5 comments about Her Last Death: A Memoir.

1. This is a great book and I did not want to put it down. The details that she remembers in this book are amazing. It tore at my heart strings as a mother. Highly recommend this book to any mother, or anyone with addiction in their family.



2. Pffft! How does this get to be published? Try Walls's Glass Castle or Taylor's Rules for Saying Goodbye for a MUCH better young woman's memoir.



3. excellent book, keeps you wanting to stay up all night long just to finish it.



4. Reading this book, the story of Susanna's upbringing and early years of marriage and motherhood, was like reading someone's diary. Her Last Death is the intimate purging of an extraordinary life with Mummy--perhaps one of the most unfit and reckless characters ever to raise children. What's remarkable is that Susanna not only lived to tell the tale, but also ultimately seems to have turned out to be quite "normal." She has certainly realized her potential as an educated and talented writer.
   
   It's the good writing that got me through this quick read. It certainly wasn't the subject matter. I kept asking myself, uh--WHY am I reading this? It had a definite Mommie Dearest revenge factor thing going for it, but the author's love for her mother came through as well, as she struggled to find herself while standing in an overwhelming shadow. I think it made me appreciate my own childhood, and marvel at the power we have over our children in mapping out the world for them.
   
   The mother she names "Daphne," (the author makes it clear in the front notes that all names but her own have been changed), is in a word, outrageous. Living a sexy, single-girl life with two baby girls in tow, she consistently puts herself, along with her drug and sex addictions, ahead of the responsibilities of motherhood. From a daughter's eyes, the reader senses Susanna's conflict of love and betrayal as she bestows the horrendous details of her childhood. Namely, her mother's constant offerings of cocaine and alcohol to the adolescent Susanna, parading an endless line of lovers through their apartments and hotel rooms, her need to seduce each and every one of Susanna's friends (particularly the boyfriends), and explaining orgasm and introducing birth control when her daughter was hardly beyond puberty. It made me feel both sick and very sad.
   
   Susanna divulges several of her own poor choices on the way to her life, as well as her initial struggles with motherhood. She may not be the most likable character walking the roads of Montana; however, due to the way she was raised, she has evoked this reader's sympathy. Overall, I found this to be an interesting and unique memoir and would enjoy reading future work by Susanna Sonnenberg.
   
   Michele Cozzens, Author of A Line Between Friends and The Things I Wish I'd Said.



5. I love memoirs and I found Her last Death to be hard to leave when I had to go to work, but I have a few quibbles.
   
   The book started off wrongly in the preface where the author, Susannah Sonnenberg, warns us that the only "real" character in the book is her; everyone else has a pseudonym and people and events may be composites of characters and situations. That is not the definition of a memoir, in my opinion. Rather, I felt I was reading fiction into which the author had inserted herself. Therefore, I have no idea if what she wrote actually happened as described or if the people she wrote about, including most of all, her mother and sister and her wealthy grandparents, really existed. A memoir, at least since James Frey got reamed out by Oprah, is about real people and real occurrences.
   
   I also must admit I didn't like almost all of the people described in the book, including the author most of the time. Her husband remains a complete enigma (leading me to believe he's boringly normal) but that he doesn't seem to buy into her dramas says a lot about him. Her father has some interesting qualities and more so as his neurological disease has progressed. The mother, of course, is singularly distasteful in almost every aspect and it seems she has similarly doomed the younger sister. Her story is one of rampant, unrepentant child sexual abuse, passive aggressiveness, and deceit intended for no other purpose than to hurt her children in ways I haven't seen anywhere before. Everything she did was so inappropriately perfused with sexuality in dangerous and unspeakable ways. Should the author rear her two sons to be honest, decent, responsible, and loving adults, that will be a monumental credit to her ability to overcome her dreadful family.
   
   If readers discount the story and the people populating it as mostly fictionalized, then they will experience a well-written, fast-moving "novel" about a quite unsettling family they should never hope to meet.

5 comments about Marie Antoinette: The Journey.

