5 comments about Buffett: The Making of an American Capitolist.

1. Well researched, analyzed, and written.
   
   I see why Buffett was silently acceptive in autographing it. Superb job in reporting both analytical economics and personal life. Truth.
   
   I will read more from this author.



2. I gave this book 4 stars only because it was published in 1995, which is over a decade ago. It is a good source for background information about a corporate executive I respect--and there are few of those to be found. Buffett told the author he would nothing to help or hinder, and the journalistic quality and information is well-presented and -documented. A good place to learn more about the "Oracle of Omaha". I'd like to see Lowenstein do a follow-up covering the more recent years.



3. Before writing my impressions of this book, I think it is first important to identify the reviewer so others can see my perspective. I am a young graduate with limited to no investing experience. I became interest in Warren Buffett after reading a fair amount of articles on Buffett the person; his success in investing, his political views, his recent contribution to the Gates charity, and most importantly, his character. I became intrigued enough to inquire about the details of who this man is and his philosophy.
   
   This was exactly what the book offered; it is a biography, not an investment guide. That said, it is not really possible to unlink Buffett the person and Buffett the investor. His core values are too in entwined for it to be anything other. Lowenstein does a great job of presenting information in terms that a layman like myself can understand (with some help from simple research) while still providing enough information to get the details about Buffett's investment strategies and core values.
   
   I found the book to be both informative and enticing. It has instilled in me a great respect for the man, as well as an interest in becoming less of an investment layman. The book is a bit dated, now being about 13 years old, but after reading it, I find this point moot. Buffett's approach has been the same since he learned from Graham, just with more information and an increasing scope in which to apply his tactics.
   
   In my opinion, Lowenstein did a fantastic job researching his subject matter. The book is ripe with references and further signs that he truly knows his subject. I also found little to no signs of a subjective approach in respect to either glorifying Buffett or demonizing him, as far as is humanly possible. Buffett's mistakes are presented as clearly as his amazing triumphs (and they are quite amazing). Lowenstein's approach is instead to provide as clear as possible a presentation of Buffett's character, which is again entwined with his (enormous) successes and (minor) setbacks.
   
   Highly recommended for those interested in his character. Again, this book is a biography, not an investment guide, but it seems hard to separate the two in regards to Buffett.



4. Warren Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist is a touching, human portrayal of a true capitalist. Roger Lowenstein's portrait of Warren Buffett as a modern day mathematical wizard and financier was touching both in its humanity and educational in its documentation of the making of the most successful, modern entrepreneur.
   
   One would be interested to hear more about what Mr. Buffet has been up to since the release of this book. There have been significant events that have followed.
   
   This is the book to read if one is interested in a biography of Warren Buffett. Highly Recommended.



5. Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist by Lowenstein is one of the most delightful books I have ever read. It was difficult to put this book down. If you enjoy an enterprising adventure, you'll love this one. More than investment epic biography; it is an exciting light fun read. There are tidbits of investing genius around every corner. My connection came when I learned how enterprising Warren was even as a young boy and then it gets better and better. Our investment club, also selected this book to study in 2008 and it has been exceeding expectations. It is one of several books I have read on the topic of Warren Buffett and it is by-far-and-away, the best. This is one you will want to keep for your collection and share with your kids, friends and family.

5 comments about A Snowflake in My Hand: The Inside Story of One of the Most Famous Clinics in the World, Beautifully Told, With Warmth and Compassion".

1. No exaggeration here, this book is quite possibly the best book I've ever read - and I've read a LOT of books. I probably average 100-150 books per year and this book stands out like a shining beacon of what a book should be.
   
   Without melodrama or saccharine-laced manipulations, the author manages to successfully illustrate the pain, no, the agony, of watching a beloved animal slip away. She shows the behind the scenes anguish and dedication of those who care for and strive to better the lives of our furry children. Nowhere have I seen animal-human relationships portrayed with such tenderness, sincerety and respect without a trace of the maudlin.
   
   Ms. Mooney does not proselytize nor does she moralize, yet somehow she manages to bring forth a sense of the divine and everlasting bond possible with a special animal. She gives the sense also that however difficult, life does go on and that somehow, it must.
   
   One other important note about this book - With her words, her attitude, and her wisdom, Ms. Mooney does a better job than could 12 trained counselors at helping to appease any guilt a companion person may have at any decisions made out of love for an animal.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever loved an animal or even anyone who has simply had a friendship with one. This book speaks to a level rarely seen or addressed in a simple paperback book.



