5 comments about The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life through the Pages of a Lost Journal.

1. I could not put this book down. I was drawn into Florence's world, as well as Lily Koppel's search. For something seemingly simply written, it had a treasure trove of big name details. Florence's friends, both casual and intimate, read like a who's who in Western Literature of the early to mid 20th century. Her honesty in both the writing of her diary and the aquiencence of publishing it astound me. Unlike some other reviewers, I think Ms. Koppel did a fabulous job keeping herself as a mostly hidden narrator. I find myself wanting to know, not only more of Florence's story, but more of hers.



2. I was so excited about reading this book. I absolutely love books like this and there was so much room for potential in a book about finding a diary from 1930's New York. However, the faults I found were not with the subject, but with the author. I was very disappointed; I expected better prose from a writer from the New York Times. I felt that her style was very simple and I agree with one of the earlier reviews that her photo captions sounded like they could have come out of a children's book. In fact, whole paragraphs could have been from a children's book. Lily Koppel's style of writing sounded like she was explaining difficult subject matter to a young child. I understand that it could have been difficult to bring young Florence to life for the reader, but that was where there was so much potential for Koppel to bring out. Overall, I thought the book the saved by Florence, not by the mediocre author.



3. Bravo Lily Koppel and Florence Wolfson-- you are both inspiring women! The Red Leather Diary is an enchanting and riveting story, beautifully written by Lily Koppel.
   
   A magical serendipity immediately emerges as Lily, a young writer for the New York Times, stumbles across this 75-year-old abandoned diary whose destiny would have been the garbage heap had fate not intervened. But the way Lily chose to protect and treasure this fragile, beloved diary is no coincidence. For years, Lily persevered with an admirable dedication to research the diary and finally locate its author, Florence Wolfson. As if in a long lost dream, Florence is found alive and well at age Ninety living in Connecticut. Can you imagine Lily calling Florence to say she has her diary of the past? This is one of the many layers woven into a compelling story of depth and intrigue.
   
   "Not a single day was skipped in the diary's five years from 1929 to 1934," thanks to the diligence and moxie of Florence, who was a headstrong, privileged and passionate teenager. Florence gives us a heartfelt and honest glimpse into her rich life of art, theatre, social gatherings and love affairs. Her fascinating world is even further heightened by Lily's exquisite visual narration of New York City in the 1930's. Both Lily and Florence exude an authenticity for creating beauty in life, while carving out their own paths. The journey of Lily and Florence is an inspiring influence to keep engaged in one's own life and to welcome personal reflection. The Red Leather Diary speaks to numerous generations with its spellbinding story, history and message. Once upon a time...



4. I absolutely adored The Red Leather Diary!! Lily Koppel takes you with her right into the dumpster where she finds the steamer trunks with the flapper dresses, coats, telegrams and photos that surround a small red leather diary from the 1930s.
   
   You then follow along on the journey of the young Florence as if you are her favorite pair of glasses that she would never be without as her deepest thoughts and desires are revealed day in and day out for 5 years.
   
   Lily's style transcends the written word in a picturesque way that aid as you visualize Florence's journey through the streets of an exciting NYC. And I LOVED the addition of photos throughout the book, which continually validate Lily's words.
   
   What a dream to have been Lily -- finding all these items AND finding a teenage Florence as a 90 year-old woman. This is the stuff of the best films come true to life. I hope they make a film together. It would be exquisite; I have no doubt.
   
   Pick this up to journey back to a seemingly simpler way of life. And pick up your own diary and start recording your own thoughts and desires!!
   
   BRAVO Lily and Florence!!!! Being the curious snoop that I am, I would LOVE to see the full manuscript of the diary exactly as Florence wrote it. Now That would be a fun and different way to read a book!!



5. The writing in this book is uneven and some of it made me question whether Ms. Koppel has an actual writing job at the Times. However, combining Florence's diary and interviews, with research on NYC of the 1930s wasn't easy, and was sometimes awkward. I'm just glad Ms. Koppel chose the non-fiction route and didn't try to turn this into a novel. That would have been painful.
   
