5 comments about Nearer, My God: An Autobiography of Faith.

1. Interesting, but not riveting...I would say the best chapters are the first several - Buckley seems to lose his way through the book - what is he trying to convey to us in the latter chapters? He, himself says he took on and then abandoned the project (it sounds like a couple of times) before settling down to write it. His writing is always interesting - delightful 'turn of phrase' springs to mind...IMHO - not up to the Buckley standard (and admittedly - it is a high standard)



2. I'm suprised he's a Mr. Buckley instead of a Dr. Buckley.
   His philosophical defense on Christianity are as complex and as detailed as other leading doctorate Christian Apologetic defenses by such professors as William Lane Craig and Peter Kreeft.
   His book is more than just intriguing; it's a work of deep thought and faith.
   Although the extravagant words that Mr. Buckley uses (Many of the words he use are unfamiliar to Microsoft Word!) can be quite confusing, it's logical structure is superb.
   Mr. Buckley must have some very good knowledge on formal logic.
   I personally like how he seperates his defenses of Christianity and Catholicism, allowing this book to be tolerated for even the most evangelical Christian.
   That's another great aspect of the book, in my opinion. (I am not an evangelical) Mr. Buckley is obviously a conservative Catholic, seperated by the popular Christian evangelism that is sweeping through churches. Buckley put's aside the evangelical dogma, and shows Christianity on how it really is.
   Not by saying that every religion is wrong except for Christianity - the evangelical approach
   but by saying why Christianity is the right religion, and how he possibly could be wrong.
   Christian apologetic books like this make Atheists, like Sam Harris, beg for a chance to slow down and let them organize their thoughts.
   So instead of having Rick Warren and Sam Harris debate on Newsweek, let's see Sam Harris and William F. Buckley bust out their beliefs. But I do believe Mr. Harris would plead for a Dictionary somewhere in the middle of such a debate.
   
   The book is superb and I recommend it for those Christians who feel their faith lacks intellectual and rational standing.
   
   Great Book



3. Written in a gentle way without any super big words pushing you to the nearest dictionary. A statement of faith and belief. But spiritual questions remain which even the super intelligent can not totally figure out. This reviewer found the book enlightening.



4. I am not a Roman Catholic and never have been. My review is by an individual who is critical of the Roman Catholic Faith. The author of this book, William F. Buckley is a devout Roman Catholic and believes in the teachings of his church. The title of this work makes it sound like a devotional; it is not. The cover of the book calls the book an autobiography of Faith; It is not. William F. Buckley does share some personal experience in his life interacting with the Roman Catholic church. He also discusses thoughts of fellow Catholics in his life. It is not explanation or presentation development of faith through life experience or study. This book is about Roman Catholic doctrine. The original working title of this book was Why am I still a Catholic. William F. Buckley felt this title made it seem like he was or should be embarrassed to be a member of the Catholic Church; something he surely is not. The author uses the same intellect and serious thought to his religious faith as he argues his political views.
   
   The Catholic church is the ultimate arbitrator of Truth. This book defends the Pope's obligation to make biblical teaching clearer and easier to understand. The author details the churches' position on developing doctrine. Difficulties between Arnold Lunn, then at the time not a catholic, and friar Arnold. Included in the discussion is papal inerrancy , the inquisition and slavery , eternal punishment, indulgences, difficulty with Biblical interpretation and Biblical literalism. In other places in this work the author defends Mother as the Mother of God, the praying to `the saints', miracles at Lourdes, issues of no woman priests, divorce - annulments, birth control, and remarriage. Obviously I disagree with most everything in the defense of Catholic teaching but is done well. Ordination of Michael Bozell is told about. The principles of being a God Father and how the application in real life is discussed.
   
   Included are observations and experience with fellow Catholics. An example of this is Malcolm Muggeridge.



5. I wanted to get a glimpse of contemporary conservative thinking. After Mr. Buckley passing away I heard that he was a sort of beacon for modern Conservative political thought. There's no better way to get a lowdown on this than to get under conservative skin, i.e. going into the subject of faith, since this is a sort of underlying building block for conservative thought.
   
