5 comments about I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala.

1. It is incredible that such human suffering went on, and in many ways is still going on, just a couple of hours (by pane) away from where I live. Rigoberta Menchu's book, written as dictated by her, is sad and tells of horrible situations.
   
   Guatemala is a beautiful country, the indigenous sill dress in their local garb, each unique to a particular village. Guatemala has been referred to as the most exotic country in the Western hemisphere.
   
   A good friend of mine, a Guatemala Indian, told me about the efforts of the Indians to get help from the United States. They sought out various Native American tribes in the U.S., that to them was seeking help from America. From what he told, it never occured to the elders of the Guatemalan groups to approach anyone other than Native Americans. And they did not receive help, because help was not available. But had they approached the U.S. government, they most likely wouldn't have been helped either.
   
   I have been in Guatemala so many times, I started to call it my second home. There is still a lot of oppression, and the indigenous still feel fearful of the police and the military. I have not been there in a couple of years and am yearning to return.
   
   The last time, the police/military made great efforts to change their image. Instead of stopping trucks and harrassing the passengers, they handed out white carnations!
   
   Menchu does not deal with the greatest problem that is keeping the indigenous in danger, that of language barrier. The Guatemala Indians speak over 20 local languages. The languages are so totally different, that communication is impossible. Though some books are written in the local languages, they cannot be read by the indigenous because they are illiterate. Division is a "great" tool to keep populations from binding together to fight a common evil. Spanish is the country's political language, but over 80% of the indigenous do not speak Spanish.
   
   I have traveled into the villages, into the hills and mountains where customs as ancient as the peoples themselves still reign. All of them have experienced evil. Their story did not end with Menchu's book. It continues, and who knows how much longer it will continue.
   
   
   



2. I read this book shortly before visiting Guatemala, and I have to say it made my travel experience alot richer. I felt more sensitized to the currents of racism and political struggle still present in the country, as well as to the pain of a people recovering from a horror in the not so distant past. Nearly every Guatemalan that I met had some powerful story of the genocide, and this book gave me a good background on the facts and politics behind the peasant struggle.
   
   Though it has been criticized as being imbellished and realistically inaccurate, I think that it can still be used as a tool to learn about the native Quiche culture in past and present times. Their spiritual and political beliefs and their connections to the natural world are interwoven throughout the memoir. And most importantly, the horror of a major Latin American genocide that still scars the memories of peasants in the region today. Rigoberta was very matter of fact in sharing information about the torture and killing of her people in gruesome detail... so detailed that it was difficult to read at times, but nevertheless, essential in understanding the extent of the what happened to her people.
   
   Whether you read this book as fact or historical fiction, I think it is a good read for anyone interested in Latin American history, politcal science, peasant cultures, or human rights. It is a story that will stick in your mind... and your heart.



3. I read this book years ago and re-read it again recently. It is still one of my favorite books. Rigoberta Menchu suffered unbelievable atrocities and incredible losses and still lived to tell her courageous story through an interpreter. I think the book is phenomenal and I recommend it to anyone with a heart. It helps explain a lot about the Guatamalen people and their strife. It also is a timely book since the illegal immigration debate rages on in this country on a daily basis. It paints a vivid picture of the suffering of indigenous peoples and helps us to relate to their need to escape their countries in search of a better life. I dont know what David Stoll had to gain by writing a book that contradicted Menchu's powerful account. She states at the beginning of her book that her perspective is hers alone and that her memories may have been clouded by the trauma. It makes me crazy when people pick apart one tiny aspect of a book and then, throw the entire thing out as a sham. The same thing happened with the James Frey book, A million little pieces. People tended to ignore the overall strengths of the book and his basic message of surviving drug addiction over a few little insignificant details. This book is the same situation. The overall message and story of rigoberta menchu is so powerful and moving, it must be read, even if there is a fact or two that someone wants to contradict.



4. We give I, Rigoberta Menchú four stars because it was a good book but at the same time it was complicated to understand. For instead, it was a good book because she explains her life very well with details. Rigoberta also never gave up she kept going no matter as hard situation she'll face in her life. This book is complicated because Rigoberta just keeps repeating her self, is like we want to know more, something different. What we learn from this book, if we really truly want something we should never give up and when you feel like falling down for a moment, pick your self up and accomplish your dream.



