3 comments about My Sister's Keeper: Learning to Cope with a Sibling's Mental Illness.

1. This true-story book tells of a woman's experiences in dealing with a sister with bipolar disorder. Throughout her life, her sister's illness has impacted her own life in a variety of ways, and after the mother dies and she is the only one responsible for her sister, the situation intensifies. While on medication, the bipolar sister can function reasonably well, but she goes off meds from time to time and then the sister eventually has a mess to sort out.

   The ambivalence of the relationship (the two sisters both love and resent each other) is perfectly captured in this book. It rings true. Although there was sufficient money left by the mother and social services available to assist, so that this was not the "worst case" scenario that some families experience, still, the family-wide devastation of mental illness was well captured in this book.

   I couldn't put it down.




2. I read this book coming from the outlook of being a mom of a schizophrenic 14-year-old daughter. By the time I finished the book, I was sorry I read it. Although it was a brutally frank and honest account, Ms. Moorman not sugar-coating her feelings for her sister and making it into some kind of overcomer's tale with a happy ending, I found myself mired in sadness through the course of the story. There were so few hopeful moments that I found myself wondering why she wrote it in the first place, and how would this book give comfort or hope to other siblings of the mentally ill?
   
   I had to continually remind myself that for a young person in this day and age dealing with any kind of mental illness, there are so many more effective therapies and medications available with a greater chance of improving their quality of life. Sally seemed to go for so many long stretches without being medicated that I don't know how she did as well as she did (which wasn't that great most of the time).
   
   This book did leave me with a goal of working on bringing my ill daughter closer to her younger brother and sister.



3. "This beautifully crafted novel will grab readers with a stunning topic."
   This book shows different perspectives of this situation.
   
   -PV, Ashburn,VA

5 comments about The FIRST TIME.

1. I have been a fan of Cher's for several years now, and it wasn't until recently that I finally decided to read The First Time. Let me say, I was not disappointed. Cher describes the important firsts in her life, which goes in detail from past to present. There are tales of the beginning of her music career, acting career, and so on. I always had an image of her being an honest and down to earth person, and that's exactly what was confirmed from reading this book. She can be sarcastic, but in a lovable way, and it's obvious that she only wants the best for people, as evident in how she helps children with Craniofacial disease, and other stories told in The First Time. I really enjoyed reading this book, and it's a must have for fans.



2. The book seems to tell the truth about Cher`s life and you actually have the feeling you get to know her! All in all I would say it is interesting to read and contains a lot funny stories.



3. The First Time
   By Cher
   
   Genre: Autobiography
   Star Rating: *****
   
   
   There is a first time for everything. Wouldn't you say the first time is the best. It is the most fun, the scariest, the happiest, the hardest, the most exciting. The second or third time you do something, you know what to expect, you know what it is going to be like.
   In The First Time Cher tells true first time stories that shaped her life.
   
   This amazing autobiography has all the detailed perspectives Cher had on her life journey of fame. You may be able to relate to some of these events, even if Cher is a big star, you know what the first time feels like. She has feelings like you and me, which she lets out in her stories.
   
   Cher does an amazing job of making you feel like you lived all of her experiences right next to her. It is a factual, yet interesting book that any Cher fan would love. She loves to tell her stories how they were. Even if there were some bad words included. She has an amazing memory of what happened-exactly.
   
   After reading this book, I feel like I know Cher. She does an amazing job of telling all the details that mad Cher, Cher.



4. This woman is one of the most amazing performers I have ever seen. I grew up with the Sonny & Cher Hour-have seen all of her movies-love all of her music-I wanted to know about the real Cher and this book is it.I went to the same concert TWICE!!!



5. Cher Earned The Top Grossing Tour By A Solo Artist
   Billboard Changed Cher's Tour Statistics To Award Madonna The Top Grossing Tour By A Female Artist.
   The tours were different types of tours, Cher's tour had about 5 times more shows than Madonna's tour, and Madonna's top ticket price was about 5 times higher than Cher's top ticket price.
   
   ***I respect the fact that Cher chose to charge about $35 to $75 per ticket on her Living Proof Farewell Tour, and that Cher chose to extend her farewell Tour, doing 325 shows and leaving the prices low***
   
   BILLBOARD BOXSCORE
   Cher: Billboard Boxscore Year End Chart 2002
   #2 Cher $67,624,323 selling 1,012,037 tickets from 83 shows
   Cher: Billboard Boxscore Year End Chart 2003
   #3 Cher $76,269,364 selling 1,147,920 tickets from 113 shows
   BILLBOARD BOXSCORE YEAR END CHART TOTALS for 2002 & 2003 = $143,893,687 selling 2,159,957 tickets from 196 shows
   **with 4 shows "unreported" in this tally. Cher's Farewell tour had 200 shows up to this point.
   
