3 comments about Child POW.

1. Ms. Finch has written an impressive account of her experiences as a child POW. She and her mother survived through their love, strength and courage as prisoners of the Japanese during World War II, and her painful recollections will stay with you long after reading the last page. It is also a richly detailed story of the times and of the family ties that bind when the world around is being torn apart.



2. A mind-boggling account of horrific proportions that every American should read. As seen through the eyes of a preteen, this is a factual presentation of events that transpired during WWII. Its heroic account of survival against infinite odds is a testament to the amazing love shared by mother and daughter, their unshakable faith, and prescient ability to adapt. Forced to observe and participate in reprehensible acts, they somehow managed to survive. Do not begin to read this book unless you have a free day, are willing to experience horror, anger, revulsion, and uncontrollable tears. 5 plus stars! Art Peterson



3. History should never be disguised or rewritten or we will be doomed to repeat ourselves. Ms. Finch documented history of her 4 years as an American POW is a story worthy of an Opera expose.

5 comments about Looking for Mary: (Or, the Blessed Mother and Me).

1. I really loved this book. Beverly Donofrio is a very honest spiritual seeker, free of piety and self-pity. A teenage mother deserted by her husband (who later dies of AIDS), she moves with her young son to New York to pursue her dream of being a writer. An MFA from Columbia and a rather wild social life follow. Later in life, with a stormy relationship with her son to contend with and many failed relationships, Donofrio finds herself drawn to Mary for spiritual sustenence. This is where the book heats up -- trips to Medjugore and Mexico, mystical experiences, and healing for the author. She acknowledges that her neglectful parenting has been her son's "cross to bear" but finds forgiveness for herself as well. You won't close this book dry eyed.



2. This book is a rarity--a book about Catholic Marian spirituality with much to offer non-Catholics, and even non-believers. D'Onofrio comes to terms with her (grievous) mistakes as a mother as she searches for (and finds) Mary the mother of Jesus. The book traces her interest in Catholic kitsch which gives way to an authentic awareness of and openness to the divine as it is manifested in and through Mary. Profoundly moving and honest, inspiring and very well-written--I feel lucky to have stumbled across this book.



3. I've just read this book for the second time in about a year. It's hard to put down and very inspirational. As a Protestant there definitely was a time when I would have dismissed this book as a lot of Catholic hokus pokus. But my mind has opened to much wider range of possibilites over the years. Besides, anyone who passionately embraces spirituality while holding religious institutions accountable for it's dogma is a person after my own heart. I love Anne Lamott's books for that as well. And beyond the wonderful experience with the Virgin Mary that Beverly Donofrio shares here, she must be admired for her courageous, honesty when it comes to writing about her own life's challenges and mistakes. By doing so she has provided a great service to her readers.



4. It wasn't clear to me when I picked up this book that it was an autobiography of sorts. I was a little disinterested in the beginning to read about the author's personal lifestyle (young single mom, drugs, bad relationships, etc.), but came to be fascinated by her journey of faith and life improvement. I must say though that the historical tidbits about Mary (and even some of the saints) and especially her Medjugorje trip intrigued me the most.



5. this is my third time to buy this book! I keep lending it out and never getting it back. I wanted to read it on the beach during our vacation so I had to buy it again.Plus wherever we go we look for Mary. you'd be suprised all the places you can find her---or maybe she finds you

5 comments about I Can't Forget: A Journey Through Nazi Germany and WWII.

1. I have been fascinated, appalled, depressed and mesmerized by the author's story. She has written a vivid and poignant picture of her life and time in Germany and Poland, and of aspects of the war and the post-war period that many of us in this country know little about.
   
   I am sure that much of what happened, not only to Jews of course, but also to Germans and other nationalities from all over Europe who experienced the War and its aftermath in their own country, is still influencing the psyche and the politics of millions of people, even of the younger generations, who are not really conscious on a first-hand basis of what actually took place.
   
   The pictures and maps, (some of them rare) that accompany the text, make the author's narration even more expressive - all those mountains of rubble and bodies!
   
