
   The book turns out to be a mixed bag. The author is able to portray the pathologic relationship he had with his father quite effectively. The problem is that it seems to lack content at times. The narrative doesn't flow like it usually does in his other work. And though he is able to come through most of these instances using his wit, the overall result is subpar when compared to his other efforts.



3. I am a dedicated reader of Augusten Burroughs. The release date of this book had been marked in my day planner, and I went straight out to buy it the day it came out. This book is probably not what you are expecting it to be. It might be better.
   
   It is not a funny story. You might laugh out loud once or twice, but not more than that. This book is disturbing, throat-clenching, and heartbreaking. It is beautifully written, and Burroughs creates the sense within that you are floating above his little-boy body as he fights desperately for the attention of his cold and sometimes downright terrifying father. It is a difficult and, at times, painful perspective to take. It feels like the little boy you knew who was obsessed with all things shiny and becoming a star had just been putting on a show. Only now are we getting the full story.
   
   If "Dry" was your favorite book by the author, you will love this one, as I did. But if you are looking only for the biting wit that Burroughs has come to be known for, you may find yourself disappointed. "Dry" combined the heartbreak with the absurdly funny. "Wolf" focuses on the heartbreak. I have never before been so upset by plot elements dealing with pets.
   
   I thought it was amazing. I closed the final page and was convinced that Burroughs is even more brilliant a writer than I had previously believed. If you're anything like me, when you finish reading you will have the overwhelming urge to find him and give him the biggest hug you can muster. The intimacy created with the reader in this book is like nothing I have ever read before. Just like when a good friend tells you about something incredibly awful that happened to them, and you don't know what to say in response, this book leaves you speechless. It is like you have been trusted with the biggest secret of your life, something that is not your business to repeat to anyone else.
   
   I highly recommend it, but not for light reading.



4. This is the perfect Father's Day gift to give to Dad's and ex-husbands
   who are abusive in any way, shape or form. It most likely won't change
   them as they are self-absorbed, cruel people....but it can give a voice
   to what you have been afraid to say or unable to articulate. Abuse comes
   in many forms and the extreme unavailability of Augusten's father while
   he was growing up left a permanent scar on his soul. I always enjoy reading about his quirky attempts and solutions in dealing with both of
   his dysfunctional parents and brother. He was like a little Mowgli relating to animals more than humans. My twenty one year old nephew is
   going through exactly what the author experienced. As he becomes a successful young man, he is still trying to get the attention and approval of a father who was absent and abusive during his childhood. It
   is painful to witness. This book helped me understand the need they have
   to resolve these issues. I think the book would be helpful to children
   of these "fathers" who are grappling with hurt, hate and a strange compulsion to seek love and approval from their abuser. (captor of their
   heart) My ex-husband lived this and I eventually divorced him because he
   continued to seek his father's approval and wasted time and emotions outside our family chasing windmills. I find this problem particularly
   "male" and very common in our society and I'm glad Augusten addressed it
   in such a compelling format.



5. I, too, am a huge fan of Augusten. I was expecting the same type of humor an etc... I, too, was disappointed, for about five pages, that this book had no humor in it. After the initial reaction, I was drawn into this book as if I was right beside him witnessing...I could not put the book down and finished it in one sitting. His style of writting is superb. Mature and fluid.
   This was last week. It still haunts my thoughts. I hold my children a little tighter. My motherly instinct would like to reach out and hold the author for a long time. It saddens me to no end that a child had to go through this horrible experience with both of his parents. I may seem naive, I do know that there are many stories like this or worst. Each has a place of its own. I hope that Mr Burroughs has had the opportunity to heal a little.

5 comments about Escape.

1. After reading the reviews I was hestitant to buy this book. However, I am so glad I did! It was a great view into the secret world of the FLDS. I honestly could not put the book down and read it during one weekend! A good wake-up call with a happy ending.