   Cher: Billboard Boxscore Year End Chart 2005
   #14 Cher $27,237,641 selling 381,436 tickets from 40 shows
   BILLBOARD BOXSCORE YEAR END CHART TOTALS for 2002, 2003 & 2005 = $171,131,328 selling 2,541,393 tickets from 236 shows
   **with 89 shows "unreported" in this tally. Cher's Farewell Tour had a total of 325 Worldwide shows
   
   Ray Waddell Billboard Magazine 11-8-2003 -reports that Cher's Living Proof Farewell Tour played 200 shows, sold 2.2 million tickets and grossed $145 million, becoming the top grossing tour by a female artist. "Every place we could possibly put this show, we've placed it" says tour producer Brad Wavra.
   
   Ray Waddell Billboard Magazine 5-28-2005 -reports that Cher's Living Proof Farewell Tour is the top grossing tour by a female artist, and that it grossed $194,683,927 selling 2,880,726 tickets from 280 North American shows that realized 90% of her gross potential and played to 92% of capacity. He goes on to report that the Worldwide tour had 325 shows and grossed well over $200 million.
   **that leaves 45 "unreported" shows in this tally.
   
   THEN CHER'S TOUR GROSS WAS CHANGED
   
   Ray Waddell Billboard Magazine 4-22-2006 -reports that Cher's Living Proof Farewell Tour grossed $192.5 million from 273 shows and that Madonna's Confessions Tour has a gross potential in the $200 million range and could become the top grossing tour by a female artist.
   **this would leave 52 "unreported" shows on Cher's 325 date Worldwide Farewell Tour.
   Tamara Conniff Billboard Magazine Senior Editor 10-14-2006 -reports that Madonna's Confessions Tour is the top grossing tour by a female artist grossing $193 million from 60 shows that sold close to 1.2 million tickets, besting Cher's tour benchmark of $192.5 million "however, Cher remains one of the top divas"
   
   -- Pollstar reports Madonna's Confessions Tour earned $85.9 million from 34 shows with an average ticket price of $183.76.
   Ray Waddell Billboard Magazine 8-12-2006 -reports that Madonna's Confessions Tour grossed $85.8 million selling 467,312 tickets from 34 North American shows. He goes on to report that Madonna should gross $200 million Worldwide and make "history" by Posting the top grossing tour by a female artist.
   
   MADONNA Billboard Boxscore Year End Chart 2006
   #2 -$194,754,447 selling 1,209,618 of 1,210,294 tickets from 60 shows (58 sellouts)
   Wikipedia has a link to Billboard Boxscore Year End Chart 2006
   #2 $260,119,588 -selling 1,210,294 tickets, of 1,210,294 tickets from 60 shows (58 sellouts)
   
   ***I'm guessing that Cher's Farewell Tour earned $260 Million
   
   ***POLLSTAR STATS***
   Cher: Pollstar Year End Tours 2002
   #3 Cher $73.6 million selling 1,106,471 tickets from 93 shows
   $71.89 average ticket price, $875,593 average show gross
   Cher: Pollstar Year End Tours 2003
   #5 Cher $68.2 million selling 1,034,057 tickets from 102 shows
   $65.91 average ticket price, $695,412 average show gross
   POLLSTAR TOTAL for 2002 & 2003= $141.8 million selling 2,140,528 tickets from 195 shows
   **leaving 5 of the 200 shows "unreported"
   
   Cher: Pollstar Year End Tours 2004
   #17 Cher $29.1 million selling 447,039 tickets from 54 shows
   $65.19 average ticket price, $582,807 average show gross.
   Cher: Pollstar Year End Tours 2005
   #32 Cher $17.8 million selling 252,584 tickets from 26 shows
   $70.37 average ticket price, $740,624 average show gross.
   POLLSTAR TOTAL for 2002, 2003, 2004 & 2005 = $188.7 million selling 2,840,151 tickets from 275 shows (of 325 Worldwide shows)
   **this leaves 50 "unreported" shows in this tally.
   
   NIELSEN TV RATINGS
   CHER Farewell Tour 4-8-2003 NBC 9-11pm
   #7 -16.6 million viewers
   #10 -5.9/15 rating in the 18-49 demographic
   Cher was aged 56
   
   MADONNA Confessions Tour 11-22-2006 NBC 8-10pm
   #73 -4.6 million viewers
   #72 -1.8/5 rating in the 18-49 demographic
   Madonna was aged 48
   
   Nielsen Soundscan reports that Cher's "Living Proof" album sold 500,000 copies in the U.S, and Madonna's "Confessions on a Dancefloor" sold 1.6 million copies

5 comments about A World of Hurt: Between Innocence & Arrogance in Vietnam.