1. If you are looking for a good histoical book on Marie Antoinette, this is it! It is well written and provides plenty of historical facts. Fraser also manages to paint a rather sympathetic portrait of Marie Antoinette as a human rather than a royal, without blurring the lines of history vs. folklore.



2. Over halfway through in a just a few days. I love this book! I'm definitely looking into purchasing others by the author.



3. I really liked this book and finished it in record time--even though I knew how MA's story would end, it was fascinating to see that she was not entirely the arrogant and unapproachable Queen of lore. Yes, she made some mistakes and was extravagant at times, but certainly no more extravagant than previous Queens of France. Minimally any reader will say after reading this book that it is sad she was a Queen who did not pay more attention outside the walls of Versailles so that she might be less oblivious--but even then, I'm not sure she could have escaped her doomed fate.
   
   The treatment of the family during their captivity and particularly the treatment of their children is startling (not to mention the legendary treatment of the Princesse de Lamballe). In the end, I'm not sure what was worse--the royal family or the revolutionaries.



4. Hard to get into. The movie is better except the movie leaves out one of the children and I am sure alot more. Maybe onday I will be able to get into it.



5. I have read many books on the Dauphine over the years and this is one of the best.
   It covers in detail all of the daily life of a queen and the sacrifice she made by becoming a queen.
   It seems that the paparazzi today are angels compared to what the people of France and all of Europe did to their monarchs.
   The book is well researched, and well done and like all good books on her, this one doesnt speculate but clarifies the life of this often misunderstood young woman.
   I recommend it highly.
   But be warned - it is very detailed and there are tons of people to keep track of,
   Even so, it reads well and you never get bored with it.

5 comments about Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife.

1. This is one of the best books I've ever read and I've read alot. I felt like I was right there with her going thru the joy the pain and anger of being trapped in her religous hell. I kept wanting her to see the light and get herself and her babies and get out of there. I also found myself feeling somewhat sorry for her husband at times because all and all he was somewhat caught up in the trap also along with the other wives. I would definely recommend this book to anyone who likes a down to earth author with warmth and humor.



2. Irene's account of polygamy in general and how she survived and overcame it is an incredible life story. A talented producer and director need to get together and turn this into a blockbuster movie for the world to see and understand what happens to people when their lives are planned from the minute they are born, and their thinking controlled. I agree with another reviewer that this book should be in all book clubs.
   Should any movie producers be lurking, my choice for Irene would be Jennifer Garner....and not only for the facial resemblance. I believe she has the talent to take the viewer from the lowest of Irene's trials to the heights of her exuberance, and everything in between. I also think Jude Law, if he would dare, could excellently portray the sometime witty, charming,religious,strict,overbearing,cold,and kind Verlan LeBaron. If anyone should want to make this book into a film, they must not deviate from the story and its locales. To do so would ruin it.



3. This was the first of 3 books about the FLDS I have read recently. I constantly had to remind myself that the events took place in the 50s when "woman's place" and "role" were entirely different from today's. I got so angry with Irene Spencer at times for just not "kicking his backside" from here to eternity! I found this book extremely interesting not for the fact of Irene's questioning or rebellion, but for the mindset and the thinking of an FLDS woman. It gave me a great deal of insight into a timely topic that I knew little about except what I had seen on TV.



4. I read this book hesitantly. Do I really want to know about all the suffering in a lifestyle so alien to me? Irene did such a wonderful job, I was angry, in tears,and ended with just complete joy and tears in her new found faith which came as such a surprise. What a story of human suffering and perserverance and complete triumph. Truly wonderful, would definitely recommend a hundred times over!



5. I have been fascinated with the subject of polygmay and have read everything I can get my hands on, this book it nice because it gives you insite to a group other than the FLDS (specifically books written around the subjects of Warren Jeffs or Colorado City). Irene had such a trying life and her story will keep you hooked from begining to end.