5. It is common knowledge that this book is really a pile of lies. It isn't much of an autobiography and leaves the reader wondering which, if any, parts of it to really consider seriously.
   
   It is truly painful to read due to the unending redundant rambling nature of Menchu's storytelling.
   
   I cannot believe that this garbage is still being assigned as required reading. Worthless.

5 comments about Drinking: A Love Story.

1. What a powerful story! And according to the NIH (National Institutes of Health), half of all American families "have at least 1 or 2 active alcoholics in them". My family is one of them. And over 75% of the caseloads of therapists are problems that arise from living with alcoholism. Most of the people in A.A. have still-drinking alcoholics they go home to. The book that I use over and over, with my counseling clients is "Getting Them Sober". Getting Them Sober: You Can Help! (Getting Them Sober) It's sold over a million copies and endorsed by 'dear Abby' and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Harvard University's employee assistance program.....and has literally hundreds of effective solutions for sobriety and recovery. Most of my clients report that their family lives change for the better within days of reading this book.



2. While I read the book I felt hollow, like I was taking in the words but I felt nothing. It's not that I didn't understand what she was saying, the words just seemed devoid of the human aspect of dependency. I could have done without the first half of the book completely. It was tedious and I never connected with the author's plight. The second half was a little better for me. I saw a friend of mine in the second half and that helped a little...because I could put a human experience with the narrative. And that's what the book lacked. A feeling that someone, a caring human with feelings, was writing it. I never connected with the author no matter how much I wanted to understand her story. I felt like I was reading a weak story about someone written by a third person. It would have been a one-star if not for the second half.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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.

5 comments about Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith.

1. This book just "popped" up as an advertised suggestion for me, and after looking at the details on Amazon, I decided to order it. I am doing a lot of soul searching about my own faith journey, and am having a struggle with the Institutional Church not truly following the teachings of Jesus, having gotten enmired in politics and building empire. I felt this book was speaking to me, and is one I could hardly put down. It is well written, and certainly one I would, and have recommended to others.



2. Over the course of my life I have learned certain things about salad; it has good, nourishing things in it, like spinach, almonds, feta cheese, and olive oil. Sometimes you can add strawberries. With a splash of balsamic vinegar, it sings. Other times it is dressed with slightly less healthy things like mayonnaise or sour cream, but generally its ingredients have a clear line of succession back to something alive; apples, raisins, eggs, potatoes.
   
   Then I moved to South Dakota, where I was introduced to "salad". Unlike what I have just described, this concoction is made of things like Cool Whip and crushed up Oreos. It tastes good in the moment, but by the end of it I am always left slightly nauseous and wondering where it came from.
   
   There's a lot of spiritual "salad" out there. Thankfully, this offering is not in that group. From the moment you crack open the cover, it sings. Her story of earthy, fragrant devotion to God is refreshing and very alive. It breathes the living life of Christ and speaks from the still beating but wounded heart of the church. Thankfully, Taylor veers only briefly into the sordid realm of political hot button issues, and for good reason.
   
   With fifteen years in the pastoral crucible under her belt, and an evident love for all of us, Taylor comes across as someone you can trust. Her words in this precious memoir are nourishing, full of flavor and, like the vegetables in her Georgia garden, entirely organic.



3. This book would have been more accurately described in the subtitle as a "Memoir of Personal Experience".
   
   She dismisses orthodox Christian Theology and doctrine as something that the Apostles and Early Church had to "come up with" to explain this or that.
   
   Ultimately it is a story of how the narrow Christian path and Church "didn't work" for her, and many of her thoughts and experiences confirm the fact that women were never meant to be "priests" in the first place (though this fact enrages those who hold to the political language of "equal rights" versus sound apostolic theology).
   
   I found the book pleasant and very readable, but at the same time it was a sad story of how Christ just "wasn't enough". While most in our culture will find it "affirming" or down right "spiritual", it is a disappointment for the orthodox Christian who may wish to read a story about how Christ and the scriptures contain "all things necessary for salvation".
   
