5 comments about My Samoan Chief.

1. This was a nostalgic book. I was born in Pago Pago in l952 from East European immigrants escaping Soviet occupation. We now live in the Michigan. The reason this was nostalgic is because my father is mentioned in the book as the kind Latvian physician who helped deliver the authors baby. My father is still alive and just read the book with great interest. He says it is very accurate, entertaining, and a good look at Samoan life. I would love to be able to contact the author and tell her about the wonderful doc that I know that delivered her child.



2. This book was a truly great read for those looking to understand more about Samoan society. Not much has really changed in 50 years . It will give insight into the differences between western thougts and ideals and faaSamoa, the Samoan way. It is also humorous and very entertaining.



3. This book was a really a great read and well worth it! It's quite amazing how I too could relate to the experiences present in the book. The author really put me in her shoes and in turn I thought I was walking them during some of the chapters. I passed the book on to the non-Samoan members of the family who can appreaciate the culture or at best hunger for some faaSamoa incite.



4. I grew up in the polynesian culture and for two years I lived, ate and breathed "Samoa" by attending a Samoan church, singing the hymns in Samoan and dancing with the church up and down the coast of California. As well, my BIL is Samoan and while reading this book I kept shaking my head a vigorous YES at what the author so clearly outlined. I was delighted, moved to tears, captivated, and thrilled to have read this story of life in Samoa. I read it from cover to cover while on a month long vacation throughout the Hawaiian islands and every chance I got I called my sister to read her bits and pieces of this wonderfully crafted book. Her understanding of the "Samoan way" was reinforced by the authors life experience. Anyone know where she is now??? I recommend this book HIGHLY, for anyone...anywhere....anytime.
   
   FAA-Samoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



5. Fay Calkins and her husband, Vai, meet while studying for graduate degrees in the U.S. They return to Vai's native Samoa with dreams of developing Samoan politics and economics. "My Samoan Chief" offers a humorous look into the cultural and practical issues that confront their academic ideas. Fay provides a loving Western lens on different aspects of Samoan culture.
   
   This is a great read for economists, and those interested in third world development. Even when development ideas come from the inside out, it proves nearly impossible to implement them without significant cultural adjustment. An enlightening and beautiful story of the interactions of Western and Samoan culture.
   Also, a well written and entertaining read.

No comments about The International Judge: An Introduction to the Men and Women Who Decide the World's Cases.

5 comments about Vindication: A Life of Mary Wollstonecraft.

1. This is a beautifully written biography about a fascinating woman. While she was a serious thinker in advance of her times, her life was of the stuff that would make a good romantic novel. The backdrop is not only England and Ireland, but the French Revolution and includes the machinations of various representatives of the fledgling United States stationed in Europe. No less interesting are the chapters on the women who were her biologic and ideological heirs including her second daughter who married Shelley and wrote Frankenstein.



2. This book is not the place to begin if you are not already convinced of Mary Wollstonecraft's genius. I began reading to find the author referring to Wollstonecraft as a genius without any preface for this claim. I was immediately thrown out of the narrative by this assumption. The author describes each of the books that Wollstonecraft wrote without bothering to asses their merit for the reader, are we to take for granted that they were great literary works? I found this lack of any sort of judgment of the subject strange. The book similarly failed to engage me in the narrative. The author leaves her subject for long discussions of the history of the family that she was a governess for. This subject did not have enough baring on Wollstonecraft's life to make it worth including. That such a unique and groundbreaking woman should have her life reduced to so dull a narrative, with so many assumption about her life disappointed me. The book itself failed to hold my interest.



3. While I respect Gordon's decision to stick closely to journals and letters in writing her biography of Mary Wollstonecraft, I wondered why she offered so little in the way of the broader political world Mary was a part of it in the late 18th century, especial since she responded to it in her writings. The author offers little in regard to the meetings that were most intriguing, like the dinner parties hosted by her publisher, Joseph Johnson, that included leading revolutionary figures like Thomas Paine and her eventual husband, William Godwin. Gordon does talk about the revolutionary ferment in Britain at the time, but doesn't expand it into a broader discussion on how Mary's writings reflected these concerns, and how she managed to effectively escape censure, unlike Thomas Paine, who found himself being tried for sedition in absentia. What we get is a set of very intriguing stories, such as her long affair with Gilbert Imlay that took her to France and Scandinavia, that wet one's appetite but fails to satisfies one interest in her as a revolutionary figure.
   
