5 comments about Big Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life.

1. I bought this book 4 years ago while visiting Washington, D.C. We had just missed Tim's book signing at Barnes & Noble. I never got around to reading it, but over the past few months moved it to the top of my stack. On June 13, I reached for the book and discovered I had bought an autographed copy. I'll keep it forever. I've finished the book and no words can express what a loss his departure from this earth will mean for all of us. What a countryman!



2. Great book. At first, I thought it read a little too corny, but then I realized that it could not have been written any differently. Read this book.



3. Tim Russert unexpected death shocked us all. My heart sunk when I heard of this tragedy. The Today show anchors were all very emotional when speaking of their colleague. This speaks volumes for the love of the people who knew him.
   
   He was loved and respected by many friends and fans. He was one of the few political reporters that gave us both sides of the story. When he talked we listened and knew it was a strong and valid opinion to hear.
   
   Merna
   
   Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!



4. What a great book. I'll miss you Mr. Russert.
   
   Joel Simkhai



5. I am deeply saddened by the sudden loss of Tim Russert. Obviously I didnt know him on a personal basis, only through the media. But he made each and every one of us feel he was our best friend. I saw a man who was deeply religious, sweet, good, loving of his country and a great father, husband and friend. You could tell how important family was to him and this book only solidifies the obvious. Warm and touching, it is a great read. Not just for father's, but for everyone. You were bigger then life. Thank you Tim, you will be sorely missed.

5 comments about Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time.

1. The rare book that is both gripping and inspirational. It is an amazing story of what one man can accomplish when he is totally dedicated to his mission. One only hopes that Mrs. Mortenson will write her own book, since her life has been lived very differently as she supports his dedication to his work.



2. I agree with other reviewers that the writing could have been tighter, but the story of "Dr Greg" comes shining through.
   
   At the books beginning he is fumbling and struggling to build a first school based on a promise, by its end he's heading a full foundation, supporting hundreds of schools and educating thousands of students.
   
   His unusual childhood, his medical training and his fascination with climbing turn out to make him the perfect person to do this, and the difference he's made is huge.
   
   I was so inspired by the book that the first thing I did when I'd finished reading it was donate enough for a teacher for a year (about a dollar a day) I challenge other readers of the book to also donate - as little as 12 dollars pays for a student for a year.



3. From an Orthodox Baha'i perspective, this book could not have been more welcome and heartwarming. 'Abdu'l-Baha said it best many, many years ago, long before the frightening state that the world has entered into.
   
   `Abdu'l-Bahá laid great stress on Education. He said "The girl's education is of more importance today than the boy's, for she is the mother of the future race. It is the duty of all to look after the children. Those without children should, if possible, make themselves responsible for the education of a child."
   
   -- page 92 `Abdu'l-Bahá, "`Abdu'l-Bahá in London"
   
   Although I do not know whether Greg Mortenson ever heard of 'Abdu'l-Baha, he has certainly taken the principles this great man, the Center of the Covenant of the Baha'i Faith, and put them into practical usage in a part of the world most in need of this Divine remedy. The formal educaton of girls in northern Pakistan and Afghanistan has apparently been almost non-extistent for centuries. Greg Mortenson intends to change that perception one school at a time.
   
   His gripping book describes the impenetrable culture of these proud countries, and guides us through the almost excruciatingly deliberate steps required to at first get a foot in the door, then win the hearts of each village, and finally engage them into the accomplishment of building a school for its children, especially its female children.
   
   What better gift to leave to humankind than the educating of those who have been denied its wonders for centuries. The benefits of this endeavor are apparently already manifesting positive results in the small communities who have participated in this challenge.
   
   One child at a time. One village at a time. One country at a time. And who knows the limitless bounds that may be reached eventually as each of us longs for a better world, without the horrors of warfare.
   
   An Orthodox Baha'i



4. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
   
   I applaud Greg Mortensen for his works, but found the account of them hard to follow, poorly written, and had the feeling of propaganda. It is obvious the book was published to get readers to contribute to his good cause, but it was quite a disappointing read.



5. The title of the book is a reference to the customary way of doing business in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other parts of Central Asia:
   
   For the first cup of tea, you are a stranger. By the second cup, you are a friend. By the third cup, you are family. It is a testament to the patience and understanding it takes to forge the kind of long-lasting ties to work in this region of the world.
   