   Some reviewers here suggest Florence could have written a better book, but she didn't, and at 92, wasn't about to.
   
   I really enjoyed reading about a Jewish, 1930s life in NYC that wasn't about the experiences of a poor immigrant. Refreshing. I enjoyed all the NYC details. A delightful summer read, overall.

5 comments about The Hiding Place.

1. Let me start out by saying that this is a very powerful book. There is such an awesome message of hope, courage, and faith. If you love God, family, and believe that God can do powerful things then this is the book for you. Corrie Ten Boom is living with her family during the time when Nazi soldiers are taking Jews to concretion camps. Her family wants to help the Jews and keep them safe, by hiding them in their home. Corrie is working for a secret organization that helps protect the Jewish people. She and her family soon find that they are in the same situation as the Jews. Corrie stays strong in her faith and good things start to happen in the concretion camp that she and her family are put into. Like eventually she and her sister are finally put together, and other members of her family are let free. I strongly recommend this book for anyone sixth grade and up. The Hiding Place By: Corrie Ten Book is a very well written book and has two thumbs up.



2. The Hiding Place is the moving true-life account of Corrie ten Boom and her family who sheltered persecuted Jews in Nazi-oocupied Holland during World War Two. They did this at great personal risk, but they did it because of their unwavering faith in God, and because it was the right thing to do.
   
   Unfortunately, they are arrested and deported to the camps for their acts of resistance against the Nazis. It is a testament to their faith and nobility that they retain their belief in God despite all the travails that await them in the camps.
   
   "No pit is so deep that He is not deeper still" - as Corrie ten Boom believes despite all the horrors that she has endured. A testament to the power of belief in God, and to the courage of ordinary people in extraordinary and horrific times.



3. Great, great book. Inspiring, heart wrenching. Great message about God's faithfulness, but should in no way be boxed in as Christian literature. A great historical book no matter what your faith. Loved it.



4. This is a wonderful story and it begs the question: Could I have been that brave and compassionate? A story of true Christians.



5. This is an absolutely extraordinary book. Never have I read a book in which the spiritual beauty of the author so resonated throughout the story. The purity of heart that manifests itself in this inspiring saga of a heroic, Dutch family in Nazi occupied Holland during World War II is stunningly beautiful.
   
   This is the true story of the Ten Boom family who, during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands, upon seeing what was happening to their Jewish neighbors and friends, asked themselves this age old question "If not us,...who; if not now,...when?" They answered it, ultimately at great cost.
   
   The Ten Booms were devoutly Christian and lived a simple life. The patriarch of the family ran a watch shop that had been in his family for a century. Some of the family members, the author among them, worked there, selling and repairing clocks and watches. They also lived in the house in which the shop was located.
   
   When the Nazis occupied their country, the reality of what it meant slowly dawned upon them, as they saw the treatment given to their fellow Dutch citizens of the Jewish faith. Moved by their plight, the author at the age of fifty, together with other members of her family, including their father who was nearly eighty, became active in the Dutch underground.
   
   When it became clear to the Ten Booms that Jews were being targeted for deportation and death, they had a false wall constructed in the author's bedroom, thereby creating a secret room. There, they would hide the terrified Jews who were staying with them, in the event of a Nazi raid upon their home.
   
   Eventually denounced by someone to the Nazis, the Ten Booms were arrested and their home raided and torn apart by the Gestapo, in their search for the Jews they believed to be hiding there. At the time of the raid, the Ten Boom home was filled to capacity with Jews in hiding. So well concealed was the hidden room that had been created by the erection of the false wall, that these poor, terrified Jews managed to escape detection.
   
   The Ten Boom family did not fare so well. It was upon their arrest that they learned first hand of man's inhumanity to man, and their faith was put to a test that they had never dreamt possible. It was faith, however, that sustained the author in what was to be her darkest hour of deepest despair. To find out what happened to the Ten Booms, read this book. It is the story of an incredible family, who had the courage to put their convictions to the test.
   
   This book is a masterpiece. The reader is sure to be captivated by the goodness and spiritual beauty contained within its pages.

