1 comments about Malintzin's Choices: An Indian Woman in the Conquest of Mexico (Dialogos (Albuquerque, N.M.).).

1. My definition of a "keeper" of a non-fiction book is one where I can read the notes like a seperate book; and don't need to read the notes to keep track of what the author has said. This book makes no attempt to find the historical "Malinche." Its focus is on the circumstances and historical knowledge we do have and how that would affect a person in her position.
   Chock full of data; it suggested over 20 new books for me to add to my already extensive reading list. in addition, I solved two conundrums that had been nagging me for years and clarified where certain actions had taken place. I found, thanks to the clarity of the text a very important book written during the conquest years that had information I thought was not obtainable.
   Camilla Townsends strictly academic approach and care in the use of non-english records deserves a very strong round of applause.

5 comments about Confessions Of an Art Addict.

1. Peggy was a trip. She also apparently had no editor, or so it seems, which adds to the air of entitlement and oblique charm that permeates this book. Her accounts are interesting historically, though PG's slant on history is sometimes its own beast. This is a quick read and some of her observations will make you laugh out loud ("I was worried about my virginity--I was twenty-three and I found it burdensome..."), while others are chilling, especially the question of which Jews she deemed worthy of her efforts to help them get to the States. This may be more entertaining than informative, but it's both.



2. Here's the story of a woman that knew them all, felt the earth move under her feet with many of them, and bought their art for pretty much nothing. She recognized them when they were starting, and this makes her a Princess. This book is her equivalent to Gore Vidal's "Palimpsest" and Lillian Hellman's "Pentimento". This is one of those books that almost transports you to a long gone era, and makes you wish you could have been there to see it all.



3. Undoubtedly, Miss Guggenheim led a colourful and interesting life. She had either great artistic insight and intigrity or a bratish desire to boost of her wealth.
   I didn't reach a conclusion having read this book, but then maybe she was doing a bit of both and wanted to keep us guessing? I found the book enormously entertaining and informative if a little disrespectful of it's subject.
   One cannot help but to consider that this disrespect and the virtual anonymous space she occupies in history, might be very different had she been Peter and not Peggy.
   A great read for modern art lovers, a fairly good one for anyone else.
   Though it cannot be helped nor altered, it is a book very heavy on characters, plot, and at times, weighty information; which can be very offputting and confusing.



4. Guggenheim doesn't seem to gilt her "Confessions" in velvet (or gold); she comes across as an honest soul wanting to relate her experiences--an influences--in the art world. Some of the things mentioned are her childhood, her marriages, Max Ernst, Brancusi, Kandinsky, Pollock, and Motherwell (to name but a few). Worth a read... and another read.



5. I became curious about Peggy Guggenheim, when last year, I visited her former home - Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, on the Grand Canal in Venice. Now a beautiful and exciting museum, made up of a great collection of paintings and sculptures.
   I was very impressed by the famous artists I found there - Dali, Picasso, Max Ernst, Brancusi are just a few names. So I thought that such a woman must have had an interesting life.
   
   But I have to say that the autobigraphy she wrote has no literary value whatsoever. Instead, it is a very honest, uninhibited story of a life dedicated to collecting pieces of art and their authors. Her motto was "buy one paiting per day" and she got much of the fame for her many affairs with artists. However, the efforts she made to promote XXth century art, by organizing exhibitions and art galleries can only be laudable.
   
   A definite non conformist, she decided to quit college and left for Europe, where most of the American literary "nomads" of the time were going. Bohemian life style suited her perfectly. The vivid literary and artistic life in London and Paris, made her fall in love with these places.
   
   I can only say "chapeau" to such a woman who was neither an artist, nor a critic, but loved art and artists, and who spent all her fortune to create what is today the most important museum in Italy for European and American art of the first half of the 20th century.
   
   The story flows nicely and I also got the chance to find out a lot of interesting details about famous artists. The book can only be a pleasant and light reading on an intercontinental flight or on your coming soon vacation.

5 comments about The Way of Duty: A Woman and Her Family in Revolutionary America.

