5 comments about Love, Lucy.

1. I found this book to be very well written and interesting I discovered things about Lucille Ball that I did not know. It held my interest from beginning to end. If you are a fan of I Love Lucy you will enjoy this book I highly recommend it to everyone.



2. I picked this book up on a recommendation from someone who used to work on the I Love Lucy Show (Dann Cahn). It was fantastic! Written by Lucy herself, it really focused on her feelings and thoughts early on. Once I started I couldn't put it down.



3. Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball was an autobiography she wrote but never published. Her daughter Lucie found the manuscript and decided to publish it almost a decade after her mother's death. Lucille Ball was a comic gem, she did everything so perfectly. This book is good but some of the parts seem empty so I can't give this book 5 stars. Ball talks about her modeling days, how she met and fell in love with Desi Arnaz, her hit t.v. show and becoming a businesswoman when she was highly criticized for being too tough. Check this good summer read out sometime, enjoy!



4. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a Lucy fan. Knowing that it is an autobiography makes it more interesting. You can almost hear her voice as you read through the lines. Her life wasn't all roses. Lots of pictures for us to enjoy. Get the book. You won't put it down.



5. I quite enjoyed this one. It is Lucy's "lost" autobiography--that is, it was only discovered and published after her death in 1989. It was found tucked away in the files of her former attorney, discovered when her children were processing her estate. Apparently, Lucy had begun an "as told to" book by dictating for two years to a talented secretary who transcribed her tapes and even traveled to her hometown to interview her childhood friends for their memories. The resulting product is the history of Lucy from her birth in 1911 to Christmas of 1962. It is written in the present tense, and many of the readers who knew her commented that it was in her "own voice." When Lucie got to listen to the tapes, she even discovered that her mother had been accurately quoted for once! A warm picture emerges of an ambitious but essentially normal comedienne who was very family-oriented and hard-working. Her father died before she had a chance to know him, but she was raised lovingly by her mother and maternal grandparents. She goes through stints of modeling and starring in movies, about which time she meets Desi Arnaz. He played the Cuban firecracker to her more low-key character, and the sparks flew. They went on together to produce the most beloved television show of all time and to rule over the empire of Desilu Productions. But they found themselves not too compatible in the end--he was working too hard and given to explosive rages, and his drinking and many infidelities didn't help matters any. He humiliated her publically on many occasions, and that was why she eventually wanted a divorce. But she remained fond of him, and put this book away because she was afraid that its revelations would hurt him. She went on to meet and marry Gary Morton and found happiness with him for many years until her death. But Gary is only a small part of this book--you walk away struck by what Lucy and Desi achieved together that neither could have achieved alone.

5 comments about In Contempt (G K Hall Large Print Book Series).

1. First off, Jess Walters is a wonderful writer. Very powerful writing.
   
   After reading the book, I have the upmost respect for Darden and his fight for justice. Although he could not achieve justice for Nicole Brown, I admire him for his heart.
   
   This is an easy book to read. Getting an insider look through the eyes of Darden is well worth your time. It inspires emotion and inspiration.



2. A very well written book about Christopher Darden's childhood, working as an adult in L.A. and "trying" to prosecute O.J. ! I did not want to read anything about O.J. - but glad I went ahead and read this book. I would highly recommend it. Loved every aspect of the book.



3. Truth is stranger than fiction! This would be a great fictitious story, only one small problem, it's real. lf you came from another planet or were under a rock for the past l4 years, you would think that Darden has an incredible imagination. But he lived it. 0f course this was his side of the story, l'm sure the dream team's version is much different. But hats off to Christopher Darden. And BABAB0OEY to y'all!



4. In this well written book, Darden gives readers a behind the scene look at what happened at the trial. He tells readers how racism was injected into the trial by the defense team, gives his account of the infamous glove demonstration, and reveals the stress he was under being the focus of the Dream Team's wrath. He does not hold back frank opinions about Judge Ito, the Dream Team, fellow prosecutors, Furhman etc. The book is a very interesting read that provides important context to the most famous trial of the 20th century.



5. A nice book about the O.J. Simpson case. I liked how Darden relays his own story of race with the murder case. Clearly, Darden has evolved over the years and became someone to look up to.
   
