5 comments about Faith of My Fathers.

1. Book arrived very quickly after ordering. Haven't started reading it yet, but soon will while on vacation.



2. This reader has voted for the Democrat in all of the nine previous elections.
   
   In 2008, this is about to change.
   
   Not for the party, but for the man. And for the country.
   
   Today, John McCain has what he and his fellow students at the Naval Academy called "Good Grease".
   
   As McCain talks about in his discussion of his family's military history, the McCains are what Evan Thomas has described in Newsweek as "part of a warrior caste that has been fighting America's battles for more than two centuries".
   
   McCain covers his family's military history in America, and takes the reader through his grandfather, John "Slew" McCain's years in the Naval Academy, and those of his own father, and their subsequent careers.
   
   John McCain freely admits his weaknesses and flaws as well as his strengths. Reading this book, I took from it a tale of a man growing from being a rebel to being an independent leader, while still holding on to a cetain amount of that rebel. In later years, this would serve him well.
   
   "Faith Of My Fathers" covers John's inspiration he took from his fellow prisoners in Hanoi. A tale that has made the rounds of many chain e-mails is the story he tells in full detail of fellow prisoner Mike Christian, who had sewn a crude U. S. Flag on the inside of his jacket, and used it for his fellow prisoners to recite the Pledge of Allegience each day.
   
   I served in the Navy in the early 1970s, and I remember when they also trained us on the Code of Conduct for Prisoners of War. Reading his book, I became aware that there is really no adequate training that can fully prepare any man for imprisonment by an enemy during a war.
   
   But there is a Code of Conduct to point the way.
   
   The man who was formed in the crucible of war and imprisonment also knows what's expected of the brave men and women of our Armed Forces in these times. And he PERSONALLY knows exactly what the next Commander-In-Chief will be required to ask of them.
   
   "Faith Of My Fathers" is the story of how a family heritage, John McCain's own rebelliousness, and his imprisonment in North Vietnam, and the inspiration he took from his fellow prisoners there, all combined to forge the man he is today.
   
   If he becomes our next President, this is a great insight into the mind of the man who could be our next Commander-In-Chief.
   
   I highly recommend this book,
   and this life-long Democrat also endorses
   John McCain for President in 2008.
   
   This man has The Right Stuff.
   
   Doug Peschka
   U. S. Navy Veteran



3. Reading "Faith of My Fathers" gave me a better appreciation for what makes John McCain the man he is today. I knew he was a POW (pretty common knowledge), but I didn't know much more than that.
   
   The fact that his father and grandfather were 4-star admirals in the Navy gave him a lot to live up to. From the book, you can tell he felt his fate was pretty much pre-determined. He, too, would go into the Naval Academy and then into the Navy. And he did.
   
   This book gives great insight into his personality and what shaped him, but it also tells you a lot about why he holds his values so dearly. I can only imagine what it must have been like to be a prisoner-of-war and endure what he did. My heart goes out to him and other POWs.
   
   It now makes more sense to me that he's not afraid to go against his own party at times or to speak up and say what is not politically popular. Yes, he's a Republican, but he doesn't toe the party line. I guess when you've lived through what he lived through as a POW, then being politically popular just isn't that big a deal. I believe he is a man who values honesty and will speak it whether it's popular or not.
   
   I don't always agree with some of John McCain's political positions, but I respect the man and have a better understanding of him now. I would recommend this book to anyone, regardless of their political affiliation.



4. I had mixed feelings about McCain going into this book. I finished it, and in some ways I am more confused. Not because the book wasn't clarifying -- it added ALOT to my picture of McCain. The problem is that the more you know him the more complicated you realize he is.
   
   This is NOT your typical ghost written 'campaign' autobio. (though I'm sure his help from Mark Salter was considerable). This is a VERY honest and revelatory account of his pre-political life and that of his family. He is open, shockingly so, about his morally questionable adventures --- womanizing, partying, brawling, rebelliousness, lack of respect for some authority figures. I don't think he hid much. And he's not really very apologetic in the end. His attitude seems to be "this is what I've done. I've grown up, but I'm still that guy in some ways. Take it or leave it."
   
   And some of that persona is truly exceptional, and pretty attractive. He is very bright. Very, very, very fearless, roughed. A real patriot.
   
   His torture experiences may or may not make him more qualified for president, but they certainly show him to be courageous beyond imagination. That he had a clear OUT and didn't take it after several years of staggering abuse..... Just stunning.
   
   Don't think this book made me more or less likely to vote for him. But it was the best political autobio I have read in awhile.



5. I had meant to get this book years ago when it was originally published, but thought to pick it up now that he's the Republican nominee. What this book showed me was a man born of an impeccable lineage of leadership and character. The lessons passed on from his grandfather to his father to him demonstrated themselves clearly during McCain's time as a POW where his character and his mental strength were tested. We are all a product of our parents and the influences McCain received from them will well suit him for the presidency. The leadership and integrity he demonstrated as a POW, both in failure and triumph, have formed a man who, while still very much fallible, is the product of the lessons of the past and the hopes for the future. No one hates war more than one who has experienced it. And no one is better suited to manage a war than one who has experienced it, who has been a leader, and who is the product of occupants of one of the military's highest posts. A great lesson in history and character, and a fascinating and enjoyable read. Both the book and the candidate are highly recommended!

