5 comments about Sarah Morgan: The Civil War Diary Of A Southern Woman.

1. So far I am enjoying the diary of Sarah Morgan, it is my opinion that Scarlett O'Hara was patterned after her. Her writing is very interesting without being droll or boring.
   And as a Civil War reenactor with a Southern character, it is helpful learning how the women of the south felt and what they did while enduring the hardships of the war. Having to leave your home and all the worldly things that we all hold so dear was a hardship for many of them. Thank goodness for those who were successful in hiding family heirlooms and whatnot to pass down through the generations. It really was horrible how the "Federals" (Yankees) destroyed there homes just for the spite of it.
   The long and short of it is; I am enjoying the diary very much and learning another stitch in our history.



2. Well, I never thought I'd be writing one of these, but the last two reviews, being grossly unfair, inspired me. I read Sarah Morgan's diary about two years ago, so this is coming from memory. Whatever one may think of Ms. Morgan as a person (and judging her from contemporary standards would surely be a mistake), she was for her age extremely well-educated and articulate. Her prose is, in comparison to most today, exceptional (again, especially for her age). The same can be said of her insight (which, of course, for any person of her age, is by no means beyond reproach). Aside from constituting a valuable guide to the mind of a young southern woman during the Civil War, her story (which is anything but dull) provides historical context and perspective to the union army's ascent up the Mississippi. Without knowing something of this military campaign, I can see how another reader might not enjoy her diary. Lastly, Ms. Morgan was truly a feminist -- a word I do not particularly care for as it seems to overly excite some and unduly offend others. She was, like most women of her time, a product of a male-dominated society. She questions this society in her diary and, if I recall correctly from the preface, led her later years in a way most feminists of today would be proud. Nothing but enjoyable reading here.



3. The other reviewers said it all and in the length of this book there's time for agreeing with all said at one time or another. For someone who will never be part of that "set" I found it fasinating to see into the mind of one of them and especially in that time period. A quick read even for all the pages unless you really want to pay attention to the history. I have little to no interst in the history but found Sarah so interesting I wanted to read more about her. I loved the way she articulated what she perceived, and thought it a good lesson in journaling. I especially enjoyed her standards, such as her explanation of why she wouldn't allow a male friend to kiss her or her dreading the arm of a gentelman around her waist as he helped her off a carriage, a bit much, even her beloved family memebers didn't agree with her, but I found myself wishing todays society had a bit more of that modesty.



4. This is a very interesting view of the Civil War. I always thought that my children were the "ME" generation. Maybe I was wrong, the young upper-class in the South were also a "ME" generation. From the research I have done this was wasn't the general case. Just like the young Confederate soldiers had to learn to be a good soldier, the Southern belles were also forced to grow up and do what was needed to survive the war. I am sure there were some that continued to be spoiled, but they were in the minority. By Ruth Thompson author of "Natchez Above The River" and The Bluegrass Dream"
   
   Qualifying Laps: A Brewster County NovelSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelTravelersWriting as a Small Business Natchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil WarThe Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early Settlers



5. Sarah Morgan is the real Scarlett O'Hara. As the world as she had known it crumbled to ashes around her, she had hardships she had never even dreamed of in her upper class society before the War. She knew nothing of the harshness of slavery or of the stuggles of others outside her own crumbling world. It is a beautiful narrative, an historical treasure and she is a gifted writer beyond her years. The description of the death of her father brings me to tears every time.

5 comments about Not Even My Name: A True Story.