2. I couldn't put this book down and finished it in two days. After the recent events in Texas, I became interested in what the FDLS was all about. I read Carolyn Jessop's book and highly recommend. After reading this book, my heart really goes out to Carolyn and my admiration for this woman is beyond words. I just finished the last chapter and I can't even imagine what she has gone through to come this far. I feel as if I know her as she bared her many struggles in this memoir. I wish the best to her and her children and hope they find true happiness ahead.



3. The book ESCAPE by Carolyn Jessop. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time! It was very hard to put down. Thanks to amazon.com I was able to get this book. I tried all the book stores and no one had it. I'm recomending this to everyone to read. Laura Keene



4. I wanted to read about the subject of polygamy, a timely subject in view of recent events, a subject about which I know nothing at all. I saw the authoress on Larry King and decided to order the book. The story is horrific. Unfortunately, the style of writing is - in my opinion - simplistic and dull. I gave up and started skipping further along after I just couldn't take any more of which wife said what to which other wife. I do certainly appreciate the fact that Jessop has had the courage to bring this abuse to light, and I hope that all the ignorant and shocking practises in this sect will be abolished as soon as possible. I just wish the book had been better written.



5. This book was fantastic. I was hooked in the first chapter. Different sects like the FLDS always fascinate me. On the back of the book one reviewer wrote that sometimes "fact is stranger than fiction" and I've never seen it be more true than in this book. Great book for a feminist studies class to read. I rarely buy books because I'd rather save my money and check a book out from the library but this one was totally worth the money!

5 comments about Home: A Memoir of My Early Years.

1. Having grown up to the Sound of Music, I was only disappointed that Julie Andrews has yet to tell that tale. We need installment number 2. Meanwhile she tells a deeply candid and really readable tale of her early years and her start in show business.
   In an era where celebrity journalism and memoirs can be so vapid, this books stands out as a truly wonderful read. I was surprised by how much we have all enjoyed this.



2. 
   
   How marvellous this book of Dame Julie's early years is.
   
   Much of the story of her early career I knew from a concert Julie gave in the very late 1980's. Eventually PBS broadcast the concert here in California. I will always remember that particular concert for many reasons.
   
   However, I have gone ahead of myself.
   
   I downloaded Dame Julie's book to read, as I cannot hold a book in my hands because of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Then I eventually bought the hardcover to add to my library of first editions. I also wanted to see the photographs.
   
   The strange thing is, as I was listening to Julie read her story I could not keep my eyes from looking at the beautiful face of our young Julie. It is a gorgeous picture of her! I was completely transfixed by the fresh-faced photograph of Julie and the manner in which she told the story of her young life and career.
   
   Then, I realised, how short a time it has been from the first day I saw Julie on screen when I was a child, and how different everything is now - some forty-years later.
   
   Julie writes as if she has been writing books all her life. Every sentence is well structured, and every word paints a clear picture of her life as a child, teenager, and young woman.
   
   Her impressions are not over the top, they are genuine, her revelations beautiful, witty, and startling all at the same time.
   
   Her love of England is felt deeply as one sits and reads the story, and in a way, she took me home as well.
   
   The many vibrant images of England Julie painted with words brought back my own recollections of home. It was easy for me to smell and touch the English landscape as I listened to Julie's distinctive and peaceful speaking voice.
   
   The pictorial images she draws are simple to see in ones mind as she meticulously unfolds each moment of her early life. One cannot help but feel her memories are authentic. She pays close attention to detail but does not embellish or bellyache. In that sense, it is as honest a story as one can possibly write, or read.
   
   I enjoyed Julie's book, and I certainly do hope she will continue to write the rest of it.
   
   Julie's story is all the more important for me because the last time I saw Julie sing live on stage was - and still is - an important night I will never forget.
   
   Julie was in town and singing songs from all her stage shows, films, and TV shows, with narrative. What could be better I thought.
   