2. In law school, in a cinder block dormitory, Samantha Mooney's cats were a surrogate animal family for me, but such a tragic family, since death came sooner for them than for most of our pets. This was one of the very few books I carried home with me and I have never let it go in all the intervening years. If we must acknowledge that we are destined to outlive most of our pets, again and again we need a book to remind us to cherish their lives but not tether them to hopeless life when they are ready to let go. Many animals have shared their lives with me in the years since I graduated. This is the book I turn to when that sad day comes around for each of my animals in turn.



3. It is a simple book, written for the average person. Nothing fancy, just a book written from the heart. If you've ever had the love of a cat, dog, or any other creature in your life then please get this book. It will warm your heart and make you feel what it's like to know true, sincere love. For those who think that humans are the only creatures with souls and feelings, you should read this book and maybe realize that we are truly not alone, there are intelligent and caring lifeforms all around us.



4. Hard to believe this book would ever go out of print, or that the author apparently wrote nothing else. I got this book when it first came out, and periodically reread it -- and I'm not even a cat person. A wonderful book, beautifully written, about life, love, loss and renewal. Get a copy, this one is a jewel that shouldn't be missed.



5. Lyrical, poignant, tender, this is a book clearly written by a cat lover. A slim memoir of her time as an veterinary research assistant in the oncology department of NYC's Animal Medical Center, the author is above all hopeful, despite the inevitable early demise that awaits most of her patients. She knows that while the doctors may not be able to cure the cancers of their feline patients, they can certainly improve the quality of life, allowing the cats to live out their lives as happily as medically possible. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest.

1. For a real life story it does not get much more real than this, a passion becomes an obsession that takes away the hero status that he was aiming for in the first place? . I found it easy to read. A bit of soft filling in the middle and couldn't really relate to the relationship with his wife.



2. As one of the other reviewers had written, I too have becme nearly obsessed with the events surrounding the tragic events of May 1996. I have read every book I can find on the subject.
   
   Dr. Weathers book is very well written. It gives perspective from his wife and friends view as they waited his return and the sadness and then apprehension when they find he is still alive but in dire trouble.
   
   I'd highly recommend this book. it is inspirational - his courage - his acceptance of what happened.



3. If you like to read about real mountaineering, try a book by Joe Simpson or Jon Krakauer. If you want to read a book about a guy who blows off his family to climb, and all the damage he does because of it, then this book is ideal for you.
   
   I was hoping to read a survival story, instead I got family dynamics.



4. The book is OK.I like to know all the book about 1996 Everest disaster.The middle part of book - about Beck life history - was boring.The climbing parts were OK.In my opinion the best book was "The Climb"



5. If you, like me, are an avid armchair mountaineer, gripping your cup of hot chocolate at the risk of either spilling your drink or breaking the cup as the National Geographic Channel or Discovery Times takes you over the breathtaking vistas of the Seven Summits; and if you, like me, stop to read or listen to every story of the mighty Everest and the hundreds of people who've braved its summit since Tenzing Norgary Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hilary cut the ribbon, you're bound to be drawn to this book. And certainly if you, like me, know by name everyone on Rob Hall's and Scott Fischer's teams in 1996...those who perished, and those who survived, along with a preview of the breathtaking tale Beck Weathers tells here of his rescue from the mountain, you may scratch your head in puzzlement when you realize that you are less than a third into "Left for Dead" when you've reached this point in the book. What more could there be to tell?
   
   Don't stop reading.
   
   First of all, Beck does a spectacular job, aided by his wife, now, who adds comments about how his obsession with climbing afffected the family, of his entire history of climbing, including the colorful characters and the close calls that accompany Beck and his companions during their climb. But now as he looks back, Beck is able to reflect on what he missed.
   
   Oh no. Is this turning into a screenplay for a chick flick? Well, not really. Or not entirely. But by the end, Beck has realized all that he came very close to losing ....even after the Everest climb...included much more than a hand, and was much more precious.
   
   Although I still would have liked a bit more build-up before the crisis on Everest, I thought this was a darned good book. I would not ask the author to lose any more extremities, but if he could manage to write another without losing one, that would be OK.

5 comments about The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family.

1. This book helped open my eyes to what children go through in Foster Care. It helped me to relize that you can't judge a book by its cover. That the struggle for acceptance,love acknowledgement or to be recognized can consume & overwhelm a child...to even the point of doing something you know in you heart is wrong. This book makes me want to work hard, so I can buy a big house, Just so I can provide enough love and support and room for not only my three children, but for those children in need of a place to call home & to know that they have someone who care about them.