   Also, I think that most Americans have no idea how it really was for the civilian population, nor do the younger Germans (or others) who were born later than about 1950. And of course the reasons and the consequences of the division of Europe after the war, including the Cold War and even up to the discussions about Israel, Palestine, Iraq etc. are certainly very unclear for many.
   
   On the whole, it was a very good read!



2. World War II ended in 1945, but interest in that conflict remains high. I CAN'T FORGET by Gudrun (Koppe) Everett is a memoir of her "journey through Nazi Germany and WW II." Published in 2006, this book is a BookSurge product.
   
   My copy is securely bound, well-illustrated with black and white photographs, most of which aren't credited. Furthermore, I haven't seen most of these before and suspect that they might be from the author's collection. There are also some helpful maps and line drawings.
   
   I carried this book around for a couple of weeks while I was reading it and am impressed to see that the binding is still tight and the pages still secure. The quality of this book is comparable, or better, than the quality of most paperbacks in my opinion.
   
   The author provides some unique insights into the catastrophe she survived. Her father, for example, was assigned to be the mayor of Dolsk, Poland, and she arrived there with her family a short time after the "Bromberg Bloody Sunday" slaughter of September 3, 1939. Polish mobs reportedly hunted down German speaking residents of the area and murdered many of them. The author's book includes what appear to be snapshots of the aftermath of that little-known atrocity.
   
   I'd heard of the treks trough the blizzards in January, 1945, when the Red Army initiated its massive offensive. The author gives a dramatic, evocative account of her own trek with her family and the narrow escapes including one in which Red Army units overran the town in which she and her family were sheltering.
   
   If you're interested in European History, World War II, the Eastern Front, or epic tales of survival against long odds, you'll want to read I CAN'T FORGET. I like the book and gave it five stars.



3. I just finished reading "I Can't Forget" and am bothered by several aspects of it. It does give a different side to WWII victims but it still bothered me. Gudrun Everett tells the story of her childhood first in Germany where her father was mayor of a Bavarian town. This part was fine as it told her life in pre-war times. Her father obviously a Nazi was given a position in Poland where he oversaw a large district. The family moved there and Gudrun described her perfect childhood with animals and living in huge and beautiful home all this taking place in the country where millions were dying in concentration camps at this very time.
   
   Their perfect life came to an end in 1945 when the Soviets came and they became refugees and from Jan'45 to June of that year were on the road fleeing for survival along with millions of others. She describes their hardships after they were finally settled in Bavaria in June of that year. [...]
   
   I am glad to have read the book and can recommend it as the pictures were excellent and it was good to read the other side however I found I could not garner up much sympathy for her. She found a good life in America judging from the picture of her on the back cover but was very critical of America's part in and after the war.



4. I just finished "I Can't Forget" and have mixed feelings about the book. It is an interesting read as the book is written by a woman (civilian) and on the 'losing end' of WWII. The story enfolds like a historical family album with lots of (excellent) pictures. The description of the flight from Poland for the oncoming Russian Army as a 13 year old, the fear for the Russians (which is interesting as I've read this in many accounts of Germans and I'm still unsure what lay at the basis of this fear in the '30s (pre-war) and '40s), the chaos and the arrival in safer Bavaria are very good. Describing life in the first post-war years is interesting as well with many small details on day-to-day affairs. What is lacking though in my few is the total lack of insight in the thought of the writer and family members on their lives in Nazi Germany under Nazi rule? How did it affect them in their choices? What were people thinking? Hence you are kept at a distance of the true feelings of the writer and her family resulting in not feeling anything except wonder.
   When reading the book one could come to the conclusion that everything just happened and that's that.
   What bothers me in this repsect is the unhidden bitterness over the treatment of the German people and destruction of German cities and infrastructure by the Russians and Americans notwithstanding the horrors inflicted by the Germans on peoples and countries in the first place. Had this book been written directly after the war I would not have been bothered by the tone. Given the fact that the book was written in 2004-2006 one wonders how the writer, more than 60 years after war's end, was not capable of balancing her thoughts or at least provide the reader with more insight in why her judgement - after all these years - is still what it is.
   I regret as well that the writer has not given more information on the family after the war (what has become of them at this day and age?).
   In all I would recommend this book as - fair enough - the story is apparantly the writer's true experiences of life in Nazi and occupied Germany. I do emphasize that one should read other books on the subject as well to deny a one-sided few on the events!