   By far, one of the most inspiring books I've ever read. Greg Mortenson single handedly started an initiative to bring education to rural Pakistan. I wish I had gotten a chance to read this before finishing my thesis on education reform for women in Afghanistan - because this story is more directly related to my work than any other book or journal article I used. It shows how one dedicated person can change the world.
   
   Through persistence and a little luck, he made the right connections in Pakistan (and eventually Afghanistan) and in the U.S. with donors. This book recounts his efforts from their inception in 1996 after getting lost in the Himalaya through 9/11 and up to 2003 when the war in Iraq diverted promised American resources from Afghanistan (again). His work survived a kidnapping in Waziristan, several fatwas (that were eventually overturned by the highest mufti in Iran), and death threats (most of which came from his fellow Americans after 9/11 in the form of "how dare you help Muslims").
   
   After getting separated from his guide leading him off the Baltoro glacier in Northern Pakistan after a failed attempt to scale K2, Mortenson found himself in a little village called Korphe in Baltistan, Pakistan. The first Westerner ever to stumble into Korphe intrigued the people. After being nursed back to health and served what little food the people had to offer, he witnessed children in Korphe studying outside, with no teacher and no school, scratching lessons in the dirt. He promised the village elder Haji Ali that he would build them a school, went back to the US, began writing letters and grants while living out of his car. After sending 580 letters, a single $100 check from Tom Brokaw, and $600 in pennies raised by elementary school children was the net result.
   
   Then, fellow Mountaineer, physicist and silicon-valley pioneer turned philanthropist Jean Hoerni agreed to donate $12,000 for the school. Mortenson sold everything he owned, and returned to Pakistan, forged business ties and purchased supplies only to discover that the village did not yet want a school - but a bridge. Korphe was inaccessible except for a single hand-pulled makeshift lift cart that spanned the Braldu river. There was no way to get supplies into Korphe. Rather than storming off like many impatient Americans would, Mortenson entered a partnership with the people of Korphe - valuing their opinions, customs, and assessments of their own needs rather than dismissing them as primitive or assuming that an American knows what's best for them.
   
   As Mortenson has said, it took 3 years and a lot of mistakes, but the Korphe school was finally built and has sent many of Korphe's children on to local towns for further education - including many girls.
   
   It's a stunning account of an extraordinary man, who through his humility and respect for the people of the region, worked with them, heeding their input and their cultural norms, was able to do what no other humanitarian organization could -- build schools focusing on girls' education and bring long-lasting, meaningful change to one of the world's poorest and most unstable regions of the world where outsiders are usually regarded with cautious suspicion.
   
   With Jean Hoerni's help once again, Mortenson founded the Central Asia Institute (see link to the left) and has built over 60 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan since 1996 and has provided countless services and monetary support for education in these regions.
   
   He is fighting the war on terror with the only effective ammunition - education. Give people education, and you give them the means to take control of their own lives. In areas where the only free education available is in the form of conservative, fundamentalist madrassas (many funded by the Saudi government), access to broad general education is key to fighting terrorism while forging ties with the very people we're trying to help.
   
   It costs $1 per day to pay a teacher in Afghanistan or Pakistan - Go, do something.

5 comments about My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey.

1. I wanted to read this book because I have a professional and personal interest in both recovery from strokes--the proverbial 'insult to the brain'-- and because I was inspired by Dr Bolte Taylor's TED lecture recounting the short and longterm consequences of the cerebral hemorrhage in the left hemisphere of her brain.
   The book is for the general reader, and I cannot recommend it too highly.My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey



2. The Illustrations are very, very,disappointing. The thesis of the book is excellent - that it is possible (though not common) after a stroke to experience a persistent state of wonder, bliss, transcendence and epiphany akin to the religious 'grace' or 'nirvana.' It follows that such religious states are entirely brain-based in origin. The neurobiology explanations will be tedious to anyone with even a modicum of neuro education. Hopefully this book will further contribute to taking the mystery out of mysticism.



