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, which I believe is her reading her own book. It adds a lot to have her read it. But ... Audible does not bother to identify the reader. It sounds like Audible recorded their version from a $19 cassette recorder, using a $9.95 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 Mother of the Bride: The Dream, the Reality, the Search for a Perfect Dress.

1. When my daughter became engaged, I got three copies of this book as gifts. I loved it so much that I have given away the two extra copies that I received to friends who will soon be MOBs!

   The book is so real, so funny, so poignant. It succinctly summed up the relationship between mothers and daughters as it detailed the intricate and involved planning process for today's weddings. I loved the way Beckerman gave us glimpses of her daughter's growing-up years.

   I felt every feeling the author was feeling --- I laughed, I cried, and I called my daughter to read portions to her.

   And today....I found the perfect dress!!!




2. This is basically an autobiographical comic short story, with wacky illustrations to add to the fun. I bought it as a Mother's Day present for my mom right after I got engaged, and we read it aloud together in our favorite spot on the front porch, passing the book when one of us was overcome with laughter -- or tears. Ilene Beckerman can really write, and she does it with devastating humor and tear-jerking poignancy as she explores -- from the front row view of the mother of the bride -- the fun, the fights, the work, the tears, the trials, and often the complete insanity that all contribute to the creation of a beautiful wedding. At the same time, she critically (and beautifully) examines the complex relationship between a mother and her daughter. This short little gem will help you remember the things you appreciate most about your mother, your daughter...or both.



3. This book was great. It is written with humor and insight, and I probably would not have appreciated it before this adventure we call "being the M.O.B". It is definately worth every penny.



4. What a great book to give the 1st time mother of the bride at the bridal shower. It puts things in perspective! I recommend they read it a couple of days before the wedding.



5. I got this book for my mom. The title caught my eye because she had a horrible time finding a dress for my brother's wedding and now she has to look once again for my wedding! She loved it and found it very humorous, basically read it in one night. The only thing I wished is that it would have had a checklist or something like that for the mother of the bride. Overall, great book!

5 comments about Diana, An Amazing Life: The People Cover Stories, 1981-1997.

1. THIS WAS AN EXCELLANT BOOK WITH BEAUTIFUL PICTURES AND ARTICLES AND IT LEFT YOU FEELING LIKE YOU KNEW THE PRINCESS FROM THE BEGINNING OF HER LIFE TO THE END. AN EXCELLENT TRIBUTE TO HER LIFE.



2. I really enjoyed this re-visit to the People covers! It was a great way to look back!



3. Hi, I bought my People Magazine Tribute to Diana at local B&N Bookstore and i am so happy that I did!!! I love the history of Diana,s life from the begining as alittle girl, meeting Charlas, the engaement, the births of William and HARRY,diana,s sister in-law Sarah, her marriage troubles and diana rising up a Pheonix the fire bird.I am so glad Dodi made Diana so happy. I love all the colour photos!!! BIG CHEERS TO PEOPLE MAGAZINE!!!!



4. Kind of a start to finish collection of selected People Diana covers/articles. It's nice to look through and read (would make a nice keepsake for the Diana fan)- especially if you missed some issues like I certainly did- but not really worth buying if you still have the original copies in good condition. I don't regret buying it but had hoped for just a bit more than a buyer gets here. There was a paperback edition out at first, haven't seen it recently, only slightly cheaper but this version would be the one to get for durability.



5. This is the book to own. I enjoyed every bit of it and would recommend it to everyone.

5 comments about Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers.

1. I have only recently received this book having sourced it from Amazon.com after seeing it reviewed on the Oprah show. I am currently enjoying reading it very much. The death of one's child is a particularly sensitive subject ( we have lost two sons - one a new baby in 1986 the other a 21 year old from cancer in 2006) and it provides great comfort to read how others have coped in such tragic situations.
   
   I would also like to commend you on your excellent service - so much more efficient than a large and well known distributor in Australia that couldn't even send the parcel to the correct address!!!! I look forward to further purchases. My son also recommends your internet service as he has bought quite a lot of stock from Amazon.com
   Jan Kay Australia



2. In writing "Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers," Elizabeth Edwards gives the reader what she has found, strength and solace from a stranger. Elizabeth Edwards may have started out as a stranger to me, but withing a few chapters of the book she seemed like a friend. There is laughter, but there are also tears. The chapters dealing with the loss of her son Wade were heart wrenching. Yet, I think they would also be a comfort to those who have exerienced such a loss. She talks about so many of the feelings that most friends and families overlook or don't notice in the grieving process. This book is a must read for anyone who has lost a child.
   
