5 comments about Broken Music.

1. As music fans we have a tendency to believe that the glamour and stardom for any artist makes them immuned from life's problems and pain. We see them as icons and not as the human beings they are, and that's a big mistake....."Broken Music" gives the reader the inside track on what it took for Sting to reach the heights of his accomplishments. Hard, hard work, emotional toll, intuition, luck, passion, to finally make it. After reading this book I am left with a tremendous amount of respect for "Sting" the Man.



2. I had already read this book at my local public library and decided I had to purchase it for my own. If you asked me why I can give you a variety of reasons. I could say that I've always been a huge Sting fan and his music has always inspired me. I could say that I found his writing to be very personable and to read his story felt almost like having a chat with him. However, the fact of the matter is that I enjoyed reading his story. It is honest, funny at times, and highly thought-provoking.



3. Sting has really hit a home run with Broken Music. It was very interresting to see how a above average gradeschool kid from a disfunctional family, with little ambition, turned into one of the most recognized, rock and new-age composer/singers of the last thirty years. The only explanation has to be - 'he didn't have a choice, it was meant to be.'
   
   Sting shows great skill in describing the settings, characters and events of various eras in his life. Unfortunately, this particular memoir only really takes you as far as the first Police album in the late 70s. It did leave me wishing for more however.
   
   My only problem was the extremely abrupt ending. I was totally involved in the story, and I was looking forward to learning about how he and the band responded to super stardom - and it was over. The words stopped, and I was stunned.
   
   The book contains some harsh language, but it only helps you understand the real conversations he was involved in during his life.



4. I'm a great fan of Sting since a long time and I was fortunate enough to attend three Sting live concerts. I find his music and lyrics very touching and powerful. The book is written in a beautiful, poetic way as it describes the life of Sting (real name Gordon Sumner) starting from is early childhood til mid 2000s. The only complain I have regarding the book is a big deep gap in time from the end of the Police until he started his solo career. Still it's a wonderful read that will uncage your soul.



5. "Son, can't you play something nicer then that," "She struggles to find a
   
   word to describe my efforts" "that broken music?' That is what the
   
   grandmother of sting said about his piano playing at a young age. The book
   
   Broken Music is the autobiography of singer/songwriter/actor, Sting.
   
   Unlike a normal musician's biography about their stardom, Sting chooses to
   
   write about moments of his life that he felt meant the most to him, though
   
   the end does give some parts to the story of how his most famous band The
   
   Police was formed and some of their early shows. The characters vary from
   
   his childhood friends to his band mates Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers,
   
   and Henry Padovini. My personal favorite part is when he visits a Jimi
   
   Hendrix concert and he gives great details on that. The one thing that I
   
   found outrageous about this book was he seemed to make everybody seem like
   
   they were always getting mad and doing bad things but it makes him look
   
   like he is the perfect person and by the things I have heard about him he
   
   has the most horrible temper and had a lot of enmity for other people. But
   
   I did like the fact that he did include the sacking of their original
   
   guitarist Henry Padovini. Over all I give the book a 4 and half out of 5.I was also glad that he did put the birth of his band The Police even though it did not go into to his stardom which was probably a good idea. I suggest this book for mature 8th graders and up because there are some scenes that contain some words and scenes that would take mature readers.But still a great book.
   
   
   -Walker Kennedy

5 comments about Blood Trails: The Combat Diary of a Foot Soldier in Vietnam.

1. I was in Nam from '69 thru '70 and in the same unit so this book really brought back a bunch of memories that I thought I had long ago forgotten.
   Not an easy book to put down...give yourself a bit of time to read and digest Mr. Ronnau's story.



2. A brillant and riveting account that offers a unique insight to life in the jungle of a combat infantryman. It's all true, I know because I was in Charlie company "Black Lions" from January 1967 to April 1967 when Chris was shot.
   It was my platoon, 3rd platoon, that was hit that day. The first two men were hit by pellets from a large Chinese mine that exploded before them. The screams still remain fresh in my mind. The concussion from the explosion was so great that it knocked the 3rd man in the formation, Battles, off his feet and he rolled into me. Then all hell broke loose and the fire fight went on for what seemed like minutes, but was actually over two hours. Chris's 1st platoon came to our rescue. Sometime during the end of the fighting, I was out in an open field and saw this soldier coming towards me in huge distress. He couldn't talk, a bullet had shattered his jaw, and he keeped running his hand around his head. It was Chris and I was able to help him. Didn't see him again till 1994.
   
   
   Fred Kirkpatrick
   webmaster, [...]



3. Nothing really new to someone who has read many personal memoirs from vietnam. I found anticlimactic. There are much better memoirs out there.