2. This is a story about a young boy who gets abused and treated unfairly. He doesn't have any clothes besides the ones he caries in a brown paper bag. He runs away from the world he hates. He has no home to go to, then he finds hope. To find out more information about this book find it and venture into it.
   
   In my opinion this book was excellent and amazing.Why? Because it made me cry on the first page, some parts I felt like going in the book, because the suspense never ends. I would recommend it to those who love to read soppy, exciting books that are true.



3. This book, along with another came in on time and for a great price. I Love this book.. I am now waiting to read the two books left that tells the rest of Dave's Story. There are 4 all together!



4. This book will open your eyes to child abuse. You will forever remember and reflect on what you have read. We all have a need to be loved.



5. this is a good book! i love it when dave sees that kid and the kid says what you call my sister? then dave says a horror? then the kid punches dave, makes his nose bleed, and says don't you ever, ever, call my sister a whore again! read it if you liek dave pelzer as much as me!

5 comments about The Double Helix: The Story Behind the Discovery of DNA.

1. I ended up getting copies of two different paperback editions.
   
   The Simon & Schuster Touchstone Book, with a little bit of an introduction by Sylvia Nasar, has easy-to-read print and the photographs are pleasantly large. Good for reading in the subway.
   
   But the Norton Critical edition, edited by Gunther S. Stent, is the one to get if you can only afford one. Its typeface leaves much to be desired, and, in my copy, some of the pages are hard to read because the printer seems to have run out of ink in the middle of the job. But the edition has materials that are indispensable for an understanding of this classic work of science. I enjoyed, most of all, Stent's essay "reviewing the reviews," showing both the wisdom (by some) and the foolishness (by others) with which the Double Helix was received by the scientific community.



2. Excellent book formulating the personalities and egos behind the race for DNA. Interesting and well written. Add a star if you are in the field.



3. I read this as a requirement for a class but actually found it interesting. It show the human sides to the people behing the discovery of DNA and exposes the drama and gossip going on. It also shows just how difficult it was and is to be a woman scientist (Rosalind's story).
   It is a short book, an easy read, I recommend it.



4. Clarification is in order. First of all, this is not a substantive science book. For all the significance of the discovery it chronicles, The Double Helix never bothers to explain how, for example, x-ray crystallography actually works, or what the difference between a keto- and an -enol is, or even why Watson's and Crick's discovery brought on a new era in the life sciences. Aspiring students of genetics and molecular biology are urged to inquire elsewhere for answers to these questions.

   Second, to label The Double Helix a book on scientific method is almost equally misleading - the reason being that there is no room in the rarefied formalism extolled by the likes of Karl Popper for Watson's subjectivity and sarcasm, not to mention the latter's frequent excursions on nubile au pairs and the deplorable student housing market at Cambridge.

   Third (not that it matters for an appreciation of the book, but it's a common misunderstanding), Watson and Crick did not discover DNA itself, or even the function of DNA. Rather, they were awarded the Nobel Prize for solving the molecular structure of DNA.

   With those clarifications in mind, The Double Helix is a profitable read. Watson shows us non-scientists that the practice of science is "just" another human endeavor, and not some remote, sterilized activity conducted by emotional eunuchs in white coats. Watson's first-person narrative is downright conversational, as if he's talking shop over a pint of stout in an English pub. He is unabashedly honest about both his ambitions and his naivete (he was only 23 at the time the events in the book took place). And his sometimes scathing portrayals of his colleagues - in all their brilliance and banality - give the impression that working in a world-class research facility is a lot like working anywhere else.

   Francis Crick comes across as that certain guy we all knew in college (wherever and whenever that was) - impish and boisterous, egocentric but big-hearted, who might be dapper if he didn't sleep in his clothes, whose eccentricity is the bane of faculty advisors, whose attention is everywhere but on task, whose breath sometimes smells like beer after lunch, and whose serendipitous genius comes through at all the right times. The supporting cast is equally colorful: Maurice Wilkins, the quintessential English academic stuffed corpse; Rosalind Franklin, a Freudian caricature of icy feminine competence in a man's world; the godlike Linus Pauling playing with his tinker toy molecular models in California.