5 comments about The Kid Stays in the Picture.

1. An inside look at a major player during the 70's, 80's, and 90's. You have to admire Robert Evans' chutzpah, and I think it was his egomania that got him back up each time he was down for the count. It's a delicious and dishy look at hollywood during a very exciting era. I can't say that the book will stay with you long after you've read it, but while you are reading it you won't be able to put it down.



2. I met Bob Evans a couple of years ago at Book Soup on Sunset Blvd., for no less a 'literary' L.A. event than a 'book' signing for the release of 'Kid' on cd. I stayed after, to speak with the legendary producer and get my 1st ed. copy of 'Kid' signed. When the last guest had left, only myself, Evans and Army Archerd (with a Michael Clarke-Duncan size bodyguard) remained. I told Mr.Evans that I have great admiration of for his work and that meeting him was a dream come true for me. Evans' story as meteoric rise to head of production at Paramount and white-hot, sub-orbital fall due to substance abuse is an amazing tale of genius and hubris. Evans was personally involved in producing some the classics from a cinematic-artistic Golden Age: The Godfather, Chinatown, Harold & Maude, to name a few.



3. This is a splendid chronicle of a remarkable career, though I can't help but wonder if Evans wouldn't have been happier if he had just learned to love himself for who he is.



4. I've read just about every autobiography I've come across, but I'd have to say Robert Evans has taken a more honest and critical look at his life than anyone I've ever read.
   I can't imagine anyone wouldn't find this book absorbing and interesting



5. This book celebrates "ME-ness" better than almost anything I've read in the last five years, except maybe for "Feel This Book."
   
   Evans actually writes fairly well, although a few habits of repetition seem pointless or a distraction. This helps the reader get through what appears to be a narcissistic and self-absorbed exercise in "look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair."
   
   Well, there is a difference between narcissism and self-absorption. After finishing this book, I realized that while Evans is in love with himself, he also is fairly realistic and self-appraising without being totally boring. Sort of like listening to someone at a 12-step meeting. The reader gets drawn into the lessons available from such constant and unblinking preoccupation with Evans' own attributes and foibles...
   
   Anyway, great literature it ain't, but if you'd like to read long lists of names of famous people and hear how rough it is to make millions of bucks and get the most beautiful women in the world to sleep with you, it's a great choice!

5 comments about Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe.

1. Rare five star rating.
   Unbelievable story about Magellan's cruise around the world. Of course, Magellan doesn't survive the three year adventure, but along the way the things he and his crew witness and discover are nothing short of amazing.
   This book is highly recommended.



2. This is the third Bergreen book I've read. While all are good and recommended, neither this book on Magellan nor his recent book Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu meet the very high standards of his earlier Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life.
   
   The lay out of chapters divided every page or so, makes this a faster read than its 400 pages imply. While it's easily readable, it is not totally satisfying. I can't fully identify the problem in separating why this good book (4 star) shouldn't be a very good (5 star) book.
   
   The prose seems to be weaker than that of the Armstrong biography... and having given my copy of Armstrong away, I can't fully or verify this. Like the Polo biography, this kind of travel book should have MAPS. The NASA maps seem to be filler, as though the publisher could not or would not find and label maps that fit the text.
   
   The portrait of Magellan is not consistent. While his navigational skills are unparalleled on this mission, his Christianity is warped. He is burning huts of people who can't even understand his language because they won't bow to his god. This is not insignificant for Magellan, the voyage or the afthermath. Bergreen seems to want to avoid a discussion of Magellan's hubris.



3. First things first: this history teacher strongly recommends reading this book. Magellan and the early European explorers have long been overlooked - I can only assume due to Politically Correct attitudes among "professional" historians at the university level. Too bad. One does not have to admire everything that Magellan, Columbus and the other explorers did to admire bravery, audacity and the urge to explore that these men displayed.
   
   Positives:
   
   -Bergreen's text is very approachable. He tells the story in a well-paced manner and sets up the political background quite well. His portrayal of Charles I and all of the crises he faced intrigues me so much that I am going to look for a big about him.
   
   -Bergeen uses research resources that have not been used before in a popular work - more information and perspectives is always better.
   
   Negatives:
   
   -Maps. This book has almost none, and the ones included are mostly examples of 16th century map work - they are not in conjunction with the text. Bergreen includes a NASA photo of the Straits of Magellan that I find as indecipherable as an ultrasound. A conventional map would have been so much more welcome.
   
   -Endnotes. Bergreen did a lot of research for this book, but he does not use a single note in the text (I would not let my high school students get away with this oversight). His endnotes are organized by chapter, but this style makes it very hard to tie specific facts with specific endnotes. Also, if you are going to make commentary in your endnotes, be a decent fellow and make them footnotes so the reader does not have to flip back and forth to the end to see your comments.
   