   Darden tells it like it is with how the Dream Team uses the race card. Up against insurmountable evidence that their client did it, they attack the DA's case by showing there was a rascist cop and a incompetent technician. The jury itself is itching to come to the same conclusion due to the Rodney King beatings.
   
   This is a nice tale on how the justice system is not always right. Two people were murdered and there was little justice.

5 comments about Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton.

1. I was fortunate enough to hear David Gergan speak at my daughter's commencement last month. After hearing him in person, I couldn't wait to purchase his book. I am not normally interested in political history due to the dull reading of most, but David Gergan really makes the information come alive. His elaboration of the former presidents really gives you a tremendous sense of his deep interest & admiration of each of these men. While being truthful with the information, he finds the good to present to us in an honest way. I purchased this book for an upcoming young leader in our family, who I hope will gain insight & wisdom from reading this book. I only wish that he too will feel the same way & have the opportunity to hear David Gergan live. It is certainly rare for me to be just as interested in listening to a speaker at the end of their presentation as I am at the beginning of it. David is as good an author as he is a speaker. An excellent read for present & future leaders!



2. Quick turn around and received the book, just as it was listed. Thanks. I'll look for your books again.



3. David Gergen provides important insights into leadership. He was worked for several Presidents and has observed what creates successful leaders. He lists his observations by President and concludes the following: Leadership is something one finds internally, it is driven by a compelling goal, it is successful when it persuades others, it requires understanding how the involved process works and how goals may be attained, it often uses an atmosphere of assurance from the beginning, it involving choosing and considering advice form good advisors, and it is able to inspire followers to work toward the goals. These are only a foundation of principles which do not assure success yet should be a guide to expand upon.
   
   The manner in which leadership is used does influence outcomes. A good knowledge of past experiences is valuable yet this knowledge must be used appropriately. The early periods of Presidencies often provide opportunities for achievement yet, simultaneously are also when some of the worst mistakes are made. David Gergen argues the Presidency requires someone who has an excellent knowledge of public affairs as well the proper temperament. He rates Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan as two of the best Presidential leaders.
   
   The book provides many direct insights from someone who worked for Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton. He tells how Nixon was inspired by DeGaulle to rely upon both intellect and instinct, how Ford was a strong believer in the truth, how Reagan upped the ante in the arms race so the Soviet Union could no longer compete, and how Clinton understood history and established policy victories. This is a good book that uses first hand information and uses it to explain what leadership principles worked and which ones did not.



4. This book has been an eye opener to the strengths of even the most despised Presidents. I learned a lot about the importance of bipartisanship in getting a President's initiatives passed. It also made me realize that the press will not give me the real image of the "Big Guy." Going into an election year we need to realize that all of the slander politics are not as important as learning about the candidates' thoughts and hopes for their and our future. Reading the candidates' autobiography or biography may be a great way to really get an understanding about a person who thinks they have what it takes to run the most powerful country in the world. Look forward to seeing reviews on a few books from our upcoming candidates.



5. Politics is such a contact sport, with the opposing party trying to bring down the President. A house divided cannot stand, yet here in America we no longer rally around the President after the election. The losing party tries to destroy him.
   
   I have always like Gergen and I appreciate his wisdom in this book. Even the most liberal Democrat will find much to admire about Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan if he reads this book with an open mind. Likewise, the most conservative Republican will find many positive traits about Bill Clinton, faults and all.
   
   These men were not perfect and they all had their weaknesses, which their enemies ultimately used against them. But these men all had what it takes to make great Presidents. Sadly, Nixon was forced to resign, Clinton was impeached, and Reagan survived the Iran/Contra scandal.
   
   Today in 2006, we hear that if the Democrats gain control in Congress, they might try to impeach the current President for his failings. Will we ever learn? Can a President ever serve an 8 year term without the threat of impeachment by the other side?
   
   All men have faults and we will never have a President that is perfect. In "Eyewitness to Power" we learn that anyone who becomes President must have leadership skills to be able to rise to this high office. Maybe future leaders can learn from the mistakes of past Presidents. They better because in today's political climate, the other side will be waiting for any misstep.

2 comments about Eleanor Powell: First Lady of Dance.