   And it wasn't just his colleagues who made Watson's work interesting. There were the aforementioned au pairs, the pubs and the parties and the formal receptions, there was the professional competitiveness between the English and the Americans - with Watson (a Yank in Cambridge) more of an American insurance policy against the Brits getting all the credit for solving DNA if Pauling wasn't fast enough. And there was the Cold War, which had an impact on research priorities and, sometimes, hampered communication in the scientific community.

   But most importantly - although Watson never deigns to make this point explicit - The Double Helix is a fascinating chronicle of the scientific method in action, notwithstanding the politics, the distractions, and the idiosyncrasies of the protagonists. The task itself was daunting. Watson and Crick already knew what DNA was composed of, and they knew with some certainty the proportions in which the bases were represented, but there could only be one correct way to put all the pieces together and the haystack was a big one. The researchers were quick to offer and to accept criticism, and false leads were abandoned without regard to ego or sunk time. Even though each wanted to get there first, London shared their findings with Cambridge, Cambridge shared their insights with London, and England and California held nothing from each other for long - admirable examples of the "sociable competition" of science that expedites discovery.

   In the end, Watson's and Crick's success relied heavily on Wilkins's and Franklin's crystallography, with important contributions from whomever happened to stop by the lab during the two year period, and insights from conferences and the textbooks and articles Watson happened to read at the time. Creativity, serendipity, and openness to the ideas of others eventually yielded hypotheses, which were tested using Pauling's modeling methods. It could not have been done alone, as Watson makes clear, and the structure of DNA would have been discovered sooner or later. While ultimately it doesn't matter who gets the credit for the discovery, the world seems a better place for James Watson's being involved, if only because The Double Helix is such an entertaining read.




5. The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA written by James D. Watson is a rather engaging with a easily readable down to earth style book on the discovery of the structure of DNA. James D. Watson and Francis Crick worked on the structure of DNA, as did other of the time L. Pauling and R. Franklin were hot on the heals of Watson and Crick.

   This is the story of how they made history, a story by a scientist about scientists, this is a superbly human tale of how a very unusual 23 year old American saw his chance for scientific immortality and set out to seize it.

   If you like reading about about discovery and how it was done, then you'll like this book. Written in a folksy mannor, this is a book that is thrilling as you get to experience the discovery firsthand. Here you'll read about observation, the suspense of making this discovery before others and the mounting tension associated with science. You'll feel Watson's brilliance come through the narrative, his frank tone mixed with humor all making this a fast read, but never boring.

   You'll be transported back to college, Cambridge, off to London and Paris, experience things like wine, movies, and girls, but you'll feel the undertone of scientific politics at its finest. This is a very entertaining book about the beautiful experience of making a great scientific discovery.

5 comments about Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife.

1. I was entertained by this book at first because her research covered many areas I was unfamiliar with. I enjoyed that part however I felt like there was much missing. The Author carefully picked the items that already fit into her previous belief system and then rejected everything else. I am glad I read it because I can learn something new from everything...
   This is overall a very incomplete study of the afterlife.........



2. I was expecting more. given her access tos a diverse group of fascinating but unconventional people, Spook rarely rises above pointing and giggling.
   
   Given the skewering Roach gives to her unwitting collaboraters, I wonder how many more books she can write before all doors are slammed in her face.



3. Let me begin by saying that Mary Roach is an excellent researcher and a deft writer. That's the good news. The bad news is that she is immature and there is way too much Mary in this book. Reading this book is like spending an afternoon with a precocious 12 year old boy. At first she is somewhat amusing, but quickly becomes ill-mannered, whiny, and rude. By the end of the afternoon, you are quite eager to return the boorish, annoying little brat to her parents. She has a mean streak, and when I say mean I'm talking Ann Coulter-mean. She makes fun of people's names, looks, dress, and how they talk. (As a researcher, this shows terribly bad form--you do not insult those who have been kind enough to help you write the book). She also an unsettling and frequent habit of including something gross every chance she gets. I lost count of the number of times she digressed into some tangent involving bodily functions. Then she has the nerve to write something like, "It's always underpants with these guys." No, Mary, it's always underpants with YOU. The title of the book is meant to mislead, by the way (I'm sure Mary snickered when the publisher informed her about the chosen subtitle as she knew it would pull in the "suckers.") The title should actually be "A Skeptic's Cynical Guide to Wackos who Believe in the Afterlife." Mary should not be allowed out of her room until she becomes a grown-up.