   -Opinion inserted into the text. It is impossible to eliminate bias from a work of history. The simple process of choosing what to include and what to leave out demonstrates that bias. However, several times Bergreen includes gratuitous comments about the commanders of Magellan's fleet after Magellan died. When critical of their choices, he would say things like "it was just the sort of mishap that Magellan would likely have prevented..." (363) and "Not even Magellan would risk taking one, and only one, ship all the way from the Spice Islands back to Spain." (363-4) One cannot know what Magellan would do and it is best to avoid (or at the very least, seriously limit) speculation.
   
   All of that being said, I still strongly recommend this book.



4. I am admirer of those great explorers of the past and this account of the first voyage of the Armada of Molucca is just impressive. All the courage that these sailors had navigating the unknown, all the miseries and sufferings that they had to endured, their descriptions of the new lands - the strait of All Saints and the spice Islands - make this story a fascinating reading. The author has written a great book about the first voyage round the world, with a precious bibliography.
   
   I had the oppotunity to know the Magellan Strait, even to be in the entrance of the strait, Punta Dungenes, and I recommend it to everyone. The southest parts of Chile are of immense beauty, solitude and great landscapes that makes you remember those explorer and navigators who had crossed the strait in the past. Althought this book does not have a map depicting the magellan strait, I managed to find one in Mateo Martinic's book "Historia del Estrecho de Magallanes", which is included in the bibliography. There you can see the trajectory of this voyage through the strait. Enjoy this book and visit the strait.
   
   Note: this book has also a spanish version, difficult to find.



5. This book illustrates skillfully Magellan's truly terrifying circumnavigation...
   
   The writing is intelligent, and I enjoyed both the historical adventure vividly depicted and the dreamlike departures from the narration to explanations and historical remarks. It is done with such skill that it does not break the flow of the story itself, but instead gives it more depth.

5 comments about Living History.

1. This is the first woman to run for President in the United States. If we don't read her book, whose book are we waiting for? A lot women need to wake up to the fact that we need to celebrate one another.
   Show a little sisterhood ladies. Read this important book about a great individual who happens to be a woman! And be proud! She's paved the way for your daughters. Don't you really want to know who she is?



2. So many people want to give their opinion of Hillary and not the book itself. I found the book extremely interesting and informative and the information she provides about all of the things she learned as First Lady I do feel made her perfectly well suited to become President. She knows all the appointments that need to be made, all the jobs that need to be filled, and she's learned what types of comments and actions can get you in trouble while in the White House. I find her incredibly smart and had no idea of all the different issues that she is familiar with and all the people and friends she has made over the years who can and do give her insight. All in all a delightful book and a good read.



3. Most conservatives give this book 1 star. Why? EVERY conservative should read this book. Now if I were judging it purely as a memoir, let's just say that James Frey has nothing on Hillary Clinton when it comes to "embellishment" (or should we call it "mis-writing"?).
   
   But for those conservatives who know how to do a web search or two, this book is rife with useful material. Contrast her story of Watergate versus Jerry Zeifman's account, for instance. Or read pages 440, 448, 465-466 on her account of how she and Chelsea learned about Monica Lewinski (and then ask after repeating the names Juanita Broaddrick, Elizabeth Ward, Paula Corbin, Kathleen Wiley, Gennifer Flowes, Paula Jones, etc. "So, you're telling me that this is how it went down? OK, so choose -- is she the dumbest woman in America or the biggest liar?").
   
   For a real laugh, read her account of Whitewater -- seriously, if you read this out loud, people would think you're doing a comedy routine.
   
   And her rewriting of the history of her health insurance debacle and the aftermath is priceless. Her tales of Bill's leadership and how she was a support are gems.
   
   EVERY conservative should buy several colors of highlighters and read this book (preferably alongside a copy of Dick Morris' Rewriting History). Besides, with every book purchase, you get a free dartboard (the cover).



4. Hillary tells it like it is! She is a wonderful person who works hard everyday to help others around her reach their goals while achieving her own! She is going to make a great frist women perident!! This is a must own CD!!



5. When I tried to buy a book on Hillary Clinton that wasn't by someone with a political axe to grind, it was tough. Obama was everywhere. Finally I decided to see what she herself had to say so I could judge for myself. I had to look hard for her book in a physical bookstore. Amazon has it in its bargain books. I think this says something about how we think we know Hillary Clinton and unless there is more dirt, we don't want to read what she has to say. I am glad I read this.
   
   I found this book much better written than Obama's The Audacity of Hope, although that title is great. Clinton's memoir is definitely from her perspective; it's not Truth capital T, but it's honest and forthright. It's warm and humorous, and occasionally she gets frustrated. You won't learn new things about the Bill Clinton Whitehouse per se, but I did learn new things about Hillary. This book is intelligent and insightful.

5 comments about Three Weeks With My Brother.

1. I commute 4x a week to work, which is roughly 130 miles round trip (but very worth every mile), and I am always looking for books on CD to listen to on the ride. This story was wonderful to listen to; it made the drive fly by. I found myself excited to get in my car for my trip back and forth, just to hear the next chapter and adventure. The stories of Nicholas Sparks' childhood were my favorite part.



2. Excellent memoir. Kept my attention the entire book and you really felt for the characters. I love all of Nicholas Sparks' fiction books, but this one, you got to know Nicholas Sparks' and read about his interesting life. My husband loved it, too. Very, very good read. Highly recommend!



