5 comments about Unto the Sons.

1. I have tried. I really have. And I admire the writer but other than brief flashes in the hundred or so pages I read, the book is stultifyingly boring. There is a wonderful story here that gets so bogged down in continuous reportage and research; makes me wonder, what is the writer trying to hide, because what is so important about this story gets lost; obscured by the maddening overexplanation and baroque rendering of items,details,people and events. Is all this necessary? What do you leave in and what do you leave out? I would say, from what I read, leave out half of it. Talese, maybe it's his father's fault, wants to spend half a year, in reality it took him something like thirteen years to produce this book, making a custom made suit that he spends countless hours tearing out and restiching, redesigning, etc. What he ends up with is no better than something store bought. I think what is mainly missing from this work is an essentiall passion. Let me explain. I think Talese has it, or how else could he devote so much time and effort to this project, but he has successfully killed it. He gets so lost in his own brilliance that he fails to tell a good story. This is a dead book, kind'a like a beautiful flower preserved; the color faded,with no scent. The book doesn't live and I could'nt read it, and as any kind of example of creative non-fiction, or literary journalism, I have to go against most of the reviews of the book. I wouldn't call it a waste of time but I want something where the author hasn't killed the drama of the story with mortifying detail and unnecessary sidebars.



2. Gives a lot of historical information in a novel. My favorite kind of book! Somewhat confusing at times.



3. As an Italian reader I found this book very involving and enjoyable.

   It's a passionate, well written story of emigration, and it's a story about roots and identity.

   In my opinion the only fault of this book is that it isn't the story of the whole family, but only of half of it.

   The Talese saga depicts a world crowded with very interesting and well-portrayed male characters. It's the story of their dreams and their disappointments, of their failures and their achievements and of the risks they dared to take in the struggle for a better life in the old and in the new world throughout a century. It's a story about the troubles of a double loyalty and, to some extent, it's a journey home.

   And I must say I found very interesting to look at a piece of italian history through the eyes of a second generation Italian-American.

   In sharp contrast, the female characters are pale ghosts, barely sketched shadows wandering in the narrow space of an old house, of a narrow Southern Italian village, of an American store. Even Ippolita, the grand-grandmother, the only non-conventional woman of the family, remains hidden to us. And I happened to wonder whether Talese is not able to find anything really worthy of attention in these women and in their lives,portrayed as just spent in the shadow of their men (fathers, husbands, sons), or if they live in a world of their own, completely impenetrable to him. Whatever the answer, Talese seems to be aware of this imbalance: the title of the book is "Unto the Sons" and the sons are the male children.




4. This is a sweeping epic about an Italian family. Gay Talese has a rich family history and he tell's their story (in a way it is his story) with the voice of a novelist.

   There are many characters who might appear uniteresting if we were to "meet them on the street," but Talese's ability to get under their skin, as it were, gives them individuality, personality and humanity. And this is the story of the characters: it is not contrived by the author--though, of course, he tailers their stories to fit HIS book.

   This is not a romanticized tale. Sometimes it is dark, with stern, superstitious ancestors and bleak events. Yet when it was over I felt a warmth for most of the characters in it.

   This is the epic of many Americans. My own ancestors had many similar experiences. My ancestors are fairly recent German and Swedish immigrants, but much of their story is the story of the Talese family. It is the story of our own individuality striving against our heritage and either coming to terms with it or rejecting it.

   Gay Talese has helped my understand myself in terms of my own heritage through this excellent book.




5. This magnificently written portrait of the extraordinary spirit of the Italian people, and the decision of some of them to leave Southern Italy, skillfully portrays the life and customs of small towns in pre war Calabria and New Jersey.

   It introduces us to many fascinating and industrious people, and their struggle in the two world wars.

   It also shows us to what it felt like to be an immigrant in the United States before the last war, and what it meant to see your children grow up as citizens of a country that was actively allied against your beloved homeland.

   It is a superb account of the role Italian people have played in the development of this country, the richness of their culture and the expertise they have brought with them.

   A definate "Must Read" for anyone interested in Italy and the dynamics of the USA.

No comments about Cesar Chavez: Fighter in the Fields (High Five Reading).

5 comments about What I Talk about When I Talk about Running.

1. What I talk about when I talk about running - Haruki Murakami
   
   Theme:
   Making best use of ones talents in running as a metaphor for life and especially for running is the main theme of this book. Murakami started running at 33 after realizing that smoking an average of 60 cigarettes a day wasn't doing him any good. Twenty four marathons later and well over fifty years old, he is penning his thoughts on running and the part it plays in his life as an individual and as a writer.
   
   Essentials:
   * You have some talents in any sphere - running/writing. You can just do "as best as you can", by developing endurance and focus, without which one cannot "push his possibilities".
   * Long distance running is an excellent example wherein need for endurance, both during preparation and during the race, is visibly apparent. It is ditto with writing and in general, for most activities in life.
   * You should do whatever you want to do irrespective of the talent you have, but be aware that you are only pushing your possibilities.
   * You need to be honest about yourself, honest about what you would want to achieve and paddle on to achieve it.
   * It is not possible to please everyone, but the key element is to please a few. If you run a Jazz Bar or write a book, you do not expect every visitor or reader to like what you dish out, only a few would. The measure of your success in your professional life is how many of such "customers" you have and how much joy they derive from your enterprise. Though you'd never realize the extent of it.
   
