5 comments about Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir.

1. In Natalie Goldberg's new book, Old Friend from Far Away, the theme is in its subtitle: The Practice of Writing Memoir. Best known for her seminal book, Writing Down the Bones, Goldberg once again preaches the dogma of PRACTICE... Ten minutes of freehand writing on any topic. Just get it down.
   
   This is not a book about how to put together a memoir, what topics to write about, or how to publish. Plenty of other memoir-writing books cover those topics. Goldberg is 100% cheerleader--reminding us over and over to "Shut Up and Write" because what we have to say is fleeting and so important. There are no great answers for who we are; don't wait for them. Pick up the pen and right now, in ten furious minutes, tell the story of your life. I'm not kidding. Ten minutes of continuous writing is much more expedient than ten years of musing and getting nowhere.
   
   Natalie Goldberg is first and foremost a poet, so you can expect the pages to drip with delicious imagery. She is particularly adept at food analogies:
   
   "Memoir gives you the ability to plop down like the puddle that forms and spreads from the shattering of a glass of milk on the kitchen floor."
   
   "You crack open sentences, like egg shells letting the bright yellow, the clear white, in all its unorderliness, fall out."
   
   The author advises us to jump in wherever we like; this is not a book to be read from front to back. In fact, she wants us to WRITE our way through the pages in whatever order we desire. And because life is not linear, you want to approach writing memoir sideways, using the deepest kind of thinking to sort through the layers. You want reflection to discover what the real connections are.
   
   If you want to dive in and find exactly the inspiration you need, she provides advice in an index of phrases--a great place to start.
   
   "Go for the jugular."
   "Don't try to make it pretty."
   "Trust your insides to lead you."
   
   If you want to read some great memoirs, Goldberg provides a list of her favorites (and some of mine), including: Anne Lamott, Mary Karr, Maxine Hong Kingston. She features an eclectic mix of memoirists within her text from James Baldwin and Zora Neale Hurston to Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsburg.
   
   If you are already an old friend of Goldberg, you will find comfort in her newest tome. If you are new to her work, you are in for a juicy treat.
   
   by Karen Ryan
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



2. Of what I have read so far, I really enjoy Ms. Goldberg's writing. Very down to earth and frank.



3. That's How the Light Gets In: Memoir of a Psychiatrist by Susan Rako, M.D. The title comes from a song by Leonard Cohen: "There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Rako's book is inspiring, fascinating, remarkably candid, and brilliantly well-written. The writing just flows.



4. This is classic Natalie Goldberg. I have read most of her work and was not disappointed by her latest look into the heart of writing...specifically a memoir. She is the kind of writer you can and must read over and over again, not only if you aspire to write, but if you aspire to live your life well.



5. Natalie Goldberg has done it again! As a teacher of fiction and memoir, I recommend this book to all memoir writers. Natalie has prompts that will intrigue and spur writers to put pen in hand or fingers to the keyboard.
   
   By using these prompts, you can't do anything BUT write.
   
   Catherine Alexander
   Author and Instructor

5 comments about The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (Modern Library Paperbacks).

1. While the debate over the who the best president was, you could put Theodore Roosevelt on the top of the list. Genuine, Respected, Hard Working and an inteltual. One of the smartest to hold the office next to Thomas Jefferson.
   
   His talent far out way what he did in office and he only wanted the best for the country. After the book was writen, he earned the Medal of Honor and has been give many tributes such as his likeness at Mount Rushmore along the other great presidents.
   
   This book shows Roosevelts life in it's entirety and with great passion. One of the best biographies I have experienced in many years.



2. Excellent and highly entertaining book. Arguably the greatest President in US history. Reading this makes you realize some people are truly born to do great things and make a true and profound difference in this world....Theodore Roosevelt without a doubt is one of these people. If there was any way we can make TR reappear today and take over the country I'd do it in a heartbeat. We need someone like him today...unfortunately we don't and it's painfully obvious there's no one like him on the horizon either. I know this book pertains to his life before he takes office, but the seeds of those years are sewn here..A++++



3. I knew little of TR's life prior to reading this book, but having read it, I feel like I have a very good understanding of the man. In this thoroughly researched book, you are treated to every struggle TR had, starting with his battle with asthma and continuing through his political battles. The man loved a challenge and if he didn't have one, he created one. Love him or hate him, he was a fascinating man, and this biography does justice to his life. Once I started the book, I couldn't put it down.



