5 comments about Please Stop Laughing At Me...: One Woman's Inspirational Story.

1. Where do I begin. Immediately upon reading the book I am faced with the author, dumping a good friend who is deaf, for the chance to be popular, since her popular friend said her deaf friend is a retard.
   
   I thought, well I'm not reading a book about some person who is willing to bully herself just for a chance at popularity. However, while this book is almost a joke when it comes to detailing the real experience of being bullied. As I see it, someone who is relentlessly teased or tormented, when they have done nothing wrong. Letting yourself be used to be popular, and then wondering why you're always beaten up isn't something to be sympathized with.
   
   I have Asperger's Syndrome, I was bullied simply for who I am. By faculty, and students. I didn't bother becoming popular because I knew that just wasn't the route life had for me. From reading this book I'm glad I hadn't, or I might've turned into a pity-party whiner, asking "Why me?" when she subjects herself time and time again to being the target of bullies.
   
   People who are born disabled, or neurodiverse like me, don't ever have a choice not to be bullied. We're considered the "retards", it's just a given you'll be bullied. There's only 2 choices, rise above it, or let it eat you up inside. Jodee had a choice, that the people she was so quick to dismiss as "retards" never had. She had the choice to be a normal student. Maybe not a popular student, but at least have friends.
   
   Isn't the irony that Jodee turns down a deaf girl who has no friends, for her own selfish desire to be popular amazing. Jodee has no right to complain, a dog gets beaten and it doesn't return to the person who beat them again. Jodee kept saying, "Please beat me, abuse me, use me, I want to be popular" and when they do, it ends up being some sob story.
   
   Now Jodee thinks she knows what it feels like to be bullied, please. She kept putting herself into situations where she was bound to be bullied. You can't call that being a victim, perhaps being a doormat for others maybe. People like Marianne and I and others in Special Ed know that being bullied in school is unavoidable, and that we never had a choice.
   
   I hope someone writes a real book about bullying. I suggest reading Queen Bees and Wannabes, or Odd Girls Speak Out instead of this manipulative self-absorbed "poor little me" of a story.
   
   Those of us who have been bullied know how manipulative popular girls or wannabe popular girls can be. They bully others, and then when they get punished they cry and act as if they were hurt. This is an entire book of one bullies moaning and whining about how she suffered cause she was never popular. She should try living the life of someone who never had a chance to be "normal". See how she likes living a life where bullying doesn't stop after high school.



2. Like others have said - I really wanted to like this book and take something away from it. It was horrible! The writing is unbelievable and completly unrealistic as to how teenagers would speak. I found myself rolling my eyes at more then one passage. Very poorly written.



3. What a silly disappointment of a book. The writing is akin to an overly long essay submitted for extra credit by a seventh-grade student. Almost everything I read in this book was worthy of a snort of contempt--or, at the very least, an eye roll.



4. "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."
   
   Whoever thought of that saying never had to deal with bullying the way Jodee Blanco did. If you thought you had it rough in school, you'll rethink your own struggles when Blanco shares her literal horror stories of intimidation and harassment in "Please Stop Laughing at Me", a memoir that begins with her struggles in grade school all the way to her senior year in high school.
   
   Jodee's battles with bullies begin at a Catholic grammar school dubbed Holy Ascension. She gets her first taste of stigmatization in fourth grade when she volunteers to help out with the deaf program, telling on two friends who mock the deaf children and braving the ensuing backlash. Then while at Morgan Hills, she blows the whistle on a birthday party involving games of an overtly sexual nature, a moral compromise that has her in the red with several of the attendees and labeled a tattletale. Under the ruse of forgiveness, Jodee is dragged out into a parking lot where her so-called friends call her a "wuss", kick and spit on her, throw her favorite suede shoes in a urine-filled toilet and douse her brand new white angora sweater with cans of Coke. These are mere nuggets of the tribulation Jodee sustains over the next several years.
   
   In the course of the abuse, Jodee transfers schools twice and is forced by her parents to see a shrink and go on medication for anxiety. She succumbs to depression, her decreased appetite leading to subsequent rapid weight loss and one alarming case of self-mutilation with a kitchen knife that results in a trip to the emergency room. On top of Jodee's struggles to fit in, she deals with a painful deformity of her breasts which doctors are unable to correct until her seventeenth birthday. Her rattled state takes it toll on her parents as well, a restiveness settling atop their house during the school year with only a brief respite from her misery during summer break.
   