   Some thoughts
   How about walking? Doesn't it achieve all the ingredients of "pushing the limits" and at the same time permit one to enjoy the places at a much leisurely pace, it is much more natural, remember, as natural as walking! It is therapeutic and maybe meditative as well. Agreed, it is not "glamorous" or competitive as running, but it has major plus of being something natural, safe and perfectly healthy activity while permitting one to reach places at a leisurely pace.
   
   P.S
   * Somerset Maugham: "A philosophy lies in each shave": Given enough time and contemplation on single act, the act become deep, acquires a meaning and life of its own. It makes up for a metaphor, maybe a microcosm of life itself.
   * We come back to the rebellion of the existential philosophers: it really doesn't matter what one does, except the cadence one does it with. That is the revolt and that is the perhaps the philosophy that Maugham refers to.
   * "18 till I die" (Bryan Adams): Means that you die at 18!



2. I enjoyed Murakami's previous fiction work. I never realized he was a runner. So to my surprise, when I saw this book I was excited. It's a great read and inspiring - for both runners and not-so physically active readers...



3. Like many people I love Murakami. I don't have 1 favorite. It can be Windup chronicles, Kafka on the shore, Dance dance dance or even Hard-boiled wonderland and the end of the world. Yet, if you do like Murakami like me and don't want to be disappointed. I strongly suggest you avoid this book. It's autobiographic and has nothing of that magic of his fictional books. The only reason to read this book is when you run like he runs. If you want to read about other people preparing for a marathon this book has some insights you want to know about. If you don't run long distances and just like literature in general and/or specifically Murakami avoid this book. Don't spoil your feelings/associations/recollections by reading this book. Preserve Murakami as you know him!



4. I did not know Murakami's work at all before I purchased this book. I saw it in the running section at a bookstore and decided to give it a read. As I was purchasing the book the sales staff got very excited- turns out they were all huge fans. One person had even done her M.A. Dissertation on Murakami!
   
   I was expecting some running inspiration. What was amazing is that I found an honest exploration into why someone does what they do, written in a way that was simple, moving, and eloquent. It had been so long that I cried when a book was over because it was so good, until I read this.
   
   If you are a fan of Murakami, then the details of his life will be interesting, and are outlined very nicely by other reviewers here. If you are like me and not familiar with his celebrity, then what you will find is a moving memoir that is humble, insightful, and through its simplicities, leaves you changed. Even if you cannot relate to his perspective, you come to understand him and feel a sense of empathy.
   
   If you are a runner, you will love this book, as Murakami speaks of his running rituals and motivations as metaphor for larger life lessons. If you are a writer, you will love this book, as Murakami illustrates some of the insights he has into himself as a writer and his writing process. If you just want a nice, easy read that is entertaining and touches the heart, you will love this book, because it does just that.



5. Murakami-san books tend to be surreal and the endings could leave you in suspense. Hence, this non-fiction gives you an insight to him as a person and what goes through his mind as he runs the original marathon in reverse, his attempts in ultra-marathons and triathlon. Very interesting reading and his coming to terms that he can no longer improve on his timing and injuries resonates with runners around the world.

5 comments about Sounds of the River.

1. I loved reading this book and the descriptions of rural Chinese traditions and the hard scrabble life of the author as a student in Beijing.

   I went to China in 2002 to adopt our 2nd child and we were accompanied by several interpreters from the local college. Having read this book, I now wonder what they had to do to get these positions - were they the back-stabbing types or the deserving ones? I am travelling to China again in 2003 for our 3rd child and I will now wonder again and maybe even ask them how they came about their assignments.




2. I am an American who lived in Shanghai, China for 1/2 year in 2001/2002.
   It's a magical country with so many different customs and
   beliefs. I miss those sweet, smiling people. Da Chen's
   Sounds of the River answered so many questions in my mind.
   He is an master of words and thoughts. I'm so thankful
   I found this novel because it enriched my life. Thank
   you Da Chen.



3. I loved this book, even though I felt like the ugly capitalist American while reading it.

   While set in Beijing in the 1980's, it still evoked memories of when I was there in 2000. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the traditional marriage arrangements and ceremonies in Da Chen's home town.

   We adopted our 2nd child from China in 2000 and will travel again in 2003 for our 3rd. In 2000, I was in China for 2 weeks and was always accompanied by interpreters from the local province college.

   One of the adoptive families befriended one of the interpreters and worked tirelessly to get her a full scholarship to a university in the U.S. I heard that she had some difficulty obtaining a Visa to the U.S. and now I understand why.

   I have recommended this book to parents who are planning to adopt Chinese children - to help them better understand the culture their children are from.




4. Sounds of the river is a memior of a chinese man name Da Chen, a yellow stoner. Is the book about an historical study of the cultural revolution? No, I don't think the author shares any insights to indicate this is his intent. It seems the book is written in the style of a personal journal. The language of the book is very personable, funny, and presents a fresh view of life in China. I wasn't critical of historical inaccuracies. Da Chen doesn't seem willing to protray an accurate picture and it become evident from his book why he is unwilling to share the true protrait of conditions in china.

   Gifted with an unusual ability to understand English, he becomes privileged to study at the prestigious Bejing University. Da Chen works very hard and is noticed as an excellent student by his teachers. Later when Da Chen returns home to see some of the places, he wrote about in some of his college writing compositions, he realizes they seemed much better on paper than in reality. Does Da Chen write the same way in his book? I think Da Chen is very careful in his book not be critical. He makes poverty and hardship seem very bearable and brave in his book. It is very doubtful that the extreme hardship could be endured so pleasantly.