1. I was born 30 years too late. Otherwise I'd a been a "Stage-door Johnny" for Eleanor Powell. She was -- as Frank Sinatra said in the "That's Entertainment" DVDs -- the greatest, and we are unlikely to ever see such elegant excellence as the best boy-girl tap dance ever done (first the paso-doble to Cole Porter's Begin the Beguine, then the jazz tap version to Artie Shaw's Clarinet.) Alice Levin has captured this in a dandy, easy-reading book laced with pictures of that beautiful hoofer. This is not a dry listing of tidbits, but a glorious feast for those who are young at heart, love musicals. Those were the days just before WWII, but still in the Great Depression, when "The Movies" and its Stars made America Sing! And Dance! And nobody, as is nobody, was better or more athletic a female tap dancer than the delectable,compellingly female and drop-dead gorgeous Eleanor Powell. Alice Levin has chronicled this well.



2. if your are big eleanor powell fan which i am, this is the book for you. it has a very detalied accounts of her life from her days on the broadway stage to her comeback in early 60's in las vegas. and her first and only marriage to the actor glenn ford.

   unlike the the other autobiography of her by margie schultz which also has a HUGE amount of information on miss powell; this one has lots more pictures of her in action. some never seen before.
   and the author had a personal contact with our dancing lady and helped name an award after her. it a great collector's item, one which if you are a tap dancer or any dancer would pass on to your child to keep her name alive in print and purchase her videos so you can she she was truly the first lady of dance...she did it all.

5 comments about His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina.

1. This book went straight to the heart. For any of you faced with challenging children, this book shows a mothers journey of never giving up through life's challenges with raising a challenging child.



2. This is not just one mother's struggle to help and understand her bipolar child, it is a commentary on the state of help for mentally ill adolescents. The one mother, of course, being the famous and wealthy Danielle Steel who had resources beyond most parents wildest dreams. Yet she encountered numerous educators, psychologists and psychiatrists who were incompetent and disastrous. But this book is also about unconditional love, being resourceful and never giving up. As someone who has worked in both mental health and education, I am so sad that when kids don't fall into the cookie-cutter mold (although Nick was far from that), there is such a hodge-podge of often inadequate help for them. I highly recommend this book and think Danielle Steel has really given readers a wonderful gift in sharing her story.



3. bought this book for girlfrind, she has a sizeable collection of danielle steel, an her comment when finish reading it was "that lady speaks from the heart" .she being one who knows her danielle steel,an commenting on them to me, this was one of her better recommendations. Enjoy!



4. This book is such a deep, feeling, compassionate true story of the pain and suffering Danielle Steele and her son Nick experienced. It is honest, very, very human and shows human suffering in such a clear manner that you can feel the pain of Danielle, Nick and the rest of the family and close friends. I have a son with a similar diagnosis as Nick, and it has helped me to better understand him and myself, and realize that I am not alone on this journey to support the son I love so very much through his painful experiences. Every person should read this to understand how love and bonding with others that have emotional problems is so painful - and if one is in that same situation, this book helps you relate and learn and perhaps realize there is no guilt, no blame - it is just the way it is and you can only do so much for an ill person. But what she points out so strongly is the bond they had and their love for each other, which gave her son the energy to be as productive as he was during his lifetime - and just so awful that the pain was so horrid that he had to end it all - But when you take this journey with Danielle and Nick through this book, you can feel the pain Nick had and understand a bit as to why. I recommend this to anyone who wants to understand humanity a bit more than they do - so they can help those who need the extra step of care and understanding to help them through their horrid journey of life when they are emotionally ill. How courageous and wonderful of Danielle Steele to share this with us, and open herself up to her feelings, her insecurities and her emotions. Thank you, Danielle - and thank you Nick and helping us understand your pain through your mom.



5. This really is the greatest nonfiction story I ever read with such a tragic ending. His life was so troubled, but it is truly inspiring. It makes you look inside yourself and those you love, and realize that there are some things we can not change. Those things that we can change, however, are often overlooked when the cries for help are accidentally ignored. This happened to Nick Traina. I do agree with other users that it seems that his mother, although full of love, does feel a lot of guilt. No one could have told his story better than himself, of course, but it seems unlikely that anyone else knew him better than his mother. Very touching, and I am happy that his legacy continues to inspire and live on. R.I.P. Nick.

5 comments about Clapton: The Autobiography (Random House Large Print (Cloth/Paper)).

