5 comments about War Journal: My Five Years in Iraq.

1. Anyone supporting the war in Iraq needs to read this book.
   
   No holds bared, account of life in Iraq during the occupation. A must read.



2. After reading Richard Engel's "War Journal" I tell everyone I meet that they should put it on their reading list. This is a throughly compelling read telling it like it really is on the ground over there. Engel spares no horror, nor should he. I can not understand why more of his experiences have not found they way onto our tv reports and into our print media. This administration is so determined to make their war seem justified that they are covering up what is the reality. Case in point: not allowing pictures to be taken of our dead military's caskets coming home. If a reporter did take such a picture, his credentials were immediately pulled. If my son were coming home in a casket, I would want the entire world to see it and honor him. There has been none of this, but thanks to books like "War Journal" we are able to get a close up, even handed, report given to us by a top rated journalist who has been in the thick of it for 5 years. I do wish Richard Engel well and hope he does come out of this catastropy unharmed.



3. This was a gift to my husband. His comments are as follows, "The best book I've read in a long time. Well Written !!!"
   I have just started this book and don't want to put it down.



4. This is the real deal. This guy has been there from the beginning. He has met with the generals, soldiers, insurgents and our President. Very well written and full of information you should know and understand. This is an election year. Stop listening to the talking heads and their OBama rips and McCain raps. You cannot understand a platform if you don't learn about this war. Yes, there were no WMDs. We are there, however, and these brave soldiers are doing our work. Unfortunately, the people they are trying to help do not value life. They are in never never land, living this life thinking there is something better that they are entitled to. This book makes you think and will make your stomach turn. Ten stars for this book, it is in the top three of anything I have read politically in the last few years. As good as Looming Towers? I think so, just as informative. A note to Richard Engel if he reads this, Thank you for the reporting!



5. I was enjoying this book until chapter 20, when it starts to become more political rant than factual account. Up until chapter 20, it was very engaging, educational and down to earth. But like most journalists, Engel is clearly a democrat and could only refrain from criticism of President Bush for so long. There were times I had to put the book down after chapter 20 because the tone had gotten so hostile and political.
   
   Engel does do an excellent job of detailing aspects about Iraq's internal politics which were very enlightening. But the big hole in his "its Bush's fault" line of reasoning is that had Saddam died of natural causes, we would be exactly where we are today. One could easily argue the United States only hastened the inevitable settling of suppressed Iraqi conflicts - but that obvious point is never explored. Of course, who really knows what was going on in Iraq before the war; no one really cared to cover it.
   
   An unfortunate byproduct of Engel's book is I that it made me more discouraged about the Middle East and Islam, and I'm not really sure that was his intent. As you approach the end of the book, it's kind of hard to have anything but loathing for the mindless violence of the area and the suffering it causes worldwide.

5 comments about Angela's Ashes: A Memoir.

1. I though Angela's Ashes was a good memoir of a family during World War II. My favorite character was Frank because it was fun to see him grow up, and see how he changed over the course of this book. I thought that Angela did as much as she could to try and get her family through World War II, and I thought she did a good job, considering the help she was receiving. My least favorite character was Malachy. Malachy was always drunk, and he would always waste away the family's money. I felt that he only thought about himself. Unfortunately, most people who are addicted to drugs only think out for themselves, because all they are thinking of is getting drugs for them. I would definitely recommend this book, and give it four stars. I would recommend Angela's Ashes to high school students because it does cover a serious issue and the humor might not be appropriate for younger students. Overall I think the book is a winner!



2. Was a gift for my daughter who rarely reads and she loves it. Read it through in a couple of days.



3. Frank McCourt chronicles the story of his life in the streets of Ireland, his family living a life of poverty and hard luck. Somehow, he is able to make what should be a bleak story uplifting with his wit, humor and straight-forward approach to telling a story. Sometimes he gives you TOO much of the story, things you would rather not have heard--but I guess this is because it is a memoir. There is a certain amount of haphazardness to his writings...there are many times where you have no clue where this is going. But, at other times, there is an effort to be sentimental about the few things he has in life, or the hope of better days ahead.
   
   An interesting style McCourt uses to write the book, where he virtually uses no punctuation during the many dialogue scenes. He also has many, many run-on, wordy, and obtuse sentences that would probably have one of his master's in school up in arms. It took me awhile to get used to this "rambling" kind of style, and, as an English major, it almost had ME up in arms, but actually, after reading the book, the pace of book quickens because of this style. There was enough of a compelling and engaging story to care too much about punctuation, or lack thereof.
   
   As far as content itself, McCourt's story was highly entertaining and somewhat touching. While the young Frank is at school, he meets one strict school master after another, and he deals with the peer pressure from some of his classmates. The young Frank tries to keep all of the disappointments and failures and embarrassments behind him by reminding himself that one day things will change for him in America. There are times when Frank goes to the library to escape the world, knowing that he can escape into a story: "It's lovely to know that the world can't interfere with the inside of your head." Frank also experiences some time in the hospital with fever and eye problems, and in his first visit he meets Patricia, a girl who teaches him poetry. When he gets separated from her for talking to her, it is one of Frank's saddest moments: "Nurses and nuns never think you know what they're talking about...You can't ask questions. You can't show you understand what the nurse said about Patricia Madigan, that she's going to die, and you can't show you want to cry over this girl who taught you a lovely poem which the nun says is bad." Frank also deals with the trials of being in a family with an alcoholic father who rarely comes up, spends up the family's earnings, and some other dysfunctional relatives. He keeps hope that one day things will change for the better.
   