1. I am John Halo the brother of Thea Halo. I am very proud of my sister for writing such a wonderful book, NOT EVEN MY NAME, that depicts such an accurate account of my mothers life, that discribeds the pain that my wonderful mother endured in her childhood and throughout her life. Thea Halo is a champion and a woman with a beautiful hart and a loving sole that deserves the recognition of a grate author, and I hope someone will relize the value of this true story and make a movie and documentary so to educate our generation and future generation from repeating this horror. I would also like to let everyone know that my mother was so grateful and proud that Thea wrote this book and is also grateful to all of the wonderful people that came to see her speak. And last I would like to say how proud and thankful I am of my sister Thea Halo for being my sister.
   Sincerely
   John Halo



2. I am also of Pontic Greek and Assyrian origin. Even though our lands were taken away, our people still exist, we still maintain our language, and the gospel is still spreading which is a blessing. I am glad to see someone wrote a book on the Greek/Assyrian/Armenian Genocide. The Turks tortured and massacred millions of Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians. I am happy to see you raise more public awareness about this. I pray for the Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians still living in Asia Minor that deal with constant persecution for their Christian faith. Great Book Thea!



3. This is not a book to read if you want to be cheered up, yet I will never forget the story. I wept off and on reading of the author's mother's experience on the death march. I have traveled to Greece and Turkey twice yet had no knowledge of the genocide of the Pontic Greeks. I thank the author for the courage to live through her mother's amazing journey as she told her unforgettable story.



4. This poignant memoir written in such astonishing detail is an unforgettable story that will capture the reader from the start. Sano is like a small but sturdy flower growing in the most unlikely and least advantageous of garden spots. In her we see goodness and love survive heart rending loss and the cruel displacement of senseless war. I could not put the book down once I began to read it.



5. Extremely well written and oh so true! Many of us heard these stories from your yiayias (grandmothers) and/or mothers who experienced the exile of Greeks from Turkey. Women, desparate for a better life, would willingly marry whoever to get out of the turmoil and economic depression of their countries. Well worth the read.

5 comments about Twenty Years at Hull-House: With Autobiographical Notes.

1. I enjoy reading about strong women with great vision. I also enjoy this particular period in history, so this was a perfect match for me. I would love to have been part of the Plato club, or study cooking, or sewing, or heard concerts throughout the week. I sometimes think we have so much going on in our lives right now that we don't take the time to slow down and cherish the simple things. This book did that for me. It made me want to study and focus on things. I know we have tons of technology available to us, but I wish we would still discuss philosophy, and I wish more people would read - I mean, really read. Not just the top twenty things out there. But times are different...



2. I am doing a History Fair project on the Hull House. I thought that I would just be quickly skimming over the book, but in fact i really enjoyed it and I ended up reading with a lot of intrest.



3. In 1911 Addams helped found the National Foundation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers, and she was its first president. She was also a leader in women's suffrage and pacifist movements. In 1915 she helped found the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. She received the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize (shared with American educator Nicholas Murray Butler).
   
   The Hull House could boast a group of about 2,000 people a week. It had facilities including: a night school for adults, kindergarten classes, clubs for older children, a public kitchen, an art gallery, a coffeehouse, a gymnasium, a girls club, a swimming pool, a book bindery, a music school, a drama group, a library, and labor related divisions.
   
   The Hull House also served as a women's institution of sociology and Addams was a friend and colleague to the early men of the Chicago School of Sociology influencing their social thought of the time through her work in applied sociology, which became defined as social work by academic sociologists of the time. Addams did not, however, consider herself a social worker. She co-authored the Hull-House Maps and Papers in 1893 that came to define the interests and methodologies of Chicago Sociology. She worked with George H. Mead on social reform issues including women's rights and the 1910 Garment Workers' Strike. Addams combined the central concepts of symbolic interactionism with the theories of cultural feminism and pragmatism to form her sociological ideas.



4. Along with Addams herself, "Twenty Years At Hull-House" inspired generations of US social and political activists. For decades a Hull House sojourn, or at least a visit, was virtually a pilgrimage for all kinds of progressive reformers. Jane Addams came from a conventional Middle American milieu, but was radicalized by seeing the ravages of the Industrial Revolution both in Britain and Chicago. This timeless memoir of the years 1889-1909 documents her wide-ranging concerns, embracing public health, pacifism and feminism as well as philanthropy, working-class education and poverty alleviation. Nationalist hysteria damaged Addams's reputation as a result of her antiwar stance during World War I, but it recovered enough for her to win the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize. Students had mixed views of book and author. To some she is a revelation, but others see her as rather sanctimonious (a fair criticism to some extent). Her prose is accessible but a little archaic now, sometimes appearing flowery or pompous, which deters some readers. While I respect and admire Addams, I waited in vain for the epiphany felt by thousands inspired by her life's work. People who find their own way to "Hull-House" will probably appreciate her more than those required to read her book---but such unsought exposure lies at the heart of liberal education, and brings many rewards.