1. I am a big clapton fan and have read many things about him. this bio has many interesting stories, mostly about his interactions with other bands, they are funny and cool to know about. however, this bio does not go into much depth into his albums, songs or simple band histories. he dedicates few pages to cream and derek and the dominos and does not really go into detail how and when he really progressed as a guitar player. he makes it seem like he just suddenly began to be glorified randomly. if you are interested in clapton and want to find a more detailed story about his musical upbringing and many bands i would suggest Crossroads by Michael Schumacher. thats a solid read.



2. It came in better condition than I expected(which was excellent). Very quick shipping as well.



3. ...and thusly I wasn't disappointed. My father lent me his copy, and I noticed once I began that there was a book marker in the second to last chapter, making me wonder if he was able to get through the book.
   
   I already had a pretty good idea that Eric Clapton is/was/has been a sorry human being. Yes that is very harsh, and I understand that he came from a dysfunctional family, as the book makes clear. I have enjoyed most of his music over the years, and I do credit him with making an attempt to help other people battle the demons he has. That said, I am so very grateful not to have had him as my father, and I would probably not recommend him for anyone seeking treatment for chemical dependency. Let the professionals handle that.
   
   Like others, I also noticed the glaring absence of elaboration in the deaths of George Harrison. I don't know if they had a falling out that just isn't mentioned, or if George didn't want to be disturbed during his last months, but it seems that it should have been discussed, since Eric had no problem exposing a lot of very personal details about Patti and many others. And I don't mean to be judgmental, but I laughed out loud when he flippantly mentioned how his relationship with his new wife--so many years into sobriety--developed. But hey, his heroes all got around, used and threw away women, gave them children they didn't want, and his own father (and mother) were absent from his life. He had lousy role models, and many celebrities seem to live by a different set of rules. At least he has stated that he really wants to end the cycle of broken homes.
   
   Still, I'm highly skeptical that the jet-setter he's become is conducive to being a decent part-time dad to two different families, even if his touring schedule slows down. He doesn't seem happy to stay anywhere...England is too dark and cold for him, but California and the Carribean only seem to provide temporary respite until he becomes homesick for England again.
   
   Don't get me wrong, I do have a healthy respect for the guy. It does take a lot of courage for someone who spent most of his life as a spoiled brat to tell anyone who'll listen what a flawed person he's been. I'll let slide most of the positive things he has to say about himself (which I do agree often come off as boasting) since I don't think anyone's going to be interested in 300+ pages of pure self-pity.
   
   I won't say it's a waste of time to read. It is interesting to get his perspective on a lot of things, such as the music business, the places he's traveled, people he's interacted with, and the time period in which he's lived. Just don't expect to find a whole lot of reconciliation. He does seem to have come more to terms with himself, with his wealth and fame and responsibilities, but it seems like he's still let a lot of personal relationships sour. He's come a long way and it seems like he's on the right road, but he's still got a lot of growing up to do, in my opinion.



4. an excellent book. i wish it was longer.but the 60's and early 70's were a blur for him.



5. Have been an Eric Clapton music and live performance fan all my life. But the book is disappointing. It has no insights. It is a rambling description of a life spent in a haze. I would stick with the music and forget about his personal life, which should have remained private if there were no take aways from it.
   
   He does come through as very honest.

5 comments about The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush.

1. At the end of this book, despite having interviewed plenty of people for it, this reader still doesn't really know who Laura Bush is. She comes off as very private, and seems to be doing a noteworthy job of her quasi-job - "First Lady", which we learns is a term she does not care for in the least.
   
   The author takes a few pot shots at President Bush ~ such as saying that the President has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and Mrs. Bush has one with reading. She paints them as polar opposites, and I got the sense that the author was constantly shaking her head at what possessed Mrs. Bush to marry Mr. Bush. She also tries to suggest that Mrs. Bush is farther to the left than she would like to let on, but I don't necessarily buy that.
   
   Ms. Gerhart takes a chapter and dedicates it to the Bush daughters, and to their parents' parenting style, which suggests that the girls were brought up spoiled. She seems to nitpick every comment Mrs. Bush has ever publicly made about the girls, and this reader got the feeling that the author was shaking her head over the Bush girls' antics.
   
