5 comments about Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--And the Journey of a Generation.

1. This is a fabulous biography that unfolds the legend of three amazing women. The author masterfully weaves zeitgeist, music, feminism and the innate passion that lived in the heart of these three prodigies into a well articulated and accessible story. If the 1970s was a time for you and you love music...I can't imagine NOT reading this book!



2. What a great job Sheila Weller has done with this book! It was hard to see all three of them revealed, warts and all (and believe me, THEY ALL THREE HAVE WARTS!!) but in some other way it was refreshing and good to know that behind some of the most amazing music ever were three women facing the same things we all do.
   
   Poignant, well-written, delicious, addictive (read my copy in two days!!) and a great reminder of "the good old days."



3. I really wanted to like this book as this was my generation and music ruled our lives. Unfortunately, the book is overwritten, confusing, and at times downright boring. Enough already with the unimportant name dropping and the New York zip codes? Where was the editor?



4. As a "woman of a certain age" I could certainly relate to this book. Yes, it is a bit of a guilty addiction, like watching "Entertainment Tonight", to read intimate details of famous lives. I also have to agree the writers sentence structure was somewhat exasperating and Carly Simon is not really in the same league with Carole King or Joni Mitchell. I did like her use of these 3 lives to illuminate the changes in what it meant to be a woman during those times. For the most part, I believe she got that right and you don't have to agree with every point to enjoy this as a great nostalgic read. As I read, I did get the feeling of "being there" and, while it's not "War and Peace", it sure is an engrossing and fun read for us boomer ladies. Men may not get it or even want to try.



5. I found this book fascinating. Far more than just the story of the 3 women
   (King, Mitchell,Simon) it is a story of the whole rock scene from the 60s
   to present. You really don't have to be a hard core fan of any of these three singers to enjoy their stories. Someone you knew and liked will show up at some point.

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

1. Augusten Burroughs' latest offering, A Wolf at the Table, focuses on his relationship with his father. Much of this book takes place in the time period pre-dating Burrough's now famous first memoir, Running with Scissors.
   
   Brutal honesty and wit are just two things I've come to expect from Burroughs' writing. He goes above and beyond delivering that in this book. It also amazes me how well Burroughs conjures up his young self and tells the story through that innocent, wide-eyed lens.
   
   In Running with Scissors, we see the troubled relationship Augusten has with his mother and how he came to live with the quirky (if not a little crazy) Finches. A Wolf at the Table fills in many of the blanks by detailing the troubled relationship Augusten has with his father from as far back as he can remember. Yet, even if you haven't read his first memoir, don't let that stop you from picking this one up. It stands well on its own.
   
   The humor here is more subtle, for there aren't as many outrageous things going on all around Augusten. The book takes on a more somber tone as it explores a very troubled father/son relationship. My one small complaint would be that the book seemed a bit too brief. Certain things could have been fleshed out a bit more; overall, this is still a great read.



2. This memoir by Augusten Burroughs is a sad maudlin merciless look at a cruel childhood that no child should have to endure. Cursed with an emotionally and mentally ailing mother who at different points in the telling of this sordid tale is either in a mental institution... running away and hiding in either a friend's house or a hotel... or under a psychiatrists orders to take two Mellaril, eight Valium, and three Elavil each day... or a mixture and combination of all the aforementioned states. When she is at home with poor Augusten she normally goes into a room by herself, closes the door, and hides behind her typewriter. Now that I've introduced any potential readers to the "good" parent, let me introduce you to the Father. The Father, a professor at the local University was a stoic alcoholic who would at times become "dangerous" to his wife, which would cause her to flee with her son and go into hiding. Perhaps the cruelest thing the "Father" would do to the son is deny the warmth, love and affection that every little boy exists for. The heavenly interaction of love and adoration that is normally pre-ordained by the almighty himself upon most any Father that is blessed with a son, is a natural two-way conduit that creates the greatest blessing that can be received on earth. In the author's family, it originally only went one way, from son to Father.
   