   While the story is highly engaging, one thing that irked me was the abruptness of the ending. Without giving too much away, the memoir just seemingly ends without any deep moment or thought. The incident with Frank and the woman--- is that suppose to be some momentous or life-changing event? It seemed kind of stupid to end the book right there. It also made the book seem a little uneven; after all, here is Frank preaching about how he wants to help his family in the future, and then what does he go and do in the book's conclusion?
   
   Criticism aside, this is an enjoyable read, which I honestly didn't think would be possible based on what I had heard about the story. McCourt is able to intertwine humor and heart-break in a way I've never seen done before.



4. Frank McCourt has a way with words! His memoir of growing up poor in Ireland, with a drunk for a father and lazy, shiftless mother is written without malice. He and his brothers are left to their own devices to keep themselves fed, warm and clothed when Frank, the oldest is not even four years old. They live in a house where the main floor floods every year and they have to wade through the sewage to live in the remaining room upstairs until the water recedes. They grow so cold that they resort to tearing the walls apart for firewood. And yet his mother needs her cigarettes and his father needs his drink.
   
   Frank's tenacity and humor in the midst of such misery is his salvation. And it is what makes this memoir so poignant. His own parents and grandparents, neighbors and the Catholic church leave Frank and his brothers to their own devices for survival. And they survive! And go to America. And it's a true story.



5. "When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood."
   
   So begins ANGELA'S ASHES, Frank McCourt's amazing memoir of growing up in the direst poverty in Limerick, Ireland. The book opens in Brooklyn in 1935 when Frank, the eldest child, is only four. Frank's father, Malachy, has decided life in his native Ireland, hard as it may be, would be easier than life in Brooklyn. So, with his wife, Angela and their four surviving children - Frank, Malachy, and twins, Oliver and Eugene, (baby sister, Margaret has already died) - in tow, the McCourt family returns to Malachy's native Belfast.
   
   One might think the return of a family member who's been gone for years would be an occasion for rejoicing. But this is Belfast and war is brewing, and as the reader soon realizes, Malachy's family is far worse off than the citizens of Brooklyn. After spending only one night in his family's small home, Malachy, Angela, and their children are sent packing - to Limerick, the town where Angela grew up.
   
   Angela's family proves to be almost as unwelcoming as Malachy's, but the family does manage to find lodgings in "the lanes," a euphemism for the town's slums. And slums they are, make no mistake about that. There's no sanitary system to speak of, so the McCourt family finds summers and the almost unbearable stench almost as bad as winters when there's no coal to light the fire. The seemingly ever-present rain floods the McCourt's downstairs, forcing them to flee to the upstairs rooms, and the dampness of the River Shannon kills two more McCourt children and sends Frank to the hospital for months. Although heartbroken, the McCourt's accept their losses as simply their lot in a very, very difficult life.
   
   The Protestant Malachy is shunned in Catholic Ireland and his northern accent makes it almost impossible for him to find work. When he does, he "drinks" his wages in the form of pints at the local pub before even going home, leaving his younger children with nothing but sugar water and the older ones lucky to get a potato for their dinner. Christmases consisted of a sheep's head, which Angela obtained from local charities.
   
   ANGELA'S ASHES is a horrific, but beautifully written book, an episodic memoir rather than a traditionally plotted novel. This episodic quality however, takes nothing away from its ability to mesmerize and pull us into the world of pre-war Limerick. We sympathize with Frank as he endures a series of abusive teachers - until he finally encounters one who recognizes his intelligence. We empathize with him as he finds - then tragically loses - his first love. We chuckle (yes, chuckle, for ANGELA'S ASHES, grim as it is, contains humor aplenty) at his misplaced attempts to spread Catholicism, one of which provides quite possibly the book's funniest set piece.
   
   Young Frank, during one of his first jobs must deliver a telegram to a Mr. Harrington, an Englishman who's understandably distraught over the death of his wife, Ann. When Frank knocks on the Harrington's door, Harrington is already drunk and asks Frank to watch over Ann's body while he makes a quick trip to the local pub for reinforcements.
   
   Frank has obviously listened to his strict Catholic schoolmasters and he obviously cares about his fellow man. In a hilarious scene, Frank, not wanting Ann to suffer in hell because of her Protestantism, baptizes her a Catholic with sherry in place of holy water. Naturally, just as he's doing so, Harrington returns.
   
   While ANGELA'S ASHES is filled with tragedy, harrowing events, and the direst of poverty, it's also filled with dignity, compassion, and genuine wit. This wit is, I think, what raises the book from a superbly written memoir to a genuine masterpiece and classic. But even though the book sometimes elicits a chuckle, more often than not, it brings a tear. One of the most harrowing images, for me, at least, was that of an always-hungry Frank voraciously licking the newspaper that had held his Uncle Pat's fish and chips.
   