   The torture you read about gets overwhelming fairly quickly and about the only thing that will keep you reading is seeing Jodee get the last laugh at her high school reunion 20 years later as a person of prominence, the biggest success story in the room.
   
   I know I am not the first to say it after having read this moving memoir that there were times when I felt as if Blanco were writing my own story. Specific passages brought back thoughts and feelings that still haunt me to this day, either because I choose not to exorcise those demons and hold on to my anger (because I don't know how else to feel) or because the psychological damage is irreversible and the after-effects are beyond my control. Like Jodee, my anger with the individuals who teased me boiled to the point where I had fantasies of hurting people and also like Jodee, my catharsis for this pain was my writing (I still use it to cope with many different situations). It is my own cheap therapy (since I doubt my insurance would cover a real therapist) but I wonder if my own upcoming high school reunion (10 years) will be just the salve I need to remedy all those festering wounds. I also believe I have anger management issues that stem from the bottled-up rage and resentment I still experience from the teasing and taunting I endured. I did not suffer anywhere near the level Jodee did, but I still feel the scars from time to time.
   
   I realize now that people know nothing about individuality during the consequential years of grade school and high school - we are all too busy surrendering to conformity. I am guilty of it myself, due to the fact that I associated with a disreputable crowd just to belong (though I never really did - those people gave me hell too), as well as poking fun at other people to take the focus of the teasing off of me. As Jodee states, "Making fun of people, even if you didn't want to, was the new price of social acceptance by the group. The rules were simple. It was either shun or be shunned." (pg. 38)
   
   My mother offered the same advice that Jodee's did: Ignore them and they'll stop bothering you. While this is true for most people, this did not detract Jodee's torturers. Her silent indifference to their mockery only fueled their fire. To retort only gave them the reaction they wanted all along, another excuse to inflict physical damage as well as emotional. Because bullies (active and erstwhile alike) refuse to stop and think about the aftermath, they create monsters in the form of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. Who knows whether psychiatric intervention could've saved those boys (as well as the people they killed), but it does give one pause to make people think about the possible end result of what they deem to be innocent and "normal" derision for people their age. When does one grow up and realize the consequences of their actions? It's only when the damage has been done do we bother to take responsibility for the lives that we have affected with our own selfish behavior.
   
   Bottom Line: Simply put, "Please Stop Laughing At Me" is an eye-opening, inspiring (albeit depressing) memoir of Blanco's inner strength and her ability to heal and forgive despite all the physical and emotional wounds inflicted upon her (I imagine the process of writing this was purgative for her as well). I look forward to reading the sequel to this memoir ("Please Stop Laughing At Us...One Survivor's Extraordinary Quest to Prevent School Bullying) as I am an advocate for relieving the toll that bullying takes both on a minute and a grand scale. If we do not take a serious and active position on this issue, then sadly, school shootings will be in the headlines for many years to come.



5. I found the author's accounts of bullying to be interesting and dramatic enough to keep me reading but I struggled with the believability of her experiences. Being held down and punched and kicked, suffocated and thrown into traffic exceeds bullying and ventures into the realm of assault. Perhaps in her time the bullying experiences were more severe. Kids don't get away with doing things like that twice in this day and age. I also think she may be exercising a slight bias toward herself being the complete victim without any provoking or invitation on her part. It's interesting how at each new school she started in she HAD a circle of friends almost immediately and those friends were part of the popular crowd. She also had multiple instances of boys taking interest in her. This tells me that it wasn't her looks or style that caused these friends to turn on her. She did come off as having a holier-than-thou attitude and even now in the writing style you can tell she is a bit of a braggart who demands attention. Kids in junior high and high school can pick up on this pretty easily. It's fine to have good morals but some of the occurances in the book made me roll my eyes a bit. If she would have with-held a couple of things from her mother (who in turn always went right to the teachers and other parents) she may have survived a little longer at these schools. The boy/girl party scene comes to mind first. All in all, I found it interesting but not really helpful or believable.

4 comments about Crazy Loco Love.