   Followed by some thought, I decided I wanted to attend the concert with my mother. We did not get along well. All of life was a battlefield. However, I thought attending Julie's concert would be a step in the right direction - as it proved to be. At least my mother would not be grieving the loss of my father and perhaps stop drinking for at least that one night. I was trying to get her out of a morbid state of mind.
   
   When I asked my mother if she wanted to attend a concert featuring Julie Andrews, she said yes! I was so happy and relieved to get her outside her grief even if it were for only a few hours.
   
   That night my mother listened to Julie sing from the heart and soul. Indeed, I do not think my mother took her eyes off Julie as she performed everything from 'Wouldn't It Be Loverly' to 'Burlington Bertie from Bow' to 'Jazz Hot' to 'The Hills are Alive'. I remember the beautiful ball gown Julie wore at the end of the show stunned my mother that she did not stop talking about it for weeks afterward. It was a night - a memory - I will treasure all my life. More importantly, it was a night I was glad to spend with my mother.
   
   Many years after an unknown assailant murdered my mother, I saw the very same concert on PBS again. It was a repeat, which aired around the time I got ALS. At the time I did not know I had cancer as well. Choked with emotion, I recalled that one magical night with my mother and Julie's amazing performance. The memory is so clear in my mind that it has not left to this day.
   
   As I continue to struggle to hang onto the best left in life, I felt it important to write this review.
   
   Finally, for bringing my mother and I together for that one special night, I can never thank Julie enough. I humbly bow to Dame Julie for the simple gift of song and story.
   
   As for this book, it is a great read for all of us really. For many of us, we can look back and wonder what we were doing at the same time. Then - start all over again tomorrow with a new outlook on life.



3. I read Julie Andrews' memoir in an afternoon. Its voice is inviting and reassuring and, most important, genuine.
   
   The newly released TEACHING LIFE: LETTERS FROM A LIFE IN LITERATURE impresses me as a welcome companion.
   
   In 1978 one of the author's students died tragically in an automobile accident on her way to his office to talk over her career plans. It was the suddenness of her death, along with the utter loss of so much potential, which left him wondering whether anything he had said in class had made a difference in her too-short life or, for that matter, in the lives of any of his students.
   
   Her death was not only a great misfortune but also a defining moment for the author. For the first time in his life as a teacher, and he had been at it for only five years, he realized in the weeks that followed that he wasn't in the classroom for myself. He was and remains there for the students, all of whom are giving him three hours a week of their most precious possession -- their time. What he says and do should make a difference in their lives. The worst thief is a bad teacher.
   
   n a recent interview with Samantha Bravo he answers some pointed questions about the book:
   
   1) Each letter to Kelly addresses a different aspect of
   education, literature and life. How did you decide
   which topics to address? How do you think the book's
   organization of these topics affects the reader?
   
   The topics suggested themselves to me as I moved ever deeper into the project. I knew I had to write "When a Parent Dies," for example, because the day after my father's funeral I returned to my class to discuss Hamlet and saw my father sitting in the back of the room. The chapter on "Marriage" suggested itself because I was struck by how many of my colleagues across the country wrestle with balancing the academics with family life. Many questions emerged over the years from discussions with my parents, both educators, as well as from my students. Overall I answer questions that many teachers (and students) ask of themselves and that I continue to ask of myself.
   
   2) Why did you choose to format the book as a series of
   letters?
   
   To avoid the risk of coming across as "preachy" or dogmatic. That's not my style. Writing letters "to" a former student was an indirect way of reaching my potential reader. Also, this format helped me to establish a warm, personal tone that is the voice I try to maintain in the classroom. I am speaking to teachers, yes, but I am also speaking to students as well as to the general public - and I don't want to alienate them.
   
   3) In the book's summary it says that "'Teaching Life"
   is an effort to impart lessons to the next generation
   of teachers." Would you also agree that these lessons
   are equally benefiting to students who read this
   book? What sort of insight should a student expect to
   gain in contrast to a teacher?
   