1. Not a difficult story to follow, staying alert will require a great deal of effort. Sudden impacts come off key and unceremoniously. Maybe a rainy day with nothing to do book.



2. IT WAS A GOOD WAY OF SHOWING US JUST HOW THINGS WERE LONG AGO



3. Although I found it a bit hard to stay focused while reading "The Way of Duty," I did like the book. Unlike textbooks that provide facts, charts, graphs and statistics, "The Way of Duty" gives the reader a look at what life was like for the Fish family during the Revolutionary War. The reader gets an inside look at childhood, education, religious devotion, the obstacles surrounding marriage, home life for a woman, ideas about death, childbirth, and war. It is excellent when blended with readings from textbooks that deal with the same subject matter.



4. I began reading this book as part of research I'm conducting on the Revolutionary War. It ended up as pleasure reading. I found the book not only enjoyable to read, but inspiring as well. Mary Fish Silliman, an upper class woman during the Revolution, shares her trials and joys in this wonderful portrayal of her life. Using Mary's journal and family letters, the authors do a fabulous job of bringing her to life, as well as the long ago culture in which she lived. Her faith and strength of character are truly inspiring, especially when she faces the untimely deaths of two of her young children, her young husband, and the possibility of losing another husband in battle. A remarkable woman in a fascinating age.



5. The Way of Duty is a great supplementary reading for those taking a first course in US History or for those wanting to know about the life of an ordinary woman and her family during the time of the American Revolution and pre-Revolutionary times.

   This book has information about the First Great Awakening, and on the religious sermons that were preached during the Great Awakening. But this book tells a story about the life of Mary Fish Silliman, and the time (1736-1818) in which she lived. It's a good window to look out to see how a family functioned during the American Revolution.

5 comments about this bridge we call home: radical visions for transformation.

1. This book was one of the required readings for our "Women of Color" course, and I found it well-written, highly engrossing and very inspiring.

   Keating and Anzaldua have reunited to provide the long-anticipated sequel to "This Bridge Called My Back: Writings By Radical Women of Color"--with an expanded list of contributors including white women and men of all ethnicities.

   The decision to include these groups was criticized by some women of color who felt the original book's importance was diluted through the agreement, but enhances reading and study of the raised issues.

   Mixing both art and theory, the book actively seeks to both celebrate the differences of various groups while uniting them into one struggle for social justice. Because the journey to such freedom is inherently difficult and long, separatism is not a practical option for many of the contributors.

   Indeed, separatism's short-term benefits of self-affirmation quickly finds itself limited through the reality people can/do have more than one subordinating characteristic and the interconnectedness of society at large. Each contributor's respective identities provide shielding and stress to varying degrees---the task is to work towards the day when all of them accept an individual as a whole.

   To this extent, the contributors and authors also place a premium on personal care and rejuvenation. What seems like a misplaced concept in a much politicized text is a key piece of advice from seasoned activists. Recognizing and admitting the interconnectedness and pervasive nature of discrimination is critical, but it is impossible for any one person to save the world alone (let alone overnight) and nor should anybody feel pressured to do so.

   Because the original book's contributors have become 'old friends' to many readers seeing themselves reflected in the pages, the editors were insistent upon including the voices of original contributors. Most interesting is Max Wolf Valerio (previously credited as Anita Valerio) who discovered his real identity as a man and underwent the requisite changes to allow external features to match internal identity. Valerio also found comfort in indigenous Indian cultures which have a more fluid concept of gender than the dominant Anglo society.

   Also different is the noticeably increased percentage of academic works, as opposed to the more personal slant of the initial book. While part of this environment is (yes) due to the increased representation of those groups most likely to be in the much-exalted Ivory Tower, it is also due to women of color's increased presence in academia itself.

   The book is marketed for women's/ethnic/queer studies, but it would also be an appropriate text for government/political science classes from the urgency which social change is presented throughout.