4. I'm a 3-tour Vietnam vet. Salvage diver with the 20th. Engineers out of Long Binh. 69-71. I've read a multitude of books about the Vietnam War & am so very glad I volunteered as a Diver instead of a paratrooper that I came within an eyelash of doing. You line doggies out there have ALL of my considerable respect!
   
   Blood Trails is without a doubt THE best book I've yet to read on the war. The guy tells it like it was (for the infantry people) but includes a lot of sarcastic & self-deprecating humor that makes the book a joy to read. His vivid descriptions of real life combat puts you in the driver's seat & makes this reader realize how lucky he was NOT to have been a paratrooper! Great job!



5. I went with five stars against my better judgmemt. Oh, the book was most interesting and the humor alone was worth the price and effort, but we Vietnam veterans have had so many roses thrown in our paths and so much glory that I'm afraid of overdoing it.
   
   Anyway, Ronnau gets my vote and five stars simply because he was able to stop taking drugs and killing babies long enough to write a book. I was able to get my newest title, "Kill Me If You Can", out between these things, but haven't been able to completely give them up. It pleases me to no end when an 11 Bravo guy makes good. Thanks and congratulations, Doc.

5 comments about Maggie's American Dream: The Life and Times of a Black Family.

1. I read this book for a college class this past semester and was truely amazed at how well this book was written. This book is basically broken down into three parts, all equally intersesting. The first part is based in Maggies story, her life, struggles and amazing accomplishments. The second part is all about the author, James, who is also Maggies son. The story of "Maggie's American Dream" is an excellent representation of a family that went through tough times and prevailed through a combination of church, education as well as being "taught and strongly encouraged to develop the needed social skills and personal controls." Maggie raises her family during a time when it was difficult to be a black person in America. Maggie was ridiculed and pushed away from any opportunities simply because of the color of her skin. Maggie became a wonderful mother, which I feel is the most important part of this story. Her son James tells the stories of how he was raised. These are stories of a mother that attended all sporting events, assisting her children in becoming talented at several different activities ranging from playing the piano to playing sports. Maggie was always there for her family. She taught them right from wrong as well as a strong sense of that "never give up" attitude. These children continue to strive to do their best in anything they did, even during a time when they were held back from doing just that. This is an example of how a family can make it through most adversities as long as they all stick together and work towards their goals and dreams.
   
   Wonderful book Mr. Comer and thank you for opening my eyes to a great story.



2. Comer tells the story of his family by focusing on the remarkable life of his mother, Maggie Comer, whose determination helped her survive poverty and segregation in the South and discrimination in the North to raise of family of successful children. The first half of the book is told in Maggie's own words. The second half is in Comer's. An excellent example of the broader social migration of black families from the South to the North following Reconstruction.



3. I did a research study on American Dream in America during the 20s-30s decade. I've read a lot of books concerning the subject; literary works, forming the main portion of my resources. These ranged from Fitzgerald's 'Great Gatzby' to Steinbeck's 'Grapes of Wrath', from Dreiser's 'An American Tragedy' to Lewis's 'Main Street'. In addition to these quite old literary works, I collected statistical, analytical information about the particular decades, to verify what I've acquired from the novels. It was a hard study, but I managed to write a reasonably concise thesis, with the help of not the sources I listed, but with this book, 'Maggie's American Dream' instead. Why?

   Almost all of the books I've read were productions of imagination. Even Dreiser, who was inspired from a real account, did not stick to facts in his book, but altered them to create a fiction. However, 'Maggie's American Dream' is a true story. It is told from James Comer's point of view, in a very poetical fashion. The second part of the book is his mother's story, which is again expressed by James. The book also contains a nice section of pictures of the Comer family, which are quite interesting after reading about the family.

   James P. Comer had a very hard childhood, as it could be expected during the years of never-ending racism issues. Comer beautifully expresses how they managed to stand tall, and get their share in the competition of living. Mr. Comer is now working as a psychiatrist in New Haven, after having completed his doctoral work in Yale University. It is a dream that is realised, indeed.

   This book will provide you with a lot of insights about the lives of black families, American societal norms, family relations during the 20s and 30s, which you cannot find easily in any other source this clearly and truely.




4. What a wonderful book. Very easy to read with lots of short chapters so that even the busiest of us can get through it quickly. And of course Maggie and her family are so real that you find you can't put the book down...you just have to find out what happens to them all next.
   It's a great story, and worth reading from that angle alone. But all the way through this book also gives you plenty to ponder - whether you are someone with an interest in education (and doesn't that include all parents?), someone who wishes that all people had an equal opportunity to realise their potential, or someone who really wants to know what life is like for others from different backgrounds and countries. The author also inspires us to think about how we can make a difference, in some small way, wherever and whoever we are.



5. This book I have read is the best book I have ever read. It has inspired me by not being mad ever time someone gets in my face and be racis toward me. I really like this aurthor he is a very insperational writter. I would tell everbody who is going through something very hard, reconmemd this book to any and every one

5 comments about The Sky Isn't Visible from Here: Scenes from a Life.