   Yes, most definitely. Letters as personal as these permit the student to slip away from present concerns, open the door, and step inside the secret life of a teacher. Happiness is a gift, not a right, and most of us as teachers have been so gifted. Perhaps some students themselves will carry from the book the thought of entering this noble and personally rewarding profession. At the very least I hope they will find here some useful suggestions for getting all they can from their educational experiences.
   
   4) You say that Kelly has become a metaphor for all your
   students. Could you explain this in more depth?
   
   Every semester my classrooms are filled with Kelly's - bright, eager-to-learn men and women who are giving me three hours a week of their most precious possession - their time. What I say "to" Kelly in the letters I say to all of my students: make the most of your allotted time, seek the best in everything you do, and keep growing. My challenge is to find a way to connect with them, to encourage them to care about the material, to think about some of the deep issues of life, and to have a good time while doing so. That's part of what keeps me coming back day after day, month after month, semester after semester. Though Kelly didn't live to realize her potential as a teacher, my experience of knowing her and thousands of students like her continues to inspire me every day.
   
   5) Thirty years after Kelly's death, why did you believe
   that this was the right time in your career to publish
   "Teaching Life?"
   
   There were many months, even years when I didn't know when (or even IF) I would complete the book. Coincidentally I did so while approaching my 35th year of teaching. To borrow from Samuel Johnson, I believe that into every teacher's life there comes a "time to be in earnest." This is such a time for me.



4. Fabulous book , I've always loved Julie Andrews and I love her more now! A wonderful read!



5. Julie Andrews gives us a close up look at her early years. She seems to have been very honest and forthright in telling about each member of her family and how she related to them.You have real emphathy for her as she struggled to have some childhood and the truth that many times she was responsible for her families support and survival at a very young age..This book brodened my knowledge of the entertainment business and made me wish at times that I had been able to meet and know all the famous entertainers and celebreties that she was fortunate to know.
   I would like to have heard about the rest of her life after 28 years old.

5 comments about Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

1. My heart goes out to those who say this is the best book they've ever read. Man, they are reading some bad, bad books! I just can't recommend this one. I found it too self-indulgent from an author too self-absorbed. I slogged through to the end because it was a bookclub selection, so was mildly surprised by the tolerable 3rd section, which concentrated on Bali. I did come away feeling I'd learned more about Bali than I have from any other source, not that I've had much exposure there. I know that the book was NOT about the places she'd been, but rather, about herself IN those places. Still, I think any reader is more interested in the place and not the writer's reaction to it. Maybe if she'd been a more compelling character herself, I would have granted her that privilege.



2. I'd read a good deal of these reviews before reading the book and still read it anyway. What a waste of time. It's not that the author is simply self-absorbed it's that she's self-absorbed and at the same time an incredibly self unaware person -- her repeated surprise at finding out that she's a control freak or that she's got "issues" about her serial monogamy are a surprise to only herself. Eat is tolerable and Love is an interesting review of Bali but Pray is just a beat down. If "Richard from Texas" writes a book I'd be interested in what he has to say about the ashram but this book is over-hyped and under delivers.



3. This was an enjoyable book for two reasons: Elizabeth Gilbert's excellent writing skills, and the premise of the book itself. The latter, which was an outward journey (to three countries) to find inner peace, was something I can identify with. Although the Italy/Food segment lacked a bit of depth, I thoroughly enjoyed the India/Ashram part of Gilbert's adventure (especially her struggles with meditation.) The third segment in Indonesia was interesting from a cultural standpoint, although I have less respect for that culture now than I did (due to the constant pressure for women to get married and have children!)
   
   On a down note, I could never really escape the reality that this is not just a woman alone trying to find herself after a divorce, but in fact, a successful writer who has been given an assignment by her editor (and thus a big advance, and probably expenses paid), and who flies home (to NY) in the midst of it all to celebrate the holidays and transfer her wardrobe.
   