2. Overall this is a superb collection of contemporary writings and artwork by radical feminists on the intersectionality of various forms of social oppression. However, I do have a few minor criticisms. Unlike its revolutionary mother text, "This Bridge Called My Back", which was written entirely by women of color, "This Bridge We Call Home" includes writings by white women and by men. While I think that it's imperative that white women engage in anti-racist activism and men of all colors engage in feminist struggle, I do not think that this book was the appropriate place for them to interject their opinions. Furthermore, I was a little dismayed that most of the activism discussed in this book centered on campus activism rather than on street activism. While I do not wish to discount the university as an important terrain for political struggle, it would have been nice to read writings by feminists of color active in clinic defense, ACT UP, anti-corporate globalization protests, Queeruption, etc. Given the impact of AIDS on communities of color, especially among African-American women, I was a little surprised that the book did not include any voices by hiv+ women. Nor did it include any writings by incarcerated women, an unfortunate oversight given the devastating role that the prison industrial complex plays in the lives of many low-income women of color. One essay I really did not like was that by transman Max Wolf Valero. First of all, he bad mouths Leslie Fienberg because of hir "Marxist harangues". Unfortunately, this antipathy toward anticapitalist politics is reflected in his rigid definition of transgenderism. For example, he dismisses transmen who do not undergo sex reassignment surgey as not authentically trans. To me, this reeks of classism. Living in a small, working-class town, I know several transgender women who have not had the operation simply because they cannot afford to do so. However, they live 24/7 as women. Should they be considered just men in drag because they do not have the economic means to reconfigure their bodies medically? I think not. To do so would be both arrogant and absurd. These criticisms aside, this book is a worthwhile read for present day activists interested in multicultural feminist concerns. I would however recommend reading "This Bridge Called My Back" first. Sadly, it is out of print, but you may be able to find a used copy online. Hopefully, some progressive publishing company will someday reprint this life-changing book!



3. 
   
   This book is an anthology that serves as a reference point for measuring feminist progress since This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color. The two editors who compiled the book included voices from people who identify in many different ways, an extension of the original This Bridge which contained of writings only by women of color. Building upon the original The Bridge's invitation for women of color to develop "a transformative, coalitional consciousness, this book expands to create a place for many more voices: those of any sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, etc.
   This Bridge We Call Home works to insist on the "radical interconnectedness" of being human. It promotes spiritual activism (spirituality that recognizes the many differences among us yet insists on our commonalities and uses these as catalysts for transformation). It urges readers to create bridges, cross borders, and connect with others. In the preface, Gloria Anzaldua asserts that "most of us dwell in nepantla so much of the time it's become a sort of `home'" (pg 1). The editors urge us to create spaces where no one is dwelling in nepantla.
   
   Even without having read the first This Bridge, the anthology helped me gain an understanding of what feminist readers got from the first anthology.



4. This book "This Bridge we call home" is an anthology written by many woman who talk about their identity, sexuality, racism, and experience. IT is the second part of the book "This Bridge called my back". Anzaldue and Keating were apprehensive as to how this book would reach the expectations of their first book, however the second book was just as successful as to reach those in need. "This Bridge called my back" talked about how feminism has changed lives in different places for men and woman. It also focused more on feminist theory and reached out to woman of color. It excluded experiences of men. However this anthology, "This Bridge we call home" brings out the character and struggles that woman in different countries and includes transgender men. From Arab-Americans, to Jewish woman, to African American woman, these women all identify with their struggles that have made them who they are today. These women and men talk about the experiences they have face within the American culture. Poetic writings are published where they talk about their bodies, parenting, social class, etc. Powerful words fill each page as each race and gender are brought to light in the darkness that they go through.
   There's the Chicano son who wants to be accepted by his mother because of his homosexuality, and a struggle of a German and Indian woman who wants to fit in, and be part of the culture, and many more stories of trials and tribulations that both men and woman go through.
   The book is divided into many sections to breakdown different issues such as sexual identity, feminism, lesbianism, social class, gender, etc. Each section reaches out to everyone who has faced oppression. Many of these women share these experiences to identify one another and seek equality. The title includes the word bridge. A bridge is a connection from one place to the other and this book focuses on connecting to one another. A voice is only heard when it is spoken and each of these men and women identify with one another once they hear a voice of another who has been in the same boat.
   Anzaldue and Keating did a good job in making connections and building this "bridge" or as they called it an "opening" in this book. It was interesting to see so many diverse experiences all emerge together to identify with one another. This book definitely was able to take experiences that were so far apart, to building a bridge step by step to filling in that gap. Many woman of color, transgender males, lesbians, and those who were oppressed due to their identity confide in this novel and "bridge" their experiences together.