3. As i was traveling with my boyfriend to Florida to visit with my family i acciedntly bought this book. i meant to buy something else by Nicholas Sparks but it just so happens that is was Three weeks with my brother. I dont not have any brothers and up until this point i didnt think that the realastionships between brothers and sisters could be so close. I loved how this book tied in the relationship that the two brothers had as well as the relationship with the whole family. I myself have not done too much traveling around the world and loved the insight that the book gave me. I actually have looked into a trip to see some of the locations that the two brothers went to.
   This book was very inspirational. It allowed me to want to connect more with my family as well as my surroundings. I loved it......



4. It took me a while to get into the autobiography of Nicholas Sparks, but if you can get past the beginning, it is a very emotional story. I listened to it while I was driving and I was tearing up a few times, which isn't too good while driving, LOL. I think this would actually make a good movie.



5. This is one of the most wonderful, inspirational, and moving books that I have read. At first, I didn't realize that the authors were Nicholas Sparks, author of The Notebook and Message In A Bottle, among other best selling books, and his brother. I hope this doesn't give anything away except that I am kinda dumb when it comes to remembering authors and titles. The book is really an autobiography covering Nick and his entire family. He covers their many trials and tribulations and still manages to see the good that came out of what for me and others, I suppose, would be absolutely devastating and horrible things to happen. The descriptions of his family members, especially his wife, are outstanding and again food for thought and inspiration. We see how ordinary people can be extraordinary when you know them better.
   
   I listened to this book on CD while driving alone to and from Florida and in a pretty deep depression not being helped much by medications. The CD was really selected because of the travel theme. I love individual travelogues that have a literary and philosophical point of view and have visions of writing something similar myself.
   
   While Three Weeks With My Brother could easily be depressing to some, especially like me, suffering from severe depression and still grieving for a loved one, I found it to be both sad and uplifting as Nick and his brother talked out their life, including the ups and downs. They spoke from the vantage point of both being on what anyone would say is a material up, but they carried with them memories of severe tragedies in their lives, mostly brought about through their unusually strong family ties and love.
   
   I feel the CD edition might be better than the print version since the narrator is so good and the book is both interior thoughts of the author and many conversations. I wondered if they were recorded or all taken from notes, but they were certainly believable.
   
   Anyone facing tough times in their personal life should read this book or listen to the audio. You will be inspired, I feel, if you go to the end. You might be inspired, as I have been, to try once again to take a long trip to think over and contemplate my life. Now I do this in the dead of night at home, making my neighbors think I am either a recluse or some type of secret agent.

5 comments about Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.

1. While daydreaming in class, do you ever place yourself in the shoes of another of another thirteen year old? Perhaps another teenager in a different historical era? "The Diary of Anne Frank" would allow you to do just that. This diary tells the story of a thirteen year old Jewish girl, forced to go into hiding during the Holocaust with her family of four. Making entries every day, Anne writes of her life in hiding; documenting her feelings of love, the noises of gunshots outside her house and the changes her body and spirit continue to experience as she develops into a teenager. She writes of normal "becoming a teenager obstacles" such as her parents treating her unfairly, the other family always picking on her and a lonely existence in the confined space. This book does a splendid job of describing the drama that enfolds with eight people living in tight quarters. Just as many of you may have felt trapped in your teenage life, Anne's is magnified in the "Secret Annex" of a room.
   
   I believe that this book is more real than any other narrative or memoir can be due to Anne's innocence without worrying about the outside critics. It leaves itself for you to easily empathize with the hardships of Anne with her honest accounts of observations, memories, feelings and troubles any teenager experiences, in addition to the complexity of her tragic situation. I highly recommend this book to any teenager who hopes to understand life's hardest lessons. If there was one negative about the book, it would be the repetitive nature of some of the entries. Many of the entries seem quite monotonous, but isn't this true of most teenagers' lives? Although this book is 304 pages, it is a quick read with it unlikely you would want to put it down. Published in 1993 by Bantam, it still applies this day to any teenager.



2. "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" is the diary (a non-fiction work) of a Jewish teenager who lived during the Holocaust and World War II. The book is 304 pages, which includes an introduction written by Eleanor Roosevelt and an afterword, which contains information about what happened to the Frank family after Anne's diary ends. Bantam published this edition in 1993, although a press in Amsterdam first published the diary in 1947. It was her father, Otto Frank, who went back to the place where the family hid for over two years, found the diary, and decided to publish it. Originally, parts in which Anne discusses and expresses her romantic feelings were cut out of the book, as the publisher felt they were too risqué; but when the diary was published in the U.S., these parts were put back into the book. This edition also includes photographs of Anne Frank, as well as photocopies of the actual pages of the diary. By including these, the reader is really able to get a sense of Anne's personality through her handwriting. The Reading level of this book is about an 8.2, meaning it is perfect for 8th graders, or those who read at about an 8th grade reading level, although it is a book you will read over and over, even after you become an adult.
   