   We ultimately forgive Gilbert for this however, because she is a likable character with self-deprecating humor, and the imagery in her writing transforms us. Don't go with high expectations, just read it for light entertainment.



4. I love everything about this book - the structure, the writing, the humor, the lessons learned. Starting from the concept of the sacred number 108 beads on a prayer bead, the author divides her year's adventure into 3 segments of 36 little stories each. She spends four months each in 3 places - Rome ("Eat"); India at an ashram ("Pray") and Bali ("Love"). She is funny and swept me along on her adventure. I felt I was there with her, and that she is someone I would love to know, as she is so open about her personal journey.



5. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia This book was a great read. Some very clever writing in parts.

5 comments about Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.

1. i loved it. Chelsea's so funny, i love how she makes fun of herself, she's an awesome comedian, i can't wait for her next book n_n.



2. You have to buy this book!! You must read it close to a bathroom because you will lose bladder control...it is absolutely hysterical.Chelsea is a genius, she tells it how it is and lays everything out there for all to see. Every chapter is filled with laugh out loud lines, you just cant help it.



3. My main complaint with this book is the fact that is POORLY edited. Some pages have several tyopgrpahical errors, and who ever editied it does not know how to use commas. I could have done a better job in my sleep. Quick lesson for her editors. If a sentance uses a conjunction in it, it only needs a comma if there is a new subject. Like, "Chelsea's book is not funny and poorly edited." And "Chelsea's book is not funny, and it is poorly edited." See what I did there?
   Also, oh yeah, I love her! I watch her show all the time and love the vulgarity. But she's just ranting in this book. She's mean to her family and gets on kicks using certain words. Like within about 5 pages, she called someone an "a**hole" about 5 times. I mean, parts are funny, but I can't get past her meanness to a family that loves her and all the gramatical errors and typos.



4. After reading "My Horizontal Life" I was really anticipating this book. It was a bit of a letdown. It's not bad by any means, but it certainly isn't nearly as entertaining. I would say this is definitely a "save your money and check it out at the library" type of book. I loaned it to a friend and she's had a hard time slogging through it too.



5. I loved this book! I would agree that it is not as good as her first one, but I still laughed my butt off! I am a huge Chelsea Handler fan and I think she is an amazing women. Get this book!!

5 comments about Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time.

1. The cover and title make it sound like a chick book. This is a book for everyone. There is high adventure throughout. The story is amazing and will touch your heart as well as your need for speed and your need to identify with various tough guy heroes. The tone stays mostly neutral on the pros and cons of the Islam/US strife, just sicking to telling the story. You will not want to put this book down.



2. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
   A very readable, moving testimony to what one person can do to "make a difference" in the world. We have given many copies as gifts.



3. It's OK if you are interested in how the Special Forces are equipped. No stories, it just informs about its training and camps with some descriptions.



4. Read this Book!! I picked this book up at the airport and couldn't put it down. The storyline is engrossing and exciting while the message is heartfelt and so necessary right now. We need more people like Mortenson. His story of failure followed by a long struggle to educate and enlighten the peoples of pakistan and afganistan even made me tear up a couple times; not for its sadness but for how hard he has worked for so long to finally make a huge difference in the lives of these people and the world. If we truly are at war with terror, we need to start by educating, not terrorizing those we fear.



5. An outstanding example of what one person can do when they pay attention to what they are being called to do. Greg Mortenson is doing more to promote world peace than any single country. I really wish I could give my tax dollars to him to build more schools.

5 comments about The Revolution: A Manifesto.

1. There is quality healthcare, there is universal healthcare, and there is affordable healthcare. You can have any two, but you cannot have all three.
   Dr. Paul obviously doesn't bat 1.000 (who does?) but what he, alone of the candidates, does do, is focus attention on the Constitution, which, may I remind, they have all sworn to uphold.



2. Ron Paul's eagerly awaited new book, The Revolution: A Manifesto, is already rising to the top of the charts.
   
   The Ron Paul Revolution among millions of dedicated Americans from every age group, socioeconomic, ethnocultural background is a true political phenomenon.
   