3 comments about Society's Child: My Autobiography.

1. I stayed up all night to read Janis' book. What a life she had! What a life she is still having! From her teens to the present, Janis has shown that talent and guts will keep you in the business. Her story both personally and professionally is told with honesty and she pulls no punches. Ian talks candidly about the music business with all the good and the bad. Anyone who reads her story will be fascinated by an extraordinary woman and her career.



2. This is the long awaited story of the life of Janis Ian. The work spans her entire career as a grammy winning singer, songwriter, musician and author. Janis penned this extraordinarily candid work herself. It begins with her birth, family issues and hardships, her struggles as a teenage star, relationships, friendships with icons like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, and ends in Janis' present life, still performing after four decades. She shares rare insights into the writing and recording of her various albums, including songs "Society's Child" and "At Seventeen". She also shares bravely about her too long marriage to a brilliant, yet addicted and abusive ex-husband, and her very happy Canadian marriage to her current partner. An alias is used here and there, but those of us who have followed Janis' career will probably know who everyone is. I had the honor of auctioning a rare galley copy on Ebay with Janis' blessing back in late May, 2008. That paperback, even without the picture insert went for $1550.00. There were 30 bids, with 10 of them well over $1,000.00. You will be wise to add a copy of this stunning book to your Janis Ian, or singer songwriter biography collection!



3. I won one of the lucky ones to win a copy of Janis' galley book and as I read it tears fell... it is a very personal, and touching book and makes you feel like you were right there ...Just when you thought you knew Janis, you learn a little bit more.. I applaud Janis for letting us into her lives...Janis, thank you for you and thank you for the book...
   Jenny

5 comments about My Life in France.

1. It all began with a new bride wanting to learn to cook and progressed to owning a share in a cooking school, writing classic cookbooks that will be in print for many years, and becoming a television celebrity.
   
   During her last years, Julia Child and her husband's grandnephew, Alex Prud'homme, met frequently to record her memories. The heart of the narrative is her first years in France, where she arrived in 1948 as a newly wed whose cooking repertoire was comprised of a bad job of boiling water. The serious home cook, who has dabbled in a variety of cuisines (and most certainly French), may reap the most enjoyment, yet her story is intensely interesting, on a personal and public level, and very well written. There were moments when I wished I had a French dictionary at my side, but those moments weren't frequent enough to spoil a good read.
   
   Considering her age at the time of the writing, Prud'homme most certainly would have been responsible for the organization and undoubtedly did the bulk of the writing. But his contribution and his great aunt's voice are seamlessly interwoven. As I read, I could hear her warbling, high-pitched voice and was reminded of her wit from her television cooking shows.
   
   I read the last page with a smile, shut the book, and felt as satisfied as if I had just finished making her recipe for Cream of Mushroom Soup and found it to be perfect in every respect. I get the feeling that Julia looked back on her life with that same sense of satisfaction. She doesn't apologize for her privileged background, and she doesn't complain about being a somewhat homely, well-educated, quite bright, six-foot-two-inch woman who didn't marry until she was well into her thirties and never had the children she and her husband wished for. She mentions her sadness at not being able to share a close relationship, or even a viewpoint, with her father, but she doesn't wallow in it. She incorporates names, but never drops them. She is unpretentious, natural, and disarmingly honest.
   
   So many people look back with harrowing tales of disappointment and unhappiness; Julia gave us her joys and successes to share. I liked her before I knew anything about her life; now I like her a lot more.



2. "My Life in France" by Julia Child w/ Alex Prudhomme, ©2006
   
   I love how this book reminds me of Julia, from seeing her on television. You can just hear her expressing herself, in person, about something, just that way.
   She had a love of life and her husband. Of course she was a bit privileged and her husband earned a good salary with the fringe benefit of living in foreign countries, like France and Norway. But the privilege and life she led seems to be less important than her attitude: she truly was having fun.
   This book is not limited to her life in France. She describes her childhood, how she met her husband, her parents, where they lived in Washington, her politics, etc. It is more her memoir. A more fun memoir can not be imagined. It is wonderful she and her great-nephew got this done.



