5 comments about Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporate Whistleblower.

1. Not a bad book, I enjoyed reading it. Sometimes she could go off on tangents and her language was at times over-simple, but her point of view and experiences were interesting to read about. Was good to read from an insider's perspective, specifically a "whistleblower's" (although she doesn't like the term), rather than what the media or directors of the company put out.



2. Cynthia Cooper is right on the mark. Being a former WorldCom Manager myself, she does a good job setting the scene for those who didn't live through it. Even if you haven't worked in telecom, you will find this interesting as to how a mega-corporation could have risen so high and fallen so low. You may wonder at times if the personalities could have possibly been that eccentric--trust me they were and then some! Great READ.



3. This book tells the story of WorldCom's rise and fail from both a human and business perspective. Cynthia does a great job capturing her emotional journey to rise to the top of WorldCom's internal audit, while at the same time explaining the events that led to her teams discovery of one of the nations largest frauds. The second half of the book is a real page turner, not unlike another famous author from Mississippi. I especially appreciate her ability to capture the human side of the story. It is easy to dismiss Bernie Ebbers and Scott Sullivan as greedy corporate titans, but the story seems to go deeper. She also captures the conflict felt by the lower-level employees who were co-opted into the fraud. Finally, she provide insight into the emotions of a whistle-blower confronted with such a significant ethical challenge.



4. COMPELLING ACCOUNT OF UNCONTROLLED GROWTH AND GREED, AND HOW A DOWN HOME GIRL WITH EXCEPTIONAL UP-BRINGING FOUND HERSELF IN A SITUATION THAT WENT AGAINST ALL HER STANDARDS.
   A VERY EASY READ.



5. Cynthia Cooper was a true corporate whistleblower. She became famous, not by choice, but because of the WorldCom financial statement fraud valued at $11 billion. She was the Vice President of Internal Audit at WorldCom, a position that was not easily obtained. She almost single-handedly created the internal audit department at WorldCom, and her book Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporate Whistleblower details the struggle to get management to take internal audit seriously.
   
   Things started going wrong at WorldCom very early. The company went on an acquisition spree, and the merging of many small companies, managers, and accounting systems was a disaster waiting to happen. Cynthia says that WorldCom was much better at acquiring companies than integrating them, and that is clear.
   
   From an accounting perspective, it was next to impossible to create a properly controlled system. There were too many small systems being pieced together, and it was easy for numbers and authorizations to get lost in the shuffle. This struggle is well-documented by Cynthia, who no doubt painstakingly researched the various acquisitions in order to give such a complete history.
   
   At times the book seems to get a little off-topic as Cynthia goes through each player's background briefly. Honestly, that information isn't really relevant to the story and, while it was probably intended to make these characters relatable human beings, it really just serves to make the book longer than necessary. It prolongs the process of getting to the real heart of the story.
   
   I was drawn into the parts detailing the background of Bernie Ebbers and his early entrepreneurial ventures. I don't think Cynthia came right out and said that Ebbers wasn't equipped to run WorldCom, but that's exactly how it appears when you're done reading.
   
   Where this book is so good is in detailing the fraud and how it happened. I don't think most consumers know how and where WorldCom's fraud started: all in the "line costs." You don't need an accounting background to understand the details of the fraud once Cynthia explains how things went down. Earnings were too low and management was, quite simply, looking for a place to reduce expenses.
   
   When management realized they were paying too much for capacity that they weren't selling to customers, it became clear. Take some of those "line costs" and capitalize them, which essentially amounts to moving them off the profit and loss statement (decreasing expenses and increasing profits) and onto the balance sheet (increasing assets).
   
   WorldCom moved those line costs into something that the executives called "prepaid capacity." The company's financials instantly looked better, and CFO Scott Sullivan found that this was an easy way to rehabilitate the financial statements each quarter. Wall Street wanted lots of growth, and that's exactly what the executives delivered by the time the fraudulent accounting entries were completed.
   
   Yet the process of uncovering this fraud, as Cynthia and her team would soon find out, was grueling. Their investigation into the accounting shenanigans was long because the accounting entries behind this manipulation of the financial statements were complex. Hundreds of entries were made to a variety of accounts in order to confuse anyone who might later look at them. And the investigation was hard because management didn't want Cynthia and her people looking into the entries, for obvious reasons.
   