   Young Augusten would wait all day for the sound of his Father coming home from work. All he wanted to do was run to him and grab him around his legs, and his greatest goal was to shimmy up his legs to his Father's upper torso, because that's where the hugs resided. Unfailingly his Father would expand his arms out preventing Augusten from getting to his promised land of embraceable love. Time after time Augusten would stand patiently by his Father as he sat in a chair and drank while either staring at a blank wall or a blank TV and no matter what the question the Father would tune him out, tell him not now, or just tell him to leave. The young boy was so starved for Fatherly affection that he secretly took a pair of his Father's pants out of his drawer, took one of his belts and one of his shirts, and stuffed them with sheets and towels and made it plump enough to look like a body. "I crawled into bed beside the body, turned on my side, and curled against it. A trace, a mere whiff of my Father's cologne clung to the shirt's fibers when I pressed my face against its chest. It was an acceptable substitute. Drowsiness overtook me like a drug. The Father body had an intoxicating effect on me, and if I had spoken, my words would have been slurred. Somehow, I understood that I must not fall asleep. That to be caught with my "STUFFED-FATHER" would get me into a different kind of trouble."
   
   This morbid story takes you on a path that started with a young boys unflinching desire for love from his Father, but as the reader is taken further down the road, along the way the Father is involved in the death of the son' pets, and the author has dreams of pushing his Father off a cliff to his death, and among many other thoughts says: "I wanted to spit in his face. I wanted to pour gas on him and light a match." Before the reader and son's journey finishes on a loveless dead end all the scenery you see on the trip is painted in despair. If this book is ever made into a movie, it's a necessity that it should be filmed in black and white.



3. A Wolf At The Table by Agusten Burroughs *****
   
   Without even thinking about it this is by far Agusten Burroughs' most inspired work yet. While the humour of his previous works like Magical Thinking, and Possible Side Effects is absent here, it is all the more compelling. His writing style is aimed at power, and really truly conveying the trauma and the pain the goes along with have a parent who is there and yet still absent from your life, on a physical, emotional, and personal level.
   
   A Wolf At The Table is Burroughs personal struggle with his father, the abuse, the neglect, and the just sheer terror his father inflicted upon him has haunted him for years as it does for all children who are a product of this.
   
   This is very different than his other works, as most of his other work is about his mother, and the effect she had on him. This is told with as usual unrestricted honesty. It is touching, saddening, hopeful, and uplifting all the same, and for anyone who has ever hoped for unconditional love from a parent this will be more than just another good read. Highly recommended.



4. 
   I am a devoted Augusten Burroughs fan. Have been for years. I felt like I knew him. And then I read A Wolf at the Table and realized that I had no idea what this man was made of.
   
   The descriptions of his childhood, rich with memory and detail, depict a horror that is more felt than witnessed in many instances. It's about what wasn't more often than what was. Dismissal. Being purposely overlooked and toyed with.
   
   This memoir simply reinforces the amazement that he has grown into a well adjusted and successful man. I have no idea how. He had no template. He had nothing but hatred and crazy in his house.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Even if you had the most loving household, and adoring parents, you can find a common ground. If only to think, that wasn't my childhood at all. Not even a little bit.
   
   It left me feeling exposed. Squeezed empty of oxygen. Smothered. And spoiled rotten by my loving parents.



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

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

1. I think she has never really been given her due outside of "The Sound of Music" but Julie Andrews was gifted with a truly heavenly voice and a strong acting talent as well. This book takes you to where it all began.
   
   A great read for Andrews' fans.



