No comments about Margaret Thatcher - The Iron Lady (Biography).

5 comments about Full Bloom: The Art and Life of Georgia O'Keeffe.

1. Hunter Drohojowska-Philp is a sound writer, one who obviously does her research inexhaustibly, and with a background in art criticism she also speaks with authority and an informed eye. But she does go on....
   
   For those who want to know more about the idiosyncrasies of this American idol then this is the resource of choice. We learn more about the frustrations, self doubt, love affairs, and general personality quirks than in all the other biographies combined. We also learn about each painting in depth which I suppose is like a verbal catalogue raissonne and for that we should be thankful.
   
   It is just that with all great artists not everything they make is of show quality and it is this inclusion of all of the odds and major ends of O'Keeffe's work that borders on tiresome. It is with a good degree of relief that the last page of this nearly 500 page opus is reached.
   
   Hunter Drohojowska-Philp obviously holds Georgia O'Keeffe in a realm close to Valhalla and that is all well and good. She writes with vigor and determination and certainly informs us of the 'full bloom' of her title. In the end this is a valuable volume for the archives, but not a book to recommend for the casual reader who has already grown visually fatigued with the Santa Fe posters of poppies, ox skulls, and datura flowers. Grady Harp, May 05



2. Hunter Drohojowska-Philp is a sound writer, one who obviously does her research inexhaustibly, and with a background in art criticism she also speaks with authority and an informed eye. But she does go on....
   
   For those who want to know more about the idiosyncrasies of this American idol then this is the resource of choice. We learn more about the frustrations, self doubt, love affairs, and general personality quirks than in all the other biographies combined. We also learn about each painting in depth which I suppose is like a verbal catalogue raissonne and for that we should be thankful.
   
   It is just that with all great artists not everything they make is of show quality and it is this inclusion of all of the odds and major ends of O'Keeffe's work that borders on tiresome. It is with a good degree of relief that the last page of this nearly 500-page opus is reached.
   
   Hunter Drohojowska-Philp obviously holds Georgia O'Keeffe in a realm close to Valhalla and that is all well and good. She writes with vigor and determination and certainly informs us of the 'full bloom' of her title. In the end this is a valuable volume for the archives, but not a book to recommend for the casual reader who has already grown visually fatigued with the Santa Fe posters of poppies, ox skulls, and datura flowers. Grady Harp, June 05



3. I never really liked O'Keeffe's more abstract paintings until I read this biography. Now I can look at them with an improved understanding of what they mean and what she managed to accomplish for female artists everywhere. It's equally nice to see the artist as a person with her own foibles and nuances. The author has done a remarkable job here.



4. Detailed and thoughtful, and a riveting read if you really want to understand this artist's life. After reading dozens of books and articles about O'Keeffe during the course of my own research on New York-inspired artwork, I didn't think another O'Keeffe biography was necessary. But I'm grateful I found this book. I learned so much more about this artist--about her friendships, her travels beyond New York and the Southwest, and her abstract works.



5. Well written book and excellent research. Enjoyed very much.

5 comments about Nothing: Something to Believe in.

1. This book is different than most of the atheist books on the market today, because it includes no arguments against religion or the existence of god. It has no arguments at all, except for those that Nica had with her family members in the past. This book is the story of Nica's personal journey from being uncomfortable as the only child in her school who was "nothing" to her coming to terms with the fact that she really does have many things to believe in, but none of them have anything to do with god or religion.
   
   The book is well written, funny, touching, and always interesting. Nica is open and honest about the twists and turns in her own spiritual adventures and search for meaning outside of the religious American mainstream. Sometimes a personal story does more to get to the heart of an issue than pages and pages of logical argument and polemics. I think Nothing should be required reading for both believers and unbelievers because it shows that we actually have more in common than is often acknowledged.