1. I met Mary prior to my shipping out to the Gulf War, she told me that she was working on a book about her experiences in the Vietnam War, and also interviewing those that she served with. When the book finally came out I bought the book right away. Upon doing this, I could'nt put it down, I completed it in 2 days. The book had me laughing and on the verge of tears. Many books have been written from the eyes of a men serving in war, but too few have been written about a womens experience in that same war. I have to say her book was easy to read and understand, but at the same time conveys her feelings and alot of the frustration she felt durin her tour in Vietnam. I have to highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to see the war thru the eyes of a Vietnam nurse, or any women serving in a war zone. To all that served with honor in all wars including the one we are now engaged in, May God Bless you all and keep you safe, and also your loved ones.



2. I loved this book! I got so attached to some of the nurses and pilots. The last chapter was the best, I cried through the whole thing.

   This is one of those book that I will not sell or give away. I am sure I will read this again.




3. Mary's book holds a special interest to me since I was one of the original dustoff pilots to come with the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) from Fort Bragg to Long Binh, Vietnam in July of 1967.

   Her story is from the heart and is an excellent explanation of a nurses point of view of the ugliness that could only describe what Vietnam was about.

   I have the greatest admiration for those who toiled in our hospitals in Vietnam and knowing first hand of the many, many casualties that we dustoff pilots delivered to their front door (in various degrees of trauma), the book was a confirmation of the horrible trauma that the medical staff faced.

   A wonderfully written book. Hats off to you Mary!




4. Mary Reynolds Powell has written a wonderful book titled A World of Hurt: Between Innocence and Arrogance in Vietnam. Some of what she has shared in this book is her own feelings while other parts are those from some of the people she came to know while stationed at the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam.

   Mary interviewed seven other individuals for A World of Hurt besides including her own personal stories of what it was like for her in-country and upon her return to the states. Stephanie Genthon Kilpatrick, John Miller, Frank Chamberlin, Son Dinh Nguyen, Chris Slavsky, Terry Corneil, Doug Powell and Mary shared so much in this interesting perspective 171-page book.

   These individuals shared a lot with Mary who has now shared it with her readers. Their stories will amaze you as they all came from different lives as well as parts of the country. They all had feelings about the war before and after they served their country.

   Retired Army Colonel David Hackworth wrote in his Foreword "Mary Reynolds Powell's powerful book is the perfect antidote to blow the revisionists out of the water-with the facts eloquently presented....Frequently...I found tears running down my face." I could tell that he had read this book and was as deeply moved as I had been.

   In 1965 Mary "marched in a New York City parade backing the war." By 1969 she "wore a black armband in support of the national peace moratorium." After being "a registered nurse for only twelve months" in 1970 Mary found herself in Vietnam at the 24th Evac with the US Army Nurse Corps.

   Mary recalled her stopover in Hawaii enroute to Vietnam walking past a group of Marines headed stateside "staring into the oldest eyes we had ever seen....their eyes were ancient, their faces blank." She quickly realized what she was getting into. She described her first night in-country as "Artillery hammered in the distance, mosquitoes feasted on me, and diarrhea induced by the malaria pills...kept me running to the latrine all night. Sleep came in brief, restless spurts."

   The hospital's chief nurse asked Mary where she would like to work. When Mary said that she had done most of her work in internal medicine the chief nurse said there was an opening there and she was to start right away. I think this is one of the first books I've read where the author then tells the reader everything you'd ever want to know about the 24th Evac including a map of the area. I found it most interesting.

   One of the items she described was the amphitheater where shows were put on. She pointed out something I was well aware of already. The site was where the "annual Bob Hope Show" was put on every "Christmas afternoon....You want to know something? Bob Hope has never spent a night in Vietnam. He flies to Thailand after every show." I'm so glad I wasn't the only one to point this fact out.

   Mary explained the first day at Wards 7 & 8. She wrote of her name being added to the DEROS chart "in Vietnam, Marines stayed for thirteen months while Army and Navy tours were twelve-`364 days and a wake-up.'" She now had "359 days left." Mary took the time to describe several patients who stuck in her brain all these years. She also remembered "running...smiles....olive drab fatigues....endless IVs....gecko lizards....the proud, smiling face of a young soldier as I pin on the Purple Heart medal he earned with his body."