4. If you want to learn anything about pretty much anything, Spook is not the book for you. Whereas Roach's earlier effort (Stiff) was at once quite funny and packed with interesting details, Spook, though also quite funny, is pretty much totally lacking in the substance area. Why 5 stars then? Because it's a no-brainer to this reader, at least, that MR's principal purpose in writing is to entertain, and only a distant secondarily to inform or instruct. In short, I did not expect to learn much about science, the afterlife, or about approaches to the study of the latter by the former when I picked up a copy of Spook. What I did expect was to be amused, greatly greatly amused. Reading page after page of MR's wry observations and hilarious turns of phrase, I certainly was. Spook is a very fun read.



5. For as far back as history reaches, it seems that humans have considered what happens to the soul after death. Different cultures and civilizations have come up with diverse explanations for the journey that the soul might make once death occurs, and some of these explanations have become the basis for entire spiritual belief systems and religions. In her second book, Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife, author Mary Roach takes a skeptical look at modern views of the afterlife from all over the world, and researches what information it is that believers have presented as evidence for these views. Her journey takes her from a reported case of reincarnation in India, to the University of Virginia to explore Near Death Experiences; from trying to record the spirits of the Donner party in the Sierra Mountains, to Massachusetts to investigate research regarding the weight of the human soul.
   In one of the earliest chapters of the book, Roach travels to India to learn about reincarnation, and, specifically, a purported case of a young boy who is supposed to be the reincarnation of a dead factory worker. Right away, readers are confronted with the difficulty of applying science to the afterlife. As Roach says, "Like most psychological and philosophical theories, reincarnation can't be proved in a lab." With her Indian guide, Dr. Rawat, Roach visits the boy, Aishwary. Aishwary, his family, and many others, maintain that he is the reincarnation of a factory worker named Veerpal. The man had died a violent death from electrocution not long before Aishwary was born, and, as Dr. Rawat explains, violent deaths are often typical in reported cases of reincarnation. Apparently the child began talking about people from his previous existence around the age of three, which is also fairly typical as one researcher has found: "Ninety-five percent of the children in Stevenson's cases began talking about a previous existence between the ages of two and four, and started to forget about it all by age five" (Roach, 26).
   So much of this case, and other similar cases, are based on what young children have said and what their parents can recall them saying, since they often do not write down specifics. Researchers then have the task of trying to sort through all of this information and come to an objective conclusion. Not only that, the topic of the afterlife, and of course of the idea that a person's soul may live on in this world through reincarnation, is an emotionally charged and sensitive topic.
   However, Roach does an excellent job of laying out the situations she encounters for her readers. She never fully debunks any claims, yet never commits to any either: her book is more an exploration of the different views of the afterlife than a conclusion to which may be valid. As Roach says herself in the introduction, "I'm trying hard not to make assumptions, not to have an agenda" (14).
   This is especially clear when, at one point in the story, Roach delves into her research experience by enrolling in medium school. Because Roach does not have a true agenda, she is free to explore all types of avenues of thought through her book and research. She resolves to commit to trying to connect with her potential skills as a medium. She works hard within her medium classes, even if she is somewhat skeptical of her abilities and the abilities of her fellow classmates. At the end of her experience with the medium school, Roach reflects, "I have learned that I was wrong about mediums. I no longer think they are intentionally duping their clients. I believe that they believe, honestly and with conviction, that they are getting information from paranormal sources" (177). Though Roach is skeptical, she goes into each experience with an open mind and fresh interest. She not only explores the concept of a potential journey that the soul makes after death, but her experiences throughout the book also open her eyes to the world around her, and allow her and her readers to understand various beliefs and the people who possess them.
   Roach is extraordinarily curious throughout the book of the different takes on the afterlife, but maintains a skeptical, somewhat playful tone. She often has sarcastic side- comments and humorous insights that keep the book light, which is quite the feat considering the topic. Her footnotes are also not only informational, but intriguing, tidbits scattered throughout the narrative. Overall, the book is an entirely interesting, entertaining read that is also exceptionally well written. The book is less focused on the science of the matter itself than on the journey of discovery.
   Roach's narrative is for anyone who would like an engaging read regarding the human soul and the possibility of an afterlife. For those who might be wary to pick up a book shelved in the "Science" section of the bookstore for a recreational read, they should be pleasantly surprised at the ease and entertainment value of Spook.

5 comments about So Far.

1. What an amazing experience it has been spending the last few days with Kelsey Grammer in my car. The book is written simply and honestly using beautiful language. The story of his life is captivating. I found his story funny and sometimes devastatingly sad. My only complaint about this tape is even the unabridged version is just too short. Well, there is always Frasier (on at midnight) if you want more of Mr. Grammer! Enjoy!