   Just as McCourt does a fine balancing act regarding humor and despair, he also balances his characterizations so our view of the persons who inhabit ANGELA'S ASHES is never one-sided. This is particularly true regarding Frank's father, Malachy. In the hands of a lesser author, Malachy could have become nothing more than exasperating and ineffectual, which, of course, he is. But McCourt also shows us his father's charming side as well. As irresponsible as Malachy is, he obviously loves his children, and it was their father, more often than not, who comforted his sons. It was Malachy who nurtured Frank's appetite for stories, giving him the tale of Cuchulain, Ireland's great savior, and the Angel on the Seventh Step, the being who brought two new babies, Michael and Alphonsus, to Angela. Perhaps, because of Malachy, Frank somehow finds the strength to endure and nurture his own dreams. ANGELA'S ASHES is, in many ways, a Cinderella story, a story of triumph, although at first glance, it would seem to be anything but. More than anything, though, ANGELA'S ASHES is a perfectly written, deeply moving book. Although filled with tragedy and despair, in the end, it's a glorious book, one that becomes a part of the reader and continues to grow within him years after the last page is turned.

5 comments about Searching for God Knows What.

1. I purchased this book because I was impressed with "Blue Like Jazz," Miller's preceding work. BLJ is meandering and not especially well organized, but as I read it, every 5 - 10 pages some incredible bit of wisdom and/or experience would explode off the page at me. (It's unusual for a young writer of contemporary Christian literature to "register" with a sixty-something person still trying to get a handle on God and spirituality.) Consequently, my copy of BLJ has MANY pages that have been dog-eared for future reference.
   
   However, as to "Searching For God..." no explosions at all, at least not for me. This one reads more like someone thinking aloud on paper, with no real focus or direction. "...for God Knows What" is a pretty descriptive title.



2. I loved the way Donald Miller thinks. He is good at laughing at himself and us in our ways of seaching for the divine.



3. The basic thesis of Miller's book is that Christianity should not be reduced to a set of principles, regardless of how true, necessary or helpful they might be, as to do so detracts from the relationship with God that is central in the Scriptures and thus by far more important. He examines the relational aspect to Christianity from various angles using real life examples that drive the point home all the more because they are situations most readers today would have experienced either first-hand or second-hand at some or other point in their lives. Miller answers the question, What Do we Really Want?, in the light of his own rejection of the small god of his fundamentalist background...he uncovers the passionate and personal Person of God by looking at the Fall of Man in a very real and heart-wrenching manner by comparing God's reaction to Adam and Eve's sin to the reaction of his friend who overheard his wife tell another man how much she loved him. Miller's disarming manner brings new meaning to old truths and challenges the reader to re-examine his own relationship with a God Who is real and not the boxed-in god our formulas have made him to be. His discussion on the five-fold stress on "nakedness" in Genesis 1-3 is an excellent example of this. He suggests that the reason we all have various forms of insecurities and a need for external affirmation is because of the Fall. Man was made to gain security from God and once that relationship is marred, Man begins to look elsewhere to fill the vacuum created by the absence. This is perhaps the most valuable part of the entire book as it addresses a major need in today's society...that the hole we keep trying to fill with stuff can only be truly filled by God. Only in Him can we find true fulfillment and contentment and security and cease to feel ashamed due to the realization of our "nakedness". This relationship, Miller argues, can only be begun and continued once the reader falls in love with Jesus, rather than trying to relate to Him via some form of recipe. Loving God and knowing that we are loved by Him, and that we gain our value and self-worth by this relationship of love, will set us free to be able to love as God loves without feeling the need for barriers to protect and defend us from attack caused by rendering ourselves vulnerable. Miller also tackles the thorny issue of the overly politicized Church...and argues that if we left the fight for the political future of the country and rather concentrated on the battle for the hearts and souls of the lost, the Church would flourish and the Kingdom of God would grow...this is something I feel needs to be said over and over again. Change will not come by means of political power - it never has. This was the same mistake the 1st Century Jews made in their thoughts regarding the Messiah...they wanted a political figure coming in power and might. No, change must come through relationships as one heart is won for Jesus at a time. In the final chapter, he uses the balcony and death scenes from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to demonstrate his thesis that to follow Jesus is more like falling in love rather than baking cookies. This is a book that is potentially life-changing and should be read by all Christians who are serious about living out their Christianity before a world that has become weary and suspicious of neatly pre-packaged reasons and recipes for following Jesus. I have highly recommended this book to my parishioners and others because it challenges the way in which we relate to a God we have all too often confined to a box of our own making. Miller exhorts us to look beyond our formulas to truly meet the God Who is there and here and Who desires to be known for Who He is and not what He is.



4. I thoroughly enjoyed this book after reading Miller's "Blue Lke Jazz." Coming to faith almost two years ago I've discovered that there's a Christian culture that gets you sucked in, allowing you to miss Jesus. The sad part is that, you can stay and just be a "friend" of Jesus. But to be fully mature and to experience His fullness Jesus MUST be the center of our walk and not judgment fear or religion. It is the relationship that brings us close to Christ and knowing Him in a more intimate fashion. These books have helped along with a study in revival in taking another step higher rather than walking the same line. This is an excellent read and I recommend it!!



5. What a refreshing view of Christianity! I love Miller's offbeat way of sharing the truth through stories and observations. (He doesn't speak "Christianese".) This book showed me and reminded me of whom Jesus is and was, not the version that was taught in Sunday School. Today's Christianity has missed the boat on some things and Miller reminds us of this. A timely, modern reminder not to be the Pharasees we read about in scripture. Please read this as a poignant reminder of how we need to show the real Jesus to the world. My 19 year old son is now reading it. Pass these truths around and watch the climate change.