2. Ken Kesey was quoted as saying, "To hell with facts, we need more stories!" He is probably completely correct, and for that reason we should welcome and encourage more atheist literature, including not only biographies but novels and short stories, as well as music, art, and so on.
   Lalli's contribution is conventional atheist fare--a "deconversion" story, or a story of a life without religion. Such stories are clearly worthwhile, although we have seen lots of them, and Lalli has little to say that it particularly new or insightful. Much of the book is really not about religion at all but about the mundane trivia of her life, which I suppose needs to be told is a life-story is to be told, but frankly it is not all that interesting or important.
   It is interesting when she talks about her own struggles with the religious environment and especially with her family and in-laws. The message here, which needs to be emphasized, is that we are swimming in a sea of someone else' religion, and THAT is the real challenge for atheists. Religion is so pervasive, and so taken-for-granted, that our "arguments" are feeble as long as our culture and world is dominated and colonized by religion. The most moving parts of the book are when she is confronting her in-laws who are absolutely sure that their religion is true--and that no one who disagrees with them is worthy of respect. Pages 200 and 201 should be required reading for all theists and atheists.
   However--and this is a big however--I am stridently opposed to the theme of her book. As an atheist, I am not "nothing," and even to accept and to promote such language is foolish and self-destructive. I am many things: a man, a teacher, a son, a husband, an American, a pet-lover, and more. Lacking religion does not make a person "nothing," and it is horrible to think that it does. Nor do I "believe in nothing." That is silly talk. That is like saying that a single person is "married to no one," as if "no one" is a person. The proof of that absurdity is easy to demonstrate: if you are single, try listing "no one" as your spouse on your tax return and claiming an exemption. The IRS will remind you right away that "no one" is not a person but the ABSENCE of a person. Atheism, likewise, is not "believing in nothing" but the ABSENCE of religious belief. To assert otherwise is to let theists define us. Rather, THEY believe in nothing, since they literally believe in something that does not exist, that is nothing.
   I will never call myself "nothing," nor encourage anyone else to call me or themselves that. It is nihilist and self-deprecating. One's something-ness and value does not come from one's religion, and we need to shout this from the rooftops. Atheists are somebody too, and we do not have to look for some "belief" to make us somebody. We must not let theists control the discussion, and we certainly must not "speak Christian" ourselves.
   While I wish Lalli well, and welcome her to the community of atheists, I am surprised and disappointed that Prometheus chose to publish this book in its current form. It is not up to the standards of Prometheus and promotes confusion and self-disparagement among atheists.



3. Judging by some reviews, you almost feel the reviewers would like Nica Lalli to apologize for not having a more interesting action-packed life. Sorry but this is just a pretty normal woman who had a pretty normal childhood except for the fact that her parents were non-religious. That's one of the endearing qualities of the memoir. She seems so normal that you feel you already know her. Chances are you did know someone just like her.
   
   I say non-religious because I don't think you can necessarily say that they were atheists. When Nica was a little girl and asked her parents what they were (she had noticed that all her friends were of one denomination or another), they simply said "nothing" because they didn't feel they fell into any group. They could have said "well honey, we're atheists because we don't believe in God," but they didn't. And nowhere does she relay any birds and the bees talk from her parents on how God doesn't exist. They may simply have been agnostic. Surprisingly, we don't have enough information to know for sure.
   
   While "nothing" is a good title for the memoir, it does seem that the second half of the title "something to believe in" is perhaps a little misleading considering that this is not anything close to a treatise on atheism. And it does seem that a few people were expecting something more down that road.
   
   If the situation with the born-again in-laws was the one of two confrontations worth mentioning, then that itself is surprising, and again makes you lean more toward the agnostic label. Growing up as a somewhat practicing Catholic, I had more run-ins with die-hard believers than Nica seems to have had. It would be my guess that a family of outspoken atheists would have sparked a few more in-depth discussions on the hereafter than what we have here.
   
   Since Nica is roughly the same age as me, I could relate to many of her childhood memories growing up, and probably helped make it an enjoyable read. It's a fast and easy read with a few humorous moments, but a little light on insights. Perhaps I'm missing the point, but I can't help wishing that there was a little more something to this "nothing".



4. I enjoyed this quick read immensely, and had to laugh at Nica's childhood stories of being "nothing". But what really got to me was her sister-in-law..the "Jesus Freak". When she told Nica that "God was more important to her than her own son", I couldn't imagine wanting to be that person. How could you value your religion above your child? I liked seeing the personal side of being an atheist, and agreed with many of her political observations. Good book for people on both sides of the fence on this subject to read for insight.