3. This was a wonderful memoir about Julia Child. I especially found it interesting that she fell into cooking at the age of forty. Her passion to learn about cooking and gastronomy, as well as, her love for good food and wine were contagious. It made me want to get in the kitchen and whip something up. I think what Julia said at the end of the book, sums up what I learned by reading My Life in France, "Learn how to cook-try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!".
   
   While I was reading My Life in France, I watched the video "Julia Child! America's Favorite Chef". I found it to be a good compliment to the book. It was like a visual summary of everything I had read.



4. A delightful book for foodies and Francophiles. At last a story of a happy marriage of two successful people.



5. Loved the book. I've read it twice now and liked it even better the second time. This give a great insight to how and why she started cooking. It paints a great picture of Paris during the late 40's. Her relationship with her husband was interesting and sweet which presented a different side to her. It shows a vulnerability that I wasn't aware of. Great pictures add a lot to the book. It made me want to know more about her life and buy a couple of her cookbooks Highly recommend it. My Life in France

5 comments about My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams.

1. If you are a history buff or just a little interested in the history of our nation you will love this book. The letters exchanged between John and Abigail Adams are wonderful. Abigail was definitely John's rock. She kept him focused and steady. John was a very passionate man in his beliefs and at times would become a tyrant trying to convince people that his way of thnking was the only way to think. Thank goodness he had Abigail as he ran everything by her to see how she thought the people would react to his perception. Abigail would let him know when he needed to press an issue or just be quiet and let it happen on its own. Besides being lovers as husband and wife they were truly best friends. An inspirational read.



2. I must shamefully admit that prior to the renewed interest in John Adams with the recent miniseries, I really had only a general knowledge of his role and importance in the founding of our country. This book gives a private, personal and wonderful view of the strength,deep,abiding love of this first family. I could not put it down & would highly recommend it to anyone.



3. A beautiful book as I was sure it would be. Now in the possession of another John Adams admirer who happens to be a resident of Cornwall, England.



4. A collection of authentic letters between a man and his wife documenting the actual events as they occur from their first meeting, the beginning of the revolutionary war, the first meeting of Congress to negotiaing a system of government through freedom of our liberties through the written and signed Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. Although early years were spent much apart, this extraordinary couple persevered a deep love, an emotional partnership and friendship while enduring personal tragedies of early Colonial life in the 1700's. These letters are Historical Documents. This was the life of Abigail and John Adams. A story that aided this reader in understanding a period of History so unassuming, so important in acknowledging the birth of our nation.



5. I am very pleased with the quality of this book. I watched the John Adams series on HBO and this makes a nice companion piece to that miniseries.

5 comments about An American Childhood.

1. Never before have I actually woken up the next morning with the book on my face.



2. As a child who grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa during the timeframe of the book. I was expecting something along the lines of "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash". Instead I got a self indulgent muse of a pampered life that did not embrace working class Pittsburgh of the 50's and 60's. A great let down.



3. I don't relate at all to this "American Childhood." The author uses vocabulary that shows how many obtuse words she knows. This is not effective communication. I am well educated and would still have to look up many words which interrupts the flow of her story.



4. Suddenly this book hit me, what a prize it was, out of the blue. Who was expecting it? Like when you hear a song you will love forever. This is it. She has had many of the same fascinations I had--rock collecting, for example. And her words are just right, how it's like entering a cave, and a new world opens up, that was just invisible before, taken for granted. The whole book is about how she moves thru life that way. She does everything on a far grander scale than I ever did, her reading is omnivorous and extensive. I love the way she writes so economically about her feelings, and yet the way she says it is just right. I don't think I've ever read a book that describes inner thoughts like this before. I just discovered Annie Dillard as a writer.