2. Finally! The woman who brought life to the landmark musicals The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady and Camelot, and the woman who will always and forever be Mary Poppins---has written her life story. OK, so the book ends with Julie and hubby Tony Walton and babies flying first-class to California where Walt Disney (and a new book) awaits. Better than actually reading the book is listening to Andrews read it herself---the audio version of Home takes us through Andrews' parents' divorce and her early musical career as she traveled to perform vaudeville and musical theater, eventually financially supporting her mother and alcoholic stepfather. To listen to Andrews describing the incredible scenes of the London Blitz during WWI---at age 9, she was the only child able to identify the sound of German bombers and was charged with alerting her entire neighborhood---is as electric as it is eerie. There are wonderful anecdotes about wonderful friends and co-stars; the ribald story of Noel Coward at a certain "audition" had me howling for hours. As an extra bonus, Andrews reading includes original music by Ian Fraser and contains an enhanced CD with photos from Andrews' personal family photo collection. What is here is a richly detailed, poignant memoir, recounted in a voice as captivating on every page as it has been done on stage and on film, in that veddy proper British bent. By George, she's got it (down)!



3. It was an absolute joy to listen to the Audio Version (Unabridged). Julie pulls you into the formative early years of her life and early career making you feel as if she is sitting next to you in the car or across the table enjoying a private luncheon.
   
   The luring cadence of her perfect voice is a delicious treat. With added melodies in between chapters it is a special treat. Then again, I could listen to her read the New York City Phone Book.
   
   Highly Recommended!



4. I had no idea that she had so many things to overcome and she did with such Grace and Class! She should be Dame Julie! I want to find out what happened when she made 'Mary Poppins'. Please write more!



5. I really enjoyed this book. I don't usually read autobiographies but I couldn't put this one down. It read like a great novel. Lots of interesting surprises.

5 comments about Escape.

1. this book was hard to read yet hard to put down. I feel so sorry for the woman in this book, and the woman in this life or should I say living jail. This is a must read to make us all realize how different cults are from normal life. They should not be allowed and the children are the ones who suffer the most as well as the woman. this whole life is just a molestors dream life, not a place for woman and children. this was a very good book and I recommend it.



2. I could not put this book down. It is hard to believe this really happens now in the USA. I feel so much compassion for the women and the children in this cult. This book was, in my opinion, well written. It gives so much insight to the dynamics of these people and what the women and children endure on a daily basis. With the polygamist group in the news, now is the time to read Escape.



3. ESCAPE is an educational read, tremendously enlightening one in regards to the polygamous lifestyle and the abuse within these communities. I hope this book creates such shock and awe that it can only encourage our government officials to step up to the plate and stop this horrendous abuse of children and rape of women under the guise of religion.



4. This book won't win a Pulitzer prize for literature but that's not where the value in this tale lies. Told simply through the recollections of Carolyn Jessup, her account accelerates from page one until you find yourself absolutely hooked and along for the ride. This is a story of human excess. People are capable of most anything once God enters the picture. The FLDS is exceptional in this regard.
   
   Buy this book and enjoy a glimpse into a world so alien, you'd never suspect that it exists right here in America and even more bizarre, in the 21st century.



5. This book was an eye-opening experience for me. It was
   disturbing and detailed, however a must for us who have
   no knowledge of the life led by these families...as they have
   no clue about ours.
   This book has given me knowledge and understanding. My heart goes
   out to Carolyn and others who have suffered and are suffering.

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

1. This is a book that I wouldn't actively promote to my friends but it was a nice read and I am glad I read it. Very quick and easy read. If you are looking for something light to read in between books this would be a good choice. Definitely a girl book and don't think many men would find this enjoyable.



2. Her unhappy marriage came to head when she knew she didn't want to follow the "script" which is imposed on us so much as women: the script that says we need to be wives and mothers. It's a brave thing to admit that you do not want this! The drain of her divorce coupled with her painful split from David is something a lot of women can relate to; who hasn't been through the heartache of a breakup: rollercoaster moods, the phases of anger,the sadness, guilt, fear and lonliness? I found I could relate to her in a lot of ways, but unlike her I do not have the opportunity to travel, so it was fun to travel vicariously through her. Her anecdotes about the people she meets are very amusing, and what better way to feed the body, mind and spirit than the way she has? Hers is a great example to follow!