   Highly recommended...



3. Elizabeth writes an excellent book, however after reading it I really don't think I like her. I really didn't like the message she gave to her son's friends about being "good friends" and not owning up to their mistakes. She basically said they should lie to protect their friends. Not the message I want in the White House.



4. I love this woman, I've met her and had no idea what suffering she endured because she is strong and intelligent. I cried throughout the book.



5. I was amazed at the depth of feeling shown by Elizabeth after such trajic events. She gave herself time to grieve - but continued to live at the same time. Very powerful.

No comments about Wartime Writings: 1943-1949.

5 comments about Dragon Thunder: My Life with Chögyam Trungpa.

1. I was a close student of Trungpa Rinpoche for 16 years. I never closed a door in Diana's face; I did spend a bit of time caring for Taggie, yet even though I was "close in" to Rinpoche's family, I did not appreciate or have much empathy for Diana's challenges or for the fact that she was facing them at such a young age. Now at 60, having raised 4 children and being grandfather to 4, I humbly beg her forgiveness and bow to her strong Dharma Heart.
   This book is a generous and bold revelation of life with a rare Great Being. It will help any spiritual seeker break out of their limited notions of spiritual life and practice.
   The way in which Diana perservered in preserving and strenghtening her own spirit under extraordinary circumstances will be an inspiring example for any reader. It with help you develop a mature relationship to meet your own challenges on the path.



2. This is an amazing and compelling story. One of the few spiritual bios that is a total pageturner!



3. "Enlightened Master"
   "Egomaniac"
   "Genius"
   "Fraud"
   "Compassionate"
   "Cruel"
   
   It is difficult to imagine one person attracting so many different sobriquets.
   
   Yet Chögyam Trungpa gathered all of these and many more.
   
   A recognized reincarnation of the Tenth Trungpa, he came to India after the Chinese invasion of Tibet and faced enormous hardships. He eventually came to Britain and met and married the sixteen-year-old Diana Probus, who took the name Diana Mukpo, and finally wrote this extraordinary memoir, almost twenty years after his death. They were married for a tumultuous period of seventeen years during which he established meditation centers throughout Europe and North America, attracted a large number of students and founded Naropa in Boulder, Colorado, the first Buddhist-inspired University in the United States.
   
   Chögyam Trungpa was a key figure in the dissemination of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, and apart from the testimony of his personal students, he has left a substantial body of written works, many of which are widely recognized to be spiritual masterpieces. He was always controversial and heavy alcohol abuse contributed to his early demise.
   
   I never met Chögyam, but I well remember many of my Buddhist friends being scandalized by his behavior. Most of them had acquired an extraordinarily ascetic view of Buddhism that many still hold today. The idea that an Enlightened Master may smoke, drink and have sex is anathema. They have an idea of the way that a spiritual being should behave, and if he or she does not, well that simply proves that they are not enlightened! I have known so many people who never realized that this view of spirituality is a projection based on just one spiritual current. There are many others, and it is a sad reality that rather than practicing tolerance, many of the different spiritual schools and traditions really dislike each other.
   
   This book paints an intimate portrait of a master of "crazy wisdom." It is particularly fascinating to see the juxtaposition of the early life of someone born into a life of privilege in England, with a man born in poverty half a world away. And what an unusual and complex man he was, with a colorful and powerful personality. Not only was he someone who transmitted teachings, he was also believed to be someone who found and uncovered lost poetic and philosophical treasures.
   
   This is a very personal book, but it is not a rose-colored one. Diana was not only Rinpoche's wife she was also his student, and he did many things that must have been very hard on her. There was evidently a clash of cultures and even though she was very young when they got married, she was concerned about some of the questionable decisions that were being made. Though at the end of it all, she says that she has "no regrets." The book gives some extraordinary insights into the inner workings of Tibetan Buddhism during its early encounter with the West. Though not designed to be a book of teachings, it contains a great many acute observations about the Buddhist path.
   
   This is a book that will be of interest not only to Buddhists, but also to anyone who would like to learn more about the development of meditation and spirituality in the West.
   