5 comments about Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil.

1. This is a quick read, and it is interesting. However, I never really liked the author, and it seems irresponsible for her to divulge so many details about the lives of her students.



2. Just finished reading this with my book club. Creating a beauty school in Kabul is so uniquely feminine in a male dominated environment. It's like listening to men in the barbershop, lots of lies and exaggerations but women in beauty shops talk not of the conquests (sports or the bedroom) but of pain and paybacks (to men and other women). Read it with "A Thousand Splendid Suns" (horribly lovely). One gets a flavor of life in Afghanistan relative to the shoeleather scaring of the recent invasions (Russian, USA, Taliban,etc.). The women in both books are incredibly strong (suns behind the wall). I am not sure if it is tradition that makes them such equisite problem-solvers or men and their notions of their 'role'. Ms. Rodriquez' experiences are appealing as she presents the lives of the more 'priviledged' women of Kabul and their challenges. If she were an Afghani woman, I fear she would not have been alive to write this "People Magazine" chronicle of the women's lives through this American Lens. However, much of this swiss cheese of a story is true (lot of stuff left out - like what happens to her husbands and her son, Noah, after agreeing to marry a girl in Afghanistan) and my general conflict is whether I should condemn or seek to understand. Quite an interesting read, no doubt. One does wonder about the effect of exposing the Afghani Sisters' secrets. Our book club meeting talked much about the 'ethics' of exposing these expereinces.



3. When I started reading this book, I was surprised to learn that the author is from my hometown in Michigan (I moved cross-country two decades ago, but still visit once a year). So, from the get-go I was extra curious about Debbie's story. At first glance, I thought the book was fascinating, and I admired the author's tenacity and heart. I didn't mind her writing style (I thought that was part of the charm), and I gave her ditzy personality a lot of latitude because I figured, at the end of the day, her efforts were having a positive impact. Naively, I assumed that Debbie had the Kabul women's best interests at heart... even though she chose to reveal "secrets" and privileged information about her beauty school students and peers. But, post-book, as I've learned more about the story (with a good bit of googling), my curiosity and fascination with the book has been replaced by sadness and disappointment. A recent (June 2008) article in the Chicago Tribune tells how the story has unfolded, or unraveled, since the book's been published... and it ain't pretty. Since she's a hometown girl, I still want to believe that Debbie's intentions have always been above board... but, either way, it's had a devastating impact on the women left behind in Kabul. Debbie's gotten some degree of glory, but her Kabul "sisters" are paying the price, and having to do it all by themselves. Very, very sad.



4. For all of the critics who are complaining that this book is just some book written by some dumb American bla bla bla...Well, to me, as an American, I liked the fact that it was written and filtered by her point of view. Additionally, she didn't try to hide the fact that she was coming into this situation from a very different culture; she admitted her cultural differences and wore them on her sleeve. If she would have refused to do this her book would have been phony. Perhaps some of you pseudo-liberals would have preferred her to pretend like she was some super culturally sensitive American (which is what you would have done, right) that was cool with how they treat women (rape, arranged marriages, sexual harassment, etc.) After all, we have to be culturally sensitive. No, that's not the way it works. I am a true liberal and it ticks me off when "liberals" don't allow for the criticism of other cultures when it involves HUMAN RIGHTS. Yes, lot's of the things she said were tough to hear, but for all of you complaining that she was not 'sensitive enough to the culture' I personally think that is B.S. Why don't you try to live in Kabul for one month. I challenge you. You probably wouldn't make it as you are used to all of the rights (especially you women) we take for granted here in America.



5. A look at the lives of women in Afghanistan through the eyes of a beauty school (mainly hairdressing and some beauty salon treatments).
   
   Deborah Rodriguez first went as a volunteer with a small non-profit organization and she realized the huge demands for a Western hairdressers in that country . So she gave up her time to train Afghan women to get a career and able to support themselves and their families.
   
   Afghanistan women were not treated as equal to the men and their opportunities were limited. The students own stories all so different and interesting. Deborah Rodriguez involved herself to try to help or fix extremely difficult problems these women were experiencing. She really pushed the boundaries.
   
   Narrator in Audio is brilliant. Highly recommend this on audio.

5 comments about How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale.

1. THE BOOK WAS REALLY GOOD AND IN GREAT CONDITION. SHIPPING WAS SLOW FOR THE AMOUNT. BOOK WAS DELIVERED SOMEWHERE ELSE. CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS GREAT, ISSUED A NEW BOOK AND RECEIVED IT THE VERY NEXT DAY.



2. When searching for Jenna Bush's books this book is listed in the Bush bibliography. Perhaps it should be listed in an annotated bibliography of the Clintons?
   
   When you enter Jenna Bush and Laura Bush's names, why is Jenna Jameson's name referenced? Sorting can be more finely discriminated.
   
   I suggest moving this author and book to another listing.



3. Parts of this book were interesting. Others bored me beyond belief (the chats where she, her father, and brother reminisce were AWFUL). The pictures are beautiful. (Wow, this girl is photogenic!)
   
   Thing is, I really wanted to like her. I wanted her to be different than the stereotypical problem child turned porn star, but she isn't. As much as she talks tough in interviews this book is proof that she is just a victim.
   
   Bottom line, if you're a fan of Jenna already, then buy this book. If you are not a fan, but are curious about her life, then borrow the book from a friend or from a library and don't waste your money.