4. What a tremendous biography, or actually one third of a biography, as this is the first of a projected three volumne work. It is hard to imagine someone having a career like this today, although to be fair to our own times, Teddy Roosevelt was a dynamo by the standards of his own era as well.
   
   The books only covers Roosevelt's life up until he becomes president, but because of Roosevelt's statue, drive and intellect, and Morris' thorough research, expert analysis and superb writing, it is also a very exciting view into America in the second half of the 19th century. A total of 700 pages and at the end I could not wait to start the next volume, Theodore Rex (Modern Library Paperbacks)



5. I could not put it down. A wonderfully written book about an exciting president, with great photos included. I enjoyed it so much, that I started the sequel, Theodore Rex, immediately after finishing. I recommend it highly.

5 comments about The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness.

1. I was so moved by Dr. Saks story, I couldn't put this book down. She is so brave to write her life's story and risk so much. Despite all her challenges, she is extremely accomplished as well as hopeful, courageous, honest, resilient, sensitive and generous. She exposes the mental health system in this country and compares it to England's. Every word in the book is meaningful. Dr Saks tells the story in a clear, precise, and simple to understand way. I found Elyn an inspirational role model. I have recommended this book to many relatives and friends. I even bought it as a gift for close relatives. I hope one day to meet her.



2. This was a great story of one womans struggle with coming to terms with mental illness and trying to maintain her life. It was both encouraging that she was able to finally overcome the illness to create a successful career and personal life, and at the same time discouraging that it took her over 15 years of struggle and denial to do so.



3. Excellent book! Gives a better understanding of what goes on in the mind of a schizophrenic; thus helping others be more compassionate and less judgmental.



4. Ms. Saks uses poignant analogies and metaphors to really drive home what it feels like to be mentally ill. She is obviously a tireless advocate for those among us who are unable to represent themselves, or defend themselves in some cases. It was scary, but identifiable in a way. She did come off as a bit self-centered and childish in some instances, like when she would describe how she would run home and hide and cry and have a psychotic break if a professor or colleague didn't do back flips over how great her work was. But overall it was a good read.



5. We often associate mental disorders with people who cannot function in life. Getting this insight from a person who is not only very intelligent but able to live a productive life provides the reader with a new outlook and understanding of this disruptive disorder. In addition it is well written and keeps your attention from beginning to end.

5 comments about Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division.

1. This was a rather matter of fact book which takes you through a timeline of Ian Curtis's short life from Deborah's perspective with some well chosen quotes from others. "Touching from a Distance" is a most appropriate title as I felt that Deborah really only touched lightly on her feelings, maintaining her privacey and a distance from the reader. I was expecting a 'deeper' read and as such this is not a book that will draw you into the 'characters'. . I assumed that, being written by Ian's life partner, it would make the book stand apart from other biographies but this was not so. However, Deborah's writing style is adept and the short sharp additions of details regarding Ian's personality quirks etc were welcome. A good third of the book (at the end) is made up of song lyrics and concert dates etc so be prepared for an ending that comes much sooner than expected (no pun intended). There is not much foray into how those left behind continued on without him.
   Unexpectedly, this book really highlights how expectations of marriage and partnership have shifted over the years - it's an interesting social study in this sense.
   This is a book worth reading but really only for fans.