5. I just read this book and it blew me away. This account is so personal and so compelling, I couldn't put it down. On one level, it is a coming-of-age story that begins with earliest memories of a little girl and follows her as - against all odds - she blossoms into an accomplished young woman. But there are many more levels to this book because it unfolds against the overwhelming background of World War II and its aftermath.
   
   In the beginning, the war is a minor character in the distance. A tranquil childhood with youthful adventures and discovery is in the foreground. Before long, however, the war emerges as a major character in the story. Innocence is ripped away as the writer and her family suddenly lose everything and become refugees fleeing the horrors brought by the advancing Soviet army.
   
   Based on her own uncolored recollections, the author describes this trek through a seldom-described hell. Society and all its infrastructure are in ruins. Any sense of order is gone as Germany crumbles in the final throes of defeat. As the war ends and the Allies consummate their victory, those larger events create new terrors and more carnage as millions of displaced casualties flee to the west.
   
   Most readers know the many events surrounding the Allies and their hard-fought victories. Similarly, everyone already knows the heinous stories about the Nazi crimes that led to war and continued throughout that tragic era. Less known are the atrocities that accompanied the Soviet advance through the smoking ruins of Germany and the other countries that would soon fall behind the Iron Curtain.
   
   As I looked at some of the other reviews posted here, I was surprised to see a few people who just didn't get it. Those few only want to read the same history they've already read before. Too bad for them. A closed mind is a terrible thing.
   
   For everyone else, I highly recommend "I Can't Forget: A Journey Through Nazi Germany and WWII." It's tightly written and loaded with amazing photos and details. The book is a great read for anyone who wants to discover a different perspective on a history we all think we already know. I would like to thank the author, Gudrun Everett, for sharing this unique and firsthand viewpoint we rarely have the opportunity to experience. This book would make an awesome movie.

5 comments about A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith.

1. I really really wanted to like this book. And the author, whose Jane Austen quotes blog I enjoy. And I did, at times.
   
   When the author was JUST talking about Jane Austen and the pertinent Jane landmarks she was after, the book was great. But the author, bless her heart, is too self-indulgent, too poor pitiful me, too insecure and self-deprecating. And not even a funny self-deprecating -- more of a "I'm going to say some bad things about myself and you should tell me they're not true" kind of thing. (Just a bit of advice for reference, dear: complaining about being a "fat skinny girl" will get you sympathy with NO ONE.)
   
   With a book title like "A Walk with Jane Austen," the book should be ABOUT Jane Austen, with a little Lori Smith thrown in. Instead, it was the Lori Smith show, with a little Jane Austen as an after thought.
   
   Smith gets props for having the courage to be so honest about her doubts and problems, and her writing IS easy and conversational . . . but unless you enjoy reading the emotionally sentimental ramblings of an angsty single Christian woman, you might want to skip this one.



2. "Poor Lori." At least I assume the author wants the reader to feel this sentiment by the end of the book. Does the author create an appetite to read or re-read Austin's books? Sadly,no. I only found this book interesting as a possible indicator of how some young women think - their own self-importance being worn as a badge of freedom from anything "evangelical" or assumed. Lori Smith's "A Walk..." assumes equal footing with Jane Austin's writings which have been proven by untarnished character,reputation,excellence, and time. I'm quite sure this book will not survive the same scrutiny. I gave this a "one star" because it is mistitled...possibly "A Journey With Me" would have been more appropriate instead of capitalizing on Jane Austin's name.



3. I went to the bookstore one night looking for 'something'. I found what I was looking for when I stumbled upon this book. I am so suprised and delighted by this book. I have never even read a Jane Austen book, but I have always been fascinated by the time and place in which she lived. I found Lori to be very interesting and I can relate to her in many ways. I'm glad she shared her story and her feelings in such a warm and friendly manner.