   Mary's wrote "As a nation, it is time for us to take the burden from the kids who fought our war. All of us were part of the lie that wasted an American generation and devastated an ancient culture half a world away. Until we acknowledge the wrong that we did in arrogance, we will not have learned. And if we have not learned, we will do it again." And sadly I see that happening as I write this with our invasion of Iraq. I only pray our troops will come home quicker than they did when they were sent to Vietnam a generation ago.

   This is a book well worth investing in. Mary's interweaving of stories and memories from her friends make it special. It should get more attention than it does but then again it's about an unpopular war and the people who served during it.




5. I must preface my review with the fact that I know Mary Reynolds Powell and was part of her book, A World of Hurt (Chapter 9). Each time I reread her book, I always find new realities about the war and all of those who particapated and experienced the horrors of war. As a retired military officer, I am constantly impressed on how Mary was able to encompass the totality of the war from all the varied perspectives: the combat soldier, the injured and dying, the nurses and doctors (who were on the receiving end of combat), the pilots, and the Vietnamese themselves. I consider this book a "must read" who would like to better understand the tragic events that occurred when young men and women were asked to fight a "political war" with no clear diplomatic or military objectives. While Mary and I may disagree somewhat on the overall concept of having to fight wars, I strongly recommend her book to you. One thing I learned in Viet Nam was how precious life is and how easily it can be taken away. Mary's realistic portrayal of the war and of those who were there clearly articulates what it was like to fight a war that was mired in politics and lack of support by the American people. In the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), we had a saying: "For those who have not fought for it, freedom has a meaning the protected will never know." I know what it was like over there, and Mary's book is a magnificent portrayal of the Viet Nam war and its tragic costs on human lives and souls.

5 comments about Reflected Glory.

1. Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward Harriman was a serial bride, and she interspersed her marriages with conspicuous love affairs. She was a 20th century courtesan who, apparently, chose her men for the money and gifts that they would lavish upon her.

   In REFLECTED GLORY, Sally Bedell Smith has done a scholarly and thorough job of researching and reporting the story of this rapacious woman. The only liason that Harriman had had with a man who was not wealthy was with her first husband, but he was the son of Winston Churchill, England's Prime Minister, at the time that they wed. For the rest of her life, Pamela used her Churchill connection as her entry to all things important--and, to Pamela, the only things that apparently seemed to have been important were rich men.

   She slept with English nobility--her own father was an obscure English nobleman--French aristocrats, Arab oil sheiks, South American polo players, Italian car manufacturers and filthy rich Americans. And she was an equal-opportunity mistress; she didn't care whether they were married or not.

   Decades after they first began their affair, Pamela got Averill Harriman to marry her. Thoughtfully, he died soon after, leaving her the bulk of his huge estate.

   She used some of those funds to underwrite America's financially insolvent Democratic Party, and a young politician named Bill Clinton. After he became President, Clinton rewarded her generosity by named Pamela Harriman as his Ambassador to France.

   Sally Bedell Smith has written an excellent biography of a woman who truly was fascinating, albeit in a horrifying kind of way.




2. This book is the type that I begin reading, and by the end am angry with myself for wasting the time.

   I purchased this book out of curiosity about Mrs. Harriman's life. Certainly the author dug up sufficient dirt on the subject to satisfy the most 'enquiring' minds.

   As with another reviewer, I am still mystified as to what so many famous men saw in this women. Not particularly attractive for most of her life, she apparently had a female magnetism that escapes the written page. No surprise, many women have had that ability. It doesn't read well for the male of the species, many of whom appeared as pawns to this woman's machinations.

   Ultimately this is a rather depressing book. Like others, Mrs. Harriman is in the end old, alone and a rather pitiful character. What a ride while it lasted, though!




3. I have not read such a good biography in a long time. Ms Bedell is neither enamored nor appalled with her subject (a sin that many biographers commit). Her well-researched book has a good balance between the broader historic narrative and the focused portrait of the controversial individual.



4. This biography separates itself from other Pamela Churchill Harriman tomes in that it reads almost like a fiction novel. Some of the salacious and outlandish goings-on seem almost implausible, if not absurdly bizarre. Harriman proves to be the most singularly opportunistic individual that I have read about - possibly ever. Although she does have her good points(although even her philanthropy seems perfunctory at best), Harriman(or should I say Digby, Churchill, or Heyward?) comes across as the most devilishly clever courtesan of the 20th Century.
   
   I recommend this account as one that makes for a most compelling, if not a trifle unnerving, read. From her days as a seductive young debutante to her days as the wily big wheel of Democratic Party fundraising and later as the U.S. Ambassador to France, you'll find yourself intrigued as you read about this incredibly shrewd seductress.