5. A well written book but a littany of "look at what I did for the less fortunate" Jane Adams clearly brings out the fact that she was of the upper class and so much better than those she sought to help. Her goal it seems was to bring high society upper middle class values to the poor. She rarely talks about others who had to be involved. If it did not include her she was not interested in reporting. She also failed to show that she actually helped anyone better thier lives. She just crows about how she brought literature and art to the poor masses.

3 comments about Running with the Devil.

1. Kenna Jones cannot believe her instant attraction to this man who "claims" to be one of Jerry's friends, but there is absolutely no way that she can deny those feelings. Kenna met Jerry a year ago while she was escorting him around Sturgis. Kenna really is not an escort, but she needs the money to pay for grad school.
   
   Drake March is an undercover DEA agent trying to bring down a ring of drug dealers who go by the name of Diablo. Kenna is the agency's only connection to the group since Jerry ended up dead. Drake wants Kenna, but he does not mix business with pleasure...usually.
   
   Drake "convinces" Kenna to be his escort like she was for Jerry as he attempts to find out exactly what she knows. Kenna is not happy about being forced to be Drake's escort, but he promises to pay her and she needs the money to pay for school. As Drake and Kenna work together their attraction becomes too much to ignore. Drake brings out a side of Kenna that she has never experienced, but she worries he is only attracted to her "Kenna" personality not the real person. Drake cannot believe he has let things go so far between them, but he just wants more and more of Kenna. As the investigation heats up, Kenna's life is put in danger. Will their relationship be strong enough to survive or is it just the circumstances that are making their emotions run so high?
   
   Running with the Devil was a hot, hot, hot read!! Kenna is a sexy woman who seems a little naïve about the world around her. Drake is smoking sexy and pretty much all man who believes in getting the job done at any cost. The sexual tension between these two was great and I really enjoyed the Sturgis backdrop. Lorelei James knows how to write fun, sexy, and hot stories with characters you want to get to know better. I absolutely loved Running with the Devil and I cannot wait to read more Lorelei James!
   
   Gracie
   Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed



2. A fast paced, erotic adventure straight out of the movies, RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL is an edgy thriller of mistaken impressions and undercover lovers. Drake and Kenna are a perfect match in every way. They are passionate, opinionated, cynical and intelligent. He is a cynical undercover agent who tends to believe the worst of people while she has a serious trust problem as well. It is an action packed journey with numerous twists and turns to solving the murder and finding love. The emotional connection is poignant and the sexual chemistry is volatile. The secondary cast is a well rounded group indicative of a traditional Sturgis Bike Rally. One wonders if author Lorelei James visited there on more than one occasion. All in all, RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL is well worth the time and money invested. If you like suspense and passion, you will love this one.



3. I generally like books by Lorelei James, but this book fell short for me.
   
   Drake March is a very strong sexy undercover DEA agent trying to bring down a ring of drug dealers. Kenna Jones agrees to be an escort for Drake recommended by her cleint last year, Jerry. Kenna met Jerry a year ago while she was escorting him around Sturgis. The information and details were very well written. The author either did some very detailed research or spent some time in the Sturgis area.
   
   Drake and Kenna have good overall chemistry and good sensual chemistry, but what lowered my rating on this book was Kenna's lack of brains and common sense. I don't enjoy reading about a main character that is so gullible and stupid.

5 comments about Miriam's Kitchen: A Memoir.

1. Well done, most interesting, all the various recipes, combined with memories from a time long ago. Have enjoyed it immensely.