5. In the anthology, "this bridge we call home", we see the passionate, explicit, and life-changing stories of women and men of all races, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. This book along with its "mother text" of "This Bridge Called My Back" has been very successful in allowing "absent" groups in the feminist movement to have a voice and an opinion when they were overlooked, or simply ignored before. In the preface of this book, one of the editors, Gloria Anzaldua, discusses the meaning of a bridge in these books. The metaphor of a bridge is used to describe the efforts of people involved with social change to reach out, accept, and embrace people who are different from them. It is only when we build bridges with others and thus, connect with other people that we can truly see a radical transformation in society. Anzaldua's main purpose of this book is for all people to be able to "imagine a reality that differs from what already exists."
   In the introduction by AnaLouise Keating, the reader is given a timeline of events in creating this second anthology. Keating discusses the trials and tribulations that the editors had to go through in creating this book. She also discusses the editors' idea of having people from many different groups contribute to this book as opposed to the first book that only women of color contributed to. Keating also discusses the meaning of nepantla, which is a point where we're exiting from the old worldview, but have not yet entered or created a new one to replace it. A common theme throughout the book is whether or not people are able to exit from the patriarchal society in which they have always lived and enter a new society where everyone is seen as equals and treated fairly. Keating calls this the whole challenge of the book as she writes, "may this book challenge you to choose, challenge us to cross over." In the foreword, Chela Sandoval discusses the meaning of emancipation in terms of social change. She focuses on "emancipating citizen-subjects from institutionalized hatred, domination, subordination: it is a methodology of love." Whether male or female, black or white, homosexual or heterosexual, rich or poor, I think that all people can truly benefit from this book and the message that it offers to all of us in working towards the "progression of political, social, and spiritual movements for justice, peace, and love."

5 comments about The Woman Who Can't Forget: The Extraordinary Story of Living with the Most Remarkable Memory Known to Science--A Memoir.

1. Jill Price is remarkably skilled at perfectly retrieving memories of her past and significant historic events by day and date, but is unable to do justice to that fact through her memoir. Born in NYC in 1965 and raised in an upper-middle class Jewish family, she didn't realize until the age of twelve that her memory was remarkable. At thirty-four, she sought help from renowned memory researcher Dr. James McGaugh. Six years later, he and his colleagues published the results of their extensive testing on "AJ," entitled, A Case of Unusual Autobiographical Remembering (fifteen specific, scientific-minded pages readily available online).
   
   I'd love to spend an hour listening to her talk about her memories (she did well in an NPR interview), but can't say the same about her life story in written form. Ms. Price comes across as a needy, privileged packrat who tends to dwell on the negative, especially her mother's incessant naggings about her weight (an ongoing theme), her father's abandonment of the family, and her mother's health problems. A few things make the book almost palatable: brief descriptions of certain types of memory, references to stories with memory-related themes, and chapter-preceding quotes (probably provided by the co-author). But it's hard to get past distractions like the overuse of certain words and phrases, sometimes on the same page (e.g., "thought-provoking," "hugely relieved," "wrenching," and "stoicism"); the three page time line (a waste of paper); the overinclusion of the minutiae of her everday life (no more interesting than the average person's); the awful, amateurish writing; and the obvious lack of editing. And just when you think it can't get worse, you reach chapter 9 (warning-spoilers), in which you learn that this right-side-of-the-tracks-born, pampered, hoarder, rich girl meets the love of her life, a tattooed, pierced, flannel-wearing Type I Diabetes-afflicted (although in denial about), divorced father of two...in a chat room. The only "thought-provoking" thing about the book that you can't read on the dust jacket is what she considers too "personal" to share with readers, considering her willingness to gush about bedding her beau on their second day together. The Woman Who Can't Forget is a forgettable memoir about an average woman with an incredible memory. Better books on brains: A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas, Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet, and A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar. And by Yasunari Kawabata: The Old Capital.