   The diary is fascinating to read--Anne begins the diary on her thirteenth birthday, weeks before her family goes into hiding. As the war rages in Europe, Anne is forced to wear a gold star, designating her as Jewish, but her life continues in a relatively normal way. This all changes when a note arrives, stating that the Nazi's want her older sister, Margot. The Frank family hides, spending their next two years in a secret annex in the building where Otto Frank worked. Anne and her family share their space with four other people--Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan (business associates of Mr. Frank), their son, Peter, and Mr. Dussel. Anne is faced with the challenge of living out her adolescence in such a confined space.
   
   As you read her diary, you will be able to relate to the range of emotions Anne displays. She gets excited about events, she feels scared and nervous about her life, she falls in love and receives her first kiss while in hiding, she feels jealousy towards her sister, and she often feels anger and resentment toward her mother. If you did not know the context of her life, Anne might seem like a normal teenager you might know. Yet, as she wonders about whether Peter likes her or not, she also has to worry about if someone will betray the family. She lives in constant fear of discovery, and everyday, the seven hidden members of their Annex follow the news, praying for the defeat of the Nazis, so that they can once again live their lives. Ultimately, tragedy strikes Anne and her family, but Anne's words have given generations of teenagers a glimpse into what it was really like living through the Holocaust. I found this book to be so wonderful that I can't say anything bad about it, and I encourage everyone to read this dairy so that you too can understand what it was like to be a teenager living through the Holocaust.



3. ACH, DU LIEBER!!!!
   
   That's the biting phrase that can best epitomize my personal feelings at the disconnect between the expectation of Anne Frank's diary and the actual reality of reading it. The Diary of Anne Frank is very, very, very disappointing and a humongous letdown!!!! To wit, I must implacably question and hold in contempt the judgment processes of the many, previous, sycophant reviewers who've been exaggerating the "beauty" or "grace" or whatever politically correct term of flattery they can invent for this diary. The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the most caustic examples of herd mentality-syndrome and mass hysteria among the many positive-rating, Amazon reviewers. In truth, this diary of Anne's is just plain, bloody awful and doesn't deserve its classic status to say the least!!!! I suppose the hordes of five-star reviewers simply turned off their brains, refused to analyze Anne's diary critically, and just subserviently jumped on the bandwagon of conventional wisdom, where her diary is hailed a "classic." BS!!!!
   
   After having thoroughly read this, I can assure you that it's no classic and D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y not worth your time or money...unless, of course, you get your kicks and jollies from plumbing the trivial and superficial mind of a fourteen-year-old. This stellar, brutally-but-intellectually-honest review of mine will analytically break down precisely what the hell's wrong with Anne's diary (plenty!) and warn you against reading it. If you're not narrow-minded and can take an analysis which intrepidly contravenes the discreditable conventional wisdom of the masses, then you'll be grateful for this review. If you're a hypersensitive sheeple, then I expect you to be appalled and shocked at the alleged "audacity" of this review, but that's YOUR problem, not mine. All I concern myself with is an intellectually honest review of this diary.
   
   I went into The Diary of Anne Frank because it came to my attention that I hadn't read it in high school, whereas many of my peers had indeed had it mandated for reading in school. I attended a Catholic high school, and it's not like Catholics have something even remotely to be shameful about concerning their treatment of Jews in WWII. Why, in fact, educated people know that even N*zi Adolf Eichmann confessed in his diaries that the Catholic Church in occupied Italy was the only organization that loudly protested and opposed the mass deportation of Jews from their "ghetto" in Rome. So, I wanted to catch up on this apparent "classic" because it was missed reading at my old, Catholic high school.
   
   However, I absolutely regret and curse this misjudgment of mine due to the appalling quality and shortcoming of the content of the diary. See, as a new reader, I perceptively went into the Diary of Anne Frank with the reasonable expectation that it would, you know, perhaps talk about her feelings relating to--I don't know!--the genocidal, N*zi occupation, which had forced her family and some acquaintances into an attic, where they lived like imprisoned animals under extreme duress. That would make for an interesting read obviously because one would delve into the psychology of a person in such duress and try to relate. Conventional wisdom has it that that's what her diary mainly relates to, but in actuality...her diary's actually filled to the nauseating brim with her infatuation (nah, kids these days would call it her "crushing) on her attic-mate Peter; endlessly boring stories about preparing and storing vegetables in their attic; girl talk about her prior crush before she went into hiding; lurid tales about her discovering her budding sexuality; typical teen-girl angst about how she's never really had close girlfriends; grumbling about the adults in the attic always rebuking her due to her forthrightness; and how she hates her mother like a typical EMO teenager, just to name a few!!!!
   
   Anne disappointingly spends precious few entries (the vast minority) on the more interesting and valuable ruminations, such as those on human nature, persecution of Jews, and the terror felt inside the attic that came primarily from being discovered, or from the sounds and sights of war breaking loose outside her attic (on a couple of entries, she even recounts stories of downed fighter planes and their pilots' fate). That's the unpardonable fault of her diary because only these kinds of idiosyncratic entries actually material to WW2 are what would elevate her diary above that of any other, mundane, teen girl's. That so much of her diary is precisely so ordinary according to what one stereotypically expects from ANY teen girl's entries is the real pity in this exaggeratedly hyped work.
   