4. This book goes to show you that adding a reference to Jane Austen is one way to sell a book, and I'm out of excuses for why I keep buying them. This book is much less about walking with Jane - and when the author does try to draw parallels they are week indeed - and much more about poor pitiful Lori. Lori has made life choices, and then expects us to feel sorry for the consequences. Lori is also an emotional roller coaster in a way that I was at 16, not 33, and when she laments that single men are single for a reason, I can't help but think the think the same could be said of her.
   
   I have been to England to see Chawton and Bath and walk where Jane did; while they brought me significant joy (much more than I expected), being your average tourist (which Lori basically was, sans car) hardly qualifies as adventure. Climbing a stile does not induce terror (at least not the ones I climbed in England, perhaps she found a different style of stile?). Yet I knew my vacation didn't make a book, and somehow Lori's vacation is this lightweight. She had no profound life changing experiences or revelations, though the reader does learn all about her outfits (poor thing - she had to put on a clashing red fleece in the cold!). Seriously, are Jane Austen fans supposed to care about this?
   
   I've already attacked the "adventure" part of the title, and unless you think falling in love over a couple of days with someone who honestly tells you early on that he is seeing someone and wants to be true to that - if you think that that is a journey into love - because really, that's all there is - then well, maybe you can find the journey into faith part, too. Prattling on about your doubts and insecurities but not coming to some conclusions or altering your views or learning something about yourself does not a journey into faith make, in my opinion.
   
   Lori really comes across as insincere - "I don't care if I'm not beautiful (please tell me I am)" is how it reads over and over - all in ways that not only have very little to do with Jane Austen, but probably in ways that Jane herself would make fun of if she were so unfortunate to be reading this book.



5. A Walk with Jane Austen is like listening to a dear, graceful friend tell you about her trip to England with wit and wisdom. Smith is humble, full of faith and a joy.

5 comments about I'm Not the New Me.

1. Just the Weight Watchers cards in the middle of this book almost make it worth the purchase price! They are SO FUNNY...
   
   But the rest of the book....ehh...just ok.



2. Wendy's book is way more honest about the ups and downs of weight loss than all the "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" b.s. I've read elsewhere. I laughed all the way through this. If you're looking for a weight-loss cheerleader this isn't the book for you, but if you want to hear what the experience is like from the perspective of a sharp, witty writer, then read this book. Wendy dismantles the fantasy that weight loss suddenly transforms all of life's other worries; at the same time, she shows how her willingness to blog about her own experiences connects her to a huge community of other women. Great reading.



3. I thought this book was kind of cute. It has no tips on losing weight. It is just one woman's story about dealing with life in realtion to diet issues. It was not an inspiration to me but for the price. I thought it was a decent break from dealing with my own life.



4. After viewing all the reader feedback, I was eargerly anticipating the arrival of this book. I'm sorry to say I purchased this one. For those of you who can tolerate frequent (not rare or even occasional) profanity in the form of "f" this etc...this book is one you can get through. This read more like a version of "Bridget Jones Diary" with occasional references to the weight loss journey. The author uses comedy to poke fun at her experiences and, I believe we can all find things to heartily laugh at in this book. But for me, comedy doesn't come in the form of crudeness, or belittling others so the one or two laughs didn't overshadow the more frequent cringes. I don't doubt some will enjoy this book. But for others, please know that if you're looking for a clean read, full of insights and exploration of a weight loss journey, this may not be one for you.



5. I thought this book would be good--but I was very frustrated by this book. I tried on two different occasions to get into this memoir but I gave up each time. I know I won't try again that's for sure.

5 comments about Change Me into Zeus's Daughter: A Memoir.

1. I didn't know much about about this part of the United States..I have been reading more memoirs set there since I read this book.