   After the fraud became clear to Cynthia and her team, there was a long fight over whether something should or could be done about it. Scott Sullivan was determined to find an accounting rule to justify the fraudulent accounting entries. It is no surprise that there is not an accounting rule that backs up what was done, because it wasn't done with the accounting rules in mind. It was done with only Wall Street in mind.
   
   And WorldCom's audit committee wasn't completely behind the internal auditors' investigation or results. The audit committee should be the independent group of individuals to whom an employee can voice concerns and be taken seriously. Yet Cynthia didn't seem to be given as much consideration as she should have been, and she relates this struggle nicely in the book.
   
   The story of the investigation comes to life through Cynthia's words. I found myself drawn into the story, and I could feel myself sitting there as the internal auditors were going through entry after entry, always watching their backs because the executives didn't want them investigating.
   
   Lots of clichés and heartwarming stories of family interactions are woven into the book. Again, these things aren't really all that relevant to the story and merely provided a distraction from the business at hand: the collapse of WorldCom.
   
   These minor criticisms don't take away from the book as a whole. It is a detailed account of what happened, and digs much deeper into the WorldCom fraud than I ever expected. The detail behind how the fraud occurred is told in a fascinating manner, and I found myself able to picture WorldCom executives sitting around and comparing the company's financial results to the expectations of Wall Street ... and making fraudulent accounting entries to meet those expectations.
   
   Congratulations, Cynthia, on a successful first book. And many thanks for being willing to stand up for the truth and fight to expose the WorldCom fraud.

5 comments about Hollywood Babylon: The Legendary Underground Classic of Hollywood's Darkest and Best Kept Secrets.

1. Well I must admit the 55 year old gossiping church lady came out in this 21 year old male while reading this entire book in one sitting. Very VERY insightful and just down right juicy stories, the only problem that i have is that the author takes certain things as facts that are either wildly contested or outright discredited. The bulk of my problems stem from the Roscoe Arbuckle story, it seems that the author is completely on this "lynch fatty" tirade acting like poor Virginia didn't know what hit her. When almost every expert agrees today that he was done very wrong and his life was ruined because some people wanted to make a quick buck off of a woman's death. Other than that though these are very insightful tales and lets face it we love tales of sex, suicide, murder, and all other forms of debauchery so do yourself a favor and read this book.



2. Kenneth Anger paints a sinister, evil picture of a Hollywood that chews its "stars" up and spits them out. How can you not feel sorry for Frances Farmer and Fatty Arbuckle? I believe you judge a tree by its fruits, from the mindwashing destructive propaganda that Hollywood spews out to the many screwed up people that work in the business as performers, some of whom deserve to be scorned, some deserve your pity. Either way its a poisonous fruit that this tree bares. Hollywood covers a time period from the 1920s to the 1950s so don't think that human catastrophes like Britney Spears or Anna Nicole Smith are anything but different versions of the same song.



3. If you are really into the sordid morbid details of Hollywood and its famous stars and how they died then this is the perfect book! Very disturbing some of the details but is definately captivating. You don't want to put it down!



4. Don't waste your money!! Everyone in this book is ancient(and dead) most person's in this book were born in the 1920's. Most of them I never heard of. Ok Judy Garland,(everyone knows she died on the toliet) Jane Mansfield, nothing new here, the picture of the dead dog was no big deal. The way the book was written half the time it was unclear what the author was saying, there is not any good trash in this book, if you want a better read I would suggest the book by Christopher Kennedy Lawford about his own life and those around him such as the Kennedys and many celebrities.



5. Anger dishes out some absurdly titillating gossip on Hollywood celebs from the 1920s-1950s. While not all of it is terribly credible, Anger delivers his tidbits with the nasty exhilaration of a tabloid queen which makes for a fun read. But if you aren't interested in early American cinema, then there probably is little to interest you here.

5 comments about Eternity in Their Hearts.

1. What an excellent book a must read.I also highly recommend reading GODS PROMISE TO THE CHINESE by Ethal Nelson and MYTH OF A CHRISTIAN NATION by Greg Boyd.
   Lets face it americas "what have you done for me lately" cult of Christian prosperity and vanity is having dier consequences for the true gospel message.So God goes else where like HE has always done but He prepared the way long long ago as this book so beautifully reveals.
   He will make a people for himself from every tribe,nation and tongue.
   
   1 COR 1:27 "but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong."
   JAMES 4:6 "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."