   
   
   Richard G. Petty, MD, author of Healing, Meaning and Purpose: The Magical Power of the Emerging Laws of Life



4. this is a good read because mukpo doesn't try to convince anyone, including herself, of anything. she tells her story as it happened and is happening, willingly opening herself to possible criticism and raised eyebrows. this is a real life, a real marriage, not, as her husband said, "one of those suburban couples" who pretend everything is real when it isn't. trungpa may have had some issues, but he profoundly impacted many lives. whether his impact was positive or negative is irrelevant--buddhism does not judge.



5. I really wanted to like this book. I am a practicing Tibetan Buddhist of the Drikung Kagyu lineage, and I really wanted to come away from this book with a better understanding of Chogyam Trungpa. I wanted to be able to stop thinking of him as a womanizing drunk.
   
   Unfortunately, this book didn't help me. The author spends a great deal of time explaining away Trungpa's behavior by stating that he just wasn't like other people and that the normal rules didn't apply to him. It felt like someone who is abused making excuses for her abuser. I didn't gain any clearer dharmic understanding of Trungpa's outrageous actions or his reasons for having affair after affair after affair, drinking to excess, or taking drugs.
   
   Brilliant teacher he may have been, but from what I read in this book, he doesn't strike me as any sort of a dharmic role model or a spiritual friend on whom I could rely.
   
   In addition to not feeling like I gained any sort of higher understanding of the main character, I feel that the book dragged on and on and on. It read at times like a list of dates and places, overly specific and uninteresting. The author seemed to be trying to account for every event in her and Trungpa's lives and explain how and why it showed Trungpa's brilliance. It got boring long before the book concluded.
   
   I give this book three stars because some of it is very interesting, and it gives a decent account of how Shambhala Buddhism came to be, but it doesn't offer any sort of scintillating window into who Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche was.

5 comments about The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Love, Race, and War in the Nineteenth Century.

1. A wonderful book that will leave you longing for more! Eunice is a real heroine struggling as many women have to raise a family in desperate times and looking for a haven for her children. Not only an engaging story about one woman's search for her place in the world but the times in which she resides. Food for the brain and soul. Well written by a noted historian.



2. I tremendously enjoyed this telescopic view of a "slice of life" 150+ years ago-- and during the civil war-- of a young woman, her children, and her extended family. I found myself interested and emotionally moved by the heavy labor that she performed daily just to maintain a near-below subsistence level of living.
   
   She made some momentous and courageous decisions to pull herself up from abject poverty, choosing directions that went against society's norms and finally, against even what she had thought were her own beliefs. It was so inspiring to read that the happiest days of her life followed as a result of her own earlier choices.
   
   The true life of this young woman is such an inspiration for us here today. A fascinating, inspiring read that has left its' mark upon me long after I have put down the book.



3. I do agree with most of the stellar reviews of the book. The thing that somewhat disappointed me was the following: Through more than half the book we follow the story of somebody's life that was not unusual at all in the 19th century, namely the life of a poor New England woman who is struggling to support herself and her two children.
   
   The Sea Captain appears for the first time once you are more than halfway through the book. In an obvious effort to somehow "insert" him into Eunice's life at an earlier stage, the author embarks upon a completely unfounded speculation about the paternity of Eunice's younger child.
   
   The main problem that the author naturally can't overcome, is that we know virtually nothing about Eunice's life as the sea captain's wife. Only a few letters have survived on which the author builds her account of Eunice's life once she had left for the Cayman Islands. Not surprisingly, the theme of the book does not come alive.



4. The story has the potential to be fascinating - the book is anything but. Though the author's fellow historians may appreciate it, it contains little to appeal to the general reader. A novel based on this family's history may have been worthy of all the praise and attention this book has garnered. As written, it is tedious, unsatisfying, and falls far short of the expectations engendered by the title.



5. Eunice was an ordinary white woman who had financial difficulties. She married hoping to improve her financial status, but her husband wasn't a good earner and he died, to boot. So she had to work, and she worked really hard. Then she married again; this time a black man who owned a fishing boat. They moved to the Cayman Islands, where he'd made his home.
   
   So, what's to learn here? That 19th century women had little earning power. That race relations were not good. That the Civil War had a major impact on American families. Don't we already know all that? Of course we do.
   