2. 
   a heart-wrenching true memoir that is almost unbelievable to imagine. how children can cope with the harshest
   
   abuse,emotionally and physically, with a mother standing by silently shows what resilience the human spirit can endure. looking forward to the sequel"fierce"



3. I could not put this book down! I got so caught up in this memoir, I couldn't wait to finish it. Then, when it was done I wished I hadn't read it in 4 days! It is filled with gut wrenching stories, sometimes so incredible it seems they can't be real. The part that takes place at Christmas was especially moving to me.
   
   I can't recommend this book highly enough.



4. Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter is a powerful and poignant story of impoverished life as experienced by Barbara Moss.
   
   Surrounded by poverty, alcoholism, abuse, malnutrition and facial deformities, Moss could easily have allowed herself to be trapped in that negative world. Instead, through determination and the kindness of a few strangers along the way, she rose above adversity and has been able to escape the clutches of childhood demons.
   
   In 1996, Moss won the Gold Medal for Personal Essay in the William Faulkner Creative Writing Contest. Her winning essay became the first chapter of Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter. Her life, her determination, and her writing acheivements serve as an inspiration to the aspiring writer in me.
   
   When I first read this book, I was working through the emotional impact of having undergone facial surgery to remove a malignant melanoma and recreate a nose. At the time of that first reading, I was more tuned into the parts of Moss's story which dealt so poignantly with the emotional effects of her deformed face and people's unkind reactions to that deformity. Her drive to find a way to resolve the situation was nothing less than admirable. Now that I am a few years beyond my surgery and have re-read her story, I find her desire to become Zeus's daughter (the goddess of beauty) pales in comparison to the beautiful person who writes this remarkable story.
   
   With grace and insight, Moss takes us back in time to a place where life seemed to surely be waging war against her. In what she calls an effort to heal wounds and reclaim her family, she writes of both the challenges and the triumphs of childhood, adolesence and adulthood. Throughout the story, Moss interjects memories of a humorous nature - proving that even in the most desparate of situations, it is possible to find joy.
   
   In what can only be described as a "wise beyond her years" approach, the ninth grade Moss wrote a list of eight things she wanted to do to improve herself. At the top of the list were "1. Remove moles on face, 2. Get braces on teeth, 3. Fix face." It is incredible that one so young would seize such determination and not let go until she had accomplished these seemingly insurmountable goals. Shortly after writing these goals, she began to act upon them. Her book reveals the ways she accomplished them. With remarkable insight, Moss writes about how each achieved goal created both negative and positive issues for her.
   
   Moss's writing talent is evident in this deeply personal and moving story. Her gift to her readers is the lesson of redemption and grace in the midst of life's biggest hurdles.
   
   by Lee Ambrose
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



5. This memoir is not just Barbara's, but is the story of everyone who has grown up in an alcoholic family. I could empathise with her trials, fears, anger and perceptions, and would often find myself nodding subconsciously as I read along. I felt I knew her well. Thank you so much for courageously sharing your story.

3 comments about Voices for Change: Women's Words to Politicians.

1. This is a MUST read for politicians who want to know what the largest voter population is thinking. Women share their ideas/visions for the United States. Both those in office and those seeking office will be inspired by this book. Sharon McHone



2. Should be required reading for all politicians and all citizens who want to know what the majority of women believe and why they believe it. In these "less than friendly to women" times, what a great reminder this book is!



3. Thank you to the editors and writers of this thoughtful and important resource. In this time when our voices as women need to be heard clearly, this book will serve as a tool to represent each and all of us. I plan to share this book with my key elected officials - this will allow them to know about women in a deliberate and powerful way.

5 comments about The Dorothy Dunnett Companion.

1. Unless you are Francis Crawford reincarnate, you will need this book to get through the Lymond Chronicles (and I assume the same is true for the Niccolo series as well).
   
   I constantly found myself looking up songs, quotations, names, etc. that came up in the six books.
   
   The book is well researched and obviously a labor of love on the part of Ms. Morrison.
   
   The one problem and I think it is substantial was the decision to provide entries in an alphabetical format rather than a format that followed the books.
   