2. Another great Richardson book. This one deals in somewhat story form with a life premise of God's grace made known to all peoples. Well worth thinking through the implications for evangelism in today's world.



3. I really enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and provided interesting insights into the preparation many cultures have within their history for the gospel. I would have given it five stars but I also felt the editing was a bit sloppy as per another reviewer.
   
   Traditionally, I would never have read this book, scorning it as some pluralistic diatribe about there being more than one way to Yahweh than through Jesus after reading the blurb. I couldn't have been more wrong in my pre-supposition! I read this book in the end because it was recommended to me by a respected friend. I devoured it in hours... and really was pleasantly surprised by the content.
   
   Richardson never loses the need for all cultures to receive the salvational knowledge of the gospel and Christ from his message. He continually brings back that redemption only lies in Jesus, and places Him at the centre of the teachings of the book.
   
   I also found then end part, as he assessed Tylor's 'evolutionary religion' theory to be fascinating. (I know, I know, I'm a nerd) I have had many atheists espouse this theory in several different derivations and had never realised that refuation was available to the concept that polytheism always outdated monotheism.
   
   Overall, I would happily recommend this book to others especially those considering cross cultural mission work. I believe it would be especially encouraging in this context.



4. The apostle Paul contends that the law of God is written on our hearts so we are without excuse. Don Richardson, in this little book, provides examples of just how God has written that law in the culture and legends of a variety of people groups. His conclusion? That the secret to evangelizing is in seeking out those ancient seeds of the faith already planted by God in the hearts of those we hope to reach.
   
   It is a brilliant response to those who would show similarities of ancient pagan rituals with Christianity as well. The response is, of course there are similarities, God planned it that way.
   
   An intriguing and informative study and well worth consideration to anyone interested in evangelization. This is in fact a reprint and revised version of a rather dated book but the content is still relevant and the revision/reprint is a welcome sign of interest in the topic.



5. This book proves the mandate God gave us in the Old Testament Jeremiah 29:13 King James Version "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." The writer has done a great job describing how all cultures no matter how remote have in their history the existence of the one true God. The same cultures call for the arrival of The Redeemer and also a world wide cataclysmic event dated about 4,400 years ago. If the existence of the identical God, Redeemer and The Flood in diverse cultures around the world who could not have communicated with each other does not convince the non believer of the truth than perhaps nothing will.
   
   Bill Hoidas

4 comments about A Tribute to Heath Ledger: The Illustrated Biography.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fantastic book.
   I thought I knew a lot about Heath, but I quickly found out that I was wrong. Heath was a very complex and mysterious man, and this book illustrates that fact throughout.
   If you love Heath Ledger, you won't be disappointed in this book. Very informative, with absoluely breathtaking photographs.
   Debra



2. This is a great tribute to a great actor, Heath Ledger. The book gives its readers good background information about Heath, but also includes some great pictures of Heath as well. This book is well worth the money!



3. I consider this book a double-edged sword: it's beautifully written with amazing photos never seen of Heath, but it's a painful reminder of the loss of a man who, although already proving himself an accomplished actor, had so much promise, potential, and life ahead of him. I am still having a hard time accepting that I'll now have to read books written in memory of him, but this one helps heal the heart. A beautiful tribute to an amazing man who is sorely missed.



4. I highly recomend this book. It is a well written look at Heath's young life. Many wonderful pictures & facts the author seemed to have studied. There were a few errors I caught; like the picture of Heath & the nun he had a romp with at the beginning of Casanova, he stated under this picture that it's Heath & Sienna Miller. A few other mispelled names or words, but otherwise a fantastic book to enjoy if you loved Heath & his acting talent.

5 comments about One Last Time: A Psychic Medium Speaks to Those We Have Loved and Lost.

1. I have not seen Crossing Over, so I did not have any preconceived ideas about him. He is an excellent story teller and this book leaves me with a lot of hope. John comes across as a nice, intelligent, and sincere person just trying to use his gift in the right way as well as make a living from it. He makes a valiant effort to answer our questions (as best he can) instead of brushing past them. Very convincing and entertaining.



2. This book touches on various subjects including an autobiographical account of John Edward's life and how he came to become a medium. It also has him telling the reader what he sees during a reading and how he interprets it and how he can make mistakes. For me this was the most interesting part of the book, it reminded me of reading how a writer got an idea for a book. He also recounts several stories of people who he did readings for that made a permanent impression on him for various reasons.
   The book is very easy to read, I read the entire book in two days. It is almost like he is in front of you talking to you. He doesn't come across as arrogant, in fact he acknowledges that he has a gift, and seems warm and sincere. He even tells you how to separate a good psychic from a fraud.
   If you have any interest in the subject of the afterlife, psychic ability, or just an interest in John Edward, this is worth reading.
   