3. I loved this book. In the beginning I found it hard to get into but once I got to India it was fablous. My favorite character was Richard. There were so many "points" brought out in this book. The book is about a woman who is trying to find herself after a failed marriage and relationship and the strength and courage she had to pick herself up and go on this self perserving journey. The author did a great job in describing all of the characters and gave you a sense of who they truly were. The ending was a little disappointing but since it is based on a true story you can't change the facts. Would definitely recommend the book



4. Excellent story. It is a shame that we all cannot do what the author did, it would make us all better rounded people.



5. I honestly don't know what all the hype for this book was about. It was the worst book I have ever read. I have read better books as a pre-teen (heck, the Baby-Sitters Club and Goosebumps series are wayy better than this book). It was definitely a waste of my time. In fact, it was so painful to read, I didn't finish the book. I stopped at the beginning of her Indonesia trip. Whoever paid her to do this book deserves pity.

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

1. Chelsea has this cleverness and sense of humor that is undeniable and very infectious. I absolutely love this woman and think she is one of the funniest people ever! Chelsea's second book is laugh out loud funny. I read it in 3 days because I could not put it down. I actually was laughing out loud in many, many chapters.
   
   A compilation of essays that are divided into chapters, this book is a must have. Follows along the same lines as her first book; My Horizontal Life. Her knack for telling her own stories is dead on. It almost feels like you were there with her. This book is a must for anyone's collection and I gurantee you will not be able to sop laughing or be able to put it down.



2. This book was hilarious, not as great as her first one but very good. I literally was laughing out loud when reading this book. I recommend it to anyone who has a sense of humor.



3. A perfect bedtime book to have a giggle before you go to sleep.
   It's good to see Chelsea didn't change her ways once she got a bit famous either. Brilliant!



4. Chelsea Handler is one of the funniest comedians today. Her second book, "Are you there vodka?" shares tales from Chelsea's life. She has the ability to laugh at herself with sophistication in a hilarious way. If that makes any sense. Her quotes and her storytelling abilities kept me sucked in the entire time. The book was so good, I didn't want to finish reading it because I didn't want it to be over! I have a been a fan of Chelsea since she had her own variety show "The Chelsea Handler Show" on E and have also read her first book, "My Horizontal Life." I highly recommend both of her books to anyone looking for a fun summer read.



5. I only heard of Chelsea a few months ago when I read her first book, which was awesome and hilariously funny, too. There's not much else I can write here that other readers haven't already said. I can recommend some other really good reads in the genre, though. If you like this book you will also like God Is a Woman: Dating Disasters, written by a male touring comedian so it's like getting the flip perspective and funny stories from the other side, and I Killed: True Stories of the Road from America's Top Comics, a collection of comedians stories from "the road". Needless to say you should also read Chelsea's first book!

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

1. This was a book club book and of the 7 members not one person liked this book. Over half the group didn't even finish it. We couldn't figure out what all the hype was over this book as we have all heard rave reviews. I would not recommend this book to anyone. Perhaps much of my disappointment was due to the fact that this book had excellent reviews on Amazon. Typically I find these reviews accurate and almost always enjoy books listed in the What Other Books Customer Bought section. I was so excited to read this book only to be majorly disappointed about 1/3rd of the way into it. It is a "played out" genre, slow and overly detailled about unimportant things. I was hoping one person in our book club liked it so I could see the magic.