4. This book is actually REALLY interesting. I found that I enjoyed it more than I expected as it not only tells the story of her life but also how she got to where she is now - she's a pretty saavy businesswoman. It's a mixture of humor and drama.
   There are lots of pictures in the book to chronical her life; the ones with any kind of nudity are blurred out.
   I've read it twice now and found that it was just as interesting the second time around. Also, once everybody finds out you have it, they'll want to borrow it!



5. Jenna has had a colorful life and her story is written by the great author Neil Strauss. I would definately recommend this book to anyone who wants to read something new and fun.

5 comments about The Heavenly Man: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun.

1. 
   This book is amazing, and we bought three copies of it. We never have a copy because we keep lending it out to people. I look foward to the next book.



2. The Heavenly Man is one of the best books I have read. It really made me think about how weak my faith is and what God really expects out of us. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a closer walk with God.



3. After reading this book you'll understand why some believe that Asia may become the next center of Christianity. With the West becoming more secular and morally bankrupt, God is moving in China to spread the Gospel. Who would have thought that Korea, formerly a primarily Buddhist country, would become a Christian nation that sends out multitudes of missionaries? In the same way, God is using the Chinese house churches to spread the Gospel not only throughout China but also throughout the rest of Asia and beyond. The story of Brother Yun shows how the Gospel began to grow in China under persecution. This is inspiring and motivating. However, it was hard to relate the sold-out Christianity of the Chinese house churches to the soft, laissez-faire Christianity we know in the West. May God bring revival not only throughout Asia but also to the West.



4. A little over a year ago, I read Randy Alcorn's novel, "Safely Home." And it was based on Chinese Christians and the persecution they might go through in China. And my first thought was how rough that has to really be. Being a master storyteller, Randy Alcorn barely scratched the surface, and he could've really gone deep. After my dad read "Safely Home," he found this book, "The Heavenly Man," and basically told me, "You've got to read this! This is amazing!" If you think you're some kind of victim just because you've been made fun of for your Christian faith, wake up! Christians like Brother Yun know something about suffering, and how to rejoice in the process. HUH? Read on!
   
   And this really is nothing short of amazing. Brother Yun started preaching at the age of 16. Like in Alcorn's book, there are church house meetings. And the Chinese government hates Christians, and has ways of dealing with them. So for those of us who have these ideas of being a simple POW with just a few beatings, it goes a lot further than that. The torture that Brother Yun suffered is nuts! And this guy can rejoice and witness to his cell mates about the glory of God. Seeing miracles, and experiencing them, and you'd have to be crazy not to believe in God.
   
   Yun makes it clear that when we are in God's will, God has us exactly where He wants us. It is a reminder to stay in the will of God and to keep focused on the reward God has for us. And being in God's will means to be ready for everything God has for us here on Earth. That means that we'll probably do some suffering, and that we will bear our own cross.
   
   Would anybody line up for the testimony of Brother Yun? All I can say is WOW! This is an amazing life. A true eye opener!



5. I loved what Brother Yun said when he said "Chinese Christians are persecuted by beatings and execution and Western Christians are persecuted by slander." The book really make you look at your walk with Christ. The book was well written and keep my attention.

5 comments about The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage.

1. Like so many Americans, I am an enormous admirer of Abraham Lincoln. I have dipped into other biographies of this extraordinary man, but found myself at times distracted by the myriad details of political and military events. This biography, on the other hand, I could not put down. Through his exquisite prose, astute insights, and meticulous research, Epstein illuminates the complex relationship between Abe and Mary Lincoln. Epstein brings his sensibilities and intuition as a poet to this marvelous and very readable work. He tenderly recounts the details of the courtship of this fascinating couple, their early married days, and their lives together in Springfield, Illinois and the White House. He tells the story of a marriage that started out with great love and passion, but became crushed under the enormous losses and pressures suffered by both. Epstein helps us to understand the intense bond between the two that endured most of their lives, despite their very different temperaments, values and morals. How fortunate we the readers are to have this intimate glimpse into the real makeup of the Lincolns' marriage.



2. This book has a most intriguing look at the Lincolns as human beings. The Lincolns certainly seem more realistically portrayed in this book than in previous works. Daniel Mark Epstein provides his readers with both a new angle on the Lincolns as well as plenty of information to back up most of his assertions. However, Epstein does have a tendency every now and then to make assertions about the Lincoln's private life than the sources actually reveal. Although this does dampen the book's overall quality, it still makes for a fascinating read.



3. Mr. Epstein writes a very personal portrayal of the marriage of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd. His book is easy reading for a historical book, and the author chooses not to burden the reader with voluminous footnotes in the text, but rather lists each quote and source in the appendix by chapter. The book is perhaps the finest and best researched exposition of the character of the Lincoln's marriage.
   
   Epstein does a wonderful job of illustrating how good the Lincoln's marriage really was, as far as their compatibility and closeness. They both loved poetry and they both loved politics. Almost all the strategy and speeches that Lincoln made prior to his run for the Presidency were at the very least, run by Mary before he made his presentation. Mary gave critical and helpful advice on the substance and tone of his speeches. In addition, the Lincoln's were very affectionate toward each other. Mr. Epstein actually points out that it was the practice of the Lincoln's to make love to each other every night. This active love life continued until the birth of Mary's last child, Tad, whose head which was very large at birth, seriously damaged her birth canal and made sex difficult and painful from that point onward.
   