3. This is one of the most important eye-opening books I've read in a very long time. It truly takes you through what it feels like to have a stroke (since the author had a major one), offers numerous methods to help your own or a loved one's rehabilitation afterwards, and insights into how the two sections of the brain work together (or apart if affected by a stroke) to shape our personalities and view of the world. I highly recommended it for anyone who knows someone who has had a stroke, is concerned that they may have one themselves and wants to know what will happen, or wants to learn more about the fascinating workings of the brain.



4. Although I did not have a stroke, I found this book extremely helpful. I have had Parkinson's Disease for 10 years (diagnosed in 2000 at age 39) and Dr Taylor's account and description of reality and cognitive aspects of the human brain that is compromised for any reason, disease or injury, are right on the mark. She is able to articulate and express what goes on inside the person who is affected by a compromised neurological system. I would highly recommend this as a must read for anyone who is experiencing any problems with either the brain or central nervous system, as well as any caregivers and any family members.



5. "My Stroke of Insight" is one of those books that floods you with insights into not only the human mind but the human spirit.
   
   Jill Bolte Taylor, trained as a rational scientist, recounts her journey from studying the human brain spurred on by her brother's schizophrenia to someone whose own mind is changed after a stroke.
   
   Her left hemisphere became nonfunctional after the stroke. The left side controls reason, linear thinking, math and functional use of language. Meanwhile, something strange happened with her right hemisphere....
   
   She was no longer inhibited by the left brain and flowed into a dreamy state of mind, disconnected from reality. Her awareness shifted to a present moment consciousness in which she experienced great joy. As a scientist who studied abnormal functioning of the brain, Taylor experienced first-hand what experiencing life as an "abnormal" person feels like.
   
   Her journey teaches that values of "normal" and "abnormal" are value judgements. While they have practical meaning in terms of mapping an individual's mind for study, those labels do not take away from a person's dignity as a human being, their quality of life and their courage.
   
   She learned the importance of the human spirit's capacity to overcome against all odds. Hers is a remarkable journey and one that reads well with "Nexus: A Neo Novel" by Deborah Morrison and Arvind Singh - an inspiring story of people overcoming pain and learning the importance of love and compassion.
   
   "My Stoke of Insight" is best read with "Nexus: A Neo Novel"

5 comments about Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.

1. Clever, quick, witty. Best of all - I laughed. And laughed. Not for the timid or those who are so PC that they don't know or appreciate sarcasm when they hear it. I think her writing is clear and conversational - it is easy to "hear" her voice in her writing. I am recommending it to all my friends.



2. I wanted a book on audio CD so I bought this book. I have watched Handler's show on E and thought the banter and gossip can be pretty funny and/or interesting at times, so I thought this might give me a good laugh or at least a smile.
   
   I listened to the first CD and by the time it was over I was totally irritated. Mad at myself for wasting my money mostly. You know the feeling when something is so bad or disappointing you want to run screaming from the room? I cannot put into words how profoundly disappointed I am in this book. In my personal opinion, this is not funny. It is annoying and stupid.
   
   I thought I might listen to the second CD just to give it another chance, but after reading some negative reviews here (by readers who had read the WHOLE book) I decided not to waste any more of my time and return this to Amazon for a refund.
   
   I'm still searching for a good book on audio CD.



3. Chelsea continues to portay her exceptional talent and humor. I laughed outloud through the entire book. I had to buy copies for my friends becasue this talent cannot be contained. Bravo!!!



4. I could probably read this in one sitting if it wasn't so funny. I have to keep putting it down to give myself a break from laughing. I don't think I have gotten through two pages before I was laughing, hysterically, out loud.



5. I needed to take a break from all of the mystery books I usually read and the title of this book just caught my eye. I decided to buy it and give it a try. I was hooked after reading the first page. This book is so easy to read, light and funny. I recommend this book to anyone! Great on beach, or when you just need a break and just to laugh out loud!

5 comments about Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

1. I am surprised at the negative comments on this book. I don't know what those reviewers were expecting, but I found the book to be a light chronicle of one woman's journey in search of herself and a sane relationship with life. Gilbert writes with an open-hearted honesty. At times her style and commentary seem a bit child-like, or even childish, but overall I have found her telling of the tale to be engaging and sweet-spirited. I'm just past the point where she decides to stay a while longer at the Ashram in India. Her personal search for enlightenment bogs down a bit at this point, but I appreciate her effort to lead others through the labyrinth she explored. Maybe those who react so negatively have yet to appreciate the value of that kind of exploration. I can see how it might have struck me that way some years back.