5. I was looking for a book to help me understand some of the things my son has been experiencing growing up in our non-religious household when all of his friends' families practice religions of one sort or another (I was raised as a somewhat conservative Mormon, so non-religious parenting is new for me). I found his book incredibly helpful and very fun to read! I would highly recommend it!

No comments about Cassandra.

1 comments about The Fruit of Her Hands: A Psychology of Biblical Women.

1. I'll recommend this book for our group of women who have been discussing women of the Bible for some 6 years now. The linguistic understanding of Eve as the "Helpmeet - Opposite" is both gratifying and clarifying. Page 35 presents a really satisfying statement, "A woman's real modesty is not to think of herself as less than she is, but it is to know who she is and to make use of her abilities..." As a former professor of the psychology of women, I can't help noticing, however, that throughout the book there are rather stereotyped descriptions of the differences between men and women, a kind of "Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus" approach (with a Biblical emphasis, of course.)
   
   Given my personal interest in forgiveness, I particularly liked the statement ( page 78) "[the insistence on repentance and atonement] is critical both for the perpetrator of misconduct, as well as for its victim" and the comments that followed.
   
   I did feel that some of the references would not have been clear to me had we not already spent time studying these women in detail. The organization, which I'm sure was difficult to settle on, led on the other hand to some intrusive repetition.
   
   I have to keep this short, so let me get directly to the treatment of Job's wife (119-120). It is unfortunate, I believe, that her whole relationship to Job has been distorted by the one statement, differently quoted in different sources, that suggests she is encouraging him to curse God and die. As far as I know, there is no one who believes Job was a real man, though his character may have been modeled after someone specific. But the story is a part of Wisdom literature, and, with the support of Brevard Childs (sadly now deceased) I was encouraged to model her after the woman of valor (Proverbs). I find it hard, then, to see hers as the conditional love of a hard-hearted woman, but rather the supportive shared mourning of a woman whose ten children have all died, along with the wealth that she has helped Job to develop. And the intimacy of the two times Job mentions her suggests, rather, a supportive closeness. I don't believe that the wisdom lesson was so superficial as to cast women in the role of destroyers.
   
   Ah, see what I mean? It would be wonderful to be able to carry on this discussion.
   
   Mona Gustafson Affinito, PhD

5 comments about The DIVA Principle®: Secrets to Divine Inspiration for Victorious Attitude.

1. It has helped me to re-think what being a D.I.V.A. is. It might help you too.



2. This is a terrific book. I have taught her principles at a class this passed year and it was life changing for some of our participants. We gained a lot of knowledge and thought provoking ideas to apply to our lives. I would recommend this book to all women.



3. The book contains some valueable information about how deal with life but it is written so poorly, its hard to get through the book. It is written somewhat like a bad account of a conversation with the author.



4. The first thing that people need to realize when they read material like this is this is a testimony of what God has done for someone else that can help someone else in ways that only that person can describe.
   
   Second, Hammond's approach is necessary in these times. Too many women, men and children get caught up in the Hollywood lifestyles and "reality" television. But, what's going on in your life? Where can you seek true guidance? All of the women...Divas...Hammond chose were from the Good Book and of all walks of life. It's something in this book for every woman...big, small, successful, struggling...all women.
   
   Third, you're going to get what you pay for. Each woman that is talked about are an inspiration and there are tips and guides for how to see and be encouraged to embrace the victory(ies) being described.
   
   Fourth, it's really a "help yourself" book, so....HELP YOURSELF! Be Blessed.



5. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's nice to read about women in the Bible and how you can apply their story to your practical day to day living. I especially appreciated the "diva confessions." This was a simple, quick and easy read. I have passed it on to a girlfriend of mine. I would recommend to any woman looking to start living a more spiritually fulfilled life.

1 comments about Writing Women's Lives: An Anthology of Autobiographical Narratives by Twentieth-Century American Women Writers.

1. Cahill presents in chronological order writings from a disparate group of fifty women authors. She provides a brief and informative introduction to each writer with a biographical sketch that includes the author's motivation and history including family, education, career and works published.

   Whether or not you recognize the authors' names or publications, you will enjoy reading about their lives. You will identify with some of their experiences and you will be amazed to discover their secrets and truths.