2. Miriam's kitchen is a thoughtful, interesting, warm and homey memoir. If you are interested in material culture -- particularly food -- of various groups, you'll find it interesting. It's also a story about balancing identities -- Jewish, American, feminist, traditionalist, etc.



3. Elizabeth Ehrlich is a Jewish American woman who rejected, for many years, her connection to the practices of her Jewish faith. It is only through her discovery of her mother-in-law Miriam's kitchen and the foods prepared there that she learns to value the traditions that shaped her own family, traditions brought from the Old World and translated into the New. Through entries in her journal, through letters, memories, stories, and above all, through Miriam's recipes, Ehrlich recreates for us the story of her spiritual awakening and her self-guided journey into the lives of her foremothers, who nourished their faith and kept it alive and growing in difficult times, difficult places, through pain, separation, and even despair.
   
   This often funny, often heart-rending, always beautifully-evocative book is a powerful testimony to the importance of women's domestic contributions to the survival of their families, their communities, and their faith.
   
   Susan Wittig Albert
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   www.storycirclebookreviews.org



4. I read this many years ago. I love the stories that the author tells about her life and her family as related to food and Jewish tradition. I could relate. The recipies provided in the book are delicious. I am keeping the book as a reference.



5. This book and the reciepies are a must have for any Jewish household. Fantastic story of family history and wonderful receipies from Russian Jewish past. The egg salad is absolutely fantastic!!!

5 comments about Straight Up and Dirty: A Memoir.

1. I feel a little miffed at all the Stephanie hate going on in these reviews. Of course it's self-absorbed, it's a memoir! Who is she supposed to write about? I read this during my own divorce and there were times when I wanted to smack all my friends in the face and lock myself in my room and read this book. I found it funny, insightful (of course there's insecurity and self-doubt in a divorce, it's not generally an uplifting thing to go through!), and motivating. It was invaluable to me to be able to read this and feel normal.



2. I have read Stephanie's entire blog prior to reading the book and found that over half the content was already included on the blog (which was a bit dissapointing). This book isn't as riske as the title suggests so do not expect to be reading anything you could not read in the confessions section of Vogue or Glamour.
   
   Stephanie writes well but sometimes she forces metaphors and tries to make links to her childhood that seem very contrived (as though she had sat around for hours thinking of what little anacdote from her childhood could she apply to her current situation). Also she is very self-involved and sometimes can seem very stuck-up. Her standards for men seem to revolve around if they take her to the correct restaurant or if they order her the right wine but all in all, she does have some useful insights. I would recommend buying this book if you need some mindless reading for the beach or if you can come accross a copy at the library but I wouldn't rush out to get a copy.



3. On one end of the chick lit spectrum you have the likes of Wendy Wasserstein and Nora Ephron - on the other end you have this drivel. If I wasn't stuck on a plane with nothing else to read, I never would have finished it. Seriously thought of leaving it behind after the flight - but wouldn't that be littering? This is the written equivalent of those tone deaf attention hungry people who are on the gag reel for any reality show. No talent and boring to boot.
   
   Avoid - or you'll be sorry. Don't say you haven't been warned. Not even do-able as a fun beach read. Blech. I was actually angry after reading this, now I just wish I had gotten a latte and some magazines instead = a waste of $$$



4. "Straight Up and Dirty" surprised me a bit. From what I'd heard, I was expecting a sex-filled kiss and tell, more Samantha than Bridget Jones. A quote on the back, "Klein found herself 'divorced... firm, fashionable and let's face it, fetching,' " seemed to suggest that the author was confident and man-hungry.
   
   That kind of vanity may make a good tagline, but it is absent from the book overall. In fact I was surprised by both the author's low self-esteem and her lack of dating experience. She doesn't really do a lot of dating in the book, but instead recovers from a divorce, dates the wrong "right" guy, and gains insights through therapy. She was once fat, and has issues about her looks, ethnicity, and body. Although her lifestyle affords her access to posh places and people, she sees herself as an outsider.
   