   In addition, the author does an excellent job of illustrating the serious `mood disorder' that seems to have afflicted Mary throughout her life, and which increased in severity as she grew older. There are numerous stories all through their life together of this erratic behavior which are mentioned in the literature of historians and well presented in this book. By the time Lincoln won the Whitehouse, Mary's moods were so erratic, that it led John Hay, one of two main secretary/assistants that Lincoln had as President, to refer to Mary as "The Hellcat." Her rage could be released at the slightest incident and her jealousy was enormous.
   
   Overall, the book does a wonderful job of explaining and portraying the marriage and how Lincoln interacted with his wife Mary all through his marriage to her. It is a must read book for those readers interested in Lincoln and his administration. In addition, it is a wonderful read for any reader who has interest in a deeply personal rendering of the inner life of perhaps the best remembered American President. It comes highly recommended.



4. Mr. Epstein has given us an intimate look into one of the most captivating political marriages in US history. It is beautifully researched and is told with the sensitivity of a poet. Not since Lash's Eleanor and Franklin have I enjoyed a book of this nature so much. It has the backbone of a text book and the soul of a novel.



5. There is a review in this week's THE WEEK magazine, calling Epstein's book 'maybe the best Lincoln book in a generation.' I know that Abe Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln have had many biographers, but I can't recall a biography (like this one) that felt so compelling. It was literally 'hard to put down.' Epstein has given us a unique perspective on a pivotal portion of the nation's history, and done so with nuance and heart. This is, flat out, one of the best books I've read in the past few years.
   
   Don Mayer
   Denver, Colorado

5 comments about Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books.

1. This is an extremely important book because it gives the women of Iran a voice, and one that has been heard around the world. This book is many things: a discussion of English literature, a memoir, a history of the last 30 years in Iran, and more. It is especially worthwhile for those interested in women's issues, Iran, and literature. Just a word of warning--for those not familiar with the writings of Jane Austen, Nabokov, Henry James, or Fitzgerald--parts of this book may not make much sense. May there be freedom and democracy one day in Iran.



2. I avoided this book for fear of voyeurism. Abuse of children, or the artful justification of it in even an attenuated form, is not something I want to encourage, and I assumed the point of the title was, ¨How paradoxical to be reading something so naughty with veils over our faces!¨
   
   Fortunately that was wrong. Nafisi seems rather to be using a story about the exploitation of one girl, as a literary doorway into a society in which all girls are treated badly. That was what I was hoping for, in finally picking up the CD of this book (which I listened to while driving through Amish country in Ohio!) -- to learn more about life in Iran from a sensitive critic of the regime.
   
   Overall, the book is good enough. Nafisi's descriptions of her students, and the other characters, are acute. You do come to understand what life is like for women in the most radical Islamic countries -- at least for women educated to think like Westerners.
   
   But at the same time, I didn't always get the feeling of getting inside the thought processes of another culture, here. Nafisi does not always seem to mediate a general view of life for women in Iran, but more of ¨what an American forced to live among Islamic Leninists¨ (see Naipaul) would feel. Her description of Islam is so uniformly negative, one does not much get inside the head of its proponents -- unlike with Naipaul.
   
   My other complaint was that the book dragged at times. The author has descriptive talent, but sometimes lets it get away from her. Sometimes Nafisi gives the readers too much interior dialogue -- read with a rather gloomy seriousness, in the CD version.
   
   All in all, while good, I'd probably prefer a shorter version of this book. Maybe a printed version, which one can skip forward at times, would in this case be preferable.



3. The author was a specialist for Western literature in the Iran of the Islamic Republic. That was of course a no-no and she lost her university job in 1995. Before finally emigrating to the US (where she is now probably a suspect as a sleeper of some kind), she did a remarkably courageous thing: she continued teaching girls in English language literature at home for two more years. The main message of the book is the story of the lessons and of the fate of the girls in a country that has gone back dramatically in civic freedoms.
   I was reminded of this book, which I read a few years ago, by the discussions after I posted reviews of the novel and the first film Lolita. I realized that there are more interpretations of Lolita, the novel, than was mentioned in the discussion. For the group of women who read the book in Tehran, what was in the forefront was that somebody who has been forced to be with somebody that she didn't want to be with, can rise up and escape.
   In a way though, Lolita is not really the main subject of the study group. The book ought to have been called Reading the Great Gatsby in Tehran or reading Jane Austen. Both take a lot more space. Obviously the title was chosen by marketing criteria. The title with Lolita sounds more interesting and it has a much better rhythm.
   I am as often puzzled by the reactions here in Amazon. Where do all the negative reviews come from? Does the Iran have a fifth column of literate people who can write reviews?



4. Having traveled in the Middle East this summer I looked forward to reading this book and learning more about Iranian history and society. Unfortunately I gave up about halfway through. My list of complaints is long: Nafisi's writing is terrible and in desperate need of an editor. She recalls lengthy conversations verbatim, ad nauseam. She somehow always comes out being right during the many arguments she has throughout the memoir. The characters are one-dimensional, particularly the men. Her book group (which I foolishly assumed the book was about) disappears and re-appears in a disjointed manner; I never came to care for any of the group's members as they were portrayed. Her comparison of Nabatov's Lolita to the plight of these women is baffling. Most frustrating of all is English Professor Nafisi's manner of shooting down anyone who disagrees with her INTERPRETATION of literature. No, actually, most frustrating of all is knowing that this book became a best-seller and Nafisi received great accolades for it.