   Ron Paul has an exceptional ability to discuss complex economic and political issues in an easy to understand presentation.
   
   My highest recommendation: *****



3. Thank God for Rep. Ron Paul. Finally someone that will lay it out on the line. This book is straightforward and to the point. There is no political BS when it comes to the Good Doctor's words. It is a shame we don't have more people like him in Congress. Do yourselve a favor and read this book if have not already.



4. Even if it is a hard concept, only the truth will make sense when explaining it. When you read this book, everything will become clear. There is so much dis-information out there, even in places that you wouldn't expect it. Do yourself a great favor and read "The Revolution". You will begin to see why it is not really that revolutionary.



5. This book is easy to read and understand
   It has a viewpoint not available with McCain, Clinton or Obama or any other member of congress. It clearly presents our real problems and how we can begin to solve them as our country teeters on the edge of bankruptcy. We don't just need a change. We have had a change before within the government's revolving door as the Republocrat groups change places but nothing else really changes (like the army that changes underwear every month-Jones you change with Smith, Peters you change with Johnson). What we need is a continuation of the Revolution that freed us from King George but who has now morphed into a new despot in the form of an unyielding federal government. A revolution where the constitution is revitalized and the people are back in control
   Viva the revolution!

5 comments about Audition: A Memoir.

1. Barbara Walters is trash, plain and simple. This woman spent her whole career working too hard, not taking care of her only child, and had an affair with a married politican. Walters failed at marriage three times, she explains her heart was too heavy, if she didn't want to get married then don't, what is so hard about that? She is money-hungry, she needs to retire! what is she waiting for? All she cares about is exploiting her collegues, she doesn't realize how she is coming off. Someone needs to tell this woman to stay home and enjoy life, instead of selling her life story for cash. Don't buy into the hype, she hasn't opened any doors for women, and who said she was smart? this book is not well-written and she's a journalist! give me a break.



2. I bought this book because I was so impressed with everything she said on oprah. I thought there would be all this great gossip about fat lesbian rosie and fat ugly star jones. There was really nothing that was not discussed on Oprah. repreatedly on oprah and in the book she said that she was willing to lie for star or oprah. Heck if she was willing to lie for oprah or star, then she is willing to lie to us.
   
   She had a sexual affair with a senator, but yet the details are sparse. She never talked about positions, she never talked about his shaft. She never had remorse about breaking up this dudes marriage and throwing him away like a piece of trash. she never mentions how old she was when she first had sex, she never told about the famous people she had sex with. She interviewed monica lewinski and she never really talked about the sex.
   
   
   She talked about star and her "marriage" she never said anything about the fact athe hs is gay. What type of trash is this? If you want the book , I will sell it to you......if I don't use it as toilet paper.



3. Barbara Walters who has spent more than five decades shattering the glass ceiling for female journalists has delivered a candid new memoir, "Audition," looking back on her extraordinary life. "Audition" begins in Boston where she was born and concludes in New York where she continues to work at age 78 on her ABC specials and "The View." She provides the kind of personal glimpses and secrets she tries to extract from her many high-profile interviews.
   
   Walters got into television by accident and got her big break when she did Alpo dog food commercials as a "Today Girl" on NBC's Today Show. She then became the first woman cohost of the Today show, and after a difficult move to ABC, the first female network news co-anchor. "Audition" provides the behind the scenes stories we have come to expect in books like this, as she made history rising against all odds to the top of a male-dominated industry.
   
   "Audition" is filled with star-studded stories about her famous and infamous interviewees including Richard Nixon, Anwar Sadat, Menachem Begin, Shah of Iran, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, Yasir Arafat, Warren Beatty, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, the Dalai Lama, Princess Diana, King Hussein, Angelina Jolie, Henry Kissinger, Monica Lewinsky, Rosie O'Donnell, Christopher Reeve . . . the list goes on and on.
   