2. Excellent book.... also in excellent condition.. will get more books from here more...



3. When I was a suicidal teenager, my favorite band was Joy Division. There was something so soothing about singing along to lyrics like, "Directionless, so plain to see / A loaded gun won't set you free / So you say" or "Existence, well what does it matter?". In fact, my entire teenage experience could be summed up by a couple of Ian Curtis verses:
   
   "Oh, how I realized how I wanted time
   Put into perspective, tried so hard to find
   Just for one moment thought I'd found my way
   Destiny unfolded, I watched it slip away"
   
   "Now that I've realized how it's all gone wrong
   Gotta find some therapy, this treatment takes too long
   Deep in the heart of where sympathy held sway
   Gotta find my destiny before it gets too late"
   
   Luckily, I was able to find my destiny... er, is that was this is?... before it got too late. Ian Curtis was not as fortunate; he hung himself on May 18, 1980. That's a date that I know from memory; Ian's suicide was a signalpost of my youth. I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that it was probably not a good idea to worship a suicide, but I couldn't help myself. My doomed romanticism was at its most sharply tuned during those dark days in the 1980's and I spent my days cloistered in my room listening to Joy Division, reading Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, and writing my own gloomy (and piss-poor) poetry. It wasn't much of a life, but it was a living...
   
   I've weathered a lot of rugged emotional terrain since those teenage years, and although the specific schoolyard scenarios that tormented me back in those days are now a distant memory, the painful emotions that accompanied them still ring true. However, one thing has definitely changed in my medicated mind: I'm not particularly impressed by suicide any longer. I am far more likely to feel sympathy for the loved ones left behind and forever scarred by the suicide than I am for the desperate individual who committed the act. I look back on my own nearly-successful suicide attempt with more embarrassment than pride these days, and I'm not nearly as likely to show off my abundant scars as I used to be 10 years ago. Is this what they call "maturity" ... or am I just a boring old Comtesse? Who can say?
   
   So, it is with this changed perspective that I read "Touching From A Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division" by Ian Curtis' widow Deborah. I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, but I thought I would get some understanding of how Curtis' family and friends could just stand by and seemingly do nothing while his obvious suicidal tendencies went fatally unchecked. The book doesn't really answer that question - except to reinforce just how isolated Curtis had become in his final days, and how estranged he was from his family. If you believe Deborah's account, Ian was almost zombie-like during his last few months, as the strain of his personal problems (a broken marriage, a doomed love affair, and increasingly uncontrollable epilepsy) became unbearable. After reading this book, I understand why Curtis killed himself, and in some ways, I can't say that I blame him.
   
   The book also presents Curtis as a very unlikeable personality. He is cold, controlling, uncaring, and indifferent towards his wife. I have to take that presentation with a grain of salt, since a lot of it smacks of 'Embittered Ex' syndrome. Deborah doesn't seem to have the slightest understanding of her husband, and doesn't offer any explanation of his motivations or his artistry. They don't communicate, don't seem to have anything in common, and they don't really seem to like each other either. It's a pretty depressing read, but not for obvious reasons.
   
   There is one additional thing that I cannot forgive Deborah Curtis for - and that's refusing to publish Ian's suicide note in the book. She makes reference to it as being "deeply personal" - and I suppose this is her excuse for not printing it. But she sure had no problem in exploiting her personal life with Ian when writing this book! Yes, I know I'm being voyeuristic, but I can't help myself - I want to read the note! I want to know what his last thoughts were as he approached his "last fatal hour". Instead I'm left with continued frustration.
   
   My next read on this subject will be Mick Middles' book "Torn Apart" which presents the perspective of Curtis' girlfriend Annik Honoré. It's supposed to be much more enlightening than anything his wife could offer. I certainly hope so!



4. This book reveals a lot of personal moments between Deborah and Ian Curtis' courtship leading to their marriage as Joy Division developed.
   Deborah Curtis writes this biography in an eloquent, bitter-free chronological manner, with witty, emotionally poise undertones. The first person writing style is more personal and less historically tedious than a typical biography. Overall, a very good read if you are curious about the man behind the music.



5. I received what I ordered, on time & in good condition. However, it was mailed to my billing address and not the shipping address I indicated. As this was a surprise gift for my boyfriend, I was disappointed that it did not ship to the correct address.

5 comments about Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr..

1. Titan delves into the history and psyche of John Rockefeller, one of the most enterprising individuals in the history of business.
   
   Chernow does an excellent job of presenting an objective view of the controversial figure, explaining his reasoning without apologizing for his actions. Rockefeller planned for philanthropy from the beginning; "I believe it is my duty to make money and still more money and to use the money I make for the good of my fellow man according to the dictates of my conscience." He used his noble goals as an impenetrable moral shield from his critics, immediately shutting out anyone who made objections to his questionable (and now, illegal) actions.
   