   Barbara's approach in later life is gnostic and universalist. In the words of her Presiding Bishopess, "saying Christ is the only way is to put God in too small of a box". Emotions, feelings, and cravings rule the day in the final analysis of her relationship to Christ, and it seems that "leaving" orthodoxy is freeing to her, though I question she was ever there in the first place. Ultimately, God is the final judge of what she has done and what she now teaches.
   
   Her elevation of Native American theology and her fondness of "other paths" leads the committed Christian looking elsewhere for a story of knowing Christ and Him crucified, and following Him in a culture that values personal choice and heterodoxy over all other things.
   
   In the end it is a volume that will find great company with the writings of Spong, Borg, Ehrman, and others who deny the reality of John 14:6 and the authority of Holy Sripture in the name of being on "an authentic journey".
   
   If I have to "put my eggs in one basket" I am going to have to stick with the Apostles and the Church Fathers and leave "other ways" up to Barbara, fine preacher though she is.



4. I read a lot of memoirs these days. In fact they are probably my favorite literary genre. Maybe I should have been warned by Taylor's subtitle - not simply "a memoir," but "a memoir of faith." Because this is not a memoir in the usual sense. There is precious little of Taylor's childhood, youth or young adulthood - no real concrete stories and examples from her life. Too much of this book remains caught in the abstraction of ideas and beliefs, with not nearly enough examples. The people who show up in the book remain undeveloped vague outlines. And I have a hard time identifying with Brown's spiritual "quest," if that is what it is. I don't think it's because she's a woman either. What few facts that do emerge about her life outside this "quest" do not really serve to make her a sympathetic character. Daughter of a psychotherapist, sister of a lawyer, wife of an engineer - all these tidbits add up to what appears to have been a life of privilege and ease, and continued to be even after her ordination, as she speaks of her Saab and Audi and how they didn't fit into her rural community, and goes on at some length about everything she "wanted" in her custom-built home outside of town (in lieu of a parsonage near her church). What comes through in Barbara Brown Taylor's book is a story of a driven overachiever, who in fact drives herself into a near nervous breakdown, which finally causes her to leave her church and the active priesthood. While I do not doubt the sincerity of her quest for her true vocation and place in God's world, I do wonder about her motives. She became more likeable - more human - in the final section of the book, after she had left the priesthood, when she talks about her crisis of faith and things like her fears of inadequacy and the death of her father. Having said all of this, I still have to say that I'm glad I read the book, which has left me with much to think about in regard to my own role in the Church (Catholic in my case)and my relationship with God and my place in His world. I also think that Taylor is a person I'd like to know, but these 200-plus pages have not given me that opportunity. A memoir of faith? Perhaps. A "memoir"? No. - Tim Bazzett, author of Reed City Boy



5. This gracefully written narrative tells the story of Taylor's journey toward ordained ministry, her years as an Episcopal priest, and her departure from that life into a new vocation as a college professor. She decides that the most important calling is not to be ordained or to be religious, but to be fully human and to live a life of love. This is a touching autobiography, an eloquent memoir of faith.

5 comments about Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia (P.S.).

1. The author dives deep into her life and the choices she made. She doesn't hold back. Up front and personal.



2. Marya wasn't always the way she is today. She used to be the all American girl eating PB and J's while she watched her cartoons, but when Marya was eight years old something in her brain changed and since then she has never been the same.
   Author Marya Hornbacher beautifully illustrates her struggles with bulimia and anorexia in her autobiography Wasted. She shows a world that people hardly get to see and explains the life and ways of bulimics and anorectics that is both compelling and inspiring.
   Wasted takes you through 10 years of Marya's life as she slowly jumps back and forth between anorexia and bulimia. It depicts the everyday struggles of the disease; how the body slowly stops to care about what is occurring, the constant worries about food, and the fear that someone might find out and God forbid, possibly try to help you! It goes in depth about the psychological factors of the disease and explains it all in a way that is understandable and relevant. This book will both shock and sicken you as you discover what goes behind closed doors of these two heartless diseases.
   My praise is endless for this novel and I thank it for opening my eyes to the mysterious world that is impossible to fully understand unless you've experienced the ordeal first hand. Many people could benefit from taking the time to read Wasted, which will help to clue people in and provide a better understanding to the problems in our society and what goes on to the people who are enduring these struggles daily. However this book is not a constant thriller and amongst the eye opening and realization moments there will be a few parts that are tedious and almost seem to drag on. In spite of the occasional drowsy sections this book offers an incredible insight inside the secret lives of bulimics and anorectics and I would confidently recommend it to anyone who wants a brilliant and inspiring read.