3 comments about Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

1. Compelled by Showtime's ad campaign for their new series "Secret Diary of a Call Girl," I picked up the book (which is based on a real call girl's award-winning blog). While the book was interesting for its (somewhat) candid view of upper-class prostitution, it also kind of fell flat.
   
   The book works in many ways. Each chapter opens with the "ABCs" of a London call girl. These definitions, such as "Z is for Zippers," are quite funny and interesting. The anonymous author also has a knack for finding great humor in her work and interaction with clients.
   
   On the downside, many chapters sound like they belong in a thirteen-year-old's diary. There is way too much time devoted to memories of ex-boyfriends and secret crushes. I wouldn't mind having this information if it were written about with the same attention to detail that the sexual encounters receive. It would also be bearable if the other characters were fleshed out more. Instead, we get letters for names (A1, A2, A3, A4, and N) and virtually nothing else. Why should we care about the author's relationships if she can't describe then in any real way?
   
   If the book were written as a more focused tell-all or if the supporting characters were more fleshed out, it would be highly recommended. It has some funny moments and interesting stories about call girls, but the meaningless babble about wooden characters makes it tedious and less interesting. A good book to skim and read at random.



2. This being the second memoir of prostitution that I have read (the first being The Scorpion's Sweet Venom), I will now share with you a few of my observations about the genre:
   
   - The sex scenes will as a rule be explicitly detailed and told with implausible detachment.
   
   - Prostitution will be conveyed as a chic and not an altogether unpleasant profession.
   
   - Flashbacks will abound in pitiful attempts at characterization and and a more literary angle.
   
   Belle de Jour was no exception to these rules, but it was a fun if not compelling read. I really enjoyed the author's witty style, even if reading about her friends was utterly boring. By the end of the book, every man in the author's life seemed to merge into one tall-ridiculously-attractive fellow with a proclivity for rough sex and moping over ex-girlfriends (save her father of course).
   
   All in all, I would like to see the genre of prostitution memoirs take a more realistic/gritty turn. But then I have to really ask myself, do I really want to read the tell-all memoir of an Atlanta crack whore? Perhaps publishers choose these high-end prostitute tell-alls for a reason...



3. I really wanted to like this book, but I just didn't. Like a reviewer befor me said, some areas just lacked the details needed to make them interesting. I found myself wanting to skip over entries because I was becoming bored with the same basic descriptions of her past boyfriends and such. Overall i'm sure the book could have been worse but it still wasnt as good as I had hoped.

5 comments about The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness.

1. We often associate mental disorders with people who cannot function in life. Getting this insight from a person who is not only very intelligent but able to live a productive life provides the reader with a new outlook and understanding of this disruptive disorder. In addition it is well written and keeps your attention from beginning to end.



2. "The Center Cannot Hold" by Elyn Saks, is well written by a brilliant woman, herself a mental health comsumer. As a bonus, it is easy to read. I highly recommend it.
   My son has Schizophrenia and this book helped me to understand a lot of what he experiences but cannot or will not express to others. I immediately passed the book on to other parents whose child has this illness, to expend their understanding of what he lives with.
   No, our loved persons with mental illness are not lazy, nor to they deliberately ignore us nor our requests of them. They are heroes for getting through the day. Their every day struggle with Schizophrenia is unbelievable. The side effects of meds often make waking up a major accomplishment.
   The author shares in detail her experiences. She tells of the alternate approach to treatment she experienced in Great Britain, having been offered choices, to medicate or not, to be hospitalized or not. Throughout her life, she has engaged in ongoing psycho therapy.
   In this country treatments are forced on the person which in many cases, diminishing his/her personhood, even it we think it is for his own good. She talks us through choices, meds or not, therapy or not.
   Elyn Saks is the exception,



3. Schizophrenia will impair the mind to where a person cannot process information clearly. Elyn has pretigous degrees from prominent universities. I think she has done this through her cultural backgound while finding therapists that built a rapport to where she can seperate a world of hallucination and delusion to root into a life of success based on reality. Her memoirs where detailed enough to keep the reader in constant struggle for her sanity. She actully demonstates real auditory halluciantion and how they are countered. She does share with the reader the onset and how this can happen to anyone. I think it is the best book about closet material that most people never realized about recovery and potential for someone living with Schizophrenia.