5. every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every month of every year of her life...and
   
   it is SO MUCH FUN to read about it!
   
   i read this book almost 10 years ago when i wasn't sure i could ever REALLY laugh or marvel at anything again... it snapped me out of languishing in the "Is This All There Is?" ---
   
   back to the absurdity of life, to [what the heck] get back into the game -
   
   pamela harriman was so BAD --- and there's nothing to admire here except that she did take good care of the men she stole from other women!
   
   you have to hand it to her and to Scarlett O Hara: these broads set their sights on things and Got What They Wanted...
   
   a case study in manipulation and the business of maneuvering to get what you want from others - a page turner!

4 comments about Covered Wagon Women 3: Diaries and Letters from the Western Trails 1851 (Covered Wagon Women Vol. 3).

1. The latest release in the "Living Voices of the Past" series, Covered Wagon Women 1851 is drawn from the diaries and letters of women who experienced the travails of the wagon trails west in 1851. Edited and compiled by Kenneth L. Holms and used with the permission of the University of Nebraska Press, we are treated to excerpts from the diary of Lucia Williams and the epilogue of Esther Lockhart (superbly narrated by Jane Merrifield-Beecher) describing their trip from Ohio to Oregon. Also featured are excerpts (dramatically narrated by Georgia Goodwin) from the diary of Jean Rio Baker, a Mormon who traveled from Liverpool by Windjammer and to Salt Lake City by Prairie Schooner. Surviving exposure to attacks from Native Americans, the scourge of cholera and smallpox, and the many hardships and deprivations of a pioneer excursion in a covered wagon, Covered Wagon Women 1851 is an outstanding "living history" audio recording and strongly recommended for personal, school, and community library collections.



2. In COVERED WAGON WOMEN, the diaries & letters of three mature women on the journeys of their lifetime, record their trek west into the sun; across oceans, towns, rivers, farms, forests, prairies & deserts; friendly & hostile Indian territories until, at last they reach their journeys' ends.

   As you listen to actors Georgia Goodwin & Jane Merrifield-Beecher read the thoughts, observations & feelings of these three mother ancestors, you catch glimpses of how we used to live. They take us through springs of ground-level thunderstorms & sudden floods, summers of dust, mosquitos & enervating heat, & autumns of mild beauty & the biggest harvests they've ever seen. We learn of broken wagons, dying companions, days of endless trudging & nights of immense beauty. Over mountains, through rivers & down defiles, these intrepid women take us there with their simple, evocative words.

   COVERED WAGON WOMEN is truly a record of an adventure that shaped our nation & our psyche. The only thing missing are sound effects!




3. This is a treat to listen to in the car on the way to work. An extraordinary story - women, migration, inner strength. I shared this with four other librarians who all enjoyed the tapes and proclaimed this one of the best audio books they had ever listened to.



4. More heartfelt, lively accounts from the Oregon Trail during the year 1851.
   Harriet Talcott Buckingham's diary is both poetic and colorful, describing prairies, mountain passes, river crossings, flora, Indians and other travelers met along the way.
   Amelia Hadley's writing style is very sincere. She not only visually describes streams, buffalo, landforms and Indians, but along with counting the number of graves they encounter, she also puts names to these graves (very historical).
   Susan Amelia Cranston talks much about the availability, or lack of, water, fuel and grass.
   Lucia Loraine Williams's party had quite an exciting but also quite dispirited journey. She lost her ten year old son due to a runaway wagon; had an Indian offer to swap her child for Lucia's three year old; thievery surrounding Fort Hall; etc. Her letter is just, truthful and illustrative of life on the trail.
   Esther Lockhart was also in Lucia's wagon train and her reminisces are both vivid and picturesque of the trek.
   The diaries of Elizabeth Wood and Eugenia Zieber are a delight to read.
   The jewel of the book lies in Jean Rio Baker's diary. A Mormon widow with seven children, she leaves England to make the pilgrimage to Salt Lake City. A fascinating read of courage, tenacity and nerve.
   Excellent book.

4 comments about A Visit With the Tomboy Bride: Harriet Backus & Her Friends.

1. Wonderfully illustrated with superbly vintage black-and-white photographs, A Visit With The Tomboy Bride: Harriet Backus & Her Friends is an impressive and inherently interesting collection of the correspondence that took place between Harriet Fish Backus (author of the classic book "Tomboy Bride") and Colorado historian Duane A. Smith. Delving into the adventures of Harriet's life, and exploring a unique picture of an era gone by in the rugged San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado, A Visit With The Tomboy Bride is a unique and enthusiastically recommended contribution to Colorado History reading lists and library collections.