2. I just finished this today. July 5 holiday weekend and spent 3 hours this morning reading because I could not put it down. This is the best book I have read in some time. Maybe this isn't for everyone, but I loved it from beginning to end. I have traveled as well, not to all the places she has been, but for me it was the insight into individual personalities, characters, that made it riveting. Yes she is self absorbed. But it is about her journey, so that makes sense. This is not a travelogue book, it is about an inner discovery as a result of mixing with people and experiences outside of her previous exposure to the world. If you are looking for a travelogue, go elsewhere. If you are looking to journey with someone through their highs and lows as they put their life back together and discover a world beyond themself, this is for you. I loved the characters. I loved the settings. I loved the entire book and hated when it ended. I don't know if this is great literature. But I think those who criticize this book are people who just don't get what she is talking about. Which is fine, but don't neccesarily judge it by them. If you have been through the feelings she has been through, you will relate to it, and it will have meaning to you. This is a great book for any woman who has ever allowed herself to become invisible because of a man they were with, and now wants to discover who she is on her own.



3. Moments of like and dislike. She tends to ramble on and on. The book starts to get really good and just like that...it's over. Probably wouldn't read again.



4. EG shares her journey about the purpose of pleasure, spirituality and love in her life. This book helped me reflect on my own values. I will re-read it after enjoying the first reading so I can spend more time with the questions she raises in a most entertaining manner.



5. OMG .. what self-absorbed drivel. I am amazed at women who are impressed by this vapid piece of work. The author is a shallow harpy with whom I couldn't have less in common. I can't relate to any of her stupid observations or solipsistic epiphanies. I don't begrudge her not wanting children. It's probably best that women like this don't procreate. It was a massive waste of time to spend MY TIME with a woman whose world ends at the tip of her own nose. What a bore. Don't be fooled into thinking this is even a mildly well-written or amusing piece. It is a text book study in what's wrong with many so-called "sophisticated urbanites" today.

5 comments about Audition: A Memoir.

1. This order is long overdue and has been charged to my Visa card. I am a regular customer of Amazon but when I inquired about my order (and used the avenue you instructed me to use) I got a cold, "it is not our concern" answer. I realize that I am dealing with a dealer but your service is at stake too. I can not afford to lose nearly $20 on an order. I just hope that you will at least try to help resolve this.
   
   Darlene Elliott



2. I found this book to be interesting.. and entertaining and have a lot of history tucked in to the pages..
   Ms. Walters has talked to some amazing people.. and it was interesting to hear her talk about it..



3. I've never been a great fan of Barbara, but this book made me one. Loved her view of the past 40 years of encounters. Her determination made a difference for women.
   Extremely well written; couldn't put it down.



4. I absolutely adored this book!
   
   I wasn't aware that Barbara Walters played such a "ground breaking" role for women in the communications industry! Not to mention all of the diplomats, celebrities and real people she interviewed. What a resume!
   
   It was extremely interesting to me to hear about "the story" behind the interview. As well as how she worked extremely hard to get where she is today.
   
   I would highly recommend this book!



5. If you like Barbara Walters and want to continue to like her; DO NOT READ this book. If I could have selected zero stars, I would have. I am totally turned off to someone I thought was a wonderful journalist and a powerful woman in her field. I cannot imagine what she was thinking when she wrote this book. First of all, it is not written well at all. It follows no chronological order what-so-ever and it is often very difficult to determine if we are talking about something that happened last year or in 1972. I found myself constantly re-reading and revisiting earlier chapters to determine what period in time I was reading about. I know you can't really know someone from a written account but by her own words, she lost any respect I might have had for her. Her affairs with married men, her arrogance at her abilities, her lack of parenting that caused her daughter many years of hardship, her selfishness with regard to her parents and her mentally challenged sister... it all disgusts me. I found myself actually getting angry at her cold heartedness and lack of humanity. Since I really can't find a single nice thing to say about this book and I don't want to give away any of the daunting details for anyone who might be looking for an awful book to read, I'll leave it as that.

5 comments about Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.

1. And, unfortunately, he's not that interesting. If he weren't running for president, I would have chucked the book after Indonesia. Black, white, black, white...whine, whine...yawn.
   