4. Reviewed by Deb Gross
   on 07/13/2008
   
   Elyn Saks attended Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar, graduated Yale Law School, and is now a chaired professor of law at the University of Southern California. Saks also suffers from schizophrenia. THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD is a deeply moving story of Saks's struggle to live a full life while dealing with the trials of a chronic mental illness.
   
   Saks employs evocative prose throughout her memoir to bring the reader into her state of mind when the disease breaks through her defenses. Her description of the onset of her symptoms at the age of eight resonates: "I think I am dissolving. I feel - my mind feels - like a sand castle with all the sand sliding away in the receding surf."
   
   A recurring theme in THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD is the author's love-hate relationship with the medication that keeps her functional but leaves her less than her "authentic self". She also does an outstanding job of laying out the prejudices those with mental illness face, particularly when seeking treatment for physical ailments.
   
   THE CENTER CAN NOT HOLD is an inspiring story of a woman who fought the demons of her mind and the prejudices of society to achieve great personal and professional success.
   
   4.5 Books



5. No review is going to do justice to this incredible book by Elyn Saks, an academic dean, tenured law school and medical school professor, psychoanalysis student, and, not incidentally, a raving (at times of stress or change) schizophrenic. For readers who assume schizophrenics live out their lives, if we can really call their bare existences lives, shackled literally by physical restraints or zombie-d by antipsychotic drugs, always perched to incite violence against themselves or others, or slinking along building walls muttering about being god and killing people with their thoughts, this is a must-read book unlike any other in the field.
   
   More amazing than the author's current positions in the academic and psychiatric world, the author has had "florid" schizophrenia starting when she was about 8 years old, although it didn't fully appear until she was studying at Oxford U. on a Marshall scholarship. She got her BA at Vanderbilt, graduating valedictorian, and after Oxford, got her law degree at Yale. This is no mediocre woman! Her vivid and precise descriptions of her hallucinations and psychotic breaks are like nothing I have ever read before. Her incredible ability to cover up "the voices" and disorganized thoughts to enable her to progress through life more successfully than most "normal" people, is unmatched, although change and stress will still make her rave like a maniac. It takes Ms. Saks almost 20 years of failures and forced hospital commitments to finally realize she needs to take medication for her entire life. But, unlike most people with schizophrenia one is likely to meet or read about, she was helped tremendously by psychoanalysis and talk therapy, treatments that have long been thought useless with such patients.
   
   I have never before encountered such a book nor such a person as Elyn Saks. She leads an amazing and courageous life and has published numerous academic treatises about the forced institutionalization, restraint, and medication of the mentally ill. I know there is a lot more to come from this astonishing mind.

5 comments about The Hiding Place.

1. I laugh at the kids saying it's boring. "Well my school made me read it and I didn't like it! Waahh!"
   
   My school made me read it(twice I think) and I love(d) it. I can see the reason for one saying it's boring, but this a AUTOBIOGRAHPY. Not always life moves so fast. Never once did I think it was boring. Buy it.



2. I was fortunate to meet Corrie Ten Boome in Rome, Ga. when she gave a lecture! Later, My husband took me to Haarlem, the Netherlands to see her home,when I was going thru a particularly hard time in my life, as he had heard me speak of her and her brave story so many times! She and her family, her sister, showed the most extraordinary courage and strength of faith in the most horrible circumstances. Her father's explanation of death:..."Just like I gave you your tickets, The Lord gives us our ticket when we get on the train"....an example of how he always gave his daughters their tickets right before they got on the train to Amsterdam....A must read.. Different aspects will mean different things to different people. Also, as I have re=read it over the years, it has given different encouragement to me in different circumstances. Please don't miss this book.