   What's interesting in this book is getting to read Eunice's mail. Her family story is pretty interesting, sibling rivalry and all that stuff. Eunice is not boring either. She moves from north to south to north to the Caribbean. Read it for Eunice's story; otherwise, it's not worth reading.

5 comments about Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way: Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage.

1. At 46, I found the book both affirming and inspiring. Ms. Gerber shows, through the life of the great ER, how painful life experiences can enhance both self awareness and empathy, and even more amazingly, how suffering a betrayal can be liberating. Her discussion on the special leadership skills developed through motherhood make clear the public interest in cultivating women leaders. The book is both a very accesible, good read and an effective step-by-step leadership guide.



2. At 46, I found the book both affirming and inspiring. Ms. Gerber shows, through the life of the great ER, how painful life experiences can enhance both self awareness and empathy, and even more amazingly, how suffering a betrayal can be liberating. Her discussion on the special leadership skills developed through motherhood make clear the public interest in cultivating women leaders. The book is both a very accesible, good read and an effective step-by-step leadership guide.



3. After reading about Colin Powel's style, Bush's War and Guiliani's book on Leadership, it was a nice break to read about one of history's greatest first ladies--Eleanor Roosevelt. It also served as a checkpoint for myself to have a peek at the early 20th century and the beginnings of the UN in light of recent events. This book was written by Robin Gerber who is a senior scholar at the Academy of Leadership which is part of the University of Maryland. Not only a biography of Eleanor, it's also a how-to on leadership and includes side information about how other women implement Eleanor's style in their lives today.
   Key Takeaways:
   Give Voice to Your Leadership--ER did not start out a brilliant and inspiring public speaker, she had to practice at it. She eventually managed to be an effective communicator through both speech and her writing in columns. She held press conferences at the White House for women reporters only--she identified an audience she could reach and began speaking to them.
   Embrace Risk--despite many folks including herself being unsure of her and her role, at Truman's request ER took on a role within the formation of the UN and went on to be a leading proponant of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She took this on shortly after the death of FDR--a time when she could have retired. Instead she started on a second life.
   Never Stop Learning--this keeps coming up in the lives of leaders--they have an interest in the world and learning about it. ER traveled extensively in the latter part of her life and took a good deal of interest in learning about the world and the various cultures enhabiting it. She traveled throughout the middle east and India. She also used her columns, and speeches as a tool to educate others.



4. This is the only nonfiction book I've ever read and completed voluntarily. In fact it is the only "self-help" book...which I think it fits in that category...that I have read past the first chapter. It is extremely compellingly written. I don't know whether it's the subject matter, or Dr. Gerber's style, but I started the book on an airplane, and was unable to put it down. It is for sure the only nonfiction book I have ever read that made me cry. Dr. Gerber makes points about leadership..what makes good leaders, the special role that women have in nuturing families, and how that is completely unrecognized in our society as having any value in preparring women for professional positions...how the simple concept of having passion for the cause you are leading is essential for effective leadership.....she makes these points in a deceptively casual conversational manner where you don't feel like she's teaching you, but in the end you realize you have learned a great deal...about life, about leading, and about yourself. Where I cried was where she said you have to be authentic in what you are leading.....meaning (I think) that you have to BELIEVE in it, which is different from having passion. Such a simple concept, but so true. How many leaders do you see, that truly believe in what they are doing? vs how many chairmen of departments do you see that appear to be there for the accrutriments?
   This book literally changed my life. sounds ridiculous, but it did. Made me do a LOT of soulsearching.
   I urge anyone, male or female, wondering whether you are leading as effectively as you can, or wondering whether you should be taking on a leadership position, to read this.



5. Well written, with really interesting vignettes of Eleanor's life. I found this to be one of the most (personally) motivational books I've read in a long time. It's a story of overcoming the odds, and bucking the social norms of her day, to voice her passion for particular social issues. I also appreciated the tie-in to current leadership theory and thinking...with great examples of her approach to people and problems.

5 comments about Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle For Survival at the South Pole.

1. The book was worth every penny and it was sent in a timely manner.



2. This book is the story of Dr. Nielsen's time working at the south pole. It is full of anecdotes of everyday events that gave me a feeling for what life must be like in such a remote place.
   