   In the last chapter there is a meditation exercize, which in the beginning is similar to the guided fantasy relaxation we used to do in theater, but then goes further. I haven't tried it yet, but even if it makes you relaxed, it is worth the time.



3. This book is very well written and the stories touch your heart. John Edward shares with you his struggles of being young with his gift and how he learned along the way. Loved it!



4. This was such a great book. It kept me so interested, I read the whole thing in 2 days time.



5. This book is written for those who wonder how John does what he does, and tells the stories of readings he has done and how those who have passed on come through. The last chapter gives an outline of how to develop your own psychic abilities and seems like it would be interesting to try this exercise and see just what or who comes through. You must have an open mind to do this and I think everyone should at least give it a try. As of now I have not done it, having just finished the book.

5 comments about Why I'm Like This: True Stories (P.S.).

1. Wow, this book was excellent. I loved it as much as I loved "Running with Scissors" and that says a lot. Perhaps it's because I'm just as neurotic as she is (I've been known to fear "mountain men" from time to time), or maybe it's because this book is just extemely heartfelt and entertaining. It's totally worth a read.



2. I loved this book so much that I have given it as a gift to all my friends!



3. A number of negative reviews of this book stem from what appears to be a set up. Cynthia Kaplan didn't compare herself to David Sedaris after all. When I depend on reviewers to choose books for me, I'm most often sorely disappointed. I know what I like and I had only to read the intro line, "The eyes are the windows of the head," to figure I was going to enjoy this one.
   
   Most likely, the reason I laughed out loud as well as felt Kaplan's pain, is because I've been there. So much of what she wrote reminded me of experiences in my younger life and in fact, her book lit a spark in me to do some writing about my own early adventures.
   
   Yes, Kaplan is self-absorbed. This is memoir! It's the self-absorption that makes the book amusing. She's able to poke fun at herself and her own foibles and experiences which is something most people find very difficult to do.
   
   I'm not saying this is the best book ever written, but if you like to laugh, take a day trip into Kaplan's world and see what happens.



4. I'm here to rave about this book. It's a gem! Cynthia Kaplan writes in an unpretentious style that makes you want to invite her for coffee and a good chat. I'm afraid my copy of this book is "flagged" because I couldn't put it down. I related to many of her stories, from the pain of a loved one slipping away with Alzheimer's, to the brief insanity brought on by the presence of a moth, to the experience of living with migraine, and most of all, the all-consuming love you have for your children. I'm going to read her other book (books?) and hopefully she'll write lots more.



5. I've been there and I know these people! As a Jewish woman, a former actress and a mom, I can relate to Cynthia Kaplan's life and the many characters mentioned in her book. She has a gift for taking every day life and finding the humor in even sad, frightening and bittersweet moments. I picked up the book and never put it down until the last page, at which point I wished I knew Cynthia's phone number so that I could call her and tell her some of my stories. Can't wait to read her other book.

5 comments about Through Painted Deserts: Light, God, and Beauty on the Open Road.

1. I've recently finished reading this book and found it to be absolutely wonderful. Rather than simply entertaining me, the reader, it allowed and encouraged me to question the way of things, the Why? of life. It told me that struggling was understandable and necessary. It let me realize what I already know and hoped, and I took breaks while reading to reminisce about difficult times, which led me to remember also the truth, beauty and humor in them.
   
   If you are having trials in your life, or are questioning your own Whys?, I recommend this book to you.
   
   I remind myself that sometimes the answer in front of me is "No", so that later the answers can be "Yes".



2. I loved "Blue Like Jazz" it was a awesome book. I followed it up by reading this book which didn't catch my attention at all! It was about a road experience that wasn't even interesting. Save your time and money!



3. This is a good book. The humor between Donald and Paul reminds me of Bill Bryson's in A Walk in the Woods. No super deep spiritual findings here but some familiar questions for anyone who's been a Christian for any length of time. It's good to read honesty written without reservations. I'm currently reading Blue Like Jazz and TPD reads more like a narrative than BLJ. My guess is if you like the thought process of BLJ you will like this book. Great book about a road trip to read on a road trip. Recommended.