   Referring to the subtitle "An autobiography of faith", there is very little "autobiography". We get just a glimpse of Mr.Buckley's privileged childhood in the beginning of the book. But the major body of the text is a commentary on someone else's religious writings, filled with very generous quotations. From the initial premise of the book - "autobiography of faith" - I got an impression that it's going to be a personal account of how someone like Mr. Buckley comes to Catholic faith and what strengthens him in his beliefs. What you get instead is a very referential analysis of certain developments in the history of Catholicism and some current religious concepts. For example, Vatican abandoning the Latin liturgy in favor of modern languages (the author strongly disagrees with it), issues of contraception, the influence of church on the state, etc. In general, it leaves a strong impression that this book is written by a journalist, who wanted to mull over the current agenda, not by a person, who wanted to explore and share his personal relationship with God.

5 comments about Blindsided: Lifting a Life Above Illness: A Reluctant Memoir.

1. BLINDSIDED by Richard Cohen. This is not just a book for for those dealing with MS, Although it could be the story of my family. It is the story of a man and his family who takes the blows and then gets up and keeps on going. It may not be the path was originally planned but they find a way to go go on. It is an uplifting story to those who fight physical problems and despair and find a way to go on. God bless you Richard Cohen, Meredith Viera and your children.



2. I really didn't like this book..from the first page. I never did try to pick it up again. Not worth your time.



3. This is one of my favorite memoirs. Mr. Cohen writes beautifully about a not so beautiful subject, chronic illness. I hear he has another book out and I plan to look it up and order it as soon as I finish this review. Thank you for giving a voice to chronic illness Richard.



4. Richard M Cohen is amazing person. I really enjoy read this book. I found it very interest and good.



5. Mr. Cohen is a huge black hole; I once did not feel his love for his children...my impression is that he was after all a very lucky man. he managed to put up with a demanding career, had the big luck in a great woman and I think wonderful kids...Instead of bitching so much, be thankful Mr. Cohen for what you have! In other country or other financial situation you would be long gone.

1 comments about Kasztner's Train: The True Story of an Unknown Hero of the Holocaust.

1. An expertly researched, captivatingly written and long overdue book about the courage, ingenuity, successes and ultimate sad persecution of a great but much maligned hero. Brava Anna Porter!

5 comments about In the Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars.

1. Sites' book is just fantastic. He chronicles his experience as an online journalist, giving background information that goes beyond the stories and features on his website.
   
   The most striking thing about the book is its structure: Each chapter is divided up into smaller sections, each quickly digestible and ideal for stopping. This book is great for reading on the bus or at work (you know who you are!)
   
   Sites makes a real effort not to give us "misery porn," and this book self-consciously details this effort. Sites obviously gets emotionally bogged down by the constant scenes of depression and poverty; going back to the structure of the book, each story, or anecdote, can strike you in a different way. While he writes about an amputee's miserable life in one snippet, another snippet describes the joy that same amputee experiences while singing. I think Sites really tries to balance every tear with a smile.
   
   This book also deals -- both implicitly and explicitly -- with issues in journalism and media/communications: ethics, professionalism, the role of media, new teachnologies, etc.
   
   An all-around good read, I don't rate many books this highly.



2. This is a tough book to read. Not in the sense that the writing lags or is difficult to comprehend; not in the sense that it isn't engaging and powerful; but purely because it's easy to forget (as Americans) that the world isn't quite as safe and wonderful as we so often innately believe.
   
   After reading this book, I was struck with an immense realization that there's a lot that's wrong in the world. The realization was overwhelming at times, which made me wonder how Sites was able to handle all the different scenarios over just the course of one year. This is the type of book that I'd love to drop in the hands of a post-modern thinker who would argue against absolute truth. You don't believe there's true, absolute evil in the world...tell that to the Colombian land mine victims or the child bride in Afghanistan.
   
   Despite the chilling realizations that this book brings, or perhaps because of it, you should read this book. It will open your eyes to the world and should motivate you to action.