   The excerpts of autobiographies are as diverse as the authors themselves. They give insight into these women's lives and personal experiences revealing them to be fascinatingly unique and at the same time ordinary. Their stories are enticing, humorous, poignant, informative, and genuine. They form an excellent illustration of the modern feminine experience. This book is outstanding.

5 comments about All the Fishes Come Home to Roost: An American Misfit in India.

1. I heard about this book from a friend and read it out of curiosity. Brown really has a way with words and a gift for evocative description. However, from the very first, I was struck by her deep-seated resentment and bitterness, and the impression that as a child she wasn't much fun to be around. Although Brown tries to be funny, I find it hard to forget that she is vilifying real flesh-and-blood human beings, not her own imaginary characters. True, she changes their names, but I doubt this makes them hard to recognize by the people who know (or knew) them.
   
   This is not a story, but a series of episodes that are linked together by Brown's need to condemn her parents for taking her to India to live in an ashram with a collection of oddball spiritual seekers. When it comes to plot in the Aristotelian sense, there is no "there" there.
   
   In this work, Brown is critical and derisive towards everyone, while portraying herself as a special, heroic, and misunderstood victim. Reading between the lines, she needs to rationalize her own bratty and hostile behavior towards everyone around her except, I think, one kid named Walter. I can understand a child being self-centered, and utterly devoid of compassion or tolerance, but it's hard to understand these traits in an adult looking back on her life.
   
   Given what's happening in today's world, I was especially disappointed by Brown's gross insensitivity to the principles of religious tolerance. I'm not a religious person myself, but I respect the beliefs of others, and especially their Constitutional right to religious freedom in America. There may be abusive nuns and priests, but that doesn't give anyone the right to abuse a religion that encompasses millions of sincere Catholics. It's just plain wrong to make fun of people -- even those who follow the teachings of an obscure Indian guru -- based on their religious or spiritual convictions.
   
   In addition, I was quite disturbed by Brown's veiled implication that one of Meher Baba's disciples touched her with sexual intentions. If the disciple touched Mani inappropriately, then this is a very serious charge that should be addressed by her parents and the entire Meher Baba community. If he didn't touch her inappropriately, then it's very wrong of Brown to make this implication. Brown is honest to the point of cruelty throughout the book, so why the sudden coy ambiguity surrounding such a serious issue?
   
   This book was not a page-turner for me, but I kept hoping for the kind of insight that often arrives to people who make an inquiry into their own lives and behavior through the medium of writing. I'm very sorry for the suffering that Brown went through as a child and hope that writing and publishing this book was a way for her to find personal healing. It's just too bad she had to hurt so many other people in the process. In some cases this was revenge, but in other cases she was exposing innocent people who never meant her any harm to contempt and ridicule.



2. I hate to disagree with my Fellow Readers, but I found this to be an insufferable diatribe about how intelligent the author is. Yes, we know she was an early reader. Yes, we know she had a terrific vocabulary by the age of 7. I was so tired of hearing how bright this child was that I found it hard to finish the book. As an American Educator, I found her mother's quote insulting as well; "American schools don't know how to deal with kids as bright as you are." Give me a break; we are trained to enrich as we are trained to remediate~her experience shouldn't be fodder for such an unfair generalization. Maybe she should have elected to edit her mother's comment or leave it out altogether. At any rate, I have better things to do with my summer vacation than finish this essay. I did enjoy some of the snippets into Indian and ashram life so if you can get by this author's attempt to hit you over the head with her brilliance, it may be worth your while.



3. Rachel Manija Brown, All the Fishes Come Home to Roost: An American Misfit in India (Rodale, 2005)
   
   I'm not a big fan of memoirs, but I have to admit, once this one gets rolling, it's a great deal of fun. Brown, who grew up on a backwater ashram in India among what Nicholas Basbanes has called (referring to book collectors) the gently mad, writes of her formative years with an incisive wit and a truly twisted sense of humor. Any book that makes one chuckle and cringe simultaneously is doing something right. This book does it all too often.
   