   Still, this is ultimately a very long book about an oil tycoon. If that doesn't sound interesting, you'll hate the book. It's 650 very large pages with very small type. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive view of Rockefeller possible, Chernow goes far, far beyond "verbose" to the point that it's hard to read.



2. No other man in America has ever been as wealthy as John D. Rockefeller, Sr. he could have bought and sold Bill Gates three or four times. He is a very complicated man, you'd have to be the self made wealthiest man in American History. This book gives a fascinating portrait of a man who could be ruthless, but who was incredibly philathropic, the first of the great philanthropists, he didnt give away his entire fortune like his contemporary Carneige, but then again Carneige had no children and Rockefeller was so much wealthier he probably gave away as much money. The book is fair to Rockefeller, neither making him a saint nor a cypher. Rockefeller lived a long life and he instilled in his equally famous son, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. a real since of philanthropy. The Rockefeller family is still very wealthy, no family in American history has ever been richer, but they have also been more philanthropic than any family in history, they gave away more than 90 percent of their wealth, since its apex. Rockefeller was a singular American, and his story is the story of the American Dream stretched to unfathonable extremes, good and bad. This is a very good book, well researched and quite impressive considering the illusive subject.



3. I was very impressed with the skill of Ron Chernow when I read "Alexander Hamilton". After such an impressive work I decided that I would take on "Titan" which deals with the life of John D. Rockefeller. Chernow did not disappoint, and in some ways this may be the better of the biographies.
   
   "Titan" illuminates Rockefeller duplicity as a pious man that showed no quarter in his business dealings. Chernow does an outstanding job (in my opinion) of painting the faults of Rockefeller's business tenacity with overwhelming kindness of charitable dealing. Chernow also illustrates many examples of Rockefeller's frugalness - such as cutting firewood in 12" increments (instead of 14") in order to save resources.... This was from a man that Forbes Magazine rated as the richest EVER!
   
   I have heard complaints that the opening 60 pages reads too slowly, and overly focuses on the life of Rockefeller's (very) eccentric father. However, I find that while tedious, this is an important aspect of how this affected Rockefeller and guided him away from the world of irrational emotion.... My recommendation... bull your way through!
   
   Chernow is not H.W Brands and the writing is relatively devoid of humor. When deciding to read "Titan" approach it as a scholarly selection and do not expect it to be fast paced. In my opinion you will not be disappointed!



4. I have not read the work of a biographer who has the proficiency for presenting as comprehensive an account of another's life as Chernow has given with Titan. There are sections of this narrative that are so detailed that had Rockefeller's life not been over a century ago, one might be inclined to consider Chernow had been along side him during his pursuits. Chernow has conducted extensive research that is exemplified in every chapter of this enthralling biography.
   
   John D Rockefeller has been known by many personas, both positive and negative; billionaire, tycoon, industrialist, predator, and philanthropist. No matter what one's view of him, all generally agree that his business acumen was surpassed by no one in history. Chernow provides a masterful account of Rockefeller's years from his meager beginnings with an unscrupulous father to his near unstoppable empire that forced adversaries to join or be crushed in its wake. Chernow has provided readers with an abundance of pertinent quotations directly from Rockefeller leaving one well equipped to gauge the true mindset of the man.
   
   Many biographies will rate high merely on the appealing nature of the subject. Titan is based on one of history's most intriguing business men combined with an account that is so well written and detailed it is difficult to fully convey in a simple review. I strongly suggest this book as essential reading to anyone with an interest in business biography.