1. Crazy Loco Love is another installment in the saga that, luckily for us, Victor Villasenor is passing on to the reading public. This novel is in some ways different from his others but is, as always, fascinating. Villasenor is a story teller and again he tells a grand one, this time of the conflicts that a Mexican American adolescent and young adult faces as he tries to find his place in the Chicano world. It is some times wild and crazy, the loco vida, and at times introspective. He can make the reader cringe as he describes the pain he has felt. He also can make the reader feel hope that even in spite of all difficulties he -- and we-- can find a good place to be at peace.
   
   I highly recommend this book.



2. Victor Villaseñor's "Crazy Loco Love" comes at you with all of the force of a failing 11-year old struggling with a mid-year term paper, trying his best to get a passing grade. If I were his teacher he would receive an F. I was quite embarrassed--not with the contents, although pubic hair isn't an all-time favorite subject of mine--at the caliber of the writing. Aside from the overt mistakes in punctuation, spelling, et al (who edited this book?)the stories read worse than a badly penned first draft. And if el Señor used the word "crazy loco" one more time I might have shot myself threw the heart. This one should have been kept in the drawer marked "might have been." Don't waste your time, nor your money. Doesn't even rate a single star. Sometimes we are overwhelmed with our own story, enough to make us blind to our craft. This, unfortunately, was one of those times.



3. I loved all of victor villasenor's books but this one reads more like a motivational talk than a memoir. The constant use of words in bold capitlizations was annoying. (the reader understands the concept of "screaming" just as well as "SCREAMING". I lost count of the times he used the words "crazy loco". The story felt patched and cobbled together as though he didn't really have much to work with. Skip this book and read Rain Of Gold.



4. I couldn't wait for Crazyloco Love! I had been expecting it since last year! I just got it on Friday and I'm almost done with it. I am amazed by Victor Villasenor's honesty about his adolescent life. Most people would not bring out the skeletons in their closet, but Victor has no qualms about it and that is what I love the most about his books. He is by far my most favorite author ever! I highly recommend this and every other book written by Mr. Villasenor.
   Edited to add... I finshed the book last night and I LOVED it! So now what's next, eh Victor? :-)

5 comments about Do You See What I See?: Memoirs of a Blind Biker.

1. Targ has ventured where no scientists have ventured into. His story is woven into a fabric of CIA intrigue, Lasers, ESP, Love, and the meaning of life.
   
   Targ is an accomplished writter and author, scientist, and futurist. He provides convincing scientific evidence for a spiritual component to our world and existence. I have been interested in healing the rift between science and spirituality for over 25 years, and Targ's contributions provide tangible examples of the spiritual from rigorous scientific experiments.



2. I expected this book to deal more with the author's work than it did. His very interesting work life was glossed over and the book mainly delt with his personal life, which I did not find that interesting. So if you what to know what Russell did, read one of his other works. If you want to know about his life, read this one. Overall, I was very disappointed with this story.



3. There are memoirs that inspire and biographies that make you question common perception. Do You See What I See? is something more than both of these things.
   
   In this book, the author shares his life, his exploits, and his insights. Here is a man born with very limited sight and prosopagnosia (a condition which causes face-blindness or the inability to recognize faces). That he learns to read, studies physics, becomes a top researcher in laser technology is fascinating. That his journey also leads him to an interest in ESP, working on remote viewing for the CIA, and a study of common perception versus illusion is beyond anything I could have expected. Oh, his brother-in-law was the late Bobby Fischer and he legally rides a motorcycle.
   
   Do You See What I See? made me feel like I was having an extended personal conversation with the author. The work isn't set up chronologically but I think in this case that works to this story's advantage. It gives the work a casual feeling while at the same time gradually opening up the reader to a different perspective, perhaps even an entirely different way of thinking.



4. This story covers in an autobiographical manner a contemporary of mine who has accomplished many things in science....lasers, remote viewing, psi....There are a few things I knew about people that I did not know about...He is instructive as well as entertaining...A bit of a scientific background might be helpful as he courses from the physical to the non-physical world...



5. I bought this book on the advice from a friend. It is very well written, informative and not a dry book at all. The writer gives a very informative synopsis of his life and how ge began as a remote viewer and does lead the reader into the practice if they choose to give it a try. This is a book that I will keep for reference and further reading.Do You See What I See?: Memoirs of a Blind Biker

5 comments about Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II.

1. This is an amazing book and a brilliant testimony to the faithfulness of God during unimaginable times. My own faith is stronger for reading Darlene Rose's book and I'm thankful for it.



2. Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose is a beautiful story of a missionary wife who gave her life to God and through her trust witnessed His work in her life and the lives of those around her. She sacrificed her comfort to reach out to others and glorify God, and was blessed for it innumerably. Darlene's courage is challenging, encouraging, and inspiring.



3. Evidence Not Seen is one of those books that make you just go wow! This is a must read for any Christian especially with so much made for TV christianity going around. This book is about the real thing. Darlene shares with us her experiences as she and other missionaries try to survive in a Japanese prison camp. She shares her close personal relationship with God and how He is there in her times of trouble and need. When you finish this book you will know that she serves and Awesome God and so can you!



4. What amazing faith in God this young
   woman had. I could only hope to be that brave and strong.



5. An inspiring story of a young missionary woman and her complete surrender to the Lord under unbelievable adversity. God's tenderness and mercies are real in her life and it encourages every believer to move into such intimacy with the Lord. One biography you will not want to put down!

5 comments about Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl.

1. "I hope they have chocolate in hell. Why? Because that is where I am headed." (page 250, @2008 New American Library, 1st edition)
   
   The author reminds me of a prissy great aunty who is a teensy bit snobby, and you would just hate her, if you didn't love her to death because she is so wickedly funny. Sharp-eyed and glib-tongued, McCorkindale satirizes her leavetaking from both the city, and, by her own description, her enviously easy and copiously renumerated job at Family Circle magazine to join her husband in farming a Virginia estate owned by her brother-in-law.
   
   There she finds that it isn't only city girls who can be queens of catty as she ponders rural fashions and hobbies, and clashes a bit with the unspoken, mysteriously calculated, pecking order that exists in rural social life.
   
   Other images of bucolic peacefulness are shattered also. Cows gently pasturing and hens coyly clucking in their pens, for unfathomable reasons of their own, (maybe her shoes didn't match her bag,) suddenly turn on her, testing just how functional those Manolos really are as she is forced to jump ditches and race over mud to escape the domestic turncoats. Sometimes McCorkindale is a wee bit catty herself, but given the impetus, you have to forgive her. I don't think chasing bargains in high end New York City boutiques quite prepared her for this.
   
   I grew up in a rural county and none of the farmer's wives I knew carried Prada handbags. Her descriptions are mostly snapshots of the moneyed country gentry set rather than the lifestyle of a common farm family. Still, I laughed aloud several times. Like a Seinfeld episode which always keeps it light, McCorkindale never sacrifices her satire to force feed us a contrived poignancy. This is a classic fish out of water tale and everyone is fodder for the farce, even the author herself. When you need a laugh, McCorkindale's drollery delivers.



2. Generally speaking you can't successfully use "sassy" and "footnotes" in the same sentence, but those words capture the true fun of McCorkindale's book. Her outside lookinging in perspective on rural america is wicked and enjoyable at every turn. A perfect getaway.



3. Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl is hysterical! Life on the farm after life in NYC is quite funny...
   This book would be a great gift for anyone - buy it, read it, enjoy it!



4. Whether you are a city girl moved to the country or not, this book will make you laugh out loud. There are humorous excerpts from the author's life that everyone can relate to and you will laugh until you cry over some of them. With something for everyone, this book is a definite read and a great escape from our own daily woes. Life is a journey that we sometimes take too seriously-this book reminds us to sit back and laugh about it once in awhile.



5. I am finding it difficult to get past chapter 2. This author's ego fills each page to overflowing. Her chirpy descriptions of her life, degrading descriptions of her husband (poor guy) and her bragging about how she gave her job duties away and "did nothing" but still received her "high 6 figure salary" are nauseating - not funny or hilarious as other reviewers somehow felt. I just bought this at Costco and am thinking of returning it. However, I may give it another chapter as other reviewers seemed to find some value in it. I hope she gets to the point of the book soon, as so far it's been a complete waste of my time and, lacking a "high six fixure salary", money.

5 comments about Wins, Losses, and Lessons: An Autobiography.

1. Great Book...If you're a Lou Holtz fan, a college football fan or if you're a fan of a great story on How to be successful in life....read Wins, Losses and Lesson's an autobiography about Lou Holtz.



2. Excellent book for anyone to read. I also pruchased the teen version for my son. It is an excellent book as well.



3. This year our baseball team (comprised of 13-16 yr olds) decided end of year trophies would be a little juvenile for the boys. The coach let me know about this book and thought it would be a good idea to give each of the boys one for the end of the season gift. We did and it was very well received! An amazing book for anyone that aspires to do something more with their life!
   
