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5 comments about Into That Good Night.

1. A memoir called Into That Good Night by Ron Rozelle,
   is the story told from Ron's point of view when he was
   growing up in Oakwood and even in his present day
   life. It talks about segregation in schools and in
   some stores throughout the town where he grew up. This
   book shows the change Ron goes through with his family
   when his mother becomes sick with lung cancer. Ron
   learns to appreciate his family much more as he got
   older and started to realize he won't have parents
   forever. He ultimately realizes this when his father
   looses his battle with Alzheimer's disease. You also
   see segregation come to an end in Oakwood as time
   progresses. You see the town where everyone knew
   everyone suddenly become very lonely and empty after
   most of the population got old and passed away. There
   weren't many people moving in to Oakwood because it
   didn't have many job opportunities.
   Ron wrote this book in a then and now format. Every
   other chapter switches, describing his child hood and
   what happened in the future. It is a little confusing
   but you catch on right away. It's very interesting
   this way because it keeps you wondering, "What
   happened to Ron".
   Ron's ability to describe things just painted a clear
   picture of what everything was like for him back then
   in my mind. He gets right to the point when he rights,
   it's not hard to comprehend or anything. That is what
   is likeable about his style of writing. He writes in a
   very appealing manner. Into That Good Night's main
   focus is about Ron's relationship with his dad.
   Ron and his father were very close because Ron's
   father is a very calm kind of guy. He doesn't show
   much emotion where as his mother is described as moody
   and not afraid to yell when something makes his mad.
   This is why he had more of a connection with his
   father because in many ways he was like his father.
   Ron is not quick to show emotion either. Ron and his
   father form a special bond.
   Ron graduates high school and is drafted in to the
   military. He gets shipped off to Germany for a year.
   In the mean time, his mother's health is decreasing.
   She is getting worse and the doctors say she doesn't
   have much time left. She started chain smoking when
   Ron was a kid and that led her to her deathbed.
   Fortunately Ron got to say goodbye to his mom right
   before he headed off to the airport to be shipped off.
   He felt that finally, he and his mother were at peace
   with each other.
   Ron and his dad form a strong bond after Ron gets
   back from the Army and gets his own apartment. His dad
   comes to visit him and they spend quality time
   together. A few years later Ron's father eventually
   re-marries and lives with his new wife. When Ron's
   father gets in his older years he starts forgetting
   things. His loss of memory starts increasing and he's
   even forgetting simple things like where he is. He is
   diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
   What is Ron going to do when one of the most
   important people in his life is starting to forget who
   his own son is. What is it like to die not remembering
   what your life was like and what your legacy will be.
   This story was very easy to relate to. It is a very
   easy understanding and likeable memoir of Ron Rozelle.



2. THIS BOOK COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED ME. I LIVED IT ONCE, AND NOW I'VE LIVED IN AGAIN THROUGH RON'S EYES. THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE OUR FATHER. HE TAUGHT US INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, HONESTY, AND LOVE WITH HIS QUIET WAYS AND GENTLY DEMEANOR. HE WAS BIGGER THAN LIFE TO ME. IT WAS SO HARD TO SEE WHAT HE HAD BECOME WHEN ALZHEIMERS TOOK OVER. HE HAD THE SAME SWEET DEMEANOR, BUT SOMETIMES DIDN'T RECOGNIZE US. IT WAS HARD, AND RON TOLD THE STORY BEAUTIFULLY. I CAN JUST SEE OUR DAD'S BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES TWINKLE IN PLEASURE. THANK YOU RON FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT. I LOVE YOU...DIANE



3. Into That Good Night may well be the best book I've ever read. Having been raised in a small Texas town in the same era, it really hit home. Ron's story of life's experiences, of loves and losses, is a heart felt story that is enjoyable and easy to read. It is a wonderfully written story of growing up when racism was really becoming an issue in the south, of his beloved father's Alzheimers, and much, much more. I highly recommend this book.



4. The simple title belies a great author and an even greater reading experiance.
   
   The author writes so that you actually *feel* you are there and know the streets and towns and things he speaks of and what you couldn't possibly see with your minds eye--he makes you feel with your heart.
   
   A"MUST-READ" for anyone who has ever had a death made worse, by things left unspoken.



5. This is one of the best books I have ever read! I devoured it in a day. Beautifully written.

5 comments about Camp.

1. I went to camp too. Camp Hawthorne in Raymond, Maine. This book is the best and a worthwhile read for any parent with a kid at camp or any parent considering sending their kid to camp. It's likely even better for kids like me who went to camp because no matter what experience Eisner describes, the same memories come rushing back in all their fun and splendor. One of my camp friends always used to say he was going to write a book about camp called "Camp Camp." (A generic book he had in mind.) He always said no one would believe what great fun and experiences we had. He never wrote the book but I am extremely happy that Michael Eisner has. It is no samll wonder he has been so successful (say what you might about his last few difficult years - those years were difficult for anyone in business.) He actually came through them in good shape and there's a reason he did. Nothing is as tough as that first canoe trip that you lead. If you forget any one of a number of items it can turn three days into ten. Kudos to Eisner for writing about camp in all its splendor, honoring those who gave kids like us the time of our lives, and carrying on the tradition through generosity usually reserved for only the finest of America's institutions. He's got his heart and him money in the right place!