   Overall I didn't come away learning anything important about Laura Bush. Maybe someday she'll write her own story, in her own words. It would be fitting considering her fervor for the literary arts, and quite probably it would be without the sniping that the author sneaks in every few pages.



2. I'll admit up front that I am not a George W. Bush fan (does an American exist who does not have a strong opinion of him one way or the other?). But I thought there must be a deeper, more complex Laura Bush.
   
   Ann Gerhart's book is well written and I could not stop reading it once I started. There are lots of interesting tidbits (Laura Bush smokes cigarettes, but never in public) and revealing anecdotes and interviews. The chapter on the twins is ruthless. In another chapter, Gerhart describes in detail the tragic car accident that Laura Bush caused when she was seventeen, and what a traumatic experience it was for all concerned.
   
   So how does a woman who voted for Eugene McCarthy, who hangs out with liberal friends, and who loves her work, meet a guy who is running for congress on a Republican ticket and marry him six weeks later, giving up forever a career she has wanted since she was in second grade? I was certain that there was more to Laura Bush than meets the eye. After reading The Perfect Wife, I am convinced that there is less.
   
   Maybe she couldn't bear the thought of staying single into her thirties. I don't doubt that she loves George and that he loves her. It is obvious what George gets out of the deal. Less obvious is what Laura gets. One (male) interviewee suggested to Gerhart that George was irresistibly handsome and sexy. Please.
   
   There is little evidence that Laura Bush is an introspective person. She reads a lot, but seems to be as shallow as her husband. If she ever does evaluate her life and her decisions, I wonder how she will come to grips with having left the desperately important job of teaching at-risk children to raise a pair of self-centered and inconsiderate daughters. And with having supported a man who is dismantling the most important social programs this nation has. Will she ever speak out?
   
   Gerhart leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but by the time you finish The Perfect Wife, you will have enough information to form your own opinion about Laura Bush.



3. I read this book in October 2004 - an interesting time to be reading such a book, during the latter weeks of the US presidential campaign with Bush seeking a second term as president. The book dragged in places, the earlier and latter chapters being the more interesting. The writer seems sympathetic to Laura Bush - hence it is almost a shock to read the chapter on their twin daughters which is not at all sympathetic to them, and critical of the parenting they have received, such a contrast to the tone of the rest of the book (and perhaps also something of a relief?). A woman who says (and seems to believe) that supporting her husband is the most important part of her job, "whether my husband is president or not", and who gave up her own career as soon as she married him (after knowing him for just 12 weeks), a woman who has been able to refrain from voicing any of her own views and opinions - maybe that sort of woman is indeed the perfect wife for a President of the United States. I may have my own thoughts about what that tells us, but it is interesting to read about a woman with such a different outlook from your own and to try to see the world through her eyes for a time. I have considerable respect for anyone who has been through what she went through as a 17 year old (when she drove her car through a STOP sign at 50 miles an hour, crashing into and killing a very popular 17 year old male friend) and has managed to come to terms with it and go forward. And there is no denying the wisdom of this woman - whether it has come from her life experience or from her extensive reading - we can probably all take something from the lessons she teaches. Having read the book, I am no more enthusiastic about Bush and his policies than I was before, and have not been converted to a die-hard Laura Bush fan either, but I feel considerable respect for the choices she has made and for her commitment.



4. Laura Bush and her mother in law, Barbara, both reflect the enigma society has long created that women who have little or no income lack status or deserve no status, and therefore, have little or no value to society. The misconception arises from the hierarchy which values income level over social contribution and one that fails to recognize the value of marital support, childbearing and raising activities and housewivery. Women and men have been led to believe that unless they have substantial income, they have little value to society. Yet, First Ladies are always valued for their voluntary contributions, expected or not, but anticipated with enormous respect and anticipation with each new administration. Defying the logic that, by default, falls upon every female in this nation, or any nation, the income-based hierarchy of capitalism that fails to acknowledge the contributions of women to their families, to the community, and even to themselves, presents the most schizophrenic of economic philosophies to women, and the most difficult to digest over their lives. Due to the trend to adopt more women into the economic hierarchy of income earnings, Mrs. Bush represents the remnants of our civil society that once respected women for their presence, rather than the barbaric feudal world to which America continues to gravitate which defines women only by their level of income, as it does for males, and ignores their status as wives and mothers, deferring to the singular world where the benchmark of status is conferred by the status of the warrior, as measured by his conquest alone. That women allow this to happen is even more striking, and shows they lack the wisdom of the ages to allow themselves to be placed in so narrow a social box!