   The writing at times strains to be clever. Klein's wordplay could use some polish. Describing a pretentious loser at a party: "I'm sorry, since when is Nevis in the same realm as South Beach, and who says insipid? This guy was awkwords." And describing a Southern friend, "She was Austinatious: big jewelry, big breasts, big heart." At other times Klein is nonsensical, with observations like this one, "If Dulce were a scratch and sniff sticker, she'd smell like a birthday cake."
   
   Despite these reservations, I really enjoyed the book. It's a peek into someone else's psyche and has that delicious appeal of window gazing. I don't know that I'm in any rush to read this author again, but I certainly enjoyed "Straight Up and Dirty."



5. What a terrible book. Klein's writing is flighty and at times very hard to follow. She tries so hard that she loses the reader. With her stupid abbreviations for words and wandering thoughts, I just couldn't stand it. Save your money.

5 comments about Daddy's Apprentice: Incest, Corruption, and Betrayal-A Survivor's Story.

1. I had to read this book for a class in college.
   Not only did the author make you feel like you were actually there, but I honestly could not put it down. (And I am sorry to say, I hate reading what my teachers assign me) It was an eye opening account of what many children endure behind closed door. I recommend this book esp. to Psychology and Education students, faculty, or even someone in the profession already.



2. I picked up this book, and could not put it down. I was riveted by the courage of this girl, who endured so much for so long. It is amazing to me that these things can happen, and in many instances right under our noses. This girl was at the mercy of her father, and the only person who could have helped her, was too being abused. I admire this woman, because she has come so far from where she began, she learned to let go of the resentment and hate that her father deserves. In letting go, she set herself free. I commend her for this, because now she has taken control of her life, and chosen not to let anything bring her down. I can only hope i would have half her courage.



3. Though meaning well, this book couldn't keep me wanting more. The story is riddled with poor grammar, minuscule chapters, and frequent mentioning of "the sickness." I swear, by the end of the second chapter, "the sickness" was mentioned so many times that "the sickness" lost all meaning to me, as she also tried to make "the sickness" sound overtly ominous. Whatever. And don't get me started on the somewhat open-ended finale. So how does she cope with her past and find a way to move on? Good question.



4. When I first started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The struggles of a young girl are heatwrenching. I do wish the book had more details of her life. I felt like I missed some bits and pieces here and there.



5. Before I begin this review in full, let me just state for anyone who may not have noticed... this autobiographical book is 124 pages long. Had I recognized this prior to purchase, I could have avoided a literary journey I wish I had not taken. The length of the book alone suggests there are problems with completeness, explanation, and insight.
   
   Sandy Wilson, an incest survivor, with the help of a published author tells the sordid, pathetic story of her childhood beginnings. It is a sometimes graphic, sometimes evasive account of just how ugly, dirty, cruel, and dangerous life can be for a child. The product of an incestuous relationship between a biological brother and sister, Sandy Wilson is raised primarily by her grandparents. Although her grandmother and grandfather clearly commit insurance fraud by torching the shacks and trailers they have outgrown, her life remains fairly stable... until her father is released from prison.
   
   Even while her father is clearly viewed as a predator by the author's grandfather, her grandmother appears to feel obligated to her only son and he moves in and quickly takes over the household. Sandy Wilson is forcibly raped for the first time when she is six years old.
   
   There are many, many unanswered questions for the reader.
   
   1. If her father was a convicted sex offender, why did her grandmother allow him almost unrestricted access to a young child? No precautions were taken.
   
   2. In chapter 9, when the author is 9 years of age, she finally tells her grandmother what her father is doing to her. She later hears her grandmother and her biological father arguing about the repeated molestations. (Great! Now we are getting somewhere, right? Wrong!) Throughout the remainder of the book, there is NEVER any mention of this again! What happened? We know the father continues to rape the child, buy why? How?
   