2. I should mention that my impression of Kelsey Grammer has been vastly dominated by the character he played on the popular sitcom "Frasier". Although not really a sitcom regular, this show has struck a chord with me. There's been something about its main character that has kept me engrossed.
   
   Grammer has played this character for about 20 years. And I've been intrigued by the question who has rubbed off onto whom. How much of the neuroses and obsessions as well as of the learned self of the fictitious character do we find in the actor who portrays him?
   
   Sadly, while Grammer bares his personal life to us, sometimes at length (although it's a quick read), from this book we learn precious little about the true person. What remains is the picture of a guy who likes (or liked) surfing, motorcycling, poems by W H Auden, dogs, and the company of attractive, yet often fatally flawed women. Oh, and his vocation is acting, perhaps spun from a seemingly passing thought as a young boy to do something big at the Lincoln Centre someday.
   
   One cannot help but admire his persistence to pursue a career in a field that can be rewarding as it can be perilous and daunting (not being an actor myself, I take licence to make this assumption). It requires tenacity and gusto for his chosen profession to camp out in Central Park to make ends meet during meagre times on a slim budget. But the driving motivation lying beneath remains somewhat in the dark (until perhaps "...so good" or "...so bad" see the light of day).
   
   Narrative and prose of the book are even, but reveal only skeletal outlines of the persons and events described. Were it not for some of the pictures in the book, most of the people would remain oddly faceless, even the ones the author feels closest with. An exception is Goose, his first dog, who comes to life more than any other character (even Christopher Plummer seems dim and faint by comparison).
   
   One small but important note. It irked me immensly that in one passage Grammer assigned New York the status of a holy city, where, to take the gist of his words, some divine providence has deigned to fulfil man's dreams in this universe. It is this kind of thinking that has brought and continues to bring a lot of hurt into the world.
   
   Perhaps it can be explained by the fact that, at least at the time he penned this book and unlike many other great actors, Grammer hadn't spent much (any?) time working outside his native US. Thus, he may have been unable to get a lasting impression of the irrepressible power of human culture and spirit in so many other places in this fragile world of ours.



3. While this is not the most tightly woven book I have ever read, I always enjoy reading about the life journey and current thoughts of an actor. I especially respect Kelsey Grammer's long run as Frasier Crane.
   
   Though this memoir, we learn of the details of Grammer's life and also his life philosophy. We hear the truth behind the Hollywood gossip. We also hear the heart behind the actor and the character we have come to know from our weekly "visits".
   
   This book and Grammer's work itself taught me a lot about the power of comedy, and how as an actor, comedy is not as easy as it looks... and yes, it is as significant as high drama.
   
   It can be read very quickly - as an actor as well I try to read as much as I can from other actors. This is a book that can be shared and enjoyed by many.



4. My comments pertain to the audio tape version of this book, which I highly recommend. I think Kelsey Grammer's reading helped to paint a better picture than the print version would; hearing his voice added to the character of the stories he told.

   Not being a hardcore fan of Frasier or Cheers, I knew very little about Kelsey Grammer, other than that I liked him in those shows. I happened to see the book on tape and thought I'd give it a try. I was not surprised to learn that Mr. Grammer is as introspective and articulate as his popular television persona. It was fun to come along for the ride as he described his early years, and thought-provoking to hear him describe how the tragedies and other events in his life had shaped him as a human being.

   All in all, I found the audio version of this autobiography to be compelling and quite worthwhile.




5. The guy had a pretty tough life, I will give him that. But I really hate when actors take their "craft" too seriously. The guy is a sitcom actor, he is very popular, he has a very hot, very young wife and he should leave it at that. When he gets into all this stuff about acting with a dog, and how the dog is not an actor and he was offended, I wanted to take the pages and wipe my rear with them. I enjoyed the book though for the most part

5 comments about Knee Deep in Paradise (Nova Audio Books).

1. Brett Butler is a real writer, and I didn't for a second view this autobio as pretentious. She has a decent vocabulary, and I see nothing wrong with her using it. I did, however, lose interest towards the end. The whole thing about coming to terms with her relationship with her father was dragged out, and the book became a biography of him. I was disappointed at so little about the TV show. Perhaps, as others suggest, we need a sequel.