   The book would be much more helpful if it was arranged so that entries appeared in the order they appeared in the books -- so the entries that appeared in the Game of Kings would come first, followed by Queen's Play and so on -- rather than in alphabetical order where there are quotes from a Pawn In Frankincense next to a quote from Checkmate next to a quote from Disorderly Knights.
   
   This would make it easier to use as a companion to the books as you are reading -- instead I have to put down the book, pick up the companion and look up the quote. This may sound petty and if there were only a few quotes to look up that may not be so bad -- but when there are dozens and dozens (Checkmate is brimming with quotes) it slows the reader down tremendously and forces them out of the rigorous concentration required.
   
   Having said that -- the book remains a necessity -- If you are going to read the Lymond Chronicles (and I highly encourage you to do so) buy this book - you should have this with you at all times. It is well researched and fairly comprehensive.
   
   I just wish it was in a different format.



2. I found both of the Companions difficult to use in relation to the novels. They would have been much more helpful if Ms. Morrison would have begun with either the Lymond or Niccolo Series and followed it through with references page by page from, for example, The Game of Kings, then from Queen's Play, etc. then doing the same with the other series rather than placing all references from all books of both series at the same time in alphabetical order. Also, sometimes I would search for terms or quotes that I felt should be included based on those already in the Companions but didn't find them so do not know what the criteria was for including some and not others.



3. I read the Lymond Chronicles years ago when they first came out and wish I'd had something like this then. I was running between the story and a French/English dictionary through the whole set. However, it is one of the most fantastic pieces of "fiction" history I've ever read and I've never found anything that held my interest for as long since.



4. I was fortunate to buy a copy of the Michael Joseph hardcover version of the Companion when it was first released in 1994, and have used it extensively.
   
   The first Companion was published before the last books in the House of Niccolo and so it only covers the Lymond Chronicles and the first five books of the House of Niccolo. While written as a comprehensive guide to Lymond and Niccolo, the Companion gives us some history, literature and - thankfully - translations of some references that are obscure to many readers.
   The Companion can be enjoyed on three levels:
   a glimpse into the research undertaken by Lady Dunnett;
   a starting point for some of the historical events and people introduced into the novels; and
   as 'a cornucopia of things'.
   
   I like the layout. It invites me to browse. I go to find one reference, and emerge at least half an hour later having been side-tracked by all manner of things. Such is the world of Dunnett!
   
   It is well worth acquiring a copy of this version of the Companion if you were not able to obtain a copy of the first edition. Volume II complements this book, it does not replace it.
   
   Highly recommended to all Dunnett fans!
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith



5. I absolutely love Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles. They are by far my favourite book series. I first read them and loved them without this companion. I then reread them using the companion and it was like discovering a dear friend all over again and on a deeper level. The translations add depth to the dialogue and explain the subtle innuendos the text hints at. I also found that I spent hours flipping through page by page of the companion reading the historic background of the characters the companion also includes. It is possible to read the splendid series without this book, but you get so much more out of it if you keep it immediately next to you while you read; I highly recommend getting this! Don't be confused either- you need volume one of the companion, as volume two only covers the references not included in the first. It does not replace volume one.

5 comments about What I Saw at the Revolution: A Political Life in the Reagan Era.

1. What an amazingly wide-ranging memoir Peggy Noonan wrote! Read this book if you want to know--
   
   * what it was like growing up in the Fifties, Sixties, and Seventies,
   * what it was like to work at a major news network (CBS) as it made the awkward, transition from radio to TV,
   * how the White House speechwriting process worked,
   * what went on inside the Reagan administration,
   * what it was like to be a woman in a field dominated by men,
   * what it was like to be a working-class, Fairleigh Dickinson-educated Jersey girl in a town populated by the old boys network and the Ivy League,
   * what Reagan was like in person,
   * how elements of the conservative movement fought and cooperated in the White House, and
   * much, much more.
   
   Having come to Reagan administration from CBS (where she worked for Dan Rather), Noonan spent only a few years at the White House in the mid-1980s -- long enough, though, to write some of Reagan's most memorable and moving speeches, including the Challenger and D-Day speeches -- but she saw, and participated in, so much. She describes her experiences with wit and humor and candor -- and, of course, the wonderful writing for which we've come to know her.
   