3. This book is beautiful inside and out. The outside is burgundy leather? bound with gold stamped letters. Very classic looking. The story itself is so well written, Corrie ten Boom draws you into her family. To hear how God worked miracles in spite of German occupation and concentration camps, and the lack of money and resources, was very faith building. I highly recommend this book.



4. The Hiding Place should be read by EVERY Christian. Corrie and her sister's testimony in this book is just like reading the Bible's testimony of the new Believers! Need to feel inspired? Read The Hiding Place.



5. I will not go into detail on this very public site about what this author, and her book, mean to me. Suffice it to say that I would not be alive today, without having heard Corrie's message of God's infinite love.
   
   As a psychiatrist, I have bought, and given away to patients, at least 50 copies of this book over the past two decades. It is more powerful than the strongest of antidepressants.
   
   Corrie ten Boom is a saint. She will not be officially recognized as such by the Catholic Church since she was nominally a Protestant. I say nominally, because her heart, like God's, was deep enough and wide enough to encompass and embrace all people, no matter what "religion" they practiced. Corrie's religion was Love.

5 comments about Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'.

1. I am not the type of person who enjoys biographies/autobiographies. I bought this book because I am a fan of Paula Deen's and thought that it would be an interesting read.
   
   I love this book. I cannot help but smile at her honesty and wit. The book is written in the true Paula style- you can almost hear that gorgeous Southern accent shine through the words on the page. She includes recipes at the end of every chapter and simply reading them will make your mouth water!
   
   What I enjoy most about this book is that she is so human. She did not come from a rich family who gave her everything. She had to work, really work, for what she has today. She has strength, determination, and a will that accomplished her and brought her to where she is today. Life was not always peaches and roses for her and she reflects upon the bad times with humor. While she has certainly done things in the past that she regrets (we could all right a book on our own experiences!) anyone reading this book will be inspired. What is your dream? What is holding you back? Read this book and you will learn that your only boundaries are the ones you are placing on yourself.
   
   I highly recommend this book. She notes in the beginning that she thought people would not like her or not respect her as much. After reading this book, I like her and respect her even more. She becomes more of a person vs a TV icon.
   
   By the way, there are some juicy parts in this book, but told with the honesty and hint of naughtiness that Ms. Deen is know for!
   
   Viva la Paula!



2. Paula Deen Is One Of My Absolute Favorites On The Food Network.I Have Several Of Her Cook Books,And I Enjoy Watching Her Show.Her Personality Is One In A Million. So Down Home & Warm.Her Openness,Being Frank,Along With Having Fun Cooking A Recipe,She's Always Laughing,And Her Southern Draw,i Love It !! She Opens Up About Her Life & Family In It Aint All About The Cookin.She's Definately One I'd Give Anything To Meet,And Share A Recipe Or 2 And Cook With In The Kitchen.It Aint All About The Cookin Is A Great Read And Well Worth Your Time Reading It.



3. Honestly, this is one heck of a book! Paula Deen is obviously human, full of mistakes and regrets, but ultimately, more than all of that, she is a woman full of strength, loyalty and sheer determination! Reading this book was at times, tough, few people are as candidly honest as Paula is, but truthfully, it just made me respect her more! Her truthfullness is un-apologetic and real, and very hard to find now a days! She makes it clear that she's far from perfect, a risk-taker and not always so nice; she cusses and demands a lot of herself and those around her, a shrewd business woman she is! However, after reading this book, I admire her more; for her strength, her honesty, her genuine regrets about her life (we ALL have them) and her love of food and family! She is an inspiration for any of us who have not always done or said the right thing, but risen above it all in the long run! I think the success and happiness she has today was well-earned and very deserved! I would reccomend this book most definately, just keep an open mind and don't expect a water-downed, sugar coated version of her life...but hey, honesty from the any star themselves is like a breath of fresh air! I'm glad Paula shared her story and it's one I'll reccomend and remmeber for a long time to come!