5. I'll be honest; I absolutely *hated* this book when I first read it (for a class, the summer after 7th grade). As many of the other reviewers have mentioned, it is indeed a collection of vignettes about the author's childhood that don't flow into one another. However, the descriptions are beautiful, really giving a feel of living in the city (as opposed to the suburbs) of Pittsburgh. I probably would have only dealt this three stars had I not just spent four years of my life at college in Pittsburgh--this book captures the city's character superbly, something most reviewers probably don't relate to, but I can safely say:
   
   Annie Dillard does a fantastic job of sketching the wonder of a precocious child that most of us cannot appreciate until we are well out of our childhood years ourselves. If you don't like this book now, pick it up in ten years, you might have a change of heart.

5 comments about Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith.

1. no question, i'm an annie lamott fan. more specifically, i'm a fan of anne lamott's non-fiction. i've tried her fiction, and continue to find it ok, but not brilliant. but her non-fiction: ooh.
   
   traveling mercies, lamott's first autobiographical book about faith, remains in my top 5 books of all time (not that i actually maintain such a list; but if i did, it would be). and operating instructions, lamott's autobiographical reflections on her pregnancy and the first couple years of her son's life, should be suggested reading for all humans, and required reading for all parents (especially expectant parents). lamott's last non-fiction, plan b, was a bit of a let-down. i really wanted to love it. so i found myself loving parts.
   
   but, other than a horribly repetitive titling and cover treatment (and, really, that's more of a publisher's gaffe than a reason to wag my finger at anne lamott), grace (eventually) brings us back nearly to traveling mercies (notice i say "nearly"). yes, some have complained that this book is another collection of mostly already-published essays. i say: i don't care. they're great; they hold together; and i hadn't read them elsewhere anyhow.
   
   why do i love lamott's writing so much? well, i can't deny the fact that she makes me laugh out loud. and they're not those "slowly creep up on you laughs" that move from smile to tiny "huh" sound to low chuckle to pleasant and appropriate laugh. no: my occasional laughter while reading anne lamott is more the out-of-the-blue cackle, one that surprises me as much as it would anyone within painful earshot.
   
   reason two for loving anne lamott's non-fiction: she is unevenly insightful. what i mean is, there are moments when i'm reading, and i have to stop and breathe for a moment, and think about the profundity of what i've just read. and then there are lots of moments in-between those moments that aren't so insightful. but here's the thing -- the uneven-ness of the insighfulness somehow works. it's almost as if it creates a reading culture where the insights catch me off guard that much more. i'm always hopeful of stumbling onto them, but never quite expecting them when they appear.
   
   reason three for loving anne lamott's non-fiction: there are books -- maybe 1 in 30 books i read, where the very act of reading is joy. the choice of words, the structure of sentences, the odd metaphor, they leave me smiling or astonished. christopher moore writes this way. anne lamott writes this way.



2. I adore "Travelling Mercies." Having spent some time as a Christian, I expected some mature Christian thought from Lamott. Instead, I'm kind of horrified. Jesus was awful as a teenager? Praying to Mary? Yay for abortion? What Bible is Lamott reading?
   
   I admire Lamott's raw honesty and the way she turns a phrase, but the "I hate George Bush" rants got really old. I may not agree with our President's decisions and I may not admire him as a person, but a certain amount of respect is due to the office of the President of the United States. It's one of the most difficult jobs in the world.
   
   After reading Lamott's last three non-fiction books, I get the idea that Lamott doesn't have anything new to say. Although she occasionally has wonderful insights, I won't be buying Lamott's books again.



3. Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith I have enjoyed the books by Lamott because I can relate to them. Down to earth - up close and personal writings that most have experienced. Excellent - certainly helped me to realize that I was not atypical.



4. I would recommend this book to anyone who has past issues that they have struggled with. This is a very candid account of one person's life and the way that they have turned it around. I really liked the honesty, even if I didn't always agree with her position.



5. What's not to like about Anne Lamott's Grace Eventually? A collection of essays in which she describes moments of spiritual clarity and examples of the divine in daily life, the book is a treasure trove of writings about topics ranging from abortion to euthanasia and lots of good stuff in-between. Through Sam, Lily, her mother, her vast and motley crew of friends, and even those whom she casually encounters, Lamott teaches lots of lessons on grace and love.
   