   Despite her own conservative politics and love for Reagan, this is not hagiography. Even as she stands clearly in awe of the president, he remains a mystery to her, a distant enigma. She is uncertain whether Reagan's aides are actually manipulating him, or whether it's Reagan who's really doing the manipulating of his aides who seem always to be at odds. And even as she stands clearly in awe of working in the White House, Noonan is quickly frustrated by the in-fighting among staff members, the bureaucratic fights among departments and agencies. This is particularly the case with the "staffing" of speeches, in which each department -- State, for example, and the National Security Council -- reviews a speech and basically tears it apart. Nor are Noonan's impressions of Nancy Reagan and Maureen Reagan particularly positive.
   
   In short, I think it's fair to say that the book is a classic of the genre.



2. Peggy Noonan is a gifted writer with a great sense of humor, and she is certainly an exceptional student of human nature. In this book, she takes a young English major's talents into the Reagan White House and gives us, the reader, a unique picture of what it was like for her to work there writing speeches for the man whom she considers to be the greatest president of her lifetime. At the same time, she paints vivid and often humorous portraits of many of those with whom she worked and interacted, as well as of those with whom she often clashed over the words she chose.
   
   The problem that Ms. Noonan, and other speech writers, faced was that although they were not high ranking government bureaucrats or administration "decision makers," the words they wrote were the words which would be spoken by the President of the United States and, as such, her words would be taken by the American people and by leaders around the world as representing the views and positions of the United States of America.
   
   The National Security Council (NSC) members, the Defense Department, the State Department, and others were, therefore, concerned that what was said actually represented their understandings of America's stances and positions on the various issues. They didn't want any room left for misinterpretation or misunderstanding, yet they were terrible writers. This, of course, led to many contentious arguments with and among the various reviewers before the comments of perhaps forty or fifty reviewers could somehow be reconciled or discarded and a speech could go forward to the president's desk for his final approval. Peggy Noonan tells this story in an often surprising and humorous, yet insightful, way making this an interesting and fun book to read.
   
   Two of the buzz words often used by managers these days to prod their employees are "delight" and "surprise" as in "delight and surprise your customers." When I began writing this appraisal, that phrase kept coming to mind. Clearly, Peggy Noonan has succeeded in surprising me and her book obviously delighted me.



3. Peggy Noonan is almost Shakespearean in her command and use of the English language. Her words flow like a soft brook on quiet Sunday morning.
   
   My favorite part was where she was talking about the experience of going to work in Washington, DC. The three steps are:
   1. Awe of those in power.
   2. Thinking "Man, I'm as smart as these people."
   and finally
   3. My God, WE are in charge?
   
   Priceless!
   
   Well done and a great read.



4. Peggy Noonan, the girl behind Reagans' words. She is a former broadcast news writer for Dan Rather. She then brought a new voice into the male dominated world of the White House speachwriter. She brings a smile to the reader with her wonderful analogies and her beautiful, caressing, witty, and poetic words. Her knack for remembering the details is uncanny. At times I find her hard to follow----there is a lot going on in that fast paced mind. And she often goes off into a "daydream". This book brings us into the discussions and interactions inside the White House. She begins with her childhood (a world of innocence), then moves to her break from liberalism to conservatism (world of imperialist thought); and this is what she says:
   
   "What had seemed in my youth the party of rich dullards became, almost in spite of itself, the party of the people----it is about me, and what led me to be the first of my family to become that dread thing, a Republican. It is about CBS, where I worked, about the media in general and their dance with politics, a woman in politics, and visitor for five years to its capital............ it is about that too. Most of all, I suppose, it's about Reagan, the man at the center of the big turn, and what his presidency meant, and what I saw at the revolution." And this to some it up: "I just start at the beginning and end at the end. There are times when I express myself in a manner that might fairly be called idiosyncratic. Sometimes I experimented with writing speeches in free verse, which may five you an idea of what you're occasionally in for."
   