   Well written and very easy to read! I highly reccomend!



4. This book provides an excellent insight into the life of Lou Holtz and his motivational attitude on life. His dry humor will make you laugh, his thoughts inspiring, and make you think W.I.N. for those tough decisions in life.



5. Lou listed some great stories.
   
   In fact that is one reason why this is a great book, because Lou is an AWESOME story teller.
   Listen to the audio book as you read, Lou narrates this book very well.
   
   Lou has lived an amazing life.
   He just got it done, no matter what he does.
   Anyone can pick up some great tips about being more successful from this book.
   
   Paul

5 comments about Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive ScrabblePlayers.

1. I enjoyed this book on the whole, but can recommend it only to those with a serious interest in Scrabble. A lot of the book gets bogged down in the intricacies of competitive Scrabble tournaments, which is interesting only for a short time. I play living room Scrabble, but did not understand how complex and complete the knowledge required to become a true skilled player is.
   
   The parts of the book describing the game's genesis and history were interesting. But the 366 pages could have been cut by a third to make for a better book for the masses, in my opinion. Three stars out of five. But a nice effort nonetheless.



2. Word Freak surprised me with its depth. It's a work that weaves technical details of what can be a very tedious game at the upper levels, with an engaging tale filled with emotion and humor. It's basically the journey of one guy (the author) going from "I've played Scrabble before" to a bona fide expert at the game. And along the ways, there are fascinating personalities and gripping stories to enjoy.
   
   The story really becomes more a commentary on an underground society -- the personalities, compulsions, emotion, and triumphs of a small group of people for whom Scrabble is more than just a game. You start out wondering just how someone can come to be so deeply into the game. But fortunately, you get to see it firsthand as the author himself undergoes his transformation.
   
   The book at times becomes laden with technical talks...study techniques, game details...which can be a chore to work through at times. But I felt these passages really enhanced the book, exploring just what people go through for love of the game. Without them, it would be difficult to convey the real feel of the game. It can jst make it a bit harder of a read at times.
   
   All in all, a really great book that was more moving than I thought it would be. Very recommended to anyone...just a lot of fun.



3. In choosing to write about the misfits, neurotics, and obsessives who call themselves Scrabble players Stefan Fatsis could have chosen one of two approaches. He could have for one year followed North America's best players as they trained for and played in the National championships -- the result would have been a screwball comedy. Or he could have focused on why he -- an ostensibly successful Wall Street Journal reporter -- would himself become as obsessed with the game as the unemployed geniuses that constitute the core of the Scrabble elite -- the result would have also been a screwball comedy. Instead Mr. Fatsis chooses the middling path, and focuses on how he as an amateur tried to make it as an elite Scrabble player -- the result is interesting but is the furthest away from a screwball comedy -- it's about a serious man with a serious mission to master a serious game.
   
   That's the most frustrating thing about reading "Word Freak." It should be funny and entertaining, light and ironic -- but it takes itself and the game too seriously. That's because when writing the book Stefan Fatsis the journalist cannot separate himself from Stefan Fatsis the Scrabble player -- and the book becomes bogged down by detail, trivia, and minutaie that only Scrabble players care about. Fortunately for Fatsis there just happens to be millions of Scrabble players out there.
   
   For these Scrabble lovers Fatsis offers sound advice and analysis on playing the game, and shows well the stress and pressures of competitive Scrabble. And Fatsis does a decent job on writing about the history of Scrabble. He has a chapter on the solitary genius Alfred Butts who invented the game, and even a chapter on Scrabble's corporate history.
   
   Even though it's useful and highly marketable "Word Freak" is nonetheless written by a very pedestrian and inexperienced writer. The book is much too long, badly organized, and the diction is just terrible. Instead of gliding across the page the reader stumbles through it, sometimes tripping over the clunky words that Stefan Fatsis has intentionally placed there to show off his vocabulary.
   
   The book feels like a rushed piece of work, and not at all edited. It felt as though when writing the book Fatsis was on a 25 minute timer, and it didn't matter if the chapters and paragraphs he created made any sense he just had to get it done under 25 minutes, and if he did he would win. And judging by the sales of this book he had indeed won.



