2 comments about Paul McCartney (Beatles).

1. Is there any possibility of giving this book zero stars? What a
   tedious and most forgettable read! I completely agree with the previous
   customer comment; this book has more to do with the business peripheral
   to Paul, not Paul. But in addition to that, Alan Clayson's writing style is
   absolutely torturous.
   
   The entire book is composed of weak, endless, one-sentence paragraphs
   that meander across perhaps five subjects, adding clause upon wandering
   clause, dropping name over unknown name. By the end, you have no clue
   what in the world you have just read. I had to read and re-read it
   until I could decipher the text's meaning. Alan, do yourself a favor
   and brush-up on your basic writing skills.
   
   I learned more about Paul in one 45 minute interview with Larry King
   than from this effort by Clayson. This book, unfortunately, is a
   complete waste of time, and makes Solzhenitsyn's "Gulag Archipelago"
   feel like a light and happy read.



2. The author explains at the start of the book that he was obliged to write it as part of a contractual agreement to deliver seperat books on each of the fab four. He clearly has no empathy with McCartney and treats him as a run of the mill songwriter and performer with a knack for commerical success. The problem is that this renders any subsequent analysis half hearted and also leads him to write far more about McCartney collaboraters such as Denny Laine than of McCartney himself. So we never get under the skin of the artist nor come any closer to understanding the creative tension and impact of his music. I can only reccommend for the completist who wants to get a reference to secondary Macca sources.

No comments about Doctors: The History of Scientific Medicine Revealed Through Biography-The Teaching Company (cassette) (The Great Courses).

1 comments about Four Decades with Studs Terkel: A Compilation of Extraordinary Interviews from 40 Years of Broadcasting.

1. I have just purchased my third copy of this tape. I lend it out and it never comes back. It is a wonderful collection of oral interviews covering a wide range of topics and personalities. The interviews are 1st person history; the attitudes and issues of each decade are reflected in the comments. Studs is a knowledgeable interviewer. If you have any interest in 20th century America, I highly recommend it -- get it now, it is getting harder to find.

5 comments about Being Martha: The Inside Story of Martha Stewart and Her Amazing Life.

1. I could not put this book down as the story-telling style is engaging and it introduces me to a woman who is so amazingly strong minded and driven. This book humanizes Martha Stewart as a person who has gone through heartbreaks, disappointments, letdowns and lots more just like the rest of us, yet her positive attitude and loyalty towards her beliefs remain unwavering. I enjoy this book tremendously as I can get to read a lot of "behind the scenes" stories.



2. First I must state I am not particularly a fan of Ms. Stewart. On the other hand, I really have absolutely nothing against her. I don't know her, and in all likelihood never will. I do know that she has received some pretty bad press and a lot of hack writers have made a bit of money taking cheap shots at her. That being said, I rather enjoyed this work. I see absolutely nothing wrong in a friend writing about a friend and saying nice things about the friend they are writing about. The author's style is a little too gushy for my taste i.e. "to die for" is not the way people I know describe cookies. On the other hand, the author's world is different than mine, and that is okay. I dare say the author never uses phrases such as "damn, this is good stuff" when describing cookies. I do admit to finding Ms. Stewart a fascinating individual, and while, as I said, I am not a particular fan, I do admire what she has accomplished. The author gives us yet another view of this woman's life, and that is always refreshing. Like her or not, she certainly has made an impact on our society. It is people such as her we should all know about. This is a fast read and you certainly will not be the worse for wear by reading it and might even enjoy it. Overall, recommend.



3. As some other reviewers have previously stated, this book was written by an old friend of Martha Stewart's which may be cause for wondering if things are not a bit tweaked. The author has this "goody two shoes" style of writing that can be annoying at times.
   
   However, the book reads very fast and is entertaining, though it may be a bit biased.
   
   The story of Martha's life makes for interesting reading any way you slice it (no pun intended!!). She has worked hard, so hard in fact that it is almost impossible to believe that any one individual could possess such stamina, energy and focus. I am always inspired by people who start with modest beginnings and build an empire.
   
   I also read the book Just Desserts by Jerry Openheimer, which is an unauthorized biography and paints an entirely different picture of Martha.
   
   Read this one with a grain of salt! (again, no pun intended!!)