4. This book is by the popular author Donald Miller. I read his book "Blue Like Jazz" and enjoyed it. I was going to stop with that book, but a fellow blogger noted that this was his favorite of the Miller books. I am not sure I share the same sentiments, but I certainly did enjoy the book. As Donald travels and reflects on his life with God, I seem to join him in reflecting on my own life. I guess there is a part of all of us that desires to travel with the Lord. This is why it seems that people enjoy taking mission trips to various parts of the world and nation. There is an excitement that follows as one journeys with the Lord. I guess I can relate because I traveled a lot with the Lord. Also, I would have enjoyed this book more if I read it in college while I was single. The open road is not the same with two small children crying in the back seat. Nevertheless, the book was good, not so much for the spiritual insight, but for the adventure, the friendships, and the trip. As you travel with Donald, you cannot help but travel through your own life too.



5. I bought this audio CD because I love Donald Miller's "Blue Like Jazz" and think he's got some profound things to say. It's so centered on a young man's quest/non-quest/quest to find out whether there's anything to quest for that it didn't speak to this 40ish woman the way his other books have. However, I still got something out of it and recommend it highly. I think it would speak loudest to kids in their late teens. Good stuff.

5 comments about Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare.

1. After reading "Will in the World," Stephen Greenblatt's wonderful meditation on the life of William Shakespeare, I did something that I'd previously never done after reading a book purely for pleasure: I turned the volume over and started to re-read it -- almost all the way through. I think that says something about how riveting "Will in the World" is.
   
   Of course, Shakespeare's life remains something of a speculative detective story, and Greenblatt keeps the reader intrigued by layering the large gaps in the playwright's personal record with what is known about his era, and then making plausible, reasonable conjectures about how the missing pieces could fit together.
   
   But more importantly, Greenblatt's writing shares Shakespeare's zestful fascination with the English language, and it demonstrates this in ways both lucid and unpretentious. While his writing is never less than clear, Greenblatt will occasionally, and unexpectedly, thrown in an uncommon word or two that either evokes Elizabethan England or reminds the reader of the infinite treasures of written English. Also, Greenblatt discretely gives into his own way with wordplay. For example, describing the young rustic Shakespeare settling into urban London, Greenblatt writes, "He discovered what it was to pine for open country" -- "pine" not only meaning "yearn" but also evoking the rural sensation of a fresh-scented tree.
   
   As all Shakespeare enthusiasts know, the fact that one of the world's most celebrated authors -- perhaps *the* most celebrated -- left so small a written record, outside his published works, remains one of history's great ironies. Consequently, several cottage industries have sprung up dedicated to the idea that this bumpkin businessman from backwater England, this yokel with little evidence of formal education, could not have written his language's most glorious works. Such searing insights into the human psyche and its political machinations, such a resplendent command of the English language, had to have been written by a nobleman, a university wit, a philosopher-scientist, or even Queen Elizabeth herself, anyone -- just not the land-owner from Stratford who willed his wife the second-best bed. Or so the doubters say.
   
   I disagree. The doubters' arguments sound elitist to me. You might as well say that a boy born to a middle-class widow in Hope, Arkansas, couldn't possibly grow up to become President of the United States. Anyone as intellectually driven and self-motivated as the author of "Hamlet" and "Othello" clearly was could have honed his talents regardless of circumstances. Doubters point to the gaps in Shakespeare's historical record as "proof" that William of Stratford was not the playwright. I think those gaps are adequately explained by Shakespeare being a Catholic in a country where Protestantism was compulsory. Why should he put his innermost thoughts down on precious paper if the authorities could use those thoughts against him? Why write love letters to a wife who couldn't read, and whom he possibly didn't love? Why would Warwickshire regionalisms pop up in the poetry of a playwright born and raised elsewhere? To the Stratfordian school of authorship, the answers are obvious. The doubters respond with grandiose conspiracy theories -- ripping yarns, but about as substantial as ripped yarn.
   
   True, Shakespeare's life-story can never be completely told, and on occasion, Greenblatt has to extrapolate enormously upon the documentary record. But his guesses are educated ones. I can imagine a new scrap of evidence complicating the picture he draws, but not erasing it entirely. And maybe new evidence will indeed emerge saying that the plays of Shakespeare are more collaborative than we now think. But "Will in the World" is more about Will's world than about the man himself. As such, the book won't be discredited anytime soon.
   