   Da Chen plays the chinese flute and numerous students, friends, and teachers realize he unique talent. The chinese flute is important because, Da Chen shows through this symbol, he is unwilling to separate from his ancient hertiage and culture.

   The memior reveres his parents and their values. Da Chen thinks highly of his father and mother. He talks of them with respect and admiration. Both parents introduce the concept of love as a path to marriage rather than tradition. This fustrates the match maker who wants to close a business deal for their daughter. A daughter who cuts hair but can manage twenty customers at a time has become prized by a local jeweler family, who wants the same good fortune from her skills for their family. The parents seem innovative in their ideas, but trapped in their country and culture. Change is slow but glimmers of enlightment are revealed. Both parents are extremely proud of their son and share their pride about their son with the community.

   Strongly rooted in the religion of Budhism, Da Chen takes us into the mysterious world of his religion. With the chance to study in America, two students will be selected; however, many associates and teachers tell Da Chen, he has no chance because he does not come from a wealthy and prestious family and lacks the political connections. With that they tell him, he should go home an pray to budha for help. Returning home Da Chen's father takes him to the Budhist temple to receive a blessing. The priest attends many of Da Chen's fathers plays, but shocks Da Chen with how femine he appears and talks. The Chinese believe a child name brings fortune or misfortune and the same applies to Da Chen as the Budhist Priest tells him his name indicates he will travel abroad and accumulate great wealth.

   Is the memior about zen? I would say in many aspects, yes. In many other aspects about faith. Da Chen is a humble and naitive student gifted and introduced to a large network of people with some of them being students and facility. In one portion of the book, a friend Bo is killed because of internal politics. Da Chen knows nothing of the reasons, only that Bo likes western ideas, was having an affair with one of the facility, and was known by the party as the son of a rebel. The memior is the story of coming of age, shocking poverty, ancient chinese marriage traditions, strange food, the hatred of foreigners, the opening of cultural exchange, brutal violations of human rights, and the awareness of the vast opportunities found in America.

   Da Chen gains the opportunity to study in American. Da Chen is influenced by the American Athletes who play the Chinese national team. Did he really meet Kareem? Wow! This is a chance for Da Chen to see and experience the differences between the two cultures.

   Because of his American experience receives college employment, at the age of twenty. Politically, Da Chen does not fit in with the Communist Party. As a result he becomes more obscure and distained by the dean an advocate of the party. The dean thinks Da Chen likes the taste of freedom to much. After hours, Da Chen teaches english. One of the students is the daughter of the Chinese Orchestra. A christian missionary couple cross Da Chen path and eventually introduce him to the Christian faith. Bob is a University chairman of music. Da Chen introduces the Bob to the chinese Maistro and the Maistro has the idea to perform a piece created by bob as a first in China. The musical piece is accepted with great enthusiam by the people. Later, Da Chen struggles with idealogy of many Gods and remains content to just have faith. Bob has problems understanding God so how could Da Chen grasp the reality? This was disappointing. The Sounds of the river and the colors of the mountain are replaced with the sounds of freedom.




5. I went to college in Beijing in the late 1980's, so I thought I could say a thing or two about Mr. Chen's depiction of college life and life in general in China at the time. Although I don't know him personally, I found many instances of exaggerations and inaccuracies that supposedly serve to romanticize inconsequential happenings in his life. This literary method is probably okay for a work of fiction, but completely inappropriate for a book billed as "A Memoir."

5 comments about Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story.

1. I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a week with Dr. Timothy Tyson as part of a Civil Rights Tour in Alabama with my public school district. Although I was "required" to read this BEFORE the tour, I did't pick it up until after I had returned home. Reading Tyson's words in print doesn't compare to listening to him in person, but the book is extremely powerful and eye opening to say the least. My parents were of the segregationist baby boom in Alabama and little mention of the civil rights movement was ever made to me during my childhood in the deep south. It is my opinion that most Americans are of the impression that it began with Brown v. Board and ended with the assassination of MLK. The book is only the beginning of an unearthing of long-buried truths about the struggle for racial equality and the unsung heroes who continue the fight.



2. I read this book for a college course and found it shocking and heartbreaking. I grew up very close to where the event of the story take place. After I had finished the book I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Tyson. This is when I began to become suspicious. I also met the offspring of people involved in the story. They, along with many other residents of Oxford confirmed what I already suspected. Much of this story is COMPLETELY MADE UP! Some of the events did actually happen, but are blown WAAAAAY out of proportion, and the means by which Mr. Tyson acquired some of his information are very shady. So my verdict: as a piece of fiction I think it's a beautifully tragic piece of fictions. As a "true story" this novel loses all credibility and so does Mr. Tyson for any of his other work and he should be prosecuted for his slanderous words.



3. I recommend this book not only to those of us who lived through the time but also to younger adults who care about racial issues in America. The author's personal account allows readers to experience recent history through his eyes. The book is informative and a very good read!