2. Having listened to all of the unabridged audio version of this book, I second both of the earlier 2-star reviews.



3. While the author's autobiographical memory is nothing short of remarkable, she comes across as an easily controlled, whiny woman. The book is also filled with grammatical errors which slow down the story, and the portion about her husband makes this reader wonder why she thought such a self-centered man could be considered a catch. He didn't even think enough of her or her family to take his diabetes meds and stick around to enjoy old age.
   
   Of course, what's engrossing about his story is the author's ability to recall even the must mundane of facts, and is worth reading because of that.



4. The Woman Who Can't Forget introduces Jill Price, the first person diagnosed with the condition "hyperthymestic Syndrome" the continuous, automatic, autobiographical recall of every day of her life since the age of fourteen. Once you get over the parlor trick aspect of this condition ..."what happened Monday, September 25, 1978....the crash of PSA flight over San Diego" and on and on and on. What fascinated me were her feelings of being held hostage by memories that were as fresh on recall as the day they occurred. When a memory arises, she feels the emotions of the event with the same vividness as the day they occurred. Memories from a child's perspective are remembered as such, not tempered through the lens of adult understanding. It wasn't until she contacted Dr. James McGaugh of the University of California at Irvine, a renowned memory specialist, did she find someone who understood and could explain the condition. She tries to explain to the outside world what she struggles with every day. Her goal is to become the caretaker of her memories, not their hostage. Written with insight and humor Jill recounts a life where she felt imprisoned by her memory, her struggles to understand and cope and the change love brought into her life.



5. Ditto to others who complained about the writing. It might have been a far better book had it been written and edited more skillfully. Repetition, poor sentence structure and inconsistent organization made it hard to wade through. As it reads now, it's pretty boring and I didn't even find myself liking her very much.

5 comments about The Prisoner's Wife : A Memoir.

1. Although the title of my review is a bit cliche this book made me cry. It's a true love story. You can feel the pain and triumph in this realtionship and it is a genuine portrait of love in the worst of circumstances.



2. I loved this book. Certain audiences may be more receptive then others. It takes an open mind to read, I saw one reviewer who felt prisoners should live isolated lives. Until you have a family member go through the judicial system, you would be ignorant and unable to speak on this real life ordeal.
   Asha has a poet's voice. The way she describes her feelings, her surroundings and her love is beautiful. I cried several times while reading this book. It was all too real. Their love was the same, genuine, deep, heart wrenching.
   The ending was shocking to me. I couldnt put it down. I would recommend it to say the least!



3. I have read the prisoner's wife, and it breaks my heart to think that a educated woman such as asha could believe that being with a man in prison is a love story. I too am the wife of a prisoner, my son's father have been in prison for over 20 years. We have been married for over 12 years, the experience for me is anything but pleasant. Often times I am lonely and frustrated. And sometimes I have to pretend to be "alright", just to protect him, when really deep inside I am hurting, and need to be understood. Alot of people do not know that I am married.For me, saying that my husband is an inmate, is not anything to proud of. I think it is a shame for a woman, such as Asha, to put out in words that marrying someone in prison is ideal. Alot of men in prison our very selfish. They're in no position to be a husband.



4. The most powerful thing about this book is the author's honesty and bravery. She reveals intimate details about herself, and the experience of her marriage, which could not have been easy. I think those that will get the most out of her memoirs are those who are in this situation, or who know someone that is. It's for those who have felt the affect of a system that works to rip out the roses in the weeds, when roses are so, so needed in this world. How those injustices add to the overwhelming inequities involved in every aspect of our broken system and affects people so distasterously. So unnecessarily.
   
   In spite of her poetic explanations, there are parts of this book that I was not able to understand or identify with (such as the privilege of conjugals, seeking out other men outside your marriage). However, I do respect her attempt to speak out about most of the issues involved with a very large group of women out there that have a very small voice. Bravo.