   Mary Wollstonecraft reached a broad audience with her writings, in particular A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, which was in response to the new French government's Rights of Man. She, like other women who were part of the revolution, felt left out when the new government essentially turned its back on the rights of women. Mary avoided house arrest by secretly marrying Gilbert Imlay, an American in Paris. Gordon sets up many of the situations that befell Mary in Paris and her frustrating relationship with Imlay that came for nought after a long voyage to Scandinavia trying to recover his losses in regard to an ill-fated shipping venture. As with her brothers and sisters, Mary felt a strong responsibility to the man she loved, but this feeling was never fully reciprocated.
   
   Gordon shows in detail how Mary had to deal with the paternalistic world of the late 18th century, from her good-for-nothing father, to her miserly elder brother, and the varoious relationships of her friends and family. All this is well and good, but Mary was a political writer, and we get so little of her actual thoughts on government, which were the focus of her many writings.
   
   After all, Mary was one of the early suffragettes, and her writings form the cornerstone of feminist writings in the 19th century. Gordon alludes to Jane Austin and Virginia Woolf and other writers she felt were influenced by Mary in one way or another. Gordon had a pension for comparing Mary's real life to the fictional lives Austin had created in her novels. Time and time again, we read about what Mary suffered through, lending emotional weight to her writings, but there wasn't any real attempt to probe the intellectual origins of these writings. Mary may have saw herself as a new genus of woman, but her writings didn't come out of an intellectual void, and that is what is missing in this biography.



4. In my opinion a better conceptualization Of Mary Wollstonecraft's
   Life, Ideas, and Experinences is author: Frances Sherwood
   Tile: Vindication.
   
   However the Gordon book is an adequate read



5. I actually preferred this over Frances Sherwood's novel about Mary Wollstonecraft. Whether you believe that Wollstonecraft had an affair with the painter Fuseli makes a big difference in how you perceive her. It makes her seem like a perpetual victim who was always making mistakes about men. This discredits Wollstonecraft as a pioneer of feminism. Lyndall Gordon rightly points out that there is no evidence that Wollstonecraft was involved with the married Fuseli and calls it "the Fuseli slander".
   
   On the other hand, Gordon does engage in speculation herself. They are mostly educated speculations and there is a good chance of them being true. I thought that the speculation that Wollstonecraft's lover Imlay was a spy had the least credibility because there are other explanations for his behavior that seem more likely to me.
   
   I was glad that Lyndall Gordon included such tantalizing bits about Shelley's first wife, Harriet Westbrook and Clare Claremont, the daughter of William Godwin's second wife. The little she has to say about them makes me think that they were extraordinary women and I'd love to know more.

1 comments about Buckeye Women: History Of Ohio'S Daughters (Ohio Bicentennial Series).

1. My mother bought this book and loaned it to me to read. If I had a daughter, I would give it to her to read. These women are the unsung heroes of time and history. From frontier days to modern civilization, women have always been the backbone of any social change. Women have fought for equal pay, equal rights and better working conditions. Women have fought for the right to vote. They fight to better society. They fight to keep the family farms. They raised children and worked in factories to keep food on the table. They may have been subjected to men and laws ~~ but they have always fought to have a better life.

   This book is very inspiring. Buckeye women are strong and intelligent women who didn't let prejudice stop them from achieving their goals. They fought for what they believed in. And some of the Buckeye women have moved onto the national platform ~~ bringing Ohio into the forefront of history. It's a fascinating read ~~ very insightful and for those who don't care for long descriptives, this book is brief and straight to the point. I didn't feel like they've left anything out ~~ in fact, this book has piqued my interest in Ohioans and read more on Ohio history. It's a fascinating look into time. It also makes me very thankful that my foremothers fought to give me better opportunities in life ~~ it's a book that everyone should read.

   4-17-03

3 comments about Retarded Isn't Stupid, Mom!, Revised Edition.

1. One of the funniest books I've read in a while-- reading of Nicole's wacky exploits is sure to tickle your funny bone!