5. The woman KILLED a boy - she was driving her car down the street and of all people in town for her to accidently kill - she runs over her boyfriend!!! Talk about coincidence! There's a lot of bloodshed in that family. They're the new Kennedy's!! Let's open a dialogue about what a murderer Laura Bush is! Why didn't her husband send her to the deathchair???

5 comments about All Creatures Great and Small.

1. I am thinking about buying this book, is it a good choice to buy it--or not?



2. "All Creatures Great and Small" is the first of four books in this brilliantly written series. The companion volumes are "All Things Bright and Beautiful", "All Things Wise and Wonderful", and "The Lord God Made Them All". James Herriot (whose actual name was James Alfred Wight) began his veterinary practice in 1939 and continued serving his community for half a century. Each story that he penned carries the reader deep into the Yorkshire countryside of England and into the lives of many colorful and entertaining characters, both people and animals. You will be captured by the tales and find yourself laughing out loud at the antics of man and beast, relecting on the beauty of the close friendship of a pet, and weeping over losses that we all suffer when one of our animal friends pass. These are books to read again and again because they show the depth of compassion that one man had for God's creatures through a life lived in simplicity, and yet his writings are a profound example to all who love and care for animals.



3. I bought the book for my 11 yo cause it was recommended. i ended up reading and enjoying the book, but how someone can imagine it suitable for youngsers under 18 is beyond me.



4. The classic story based on the real life experience of a veterinarian in Yorkshire, England. James Herriot comes to Darrowby during a time when jobs are scarce and he needs to stay. But he finds he loves the people and the animals.
   
   His associates are a lively bunch. His boss, Siegfried Farnon, is kindhearted, but has an annoying habit of contradicting himself (and then blaming it on James). Siegfried's brother, Tristan Farnon, is the younger almost-vet who is stuck with the worst jobs, loves the ladies and a drink or two. The farmers and neighbors are generally are hardworking lot. Their stories give the true color of the place and time. James also meets Helen Alderson, the beautiful and enchanting daughter of a farmer.
   
   The classic tale was also turned into a BBC series (7 seasons). I would highly recommend both!



5. Mr. James Herriot is an uncommon writer, possessed of extraordinary skill and a mastery of the English language. When speaking of works of fiction, he is my favorite writer. His ability to choose perfectly appropriate and descriptive words, phrases, and metaphors to verbally illustrate unique characteristics, landscapes, feelings, and situations still has me mesmerized.
   
   "All Creatures Great and Small" is autobiographical in that Mr. Herriot is the central character of the book, though James Herriot is the pen name of the real author, Jim Wight. However, since the work is defined as a novel, then one may assume that Mr. Herriot took certain liberties in relating many of the tales he unfolds. Mr. Herriot is a veterinary surgeon, and much of his novel specifically involves dealing with particular cases of sick livestock and ailing house pets. One should not quickly conclude, however, that this story is merely about the ramblings of a country animal doctor who at times finds himself in interesting situations, as some reviewers would suggest.
   
   Instead, my feeling is that Mr. Herriot utilized his visits to multiple and varied farms and residences in the British countryside to highlight the individual conditions, attitudes, and distinctive persons he discovered at each location. The book becomes absolutely delightful and poignant, for instance, when Mr. Herriot kindly sits at an aging woman's bedside and tenderly comforts her with his voiced belief that her devoted, loving dogs and cats are indeed possessed of souls and that she need not fear that they will again be her companions in the afterlife.
   
   And I do not believe I have laughed out loud so frequently while reading one book. Some of my personal favorites are when his brakes go out on his car and he must navigate a steep and winding descent to the bottom of a low valley, where his next veterinary visit is scheduled, and when he finds himself on his first date with the woman he is destined to marry and the only respectable dress suit he owns is several years out of fashion and far too tight-fitting, which is partly why he becomes far too nervous and a bout of awkward conversation and actions follow. Additionally, much might be said here about the quirky relationship Mr. Herriot has with his unpredictable and explosive yet perfectly harmless and generous employer, a Mr. Siegfried Farnon, and Siegfried's younger brother, Tristan. Farnon's demanding attitude regarding his veterinary business affairs, especially in the face of Tristan's irresponsibility in mishandling assignments and responsibilities, is often the basis for much of the hilarity in the book.
   