   "Will in the World" is the kind of book that you don't want to stop reading. For me, its worst moment came when I turned the last page and Greenblatt's revels were ended.



2. Stephen Greenblatt has done an outstanding job with this biography of William Shakespeare.
   
   Writing a biography about someone who has been dead for nearly five hundred year must be a challenging goal. Especially since Shakespeare left little in his own hand, other than his published works.
   
   Greenblatt in this book says that, "There is no way of achieving any certainty. After generations of feverish research, no one has been able to offer more than guesses, careful or wild, which are immediately countered (often with accompanying snorts of derision) by other guesses."
   
   I appreciated Greenblatt's attrition to other researchers for their ideas and his explanations of the logic behind his own guesses. He often presents alternative arguments and lets the reader decide--after giving his own opinion. In all, I found Greenblatt's conclusions credible.
   
   I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone that wants to learn about William Shakespeare.
   The Shut Mouth Society
   The Shopkeeper



3. An excellent update on Shakespeare scholarship that wasn't boring. I found myself ready to grab up my complete works once again and this finally read all the sonnets!



4. The book is well-written overall. My main disappointment arose when trying to sort out fact from fiction and fiction from conjecture. The author makes a lot of inferences based off of the little information about Shakespeare's life. It seems a lot like PCR (polymerse chain reaction), where a little DNA is taken and amplified so that there is more to work with. This is not a great way to write about a person's life. Unfortunately, it does not end there. He will go on for pages about what may or may not be true. At the end of chapter two, the conclusion was that Shakespeare may have been either Roman Catholic or Protestant. I do not feel that 20+ pages is necessary for a subject with no real known answer. Overall, if one has the time to spend sorting through fact, fiction, and conjecture, there is some good information that can be found.



5. Despite a strong first half, this book diminishes in the second into a mere hack work instead of a first-rate scholarly piece largely due to Greenblatt's decision to become an A.S.S. [another secular scholar ]
   and aim at high sales;instead of remaining focused on the greatest writer to ever live, he spices the narrative with little-known saucy tidbits such as the "Dark Lady "of the sonnets was a negress and Will really DID have a thing for his daughter. These lurid details on top of Greenblatt's firm conviction Shakespeare was bi-sexual only besmirch the great playwright's reputation. To this end, this piece becomes just another post -freudian pscyhoanalysis obssessed with sex. Miss it if you can and read a respectable bio published when scholars had integrity and purposively did not destroy their heroes because of Freud.

5 comments about Split: A Memoir of Divorce.

1. I could not put this book down. Finnamore brings the utter angst, grief and full gamut of emotions one experiences when getting divorced in this wonderful memoir. I look forward to reading her novels and wish her the best.



2. It' s incredibly difficult to be funny while telling a heartbreaking story, but Finnamore absolutely pulls it off. Every page crackles with wit and intelligence. Anyone who is going through a divorce owes it to herself to read this book and discover how to come out the other side of the experience stronger and with her sense of humor completely intact. If you don't like this book, seek professional help. Every page is an undiluted joy.



3. Finnamore nails the emotional journey of a woman going through an unexpected divorce. I couldn't put the book down and read it in one night. So often, I felt as though I was reading my own diary. A poignant, clever, spot-on memoir of a young mother's strength and commitment to her child.



4. As a divorced parent myself, I was struck by the subtitle of this book ("A Memoir of Divorce"). Even though (or perhaps just because) the book is written from a woman's perspective, I decided to pick this up.
   
   In "Split: A Memoir of Divorce" (255 pages), author Suzanne Finnamore gives us her perspectives on how her husband (who is named "N" in the book) leaves her and their small son (named "A" in the book), and leaves her blindsided. The book is divided in 5 parts that are supposed to reflect the grieving-and-healing process (Denial/Anger/Bargaining/Grief/Acceptance). I was surprised how long the author seemingly clung to the notion that somehow she'd gain N back, even though it is clear it will not happen. But when the realization comes, grief sets in. Writes Finnamore: "Much like trains in India, grief is a circular, irrational process with no discernible rhythm or timetable. Here it comes, there is goes." Towards the end of the 'bargaining" phase, when all that is left to do is to figure out go gets what, and other legalities are taken care of, Finnamore is better adjusted. She observes dryly: "'How could you ever forgive me?' N asks, plaintive. I have no answer. Pass. Then I don't hear from him for a week."
   