5. This book was excellent. I never thought that poetry and prose could flow together so fluidly. This book was chosen for my book club some time ago. Asha was vulnerable and real. She was figuritively and literally the wife of a prisoner. Rashid was her husband as well as her bondage. As a high school student perusing the life of this complete stranger I was empathetic to her pain. If you have ever searched for completion in your life or been held hostage by your heart this is a book that you can follow and a life you can relate to.

No comments about How We Lead Matters: Reflections on a Life of Leadership.

5 comments about Foreign Correspondence: A Pen Pal's Journey from Down Under to All Over.

1. I read this book in one day - it is beautifully, intelligently written with well developed characters and a true story that reads like fiction. It is a rare gem of literature that provides insight into the dreams of a young girl that many people can identify with - male or female. I have read a lot of books lately, but this was one of the finest books I've come across in a while.



2. Australian born Geraldine Brooks spent many years as a foreign correspondent covering the Middle East. I loved her book, "Nine Parts of Desire" which was about Muslim women, and I have followed her life somewhat as she is often mentioned by her husband, Tony Horwitz, in his books "Confederates in the Attic", "Baghdad Without a Map," and "One for the Road." I find her an excellent reporter and in this memoir, "Foreign Correspondence," she turns the spotlight on herself.

   As a child growing up in a lower middle class neighborhood on a street actually called "Bland Street", she yearned for a larger world. And so she developed pen pals. There was a girl from New Jersey, another one from France, and even one from an upper class neighborhood just a few towns away. And then there were two Israeli boys, one an Arab and one a Jew. As an adult, she found these old letters in her father's basement and, now more than twenty years later, she decided to look up each of these people. What follows is the result of her quest and some wonderful insights into world events from a personal one-on-one perspective. It was fascinating.

   As a teenager in the early seventies she was aware of the new consciousness developing, even reaching her in her protective Catholic school. She had an active imagination and the gift of using words well. It's not surprising that she developed pen pals and that they influenced her life so much. Her gift of words certainly reached me too. I shared her sense of wonder and enthusiasm as she looked forward to each letter. I felt her straining to break the bonds of her loving but restrictive world. I felt her hopes and dreams and frustrations. And then, later, I shared her discoveries as she searched out the people who had meant so much to her early life. She writes with a clear voice, painting a picture with details, taking me on her quest to discover the world and eventually to discover herself. The book is short, a mere 210 pages but she sure does pack a lot into it. It's a wonderful read. Highly recommended.




3. I bought this as an "airplane read" but couldn't put it down. Geraldine Brooks has done us a great favor by not only illuminating the process of finding one's long lost penpals, but also by educating many folks about Australia in the process. It's fascinating to see her perceptions of the world, and particularly America, based on the letters that come in her mailbox each month.

   While I read this one on my own, I have since leant this book to several friends and we've engaged in some interesting discussions about our own penpal experiences, so I recommend it for book clubs.




4. I have read several of Brooks' books (both her non-fiction and fiction) and I was excited to rec'e and read Foreign Correspondance. Unfortunately, I was deeply disappointed.

   The book has an outstanding premise---as a child growing up in Australia during the 1960s, Brooks was eager to experience the outside world. An avid letter writer, she found pen-pals in the U.S., Israel and France. As an adult, Brooks set off to meet and re-discover these people. So far so good. But the book peters out---with the exception of the American pen-pal (to whom she was closest), the characters lack enough detail to be interesting.

   Her meeting with her French pen-pal was especially disappointing. This was a girl who chose to remain in her native village (while Brooks became a world-traveler and global correspondant). I hoped for more insights and more discussion of the contrast and why they chose such radically different paths---despite coming from somewhat similar backgrounds (Brooks saw herself as living in a giant provincial village---the village of Australia). But there was little discussion and the meeting simply sounded painful. Her trip to Israel to meet her non-Jewish Israeli pen-pal would also have benefitted from a deeper discussion about one's choices and opportunities (there was some discussion of this but I wanted to know more).