   Walters weaves a very human narrative of her family throughout the book; a narrative that provides clues to where she got her drive, the choices she made, her three failed marriages, being attracted to older (and often married) men, and her willingness to take risk. There is her risk-taking father, Lou Walters, the mercurial nightclub impresario who made and lost several fortunes; her long suffering mother; the family's descent from the penthouse to rent-controlled apartments; her mentally disabled sister, Jackie, who taught her much about patience and compassion; and the troubled teen years of her adopted daughter, Jackie (named in honor of her sister) who got hooked on amphetamines.
   
   "Audition" is a very readable portrait of a deftly calculating woman with an impeccable sense of timing and incredible luck. Walters has given us a story that is heartbreaking and honest, surprising and fun, sometimes startling, and always fascinating. This makes a great companion book to Katie Couric's recently published biography, "Katie: The Real Story."



4. Walters, Barbara. "Audition: A Memoir", Alfred Knopf, 2008.
   
   Quite a Life
   
   Amos Lassen
   
   I have always loved Barbara Walters but I must admit that I really did not want to read her book because of all the hype. Nevertheless, when my copy came I sat down with it and found myself enjoying every word. It's over 600 pages long so there was no way I would get through it in one sitting; I do have a life and I had to prepare for my summer school classes.
   Walters has lived quite a life both personally and professionally and she comes across as a compassionate woman and an inspiration. She exudes class and humanity. She can interview people like no one else can and has done so. Her list ranges from Monica Lewinsky to Elizabeth Taylor to presidents, world leaders, disgraced public figures and just anyone else that has affected our lives.
   Her childhood was fascinating. Her father ran the nightclubs known as the Latin Quarter so she grew up around celebrities. She went where women had not been before and became a co-host of a major American news show and when she went onto 20/20 with Hugh Downs her star rose and she became one of the most famous women in the world.
   Much has been said about her "adulterous" affair with the American senator but the book is so much more than that. Barbara Walters is an ambitious and tenacious women and even though she says that her life has been one large audition, there is no question that she "got the job".
   If anything really characterizes the book, I think it is Walters' style and class. Sure Barbara Walters had an affair with a married man and sure, she has guilt feelings about not always being there for her sister but all of us must remember and consider how life would be without someone like Barbara Walters. She takes the opportunity in her book to let us into her life and even though she has not done everything the way some of his might have wanted, Barbara Walters, to me, at least, remains a major figure in our lives. She is an extraordinary woman and has led an extraordinary life.



5. Mary Greenwood, author ofHow to Mediate Like a Pro: 42 Rules for Mediating Disputes
   
   Barbar Walters is a trail blazer for women in the media. Audition is a fascinating ride from the 40's to the present showing women's role in journalism. On the early days of the Today Show there was the Today Girl, the one "girl" allowed to do special segments on the Today Show. Walters was never a Today Girl, but when there were three women doing women's segments, one was considered too caustic and the other too elegant, so Walters got to do live advertisements for sponsors such as Alpo Dogfood, where she would feed hungry dogs on the air. When it was her turn, they stopped using the Today Girl moniker. OF course, she was the first to co-anchor the nightly news which she did with Harry Reasoner in the 70's.
   
   She was the first to interview many famous politicians, celebrities, and entertainers. The inside cover lists all her interviews from A-King Abdullah to Z-Catherine Zeta Jones. It is in very small print and there are thousands of names. Castro, the Shah of Iran, Truman Capote, the Dalai Lama, Hugo Chavez, Moshe Dyan, a joint interview with Anwar Sadat and Meachem Begin, and all the presidents and their wives. In the 90's instead of retiring, she started a new Women's Daytime program called the View. She also did 20/20 for over twenty years.
   