   I enjoyed Finnamore's writing style. She has a sharp pen, and clear observations. Yet I had trouble connecting emotionally with the book, and with the story. Maybe it is because this is written from a female perspective. I realize that every divorce is unique in a sense, and the divorce described in "Split" certainly very different from what I went through. "Split" is not a bad book, but neither is it the memorable, once-in-a-lifetime read on what it's like going through a divorce.



5. I loved this book. I am in the middle of a VERY similar situation in my own life, so this came at the perfect time. I felt validated in my feelings while I read. I want to thank the author personally for the friend she became as I read along. I will keep this book forever to show that we can all recover from a hard situation, regardless of what is thrown at us. And... so will our children. I say... buy this book, you will love it.

5 comments about One Drop: My Father's Hidden Life--A Story of Race and Family Secrets.

1. Being an African American, I have always been curious about mixed race people and how they handle their day to day lives, why some pass and others don't? This family's experience was quite interesting.



2. One of the best biographies ever. Blyss Broyard blends two hundred years worth of family secrets to explain how and why racial identity can be so controversial. Her father, Anatole Broyard, kept his mixed race parentage from his children and the result of that decision is this marvelous book.



3. I just finished reading a novel called Passin', by Karen E. Quinones Miller, and Broyard's father was mentioned in that book. What little I learned from Miller's book intrigued me, so I hurried up and purchased One Drop. It was a decent book, but not as interesting as I might have hoped.
   
   She had me mesmerized when writing about her father's life, but then when she goes on her own journey to learn more about her African-American roots my interest began to wan. I tried to figure out why, and then realized it was because she was writing about it almost as a disinterested character herself! She never drew me in, because she wasn't that drawn in. So why did she bother with this odyssey to find her roots, I wonder? Maybe to write this book?
   
   Also, and I saw this mentioned in a few other reviews, she seems to have some (residual?) racist views herself about blacks . . . and you out and out feel that she thinks it ironic that she's now part of a group she and her friends have always considered inferior.
   
   If anyone ever writes a full biography on her father, I'd love to read it. But this memoir left me feeling a little on the exploited side, myself.



4. Bliss' voyage was very special to me. I felt her pain and confusion and unfortunately could relate too closely to her tale. Her account is so honest and self-reflective that it was embarassing at times to be privvy to her thoughts. As a mother,I wanted to hug her and explain to her all the racial garbage that American society dumps on us. As a Creole of Color whose mother, grandmother and God knows how many other relatives passed while I couldn't, I can relate to her family stories and pain. Yet, this young lady taught me so much with her amazing historical research. If I ever drag myself back to Louisiana to my maternal home, I will have lots of tips to learn more about my family. For example, who is my Italian grandfather and does a great grandfather's portrait as a judge still hang in a county courthouse? I'd love to have her help me retrace my roots. I am amused at her stories of people discovering their black ancestry and I laugh at the thought that if people in the 30s only knew that my red-headed grandmother, a magazine cover girl, was actually black/Negroe/Colored/Creole or that my mom, the lady in the 60s Wonder Bread commercial, wasn't white. But the scars still remain with all of us. The lies, the denial of self still haunt the family. I am sending this book to my mom who prbably to this day experiences some guilt about not raising her eldest daughter because she couldn't pass in her white expatriate world.



5. Bliss Broyard is amazing, and I am so glad that she wrote this book. I discovered her existence seeing an excerpt from African American Lives and became curious about her journey. I had just had my own DNA testing done to confirm or dispel a family story about us being American Indian and Scottish, instead of Irish as we'd been told. When my results came in, showing a strong subsaharan African and Egyptian Berber influence (in addition to the Scottish and American Indian parts) I was startled and surprised. I didn't know what to make of it, or how to incorporate this new knowledge into my self-identity. So, reading Ms. Broyard's book was amazing for me, because I'd gone through many of the challenges she spoke of. I was somewhat jealous of her ability to connect to relatives and gain so much genealogy information, as I've been doing these searches for 10 years and not gotten so much. Her book is a testament to rethinking the memory of her father and making meaning for herself. Her writing is exceptional, and she's honest, sincere. I wish there were more authors (or people in general!) like Ms. Broyard. Good for her for publishing this! I've passed on my copy to other friends who struggle with their multiple cultures and identities, and gifted a copy to a friend who's interested in his own genealogy. Go Ms. Broyard, and bless you for the courage it took to write this book!