3. Marya Hornbacher is the mediator between the everyday human being and the world's most widely misunderstood creatures of society: the eating-disordered. In "Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia", she explains to readers that eating disorders are not just "phases" that teenage "girls" go through, but rather an intense, passionate desire for power that "strips you of all power" instead.
   Hornbacher, a freelance journalist who is also the author of "The Center of Winter" and "Madness: A Bipolar Life", developed bulimia at age nine, developed alcohol and drug issues at the age of thirteen, and became anorexic at the age of fifteen. After her release from a residential treatment hospital, she attended the University of Minnesota and wrote for the local paper, accepting her scholarship to American University later in 1992. She later developed other physical problems following her continued eating disorders.
   Although a rather sullen story of the highs and lows of her struggle with weight, Hornbacher addresses the point that eating disorders, cultural obsession with weight and body, food, and control have a lot in common. In one section of the book, she writes that an eating disorder is



4. Marya Hornbacher is witty, honest, and surprisingly insightful. Marya does not hold back. I can not imagine what it is like to have the truth (pretty much, the bad, the ugly, and the uglier) out on paper, much less published and widely circulated. It certainly takes courage. There is always a little part of the human psyche that does not want to "look in the mirror" to face the self-created and self-destroyed reality. I was equally impressed to find out that Marya was 23 years old when she wrote this memoir, the maturity of her voice, philosophical discussions, and the depth of her experiences do not betray this fact. This is definitely a must read for anybody looking to find out more about life (and death) with EDs.



5. This was exceptionally written. Marya is a girl who suffers from severe anorexia and bulimia and lived to tell about it. When she begins her story and talks about when she first started her bulimia, her observations of things at this young age seemed far beyond her years. Her feelings and thoughts are described in the most intricate detail and intelligence. It isn't a surprise that Marya won awards for her writing.
   I grew up during the 70's and 80's but I can't really relate to the obsession with body, weight and food. Society may play a part in her eating disorder but I think her family, their lifestyle, her relationship with her parents and their eating habits all contributed to Marya's eating disorder.
   I am amazed at how well Marya was able to put her experience, thoughts, feelings and diagnosis into words. Her ability to go back and interpret her disease and why she did the things she did is truly amazing.
   I think all girls, teenagers and adult woman should read this book. Not only for the perspective of the eating disorder but to get a true picture of how everywhere you go women are talking about their weight and the parts of their bodies they hate.

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

1. I was so moved by Dr. Saks story, I couldn't put this book down. She is so brave to write her life's story and risk so much. Despite all her challenges, she is extremely accomplished as well as hopeful, courageous, honest, resilient, sensitive and generous. She exposes the mental health system in this country and compares it to England's. Every word in the book is meaningful. Dr Saks tells the story in a clear, precise, and simple to understand way. I found Elyn an inspirational role model. I have recommended this book to many relatives and friends. I even bought it as a gift for close relatives. I hope one day to meet her.



2. This was a great story of one womans struggle with coming to terms with mental illness and trying to maintain her life. It was both encouraging that she was able to finally overcome the illness to create a successful career and personal life, and at the same time discouraging that it took her over 15 years of struggle and denial to do so.



3. Excellent book! Gives a better understanding of what goes on in the mind of a schizophrenic; thus helping others be more compassionate and less judgmental.



4. Ms. Saks uses poignant analogies and metaphors to really drive home what it feels like to be mentally ill. She is obviously a tireless advocate for those among us who are unable to represent themselves, or defend themselves in some cases. It was scary, but identifiable in a way. She did come off as a bit self-centered and childish in some instances, like when she would describe how she would run home and hide and cry and have a psychotic break if a professor or colleague didn't do back flips over how great her work was. But overall it was a good read.