1. I found her story gut wrenching and mesmerizing. Sullivan crafts an absorbing memoir from painful experiences. She writes beautifully.



2. I didn't hate the book and it was interesting enough that I was curious how it would end. However, I felt like her writing style was all over the place. Some chapters are about dreams. Some are written in the third person. Some in first person. One chapter I didn't even know what she was talking about. It didn't flow that well and I felt like she was trying too hard. The story itself was soso. I've read better.



3. In her book about her childhood with an abusive and neglectful drug-addicted mother, Sullivan does not only paint in black and white. There are no absolutes. Her mother is not horribly evil all the time--no, sometimes she knits and makes lunches. Unfortunately the times that she locks herself in a bedroom, or spends food money on drugs, or exposes her daughter to an abusive boyfriend are far more frequent.
   
   Sullivan hurts, and tries to hide for most of her young adult life, but as we've come to expect in memoir, she heals as well. Thanks to a supporting cast of her "father," (who she had the good fortune to pick herself), friends old and new, and most of all the self she wants to be, she kicks her own drug and alcohol addictions.
   
   I read memoir to remind myself about what is inside the people we see each day. Most have overcome something or are struggling with something at the moment. Sullivan's story makes us think and reminds us of the power of hope, but also not to paint everyone's past with the same brush.



4. I haven't finished a book this quickly since I was twelve and read Beverly Cleary by the week. THE SKY ISN'T VISIBLE will hold you by the throat. It is gripping and tragic--making it that much more hopeful in the end. It takes a bold and talented writer to tell a disturbing story in such an endearing way.



5. a poignant and stirring account of a woman's highly interesting life. The story is imbued with complex psychological dramas and philosophical musings that offer much to the generation of people who grew up in the eighties and nineties. She maintains a sense of humor and literary creativity throughout the book. I was intrigued, disturbed, humored and enlightened by this unique and intelligent book of discovery.
   
   I look forward to checking out the other works by this talented author.

5 comments about The Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.

1. I only received this book from Amazon today so I have no review of the book itself. But be careful when you order it because it comes in two volumes and unless you scrowl down you won't know that Volume Two is a separate book which you get only if you order both at the same time or order Volume Two separately. One of the other reviews said that the first volume took you up to the the Battle of Vicksburg, the second volume takes you to the end of the war. Reading this, I assumed I would get both volumes with the order. Not so.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



2. Amazon and its various sub-concerns obviate customer inconvenience- and any reasonable complaints! First-class people of merchandising withal.



3. To start off, I am usually relectant to read autobiographies, as many should be considered works of fiction. I have read countless book on the Civil War and several on Grant, but I had shamefully neglected reading his Memoirs-my mistake. Several years ago I got a copy on sale and thought I would give it a read-I was a born again Grant fan!
   As many know, after leaving the presidency he lent his name and money to a failed business venture in New York and was near bankrupt. He had been approached by many to write his memoirs, but always resisted. The prospect of his beloved Julia not being provided for plagued him and so he consented to write them. He intially had a fairly good contract to write a subscription book, but his friend Mark Twain interviened and got him a deal that was substantially better. For an excellent overview of this, see Mark Perry's, "Grant and Twain".
   After reading this, I came away with a completly different view of Grant. The only job he suceeded at was the one he disliked the most-a soldier. He served with distinction in Mexico, but was opposed to the war. All he wanted to do was to teach math at West Point.
   The real heart of the memoir is, of course, the Civil War and here a masterpiece was made. He writes in a simply, though not an uneducated style. He is quite defferential and praising to his subordinates and clear describes where he made errors in judgement, not the usual justifications seens by so many. He cannot say enough good about Sherman and tactfully puts down Henry Hallecks meddling. The book ends with the end of the war and his last words were written only a week or so before he died.
   In my opinion this is a classic in history and needs to be read by anyone interested in knowing how the North really won the war. The copies of the original maps leave a lot to be desired, but this is trivial. My only regret is I cannot give it a higher rating than 5 stars!



4. Much to my surprise and delight "The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant" are surprisingly readable and full of a dry understated sense of humor. U.S. Grant's memoirs give a very down to earth approach to his personal history starting in Ohio and continuing through his education at West Point and his involvement in the Mexican-American War. I highly recommend this book to anybody who enjoys Antebellum U.S. and Civil War history, or just history in general. Personal memoirs are an excellent medium for getting into the shoes of some of histories greatest figures and seeing the world as they saw it. U.S. Grant's memoirs do all that and more. You will not be disappointed.