4. Blood Done Sign My Name is a non-fiction work that combines the personal memoirs and research of Timothy Tyson, Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin. The most striking aspect of the novel is the description of Dickie Marrow's murder from the points of view of different citizens of Oxford. This unique feature makes the book appealing to many age groups. Teenage readers can relate to Tyson's personal anecdotes about growing up in rural Oxford, North Carolina. Even if younger audiences do not understand the symbolism behind the text, they can still enjoy the well-developed characters and eventful plot. Adult readers can gain insight into many themes concerning race and white supremacy. Tyson elegantly expresses the naiveté of children on the issue of morality and treatment of other races. This is best conveyed in the passage where young Tyson taunted a black child solely because his friend had started an insulting chime. The author describes that it was fear--not hatred--that bred the twisted idea of white supremacy. Parents can also connect with the decisions and actions of Vernon and Martha Tyson. The Tysons believed that their children should be exposed to many different opinions yet respect all races. The difference in perspectives in the work allows readers of all ages to enjoy and understand the truth behind the Civil Rights Movement.
   The book contains a few minor flaws that diminish the lucidity of the text. The plot is rather erratic; from time to time, the events are not connected perfectly. This technique may be Tyson's personal style of writing, but it proves to be rather confusing at major points in the plot. For example, Tyson usually explains a personal memory of the murder and follows it with completely unrelated information about another character. These discontinuities in the plot make the book difficult to comprehend at first. Gradually, however, the reader gets acclimatized to this original form of writing. The gaps between personal stories build suspense and enable the reader to process a feasible prediction for the sequence of events. The novel also includes many extraneous details about minor characters that play an insignificant part in the plot. Tyson extensively describes his mother's childhood, even though his mother does not affect the sequence of events in any fashion. This extra information, however, does not detract from the book's overall theme. Though the story contains a few negligible weaknesses, Tyson maintains his overall claim and presents it in an interesting and distinctive manner.
   Blood Done Sign My Name is an enthralling story that expresses the moral wrongs of racism. To call it a mere story does not do Tyson proper justice; it is more fitting to call the book a documentary. By citing several engrossing stories throughout the novel, Tyson maintains the reader's attention and successfully proves his thesis. Other than its occasional lack of continuity, Timothy Tyson has written a classic non-fiction work for readers of all ages.



5. I finally got around to reading this memoir this summer and was in awe of the author's narrative gifts. This story reads like a novel and is full of plain human wisdom, an emotional openness combining humility and pride, wry humor, sharp political analysis, and a can't-put-it-down story line that comes to terms with America's number one cultural problem: racism. This is a book of local history that gets at the human condition, and a work of history that reads like great literature. I'm telling everyone I can to read it, and that includes whoever reads this. Don't pay attention to any of the so-called "corrections" made by some other reviewers here. This is a must-read historical work that shows an astute and perceptive ability to understand its widely varying participants' points of view and experiences, while not shrinking from the moral and historical obligation to draw judgments. There is only one word to use: *brilliant.* (I'm not one to use that lightly when talking about either autobiography or
   history.)
   
   Disclaimer: The writer of this review is a professional historian with a Ph.D., but one who has never met Timothy Tyson.

5 comments about Obstinate Heart - Jane Austen: A Biography.

1. The punchline of Valerie Grosvenor Myer's 1997 biography "Jane Austen: Obstinate Heart" is delivered in its preface. Contrary to the warm and contented portrait in family memoirs, Myer asserts that romance novelist Jane Austen knew a life of genteel poverty and personal disappointment, yet showed her "obstinate heart" by refusing to marry a wealthy man she did not love. This interpretation of Jane Austen's life is certainly a plausible one, but it has been told by other biographers with more flair.
   
   Every biographer of Jane Austen must confront the challenge of the limited material available on her life. Myer chooses a conventional approach. Readers familiar with Austen's surviving letters will recognize that Myer has adapted excerpts into a chronological narrative, rather freely mixing Jane's comments to her sister about domestic matters with her own interpretations of Austen's state of mind. The result emphasizes Austen's limited personal possibilities as the dowerless daughter of a middle-class cleric. The failure to marry ensured that Austen would live a frustrating life as a family poor relation; recognition for her remarkable literary talents came only in the very last years of her life.
   
   Myer devotes surprisingly little energy to speculation about Jane Austen's personal romances, whatever they may have been. She spents more time on Austen's interactions with her immediate family and various in-laws and cousins, although without generating any unusual insights. This reader wishes Myer had explored in more detail the dynamics of Jane Austen's intimate relationship with her sister Cassandra or her rather difficult relationship with her mother. Myer limits her literary criticism to drawing some parallels between the characters and locations in Austen's novels with their possible counterparts in life. The book includes a nice selection of family portraits.
   
   "Jane Austen: Obstinate Heart" is a conventional and serviceable biography most likely to appeal to readers new to Jane Austen and not prepared to wade into various academic controversies about her life. Devoted fans of Jane Austen already familar with her life and letters can find more challenging biographies elsewhere.



2. I must say that I am in shock after having read this "biography". The author clearly does not understand irony - so then why bothering reading Jane Austen at all? Writing about her and being so unappreciative of her qualities must be considered an abuse by any true Jane Austen fan. Why is V. G. Myer so eager to make Jane Austen look like a bitter spinster that never experienced love end therefore hated every women who did marry and have children? Is the author that kind of lady who becomes very frightened when she meets with an intelligent woman with a sharp tongue - because she clearly can't stand Jane Austen's sense of humor. And, on top of it all, she has not done a good work when it comes to the research. I strongly doubt that she has read James Edward Austen Leigh's "Memoirs", she misquotes him and misunderstands him on some very crucial points. She just one of these authors trying to make money out of Jane Austen without making any effort whatsoever.