3. Having lived & worked in some of the places Kevin writes about, I was amazed at his accuracy. Few writers grasp an in-depth understanding so well in such a short period of time.
   
   His title for part VII " My Third-World America: A Wealth of Information, A Poverty of Knowlege" struck a chord with me: I have long been amazed at the average American's lack of knowledge or even basic awareness of the world outside America's borders.
   
   Thank you Kevin for your insight and sacrifice in both your book and the Yahoo! Hot Zone project.
   
   Yahoo!, thank you for your supoort of the Hot Zone: I have now become a fan and investor: as you support an import project, I feel I must support you.



4. I first heard of Kevin Sites when he came to give a talk to a journalism class at my school, which I crashed. Because I have heard him speak, I admit that I was predisposed to like his book. What he attempted to do was amazing, and I was very glad to find this book at the airport bookshop while I was waiting for my flight. This book, though billed as "current events" is more of a memoir of his personal experiences in the conflict zones he covers. He gives the basic history of each, but what he does that is more valuable, in my opinion, is give a human face to the conflict. He tells the stories of those affected by these wars: the innocent bystanders, the soldiers, and the victims. I wish he could have given more depth to each but it was a necessary weakness when he was only in each area for a few short weeks.



5. Easy read with an interesting viewpoint that we don't usualy have access to. We are so safe and pampered in the USA, it hurts to know how the rest of the world is forced to live. This book will increase one's knowledge about what's going on in the rest of the world.

5 comments about Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora.

1. As I read this collection of essays, I almost felt as if it were my own memoir. Lam's feelings of growing up in two different cultures struck a cord in me and made me realize that someone else out there felt the same way I did growing up in America.
   
   This is an important piece of literature because it truly captures the sentiment of the Vietnamese-American torn between two cultures, betweeen the contemporary and the traditional, between two separate generations, between war and peace.
   
   For anyone who grew up feeling not really accepted by either your heritage culture or the current one, this is the book for you. Lam truly captures the Vietnamese-American experience and I highly recommend this book.



2. Andrew Lam has been writing about the Vietnamese diaspora longer than anyone I know. Since the early 1990s his works have appeared in national publications. "Perfume Dreams" is the amalgamation of his perspectives, ones that many of us former refugees can relate in our own lives. I had the pleasure of taking part in book events in NYC and LA with Andrew. In a way we've come full circle since our last elementary school day in Saigon when a defecting South Vietnamese jet bombed the Presidential Palace a few hundred meters across the street. Pick up this must-have book to better understand the Vietnamese identity in America.



3. 
   Perfume Dreams is a must read book for all Vietnamese Americans. Andrew is a gifted writer, a gate keeper / history teller for Vietnamese American who are living in America. He has never lost his touch with his root.
   
   The Perfum Dreams touches all sides of experiences the Vietnamese refugees and immigrants. The "haves and not haves, the fortunate and unfortunate" lives of Vietnamese-Americans.
   
   I am looking forward for more of his future books. We should all feel proud to have someone like Andrew to keep us in touch with ourselves and remind us of the challenges in living in America.



4. The telling of this most personal journey avoids any and all hyperbole or belittling. Boldly Andrew Lam presents the opportunities found by the exile who chooses to leave his homeland as well as the demanding adjustments he must undergo if he is to succeed in his adopted country.
   
   Back in Vietnam he is viewed as one who is exceptional, a person who has achieved the highest level of sucess. Those opportunites, he finds, do not exist in fact or spirit in his native land.



5. Andrew Lam writes with such great passion and sensitivity that one becomes totally absorbed in his essays that are in his award winning book "Perfume Dreams". Truly a gifted effort that delivers a literary image of what it feels like to be a Vietnamese-American immigrant. His essays are like a coming of age story with so much more depth than most you read today. This book is amazing and inspiring--it will leave you in an emotional state long after you put the book down.
   