   Some of the writing made me feel sad (Gertrud's sickness), some mad (the carpet guy), some glad (chirren musings) and some scared (shadows scenario). Although she might irritate and even anger some people with her views on George W. Bush, abortion, and global warming, Lamott makes no claim to be a saint, but rather a person who's doing her best to see God in everything and to do her part in making the world a better place. After assisting with a special-ed dance class and learning that one of the dancers said, "I liked those old ladies! They were helpers, and they danced," Lamott decided on the words that she wanted on her gravestone: "that I was a helper, and that I danced."

5 comments about Bad Girls of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them.

1. Used this in an adult Sunday School class. More attendees than normal. Very well presented and received by the class. Thank you Liz!!!



2. this book is misleading in its title and anti-woman. I purchased it for use at a women's church retreat I was leading. Upon opening it I was dismayed to find it was chock full of fundamentalist mysogenist dogma meant to show how women need to remain in their "place" by exemplifying the "sinful behavior" of these women. I promptly returned the book. Buyer beware before purchasing these books.



3. I actually liked this book better than I liked Slightly Bad Girls...I feel as if the Biblical characters were easier to identify with than the ones in SBD. Unfortunately, I still do not enjoy Ms. Higgs writing style--I feel as if she over simplifies too many things and the whole "girlfriend talk" just isn't my cup of tea anyway. That said, I would recommend this book to someone looking for a light devotional read.



4. I would recommend that all Godly women read this book. It will touch your life in some way. I'm sure there will be many women delivered from this book.



5. This book tells a real world story similar to the story of each of the "Bad Girls" of the Bible, then tells the actual biblical story for each. This is followed by though-provoking questions for modern-day women to think about how we can apply this to our lives.
   
   For women who wish to stay in a walk with God, and sometimes feel weak in today's world, this book shows that we are not abnormal, but can learn from mistakes that women made in the Bible.

5 comments about Here If You Need Me: A True Story.

1. I found this book to be a lovely affirmation of moving through a devastating loss to contentment and new life. If our lives and our luck depend on an optimistic and grateful attitude, Kate Braestrup guides us to simple and rewarding acceptance of day-to-day ups and downs. All things come to those who wait--what a novel idea in our society that craves instant gratification!



2. This was a wonderful book. I think it represents well some of the basic tenets of the Unitarian Church.



3. When an out-of-control vehicle took the life of Drew, her Maine state trooper husband, Kate Braestrup's life also headed in a wildly different direction. At the time of his death, Drew was planning to attend seminary to become a Unitarian minister. After Drew's death, a grieving Kate reflected that, like so many other plans and dreams shared by married couples, "when we discussed his plan for the future...we had actually been discussing our plan." And so Kate, who had long struggled with an ambivalence toward organized religion, enrolled in divinity school, saying "'I'm here because Drew isn't.'"
   
   Proving that God does indeed work in mysterious ways, following her ordination this wilderness novice homebody received a calling to serve as chaplain to the Maine Warden Service, ministering to those men and women who respond to the call of a child lost in the north woods, who investigate poaching allegations, who work with dive teams and dogs and ATVs and snowmobiles to rescue lost hikers or recover snowmobilers who have gone through thin ice. What's more, loquacious Braestrup found that her calling required her, more than anything, to just stay and listen, to just be there for whomever needed her: "to just show up, shut my mouth, and be."
   
   Although Braestrup acknowledges that her inspiring "plucky widow" story has made her a regional media darling, many of the stories she shares in HERE IF YOU NEED ME are anything but uplifting. From the agonizing yet cathartic process of caring for her dead husband's body to the discovery of a suicidal young mother's body to the retrieval of a drowned child, she acknowledges the grim, often harrowing work conducted by the Maine game wardens, and by extension, by Braestrup herself.
   
   Not surprisingly, Braestrup finds --- and conveys --- comfort and peace through her conception of the divine. As a Unitarian, she understands God as love, as the generous quiet spirit that enables people like the game wardens whose stories she shares to search tirelessly through dark woods for a possible survivor, that encourages people to show up on the doorstep of a grieving family bearing baked goods, that allows Braestrup and her four children to survive and thrive in the wake of great loss.
   