3. This is a very good biography for readers who want a fairly straightforward, reliable, moderate length account of Austen's life. Among the seven biographies that I have read so far, I think that this is the best first choice for readers who want more than Carol Shield's well-done Jane Austen, part of Penquins short biography series, but who don't want to tackle a book as long as John Halperin's Life of Jane Austen, nearly twice the length of this. Halperin weaves a lot more quotes together to build his narrative,something that I found disconcerting when I was younger, although I like it now. I leave the reader to determine their own taste. (As a teenager, I regarded books made up largely of quotes as most people regard books with mathematical formula.)
   
   
   Myers organizes her work both chronologically and thematically, discussing all of JA's romances and potential romances in one chapter, and then alluding back to them when she returns to chronological order. She recounts standard interpretations, but allows for some alternatives; she duly records that Mrs. Austen was regarded as a hypochondriac, but notes that her frequent pregnancies may have left her with problems of which we are unaware.
   
   Some of the reviewers have complained that Myers does not contribute any new research, but frankly I think that there are probably few facts to add to what is already know and a readable biography is itself a great accomplishment, and preferable to inventing wild theories to gain a little publicity. Some other authors that have produced more research into the minutiae of Georgian-Regency life thereby scant JA's life or hare off on tangents that may try some readers' patience. While I personally adore all this somewhat extraneous detail, it is best preceded by reading a book like this that gives one a solid grounding regarding JA's life. Others make up for a lack of new information by posthumous psychoanalysis and mindreading, not something that I encourage.
   
   The reader should be aware that the book is serious flawed by a lack of notes. I don't know if this was the author's or the publisher's choice. The book generally accords with what other biographers write, so I am fairly confident of the facts, but when Myers makes an unusual assertion, such as the claim that Cassandra Leigh didn't really want to marry George Austen, this is very irritating.
   
   In all, I think this is a good choice for entering into a study of JA's life, one that can be enriched by reading other books later.



4. I think Valerie Grovesnor Myer has made a nice stab at trying to write to a biography of Austen and she succeeds relatively well. The only trouble biographies of Austen are all drawn from the same material - very little new material has been turned up in recent years and so biographers are forced to reinterpret the old sources to find a new angle. And that really is what this author has done - with only moderate success.

   She has 24 chapters, mostly chronological although really the complaint that this is mostly about Austen's family than Austen herself bears through - especially in the first nine chapters.

   To make her book different again Myer has attempted to find biographical incidents from Austen's own life to explain incidents in her novels. Not a bad thing to do - but I found it overpowering at times - as though she were just going from one incident to another - and sometimes I felt her examples used weren't good ones. For instance she likened Jane Austens' brother Edward's adoption by the Knights as being like Fanny Price's living with the Bertrams in her 'Mansfield Park'. Which is not at all the same situation. In the novel Fanny lived with the family but was never adopted by them. In real life, Edward adopted the new surname of Knight and eventually inherited a large estate and fortune from it. The whole situation in fact reminds one of Frank Churchill in 'Emma' - Frank Weston is adopted by his aunt, Mrs Churchill, adopts her name and becomes her heir. It seems that is a much better example - why did Myer use the much less satisfactory one?

   Another point is that she shows that she has read various books on Austen (for instance Deidre Le Faye's collected letters of Austen) but doesn't seem to have done much research outside of those on the history of the period. Myer cites a letter from Austen to her neice Fanny Knight in which she talks of the whole race of 'Pagets'. Myer has clearly used the footnote which is in Le Faye's edition of the letters to explain this remark about Austen's dislike of the Pagets - explaining about Lord Paget's (later Marquess of Anglesey) elopement with Lady Charlotte Wellesley. What both Le Faye and Myer miss is that the year before this elopement there was another High profile Paget elopement when Lord Paget's brother eloped with Lady Boringdon. A little extra research on Myer's part would have revealed this fact.

   I found the book interesting though for Myer's interpretation, but I wouldn't pick it by choice. If you are looking for a really good biography of Jane - Park Honan's is much better - or Claire Tomalin's. There are other great books on the history of the time you can read - Maggie Lane is great - and Deidre Le Faye's collection of letters is fabulous. So there is a lot of much better material out there. But if this is all you can get hold of - well it would do in a pinch.




5. Just above her grave in Wincester Cathedral is written, "In the beginning was the word..." I am convinced that no one has ever written English prose narrative as well as Jane Austen. In her book, 'Jane Austen, Obstinate Heart' Valerie Grosvenor Myer takes the reader behind the scenes into the private life of this remarkable author. Using correspondence, diaries, and the memoirs of Jane Austen and her family and friends, Ms. Myer constructs a biography that helps the reader understand Austen's day-to-day existence 200 years ago--the environment that formed her and inspired her creative process.

   She lived a life of genteel poverty--barely made genteel by the kindness of her brothers and friends. She worked hard--in an age when the mangle was just invented, irons were heated on the fireplace, and woman's work was never done, she and her mother and sister could not always get the help they needed. She worried about money, reworked old clothes to make them last, lacked good food at times, was cold at times, and wanted for many material comforts. And yet, she managed without the aid of a computer or even a typewriter, to produce six of the world's greatest novels.

   This book will appeal to women more so than men because it concerns issues that have affected women more. Most women have faced some form of discrimination or deprivation, or know of the deprivation of other women--lack of food, lack of clothing, fear, depression, an inability to control one's reproductive life, and poverty. Austen was aware of women's struggles--her own and those of family and friends. She watched five sisters-in-law succomb to early deaths owing to childbearing.