   This man has no acomplishments to justify anyone voting for him.



2. When I first heard the name Obama, I thought where did he come from, and I did not take him too seriously at first. I do not know if it is proper to mention politics here, but I am a staunch Democrat. Now, I have friends and relatives who are just as stauch Republicans, and that does not matter the least bit to me. I am just so thankful that we live in a country where we can vote according to the dictates of our own hearts and minds. Leaving that thought, I voted for Hillary in the primary and believed she would get the nomination. Well, the rest is history. After a few weeks, I soon realized with the coverage on the medica that Obama was not going away any time soon. Therefore, I went to Amazon to see what I could get to learn who he is. I bought this book and the Audacity of Hope from Amazon.
   I was amazed at how well written and interesting this book is by such a young man. He is so diversified in various cultures, and has a deep understanding of human nature with regard to expressing themselves in these cultures.
   He speaks of the difficulty of his youth with living in a white family while his grandfather taking him to the black bars for entertainment. He lives in Indonesia, and one gets an incite to the Asian customs which are quite different from us as Americans.
   He later goes to Kenya and gives us detail into the people and customs of that land. The struggles that face his people whom he has not known. He only saw his father once when he was ten years old.
   But the way he meets his siter Auma after they are both grown, and yet he connects with her is amazing.
   It appears to me that he is trying to be truthful and candid about such important matters. He gives us an insight into the deep feelings of people who are affected by proverty and race. It would be unkind of me to say I understand those feelings because as a white American, I have not experienced them. However, I have great empathy for those who must endure this life. Yet, I am seeing that today we have many white people who are living in the area of poverty and uneducated. I am now old and see a trend that I do not like.
   Obama chose willingly to serve in the Chicago area where he could see firsthand the poverty and see if he could make change. He did. He was persevering, tolerant, patient, a man on a mission to accomplish, and he did with much success.
   He has the leadership skills to lead our great country. He has a charismatic way, his speeches inspire and uplift. I think he is the most highly intelligent and educated person to be in the office of President since President Kennedy. President Kennedy came on the scene to give hope to the young and old with his speeches challenging the people to do something. President Kennedy was opposed by many evangelicals because he was Catholic, we have never had a Catholic in office before; however, the bias did not prevail.
   This race is a challenge we in America like to pride ourselves in the fact of being equal for all and past the racial crisis. However, I think we are seeing that America is in denial on this issue, and now many are having to deal with this issue head-on.
   Yes, this book answered my question as to who is he. I will be voting for him, and after reading this book, it is with great confidence I do so. I have not begun the Audacity of Hope yet but am looking forward to it if it is written with the same honesty and thought.
   I highly recommend.



3. I would not have had any intention of reading this book or any by Barack Obama as I viewed him with both distaste and a bit of fear feeding into the slanderous campaign being run against him and being a die-hard Republican. So why did I read this book? Well my boss has his Kindle on a business trip and knowing I wanted a Kindle he lent me his to read one night. He had this book in his Kindle, so out of curiousity I started to read it. I can honestly say I was blown away and determined to read the rest of the book. I wanted to know more.
   
   I finally purchased my Kindle(love it)and as soon as it came yesterday I ordered this book first and have been reading it since. My opinion has pretty much reversed on what I thought about this man, and I can say I am impressed and want to know more. I am not quite done with the book but decided to write this as a possible encouragement to someone who like me thinks ill of this man. Am I a total convert, not yet, but I will now listen more closely as to what he is saying and think long and hard about what to do in November. And those e-mails that were pure poison, I'll just delete them unread and make my own decision.



4. Was educational as to Barack's life. Just started another one of his books, "The Audacity of Hope".



5. Politically me and Senator Obama are pretty closely aligned for the exception of Sen. Obama being a litle warmer to the idea of government sponsored solutions to our nation's most pressing problems. In this book you see that way of thinking exposed at key moments. Take for instance when he is helping some folks with housing, in which he fails to call out that government sponsored housing has been one of the most socially disastrous actions ever undertaken. His stories are still profoundly moving and show how they shape the man that we see today. It is a must read if you are planning on voting! It quickly and strongly explains some of the nonsense that conservatives will cling on to in order to undermine him.

5 comments about Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.).