2. The previous reviewer that felt Brett used words in a pretentious fashion should stick to Nancy Drew. I found the biography enlightening as to the character and strife that molded a fine comedian.I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised that she has such a versatile grasp of the English language. I read biographies for insight and that is what you get with Ms. Butler. It is not the more common joke fest that many other comic Bios proffer.
   A good read and an interesting person. Thanks for your memories Brett.



3. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was interesting to look back on old reruns of "Grace Under Fire" after reading this book and see how pieces of Brett Butler's life were incorporated into the show. It is the best book I've read in a long time. I want a sequel!



4. I've always been a fan of Brett Butler's show and frankly like just about any biography, even if I'm not a fan of the individual. Am I the only one who noticed Brett's attempt at sounding "smart" and using unnecessary long words in odd places? I would love to read the "real" story without all the long, pretentious words that just made this book irritating to read.



5. I have followed Brett Butler since i discovered the sitcom Grace Under Fire. Being in a relationship with a southern belle and being Australian myself.. i can relate totally to most of the things Brett has written about with regards to the southern ways and southern manners. The woman in my view rocks !! .... Instead of crying into her mint tea, she writes a no holds barred, except for diplomatic reasons, story of where she came from , who she was, is and has become. Nothing is glossed over.It is real. She in my view has remained grounded even after all she has encountered in her life. Brett, keep writing, you can only get better. This reader wishes you had another book written as an aftermath for this one. Where are you now ? WHat is your life like now... have you remained "clean" from the demon drugs & drink and where are you going .....PS : are you single and dating ...

5 comments about Family Heart Thea Memoir of Our Son's Coming Out.

1. This book should be required reading for all parents and all adolescents. It brings home with shocking clarity what are real family values.



2. I found the book to be more a look into the priviledged life than a look into parents dealing with a gay son. The dialogue between parents and son were wonderful to read, but unfortunately, there was very little of it. The book begins with Steve, the Dews' 19 y.o. son, coming home to Massachusetts for the summer after his second year at Yale. After a few days at home, he comes out to his mother when she asks if he's dated any girls at school. His mother comforts him and tells him she still loves him. Later that night, she tells her husband, and he rushes to comfort Steve, also telling him that he will love him no matter what. Throughout the rest of the book, the author discusses the summer, Steve coming out to his younger brother, how the family deals with homophobia from schools and supposed friends, and their eventual involvement with PFLAG. As a lesbian, I was really looking forward to reading this book to get a glimpse of what my parents might have gone through when I first came out. Some of the dialogue ran true for me, but for the most part, I couldn't relate to the author's life enough to enjoy the book. Mostly I just couldn't relate to the family's lifestyle. The two sons both went to private schools and only saw their parents every few months. Then, during the summer when Steve came out, he was only home for a few weeks before the family drove down to VA to his brother's graduation. After the graduation, the brothers went off to Mexico for a Spanish-language immersion program for 6 weeks, leaving directly from D.C. While I appreciate Steve's mother writing a book about her son's homosexuality, the book was primarily about the author since her son was never around. When she said she was shocked that he was gay, I slapped my head thinking "Of course she didn't know! She never even saw him day to day, growing into a young adult!" I ended up feeling like it would have been a much more interesting book if the author actually spent more time with her son or if the book had been written by Steve's younger brother.



3. One of life's most painful (and unjustifiable) tragedies is a parent's total and absolute rejection of their gay or bisexual child solely on grounds of sexual orientation, and little of substantive value has been written on the psychological and social dynamics (many dysfunctional) that collide to rip a family soul to shreds. What literature does exist is usually in the form of some self-help advice that is admirable in intent but unlikely for practical application. "The Family Heart ..." is one of the few published works that doesn't go into scholarly psychoanalyzing about the implications when a gay child comes out to his parents. Instead, its author, Robb Forman Dew, shares with refreshing and candid honesty one family's reaction when its son came out. Its welcome candor rests in the dismantling the parental feeling that they "failed" their gay child, the fallacy of keeping the family "secret" and, all too frequently, the "why" for the total loss of parental love because of some prejudicial homophobia that also serves to send the gay child into self-exile, shame and self-loathing. Any family who has endured or is going through problems accepting their gay child can benefit from one family's actual experience and, as important, how it managed to embrace its child as a total product of more than his sexual orientation. In the end, "The Family Heart ..." empowers the parent of the gay child to say, "My child's gay. Big whoop!" With that conclusion, we finally get the idea that the "problem" with homosexuality isn't homosexuality: it's homophobia! And that, reader, is another form of prejudice and ignorance that serves only to inflict pain, degredation and isolation.