   The author writes about his culture and his struggles for identity. He has roots in two countries not only physically but also spiritually and emotionally as well. His observations, along with his reactions, thoughts and his musings about life and other people are both insightful and entertaining; his essays are important chronicles. The book can be read in an afternoon but it may take a lifetime to fully appreciate what the author has lived and written about.
   
   The book is worthy of your time to its read. I give this book my fullest personal recommendation. This book is a FIVE STAR BOOK!

5 comments about But Enough About Me: How a Small-Town Girl Went from Shag Carpet to the Red Carpet.

1. Confession: I'm only 2/3s of the way through the book and for all I know it could go off the rails...but I really doubt it. Her story's a hoot. I'm not from Jersey but I did finish up high school in CT a few years after her and I've met her kind. Had I moved from California to Jersey instead of Westport, CT I probably would have a had a far better time or at least better stories to tell, although I wouldn't have let big hair happen to me.
   
   I'll be lending this book to my other gal pals who came of age in the mid to late 80s, and who also enjoyed an extended adolescence.



2. I loved this book. It's a nice story and laugh out loud funny. I've sent it to 3 people and they all loved it too.



3. This book had me giggling the whole way through. I grew up in a small New Jersey town as well, and Jancee reminds me so much of myself. At one point I think she described herself as a nerd with a little bit of old lady thrown in, which resonated with me perfectly. Woven into the memoir are celebrity interviewing tips, which are hilarious. And who knows-- maybe they will come in handy someday!



4. Dunn gives her readers two books in one. She warmly writes about her childhood in suburban New Jersey during the 1980s. Her friends and family could easily have been cast in any John Hughes film of that decade. She reminds us that the 1980s were all about having an endless supply of cassette tapes for the boom box, Bruce Springsteen concerts, tanning with baby oil, and using an entire can of Aqua Net to keep your perm firmly in place.
   
   She also provides sly instructions on the fine art of the celebrity interview such as:
   
   How to sneak a peak inside Madonna's bathroom and Dolly Parton's kitchen;
   How to appreciate the grooviness of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonnet;
   How to politely decline a rock star's offer of heroin; and
   How interviewing Barry White can heal a girl's broken heart
   
   Dunn knows how to get the story and, in But Enough About Me, she proves that she can deliver it as well.



5. Jancee Dunn isn't your typical starlet. She's from the unglamorous New Jersey, where she lives with a bizarre family who snack on sugar sandwiches, and worship J.C. Penney - the store, and the man behind the store. Like I said, she's no starlet, but Jancee Dunn has enough spunk in her pinky finger alone to entertain the reader, and make you envy her as she takes on the entertainment world, one celebrity at a time, via her stint at the legendary Rolling Stone magazine.
   
   If there was one thing Jancee Dunn was from a young age, it was being obsessed with music. Her bedroom was cluttered with cassette tapes depicting everything from Madonna to Bruce Springsteen; her boombox was constantly blaring - much to her parents chagrin; and her weekends were full of music concerts. Music aside, however, Jancee was a typical eighties teenager, complete with a perm that was held in place with countless cans of Aqua Net hairspray; and tanning with whole bottles of baby oil. The oldest of three children, Jancee was a musical influence on her younger sisters, and tried to instill a love of song in the both of them - in-between her impromptu bedroom garage sales, that is. As Jancee gets older, she stops her late-night Jersey partying, snags a job at Rolling Stone Magazine, and begins hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Making peanut butter fudge with Loretta Lynne; scurrying around Star Jones' glamorous New York apartment; shopping with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen; and being offered drugs by Scott Weiland of the Stone Temple Pilots. Even with her celebrity partying, Jancee doesn't forget her family, and spends much time communicating with them via telephone - in the midst of other things, of course, such as working at MTV2 and Good Morning America. But as years pass, and Jancee gets older and older, she realizes that maybe being a Rock Chick isn't something that should last past a certain point, and contemplates settling down - or, at least, cutting back on her partying.
   