1. This book is a fantastic look at our food industry and ways to become independent of chemicals used to produce both plant and animal foods, as well as ways to connect with the earth through gardening. Although most people would not have the garden space or time to totally turn their backs on the grocery store, I was inspired to try to do what I could to grow my own vegetables and frequent the local farmers market. I would recommend this book for anyone striving to eat in a healthy manner and gain a greater understanding of the food chain in America. Once again, Barbara Kingsolver brings us closer to the earth and the earth's systems that sustain us.



2. This is the best book I read in 2007.
   
   The great writer, Barbara Kingsolver, chronicles a year in the life of her family as they move back to a family farm in Appalachia to grow all their own food for a year. It is a wonderfully entertaining and wise month-by-month narrative which speaks to our conncction with food, the land, and the planet.
   Along the way, Ms. Kingsolver's teenage daughter and
   her professor husband also offer their perspectives on the family's adventures.
   Most people who take up this book cannot put it down.



3. Barbara Kingsolver has written a very important book which everyone should read! It is filled with environmental and nutritional information and it's a fascinating account of the pleasures and trials of feeding oneself and one's family almost entirely with home-grown products!
   Of the four of us who listened to this audio cd in the car, nobody thought Kingsolver had a particularly good reading voice, but the material always made up for it! Given the choice though, I'd say read the book.



4. Barbara Kingsolver does a great job at portraying her year living on a farm, raising her own poultry, growing her own produce, and buying locally without being too preachy or political. The commentary that was include by her husband and daughter was useful and complemented the book. I recommend this for anyone who is curious about why we should eat organic and local foods. It was a very insightful and enjoyable read.



5. This story of a family's journey into eating local for one year is entertaining, informative, and thought-provoking. While I don't have a farm to take on quite what they have, I will be making local choices for years to come as a result of reading this book.

5 comments about sTORI Telling.

1. I'm surprised at the good reviews of this book. I've read many memoirs and this has got to be the most boring and self involved one. It is good that it is short because I don't think I could have finished it.
   
   Having a teenage daughter entering college, I can see where between parents and a child there can be two realities. Tori likes to talk about what a perfect little girl she was when she was little. I doubt this. She admits that she never calls her parents, does shows that mock them and isn't grateful for their extravagent gifts. Yet she doesn't make the connection that just maybe they didn't think she deserved to have a several million dollar wedding. My daughter has shown the same lack of awareness. She can say the most hateful things and then two days later not understand why we are not completely enthused with her. She doesn't make the connection of her actions to our actions.
   
   Even after Aaron Spelling's death she looks back with a bratty attitude that even though he was sick with throat cancer and didn't feel up to traveling he still should have made the two hour trip to Santa Barbara for her first wedding and paid for the entire thing (even though a year later she cheated on husband number 1). You never hear much compassion for her father or mother as he is dying. And she wonders why her mother is distant?
   
   I got the book to hear her side of the story about her mom and cheating with a married man. After hearing her side I am even more convinced that she is an ungrateful daughter and a home wrecker. She's just clueless.
   
   Note: She talks about getting collectable dolls for every birthday and being dissapointed and only wanting a barbie dream house. She should have not then included a picture of her very young in her play room with a large toy behind her with "Barbie" on it. When making you feel sorry for her she fails to mention all the other toys she got besides the dolls.



2. This book is great. I read it in 4 days, which is very quick for a mom of 2 who works full time. I couldn't put it down. Tori is so honest in this book and really gives you a feeling of how hollywood is really like. After hearing story after story about her mother I often wonder how she still talks to her. I would get this book, its great!



3. I loved this book. It's funny, sad and real. After seeing her TV show So NoToriUs I always thought she was hysterical and now after reading her book I'm sure of it. She is smart, honest, funny and a great person. It's a quick enjoyable read. Pick it up!



4. I absolutely loved this book! It is a very easy read that I flew through quickly. It is funny and entertaining and will make you love Tori Spelling in a whole new way.



5. I loved this book. When you think of Tori Spelling you think rich girl, no brain, homewrecker. By the time I finished this book, which only took two days, I loved
   her and actually feel empathy for all that happened to her and what it must have been like to have her mother. It was worth every penny.

5 comments about The Glass Castle: A Memoir.

1. I bought this book per a friends recommendation for a good vacation read. It was an excellent memoir of a life that most of us never even imagine happens to many children out there. At the time time it is humorous and a very fast and enjoyable read.