2. I found this book very encouraging. The book covers the emotional roller coaster of dealing with a mentally challenged child but also offers hope. I felt encouraged that my child might have a fulfilling life but discouraged by all the challenges that the future might bring. This book gives a look at the life and successes of a mentally retarded young women.



3. and she said, "Yes, it is!"
   
   We had a pretty great laugh thinking about our lives and everything in regards to this book. Great read!!!

No comments about Stones of Remembrance: A Rock-Hard Faith From Rock-Hard Places.

No comments about Plantation Mistress on the Eve on the Civil War: The Diary of Keziah Goodwyn Hopkins Brevard, 1860-1861 (Women's Diaries and Letters of the South).

5 comments about Rebel Heart: An American Rock 'n' Roll Journey.

1. What a pathetic piece of flotsam. Never "anyone" but chose to sleep with "everyone", boy or girl, no difference - if she thought that they could help her "career" - such as that was. "Was" may be too kind of an interpretation. A zero of a "model" who chose to hook her wagon, or legs, around anyone holding a guitar. This is a fun read just for its prurient nature, but her whole "poor me, I'm so talented BS" is shameful. She was marginally recognized for the men with whom she slept - nothing more. Liv, I'm glad that you rose above your upbringing - lucky for you your "mother" had very little to do with it.



2. If, like me, your boyfriend is a huge Todd Rundgren fan, you're not going to be able to skim this book and look at the pictures because he's going to want to discuss it in detail. So be warned.
   
   Bebe's story is interesting and I understood everything she was trying to say about herself. It's the writing that's so bad. Concepts such as topic sentences, the rules of grammar, and editing are no where to be found in the pages of this book. It's not good enough to tell a good story - you have to tell a good story well. The errors and inconsistencies were a complete distraction and made the experience painful and tedious.
   
   I wish Bebe well and I hope she has all the success in the world. I just hope she doesn't have any more literary ambitions to inflict on us.



3. Had this woman done the right thing, had she not slept with a bunch of rock stars and used her looks to get her things, there would be no book for us to read! I don't want to read a book about some woman who turned down drugs, stayed clear of rock stars and avoided all craziness and walked the straight and narrow, attending college and then getting married and having babies. How f-ing boring would that book be?! I want to read about a fabulous bitch who did a ton of drugs, made lots of mistakes and bedded many rock stars. Don't you?
   
   This woman mentions her beauty a lot, and it didn't bother me at all because it had everything to do with the story. Had she said "golly gee, folks, I wasn't even pretty, I don't know what Mick Jaggar wanted with me, shucks", I would have been annoyed. For those who thought she was too arrogant, I have to disagree. She even admitted she was not all that good in bed and lost many guys because she couldn't do the crazy stuff the L.A. groupies could do. Yes, she did sound a little (ok, a lot) demented over Elvis Costello. Yes, she did say that her b*sh was tinted red in a Oui "interview" (you mean in Oui *pictures* BeBe...)
   
   She was very candid in this book, honestly sharing her mistakes and foolish choices. How many of us at 19 years old made the right decisions all of the time? Please. The book is not perfect and was not written by a famous novelist like Nora Roberts. It was the attempt to get an exciting life onto paper. I would've still read it had it been written in lipstick on a cocktail napkin. And ladies, I am sorry, but this chick had the equivalent of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Markus Shenkenberg (I am running out of guys, my mind is drawing a blank) chasing her at once. Yes, it was slutty and foolish that she gave in to them. But come on, maybe we would have done the same at her age and in her circumstance! I for one was happy she shared it with us.
   
   I was surprised at how entertaining the book was. I read Pamela Des Barres' book years ago and she was nowhere near the beauty this chick was. Pamela was not a model, she was a true groupie (not trying to be judgmental) and she was not chased the way this chick was. Both books are interesting, but I preferred Bebe's.



4. I really enjoyed this book and especially all of Bebe Buell's honesty. She really explained herself as a rock & roll person, a rock & roll groupie and a mother to a very famous actress. Very good book and would reccomend to anyone interested in Rock & Roll or the effects of it.



5. If you don't like to read about sex with rock stars, don't buy the book. But if you do like to read about sex with rock stars, this is the book to read. I was speedreading my way through the book, flipping pages like crazy. I loved the parts with Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, and Elvis Costello. Juicy, juicy. Buy the book when you can spend an entire weekend reading it because you won't want to put it down.
   