   I will be the first to admit that I am not a memoir/biography reader. In fact, I rarely read anything but fiction. That said, there was something about Jancee Dunn's BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME that called out to me, and reeled me in; refusing to release me until the last page was read. Dunn is, perhaps, one of the most humorous writers I have ever encountered. Her memoirs kept me up long into the night, giggling at each memory of her crazy parents, her eighties wardrobe, and her celebrity mishaps. Each of Dunn's bizarre encounters with celebrities provide a shocking, oft-times humorous glimpse into the world of how the other half lives; while Dunn's take on all of her interviews, as well as the advice she doles out regarding dealing with celebrities couldn't be more enjoyable. Celebrities aside, Dunn's family life, and talk of her childhood is just as humorous as her adventures in the entertainment world. The scenarios involving her worrywart parents are always humorous; while the appearances by her sisters Dinah and Heather make the reader just as much a fan of them, as Dunn, herself. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME was certainly not enough for me - I want more Jancee!
   
   Erika Sorocco
   Freelance Reviewer

5 comments about Chronicles of Wasted Time.

1. For those who don't know, Muggeridge was a British journalist - editor of Punch, television journalist, etc. He was raised among some of the most "forward thinking" (an ironic phrase) socialist minded, trendy (naturist, vegetarian, etc.) people in London - very much a Fabian set. In his 30s, after he had been a policeman in India and a journalist in the U.S.S.R., he underwent an awakening to the fraud in much of the "progressive thinking" with which he had been inculcated and by which was completely adopted by all his right-thinking journalistic and political circles. He underwent a religious conversion to a high Anglican church (I think - or is it Catholic?) belief - it was later he who publicized Mother Theresa to the world. He is quite moving in describing his religious beliefs and is among the finest prose writers I've ever read - shockingly out of synch with secular modern ideas, and truly an original. He's terribly funny in his tales of the absurdity of Emperor without Clothes leaders and thinkers of the 20th century - particularly those who believe that collective policies by governments can improve mankind. He is as humorously cynical about man and his pathetic attempts to "improve himself" as anyone you'll ever read. He is also truly a fantastic prose writer - these two successive volumes in one are beautifully written and moving.



2. I have only recently discovered Malcolm Muggeridge's writings, and wow! what a man, what an awesome writer! He can make you laugh, cry, and scream all in the same paragraph. I could not put this book down, even though at first it seemed way too long. Every page was crisp with details of a fascinating life! Truly an inspiring, unforgettable memoir.



3. While I don't claim to have read everything in English, this is the best-written book I've ever read. I remember hoping not to pass on before I'd finished it. Five stars is not enough for this absolutely delightful book, or rather two books. It was originally published in two volumes, "The Green Stick" and "The Infernal Grove", both included here. This is the first edition to include the remnants of the barely-begun third volume, "The Right Eye" (the Chronicles were to have been a trilogy).
   
   Thanks to the efforts of the Malcolm Muggeridge Society in London, here are all three (or two and a bit) books together. What's more, the introduction is by Ian Hunter, who penned his own riveting bio of MM, Malcolm Muggeridge: A Life, as well as assembling short bits and shreds from hither and yon in The Very Best of Malcolm Muggeridge.
   
   To my view, the Chronicles are the very best of MM. Were he to have some place in the literature of the last century, this is the book that would assure it. Not that he would want a place. He considered himself a journalist, not a writer, or as he loved to quote St. Augustine, "a vendor of words". However, as Ian Hunter reveals, he was not simply an observer but a player on the scene of the most tumultuous century in history. As biographer Richard Ingrams has noted, he seemed to know everyone and be everywhere.
   
   In a sense, there was a third book, called Conversion, which appeared instead of The Right Eye. It's the only book he wrote after becoming a Roman Catholic in 1982, and appeared with various subtitles. It's not, as one might think, about becoming an RC, although it does cover that. Oddly enough it's written in the third person, and subject-wise takes up where his book and TV show, A Third Testament, left off, in chronicling his various inspirations. It's best read after the Chronicles, as he retreads some of the same ground, commenting and adding anecdotal reflections.
   