5. Azar Nafisi was the right person (an intellectual and writer) who was in the right place (Tehran University) at the wrong time (The Iranian Revolution). Having lived in both America and in Iran, she was in unusual position of teaching American Literature at a time in Iranian history when America was demonized as the Great Satan. In soft and exquisitely-recalled detail, she describes her professional struggle to keep her class interested in Western works like Nabokov's "Lolita" and Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." Her struggle was to remain true to the meaning of the texts at a time when even leftist and secular students saw these works as evidence of Western decadence. Her personal struggles are also detailed, notably her attempts to remain free of the veil at a time when armed thugs and armed government morality squads roamed the streets.
   Nafisi's eventual departure from the university prompts her to hold class in her own home for interested students, mostly women. These students come from all over the political and religious spectrum, but are united in their love of literature. Nafisi and her students find themselves drawn into a relationship that touches on their personal lives, proving again the transformative power of literature in even the least hospital climates.
   The voice of Nafisi is quiet, deliberate, thoughtful, lyrical and courageous. More headstrong as a young woman, her defiance of government oppression and terror is more measured, but no less strong. But "Reading Lolita in Tehran" is far more than a memoir one woman's experience under a brutal regime. As she details the conversations and arguments that break out inside her classroom, we become more than spectators. We too are in attendance and begin to appreciate the depths that her favorite authors -- Austen, James, Nabokov, Twain and Fitzgerald -- are able to plumb in their novels. Nafisi's skill in drilling down to the bedrock values of these stories, even to the point of finding commonalities between the American novels and the Iranian experience, is surprising and seems all but inevitable.
   In spite of its length, I found this book very engaging. The occasional scholarly reflections were often staged as lively discussions among characters, even a scene in which a book was put on trial. A wonderful read for those who love literature and who would like a peek into the darkest years of the Khomeini-led Iranian revolution.

5 comments about Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany (Vintage).

1. The book is boring, and what is worst, the author is always making racist comments. Very disappointing.Don't bother reading this book.



2. Bill Buford writes a highly entertaining book. Heat is good for 3 reasons.
   
   One, Bill is humble. It's very easy to forget that the author was an editor for the New Yorker. It's also very easy to forget how successful/famous Mario Batali and his restaurants are; which is for whom and where Bill worked. These facts seem to disappear because the author is so humble. This makes him appear more human and allows the reader to connect with him more easily.
   
   Two, he's extremely self-deprecating. After working at Babbo for a few months he described his role as the, "kitchen bitch, cleaning the kitchen's bitch." Little quotes like this speed the book along.
   
   Three, he's passionate. Bill Buford loves food. He loves learning about it, preparing it and most of all the timeless tradition of eating it. Whenever he's describing something food related his excitement begins to permeate through his writing.
   
   Together these points make Heat a very entertaining book that is difficult to put down.
   
   A note to all the foodies - you may be disappointed by this book. This book is more about the journey than it is about the food.



3. This is a very fun book. It is especially fun for those of us who have worked in restaurants. The literary images of poor Mr. Buford being thrown to the fire--quite literally--is a delightful ride. It is a foodie's paradise and a self-deprecating memoir of the author's offbeat culinary education (at a somewhat mature age).



4. In reading through the 1 star reviews, I'm awfully confused. There's not much "foul" language, particularly if you contrast it with Bourdain's books. I'm 7/8 of the way through and can't think of anything other than a very few sprinkled f-bombs at all. For the folks who complain about the lack of an in-depth look at French food and life in France - well, its title is pretty much the major clue - pasta and Tuscany don't scream French cuisine. I'm constantly amazed at people's ability to complain. That said, I enjoyed it but it's not a great book. It offers one person's experiences in a celebrity driven kitchen (I've never watched Mario Batali on TV and I am less likely to now) and in some other settings. I never caught his passion for cooking - it seemed more like an adventure so he would have something to write about than an adventure of his life.



5. Anyone who has ever worked at a continental-style restaurant should read this book.
   
   I picked up "Heat" in the interests of reliving my experiences in two continental restaurants, run by two totally different-in-temperament chefs, one Austrian, one Swiss. Neither one embodies quite the insanity exhibited by Mario Batali, the owner/operator of Babbo in New York City,and known via TV as The Iron Chef. I must confess I have never watched The Iron Chef, although I have heard of him; but most of what goes on here does not impact him in that show.
   
   Mr Buford, who seems to have had an open-ended commitment with his real job at the New York Times, decides upon interviewing and further visiting with Mario Batali, that he would like to apprentice to him, to learn the art of Italian cooking. Mr Buford knows just enough about cooking to get into trouble, and it doesn't take long for him to do so when he arrives at Babbo to begin his apprenticeship. I found myself nodding my head at the things that happened to him; I recognized all the personalities in the restaurant, all the petty jealousies, all the various traumas that go on in a busy, popular restaurant on a weekend night. Mr Buford's traverse through the stages of hierarchy was entertaining to say the least. Some things that went on there made me cringe; I'm pretty sure some of the things Mr Buford reported have never occurred at the restaurants I worked at, but it's possible; I was never on the line, but my chefs were nowhere near Mario Batali in style or performance either. (And I mean that in a good way; the man is clearly nuts.)
   