   In speaking of his relationships with those to whom he is closest on a personal level and the frequently visited owners of his animal patients, Mr. Herriot has an especially profound gift when it comes to praising the best characteristics that are found in the human race. He speaks with eloquent fondness when describing the beautiful traits he sees in his lovely Helen, his soon-to-be wife. And when he stumbles upon a man or woman who he feels is in ownership of certain admirable exceptionality, such as industry or thrift or honesty or discipline or gentleness, his written accolades of such persons is heartwarming and deeply inspiring.
   
   Thus I would say that this book has everything. It touches upon the topics of death, faith, humor, love, devotion, stewardship, human strengths and frailties, prosperity and poverty, work and idleness, occupation, and the list goes on. Given that these interesting topics are handled so capably by Mr. Herriot's writing talent, I doubt that any sensitive reader would find this book to be anything but delightful and praiseworthy.

5 comments about The Year of Magical Thinking (Random House Large Print (Cloth/Paper)).

1. Joan Didion is a writer of great talent, and this memoir setting forth her process of grief after the death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne, is powerful. And while it is not sentimental, it envokes strong emotion in the reader. Didion's pain is sharp, her sense of isolation very real, yet she is able to describe it clearly and movingly. It is a rational discussion of an irrational state of mind. She poignantly describes her fear that her husband will not come back, loathe to get rid of his shoes in case he will need them when he does return, even while knowing that this hope is completely irrational. She deals with not only the loss of her husband, but also with her daughter's devastating illness, often moving through life as though in a dream. She needs, but does not want, companionship. She needs normalcy, but her life as she once knew it has suddeny been taken from her.
   Some readers may find this book a bit too clear, too rational. She is indeed as a hospital staff member said, "a cool customer." But this is Didion at her finest. Emotions laid bare. She reveals so well how life can change in a moment, taking from us all the stability we take for granted. She moves between memories of her past life, with her husband and daughter, and her new life alone. This process of remembering and comparing is something that is very painful for her, but it is something she seems to need to experience. She compares her process of attempting to re-run the reel of her life and change it, substituting an alternate reel, to trying to reconstruct a collision, "the collapse of the dead star." A powerful piece of work.



2. This whole book describes events and stories throughout the lives of Joan Didion and her family, and it serves as a way for her to express her grief and try to come to terms with the death of her husband of 40 years, all during a year of what she calls "magical thinking."
   
   It's not an entertaining read. It offers some insight on marriage and family, but overall I felt like I was reading something far too personal, a diary of sorts, something that anyone else might write but never publish. Obviously, since it is Joan Didion, the language, the prose, the style, everything about it flows and stops, flies by and slows down in a pleasing rhythm of words, but nothing about the topic is easy to read.
   
   She studies her grief like a med student studies biology, analyzing the various processes that are happening in her mind, causing the sometimes strange and often random thoughts and ideas with which she is constantly struck.
   
   The immediate comparison that comes to mind is with C.S. Lewis' "A Grief Observed," a comparison that Didion points out herself. The difference, though, is that with Lewis' work, I felt like I suffered through much of the grief with him and finished the book feeling a sense of catharsis and ability to move on. Didion's I felt neither of those things; it simply felt like reading her diary. And perhaps that was the point, but in the end I felt that I should not have read the book, and that's never something I like to feel after finishing a book.



3. This memoir chronicles the year after the death of Didion's husband. It is an interesting treatise on grief and mourning, if a bit too cerebral at times.
   
   Didion's husband, John, dies from a cardiac event right before Christmas. Shortly before his death, the couple's daughter, Quintana, suffered an embolism which led to her hospitalization. So basically, Didion has to deal with the death of her husband of 40 years while caring for her hospitalized daughter, who is still clinging to life.
   