5. 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.

5 comments about A Room of One's Own.

1. This is a beautifully written and highly enjoyable exploration of the history of women in writing. It is also a plea for the liberation of women, and their full entrance into the world of Literature. Woolf argues that a woman needs financial independence, a room , that is a space of her own, if she is to be able to truly create. She also needs the kind of access to everyday life that women confined to hearth and home were as she sees it, traditionally denied.
   She urges that Woman enter into all fields of writing, and develop in directions they had no opportunity to develop in before.
   She also perhaps reflecting on her own experience and nature argues for the androgynous nature of the creator, seeing in Shakespeare, Keats and certainly Proust a strong feminine element.
   Woolf anticipates and perhaps in some sense helps creates the vast flourishing of Literature written by women which will come in the decades after her.



2. A timeless essay not only for women. Good hard binding that will keep. It's a must have if you like English literature.



3. after i ordered this book, the distributors let me know instantly that they no longer had the book on shelf, and instantly refunded my account. speedy service is one thing, but keeping the customer informed is another...thanks



4. Virginia Woolf in her best form - personal but not self-centred, concentrated and ready to fight for what she believes is right. This long essay gives her views on the position of women in literature but offers also an overview of their role through centuries - from the imaginary Shakespeare's sister to her contemporaries. A must read for all readers regardless of sex!



5. I found it tedious to read in spite of the high literary reputation and ability of Virginia Woolf. There must be something lacking in me.
   
   Edward Cook

5 comments about A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland Indiana (Today Show Book Club #3).

1. This was a light hearted and hilariously funny book. It is refreshing every once in a while to read a story that doesn't have murder, major drama, or psychological problems. Zippy's story is from a small town where something you and I take for granted every day is described in a way to make you laugh and appreciate the small things in life. I bought the next Zippy book afterwards and loved it just as much.



2. This is the story of Zippy, an imaginative, precocious girl who grew up in the small town of Mooreland, Indiana during the 1960's and 1970's. She tells stories about her family members, childhood friends, eccentric neighbors, and various pets. Through it all, Zippy has a resilience of spirit and a positive attitude that shine through, even in situations that otherwise may not be ideal.
   
   This book is unusual in that it is written with a child's voice, but is interesting and humorous to adults. Haven Kimmel is really able to capture the feeling of being a child, and how even the most minor of events can have major importance. It was refreshing to read a memoir about a happy childhood, and I found myself reciting several sweet and funny passages out loud to various family members. I loved how Zippy shared the stories of the first memory she ever had, the first time she thought about family genes, and the first time she thought about the passage of time. The book is written in very simple prose, but has depth to it as well.
   
   I highly, highly recommend this book. It was an absolute joy, and I loved every minute of it. Do not miss this one!!!!



3. I concur with much of the praise that precedes me: "Zippy" is a lyrically written, thoughtful, engaging memoir that I read with great pleasure.
   
   And yet, in the end, it was the very pleasure of my reading experience that troubled me. A reviewer below notes, "It is refreshing every once in a while to read a story that doesn't have murder, major drama, or psychological problems." Yet the book is chock full of every one of those things, and then some: those themes are just so sugar-coated, the reader is hypnotized into overlooking them.
   
   A short list of thematic elements touched on by the book includes: depression, alcoholism, birth defects, child-neglect, child sexual abuse, murder, teenage pregnancy, animal cruelty (in abundance), mental illness, religious fanatacism, grinding poverty, gambling addiction, and the Mi Lai Massacre, for goodness' sake!
   
   And yet these themes are all presented in a filmy, dreamlike way that removes their sting and horror. One could argue that that is the theme of the book: the triumph of one child's powerful sense of self over adversity.
   
   However, as I turned the final page, I began to feel that I had been tricked into approving, even admiring, the "good old days" that never were. I believe the author could have and should have demanded more of the reader to connect the dots between events as seen from the child's point of view and the more stark light of adult reality. This book makes it all too easy for the reader to condone a world in which very serious issues are treated as light afternoon reading on the front porch swing.