2. After a Jeep ride that just happened to go through the Tomboy Mine, I read about Mrs. Backus' book on the Ouray, CO website and ordered it here at Amazon.com. Of course, they recommended this book as well so I ordered it at the same time. Boy am I glad I did. I enjoyed Mrs. Backus' book so much and didn't want it to end. It was great to be able to pick up Professor Smith's book and learn even more about her life.
   
   I swore I would never go up that trail from Telluride again. It is much as Mrs. Backus and Professor Smith wrote and showed-- very scary. But now I want to go back to the Tomboy Mine one more time!



3. Harriet Backus's 'Tomboy Bride' is a classic - Read it and skip Duane Smith's commentary - repetitous and adds very little worthwhile new inormation.



4. While this book was in no way as interesting as Tomboy Bride, it still brought further revelations about Harriet's interactions with the other mining families in their tiny community. It is a good, but not great, backward glance.

5 comments about Nancy Lancaster: Her Life, Her World, Her Art.

1. Robert Becker's richly detailed look at the British and American "upper crust," and his entertaining account of their private world and its decline, reminded me of an episode of "Masterpiece Theater" or the book "Brideshead Revisited." While I thought the renderings of Nancy Lancaster's decorating and garden designs fascinating, I was most absorbed in the life that went on behind closed doors in the houses, and the people -- Winston Churchill, the Prince of Wales, Lady Astor, David Niven -- who crossed the houses' thresholds. Wonderful photographs also. I was not prepared to like a biography about a decorator and her work, but because of the way Becker wove together the social and political history of the time, and descriptions of the houses she owned and decorated, with the events of this extraordinary woman's life, I couldn't put it down.



2. I could not put this book down! This woman, who most of the public probably never heard of, lived a fascinating life. The world WAS a smaller place long ago and far away....



3. Robert Becker has written a fascinating book on the life of Nancy Lancaster which I have just read in the summer of 2000. It is even more timely with the new biography of Sister Parrish just out this summer. Becker is an extremely good story teller, with a fine ability to capture the life and times of his subject. My family is from the same area of Virginia, and he has the piedmont Virginia people described in the most believeable way, including expressions of the eras covered. The technique of incorporating Nancy Lancaster's own account in the body of the book is most effective. I was worried in reading the introduction that it might be intrusive, but not so. The book made me think of Eleanor Brown of Mcmillan and Company in New York, and Sarah Hunter Kelly - all decorators of the same generation. Hats off to Robert Becker!!! Nicholas Bragg



4. Nancy Lancaster, daughter of one of the fabled Langhorne sisters of Virginia, is a worthy biographical subject on her own. From the time she married until her death at the great age of 97 in 1994, she lived in splendor, most of which she created herself.

   Nancy was born in Abermarle county, VA in 1897 at Mirador, the plantation of her grandfather, Chiswell (Chillie) Langhorne. She was raised there and in Richmond until the sudden death of her parents when she was a teenager. The lovely Nancy lived with aunts (Irene, who was the prototype of the famous Gibson Girl and Nancy, who became Lady Astor and was the first woman to be elected to Parliament). She married Henry Field, of the fabulously wealthy Marshall Field family, but five months later he died suddenly of a minor operation. Subsequently, she remarried Ronald Tree, American born, but raised in England. The Trees, if possible, were even wealthier than the Fields. Nancy's goal was to live at Mirador, but Ronald's ties and ambitions in politics were all in England. She spent the greater part of her life in England and became renowned for her brilliant decorating of her grand country houses and her skill as a charming hostess.

   The book is part biography (Becker) interspersed with Nancy's own recollections that are printed in boldface. The first part of the book is excellent in giving a real feel of the very conservative upper class South still recovering from the ravages of the Civil War. Nancy draws vivid word pictures of her family and surroundings. She displays a vibrant wit and sense of humor. From the time of her second marriage forward, the emphasis is on her homes and how she decorated them.

   Though I am not a big fan of "tell-all" types of memoirs, "Nancy Lancaster" is downright curious in the way factual information is elided or ignored. She was very close to all her famous aunts, yet never mentions when or how they died except for Lady Astor. She states Lady Astor was the "last" of the sisters, and that is the first the reader knows the other four are deceased. Nancy has an older brother, who is mentioned twice in the entire book. We aren't told if he was a black sheep, disliked by Nancy or ran off to South America. Nancy seems to have a fond relationship with Ronald Tree but for unknown reasons divorces him in 1945 and marries (briefly we suppose, as he never is mentioned again) "Jubie" Lancaster.

   All readers will not enjoy the heavy emphasis on how she renovated, decorated, and beautified all her homes and gardens. The book lacks enough pictures to show adequately what she has done. I found the book highly readable, but unless you have an interest in early 20th century English society, stately homes and Virginia, you will be disappointed.
   -sweetmolly-Amazon.com Reviewer




5. A wonderful life story about the woman who helped us all know how to live life at the top. What style, what grace, what spunk - I simply adore her & this was the first book that introduced her to the world. I am traveling to England to tour her homes in 2 weeks & re-read this again along with the other books on her life.