   I found the purpose of Anne's diary much more useful in detailing how more wonderfully conservative society was in the 40s--rather than getting the reader to empathize with WW2-era, persecuted Jews--compared to today's liberal nightmare. In example, Anne's many entries where she's "crushing" on her attic-mate, Peter, involve feelings of sincere, simplistic affection and puppy love, maybe quaint but still adorable in hindsight. For instance, in many entries, Anne swoons over attic-mate Peter's confiding in her or the way he merely looks at her; to her as a girl in the 40s back then, that already qualified as a "fantasy." Contrast this to the inarguable fact that in today's world, many 14-year-olds in Anne's shoes would probably have infectious thoughts of desiring to sexually please their crushes (and then do so!) just so they could feel like "true women!" Another unmistakable motif in Anne's experiences that comes through as a confirmation of how more wonderfully conservative things were back then is the constant reference to schoolwork, and, by golly, actually doing well at it! In some entries, Anne actually *gulp* takes pride in getting good grades in school and measuring herself as a person based on her work ethic in class, again, wonderfully "old-fashioned." Again, contrast this with many 14-year-olds today who--especially if they're in the NEA's public schools--can't read, write or do any `rithmetic, yet can tell you all kinds of things about the b*tches and h*es in rap music!!!!
   
   This latest edition of her diary, The so-called Definitive Edition, includes inexcusably AWKWARD entries involving Anne's sexual awakening, which is also a discomforting sign of the incrementing liberalism that's occurring societally, whereas her dad, Otto, wisely omitted these lewd entries from the original publication. For instance, on page 162, she writes, "Once when I was spending the night at Jacque's, I could no longer restrain my curiosity about her body, which she'd always hidden from me and which I'd never seen. I asked her whether, as proof of our friendship, we could touch each other's br*asts. Jacque refused. I also had a terrible desire to kiss her, which I did. Every time I see a female nude...I go into ecstasy." Gross!!!! This egregiously has nothing to do with WW2, or a person's feelings of being imprisoned in an attic while hoping the N*zis don't discover her. The inclusion of this lewdness was utterly ill-advised.
   
   Surprisingly, though, some of Anne's entries include reflections which prove she possessed moral clarity and, unlike today's liberals (the arbiters of moral relativism), had the ability to judge between good and evil with regards to WW2. For instance, on page 334 (from July 21, 1944), she writes, "Now, at last, things are going well!...An *ss*ssination attempt has been made on H*tler's life, and for once not by Jewish Communists or English capitalists, but by a German general...This is the best proof we've had so far that many officers and generals are fed up with the war and would like to see H*tler sink into a bottomless pit..." Here, Anne clearly demonstrates that she confidently feels it's perfectly all right to be happy at the prospect of your enemy being killed in a war. Further, she also interprets the *ss*ssination attempt in a pro-Allies, anti-German way, suspecting that H*tler's generals are turning on him. Contrast that to today's dreadful, modern liberals who would have a hell of a hard time rejoicing about the prospect of Bin Laden's death or any terrorist's, for that matter, because they're too obsessed with getting them "legal rights" through habeas corpus and moving them onto the US mainland for detention purposes!!!!
   
   Still, Anne's diary is soooo disappointingly off-the-mark that I want anyone even flirting with the idea of reading a fourteen-year-old's musings to just boycott it. It's so dreadful because it mostly evades reflecting on WW2 and the hardships of attic life. Mainly, it reads like every other fourteen-year-old girl's diary from the beginning of time to infinity, and, so, is an absolutely superficial read!!!! To get an idea of how WW2 affected people, you can get a better read almost ANYWHERE ELSE. If you want to get inside a fourteen-year-old girl's trivial head--which Anne's diary is really mostly about: crushes, boys, resentment of parents, etc.--you should just steal your kid sister's. What's that? Don't have a kid sister?! Well, then steal the diary of your friend's or neighbor's kid sister because you'll get the same trivialities there as in Anne Frank's diary.



4. Great read, highly recommend for all jr. high and Sr. high kids. I read this book in high school (many many years ago) and wanted to read it again because of the movie "Freedom Writers" and it's integral part in the movie. I highly recommend it



5. A classic that we all should read when we are young, and again when we are older. It emphasizes the fact that evil does exist in our world, and that evil often comes from a government. It belongs in all of our libraries.

5 comments about America's First Dynasty: The Adamses, 1735-1918.

1. I saw this on sale and thought it would be a nice 'chaser' after David McCullough's long but excellent "John Adams" that I was just finishing up. I was right, but barely. First, on the good side: it's a well written quick review of the four famous and interesting generations of Adamses. It gets high marks for putting a lot into a small package. Also, all four get equal time, which, given the complexities of each, I appreciated.
   
   On the negative side: it did not surprise me that Brookhiser took a less flattering (and more mainstream) view of John Adams than McCullough. But when his disparagment stretched to the following three generations I started to wonder what size burr the author may be sitting on. If you buy Brookhiser's somewhat malignant view of these four, it then begs the question how such an irascible hypocritical set of men could be so successful. Which is neither asked nor answered.
   
   It was worth the $5 I paid, but I wouldn't pay full price.