   Austen's books center on the struggles of heroines to make lives for themselves in what is essentially a man's world. Although this book doesn't discuss Austen's books in any depth, it certainly illuminates the links between the life of the author and her characters. It's an excellent book. It made me cry.

5 comments about Blindsided: Lifting a Life Above Illness: A Reluctant Memoir.

1. Mr. Cohen is a huge black hole; I once did not feel his love for his children...my impression is that he was after all a very lucky man. he managed to put up with a demanding career, had the big luck in a great woman and I think wonderful kids...Instead of bitching so much, be thankful Mr. Cohen for what you have! In other country or other financial situation you would be long gone.



2. Richard M Cohen is amazing person. I really enjoy read this book. I found it very interest and good.



3. This is one of my favorite memoirs. Mr. Cohen writes beautifully about a not so beautiful subject, chronic illness. I hear he has another book out and I plan to look it up and order it as soon as I finish this review. Thank you for giving a voice to chronic illness Richard.



4. I really didn't like this book..from the first page. I never did try to pick it up again. Not worth your time.



5. BLINDSIDED by Richard Cohen. This is not just a book for for those dealing with MS, Although it could be the story of my family. It is the story of a man and his family who takes the blows and then gets up and keeps on going. It may not be the path was originally planned but they find a way to go go on. It is an uplifting story to those who fight physical problems and despair and find a way to go on. God bless you Richard Cohen, Meredith Viera and your children.

5 comments about The Northern Lights: The True Story of the Man Who Unlocked the Secrets of the Aurora Borealis.

1. The Northern Lights is a roller coaster ride through the extraordinary life of Kristian Birkeland. Influenced by the great minds of his time, this story recounts the struggles that he endured as an under-appreciated Norwegian scientist. His traveling from the snow-topped mountain of Haldde to the hot dessert of Egypt, is intermixed with a slew of brilliant discoveries showing the true benefit of dedication. This perseverance leads him to make exciting inventions that keep his life exciting because of the treachery and deceit that follow his success. This novel clears the name of this famous scientist in hopes that the world will never again forget the consequences of scientific prejudices.



2. This tale of Kristian Birkeland and his aurora quest was simply enthralling. His will-power alone was awesome, fighting against the wind and his enemies to find the truth behind the beautiful northern lights.
   
   Who knew how dangerous the winds would be? Who would not suffer along with him in our imaginations as he and his assistants took shelter from the cold?
   
   I found his courage and strong focus truly amazing and inspiring. It makes my life puny by comparison.
   
   Larry Rochelle, author of GHOSTLY EMBERS: VISIONS OF TOLEDO.



3. As reviewer Carter points out, this book is a biography of Kristian Birkeland, not a scientific treatise on the Northern Lights. And as reviewer Hoge points out, the writing style is more mainstream pop than dry academia. Personally, I found it quite readable. I'm not doing serious research on the subject, so I was fine with being entertained while I learned a little more about how the scientific community worked at the dawn of the 20th century. The primary criticism I have is that Jago was rather biased in favor her subject-- maybe justifiably so, but her flag waving was a little too blatant for me at times... Also, she stretched her material a bit, probably could have been a shorter book. Still, if you enjoyed books like Sobel's "Longitude" or Larson's "Devil in the White City," you'll probably enjoy "Northern Lights."



4. This book is a very intriguing biography of one of the great minds of the early twentieth century. It tells the story of Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland and his obsession with the aurora borealis. The book starts off with his first expedition in Lappland, observing the Northern Lights from a mountaintop observatory over a winter season. Jago then takes us through the results of the expedition, and Birkeland's dreams for further research, and his inventive projects for funding his research. She follows Birkland through the rest of his life, including his role in starting Norskhydro, his trip to Egypt, and his death in Japan. What struck me about Birkeland's genius was how he turned design failures or accidents into new discoveries and further inventions- -how a high-voltage switch became a magnetic cannon, and how a magnetic cannon was transformed into a fertilizer furnace. Jago's descriptions of Birkeland's expeditions carry the details that are usually only found in travel narratives.

   The narration by Michael Cumpsty is quite clear throughout, and I was especially impressed by his ease with pronouncing the Danish, Egyptian, and Japanese names. One of the challenges of listening to a book of this type is following the scientific explanations orally. Although I got a basic idea of Birkeland's theories, I think reading them on paper instead of listening to them on tape would have been a little easier. I also missed the footnotes and biography that must have surely been available in the print version. Nevertheless, the tape was quite enjoyable and very informative.




5. Dear Lucy Jago,
   I really enjoyed this book! I read the complete title so I knew it was about the MAN who unlocked the secrets of the Aurora Borealis... not about the "powerful and mystical Northern Lights". What an amazing man he must have been. Thanks for showing us his human side, strengths and weaknesses. I'm still left wondering what else he might have been able to accomplish if he had lived longer (and had a more healthy life style!)
   I thought this book had a good balance between the technical aspects and storytelling. I didn't want a physics book about Aurora, if I did, then I would have gotten one. I wanted a history of science book, I wanted to know the "story", I wanted to meet the people, I wanted to know the community reaction at the time. I got all that and more.
   Thanks for your fine work, I had an enjoyable few hours reading it.

4 comments about Old Friend from Far Away: How to Write a Memoir.