   My favourite part of the book, however, was when Mr Buford, in the interests of furthering his education as a butcher, went to Italy to study under Dario Cecchini in Tuscany (further indication that Mr Buford has ample funds stored up to entertain these conceits about becoming a chef, as it seems apparent that he wasn't earning anything in Italy either). His style of writing made the little hill town where he was very vivid in my mind; the personalities he encountered were highly likable; and overall I wanted to pack up and go over there for a protracted visit myself. It didn't make me any more enamoured of pigs or their products (I only had to find out what pancetta was to know I didn't need it in my diet), but I was greatly entertained by his excursion over there and, having long wanted to visit Tuscany, it just makes me want to go there even more.
   
   Mr Buford is a thorough examiner of his environment, and I felt like I knew everyone he worked with afterwards. The joy of food, the joy of the preparation of food (or not), is clear throughout the book, and while I found hilarity within it, I also found great insight in the entire restaurant experience, from cooking to management. I'm not sure I could work with Mr Batali, but I have a greater insight into the world of food preparation for the public, on all levels. A very entertaining book. I felt like I had a pretty good education in the topic at the end of it.

5 comments about The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts.

1. The Chris Farley Show is basically his brother Tom and a bunch Chris' closest work, high school, and college friends talking about their experiences with Farley.
   
   The book is broken up into three "acts", the first is about Chris as a youth and how he became an aspiring comedian, the second is about making it to Second City and eventually SNL and then to his feature films and the last act is about Chris' demise.
   
   The book is almost overwhelmingly (70-80%) about Chris' addictions and demons. He was in and out of probably every rehab center in America but could never truly stay clean.
   
   I am a huge Chris Farley fan and love all of his work, he was truly a great talent and by all accounts a very generous and caring individual. He was also extremely insecure and riddled by almost every addiction known to man (overeating, alcoholism, drug use, obsessive compulsive disorder).
   
   Anywho, this was a quick read at 330 pages mainly because it's set up like reading a movie script. Each person opines about a given topic and then the next jumps in. There are a lot of celebrity memories in this book from SNL Alums including Chevy Chase, Tim Meadows, David Spade, Alec Baldwin and so forth.
   
   The best parts of The Chris Farley Show were when his friends would reminisce about the funny pranks that Farley use to pull as a kid, such as eating a box of white tic-tacs and then banging his mouth on a church pew and spitting the tic-tacs out like they were his teeth! or every time a pretty girl would walk by Chris would get down in the push-up position and start counting 198, 199, 200. It was the little things in this book that made it a good read.
   
   The Bottom Line: Everyone knows Chris' story but few knew the man and after reading this book you will have a bit more insight into how great of a person and talent we lost.
   
   Highly Recommended for even casual Farley fans



2. I tore through this book. Like the history of Saturday Night Live called "Live from New York" this is an oral biography of Chris Farley (interestingly, in this book the "Live from New York" book takes a pretty harsh hit from someone claiming he was misquoted in the SNL history). The oral format worked for me. As Tom wrote in the introduction, Chris Farley lived the type of life where all his friends had "Chris stories."
   
   This book, like its subject's life, is funny, revealing, touching, maddening and ultimately tragic. There is a period in Chris' life where he really had his stuff together he was on top of the world and I was unaware of that. I was not prepared to for the Chris Farley that was sober and on top of things and brightening the world around him. That high period in his life makes his ending all the more depressing. Especially since it really seemed he was going to keep his addictions down and go on to break out from the "fat guy falls down" comedy and truly make something great one day.
   
   What surprised me was the unanimous love for Chris by everyone that is interviewed. Surely they could have found someone out there that knew Chris that thought he was a jerk? Even at his most outrageous he could still find a way to make people love him. To me, that's another tragedy of his life. He was greatly loved and it seems he really didn't see it or, if he did see it, feel he deserved it.
   
   It's also impressive for the honesty of all those interviewed. Sure, they all loved Chris but they do not airbrush his faults. Even some of things that made him endearing could become a pain in the behind if a schtick was carried on too long. His drinking, his drug use, his rehab and the problems of and caused by his family are all addressed here. It's an honest book and in a biography, that is all that you can really hope for.



3. Who would have expected Chris Farley to be such a loving man? A devastating story that will seduce those who even hold just a passing interest in Farley's work. The question is, why did we have to wait so long for his story to be told?



4. I'm nearly finished with this book and am at the point were the book is getting depressing. This book chronicles the life and times of Chris Farley, through the hilarious, through the heartwarming, through the"Wow, I never knew Chris Farley was like this", through his final days. It is an absolute MUST READ for anyone. Wether you are interested in Chris or not, It is an amazing story that tragically came to an end way way to early.Tom Farley and Tanner Colby did amazing jobs making this book. I have to personally thank each and everyone who wrote this book because it is a wonderful read.
   
   Just finished the book and once again am glad I bought this book. This book touched me because my best friend died last year in a similar way. You see it coming and then its too late. I know how these people feel because I feel it for not only Chris Farley, but for my best friend...
   Maybe you can show this book to someone close to you with a similar disease and help them help themselves before they are gone.



5. This book had me laughing and crying. It really helps you understand the man who made us laugh, when deep down inside he was crying.