5. Truly a great book from a masterful writer. Some criticisms are apt: Chernow, for obvious reasons, relies heavily on the Inglis interview with Rockefeller. Why not? What better primary source than the words from the reclusive oil Titan himself? Also, Chernow has been criticized as being a bit--but only a bit-- soft on Rockefeller. Almost all biographers begin to identify with their subjects. To some extent Chernow falls into this trap; one cannot spend years researching another human being without beginning to see things from the subject's perspective. Those small quibbles aside, what a great book! Perhaps we can never really know another human being but Chernow gives us key insights into the character of Rockefeller. As Chernow writes in his Introduction, all other biographies on Rockefeller soon revert to the oft told story of the History of Standard Oil, as if the man and the company were one in the same, and Rockefeller seems to disappear from his own biography. But Chernow gives us the man and presents an interesting thesis: the key to Rockefeller was that he was his parents' son. This means that John D. Rockefeller contained the roguish aspects of his father William Avery Rockefeller (a shameless flim-flam man) and the virtuous aspects of his long suffering, pious mother Eliza. It also explains other qualities, e.g., the fetish for secrecy. John D. grew up in a home where his father openly lived with his mistress alongside the wife Eliza. Later William Avery would take a second wife and live as a bigamist. All the while, Eliza bore stoically the humiliation. Hence, John D. grew up to become very, very quiet about his family and its scandals. Doubtless, he heard the whispers and soon he developed a deep distrust of the "crowd." "Let the world wag," was a favorite phrase. He developed a thick skin and learned to be a stoic like his mother. He made it a point for people not to know his personal life or his business. The shattered sensibility of the youth lingered into manhood. The mania for secrecy followed.
   The quote from Betrand Russell that begins the books is telling: Rockefeller is among the men who created the modern world. With $4 a gallon gas, and energy needs growing, we still live with his legacy today.

5 comments about A Room of One's Own.

1. This is a beautifully written and highly enjoyable exploration of the history of women in writing. It is also a plea for the liberation of women, and their full entrance into the world of Literature. Woolf argues that a woman needs financial independence, a room , that is a space of her own, if she is to be able to truly create. She also needs the kind of access to everyday life that women confined to hearth and home were as she sees it, traditionally denied.
   She urges that Woman enter into all fields of writing, and develop in directions they had no opportunity to develop in before.
   She also perhaps reflecting on her own experience and nature argues for the androgynous nature of the creator, seeing in Shakespeare, Keats and certainly Proust a strong feminine element.
   Woolf anticipates and perhaps in some sense helps creates the vast flourishing of Literature written by women which will come in the decades after her.



2. A timeless essay not only for women. Good hard binding that will keep. It's a must have if you like English literature.



3. after i ordered this book, the distributors let me know instantly that they no longer had the book on shelf, and instantly refunded my account. speedy service is one thing, but keeping the customer informed is another...thanks



4. Virginia Woolf in her best form - personal but not self-centred, concentrated and ready to fight for what she believes is right. This long essay gives her views on the position of women in literature but offers also an overview of their role through centuries - from the imaginary Shakespeare's sister to her contemporaries. A must read for all readers regardless of sex!



5. I found it tedious to read in spite of the high literary reputation and ability of Virginia Woolf. There must be something lacking in me.
   
   Edward Cook

5 comments about They Cage the Animals at Night (Signet).

1. I could not put this book down once I started reading it. From page one it drew me in and took a hold of me in this young mans life and his family's ordeals. I never have felt more grateful for my own upbringing since having lived through Jennings eyes. He only had his "doggy" and that was his only escape from the cruel world around him. After I was done reading the book I was so offended by orphanages and the way the treated children I wanted to find out where he was at, who were the nuns who hurt him, I was angry and really wanted revenge for him. I think we all need to open our eyes to the system and help these children out and make sure this abuse does not happen these children belong to all of us and do not deserve this, they all deserve a better place with some family. Jennings deserved a home with a real doggy from the start and I ached for him.



2. I just finished this book--what an emotional ride. I was worried it was a story about parents who actually put their child in a cage. But it is not about parents abusing children; more about a child's survival, love, and connection, all while living in a harsh and deadening world.
   
   If you are going to read this book, be ready for it to open your heart, bring about deep-seated emotions, and be impossible to put down.



3. It really sucks when you have to struggle and this poor woman was sick and couln't help what she had to do. But they way children are treated in orphanages and foster homes are outrageous. People wake up these children just need love and compassion.



4. Since I first read this book over 15 years ago I've read the book over 10 times. I read it three times the first year. I felt it was an amazing story, very touching, and able to tug at me each time I read it. The strength and courage that the author had was amazing.