1. This book is also available in audio format. ISBN 1564559599.
   
   Several years ago I read Natalie Goldberg's book, Writing Down the Bones, and was pleased to see in an ad in a weekly Toronto newspaper that a couple of women were starting a writing group based on Natalie's teachings. That meant we would do timed writings and make sure we kept our hands moving with fast-writing pens. There were about 17 people the first night we met. The two sisters who began the group were very enthused as they had just returned from a workshop with Natalie in New Mexico. I don't think we ever saw the sisters again after that first meeting, and the group kept dwindling. It stayed at about six for a while, and then we became four women who met weekly for about two years. It was wonderful support for our writing. Although we've gone our separate ways now, I do keep in touch with one of the women so she has become an "old friend from far away."
   
   I'm such a fan of books, not just for the reading of them but for the tactile nature of them, their design, smell and companionship while they wait in the pile to be read. I can make margin notes and underline in books. With a cassette or a CD that's a bit difficult, although you can certainly make notes. And make notes I did. Natalie Goldberg speaks as if she's talking to you from across the table. Those people at Sounds True sure know how to get their authors to sound natural, as if they're talking to you, not as if they're reading a script. I know Natalie is used to inspiring people at workshops, but talking to an unseen audience into a microphone is rather different.
   
   I highly recommend this set of cassettes. Natalie's voice is soothing--a blend of America (Long Island, Minnesota, New Mexico), France and Japan. Her chuckles are contagious. The writing prompts wake up the details of many memories. They stimulate the senses and are a great way to get to that big story we want to write. Listening to the tapes is having your own coach who, although she knows you're already writing, can give you some fresh insight--for the writing process as well as the writing life.
   
   We carry those old friends from far away inside us. That's why we have a desire to write about those memories and keep them alive. As Natalie points out, we don't want to be alone with the memories, we want to share them. The writing becomes a way of letting go. Even when we're writing about abuse, the act of putting our stories on paper, expressing ourselves, not silencing ourselves, is a very positive act. Saying who we really are, how we see, think and feel. Finally, and this is a new insight for me, being fully alive before we die so we can meet our death full heartedly.
   
   Elizabeth Ehrlich's Miriam's Kitchen and Vivian Gornick's Fierce Attachments are among the excerpts Natalie reads as examples of larger stories contained in the exquisite details of everyday life. She reminds us to name the trees as beings who surround us, such as those of her beloved New Mexico: sage, pinon and cottonwood. "When you know the name of something," Natalie says, "it wakes you up to it." And who wants to read the details of your ordinary life? Be confident that if they filled your world, they will fill someone else's, she assures.
   
   There are lots of entry points for writing. As Natalie suggests in her book, Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft, keep doing this turning over of memories for two years before you look at the structure. She reminds us to continue under all circumstances. To not be "tossed away" by other distractions. To keep writing and not forget who we are and where we are going.
   
   Natalie Goldberg lives in northern New Mexico where she teaches most of her writing workshops (based on her best-seller Writing Down the Bones) at Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos. Natalie Goldberg--Jewish daughter and Zen master, writer, poet and painter. Old friend from far away.
   
   by Mary Ann Moore
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   www.storycirclebookreviewsorg
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



2. It's easy to get hooked on Natalie Goldberg and it's not always easy to say why. In her Long Island accent -- not much changed by living in Minnesota and New Mexico -- she delivers wry commentary on writing much as I'd imagine a zen master lecturing a favorite student. She can be tough and demanding but she clearly loves her students. And she's very open about her own life, in and out of writing.
   
   There's an old saying that we like someone better after we learn their flaws. I listened to Old Friends, ostensibly about writing a memoir, after reading Natalie Goldberg's own story of her two great teachers, her father and her zen master. It's a nice combination. Here Natalie Goldberg comes across as warmer and easier to know than in Thunder and Lightning and she drops hints about her own struggles, self-accepting as well as self-deprecating. For instance, it's clear that Goldberg has some bad karma about cars -- and here she adds an anecdote about failing a driving test on a freezing Minnesota morning when she went wrong way on a one-way street. None of these car stories seem to bother her as much as they'd bother me or most people I know!
   
   In the end, Old Friend is less about writing memoir than about getting motivated to write and spending time with Natalie Goldberg. Sure, we get lots of exercises that could lead to a memoir: "I remember..." and, "Biggest mistakes I made..." but these exercises could also lead to a novel or even a nonfiction self-help book. Mostly her enthusiasm and her examples would make almost anyone grab a pen and paper and start writing -- now! . She captures the excitement of conquering a blank page and really engaging with ideas, using writing to grow our minds.
   
   I'd recommend this CD to anyone who wants to write, who's struggling with a blank page, who's gotten jaded and frustrated and wondering why bother. That's almost anybody who writes, probably. And I'd recommend the CD to anyone who doesn't especially want to write but just maybe wants to try. And of course I'd recommend the CD to anyone who's met Natalie Goldberg and wants to spend another couple of hours with her, sharing the journey.
   
   Postscript: I live in southwestern New Mexico, so people always ask if I live near Natalie Goldberg. She's about eight hours away up in Taos where they get tons more snow than we do! Some days she probably thinks she's back in Minnesota.



3. I feel as if I know Natalie!
   After all, I have listened to all of her writing workshops and read most of her books. How cool is it to listen to a "Writing Workshop" while taking a walk in your neighborhood!?
   And to listen to Natalie's (New York-Minnesota-New Mexico accent!) Loooove her.

   "Old Friend from Far Away" is wonderful. Natalie gives the writer many ideas about how to get that pen moving, how to write that first sentence..."Write... I remember. My first kiss. My favorite meal is. My father was. My worse food. My favorite river."