2. Throughout much of human history, leaders of nations were the children of leaders of nations. Nearly 230 years ago, a radical notion was advanced in a document that would help to form a new republic: that all men are created equal. Many of those American colonists who declared themselves independent of their king wanted not only to limit the power of the executive but to be sure that they had the ability to choose who that executive would be, rather than to have it pass from father to son. Thus, "only three of the first eight presidents produced potential successors, [and] only three of those sons were considered presidential timber." Two of them were named Adams, and one of them would actually become president.
   
   In America's First Dynasty, Richard Brookhiser uses just under 220 pages to paint compelling biographies of four successive generations of a family from 1735 through 1918, an unusually active one that included two presidents of the United States, a public servant of the republic and his state, and a writer. These men lived through tumultuous and eventful times and played roles in them.
   
   The text appears to be well-researched and is quite readable. Quite a lot of history was packed into a very small number of pages; readers with a good understanding of the times and concurrent history will find their understanding of these characters enhanced. Readers who do not know much of the concurrent history might feel rushed.
   
   In groups of three chapters, each of the subjects is considered. Beginning with John Adams, we're introduced to him already in service of his country, at a dinner party in France. We follow him through the highlights of his professional career, and into retirement. We're suddenly focusing on his son John Quincy, as his career starts at an early age with his father, and how he differs from his brothers, who fall prey to the snare of alcohol. John Quincy himself was distinguished, even becoming president, but (much like his father) was hampered by his distaste for political parties and the method of serving in public office.
   
   Charles Francis Adams married well and held various public offices throughout his career, even running as a candidate for Vice-President on the Free-Soil party ticket. Most of his public life was in state and then federal legislature, followed by a diplomatic appointment by Abraham Lincoln. Brookhiser points out that it is in the family of Charles Francis that the family tendency toward alcoholism is broken.
   
   Henry Adams apparently had no taste for public life, preferring instead to become a writer. Much of the biographical sketch focuses on the creation of his best-known work, The Education of Henry Adams. With only his lineage and his wife's suicide to frame the work, we're left wondering what else Henry did. Perhaps this was Brookhiser's intention: to focus on that which each of the subjects left behind for posterity.
   
   Indeed, after the biographical sketches, we're given several more brief chapters that discuss the family habit of keeping a diary and the writing of history. Brookhiser then attempts to frame much of what we have read, discussing such matters as dynasty and legacy. I found the discussion a bit strange because while various Adamses were clearly concerned with the matter of greatness-returning to the question of who are great men-I was under no impression that the Adamses themselves were much concerned with the legacy of the family. I saw only that they were like every other family, wanting what is best for their children, hoping that they will be of good character and do well for themselves.
   
   Putting the discussion in terms of dynasty might not be so strange when viewed through the lens of history. The fact is that John Adams was there from the founding of the country, and his family remained prominent in American life into the twentieth century. Had Henry fathered children, perhaps the chain of prominent Adamses would be unbroken today.
   
   Given this country's interest in the families that produce presidents, it's hardly any surprise that there would be such interest in a family that produced two presidents, especially in light of the fact that the current president is also the son of a president. In all, America's First Dynasty makes for an engaging read, but the extreme brevity of the biographical sketches left me hoping for more.



3. The old style of biography was much like theatre criticism. The more cleverly you could trash the subject, the more you were -- or felt yourself to be -- a winner. When personality peculiarities made subjects as vulnerable to witticism as John Adams' was, we got decades of historical biographers trying to out-acidify the likes of Bernard Shaw. This style had faded significantly by the time David McCullough wrote a biography of John Adams that was unabashedly laudatory...an open fan letter...clear hero worship!

   From Brookhiser's race through four members of the Adams family I learned only two things for sure.
   1. The Adams's irritate him.
   2. The old adage that "the things you criticize most in others are usually your own worst fault" appears to be true.

   The author's rancor calls and raises the rancor he attributes to his subjects. Reading it was an unpleasant experience with little to no redeeming informational or ideational value for anyone but the author's therapist.




4. "America` First Dynasty" by Richard Brookhiser. Sub-titled: "The Adamses, 1713-1918".
   Understandably, this book concentrates on the two presidents, John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Their contributions as one-term presidents help to establish democracy in the nascent United States. Brookhiser notes that the two Adamses were the first presidents not from Virginia. Much of what John Adams did became precedents for later presidents.

   It appears to me that the author makes the tacit assumption that the reader has a fairly good knowledge of American history, so he casually introduces lesser know subjects, such as the "Know Nothing Party " (Native American Party) and the anti-Masonic efforts in upstate New York. This, of course, leads you to things that you want to examine further, but, on the other hand, inhibits the free-flow of the book.

   I think that the author is stretching to consider Charles Francis or even Henry Adams as "greats" who were continuing the Adams "dynasty". I did, however, enjoy Brookhiser's "book review" approach to "The Education of Henry Adams" and Henry's book on Mont St. Michel. Perhaps the next book by Brookhiser would be the comparison of the contributions of the Adamses, the Harrisons, the Roosevelts and the Bushes: all presidents who related by blood.