2. I was so excited to read this story and thoroughly enjoyed the first 175 pages, but then it seemed to lose its focus and ramble on. The story itself is a good one, but it quickly becomes lost in "thick" writing. The author overuses adjectives and description to such an extent, his real point is often lost. He also has a knack for going into way to much detail about every little person who comes across the story. IT IS SO UNFOCUSED! The second hand view of the story is also strange, as we never get into Greg's head. The beginning of the book focuses on his struggle to build a school in Korphe, but then it is all over so quickly. We never find out his emotions or about the students. It's all very strange. I thought "ummm did I miss a chapter or something?" It just rattles on to talk about other adventures and people, having nothing to do with this school or, at some points, even Greg himself. I wondered where the editor was on this project. Yikes! What a mess! As a teacher, I was expecting to read a story that got more to the heart of this amazing man and the girls he helped to educate, but what I got was a circuatous description of small meaningless details that swallowed the real story.



3. Three Cups of Tea is an inspiration beyond measure. Great story filled with determination -- I highly recommend this book for everyone. To help make a difference and spread the word, I bought 4 copies on Amazon to give as birthday gifts to my friends and family. PS



4. What a tragedy that such an important, enlightening, and inspiring story was written so poorly. I actually didn't get past page 15 because I just couldn't stand the run-on sentences any more. Everyone in my book club loved the book but for me, the way a book is written is just as important as the story itself, and when I have to stumble over every other sentence because it's so awkward, it ruins the experience for me.



5. THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ! It makes you want to get up and make the world a better place!!! It is amazing how many lives Greg Mortensen has changed for the better. You are missing out if you do not read this book! Please pass it along to others~!

5 comments about Audition: A Memoir.

1. It is long, but I really enjoyed it. She has been a part of our lives for so very long, and has provided much enjoyment over the years. This is a good read.
   
   Editor of Michele Cozzens' award winning women's fiction A Line Between Friends



2. Barbara Walters doesn't sugar coat her life. Good for her! If you're going to tell your life story you need to tell the good, bad, and the ugly. And she does just that. I have even more respect for the woman now. She admits her mistakes in her affair and her broken marriages. She also admits the guilt she feels for her relationship with her disabled sister. The book was a little longwinded but an interesting read about an interesting and influential woman.



3. This is not the type of book that would normally interest me, but I was nonetheless impressed. Barbara Walters is an excellent study in the lives of great Americans.
   I also recommend EVERY DAY A MIRACLE HAPPENS or MIRACLES OF THE SAINTS by Rodney Charles or Rodney N Charles. Both Published by 1stWorld Library or 1stWorld Publishing.
   The Second Declaration
   Every Day A Miracle Happens
   The Secret Meaning of Names
   Lighter Than Air
   The Devil's Disciple
   Les Miserables, Volume I & II
   THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO Vol II
   PUBLISH IT NOW
   Book Marketing Basics - The New Model For Promoting Your Book
   Illumination: A Gnostic Handbook for the Post Modern World



4. I have been a huge fan of Barbara Walters forever. This is a big book, I agree, but it is worth the read. Terrific and I loved it. I also loved Michele Cozzens' A Line Between Friends



5. I always wondered why Barbara Walters had a slightly unfocused look at the beginning of some of her broadcasts. She confesses that when she is nervous, she takes one puff of a cigarette just offstage, and (being a non-smoker) immediately feels slightly dizzy but relaxed. This is exactly the look I am thinking of -- eager but slightly unfocused for a moment, batting her eyelashes exactly twice.
   
   It's the nicotine!
   
   Miss Walters has produced a long and satisfying memoir which will become the beach read of the Summer. Early on, she boasts slightly of her skills as an editor. It's clear she has applied them to this book as well. Barbara Walters has produced a finely-lubricated engine of a narrative that keeps us moving rather swiftly through her early years and subsequent superstar status.
   
   I imagine the book could easily have topped 1,000 pages had she not applied her skilled eye in chopping it down. Still, when Miss Walters writes about some of her more interesting interviews, Truman Capote for example, you almost wish she would go into more detail. There is a sense she is holding back for brevity.
   
   However, there are so many incredible anecdotes -- one featuring Robert F. Kennedy and a Mynah bird had me howling -- and they are from such impressive individuals, you admire her even more for taking out what must have been some humdingers.
   