   More than anything, I find it unfortunate that I found nothing here hard to swallow. Religious wingnuts worshipping a dead guy in a diaper? Check. Pervasive physical and emotional abuse at a Catholic school? Check. Rampant prejudice? Check. Crazy drivers? Check. (Though it is tough to believe that there are worse drivers than those in and around Boston.) Adults who treat kids like they're idiots? I remember that one all too well. Brown reminds me of me as a kid, in many ways. Early and voracious reader, picked on a lot, much preferred being alone to the company of others. My parents were less crazy, but it's not too hard to extrapolate.
   
   Because of this, and because of some of the less glowing reviews of the book I've seen, I wonder if there isn't more of a vertical market for this book than one might expect in our current memoir-crazy society. If you, too, are that kid, then I can't recommend this book highly enough. If you were the person who picked on that kid... eh, maybe not for you. *** ½



4. As I read Rachel Brown's book it reminded me of how we took apart novels in college. If this had been discussed we would discuss how her abused mother felt drawn to, felt the need for a father figure. Is it remarkable Baba becomes her God? (A name meaning father in various languages). The mother drives away husband and daughter searching for the good father she didn't have. Religion then becomes the search for all of our inadequacies. Such high concepts in an autobiography make me feel all that discussion in school was not just BS. Overall great read, and great fun on any level.



5. I wish this author would write MY memoirs someday, because I really love her voice. The "plot" of her life is quirky, to be sure, but she tells it with such warmth and grace, I could not put this book down.

5 comments about Around the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry's Extraordinary Ride.

1. This true story of Annie (Kopchovsky)Londonderry is an exhilarating and fascinating romp through history with a companion the reader can't help but admire for her gumption, cleverness, and determination.
   
   Annie was the first woman to ride her bicycle around the world, possibly as part of a contest. It's just as likely, however, that she fabricated an excuse to travel because she felt claustrophobic, trapped within the societal constraints placed on women during the Victorian era. The author, Peter Zheutlin, writes Annie's story with tenderness (he's a descendent of Annie's, but I suspect he would do so regardless), yet also with appropriate skepticism and rich historical detail. (Read the endnotes!)
   
   While following in the wake of her fierce independence and almost reckless energy, the reader also explores the impact Annie's journey had on the advancement of women's rights, as well as uncomfortable questions it posed about traditional roles - including her own role as wife and mother.
   
   I'm recommending "Around the World on Two Wheels" for my book club selection next month. We'll have plenty of issues to discuss, and we'll get to do so in the company of one incredibly memorable character -- Annie Londonderry.



2. An extraordinary story! Peter Zheutlin, a descendant of Annie Londonderry's brother, has researched and written her incredible adventure. With all her claims, her outrageous self-promotion, her character flaws, Annie Londonderry has emerged again as one of modern women's most outstanding pioneers and role models. Her story--and this book--is inspiring, fun, and memorable. It is a stiring tale of one woman's incredible adventure, a provocative and thoughtful example of women's suffrage, and a tale of the Old West rarely investigated today. It is not only a must read, but a must have.



3. "Around the World on Two Wheels" is the fascinating and highly amusing tale of how Annie Kopchovsky, a Jewish immigrant and mother of three living in Boston in the 1890s, singlehandedly reinvented herself as "Annie Londonderry," the subject of a high stakes wager over whether it was possible for a woman to cycle around the world. While the wager and much of Annie's recollection of her journey is apocryphal, she did succeed in circling the globe, all the time spinning fantastic travel tales to willing and gullible newspapermen.
   
   Zheutlin has done a marvelous job in researching the tale of Annie, a distant relative, and also in separating the facts from the many fictions she put forward. He also puts Annie's groundbreaking journey in the proper historical/societal context.
   
   A great read that will appeal to a large cross section of readers.



4. Instead of running to buy this book, bicycle there! I could not stop reading the story, and finished it over the weekend based upon my father's enthusiastic recommendation. What an amazing true story Peter Z. has discovered, digging from his family tree. This would make a blockbuster movie. It would secure at least an oscar nomination for the lucky actress who gets the role of Annie Londonberry, perhaps someone such as Natalie Portman?
   Mr. Zheutlin is an erudite story teller and I can't wait to read his next book.
   R. Bornstein, Ft Lauderdale, FL



5. Annie Kopchovshy decided to ride around the world on a bike. So she changed her name to Annie Londonderry, conned half the planet in helping her ride around the world, mostly on trains and steamboats, and made money while doing it. An interesting story? Why, yes. An amazing woman? Yes. Smart? Yes. Amoral? Sure. A con artist? Yes. Did she lie and cheat and act self centered? Yes. Did she leave behind her husband and kids during her travels? Yes.
   Interesting, daring, and a great piece of history.