4. I was so impressed to finally read writings about Martha that were neither sappy and artificial nor spiteful and mean spirited. Allen is a true friend to Martha the kind that sees her how she really is faults and all and obviously still respects her. I love that he doesn't immortalize her as some sort of goddess but yet you can sense that he has a great deal of respect and admiration for her. I have always been a huge fan of Martha especially after she was, in my opinion, held up a bit unfairly as an example of how the government was cracking down on big business. This book takes a true and accurate look at the women, wife, mother, friend and incredible business women that Martha is. She has a temper like most of us, she is moody just like most of us, she likes nice things just like most of us. The difference is that her every move is scrutinized in most cases negatively and out of context. Yet she handles it all with grace and dignity as best she can and strives more recently to open herself up and let us her fans in. I highly recommend this book to her fans as well as those who through negative press have decided they do not like her. Give it a chance it might change your mind. Thank you Allen for an excellent view into the true Martha. Thank you Martha for Being Martha.



5. I really enjoyed the book. It certainly gave me a new perspective on Martha. I mean I never paid much attention to Martha and her story. I just heard what other people had to say about her occasionally. It is unfortunate that people tend to be swayed by what they here on the gossip mill. What a great thing Mr. Allen did for Martha! I am really glad he wrote the book and I am really glad I read it. Martha certainly deserves respect and admiration.

No comments about Abraham and the Idols.

1 comments about Miracle Man: Nolan Ryan-Cassette.

1. I am still reading this book. I'm just impressed to get a super sports star's thinking on the way of life.
   He insisted on the importantance of moral in the society.

No comments about My Dinner of Herbs.

No comments about Shadows Of The Workhouse.

No comments about England's Rose : An Audio Tribute to Princess Diana.

5 comments about Losing my Mind: An Intimate Look at Life with Alzheimer's.

1. This book was written by a gentleman with Alzheimer's disease. I had the privilege of hearing him read part of it in person. It is quite moving.



2. We can probably all relate to this title, however, this is a road map into the mind of Thomas DeBaggio, who was a professional herb grower and journalist, and how he dealt with his journey into Alzheimers disease. It wanders a bit, as the mind does with this disease, and your heart will go out to him struggling to be his own person.This disease robs you of your person.



3. 
   At one point in this sad autobiography the author states, "We are foolish, those of us who think we can escape the traps of aging." In Mr. Debaggio's case he found himself caught in one of those traps when he was 57 years old. Healthy and robust, with an optimistic look to the future he one day is told that he is a victim of early onset Alzheimer's disease. The author, who is a talented writer of books on gardening, decides to write a book describing his gradual mental deterioration.
   
   Losing My Mind shifts back and forth between comments on his present condition, excerpts from medical articles, and reminiscences on his past life. This is not an inspirational book. Mr. DeBaggio is depressed, frightened, and filled with despair over his future. Fortunately his writing skills are still intact enough that he can fluently describe his descent into the abyss.
   
   It is not the author alone who suffers. His wife is grief stricken that she is going to gradually lose her life's companion, and she feels totally frustrated in knowing that she can do nothing to help him. His grow son shares her grief, and also worries that he will eventually suffer the same illness.
   
   Increasingly he has to hunt for words to express himself. He raises herbs for a living, and begins to forget their names. He goes to a store to operate a copying machine, and finds he can't figure out how to operate this rather simple device. Writing this book helps him to hold on to our world. He spends a lot of time reminiscing about his childhood, because those memories still are clear in his mind.
   
   Mr. DeBaggio has received, as he puts it, a death sentence, and that thought remains constantly in mind. He courageously tackles each day one by one, but knows he is fighting a losing battle. I am an older person who has a deteriorating condition that gradually causes me increasing pain, so I have a glimmer of what he is going through. What will our status be next month, next year? It is interesting that he mentions that dealing with his diagnosis is one thing, but dealing with some of his well-wishers is often more difficult. There are the people who suggest that if he would just take some sort of sea weed or herbal medicine he would be restored to normal. Folks like that mean well, but their suggestions show a total lack of understanding of the forces at work in his physical condition, and, in a sense, diminish the seriousness of the problem (I've experienced the same thing).
   
   This book is remarkable. It gives us a view of the problems, thoughts and torment that are part of an Alzheimer's sufferer's life. It is anything but a joyous book. It is one that points out how close we live to the threat of ultimate disaster.



4. Mr. DeBaggio is so wonderful to have shared his experiences with diagnosis, physicians, others reactions, and his own struggle to understand and deal with what is happening to him. This book brought a new enlightenment to me, newly dealing with a family diagnosis. It is so easy to forget the person who is actually fighting with the disease when it affects so many in the family. His true account of what his feelings are throughout the months it took to write the book has given me more compassion for my mom and the ability to be angry at the disease as the culprit for all of the cruel things that are happening to all of us while we watch the progression. Thank you, Mr. DeBaggio, for opening my eyes to my mom's struggles.



5. For those interested in this subject this book is an engaging and rewarding read. Some may find DeBaggio's anguish a bit excessive, but to me it was a genuine expression of his emotion, not buffered by what is 'proper'.