4. A friend recommended this one to me. Not a topic that I ever even knew existed - professional scrabble! But this is a fascinating subculture populated by lovable misfits -- the introverted nebbish Joel from New York, the hip Marlon, who comes from one of the poorest black neighborhoods in America, but scrapes by on his earnings from his totally ingenious mastery of a word game most of us know only as a casual past-time. Fatsis writes with genuine affection for his subject - despite using the term "freak" in his title - and he is a really good guide to the intricacies of the game, which, when played at a really high level is far more complicated than I ever could have imagined. He also gives an excellent overview of the history of the game itself - its invention, its commercialization, its growth as a kind of American icon among board games. I can't say how glad I am that I read this book. It's a joy...even if the topic is a bit unusual. Highly, highly recommend.



5. My advice:
   
   1. Consider the title/subjectmatter of WF. If you're not curious, take a pass.
   2. If you are curious, read the first chapter. If
   2.a. You're not totally (I do mean totally) sucked in, take a pass on the rest
   2.b. You're totally (ditto) sucked in, read on.
   
   My guess is that all of the middling/negative reviews on this page were posted by disgrunted 1- or 2a-readers who should have hit the eject-button early on; all of the praising reviews from us 2b-ers, contentedly strapped in for the ride. With all due respect to 1- and 2a-ers -- and with no aim to convert them from their 1/2a-ish ways (many of them have my sympathies, in fact) -- I'll just say that I'm squarely in the 2b camp. I thought WF was terrific, soup to nuts. I loved every character study, every competition, every lead-up to the next competition, every bout of authorly self-doubt, every instance of authorly self-satisfaction. Fatsis does a brilliant job of capturing -- and, indeed, being captured within -- an exceedingly odd subculture at the crossroads of game- and math-geekdom, on the wire (often literally) between sanity and insanity.
   
   Fatsis writes about Scrabble-mania with a true insider's knowledge, and with a deep affection for both his subjectmatter and his subjects. The result is a greatly engaging, at times inspiring, often humorous, occasionally pathetic glimpse into a slice of life few of us can imagine, but one we must on some level respect.
   
   WF is an odd and entertaining bit of social history. A wonderful read!

5 comments about Pieces of My Heart CD.

1. This is a wonderful way to hear about Rj's life. His voice is known to so many, and his story has everything in it. Love, laughs, tragedy. This man is such an important part of Hollywood, and I'm so glad he's finally come out with his story and that he's such a lucky guy to spend the past 20+ years with one of the world's great beauties, Jill St. John. I recommend this CD to anyone who wants to enjoy a life well lived.



2. I enjoyed the author telling me his story himself, as I listened to his voice on the audiobook CD version.



3. I have been in love with Robert Wagner since I was 10 years old. I was so excited when I heard he had written a book, that I bought the tape and the book. I read the book and then I let RJ tell me his life story. I listen to it in the car and it is like he is sitting next to me telling me stories. His stories aren't mean spirited, they are real. If he liked someone- he tells you but if he didn't like them- he doesn't pull any punches. The story about his argument with Tony Curtis about Janet Leigh is a perfect example of the type of person I wanted him to be. He tells an honest and loving story about all the women he has loved and the men that took the place of father that was cold. I loved RJ when I was ten and I love him even more - now that I know he is the person I wanted him to be since I was ten and turned on the tv and saw him as Alexander Mundy on It Takes a Thief. Great book - excellent read.



4. Whether you call him Pete Ryan, Al Mundy, Jonathan Hart or Prince Vallent, he is still Robert Wagner
   
   In this abridged audio biography, he recants his life and a life has never been more exciting. When he tells you about HOLLYWOOD in its golden era. The stars, the films and tv shows and the headlines are covered here.
   
   One thing you can say about Wagner is class. He is frank and honest on who is he is. He is more than an actor, he is a renaissance man. He knows his world isnt just Hollywood, but he keeps more of his private life semi private.
   
   He talks of his relationship with his wife Natalie Wood and her death from the boating accident. He touches on his grief briefly without glossing over it.
   
   Through it all he narrates this book like he was born to do it..well his was. and He does it in a clear voice, unlike many other stars who narrate this biographies (AKA William Shatner). He relays the facts without sugar coating them which makes this more interesting.
   