5 comments about Peace Mom: A Mother's Journey through Heartache to Activism.

1. I read the book and it gets one star. If I could give less I would since it is obvious she did not write it. But no matter, the woman with "total moral authority" has been abandoned by her former supporters in news, etc......They have finally seen what most of us have from the start..she is a moonbat.



2. I love Mrs Sheehan's book. She is very thoughtful and intelligent. She has done a good job of teaching herself about the realities of U.S. and world politics. Those people who gave this book a one star review most likely never read the booka and they should try getting their information elsewhere then Fox News.



3. Peace Mom is a powerful first hand account of one mother's struggle to find truth amidst violence and anger. Cindy Sheehan should be commended for her honesty and fiery energy that has arisen from her own personal tragedy; however, as a reader I was often annoyed and distracted by her poor grammar throughout her autobiography. At times, it seemed as if Sheehan wanted to fit her entire story onto one page. Too often, she digressed in the middle of a paragraph and then caught herself by saying, "more on that in the next chapter." She also decided to leave out much of her personal history or wrote it off as "abusive." This ambiguity left me wanting to know more about her past, so that I could better understand her metamorphosis into the "Peace Mom." Despite these misgivings, I felt that her palpable, simple writing was an effective way to describe her emotional state at crucial moments such as the day her son died, or the day she began Camp Casey.
   
   The chapter describing when she learned of her son's death was extremely poignant, but her pain was overshadowed by her anger toward the Bush administration. Her brash writing will obviously draw harsh criticism from the right and won't turn any hearts of those who are pro-Bush because of the offensive language she used to describe them. Also, I doubt this book will make any moderates still on the fence about Iraq (if any still exist) decide to become anti-war since she comes off as a bit manipulative and self-centered. This fact alone makes me wonder how many more people she would truly be able to reach and affect if she employed a bit more grace and tact.
   It is unfair to call Sheehan a puppet or someone trying to take advantage of her son's death because by simply reading about the impact her son's death had on her life, a reader will see that she truly is a mother who cared deeply for her son. This book, although not Pulitzer Prize worthy by any means, reminds Americans that it is our right to protest and question our government's decisions.



4. Cindy is a hero. She stood up to the most corrupt president in U.S. history.
   I keep a copy of her book next to my copy of the Bill of Rights. I can see the day when people will recognize Cindy Sheehan as a great American and Bush as a national shame.



5. What a terrible, awful little book. This book was horrible. Simply HORRIBLE. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. It was badly written, self-serving, self-centered, campy, corny, and overdone.
   
   Cindy Sheehan's book is full of poorly-articulated grief, anger, and the pain of losing her son Casey-- emotions to which she is certainly entitled. But it is also full of badly-composed political nonsense, mostly her deranged ranting and raving about the President's culpability in her son's death. On and on she goes, frothing like an angry dog about Bush's war, with all the requisite words changed just so, to little effect. "It's a war OF terror," she asserts. Yeah, Cindy, we get it, even without the bold or the italics. Neat little wordplay there.
   
   I take issue with her failure to explain how the President is directly responsible for the actions that killed Casey, or how his death is unique compared to the 4,000+ others that have also occurred in the war so far. I did a tour in a Iraq and have lost three close friends so far, with many more wounded and bearing emotional scars that will last them a lifetime. Similarly, my father's generation had Vietnam, and his father had World War II. Cindy Sheehan fails to see the circularity of this logic, that war is a condition of human interaction, and George Bush is not the one man responsible for Casey's death. While I honor Casey Sheehan and his decision to serve, I think it is safe to say that he would be appalled by his mother's behavior today if he were alive to see it.
   
   Bottom line: Terrible book, save your money, even if your opposition to the Bush/Cheney/Wolfowitz legacy is at a fever pitch; this book adds nothing to the conversation. There are many more insightful books about civil disobedience and/or protest and/or parental loss due to war that you could spend your money on; this steaming turd of a book doesn't deserve one more dime.