   Didion had, I thought, many interesting things to say about the death of a loved one - how we never expect life to change so drastically, so quickly. How we can never really know what to expect, how we will feel, until it happens to us. How most of us may think of our reactions to death in immediate terms - the funeral, etc. - but we never adequately consider the long years of absence thereafter, and how we will deal with those. How, despite what our rational mind knows (this person is gone forever, etc.), part of us still hopes/thinks they will return to us, miraculously.
   
   My criticism of the book is Didion's tendency to over-intellectualize everything. By turns this habit was both interesting and tiresome. Having read the book, though, my guess is that this is the kind of person she is. I would bet that, were I to read one of her novels, I would find the same penchant for the slightly pretentious.
   
   At any rate, I enjoyed the book. Not a must-read, but worth picking up if you have some time.



4. Didion repeats unnecessary details. That might be fine when reading the book, but I listened to it on CD, so it was maddening.
   
   I thought the book was overrated and the insights were minimal.



5. In "The Year of Magical Thinking," Joan Didion chronicles the death of her husband, author and screenwriter John Gregory Dunne. One evening, Dunne died of a severe heart attack while the couple ate dinner. The day had seemed like any other, aside from the fact that they had just returned from a hospital visit with their grown daughter, Quintana, who was in a coma from an unidentified illness. Didion found herself lost, coping with the trauma of her husband's death at the same time that she faced the uncertainty of her daughter's recovery. This stress manifested itself in numerous ways, including the "magical thinking" from the title. Specifically, Didion talks about wanting her husband back so badly that she tries to trick herself into thinking it possible, such as convincing herself that if she kept his clothes, then he would come back for them. Or vice versa - if she gave away his clothes, this meant that he couldn't come back in the future.
   
   Anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one will likely find something in this superb book that hits them - something that describes their grief perfectly. As is typical, Didion goes through various stages of grief and finds herself wanting answers. She wants to know how her husband died, and she goes about it like an author would - researching the topic. Didion also recounts bits and pieces of their life together as she attempts to piece together a new life. At times, she is a bit of a name-dropper, chronicling her fabulous Hollywood life and her friendships with famous authors. However, in the end, she was a widow grieving a loss, just the same as anyone else; death affects us all, is universal. Didion's beautiful writing and the way she discusses her grief is universal as well.
   
   Overall, "The Year of Magical Thinking" is a sublime work of non-fiction that deservedly won the National Book Award. However, I was slightly annoyed by one aspect of the book - the lack of details about Dunne's age. At the beginning of the book, I assumed, based on how Didion writes about her husband, that Dunne was in his 50s. I haven't read anything else by Didion, so I didn't know much about her life. In actuality, Dunne was 70 years old when he died. Gradually, Didion acknowledges that his death was somewhat expected - Dunne had had heart problems for years. Perhaps her neglecting to tell us that earlier about his heart problems and his advanced age is part of her "magical thinking." If one doesn't acknowledge the heart problem, even when writing about it after his death, then said heart problem does not exist. Of course, the age of a loved one is fairly irrelevant to the person left behind; one is still alone. It's a minor point, perhaps, but one that affected my reaction to this otherwise amazing book.
   
   This review is of the audiobook version, which consists of 4 CDs. The reader is Barbara Caruso, who does an amazing job of embodying the "voice" of Didion. The reading is simple and straight-forward, with very little accompanying music, which really suits the tone of the book.

2 comments about Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots: The True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter.

1. Falling Leaves was an AMAZING book. It was touching and heart-wrenching, and I could not put it down. Adeline Yen Mah's story is so sad, and one realizes all the obstacles she had to overcome. I highly recommend this book for all mature readers, as it is an excellent and eye-opening work of art.



2. all of us cling to the belief that our parents would love us and protect us no matter what. This book brought home the cruel fact that family members are related by chance only. It,s lottery!! I heart ached as Adeline recalled her story. I felt I was living her life while I was reading the book.I was that little girl that no one wanted to remember .At the same time, I wanted to reach across time and hug her and confort her. Perhaps it's impossible to imagine all this if one had grown up in a warm and loving family. I salute Adeline for her courage to get her story out.Most of us whom have survived similar experience could not bear to even admit to ourselves that our family did not care. After all, It might mean we were not lovable. "falling Leaves" is a wonderful study of family dynamics . Each charcter teachs me something about human nature.Most of all, I appalud the human spirit. Adeline has shown that out of the mud, a lovely lily emerges.