   The book and the man is a class act and it shows
   
   Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD



5. Hearing about Hollywood in the 40s, to the 90s is so interesting.. and to hear it from the author is even better.. I had no idea that Robert Wagners' life was so exciting. To hear him tell of his love for Barbara Stanwyk and Natalie was wonderful. He is respectful of every woman he has ever been involved with and that makes him a real man to me. I love the audio. I love this book. Thanks, Robert!!

5 comments about A Three Dog Life.

1. "A Three Dog Life" by Abigail Thomas is a wonderful telling of one woman's struggle to deal with life after her husband's life altering accident. Thomas pulls us into her life and her mind as we venture through all the changes with her. The book is written so conversationally that the reader can't help but feel as if the author is a close friend and one we care strongly about. While there are struggles and sadness in the book, the tone doesn't become heavy or depressing. Thomas manages to keep it upbeat so that we're not bogged down by the events. As she learns to live again, we are right there with her and learn much about our own thoughts and feelings. What would we do if our lives were twisted in a way such as her's was? Would we come through it as strongly as she? These are questions that flicker through the mind and it gives one pause to wonder. This is an all around great book and a quick read. Definitely well worth the time.



2. I really enjoyed this one. It was relaxed, easy reading, easily devoured in one sitting. I found myself in tears throughout the book, starting very early on in the story. The realistic and candid way in which the story was told made me want to hug both my significant other and my dog. It made me want to be the kind of person who is brave enough to continue to find joy in life while at the same time being there for her loved one in the most difficult of situations.
   
   I probably will not re-read this one, as all the crying exhausts me emotionally, but I am so glad that I did read it. This is a book that I will not be forgetting anytime soon.



3. This book is a must read especially for anyone who has been or is going through an unexpected life changing event. It is about courage, flexibility, acceptance, and finding the positive aspects of life's difficult situations. It is written in a wonderful style that doesn't leave the reader morose.



4. What a moving and insightful novel. This is the type of book that you savor....re-reading sections, sentences to fully digest the thought. A friend has experience working with traumatic brain injuries and is going to recommend it to her group.



5. A beautifully written story of loss and survival. Anyone who loves someone and who also loves dogs will understand and be heartened by this book.

5 comments about The Middle Place (Voice).

1. Kelly Corrigan does an amazing job at recounting her experience of dealing with cancer with 2 very young children. During this traumatic experience, she learns her father who is her idol is diagnosed with cancer as well. The most remarkable aspect of this novel is how light-hearted Corrigan manages to keep her tale while alternating between stories of growing up as a Corrigan between her day-to-day experience fighting cancer. I was laughing most of the time while fighting back tears some of the time. I LOVED this book and strongly recomment it to everyone.



2. A treasure of a read, The Middle Place is as inspirational as it is real. Artfully weaving together the chapters of Kelly's life, The Middle Place is both a memoir and an opportunity to reflect on what ultimately matters most. Kelly explains that the "middle place" is the place between being a child and being a parent. It seems as if it is also the space between life and death, hope and despair, vulnerability and empowerment, connection and independence, what-could-be and what-is-now, and beginnings and endings. The Middle Place takes readers to dark places, light places, and all places in between.



3. Corrigan's ability to explain things that some of us know and others are yet to find out is astounding. She hones in on those crucial moments that make us who we are, but surrounds us with great memories that make up our lives.
   
   So well written and funny that I read it straight through both times and plan to make sure everyone I grew up with reads it too.
   
   If you have a child or have lost a parent, The Middle Place speaks to you, bringing to life the things deep in your heart.



4. Add me to the chorus of praise. I'm an over-scheduled mom of two young kids who works full-time but I stayed up all night (literally) reading The Middle Place. I so admire Kelly Corrigan's ability to put her family experience into words.
   
   There's too much to say to capture how much I enjoyed it (and I am somewhat less than eloquent), but I tell all of my friends it's a "must read."



5. I absolutely adored the Middle Place. As the mother of two young daughters (3-1/2 and 18 months), I was incredibly moved and touched by Kelly's incredible story and the heartfelt, funny and authentic way she writes.
   
   After hearing about this book from a friend, I picked it up at a local book store. From the moment I opened the first page, I couldn't put it down and was literally reading it in line at pre-school pick up, when I was stopped at stoplights, any free moment I could find.
   
   The Middle Place is a story that every mother and daughter should read. It is a book that makes you think, makes you feel and alters the way you see the world.
   
   Kelly is an incredible writer and I certainly hope she writes more.