4. Paula Deen, I just love you girl. You are amazing. I love your family too, and I am so glad you found your "neighbor." Thanks for writing your story. You are a living inspiration to anyone down on their luck. Just look how things can turn around if you keep a positive outlook and aren't afraid of hard work. (You did have a lot of luck too, I might add, and that really keeps the reader hooked.) Thanks for sharing all the pictures, too.



5. Very, very interesting book. It will make you experience every emotion. She will have you laughing, crying and sometimes both at the same time. I already read the book. I got this one as a gift for my mother.

5 comments about Lopsided: How Having Breast Cancer Can Be Really Distracting.

1. I thoroughly recommend this book. Meredith Norton is an incredible writer, and her story is inspirational and also very funny. A great read, highly recommended.



2. There is light at the end of the tunnel... even if it means laughing, crying and struggling along the way. Lopsided was an opportunity to hear from someone just like me (although I am not nearly as funny)a 30 something, wife, mother and lover of life. When the author describes what she goes through, from strong denial to acceptance to treatment-- while constantly thinking about her son, who would raise him and how she would deal with his French/American upbringing-- that hit home. Thanks to Meredith Norton for allowing us to peek into her life, her memories and all of her thoughts as she figured out how to deal with a sharp turn in her life that came without a manual or a clear logical answer.



3. I bought this for a friend who was scheduled for surgery. Advised her to read it first so she would have some snappy answers for the idiotic things people say when you have cancer. She enjoyed it and has been ready for the remarks!



4. I picked up this book because I had heard it was hilarious. In addition, as a retired M.D. and former practicing radiologist, I was particularly interested in a patient's story of her ordeal with cancer. Though I have read thousands of mammograms in my day and have diagnosed thousands of cancers of various types, I have rarely viewed cancer through a patient's perspective. Radiologists, as you may know, have limited patient contact.
   
   This book is light summer reading. Despite the fact that it is nonfiction and deals with a rather gruesome topic, the author has written a page-turner. The main reasons, it seems to me, is that she is an extremely funny and very talented writer, and an unusually pithy observer of human nature.
   
   I had recommended the book to my wife, who said she had no interest in a cancer memoir. But once a number of our friends had also started raving about the book and she stumbled across a great review of it, she bowed to the pressure and started reading it. Now she's interrupting my writing with gales of laughter and exceptionally positive commentary.
   
   So that's my bottom-line recommendation to you--if you're not interested in cancer, fine. Forget this book is about cancer. It's really about the human condition and will keep you in stitches from the moment you pick it up until it allows you to put it down, which won't be until you've finished it.



5. Lopsided is not about cancer or medicine. It's not politically correct or sugar coated. It's about the reactions of one amazing woman to a major speed bump of life. And it's not a downer. Without this kick a brilliant first-time author might never have written, and isn't that short hair cute! My only complaint is I finished two hours into a twelve hour flight. What comes next? When?

5 comments about A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman.

1. This is a easy, great book to read. Great things come in small packages. Joan was able to take a usually negative situation and turn it into something very beneficial. It's all in your perspective. The best thing I got out of this book was "Don't force things, let them happen". You can let go of a lot of anxiety by doing this. Joan did this in her year by the sea. She was able to slow down and appreciate things in a new light. She discovered new ways to enjoy life and skills that she never imagined she would have. She recreated herself for the better and it was very inspiring to go along with her in her journey. She took a break from her life, rebuilt herself and provided her family and friends with a much stronger, vibrant person. This is a good, uplifting book that will help any woman feel empowered.