   Everyone in this book is interesting, and it's a fascinating life story.

5 comments about A Lifetime To Get Here: Diana Ross: The American Dreamgirl.

1. This book is an antidote to Mary Wilson's "tell-not-a-whole-lot" book from the mid-1980s and much of the subsequent negative press Diana received in part because of it. With 2006's "Dreamgirls" and Diana's high profile TV appearances and successful concert tour this year, it's seems time to recognize her for her accomlishments. While some of the facts presented here are without attribution, the book's a fun read. And love Diana or hate her, Adrahtas makes a few very compelling points (with supporting evidence) about her assention to Motown's throne and her ability to stay there for so many years. While lesser divas fell by the wayside as trends in the music industry shifted, Ross survived, and in doing so paved the way for two generations of singers, actors, and performers.



2. COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. MY ONLY COMPLAINT WAS THE AUTHORS'S CONSTANT ATTACKS ON MARY WILSON.
   HE BLAMES MOST OF THE BAD PRESS ON HER....AND DOES NOT PUT SOME OF THE BLAME ON MISS ROSS, WHO I AM SURE WAS NO ANGEL.
   HE DEFENDS DIANA SO MANY TIMES THAT IT BECAME OVERKILL.
   OTHERWISE VERY WELL WRITTEN.



3. An enjoyable read for anyone who loves Diana Ross. The author bends over backwards to portray Ms. Ross in the most favorable light. Her talent and her drive are undeniable; however, it would take Supreme naivete to believe Diana is the innocent victim in every controversy which surrounds her.
   
   Strangely, for a published author Mr. Adrahtas has tremendous difficulty with "its" and "it's." For the record, "it's" is a contraction of 'it is" and should only be used in its stead.



4. I bought this book hoping to thoroughly enjoy a different view of the Ross/Wilson conflict and of Diana's true feelings about her career with the Supremes and her life after. But instead I was appalled on how vitriolic this was toward Mary Wilson one of the original Supremes and Ross' partner. This book would have been more aptly titled "101 Reasons Why I Hate Mary Wilson" or "How Mary Wilson finally ruined Ross' Career." One would think that Mary Wilson was the sole cause of Diana's woes and that everytime there was a public spat Diana had no fault; it was only Mary;s doing. He makes nothing but excuses for Diana Ross' behaviors and acts as though the Supremes were nothing without her; something Diana likened to with Barbara Walters in 2000 when she told her that Mary was singing "her" songs. I was so disgusted with this trashing of Mary Wilson I never finished the book and in fact I threw it away.



5. There is something I want addressed.
   
   First of all, Why should I respect this woman who had a sinister stare in her eyes, and who used manipulation to get what she wanted?
   
   
   Second, Who's idea was that to say that I should respect no-talent hacks like Mary Wilson, Cindy Birdsong, Florence Ballard, or Diana Ross? They're all has beens.
   
   Third, Why should I even care about the troubles that Diana Ross suffered in her career?
   
   Now that that's off my chest, here we go.
   
   I've spent some time reading this book, and I just have to say that I ended up laughing all the way through it. Neither of the chapters had me in tears, because nothing in this book was touching. It was all laughable. Has the author been under the sinister influence of this cult following? I believe he has. Therefore, it is my mission to save all of you people from Diana Ross's sinister influence that has got so great hold on you. Also, the lie that says that the world has fallen in love with the supremes and not just Diana is just a lie, because the Supremes as well as Diana Ross were an evil girl group that lived off greed, selfishness, blinded devotees, manipulation, and a sinister influence. Remember what happened with Palpatine? That was bad enough. This book is a collection of the worst lies that a human can tell from his mouth, or by writing. That's because Diana Ross and the supremes are a part of the past. It is time for all of us to wake up, accept it, and move on. If you don't want to be under this sinister influence of Diana Ross, and her evil cult, then do not, I repeat not buy this book. Do not touch it. Do not look at it. Do not go near it. Do not even read it, for Diana's evil influence is so strong, that once you embrace it, it will spell your doom. All readers beware!

No comments about Three Women of Herat: A Memoir of Life, Love and Friendship in Afghanistan.