   Noonan gives us examples of crucial speeches, the contributors, and the steps that go into putting them together. She expresses her aggravation of the editing process and the words that went into the recycle bin. She is uniquely intuitive and observant of her contemporaries
   
   Noonan, with her heartfelt telling, brings us into the company of this very special, humble, and unassuming man, Reagan. (I'm happy to know him a little better.) Reagan was truly a blessing. His sense of humor was refreshing. Noonan will tell us she saw a lonely man, and through all this, she says, she still didn't know him. The last conversation she had with him, he told her about a reoccurring dream he had about living in a big house----it was clear, "a house that was available at a price I could afford". She concludes with the final years in the Reagan administration and her stint with Bush. Yes, Reagan had something to do with the fall of Communism.
   
   Wish you well
   Scott



5. She's witty, intelligent, well-read, has down-home common sense, loves the Gipper. What's not to like? She tells great stories of a unique historic moment. She does not brag, has no axe to grind. Many beautiful sentences. One of America's great writers and thinkers. Don't miss her editorial essays in the Wall St. Journal on Saturdays. (Would someone please collect all of them, every word, into a book? Ala David Sedaris? PS - Reading DS leaves me amused, but feeling slightly creepier than I was before. PN leaves you sure that the world can and will be a better place.)
   
   I listened to the Audible recording (from audible,com via [...]), which I believe is her reading her own book. It adds a lot to have her read it. But ... audible.com does not bother to identify the reader. It sounds like Audible recorded their version from a $19 cassette recorder, using a $[...] microphone. You have to turn it up all the way and it's still muffled. It's criminal.
   
   I finished the book in a day, every minute a pleasure. Thanks, so much, Peggy Noonan.

5 comments about Daughter of Destiny: Kathryn Kuhlman.

1. This was a very good book to read about the life of Kathryn Kuhlman. It was good for me because it encouraged me in some ways, because I know I'm suppose to be walking with healing power like she did. I had wanted to know how she dealt with life and still stay so anointed. The part that I really liked, even though it was shortly mentioned, was about the light of God's glory that appeared around her. It exhorted me in the right direction...



2. Jamie Buckingham did a tremendous job of purely getting the heart of Miss Kuhlman on paper. In reading this I feel as though I have walked with Miss Kuhlman and stood right beside her through some of her greatest times and most difficult trials. You will find yourself unable to help being caught up in the presence of God as you read this story of her amazing life. It is a story that will propel you to greater things in God! ENJOY!!



3. I had heard about Kathryn Kuhlman from a number of people so I thought I'd read her biography. The author was very good at giving an open account of her life, her strengths and her weaknesses. In some ways it may have shown too much of her weaknesses. As I read it I became dismayed at her life; her choices. But as I read on it was clear that God flowed through this woman; weird as she was. It also shows that God is much bigger than we think. After reading the biographies of Charles Finney and Smith Wigglesworth and reading a number of books by Kenneth Hagin, this book shows an entirely different side of God in how He operates via the Holy Spirit. Actually this book shows the Sovereignity of God completely contradicts many of the teachings of Kenneth Hagin's theology of God will only do things for you if you have faith. With Kuhlman God healed people who weren't even looking to get healed. People got overwhelmed by the presence of God and collapsed just walking by the door of the building she was preaching in; sometimes they weren't even Christians (though some became Christians because of that experience). I think everyone that reads this book will certainly be encourged by it to seek a closer walk with Jesus.



4. Excellent story of Kathryn Kuhlman by Jamie Bucckingham. What I wanted to know was the 2 million plus that went to the people who seemed to force themselves into Ms Kuhlmans life - how did they get all that money and where are they now? I understand she made a second will when she was near death leaving most of her money to these people.



5. This book was an honest account of Kathryn Kuhlman's life--telling all the sides of KK's personality from someone who knew her well. I had not known much at all about KK. The book was very uplifting to read about her miracle ministry--how it got started and lasted for years. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read about the power of God in healing people and learning about this great figure who was in ministry. She was mightily used of God. There is no doubt about that!