   I don't want to give any of them away because they're too good. I bought this book on the day of its release and I am not disappointed.
   
   I like Barbara Walters' tenacity and ambition, even if she feels her rise to the top was fueled somewhat by an anxious insecurity, a neverending audition. In fact, she's auditioning for us here. Her memoir is designed to be comprehensive and readable and it succeeds on both counts.
   
   Some people define "Class" in an individual as warmth, empathy, intelligence, humor and diplomacy. You sense these people have a solid moral core. They may, in fact, make you feel slightly inferior in some areas, but of course would never let you know it, nor would they even feel it themselves. Barbara Walters is the type of woman who overtips and wouldn't be caught dead harrassing a waiter.
   
   We haven't kept her on top all these years for nothing.
   
   Get the book.

5 comments about The Revolution: A Manifesto.

1. Very very good book. Stop eating up what the media tells you and find the truth for yourself. If we do what Dr. Paul says in this book America would be 100000000 times better off than it is now.



2. Finally after all these years of hearing about the myth of what America used to be and not seeing any evidence of it myself, I can finally say I found not just a man but a politician who speaks truth in a nation full of empty promises and an abundance of deception and lies. This man has a voting record to back his words, whether you agree or disagree. This is not only unheard of it is sinful in todays politics. In this book you will learn what you rarely hear anymore,such tidbits as, we are a democracy inside the bounds of a Republic, not the other way around.You rarely hear the word Republic even uttered anymore in political speak. Another unspeakable truth is our government is supposed to be our servant not our dark all knowing overlord with a saviors answer to all our ills, that has not been the case and never will be. If you love the thought of freedom,responsibility, independence and liberty this book will inspire you to seek those values once again with hope. I am envious of west Texas for having a man such as him to represent them in congress, I wish I could say the same here in Indiana.



3. "The revolution: a manifesto" is a treasure chest full of truth and wisdom, coming from a man that does not go with the flow in Washington. Ron Paul tells it like it is. In this book you will understand why he is constantly marginilized, and disrespected by the media, other politicians, and the uninformed public. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to read this book.



4. That's exactly the point of this book. Who says simple can't work. All of our problems aren't due to not enough government they're due to too much government. The government that governs least governs best comes to mind. Ron Paul is every bit a hero of this country and a champion of right principles as the founding fathers were. This book paints an excellent picture of why our country became great and why it was different (and better) than any government before or after. If there's to be hope for this country it must start with a renewed committment to revolution. Revolution for the reinstatment of the Constitutional principles that made us great to begin with!



5. "Telling the truth is treasonous in an empire of lies"
   
   Ron Paul is doing what no modern day politician has successfully done, told the truth and gotten away with it! I'm sure the Department of Homeland Security is having a hay day with this fantastic work of art.
   
   Long Live the Republic and Long Live Freedom!

5 comments about The Last Lecture.

1. This book was absolutely amazing! To read such determination and courage in the face of adversity was awe-inspiring!



2. This was my first Kindle book. I could not put it down. I pray that this is not his last book. He tells his story from his heart. Mr. Pausch makes you realize how important and dear your family is!



3. This book was AMAZING...in fact, I couldn't put it down. It was real - in the most emotional sense. I came to love this family, and my heart shed tears for them. It is filled with such precious intimacy and, too, bits of hilarity - I can't help but share this beauty with every person in my life who truly matters to me (I deeply thank Prof. Pausch for sharing it with US!).



4. This book, like the lecture, was wonderfully inspiring. It is a brief read and a good way to relax and re-balance during your busy week. There are many sections I've already quoted to friends. I plan on passing the book around to friends and family so no one misses it!



5. This book was amazing. I have found myself wanting to have that same kind of attitude in life. Life is not a bed of roses but we need to make the most of it. His ideas are wonderful and I'll read this book over and over and try to make some changes for the better