   And Details... People are really interested. Not the flower...what kind of flower. Not red...Ruby, cranberry, rose.

   Get it???!!!!!! And what is Natalie's most amazing advice????

   WRITING PRACTICE. If you know anything about Natalie, you would have realized that.

   She reads to us from some of her favorite authors and poets. She says that "Ballad of the Sad Cafe" by Carson Mccullers is the reason she became a writer. She says that we need to name things... Spanish olive, Oak tree, Buttercup. Isn't that more concrete than olive, tree, flower!!????

   Natalie tells us to get going, write, pick up the pen. And practice, practice, practice!!!!!!!

   Well, what are you waiting for?!!!




4. This audio was a joy to listen to. I feel so motivated to continue writing my memoir. I took notes, but more than that I listened to Natalie's voice and felt encouraged. (Her voice made me homesick with her pronounced New York accent).She gives examples of other authors' memoirs as well as her own. She helped me keep going with my own story, which I stopped when the going got tough. Writing is the easiest activity in the world to procrastinate (easier to start a diet!) But I found myself welcomed and my life's story valued by listening to her. If you want a shot in the arm or a gentle nudge, to motivate your writing, get this tape. Thanks, Natalie!!

5 comments about Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism.

1. My heart broke for Jenny and she told the story of Evan and his journey with Autism. My son is about the same age w/ASD and is improving daily. It's encouraging to know that even famous people go through the same heartaches as everyone else and have the same struggles. Thanks for sharing your story Jenny!



2. Jenny says at the end of her story, "I hope you have figured out by now that this isn't a story about autism, it's a story about faith". If you buy this book understanding that, then you will not be disappointed. This is an emotional, authentic story about a woman with a compelling, love-inspired drive to heal her son. Throughout her quest to find answers for her son she is transformed by the depth of her love and commitment to him. And to Jenny's credit, her experience was harrowing. Her son had what sounds to me like a moderate case of autism complicated by severe, difficult to control epilepsy that resulted in cardiac arrest. It is truly miraculous that Evan recovered so fully within two years of beginning therapies.
   
   Throughout the book, Jenny's authenticity shines through. Her forcefulness will inspire some readers, and alienate others. It's true, her language is less than classy. And yet, Jenny's focus is so deeply inspiring, the langauge is only minimally detracting. The f-bombs convey Jenny's intensity and drive in a flawed yet simple way.
   
   I am somewhat bemused at the shrill defense of the "medical profession" by some. Some reviewers are shocked that any mother would scream at a nurse or doctor while their child hovers near death, having seizure after seizure. These reviewers' awe for anyone with a medical degree is apparently unimpeachable.
   
   I'm not a doctor-worshipper myself, so I read this account of Jenny's experience without the need to take a break to gasp at her audacity. In Jenny's defense, it is not reasonable for a child having seizures as severely as her son was having them to be treated by staff Interns for two days before seeing a neurologist. It is also pretty incredible that her original neurologist was completely blind to very clear symptoms of autism.
   
   (I really do wish that the general public would find an antidote for doctor-worshipping. It is a sick practice, and it prevents doctors from being held accountable.)
   
   Having said that, there are more sophisticated and mature ways of dealing with incompetent medical personnel who will not accept your input than screaming profanity.
   
   For all of the true passion that Jenny brings to her story, and for all of her autheticity and her discovery, this book has its flaws. First, it could have used some good editing, especially in the last few chapters. There are some errors that just jump out. For example, Catholics will recognize immediately her misspelling of Medjugorje in one of the first chapters of the book. Second, when Jenny slips out of simply telling her story and begins to offer political and medical perspectives, she sounds like someone on the subway who you've just decided to strike up a random conversation with. She doesn't have a clear, organized rhetorical position, and she could have used an advisor on this book to get her there.
   
   For those without expectations higher than a quick, emotional read, this book is a great way to feel connected to another Autism Mother.



3. (written by Dan's mom) Sad sad sad that professionals who work with kids on the spectrum and who actually HAVE an education and experience with these kids are ignored, but Jenny has an epiphany and gets a book tour. I am now a mom of kids with Autism, but even before that I worked with them, studied them, loved them. (and I still do all of those as a pediatric OT) When Jenny was bouncing around on MTV, I was in grad school, when she was sitting on a toilet modeling Candies shoes, I was working in the schools, when she had her son, I already had one on the Spectrum. Too bad no one listens to me and the fact that I have been looking at immunizations, diet, and environmental impacts for years and have yet to find the answers she claims to have found with her Google U diploma. Guess my boobs aren't big enough. What she's doing here is shaming moms who are already guilty enough, using her celebrity to promote bad science, and generalizing her very unique experience to everyone. Such a sad situation.



4. I bought this book as I have two grandchildren who are considered special needs students. One is a high functioning autistic and the other is in the spectrum. Before I was able to read it, my husband decided to beat me to it. He was fascinated! (Due to a reading comprehension problem, he had only read books he was forced to read.) Needless to say, he loved it and do did I! If you know anyone who has a child dealing with this, please do yourself a favor and buy the book and read it. Ms. McCarthy writes in a down-to-earth fashion that keeps you spellbound. I cannot wait for her to write more.



5. This book tells an important story. It's important because it's not just one mother's story or one child's story. One out of every 150 children now has a dx of autism. As the mom of an autistic 11 year old boy whose descent into autism followed his vaccine schedule, I am grateful to Jenny McCarthy for telling it like it is. I hope this book leads parents of autistic kids to her book Mother Warriors.