2. This is not the kind of book I would normally read, but my wife recommended it so I decided to give it a try. From the moment I started, I could barely put it down.
   
   Author Jeannette Walls gets you hooked in the first half of the book with disturbing and funny tales of her peculiar childhood. Her parents, though clearly smart in an academic sense, avoided steady work and conventional lifestyles, keeping the family perpetually poor. They often "skeedaddled" out of town in the middle of the night to avoid bill collectors.
   
   Walls and her three siblings had to learn to be self-reliant early on. She was cooking her own hot dogs at age 3 (resulting in getting seriously burned), she learned to shoot a gun at age 4. All the kids learned how to forage for food in dumpsters and garbage cans -- they had to, since the refrigerator was frequently empty. Once, Walls fell out of the car when the door flew open on a hard turn, and her parents almost didn't notice.
   
   Her parents were selfish, unstable and irresponsible. But just when you're ready to hate them, they do something right.
   
   Walls' father was an alcoholic whose parenting philosophy was illustrated when he throws Walls in deep water repeatedly and literally expects her to sink or swim. He's horrid with money, but later on, miraculously comes up with $1,000 to keep Walls in college.
   
   Her mother was artist who seemed to have little idea of how to raise children, and really didn't care. But she did have a love for books which was passed on to her children.
   
   The second half of the book takes a turn for the grim, when the family finally settles in a depressing and unfriendly small town in West Virginia. The kids get in fights, they help their mother shoplift, their roof leaks so bad that Walls' brother has to sleep under a rubber raft. They forage for food yet again.
   
   If the book had started this way, I might have been turned off. But by this point, I was hooked and found the story tugging at my heart. I read eagerly all the way to the end to see how the Walls children would turn out.
   
   This isn't one of those memoirs where the author whines. Walls tells her stories with graceful detachment, offering colorful details, but doesn't ask for pity.
   
   On the whole, "The Glass Castle" shows the resilience of children. Despite their strange and difficult upbringing, it's remarkable how well Walls and her siblings turned out.



3. One of the better books I have picked up this summer! The author keeps you engaged through an awesome retelling of her childhood. This is an excellent book for a book club discussion!



4. A fellow West Virginian, I have read this book twice, and seen Ms. Walls in person twice at local speaking engagements. She is the real deal. Her story is inspirational to all of us, and teaches us valuable lessons in today's world of fortune and excess. Her no-nonsense, positive, practical attitude is one which we should all emulate. She chose this attitude in the face of dire circumstances which toughened her into the successful woman she is today. This book articulates with consistent, logical tone the true story of a poor family's struggles in the Southwest and eventually in Welch, WV. The story is unbelievable as her parents make outrageous choices which contradict what is best for their children. The Walls children were hungry, cold, and ridiculed by peers. However they were too proud to let it show, even refusing hand outs. Instead of letting their upbringing ruin her life, Ms. Walls instead sees her hardships as gifts, with a lesson in toughness hidden inside. This book has helped me to look at people differently, with more compassion and understanding. She has helped me understand a parent's impact on a child's life...her parents, although neglectful and selfish, never put their children down or abused them, always believed in them, and taught them the self-reliance and responsiblity that today's children lack. Let us all take our children demon-hunting and give them the gift of the stars in the night sky.



5. WOW! I seldom read non-fiction, but after I saw this book's reviews, I had to give it a try and it did not disappoint. The story is of the author's childhood and growing up in a terribly dysfunctional family with an alcoholic, but brilliant, father, a frustrated and "out there" mother, and three siblings that, along with the author, try to survive some of the most heart-wrenching situations you can imagine......from hunger to cold to sexual abuse. The author tells the story dispassionately, which is amazing to me. If you grew up in a dysfunctional home, you'll find yourself somewhere in this book. If you felt neglected or abused, you'll find yourself here. Though I keep thinking the parents must have done something right as the children, with the possible exception of one, pulled themselves up out of the worst kind of poverty, and have successful lives. It's hard, however, to think of the parents with much compassion. If you came from a dysfunctional background, read this book! You'll find it fascinating! You may also find it disturbing, which is why I gave it four stars instead of five. I will think about this book for a long time...not necessarily a good thing!