   Had I not read Brooks' other books, I probably would have thought this was a fairly good book. But I know she can write such a better book!




5. Geraldine Brooks has written a book that I can empathise with. I think of how I might have had that life in Australia had my parents not returned to England in the 1930's. I wanted, and still do, very much to talk to the author and ask her questions as she is such a good writer with a warm personality.

5 comments about Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in the South Bronx.

1. Heidi Neumark was pastor for many years at the Transfiguration Lutheran Church, in the south Bronx area of New York City. Her congregation was fairly typical of what any lower-income inner-city parish might be -- Hispanic, African-American, people in need, people experienced in poverty and violence. The title comes physically from the idea that, in the midst of one of the wealthier cities on earth, the children have the highest incidence of asthma in the nation. However, beyond this physical description, the daily stress and strain of inner-city living, with gunshots, drugs, crime, poverty and oppression continually surrounding, makes breathing easy a difficult task.

   Neumark recalls some of her difficulties with her own spiritual practices. Drawing on the advice of spiritual masters of the past to incorporate distractions rather than attempting to block them out, she would try to add the stress to her prayer life as a working component -- however, when weapons fire seemed to ricochet every time she went to pray, it became difficult if not impossible.

   In the face of all the difficulties, there was hope and renewal at Transfiguration. Neumark shares the stories of many parishioners, as well as her own internal struggles and personal experiences, that show the way the spirit of God is alive and active even in the worst of conditions. Neumark highlights the irony of the situation at times -- in the South Bronx, there is plenty of money for state-of-the-art prisons, and keeping juveniles in the system is big business, but the money for education and real plans for improvement is non-existent. This kind of societal choice in the face of residents can be demoralising, to say the least. And yet, at Transfiguration, there are elements of hope, determination for outreach and care to address the issues that the governmental powers neglect.

   Quite often, those helped by the church were not church members themsevles. Transfiguration being an urban church, Neumark was frequently approached by those in need, looking for any available help. Milly, a young woman who suffered from the asthma so many bear in the area, was one such person, whose connections with Neumark and the congregation provided a much-needed space for Milly to turn her life in a positive direction. Like many things in the urban church, change was slow and often painful, but Milly (and many others) relied on the church.

   The stories are difficult to read, difficult to understand in a human sense. But the spirit that pervades Neumark's work is a joy to behold. Read with care, and read with prayer.




2. I don't know where to begin in describing my admiration. The book is remarkable, blending bible studies and religion with politics, etymology, and common sense in telling compelling, well written stories. But even more than that is what the book shows about Heidi Neumark- her courage, feeling, and remarkable commitment to justice and humanity. Some people are committed to humanity as a nameless, theoretical mass. Her commitment is far more difficult and meaningful since it is to real people, one person at a time. The world is lucky to have someone like her. I wish that the rich and powerful could all be required to read this book.
   
   The Publishers' Weekly review says that the book will "appeal to people of faith across the political spectrum." In fact, as someone at the other end of the faith spectrum, it appealed to me, in both senses of the word "appeal."



3. This book was absolutely wonderful. I recieved it from a friend of mine who was an intern under Pastor Heidi -- and am very glad that he sent it to me. It is a bold book and a much needed to hear story. She writes in a compelling manner and has rich experiences to share with the reader. I thank her and the congregation at Transfiguration for sharing this blessing.



4. Breathing Space takes you on an insider's tour of the South Bronx. Heidi Neumark describes the devastation with an unflinching honesty, but unlike purveyors of "urban porn," she also helps us see the hope, beauty and possibility embodied in her neighbors and parishioners. We are introduced to them in their full humanity. And through their stories, Pastor Neumark's readers are invited into a deeper understanding of a world few of us could otherwise imagine or relate to. It's an understanding that doesn't gloss over the outrageous waste and loss, but it's communicated with such warmth, humor, grace, and power that readers can't help but be inspired.



5. I laughed and cried and "related" to this memoir. I am a teacher in a low socioeconmic area and I so related to this "mission". Thanks, Heidi.

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.