   It reminded me a lot of science fiction and especially Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars. Robinson has another book on Antarctica that is said to be very similar to Red Mars. It's uncanny how similar Dr. Nielsen's account is to science fiction stories about space colonization.
   
   Maybe the idea of life on the frontier brings out these themes. The difficulty of life makes people work together and abandon some of the petty problems from home. That gives people a new perspective on the culture of their home.
   
   This story also made me consider how psychologically hard cancer must be. Dr. Nielsen says being in Antarctica in some ways made it easier because she didn't have to deal with daily ups and downs as the results of many tests came back. They only had the most basic diagnostic equipment in Antarctica.
   
   Nielsen is honest about her fear of her illness and the pain of being alienated from her kids. Although it's unlikely because of her history of cancer, I hope the powers that be approve her for more work in remote locations.



3. This book provides the "behind the scenes" details of the experience of Jerri Nielsen who was diagnosed with and forced to treat her own breast cancer using non-medical personnel while she was the only doctor stationed at the South Pole during polar winter. Much of the book is about her experience of life at the pole and her relationships with her fellow "Polies".
   
   As someone who began reading this with very little knowledge of the South Pole station, I most enjoyed the information about what life is like there for the brave and crazy folks who opt to winter-over at the coldest place on earth. They are unreachable by even the most advanced aviation because jet fuel turns to Jell-o in the horrifically cold weather they experience. It was interesting to hear description of what they wore, where they slept, how they kept warm, how they entertained themselves and how they remained connected to the outside world. At the time of Dr. Nielsen's employment (1999), they only had a satellite available for a few hours a day to exchange emails and contact with their friends and family. One interesting tidbit of information, while then-President Clinton visited New Zealand all usage of the satellite was reserved for him. I know so much about this because the book includes many emails. These are edited for length but otherwise replicated in their entirety. It becomes tiresome to read other people's email including To, From, Subject etc., but in some ways provides the only true insight the book offers into the experience.
   
   My personal response to this book is that I just don't feel that Dr. Nielsen is a reliable narrator about her personal or interior life. Whether this is her fault or that of her co-author, I cannot say. I felt that she chose to take a stance as both victim and hero as opposed to just a regular old person in a horrible situation. Her descriptions of her relationships with her estranged children and ex-husband strike me as disproportionately favorable to her as do the descriptions of her childhood, parents etc. It may not be true that she considers herself either a victim or hero, but that is what I felt the "voice" used in the book implied. It feels somehow like she is being less than honest about her internal experience of the events described or rather that her level of honesty and experience has somehow been retarded so that she is having the emotional experiences that someone would normally have much earlier in their life than at 47 years old. When compared to a memoir written by someone like Mary Karr or Jeannette Walls or even Roseanne Barr, there is a noticeable lack of honest reflection and self-awareness that should have been addressed by an editor or the co-author who, one assumes, is a professional writer. There was a great deal of telling in a narrative that should have been laden with insight, feeling and action. This absence is particularly noticeable when reading the emails from Dr. Nielsen's oncologist, Dr. Kathy Miller, which are filled with empathy, decency and passion. They give her a distinct "self" that no other person in the book has including Dr. Nielsen herself.
   
   I can only recommend this book as an introduction to life at the South Pole. I intend to find other, better books to increase my knowledge of that fascinating place and the people who work there.



4. Jerri Nielsen's Ice Bound came highly recommended to me. While it initially began well, it soon became obvious that the author had a lot of growing up to do. Unfortunately, the South Pole experience didn't seem to speed up the process. She is so caught up in her interpretation of events that she fails to understand or see what others are telling or showing her. I wonder if this is at the core of her family problems. The final straw for me was after reading her doctor's email assuring her that her chances for longevity were still very possible, and she immediately writes to her own family and tells them just the opposite. The fact that she had the nerve to continue scaring her family and misrepresent the doctor's analysis made me lose any sympathy I might have had for her. Jerri's mom, however, must be quite a lady, as evident by her remarks comparing her daughter's perspective on her ice family to cult. Now, I'd like to read a book about her mom, but forget the daughter!



5. I was prepared to love this, but ended up disliking it for several reasons.
   
   Her voice is gruff and sounded good at first, but the pacing and reading started grating on my nerves by the end of the second CD. Like most cases, it would have been better to hire a professional reader.
   