   Although Braestrup's book is ostensibly a memoir, most of the individual chapters read more like well-crafted essays, meditations on aspects of recovery, questions of faith and everyday expressions of bravery. Relying on the perspective afforded by her unusual background, Braestrup addresses some of the big questions here: What is a miracle? What happens after we die? What is the role of forgiveness? These are, of course, questions that have been explored countless times by countless others. There in the Maine woods, though, surrounded by courageous people who might not even believe in any sort of God, Braestrup uncovers unexpected truths, exploring these age-old questions in new ways and finding answers in the most surprising places, situations, and most of all, people.
   
   --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl



4. Okay, I get it, Kate Braestrup thinks her job is "cool." Good for you, but a memoir this does not make.I waited for this book to grab me until I was about 25 pages from the end, and then I had enough. Not another minute of precious reading time to be spent on this fluff. Those annoying little stories, the meaningless anecdotes from conversations that were not profound or moving, just superficial. A colleague recalls walking four or five miles in howling wind, lost and freezing."It was great," she concludes, "it really was." Pleeeez! The writing is so-so, the use of pretentious "big words" unecessary and stilted.
   The thing is, I was willing to look past all of that if only I had found some satisfaction from learning about Kate's philosophy and spiritual depth. The book fails here. The voice in this book almost mocks deep faith, and left me wondering why a state as economically impoverished as Maine is would pay this woman a salary. For what, hiking into the woods to share condolences with strangers? I am baffled, utterly.
   What is all the publishing hype about? I am an agnostic and have more spiritual depth than this gal.If I read her son's expression "Mom-Dude" one more time I thought I'd scream! Pass this one over. The best thing about it is the beautiful cover of the paperback edition, but there's little to be found inside.



5. This book is incredibly moving in its honesty. It is extremely readable, and the development of Kate's story is gripping. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I became aware of Kate's writing by listening to an interview by Krista Tippett on the program "Speaking of Faith" on National Public Radio. The book more than met my expectations.

5 comments about Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America.

1. Brigette Gabriel does an awesome job of showing what Islam really intends to do on a world scale. I have been researching Islam for over a year, and this book only adds the personal testimony of a person who has lived through the result of ignorance regarding Islamic intentions. I anxiously await the next book to be written. If Brigette comes to my area I will definitely go to see and hear her myself.
   Pastor Dave Aune