4. Powerful and moving. More evidence of how heterosexism and homophobia hurt EVERYONE.



5. Upon finding out our 18-year old son was gay, my immediate thought was terror for his safety, having come out right around the time of Matthew Shepard's murder. While reading this book and learning about Bobby and Scottie, it really dawned on me as to how hard it must have been for my son growing up knowing he was gay. I am so thankful that nothing ever happened to him and that we were able to deal with it as a family. I called my son and apologized for not addressing that issue immediately and he confirmed that it was very difficult, but he knew that we would never reject him for any reason, he just knew it would be not be easy for us and he wanted to avoid causing us any pain. I think the typical parental reaction upon hearing that their child is gay is that they will be hurt physically, the loss of a dream for their lives, and how it will affect their own lives. I'm ashamed that I didn't think about my son's feelings before my own. This book really opened my eyes. My husband I have been attending PFLAG meetings for about 10 months now and plan to continue. Initially I was there to receive help from others but now I can actually help others. I'm so glad there are people like Robb Forman Dew out there.

5 comments about Power, Money & Sex.

1. I was wandering around a Gold Beach, Oregon book store last week and just happened to pick up Deion Sanders' book. I vaguely knew who he was. For some strange reason, I purchased it. Although, riddled with grammatical and spelling errors, I found his message very compelling. I am just new to the world of Jesus and have had many folks in my life talk to me about living a Christian life, but I have to say that Deion's book really TALKED to me about this issue. More than anyone else. He just broke it down in plain terms and related his story in a way that spoke to me loud and clear. Thanks Deion.



2. I FOUND THIS BOOK TO BE QUITE INTERESTING AND WRITTEN WITH HONESTY. DEION HAS ALWAYS BEEN FLASHY AND FLAMBOYANT. HE PRESENTED HIMSELF AS BEING THIS WAY ALL THE TIME. HIS "PRIME TIME" PERSONALITY IS NOT WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE A MODEL CITIZEN ON HOW TO PRESENT YOURSELF. HE SAYS UNDERNEATH HE IS A CHRISTIAN AND HUMBLE, I HOPE HE IS. I HAD HOPED HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN MORE DETAIL TO HIS CAREER. THIS IS WORTH READING AND ENJOYABLE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DEION AND PLEASE WRITE ANOTHER BOOK WITH MORE DETAIL AND INSIGHT INTO HOW TO LIVE LIFE.



3. Let me start off by saying I like Deion Sanders, otherwise I never would have purchased his book. And I admire the fact that the man has come a LONG way and overcome many obstacles to accept Christ into his life.
   However, I do have a major complaint - well, two to be totally honest.
   One, Deion seems to blame all his past problems on others. Even though Deion admits he was hell on wheels and self destructive for a time, he still doesn't take responsibility for many of his actions in this book. The time in Cincinnati, when he played for the Reds, when he got into an altercation with a security guard while he was riding around in a golf cart. Everyone knows Deion made that situation worse than it ever could have been, but in Deion's retelling of the story, the security guard provoked him. There are several more stories like this one, where Deion was involved in something that escalated because the other party in the dispute was out to "get him". I'm not going to say that everything that has happened to Deion is his fault, but let's be real - a lot of it is. I'm surprised, as a christian, that Deion hasn't stepped up to the plate and taken a little more responsibility for his past actions. I'm not judging Deion, but I must admit my disappointment.
   The other problem I had with the book, and this is most likely not Deion's fault but rather the authors, is that his "escapades" are glamourized, instead of downplayed. I've read several biographies written by famous people - athletes, politicians, actors, etc - and they all are guilty of this. I understand the risk you take as a writer, explaining the past deed and attempting to unfold what happened, but doing so in a manor that is interesting to the reader. When this happens, it's every easy to glamourize the story, instead of exposing it for the bad thing that it was.
   Overall, an entertaining read, albeit somewhat short to my surprise.



4. Overall, I really enjoy Deion and I was looking forward to reading his autobiography, but I have to say I was somewhat disappointed. It wasn't as 'thorough' as I thought - and his cockiness and self-centeredness really showed. I still enjoy him, and I wish him the best on his journey with Jesus.. I just pray that he's sincere.



5. I've always dug Deion Sanders.To Me he has been the Most Complete Athlete of His Time.cuz He is a Good Baseball Player&A Great Football Player.but More Importantly The Brother is Very Honest with Himself&His Surroundings.he has come full circle&has Inner Peace.this is a Great Book.