1 comments about Women in the Bible: Examples to Live by.

1. This book has given me a deeper desire to walk closer to the true image that God has for his women.It probes your mind,and provides excellent examples to whom one can relate.Even though the women in the book lived in times unknown to us one can identify with their struggles and their victories. Not only does she look at the biblical times she provides a modern day example that helps you gain an even greater understanding of the message being taught. This is a great tool to help any woman take a look at their life and strive to follow the footsteps of her father.

5 comments about Hatchepsut: The Female Pharaoh.

1. The book is highly readable and certainly interesting in content about the first Pharoanic female "who would be king." The problem with it lies in the evidence or, more accurately, lack thereof. Because there is so very little known about Hatshepsut and her time, writing a book that isn't almost entirely speculative is rather difficult and becomes, by necessity, more of a historical novel than a discussion of historical fact. Redundancy is also unavoidable as the author tries to present the very little information that we have in enough pages to fill a book. All the content could have been condensed quite easily into a chapter rather than a book. Having said that, it IS fun reading, and the lack of evidence certainly allows the reader's imagination to take over and recreate a past that may or may not have existed. Hatshepsut the ruler certainly lived, but much more than that, we just can't know at this time, so that this author's guesses are as good as any other Egyptologists.



2. The layout of the history leading to the story of Hatchepsut is very informative. I enjoyed knowing what is believed to be the events leading to her acension and the contributions she made during her reign. very interesting reading and well constructed.



3. With a use of the historical and archaeological evidence from various places in Egypt and beyond, an Oxford-educated Joyce Tyldesley has written a well-detailed biography book entitled "Hatchepsut: The Female Pharaoh." The book, as similar to her Nefertiti: Unlocking the Mystery Surrounding Egypt's Most Famous and Beautiful Queen, drives the general readers to experience and to understand the story of the female Pharaoh named Hatchepsut, her historical family background, the history of her memory after her death, and theories of historical scholars who have studied. There are eight chapters in the book with the addition of the "Introduction," which highlights Hatchepsut as a preferred King of Egypt, addresses a brief history of the Dynasty periods, and introduces Manetho who preserved the memory of Hatchepsut.
   
   What came as interesting to which this book explores the relationship between Hatchepsut and her father, Pharaoh Tuthmosis I. There does not appeared to be any negativity between them, and was seen as very positive. Throughout the years of her rule, Hatchepsut honored her father "in every way possible" in order to preserve her direct link to Tuthmosis I as a rightful heir to Egyptian throne (p. 117-8). Since she was born to both Tuthmosis I and Queen Ahmose who were of a royal blood, Hatchepsut believed that she had a direct royal bloodline because her brother-husband, Tuthmosis II, was born to a mother who was not from a royal bloodline. Therefore, she believed that she had a right to rule Egypt regardless of what her gender was. An impression that comes to one's mind from the book is that Hatchepsut needed to rule Egypt in the honor of her father and not for her personal agenda.
   
   Tyldesley also pointed out the creation of Hatchepsut's "divine birth" story as well the role of women in the Theban royal family as evidence for Hatchepsut to be a rightful ruler of Egypt.
   
   The author holds the readers' interest with a clear writing and vivid understanding when it comes to historical biography and theories. The book is well-organized with the visual aspects of maps, figures, and pictures. She has presented a historical analysis that was not dry or technical, and it should be a good advantage for readers' ancient Egyptian knowledge. Tyldesley's book is recommended to both the general readers and historical scholars because the author brought forth a readable and very interesting book.



4. Joyce Tyldesley provides us with a thorough examination of the evidence surrounding the pharaoh Hatchepsut. She discusses issues such as the disputed order of succession, the conspicuous over-use of propaganda by Hatchepsut to legitimize her power and the question of exactly who attempted to erase the name of Hatchepsut from the monuments and why. Her arguments in each case are based on a judicious weighing of the evidence and the reader is always provided with alternative interpretations from other scholars. Tyldesley systematically dismantles the prevalent opinion that many of the actions of both Hatchepsut herself and her stepson Tuthmosis were motivated by a deadly enmity. On this issue she suggests that Tuthmosis was relatively accepting of the co-regency his stepmother imposed on him, but fails to suggest a convincing motivation for this. The one real disappointment in the book is that Tyldesley does not provide us with any real suggestion as to how Hatchepsut was able to succeed in establishing herself as pharaoh. She emphasizes that Hatchepsut would have needed both an acceptable reason and widespread support among the powerful men of the kingdom to be able to go against maat (the Egyptian concept of tradition and balance) and establish herself as king, but does not provide us with a plausible suggestion as to what such a reason may have been or whose support may have been responsible for her success. Admittedly, there are unlikely to be definitive answers, but these questions are barely raised. All in all, the book is an intriguing and insightful portrait of the world's first truly powerful woman.