   I listened to the seven tapes as I commuted around Boston; excellent reading by Dan Cashman. It is appropriate to note the name of the town of Haverhill is pronounced as HAV AAAA rill by the natives.. The reader sounded it out and said Have Er Hill, which is logical but not the way it is said in Massachusetts. Further, the hometown of the Adamses , Quincy, is said as "QuinZZZy".




5. I've read all of Richard Brookhiser's biographies of the Founding Fathers (Washington, Hamilton, Morris) and I've enjoyed them all, but I liked this one the least. Brookhiser writes very well and his observations on the character of his subjects are always revealing. He shows how often the best quality in a biographer is not polished prose or research skills, but judgment.

   In his book on the four generations of Adams, however, Brookhiser overreaches. Had he kept his focus on the men, this would have been a fine if undistinguished book. But Brookhiser appears to be trying to say something about families, American dynasties, and the difficulties of sustaining greatness. What he wanted to say, I could never quite figure out. The wonderful aphoristic quality of Brookhiser's prose -- that makes him so good when writing some sharp and brief observation -- fails him when he must sustain an argument.

   An example of this is when Brookhiser writes in his introduction of the contradiction of an egalitarian society having so many political family dynasties, from the Adamses to Bushes. In noting this, he writes "[An American political dynasty] is the tribute democracy pays to aristocracy." This sounds very nice, but it's meaningless. Most of Brookhiser's comments on the significance of American political dynasties and how the Adamses were able to sustain their greatness fall along this line.

   Thankfully, most of this book is on the Adamses, and it is when writing on them that Brookhiser shines. Still, the bad ideas -- even though they don't make up a substantial part of the book -- hang over it. Brookhiser is always interesting when writing about a person, but is not at his best when trying to come up with a conceptual framework to make sense of it all.

5 comments about Naked.

1. This book caught me quite off guard. My sister had been telling me about this author David Sedaris for a while and she got me a copy of Naked for Christmas one year. It took me some time to read it and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I trust my sister's taste in books but I had never really read a humorous book before so I didn't know what to expect. Sedaris's quirky and self indulgent humor caught me completely off guard and I actually found myself laughing out loud, something I rarely do when reading. The thing that I love about his writing style too is that I find he has a good blend of mixing humor and very moving little portraits of people (mostly his beloved dysfunctional family) without becoming sappy or cliched. My only gripe with this book was that a few of the stories pace dragged a bit, so I couldn't give it a five star rating. But on the whole, it is a great title that should be picked up by those who want a good laugh.



2. David Sedaris is the God of Essays. He is the most observant writer on the planet. His work is smart AND funny. I can't get enough of his dry wit.



3. Good book,i liked Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim better but this one is funny too, if you like these kinds of books.



4. This was my first time reading David Sedaris and I found it quite funny! I enjoyed the fact that each chapter is not exactly in chronological order, but instead centers around certain parts of his life. As memoirs go, this is one that I'll never forget and is akin to "Running With Scissors", though Sedaris tends to focus much more on the humor of his childhood. The vast amounts of positive reviews for this book speaks for itself and I look forward to reading more Sedaris in the future.



5. I guess because I had read so many raving reviews of this book I had expected more. I did have a giggle every once-in-a-while, but not enough to have LOVED this book.

5 comments about The Heart of a Woman.

1. i was so excited to get this book. it arrived fast and was in good condition. thank you



2. Another slice of Maya Angleou's memoir, The Heart of a Woman, brings you through her hardships of raising her son Guy in California and continues during her move to New York City, her stint in the Harlem Writers guild, her intimate involvement in the Civil Rights movement, her marriage to South African Freedom Fighter, Vusumzi Make and subsequent move to Egypt, Ghana and ultimate divorce. A book that will speak to men and women on all levels, The Heart of a Woman is truly a phenomenal read.



3. I have just finished The Heart of a Woman and I could not put it down once I started it. Angelou lays bare for all of her readers her heart, her life and her truth. What an amazing life she has lived. I read some reviews that criticized her for her honesty in regards to whites during the 60s. It was the 60s, racial barriers where still up strong and bared anyone of color from living the lives they so richly deserved, why should she be criticized for this? Would it be better that she lied and said how wonderful life was for blacks in this country during that time? It wasn't and that is the point that she is making in this book. That is the point that she is making as an African American woman, called to the forefront in the battle of discrimination.
   I had to look on the cover to see when she wrote this book, it was 1981, how sad that in 26yrs we still see white America carrying the flag of superiority! I am truly glad that Angelou is still walking this earth to see that though the gains for civil rights are slow coming they are coming,regardless of what her criticizers are saying. Because if they are criticizing her for telling it like it was, then there is still a long path to journey to get us beyond the need for civil rights.
   If you want to know what the 60's Civil Rights movement & Aparthied in South Africa was about this book will give you an accurate picture of one womans involvement. Two thumbs up for Angelou!



4. The heart of a woman was not an easy read for me, i just couldn't get into it, it did not grab my attention.



5. 'The Heart of a Woman' is as extraordinary as its author.
   A brilliant lady who overcame incredible odds to make life for others, especially woman, a place where they did not have to feel like "second clas citizens".

No comments about Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court.