   As much as one would long to read The Right Eye in its entirety, this is all we have. One imagines him reciting that third book somewhere to rollicking applause, for closing this volume one gets the sense that even after a long and prolific life he left us much too soon, and with music still in him.



4. It is almost sixteen years since the death of this great writer, broadcaster, actor, soldier-spy and latterly Christian apologist and his voice is greatly missed, particularly at this time with so many major and controversial issues dominating the news agenda. Because love him or loathe him, Muggeridge always had a unique, and often tangental, view to offer on the significant events of the day.
   Without doubt, Chronicles was his greatest work and should be compulsory reading for anyone learning English literature, for it will be found a totally engrossing read, start to finish. Spanning the early part of the twentieth century, Muggeridge was a master in use of the English language and his love of writing comes out on every page, together with his wit and wisdom. The Malcolm Muggeridge Society is bringing more of his work back into print and I'd like to think that it will be read not by existing fans but by a new generation.



5. This book is what I call "chewy" - not one to just breeze through in a day or two as you would a bestseller. There is a lot going on here. I think MM had a manic-depressive disorder, and that comes to light in his other autobiographical book (of his diaries) as well. Interesting to read about his
   rocky journey through all the highs and lows, and how he finally finds serenity later in life.

5 comments about House of Happy Endings: A Memoir.

1. This memoir shows the triumph of life over madness. Leslie Garis does a great job, and a courageous one, sharing memories of her growing up years in a household governed by a father with mental illness. It shows the pain and anguish of all involved. And, in 2007, this father would have gotten good medicine and the family life would have been totally different. It is hard to believe a family can live beyond the pain. But, they all did.



2. I grew up in a home filled with children's series books such as Nancy Drew, The Bobbsey Twins and many others (not all of them series books, thank goodness). At the time, I thought author Laura Lee Hope was not just an author's name on the cover of Bobbsey Twins books but one that represented a single author, not a series of authors working for an organization. I thought of Laura as a kindly woman who sat down and thought of a new formulaic story for children, perhaps with a light shawl around her shoulders, sun streaming through the windows of her traditional home.
   
   Wrong! Instead, a group of various authors worked for Edward Stratemeyer to create many of those children's books. Stratemeyer was a shrewd man who hired writers to work for his syndicate, allowing him to maintain control and most of the profits.
   
   After reading the book, House of Happy Endings, written by Leslie Garis, I had a whole new perspective on the world of peaceful families, solid values and the sugar-coated world of those children's series books, ones populated with the names of Tom Swift, Baseball Joe, Dorothy Dale and the Bobbsey Twins. Our home had a fair number of these books, although I admit I found them a bit too formulaic for my tastes. Still, I have memories of those covers and the beaming faces and idyllic scenes that graced those covers.
   
   In the books I'd read, everything generally ended well and the children and adults went off to bed to dream happy dreams -never nightmares. I do feel compelled to warn potential readers of House of Happy Endings that if you have cherished memories of those books - as well as illusions of kindly authors spinning these lovely fantasy tales - ....you might want to avoid reading the book. But if you like wonderfully told memoirs that are both powerful and enlightening, I'd suggest you get a copy of this and sit down for a good read.
   
   Why? Because House of Happy Endings openly examines the life of one author, Leslie Garis, and her family and how their lives were seriously twisted by trying to live a life modeled on illusions of perfection like those reflected in the books. Leslie Garis's grandfather, Howard Garis, was the creator of the famed Uncle Wiggily books. He couldn't walk down the street without children clamoring for him to tell them stories about Uncle Wiggily and he'd often do just that. He was seen as a kindly gentleman who love children and eagerly looked forward to coming up with more tales to enchant them. The truth was far darker.
   
   Imagine being the son of the man who created Uncle Wiggily. The son of "the man who created Uncle Wiggily" was Roger Garis. Try to think about how that might impact your life. Intrigued? Then you'll want to pick up the book, House of Happy Endings, because Leslie Garis reveals exactly how intimidating it was for a budding writer (her father) to try to compete with the reputation of his own father. You'd think he'd want to avoid becoming anything but a writer but his father encouraged him to continue the family tradition even as his mother undermined him.
   