4. Well written memoir. I think most people who read this book get the fact that though she was loved by her parents, her childhood was far less than perfect. I for one did not read this book and think "wow, what a refreshing a wonderful memoir of a lovely and decent childhood". It was cleverly written from a child's perspective so that we adult readers would read enough into what she was writing to understand that though her childhood was, in many ways, quite dysfunctional and disturbing at times, the author herself saw life from a different perspective. This could have easily been written as a 'woe is me' kind of memoir but it would have been far less interesting and real. I appreciate her humor and positive light. There were many times when I related entirely to what she was writing (I too grew up in a dysfunctional family in a very small town in Indiana) and many times I laughed right out loud. I really enjoyed this book.



5. In the first 75 pages of this warm and fuzzy book, the following happens (and not much else): a piglet dies, a dog dies of worms, a hen and rooster are dragged off by dogs, the dogs get shot, a cat is stolen and starved in a basement, oh, and a rabbit has its ears stapled to a fence and its head chopped off. One would expect plenty of death on a farm but there's no farm in this story. Just a backyard.

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

1. This book is surprising, funny, and you won't be able to put it down! I absolutely loved it.



2. 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!



3. 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.



4. 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!



5. 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 comments about Bless Your Heart, Tramp: And Other Southern Endearments.

1. This is the second of her books that I have read and loved both! She nails our "southernisms" on the head. If you are from the South, have lived in the South, or know someone who has you'll love this. She talks of all things southern with the beauty and sharpness of a Cherokee Rose.



2. If you are from "The South" you will nod as you laugh until tears dilute your bowl of grits while you read this classic. If you are not from "The South" (bless your heart) you will still be captivated by Celia's hilarious view of life south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Everyone will love this one.



3. This is another fun romp with Celia Rivenbank, the Southern belle of belly laughs. Quick and fun summer read!



4. I bought this book as a gift for a friend my age. After I had received the book myself as a gift, I knew she could relate to many of the stories in the book and would enjoy as much as I. It is typical of life in the south for people of middle age. Most enjoyable!



5. 
   I like this book. It's funny and very entertaining. Some of these situations are familar.
   Also I like the fact that if I have to put it down I can come back to it when I get the time and I don't have to go back and reread the pages before.
   I can also use some of these sayins and information and not only have an answer but a little private joke as to where it came from.

5 comments about The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn.

1. I think that this book was very infomative. I didn't need to do anymore research to find the answers I was looking for. This book had it all.



2. Eric Ives's book about Anne Boleyn is absolutely the best study of her life and death I have ever read -- and I've read quite a few. Finally, Henry VIII's rejection of his "entirely beloved wife" makes sense, given the whole story of Anne's involvement with the religious reformers; the factions at court; and the loss of power that Thomas Cromwell faced because of her. Ives's depiction of Cromwell's engineering of Anne's arrest reads like a thriller. It was not as simple as Henry's wandering eye and Anne's "miscarriage of her savior". A very complex and moving book.
   
   Caitlin Scott-Turner
   (author, The Queen's Fencer)The Queen's Fencer



3. From all the books I've ready about Anne Boleyn, this is by the far the best in all aspects. Ives really gives the reader an inside glimpse as to who Anne Boleyn was and not just known as the second Queen of England that brought down Katherine of Aragon and was beheaded. I would recommend this book highly to any avid readers of Tudor history. Excellent, factual and well-researched!



4. If you are interested in historical content as well as an interesting read then this book is for you. If you were lucky enough to watch Showtime's "The Tudors" it makes the book even more enjoyable. While Showtime took certain historical liberties with the series, the book does not. It is a definite page turner. Mr. Ives has managed to help the reader appreciate this particular period of history that comes alive with the cast of characters, intrigue, love and death. Well done Mr. Ives.



5. Anne Boleyn continues to fascinate. A woman of wit, intelligence and a feminist in her time. She won a king's heart but incurred his wrath. A life cut short, a child deprived of her mother. A true tale of intrigue, corruption and manipulation. A cast of interesting characters vieing for power, wealth and fame.