5. I could not put this book down! It made my cry a couple of times but it does have a happy ending.

No comments about You Can Observe A Lot By Watching: What I've Learned About Teamwork From the Yankees and Life.

5 comments about Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.

1. I read this before my recent trip to South Africa and I'm so glad I did as it made me appreciate this amazing country and its people even more. I think anyone who visits Robben Island without reading this first misses out on an incredible history lesson. This should be required reading in all high schools.
   
   I will admit that it was a long read and difficult to get through at times, but it really demonstrates just how long of a road Nelson Mandela had to travel for his freedom. Amazing, amazing man. I only hope there will be "another Mandela" to lead this country in the future.



2. Full of humanity, integrity, sacrifice, humility, and character. This is an uplifting book about the power of the human spirit to overcome great adversity. I loved it and I do agree that this book should be required reading for everyone. Parts of this book brought tears to my eyes. It illuminates a great man and the struggle people had to endure to overcome a great blight. To think that the U.S. did not place sanctions on South Africa until the mid 1980's, when men like Mandela were fighting and dying for the right to be considered human. I read recently that Pat Roberston, the great American evangelical, was a supporter of apartheid. How incredibly inhuman. If you know anything about South Africa, you will know that by the end of his long incarceration, even Mandela's captors had acquired great respect for this man. A must read...in many ways, this is a life changing, life affirming book. Powerful.



3. This book recounts the life of Nelson Mandela beginning in childhood up to the present age. It is written by Mandela himself - it's honest, straightforward style seems to be an honest attempt by Mandela to portray himself objectively, avoiding the tendency to be self-serving.
   
   A fascinating book. It begins with Mandela in his young childhood living in a pre-industrial society of native Africans in the countryside of South Africa where white settlers have dominated industrialized society. It is an engaging society, - perhaps more advanced than our own - as one must reconsider what it means to live in harmony and in cooperation; A true democracy, based on the ideals that all are equal.
   
   Mandela undergoes culture shock when he runs away from his traditional homeland to seek his fortunes in the big city of Johannesberg. Here is encounters white society up close, and is mortified at the inequity that exists between the native blacks, and the immigrant whites that make every attempt to dominate their country and exploit its indigenous peoples.
   
   Mandela encounters a small group of educated, free-thinking educated blacks, and joins the African National Congress. Here he encounters several other oppressed peoples: Indians, Communists, and liberal whites. He slowly makes his life's objective to be a freedom fighter. A fighter for civil rights for all people. A life of struggle, where one must be willing to pay the ultimate price. And he nearly does.
   
   He becomes the inspiration for downtrodden average black citizen, nearly enslaved within their own country. He willingly faces grave danger, is tried several times for his political ideals, denounced as "treason" and is eventually sent to prison "for life."
   
   Mandela's life in prison is austere. But he and his colleagues never yield in their commitment to freedom for all South Africans. His wife, Winnie is an example of true dedication - equally a woman of integrity and worthy of the highest praise. She undergoes severe hardships being married to a "freedom fighter."
   
   Mandela avoids the tendency to give up in the face of severe conditions, showing true mettle as he remains dedicated to the rights for all people to live free in racist South Africa. 27 years later having risked his life and surviving harsh prison conditions, he emerges a national hero.
   
   A must read for anyone - Mandela is history in the making.



4. This is a fantastic book that provides great insight into one of the most inspirational leaders in modern history. His story in particular and the anti-apartheid struggles in general are fascinating and provide extremely valuable lessons. With his humbleness and incredibly lucid and organized writing style (which admittedly did surprise me), this could be the best autobiography out there. One can only imagine how different the continent would be if other African Nations had such strong leaders with Nelson Mandela's courage and integrity.



5. 
   I recently finished a leadership training course sponsored by my company. One of the activities that we did in the class was to reflect on great world leaders and think about what qualities made them great. It came up during the session that some years ago the teachers had led a similar exercise, but had actually asked the participants to try to communicate with a living leader who had personally affected them. The idea had been for people to get in touch with a former manager or teacher. However, it happened that one of the participants (not having a manager who he or she had admired) contacted Nelson Mandela by email. To everyone's surprise, he responded quite kindly and shared some thoughts about leaders and leadership.
   