   By now it should be clear that the Garis household was definitely not one of life imitating art, of the sunny, cheerful Bobbsey Twins, but of a family struggling desperately to hold things together in the wake of impending crisis. Leslie Garis's father, Roger Garis, had terrible mood swings, drug addictions and the ill luck to be overshadowed by his famous father. She describes his struggles, mental breakdowns and odd behavior in an open, but also loving, style. I consider this book to be one of the best I've read in quite some time.
   
   At this point, you may be cringing and wondering why on earth anyone would ever want to pick up this book, one which tears apart the illusions anyone might hold about the beloved Bobbsey Twins and Uncle Wiggily and the authors behind them.
   
   Here's some quick reasons you should put this on your "to read" list of books:
   
   1. It reveals a piece of American social history, especially children's literature and book history, that is both personal and engaging. There are larger truths and insights here about what people wanted to read, the ideals they cherished and the type of books they bought for themselves and their children - especially in the 30s and 40s. Author Leslie Garis had rare access to some of the letters sent by those readers as well as the demands of the publishing company.
   
   Reading this allows one to get a "behind the scenes" looks at children's book series authors, their readers and the way the work was written and published. As a reader and a writer, I found it impossible to put down!
   
   2. The book is written with enough drama to be completely riveting but also a certain amount of restraint. This could easily have seemed like a "Mommy or Daddy Dearest" story but the author has the good sense to pull back from that and to simply reveal what life was like at The Dell, a family home bought with much hope and promise and one that was indeed expected to be a house of happy endings. Instead, life in that large home turned into a downward spiral and a steadily worsening nightmare. Leslie Garis was witness to it all and reconstructs the entire situation with amazing clarity.
   
   3. There is previously unrevealed information about the inside workings of the Stratemeyer syndicate. They really held dear the illusions they created, including the fact that there was one author named Laura Lee Hope who wrote The Bobbsey Twins. Even today, many unknowing readers assume that there was a single author who wrote all those books. I really enjoyed learning the truth as well as the impact that trying to keep secrets had on the Garis family. The Stratemeyers could be cruel, demanding and vengeful!
   
   4. The book is inspirational, although not in the way that many "inspirational" book fit that genre. It is a sideways kind of inspiration, one that can be intuited by reading the author's bio and learning that she went on to write New York Times Magazine profile of many authors, including John Fowles and Joan Didion and Georges Simenon.
   
   Before that, however, she had her own breakdown and struggles. For all readers of House of Happy Endings, one message could well be that life can be hard but resilience can be found even when all hope truly seems lost.
   
   5. Leslie Garis doesn't pull any punches. She describes the weaknesses of her father, grandfather, mother and grandmother in graphic detail. The family was like a turbulent cloud of dysfunction and yet there were happy moments and even touching ones. From hysterical fits to money troubles, Garis gives a first person account, first seen from the eyes of a child and then as the emerging woman she was becoming. No one was left untouched, from her brothers to Garis herself. All suffered from the family dynamics.
   
   Perhaps most touching of all is the plaintive question that opens the book but which I find to be an excellent summary of how Leslie Garis felt so much of the time, the question she seem to return to - time and again:
   
   "We were a nice family once, weren't we? "



3. House of Happy Endings: A Memoir
   
   Leslie Garis's memoir takes you from her childhood to adulthood describing her loss of innocence in discovering her family dynamics. It is also a story of two marriages, her grandparents and parents and how children are affected by these relationships. Garis has managed to combine the fun days of childhood with the reality of her Grandmother's and Father's depression and how it affected her and her brothers. A wonderful story that starts out with a life so full of hope before reality takes hold in the mind of a child.



4. This warm-hearted book describes the terrible strain of a father's mental illness on the entire family. This is a very talented writer who invites the reader to her childhood home, set in a picturesque New England town, and introduced us to her remarkable family.