2. Eisner's book is a wonderful reflection of his experiences over many summers at a prominent northeastern "sleepaway camp." Being a northern Californian, I was not exposed to this particular genre of camp experience, but my brothers and I were fortunate to attend a wonderfully similar enclave three hours north of us called Camp Beaverbrook, which featured most of the same experiences (save for the wonderful natural lakes) that Mr. Eisner recounts. Our camp directors, "Amee and Niha" (Bob and Marion Brown from Orinda, California) built the place by hand and created a wonderful place for young people ("Beaverbods," we called them) to grow up and learn to live with others. Mrs. Brown even wrote her own reflective book called "Past Tents," which is unfortunately out of print. If you enjoyed Mr. Eisner's book, you should also see the movie "Indian Summer," which never ceases to bring a tear to my eyes.



3. Eisner's descriptions of his experiences as a camper really hit home for me, I would recommend this book heartily. Coincidentally I also was a Beaverbod (attended Camp Beaverbrook) run by Amee and Niha and Mr Mahnke's Brother. The experience described in Eisner's book is much more "East Coast" than my own experience but still rings true if you ever went to summer camp. His descriptions of the aging Camp Director and the emotions he evokes are great. Good read!



4. Although the sleep-away camp that I went to was rather different than the one Michael Eisner attended and lovingly described in this book (the rustic Keewaydin located in Vermont), nevertheless, I definitely related to Eisner's remarks on how summer camp can simultaneously foster in children independence, interdependence and constructive competition. I liked the way the book jumped around from generation to generation, to show how the benefits of the camp experience are timeless. His ode to the camp owner (forever known to campers and staff as "Waboos") is quite touching, especially his depiction of present day, close to 90 year old, Waboos, who's almost blind. My enjoyment of the book was certainly enhanced because one of my favorite activities as a camper was canoeing, which is a cornerstone of Keewaydin. I'm very curious as to how the two boys known as Q and Pepe, who were able to attend the camp as a result of a charity that the author finacially supports, are doing these days.
   
   "Camp" is a charming little book, especially for someone like me who was also, to some extent, shaped by summer camp.



5. This book provided insights about others' camping experiences. Thus I could compare it with my own camping experiences (mostly at BSA camps). It takes alot of courage to handle the rigors of camping, in my opinion.

1 comments about Men at Arnhem.

1. Geoffrey Powell describes his experiences during the British fight at Arnhem. He packs emotion into every sentence. Powell, as a company commander, readily admits mistakes he made in battle and the pain he experienced as a result of those mistakes shows in his words. His detailed desciptions of moments on the battlefield resonate with the reader long after the book is finished. The suffering and sacrifice endured by the British Paratroopers comes to life in this book. If you liked any of the American Airborne books by Donald Burgett or Ross Carter, you will love this book.

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5 comments about Wild Harmonies: A Life of Music and Wolves.

1. Well-written and insightful, it makes an interesting read. Grimaud is to be congratulated for her personal strength. Discussions about music are slightly unusual but enlightening in view of the academic language that dominates classical music debates today and bores everybody to death. Grimaud makes a case for personal and poetic approach to music discussions. From that point of view, this was a very refreshing book to read. References to animal world and the world of magic and myth make the book even more compelling and intriguing. Pianists will not, however, find too many secrets there about her career or practicing habits. Not even the regular piano world gossip.



2. Atrocious, not the least to say for the poetic foul ups from her admirers. Worth reading, then tossing for Rosalyn Tureck.



3. With no disrespect intended towards the author, I bought this book because I thought it was about wolves. A fraction of it is, but the bulk of this work is a biography of the authors life as a concert pianist. Wolves were not even mentioned until almost 200 pages in. In this regard, I found the book a disappointment. Music lovers, however, should get alot out of it. The cover photo is breathtaking, if not a little misleading.



4. This rising artist has a deep sense and understanding of the various feelings and emotions that Beethoven had in his heart and soul when composing this music that are translated by Grimaud into a very beautiful,sensitive and masterful interpretation of his Piano Concerto No. 5...listening to this performance is truly a wonderful experience.



5. I received this book as a gift, because I come from a family that operates wildlife rehabilitation and rescue centers. As a person who has worked with wolves, I really looked forward to a good read, hopefully something that explored the difficulties faced by all rescue workers, and exotic animal rehab centers in particular.
   
   I was gravely disappointed. The majority of references to wolves were from European religious texts, and as an American Indian, I was really struck by the fact that there was very little reference to wolves in the Americas. The portrayal of wolves, historically, was framed almost entirely within European terms, and while I understand that the author is French, I feel that she basically played pick and choose in order to build her own self purported image of the "wild woman". Wolves aren't portrayed as a passion, as effort, as complex in their own behavior and history, so much as glossed over as a crutch in her own justification for her self immolative behavior.
   
   The inherent build of character I noticed in this book, was of a woman who believed that as a talented artist, she was entitled to absolutely disregard the emotions and practicalities of everybody around her. As a human, she came across as utterly egotistical, and it seemed that the entire book was her way of justifying her "me first" attitude in the framework of "I can't help it, I'm compulsive, uncontrollable, and unimitable, I'm just a wild woman, I'm a wolf in human skin, I can do whatever I want because I'm beautiful, intelligent, talented, and therefore superior beyond your strictures." This kind of naked and unabashed refusal to accept personal accountability is hardly what we need to see glorified in print, although unfortunately, it is all too pervasive.
   
   For those who have enjoyed her music, I can only hope that she displays more depth of character in her playing than she did in her writing. I can say that I won't be searching for her cd's any day soon. Perhaps it is all too disturbing to me, the vacancy of soul disguised as a higher calling to art, for me to be okay with pursuing it further. This book may have value to those who enjoy music, but to those who are hoping for an informative read on wolves, keep browsing.

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