   3. Throughout her childhood, Sandy Wilson is also taught the finer points of breaking and entering, theft, and fencing. As an adolescent girl, she becomes aware that her father probably raped and murdered two teenaged hitchhikers. In the epilogue of the book (a mere 1/2 page), the author states her father managed to evade the police and any further legal consequences until his death in 1989. As an adult, why did Sandy Wilson not report her father to the authorities? (I do not really care whether she did or did not as I am not passing moral judgment, but I would have appreciated some explanation about the choices she made.)
   
   4. Sandy Wilson moved out of her father's home several times once she reached the age of 16. Each time her father managed to find her. Why did she go back? There is no explanation given about why the author made many of the choices she did. Again, I am not passing judgment, I just want to know something of the author's thought processes.
   
   5. After firing a shotgun at her father and blasting a hole in the wall above his head, the author indicates the sexual abuse stopped. What happened thereafter? There is not one single word about the author's life as an adult survivor of incest. NOTHING! Was her life forever scarred by the abuse to which she was subjected or did she overcome great tragedy to live an empowered existence? Your guess is as good as mine because the author never tells us.
   
   While it was apparent that the author wanted to impart some sense that her grandparents were, even if poor and misguided, decent people who cared for her... why was her grandmother so willing to throw her under the bus? A child is raped almost daily for 3 years in the same house but the grandmother feigns lack of knowledge? Lord help us all! If the author's grandparents were concerned individuals somewhat capable of caring for a child and providing minimum stability, how and why did the author's father become such a psychopath? I could never decide if I should regard the grandmother with comtempt, pity, outrage, or all of the above. Unfortunately, the author tells us nothing about how SHE views her grandmother, so I have no way of knowing what to think or feel.
   
   In the afterword of the book, it is stated that "Sandy Wilson shares her childhood experiences so that others may have a better understanding of sexual abuse and child exploitation." This is a lofty goal for a book full of sexual abuse "war stories" with no explanation or exploration to help define them. If the reader is interested in well written books about the issue, I strongly suggest you look elsewhere. If I could have given this book a rating of No Stars, I would have.

5 comments about Surprised By Truth 2: 15 Men and Women Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons For Becoming Catholic..

1. Conversion stories are always a fun read, when one is reading the stories of those who convert to their own faith.
   
   Of course, when the conversion is one away from one's own tradition, that is another thing entirely.
   
   However, fair is fair, and evangelicals have been publishing and telling conversion stories about how people were "saved" from the Catholic Church since the beginning of their movement some 400 years ago. It is remarkable therefore that some would criticize these humble and powerful stories of people who "swam the Tiber" in the other direction as "triumphalist" (whatever that word means) or inappropriate. Yet that is exactly what many evangelicals have done regarding the renaissance in Catholic apologetics that has occurred over the last 20 years.
   
   However, in my opinion, this renaissance is neither "triumphalist" in a negative sense, nor inappropriate. For, in theology, the only way to get at the truth is to use the time honored tool of philosophical reasoning when discussing Divine Revelation. That means making arguments from Sacred Scripture. Arguments invite counterarguments. Reformationists reject the authority of the Church to settle arguments when they get out of hand, or threaten unity. Therefore, we will continue to argue with each other, even while we often work side by side in the trenches fighting things like abortion.
   
   This book clearly shows that ideas have consequences, especially when those ideas are religious ones. Every person whose story is in this book is someone who had the courage to not only challenge received "dogma" but also live their life in a way in conformity with their ideas, regardless of the consequences.
   
   Luckily, these brave individuals are not building their houses on the sand of their own understanding, but rather on the rock of Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church.
   
   This book and its companion volumes are a great tool when one needs the support they provide. They are also useful for explaining to reasonable non-Catholics why people would find it necessary to call the Catholic Church their spiritual home.
   
   I struggled with whether to give this book series 4 or 5 stars. As collections of conversion stories go, these are excellent. However, conversion stories are monologues, not dialogues, and are therefore less interesting to me than a good discussion of various theological issues. I feel good editing and inclusion of other ideas (perhaps a commentary?) could have addressed this weakness to some degree. However, fair is fair, and most other faith traditions (especially Fundamentalist Protestantism) don't extend the same intellectual courtesy when discussing the conversion stories of those who choose to leave the Catholic Church.
   