   In addition to all the firsts, we learn a lot about Walter' early days in Boston, New York and Miami Beach. We learn about the ups and down of her father's career, who was the impressario of the Latin Quarter in New York but had many business failures and successes. Barbara knew from an early age that she would probably need to support her family, including her "mentally retarded" (the term used then) sister and therefore, Barbara was always worried about money so she could help her parents and sister financially.
   
   We learn about the rr's in Barbar's speech and how that is a result of being brought up in Boston. We learn that she went to a speech therapist and even tried to speak with words without r's and then how she decided to just speak naturally. We find out that Gilda Radner's skits on Saturday Night Live initially hurt her feelings, but that one night when she saw Gilda, she had her do her impression especially for her.
   
   We learn about her fertility treatments; her adoption of her daughter, Jackie; her daughter's rebellious teenage years, her husbands and divorces, her love affairs, and her endless travel all over the globe to get the story.
   
   I am an Art Deco Tour Guide in Miami Beach and was particularly interested in the days in the 40's when Barbara was a girl and her father ran the Lou Walters Miami Beach Latin Quarter on Palm Island where Al Capone lived just down the street. People like Milton Berle, Sophie Tucker, and Jimmy Durante entertained there and people like Jack Kennedy and Howard Hughes went to the show. The Walters also bought the pistachio house next door to the club. Apparently both were previously owned by Bill Dwyer, a notorious bootlegger and the owner of Tropical Park Race Track. Mr Dwyer thought he had some claim on the house and arrived with his henchman to live there. Mr. Walters took a gamble and and allowed Mr. Dwyer to live in the same house with his family. Mr. Dwyer took a shine to Barbara, who was in elementary school, and took her to the track. She was too young to go in, but Mr. Dwyer parked so she could see the horses. Barbara would give him a few bucks to bet and "miraculously" she always won. Barbara said these were some of the happiest times for the Walters family.
   
   The book is long, but I appreciated the fact that she wrote a complete memoir in one volume. I loved this book. First I loved it because Walters was a trail-blazer for women. I have seen her pave the way for other women in so many ways and I am not sure she has gotten all the credit she deserves. Secondly, it has been an interesting life from her days when she lived down the street from Al Capone in Miami Beach to the famous people she has interviewed. With all the fascinating people mentioned, I did not get the feeling that she was name-dropping. She was writing as a journalist and giving us some background on some heady times. I recommend this to all women, especially younger women, who may not appreciate the trials and tribulations of the women who have gone before them. I recommend to anyone who is interested in show business from the early days of Milton Berle and Martha Raye to the Academy Award Winners of today. I would also recommend to anyone who wants to read a good book.

5 comments about The Last Lecture.

1. The Last Lecture makes one think about living every moment by prioritizing those things which are most important.



2. This is an excellent book to focus all of us to live today, enjoy today and appreciate the people around you. We all know people that are living for a tomorrow that may never come or people that are miserable. Randy points out why this is not worthwhile in anyone's short life on earth.
   
   I cannot say it had any new or insightful thoughts. I can say it made me think about what is important in life and what is not important.
   
   I wish Randy and his family my sincere regards as they go through this very difficult time.



3. Excellent book, well written and very mind opening to life. Being a cancer survivor I can share what it means to keep yout spirit strong asnd love life.



4. In line with books fiction and non-fiction, e.g. The Alchemist, Tuesdays With Morrie, etc., The Last Lecture is a book that needs to be incorporated into life and not just read. Life's important lessons must be tested and lived in order to resonate and light our being from within.
   
   The threat of death has a way of winnowing our perspective until it focuses on the things that are most important and Pausch presents an opportunity for us to go along this journey of discovery. In that sense, The Last Lecture is a must-read. But it's more; it's a must-live.



5. Randy Pausch has been instrumental in creating public awareness of the need for more pancreatic cancer research. After losing my own spouse to this horrible, horrible disease less than four months after diagnoses, I was moved at how universal many emotions are as we approach the final leg of life's journey. A good read, a good gift. Let's find a cure for this relentless killer.