   When I was traveling in South Africa, I heard many similar stories. Tour groups who told about Mandela coming out of the parliament building to greet and talk to the tourists. Employees at Robben Island talked reverently about how he had taken personal interest in their lives based on the briefest of acquaintenceships. Every story emphasized his humbleness, his respect for others, and his basic approachability.
   
   Long Walk to Freedom, for me, confirms that image of Mandela as a man who is great in part because of his humbleness, and his resistance to myth. He emphasizes his role as the man in the middle, pushed by circumstances and common decency into greatness. He consistently avoids overdone bragging (the little that is there is surely allowed him) and looks hard at the actions that the ANC took in their quest for freedom.
   
   While it would have been interesting to read this before going to South Africa, I actually think that I got more out of it now after seeing the country first.
   
   I really enjoyed the book. It is not a perfect narrative. It suffers in parts from being written over a period of years. There are some little repetitions and awkwardnesses along the way. None of those things matter at all in relation to either the reading experience or the importance of the book. I liked it very much, and would recommend it highly to others. Do not be daunted by its size (625 pages, in my edition). It is actually a very quick read and kept me intensely interested the whole time. Genuinely inspirational.

5 comments about Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living.

1. I'm as green as they come, and therefore figured I'd thoroughly enjoy this book and find it informative, but I was mistaken.
   
   The problem starts with the author, who obviously believes himself to be hilarious. Unfortunately, he isn't the slightest bit funny. Time and time again he forces similes and metaphors into the writing that aren't the least creative or, in many cases, even apt. All of his attempts at colorful language and humor fall completely flat. It's actually painful to read. Even if you don't mind your humor served up as heaping doses of bland cliche, you'll still have to tolerate the author's obsession with his upbringing. Time and time again he mentions he's from the East, a Long Island kid, a suburbanite. He desperately wants his readers to understand how "wild and nutty" he is for giving it all up and moving to, of all places...gasp...New Mexico!
   
   Worst of all is that you'll learn almost nothing from the book, other than it's difficult to raise goats (what a revelation), and converting your truck to burn vegetable oil is, apparently, problematic (what a revelation).
   
   If the author wants to be taken seriously, then he has to take his craft seriously. Readers looking for information about going green could get infinitely more help by spending five minutes talking to an organic farmer or alternative energy specialist.
   
   How this book could possibly collect a bundle of 5-star reviews is beyond me. It's barely a step above terrible. Spend your book money and time wisely...by spending them elsewhere.



2. Doug Fine writes a good book, and for all of his North East liberalism has learned how to live a simpler life. Not practical for us all of course, but at least Doug is willing to put his money where his mouth is...something the liberals in Congress should try doing sometime. Doug's a little to wrapped up in "evil Republicans/Conservatives" and "I'm doing this to save the world and prove my own magnificence to those around me" for my taste. If you want to live on a ranch in the Southwest, do it because you want to do it. Don't do it because you feel guilty for being alive, being an American, or for living in a post-industrial age.



3. Doug is very clever with words making this book hilarious. his adventures of going green are inspiring and informative. it was really real to read about his blumbers and trials.
   clever.
   highly receomend this book. i read it amazingly fast and then wished i had more of it to read!



4. Easy to read. This is a good story about a successful fulfillment of a dream. This is not a technical book--there are plenty of those around. This is the story of personal tribulations and adjustments. I recommend it to anyone who is considering living off the grid or just going back to the land.



5. I purchased the book after I heard on on-air interview with the author. The author made the book sound like it was a trip down the lessons learned trail on the subjects of switching to Bio-Fuels, Solar Power, and Wind energy. I was sadly mistaken. A book that had the makings for a really good read turned out to be an ego trip for the author. It was as if the author wrote one-half of it and sent it off to be printed. A large portion of the book was a weak attempt to chew anyone out who does not use bio-fuels or who does not believe in what the author believes in. It was a very quick disappointing read. I am not sure if his "scientific" facts are correct.