5. A good book, although the author seems to be more interested in discussing the various ideas and conceptions involving Hatchepsut than in the reign of the female king herself. If you are not already a student of Pharoanic Egypt then this is not a good book to jump into, despite the chapters which outline Egyptian history in general and the 18th Dynasty specifically. Tyldesley does not buy into various conspiracy theories involving the reign of this female king but instead discusses the mindset of the historians and archeologists and how their attitudes resulted in many modern concepts. An interesting book.

4 comments about Nan: The Life of an Irish Travelling Woman.

1. This books gives an excellent insight in the life-style of the Irish travellers, as well as it is an enjoyable read. The main character, Nan, is a woman from a travelling family, living like nomads in the developping Ireland that is becoming more and more modern around them. Her life is very harsh, and harsher than the normal life of a travelling person, as the author points out. Nonetheless, or maybe just because of that, it is a gripping story and its contains are very interesting. You don't only get a good read, you also get a good and interesting lesson in the subsociety of the Irish travellers, a group that to a large extent maintains their nomadic lifestyle up to this day.



2. I have used this book several times in anthropology classes I teach and this coming fall I am going to use it again. I think of it as a classic because it addresses so many important aspects of a good life history. First, it represents the everyday life of a person living in poverty, an area worthy of academic study. It is also a close study of how women are sometimes, and in some societal situations, subject to abuse and have little recourse. Then, this study is also an interesting look at how historical changes influence the lives of people, in this case the travellers who used to make their living as tin smiths and horse traders and are now forced to adapt to an urban and highly technical world. The book is beautifully written and has always been well received by students



3. Sharon Gmelch's work, published originally in 1986, emerged from her anthropological doctoral studies conducted along with her husband George's concurrent work into the urbanisation of the travellers. She enters Nan's tales delicately, bringing you as a reader in and out of Nan's anecdotes occasionally before taking again the thread of her long and detailed recollections of a life spent largely outside the confines of city life, but, it is to be noted, increasingly becoming settled within the urban life that takes over for millions of Irish in the latter part of the 20th c., from whatever rural background or tradition.
   
   The highlights of this account I found were in her service for Major Evans at Gretton House in Northants. In this quintessentially British country home, she worked her way up from being a kitchen maid, and her vignettes capture movingly her ability to, being illiterate, to live by her wits. Her subsequent return to Ireland, one senses, was not wished for, even though it brought her back to her traveller lifestyle. For her childhood, as with too many of her own 18 children, she shows how elastic the bonds are between parents and offspring (despite the often asserted claim that for travellers family ties come first), as some of her own children found themselves sent off to institutions to be raised.
   
   The most intriguing section next was how she met her match in trying to survive as a totally untutored fortune-teller in 1940s Conamara, since she could only barter her wares rather than be paid for them from women as poor as she was! After that, the weariness of surviving wears her down into a much older-looking woman than she was when Gmelch met her in the 1970s. Abusive husbands, unending pregnancies, exhausting hustles, and life spent on the road or in substandard housing left her wiped out.
   Drink and violence--at one point she casually gives as an aside the fact her husband broke her nose--belie the carefree proto-hippie romanticism that rose-tinted a harsh, gray, and lonely life. (No index and a lack of detailed notes cut this book down a star, however).
   
   A good follow-up is Gmelch's 1976 general account, Tinkers and Travellers, which documents Nan's testimony and that of others, often camped at Holylands near Dublin. George Gmelch wrote a more theoretical, less engaging study of the Travellers, and Jane Helleiner offers more recent scholarly work from 2001.



4. A very interesting and heartrending book. While as an Irish person I regularly saw Tinkers, as they were called, their lives were somewhat remote from mine. Through this book, and Nan's experience, I was taken into the heart of their lives and and was able to view with compassion their struggle to survive. In the days when villages were isolated, they provided a needed service to communities such as sweeping chimneys. However, with modern communications, the Tinker's services and wares were no longer needed. They gravitated to the cities in search of work and became scrap merchants, fortune tellers, and beggers, becoming a nuisance to residents, and they were largely ostricized. Yet, while the older Travelling People yearn for the open skies and freedom from the confines of the cities and a settled life, but this is no longer a viable lifestyle. Nan preferred her children to have a settled life.