   At the very least, these books prove that the Catholic faith is compelling, and reasonable. I, of course, believe it to be true. However, until He comes again, I fear that debate will continue. When we are Christian it will be a good discussion. When we fail, it will be shouting match. Such is the Christian experience post the reformation.



2. This book was as good as the first. I think it gives a good understanding as to why someone would convert. As a Catholic myself it has made my faith stronger. I bought the book to then pass on to someone who is considering becoming Catholic. I would not however try to force my beliefs on someone but if someone is interested to understand more it is a great book to read.



3. I highly recommend this book and the first "Surprised by Truth" book. Very inspiring testimonies by a wide variety of people who write about their search for religious truth. If you have questions or doubts or just want to know the facts, this is the book to read.



4. This book puts together a collection of powerful testimonies from people who discovered or re-discovered the True Faith laid out by Christ (the Catholic Church and its teachings). I was most inspired and deeply moved by these testimonies. I will contact at least one of the contributors to this book. I felt particularly identified with his story and will seek advise on how to follow the path he took to "Rome". Buy and distribute among your friends the Surprised by Truth series. I did give away my copy of the preceding book of this Surprised by Truth series and I am pleased to inform that it helped to convert my friend to Catholicism. I am looking forward to read the third book of the Surprised by Truth series.



5. If Surprised by Truth 1 wasn't enough, these real testimonies are light in a dark world. This book is good for Protestants, secular people, as well as Catholics thinking of leaving. This wealth of touching stories is bound to offer something to people from a variety of denomenations and backgrounds.

5 comments about Crossing to Avalon: A Woman's Midlife Quest for the Sacred Feminine.

1. You know, I have to say - this book is awesome - especially if you are a woman.
   I am not.
   I am reading this as a women's studies requirement at a "womens centered" university I attend (what can I say?).I am struggling to read this book and find parallels to the male journey... argh. If you are a guy, skip this!
   I know all of you are going to click on the "no" helpful voting button for this review - I don't care.CLICK IT TWICE FOR ALL I GIVE A RATS TUSHY. I just spent more than 800 bucks AND WASTED 3 MONTHS OF MY LIFE to take this class called the 'Psychology of Women' that took me on a womans mid life spiritual quest. Men, stay away from this book. Women, bare your teeth and vote NO to this review because I am evil. Thank you.



2. Crossing to Avalon is part of the Goddess Movement that many women are finding after being raised in male-dominated religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Goddess of Ms. Bolen is almost a material, earthy Person as opposed to the spiritual sky God. The author makes several interesting points about opening oneself to Spirit and accepting the Body as sacred as a monstrance or a shrine. Other reviewers have given their opinions on the strengths of this book, so I will not repeat them here.
   
   The book has many of the same weaknesses as others in the Goddess genre. Avalon posits that before the horrible men got into power and forced their horrible male gods on us, everyone worshipped a Goddess figure and celebrated female things like menstruation, menopause, birth, etc. There was little violence and women ruled over men with their profound wisdom and magic powers.
   
   It does not bother Ms. Bolen, who is a psychiatrist, that there was no writing from these times and therefore no way to really know what the people said or did about almost anything. Feminist spirituality devotees can write a novel about a little figurine that looks like a pregnant (or perhaps obese) female and turn it into the Venus of Willendorf. Reality on the historical front is not as important as creating a misanthropic mythology that puts the Female front and center. I doubt Ms. Bolen would be as open-minded about the medical information she reads in psychiatric review journals. She would want footnotes and facts and testing done, something that is not a part of Goddess History.
   