2. Brigitte Gabriel paints a grim picture of the islamic threat to U.S. and western civilization. Along with Noni Darwish's book Now, They Call Me Infidel Because They hate sounds an alarm that Americans should heed. Gabriel, a Lebanese Christian journalist details her experience under the Islamic Jihad that created the civil war in Lebanon. She also reveals that even the Christian maronite parochial school which she attended demonized the Jews and the Israeli's. So what else is new. The Christian faith continues to demonize the Jews. During WWII The Catholic Pope was the first foreign state to recognize Hitler. The Pope made a deal with him. If the nazi's left the jews converted to Catholicism alone, the Pope Vatican would turn a blind eye to the suffering of Europe's Jewish citizens. Now that Chritians too are under attack, they are sympathizing somewhat with their Jewish brethren. Too often in the past they were sacrificed as expendable to placate the hateful policies of other countries and nationalities including the Nazi torture and persecution of an entire people and civilization. Roosevelt knew what was happening and did nothing about it. Now as a nation we cannot afford to ignore the evil intentions of Israel's Muslim neighbors. As she says in her book "First comes saturday and then comes Sunday." This Arab phrase means "First we kill all the Jews. Then we kill all the Christians." Make no mistake. This is the fundamentalist intention. They are using our bill of rights against us. Spewing hateful speech to incite violence, they cite their first amendment rights to prevent any government action to stop it. While I applaud Brigette Gabriel's bravery in coming forward to speak publically about this threat, I do think she has gone a bit far. After reading these two books I not only support ethnic profiling, but I encourage it. Controlling discourse on campus and religious institutions is another ball of wax. Once we start down that slipery slope who knows where limitations on our 1st amendment rights of free speech, free press, and free religion will stop. Since the essence of a democracy is freedom of speech, press, and assembly, we could end up selling our American soul to preserve it. Then what would we have saved. Perhaps, more important would be to give equal funding and access to speakers like Noni Darwish and Brigitte Gabriel on college campuses and other forums. Gabriel's characterization of the entire democratic leadership as indictable for treason goes a bit too far. These comments indicate that she doesn't really understand the democratic process set up in this country. I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 for three reasons. First, that she draws the line too far. Second, her prose is often repetitive, and thirdly, it is not elegant. I still think that this book is a must read for every American. This woman is in constant danger because of what she states publically. I think that she and Noni Darwish are alive only becasue they are women who are viewed as inconsequential in the Muslim culture. Assasinating her would give her credence. She lays to rest the western belief that female suicide bommbers are participating out of feelings of desperation. They are participating after being harrassed and cajoled and accused of honor violations for which they will be killed. Particularly telling is the incident of the Arab girl raped by her two brothers and then killed by her mother because she had sexual intercourse outside of marriage. Her mother suffocated and beat her for 20 minutes before she died. How can we ever hope to understand this culture and win it over by conciliatory means? They understand and respect only force and strenght. Gabriel puts and end to the notion of Islam as a peaceful religion. The issue presented is where do we draw the line to protect ourselves without giving up completely what makes us Americans. First, I think we should use the Israeli Mossad for security profiles and follow their recommendations on profiling. The petrochemical complex already uses ex mossad agents for their security. One is unaware of this heightened security when entering the plants, but it is there. Like England we need more video surveillance. We must pay senior intelligence and FBI agents competitive salaries so that we don't have agencies run almost entirely by 'junior pilots", because the senoir people have left for more lucrative jobs in private industry. We must see the fundamentalist muslim threat as immediate and real. We must be politically incorrect at times to deal with the danger. College campuses must remain vigilent that professors treat students of any faith or nationality with equal respect. If Arab professors present a pro Muslim viewpoint equal class time should be given to talented speakers presenting the opposing view. Thus, students will not be unduly influenced by a polarizing Jihadist, anti-western, anti-Israeli view. Most troubling to me was the chapter on the fifth column at college campuses. The students who will be our future leaders and captians of industry are at a very impressionable age. It is too easy to imbue a professor with mentor like qualities held up as an ideal to be followed. We must also be vigilent on the true recipients of charitible donations. However, when it comes to Mosques preaching hatred and death, we must tred carefully. Any law abridging such speech could also be used to curtail legitimate government critisizm, a hallmark of democracy. Certainly, Barak Obama's pastor's speech would fall under this umbrella. I deplore what the Rev. Wright and his progeny have said, but I defend his right to say it. Where should we draw the line and how? Gabriel gives some suggestions, but I think they go to far. I do agree with her section on profiling. We could present more options for patriotism in classrooms such as reciting the pledge of allegiance. We could keep books such as this one and the Darwish book on school and public library shelves. We could also place the books on recommended reading lists on high school and college campuses so that students are assured of getting both sides of the argument. Right now they are primarily hearing the pro-muslim side only. Keep up the good work, Brigitte. However, I think



3. This is a very personal, emotional book to read - you have to prepare yourself. It is so moving, visual and shocking. Brigitte is an excellent writer and really knows how to express herself - you feel as though you're right there in the bomb shelters with her and her parents as they suffer unimaginable horrors. I'm so glad I was able to read this book because it is a real warning for America not to fall into complacency - that we all need to stay vigilant and know and understand our enemies. This story is so inspiring; it'll make you feel like you can accomplish anything after reading what she went through to beat the odds and become an American success story.



4. My husband loved the book. He said it was the best book he has read in a long time. The author gave a lot of personal experiences that gave in-depth insight into Islam. Because of his enthusiasm I can't wait to read it.



5. A MUST read for anyone concerned about our future. An eyeopening firsthand account of a group that exists in our country today.