   More importantly, I felt Dr. Nielson is an extremely emotionally immature person. She rails against her ungrateful children who "abandoned" her and her sociopathic ex-husband (who supposedly stranged a dog in front of her, and used to drive against traffic to intimidate her). At the same time, she paints herself as an innocent, noting only briefly she had an affair because she basically emotionally had to....of course, this sounds a bit crazy. Even assuming what she says about her husband is true, any time someone is hooked up with psychos for decades, something is a little wrong with them, too. I felt her complaints about her ex and children made her look worse and made me question her own emotional stability.
   
   At the same time, she describes her adventures at the Pole the same way I think a teenager would. She struck me as self absorbed, narcissistic and dramatic. There appears to be an enormous amount of socializing there, with all sorts of stupid parties all the time, movie nights, coffee clatches, etc. Also, I kid you not when I say that every single person and almost every single room, city, area, and numerous objects, etc. at the Pole has an annoying nickname. Another example? She develops an overt crush on someone married and doesn't hide it.
   
   Finally, I had thought she actually did the lumpectomy herself. All she does is a needle biopsy!!! I have experienced a breast needle biopsy and while I certainly had the benefit of a topical anesthetic (which I don't think she did), it was not a big deal. After that, she is air dropped chemo, and then does IVs of chemo, with assistance via satellite each time, and a friend to help do it. Then, she is airlifted out.
   
   Frankly, the pilots who air dropped the chemo and then airlifted her out (at the earliest, coldest time the pole had ever been flown to) are the real heroes here.
   
   If you want to read about self medical procedures, I would suggest the kid who cut his right arm off while hiking in Utah. I haven't read it but I saw the Tom Brokaw special about it, and it was very solid. It's interesting how the parents ultimately found the kid....

5 comments about Detour: My Bipolar Road Trip in 4-D.

1. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the summer of 2007, at the age of 41 after being hospitalised. In the years prior, I struggled with depression, extreme emotional turmoil, and a precise feeling of not fitting in, of not feeling normal. After I was discharged from the hospital I sought out books that I knew to be out there regarding others and their experience with bipolar disorder to sort of get a handle on what I might be dealing up against. While Ms. Simon writes from the perspective of an intelligent, beautiful, talented young woman in the glow of her youth, I felt a resonance with her stories and encounters that make up "Detour". She visits with several other people she meets on a sort of mental health road trip and compares notes. Out of that came a dialog of the diffences, similarities, and ultimately the uniqueness of each person's bipolar disorder. If you or someone you love is struggling with an understanding of bipolar disorder, Lizzie Simon's book, "Detour: My Bipolar Road Trip in 4-D" is essential to fascilitating your awareness.



2. Lizzie is courageous & heroic! Her memoir of a young woman struggling with bipolar disorder is not only brilliantly & creatively written, but it's incredibly inspiring!!!



3. This is not a scientific book. It is simply one woman's attempt to help us understand what goes on in the mind of a bi-polar person. It helped me better understand but most importantly, sympathize with any one who has the disease. I recommend it if you want a personal account of bi-polar.



4. I absolutely love this book! When one reads about bipolar, it is usually medical information describing the characteristics and treatments of and for this illness. This raw engaging view from a wise young woman gives the reader a first hand view of the interior landscape of bipolar illness. We go on a journey of discovery with Lizzie. And an amazing journey it is. There is so much misinformation and stigma on mental illness. This book helps to bring forth the reality of the illness and gives one hope. There is still much to unfold in the arena of mental illness, but it is like any other illness, it is an illness! It's so stigmatized because there are so many unknowns. Do we stigmatize cancer, epilepsy, diabetes?! I have a friend who is bipolar and have always struggled to understand it and now the door has opened. I am also currently in the wake of standing by another individual struggling with this illness and have gained greater compassion and coping skills from this book. My own family has a lineage of mental illness, though no one ever truly "coped" with it. I grew up in fear and misunderstanding. Thank you Lizzie for bringing forth truth, understanding and demystifying as best as possible the land of bipolar! This is truly a must read!



5. As someone who also suffers from bipolar disorder, this book hit very close to home. Lizzie Simon gave us a nice break from the typical scientific terminology, and replaced it with the emotional and mental hardships and experiences that people diagnosed with bipolar disorder know all too well. Her bipolar roadtrip provided comfort and understanding to all of us. Thanks Lizzie