   I found Ms. Bolen's musings on pregnancy, birth, breast feeding, and menstruation to be fanciful. I doubt that it was "patriarchy" that decided to call menstruation "the curse." I imagine it was coined by women who were sick and tired of bloating and cramping every single month and feeling exhausted and bitchy. There is a reason the birth control pill that allows a woman to bleed only once or twice a year is wildly popular. A lot of male-created religions have menstrual taboos and I used to think they were ridiculous until I thought, "perhaps women started them to give us an excuse to take a break once a month. 'Make dinner? I'm on my period; you know I can't touch your food/go to the mosque/have sex with you for a week!'"
   
   Ms. Bolen's ideology of Body as Sacred ignores that it is our Body that we have in common with every other mammal, and it is only our Minds that have evolved beyond them. A dog menstruates, gives birth, and suckles. It is precisely our Body that gives us a disadvantage to men -- before antibiotics and hospital births, women died years and years before men. Before chemical birth control a woman could expect to become pregnant every year until menopause, and traditional families all over the world had more kids than you can count with your fingers. Before formula, children sometimes died because their mothers did not make enough milk to sustain them. Women are on the average smaller, weaker, and slower than men. This sort of feminist spirituality seems to take what makes us vulnerable to "patriarchal oppression" and celebrate it. It reminds me of Buffy the Vampire, where anorexic Sarah Michelle Gellar would fight off males who could have snapped her neck in a second and not broken a sweat. THAT is the reality of the female body.
   
   I admit that I hold to an Aristotelian view of the Primacy of the Mind and not the Body, and I am not an epiphenominalist as I think Jean Bolen appears to be. This influences the way I read books like this. I get the impression as I read that Ms. Bolen is soooo spiritual that she can miss that "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." Women consoling each other becomes a Goddess infusion in her mind, rather than the very physical brain response that people and animals get when touched and comforted. The fact that the author is a psychiatrist interests me, since she does not appear to hold that emotions and responses are related to a physical brain but are instead part of a numinous Thing that lives within us, perhaps the Goddess.



3. I just read this book as I approach my 60th birthday and am having some discomfort with reaching that age. I had read Crones Don't Whine several years ago also by this author, but didn't connect it when I purchased Crossing to Avalon.
   I found this book so interesting, enlightening, and helpful that it will go on the shelf with other books I lend out but always want back. I was able to connect the Goddess ideas with the Jungian archetypes and then directly to how I feel personally in a more direct way than with any previous books I've read. I would highly recommend this book. I'm not sure if it would have made the same great impression on me if I hadn't earlier done some reading on these subjects.



4. This book was appreciated from perspective of a younger woman also, so not only midlife women will enjoy! Made me think!



5. This book DID literally hit me over the head - in a book shop! I was browsing through the books and this novel fell off the top shelf landing on my head before it hit the floor. At the time I was more interested in the books I had under my arm so I placed it back on the shelf....but 6 months later I regretted that decision and trackedit down.
   
   I have a large interest in Avalon - I find that era particularily fascinating and this book was a great insight but more importantly it was just a great read about one womens journey and connection to Avalon. There are so few books like this around (that I can find) - I am grateful this one smacked me over the head to be noticed, lol!

5 comments about Inside My Heart: Choosing to Live with Passion and Purpose.

1. did not care for it, VERY boring, I've owned it for a year and still have not finished it and no desire to.



2. I did not think this was such a great book. Somewhat of an arrogant type of person, not at all a humbleness to her. Sorry, I didn't like it.



3. This is a very interesting book. Very well written and a hard book to put down. I Loved It. She is a very smart woman. And a great wife. I learned alot from her. Thank You Robin for your great insight into being a great wife and mother!



4. If you like, love, hate, don't know Dr Phil it doesn't matter. This book (narrated by Robin herself) is an incredible listen and she takes you from little girl to woman and all the trials she has gone through. She is amazingly candid and because of this she is someone you can relate too. The way she has handled everything from an alcoholic father to cancer is not only inspiring but admirable. She tells it from the darkest times to the most happiest momonts in her life. I loved it.



5. This book is shallow and not intellectually challenging. It is sweet for her to share the stories of her life, but I didn't feel there was anything to "learn" from this life recap.