2. It was the year 2000, I'd been married almost 20 years -- the kids were pretty much grown and I stood at the edge of my marriage - terrified that I'd jump off and terrified that I wouldn't. Okay, maybe terrified is a dramatic term, but that is how I felt. I truly did not know WHAT to do with my "self" even after many years of intentional inner growth, happiness and many blessings. I didn't know if I needed to be REALLY alone or how to be the ME emerging AND be married. There was no other man - no big outer change I sought...I just felt trapped. Thankfully, a friend told me about this book and I devoured it with gratitude. Joan Anderson is a ballsy, brave wayshower -- she's HONEST about the details I wondered about and I can't begin to say how grateful this wasn't a story about another man. Eight years later, I am HAPPY in me--my life and my marriage AND I am still learning - still growing. And now, Joan has THE SECOND JOURNEY out -- her story about the 10 years after writing her first book. Again, she helps so many as she helps her own life. For those who have found A YEAR BY THE SEA inspirational and helpful, please write to Meryl Streep (or her agent/publicist) or your favorite strong 50's actress to consider pushing this story to be made into a movie. This book has helped so many women, men and their marriages! Thank you Joan Anderson!!



3. This was a well written book with many ideas that resonated within me. I especially liked how she started each chapter with a quote, a poem, some bit of writing from another author. I feel this book can help any woman looking to "find herself". While I've learned there is no treasure map that leads us to the "X marks myself", there are several good books that are guideposts, and this one could be counted as one of them.



4. I bought this book after reading a raving review and I was totally disappointed. The style is bland and common, the topic - finding and understanding oneself, which I believe is one of life most important feat - is treated in a shallow manner. In our day and age, I also found it difficult to relate to a fifties' American housewife type of issues. But, it could have all been bearable if the book had been well written. It isn't, and it never managed to stir a bit of passion, beauty or compassion. I was bored from beginning to end, and I only kept reading the book in hope that it might improve. There are many better books out there that deal with introspection, meaning of relationships, being oneself, or surrounding oneself in nature and discovering life.



5. As a woman who just turned 30 years old, I found this book incredibly relevant to my life even with the distance in age and outward life circumstances from the author. The book is beautifully written... poetic, moving, deeply meaningful. I read it over two days and look forward to reading it again. There are many passages that resonated with my so deeply, I look forward to going back and highlighting. I would recommend this book to any woman at a point of transition or questioning in her life - surely it will be like a lighthouse for your rocking ship.

5 comments about Drinking: A Love Story.

1. This book was great. I am 24 and I think that it was for an older audience. A slow start, but once I was in the story I didn't want to put the book down. She writes her song and dace about alcoholism to help the reader out, but I don't think it would make someone put down their bottle. Though they might take a step back and look around and see that there could be a problem. I like that she still loved the drink even after all it did. She can make it seem that a classic working drunk like herself is not so bad, but towards the end it's all bad. Even if you go to work everyday, don't get a DUI, and pay your taxes. An eye opener on that respect.



2. I loved this book. Caroline Knapp's description of why she drank rings true for casual drinkers as well as alcoholics. It is a wonderful memoir--well written and insightful.



3. I'm not going to go on and on about how I analyzed this book and pretend like I'm an expert, but I will say that I loved it. I read it for a health and behavior class intended for exercise science majors. It is an excellent book for females to read and I know many females will be able to relate and feel comfort in Knapp's words, whether or not the reader herself is an alcoholic.



4. I loved this book. I reread it every once in a while because it's so intelligent and beautifully written. It gets a alot of attention as a memoir of addiction (and it's the best one I've ever read), but it stand on it's own as an exquisite piece of writing and a memoir - time spent with a brilliant and nuanced mind, a sophisticated and sensitive person. I wish wish wish I could spend more.



5. What a fantastic book. Not just about alcoholism but the human struggle to live in our own skin, face our problems, our losses and move forward. Also a moving story about an amazingly honest woman. I'm not an alcoholic, but I use the stuff many times to not deal with things, and this book helped me to see that there is something more noble in steering clear of that kind of behavior and seeking more authentic experience. She's done a wonderful job of letting us in on her struggle, and somehow illuminating our own. I was terribly sad to find out that she had passed away some years ago, but she certainly left behind a great gift of inspiration. Her father's quote is a wonderful gem: "Insight is almost always a rearrangement of fact." Her insights bear this out. I wish I had the guts to buy this book for all my girlfriends.