5. I really enjoyed reading this true narrative. It was as interesting as any good fiction I have read. I read his grandfather's books as a child, and loved them. So hearing about their author was intriguing. Of course, the most intriguing aspect is the dysfunctional family that this author endured. Many of us have at least one person in our family that is somewhat unbalanced. Poor Mr. Garis had quite a few more than his share. Besides the good read, I guess the take home message is that if he can come out of that household alive and well, then the rest of us have a fighting chance.

5 comments about The 5 Year Journal.

1. This is a way to record your memories over five years. You can look back each year at your memories.



2. I have used this item daily for almost 2 years now for writing quick notes on what my kids doing, running times/training information, health, and travel logs. The format is great for rehashing what you were doing a year or two ago at this same time. It helps to find trends in allergies, cold, training schedules . . . that you would not get in a regular linear journal. The 3 sentence restriction forces me to keep it brief and managable. Just a few seconds before bed is all it takes. Just quick notes on those things you swear you will never forget (but do anyway). I love the subdued cover so it does not attract the attention of my kids.



3. This is not the first time I have ordered this diary. In fact, I originally ordered this product 5-years ago. As it says, it is a 5-year diary and I decided to get another as I had just completely filled in my original 5-year diary. The first 5-year diary had a plain green cover, but the quality and workmanship could be seen. It was a great product when I first got it and decided to get it again as I liked the handy aspect of a summary all together of what the last 5-years of my life where. In addition, I liked the quality and workmanship. Unfortunately, they have not kept up with the quality they had with the original 5-year diary. In fact, the pretty picture is the only postitive of the new 5-year diary. When I ordered, I expected to get the same quality that was in the original 5-year diary. Unfortunately, I was sadly mistaken as the product is no longer as good as it use to be. The quality of the workmanship has been severely downgraded. In the original 5-year diary, the cover was a plain green cover with gold embossing to a plain paper cover with black ink printing and a picture. It feels more like a book now than a diary. In addition, I see a vastly downgrade of other original work. This book is similar to the original but not nearly as good. The original book size was 10 1/2 inches by 8". Now the book is down to 10 1/4 by 7 1/4. When talking about a normal book this is not much but with a diary it is allot. You have the same amount of lines on the page with allot less space. This means you must write even smaller and put less information on a page. Three lines is not allot of space to write in the first place. In the original, you could change one line into two if you had to, in this version, you really can't. One of my favorite features in the old book was a ribbon that allowed you to mark the pages. This ribbon is not in the new 5-year diary which makes finding you place in the book difficult and time consuming The paper quality on the old diary book was great and it had a slightly different paper that attached the book. This version of the 5-year diary has all white paper of questionable quality. In fact, I hope this is archive paper and will last. Unlike the original, it has the feel of regular paper that you get from Office Max for use in the copier and not the feel of paper used for writing in a diary. Hopefully, this will hold up like the original 5-year diary, but only time will tell if the downgrades of this once fine product will hold the test of time like the original. In my opinion, the individuals who took over after the death of Doreene Clements are not as interest in making the quality product as she was. Her e-mails over the last 5-years prior to her death showed her passion for her work and for her product. I wonder after seeing this 5-year diary whether the death of the creator of this diary means the death of her dream. With the current quality, only time will tell if the downgrades will also mean the death of the 5-year diary.



4. I love this journal! I write in it everyday. I like it because it gives me a couple of lines to write my thoughts, ideas, and emotions. I do not feel like I have to pour my heart out or write a whole paragraph. I can put my thoughts down in just a couple of sentences. I love the monthly focus and the quarterly questions. Also, I love the fact that I can keep writing in the same journal for the next 5 years. It will give me the opportunity to see my growth and focus on my goals and dreams for the next 5 years.
   
   I would definitely recommend this journal and it was worth the price!



5. I started journaling in the 5YJ on January 1, 2008 and should be done in 2012. So far, it has helped to maintain my focus and force me to think of one good thing about my day no matter how hectic it gets. I have recommended this journal to my family and friends. It is such a wonderful way to look back at your accomplishments and the things that were so important to you in the past. Most of all, it is a wonderful tool for GROWTH!!!

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