5. General Grant wrote this book while dying of throat cancer. He had been swindled by a dishonest Wall Street Broker and his trophies and possessions were stripped from him to satisfy the demands of his debtors. Bankrupt, suffering from a terminal illness and never passing a moment without acute pain, he produced this magnificent monument to his greatness. Those who denigrate Grant as a drunkard, butcher, bumbling President need to read this book in order to correct these errant assumptions. It is impossible to read this book and not realize that Grant was an inordinately intelligent man and one hell of a writer.

   Grant's Memoirs are a deserved classic in American literature and considered the greatest military Memoirs ever penned, exceeding Caesar's Commentaries. Grant wrote as he lived: with clear, concise statements, unembellished with trivialities or frivolities. The only "criticism" the reader might have is that Grant bent over backwards not to wound the feelings of people in the book. He takes swipes at Joe Hooker and Jeff Davis, but what he left unsaid would have been far more interesting. A compelling and logical reason why Grant was so spare in his comments was because he was involved in a race with death. He didn't know how long he could live and therefore, "cut to the chase."

   Grant's assessments of Lincoln, Sherman, Sheridan and other military leaders are brilliant and engrossing. His style, like the man himself, was inimitable and couldn't be copied. In everyday life, Grant was a very funny man, who liked to listen to jokes and tell them himself. His sense of the absurd was acute. It's no accident that he loved Mark Twain and the two hitched together very well. Twain and Grant shared a similar sense of humor, and Grant's witicisms in the Memoirs are frequent, unexpected and welcome. There are portions where you will literally laugh out loud.

   Though Grant's Memoirs were written 113 years ago, they remain fresh, vibrant and an intensely good read. I have read them in! their entirity 30 times in my life and I never weary of the style and language that Grant employed. He was a military genius to be sure, but he was also a writer of supreme gifts, and these gifts shine through on every page of this testament to his greatness. All Americans should read this book and realize what we owe to Grant: he preserved the union with his decisive brilliance. In his honor, we should be eternally grateful.

5 comments about My Dog Tulip (New York Review Books Classics).

1. This book was exactly as other reviewers described it; some hated it and others loved it. I was hesitant at first but decided I had to experience it. It is charming and a big reminder of how people viewed dogs in the not so distant past. Tulip's loving owner did not think of using doggie poop bags and struggled for years with where and when she eliminated. He wouldn't hear of spaying her and struggled for years with her coming in season, even having a litter of puppies he didn't want and couldn't find good homes for. All this was delightfully described in a mercifully brief book. I'm glad I read it, although I've read many other books on dogs that were more amusing and more enlightening. It is a wonderful reminder of what things were like in the 1940s and should be on the shelf of every dog lover who also loves books.



2. Who is Kerry Fried, and why is s/he reviewing this classic? I read this book several years ago. As a story of a female shepherd and her owner, it is brutally honest, to the detail. Ackerley as a dog person, seems so indulgent and feeble. While reading, one must be mindful that the events took place in the 40's and in Briton. Perhaps he never had a dog before, and knew no better. Pups, off leash adventures, pooping issues. As subject matter, who but another shepherd lover would care. Who but a post modern dog lover would be appalled at the old fashioned beliefs and attitudes. But, and this is critical, but, the language is beautiful, the sentiment expressed is pure. And the final chapter, and final paragraph, are exquisite. I feel the passing of her life from his own, his long life stretching out so far beyond her sweet existence within it. I love my dog Olk as dearly, and dread his eventual loss.

   Nancy




3. Being a dog lover but not a dog owner who believes that it is cruel to keep most dogs in an urban environment, and especially a large dog in a flat as the author did, I found this memoir not to be my cup of tea. Humans are portrayed in it as curious, rather unsympathetic creatures, whilst the dog at the center of his love, is romanticised despite the loving detail with which the author describes the bodily functions of the animal. I can understand though, its appeal to those with an obsession with their dog who find humans too argumentative, contrary or difficult. An instance of "horses for courses" so to speak.



4. If you want to be immersed in a definitely 1960's I'm-obsessed-with-Freud take on dog ownership from someone who should never have been allowed to own a dog ... if you're dying to discover in ad nauseum detail the fecal and urinary habits of an animal whose owner lacks the least understanding of training a dog ... if you yearn for all the details of the miseries this animal goes through whenever she's in heat, this is the book for you.

   One has to wonder at the dark workings of Ackerley's psyche. There's a strident and distressing pornographical note that sounds throughout the book as he writes of his beloved Tulip. Here he is, writing of the first time she goes into heat: "I was enchanted. That small dark bud, her vulva, became gradually swollen and more noticeable amid the light gray fur of her thighs as she walked ahead of me, and sometimes it would set up, I supposed, a tickle or a trickle or some other sensation, for she would suddenly squat down in the road and fall to licking it. At such moments I could see how much lager it had grown and the pretty pink of its lining ... I felt very sweet toward her. She also felt very sweet towards me." He goes on to describe in great detail how she mounts his leg and what that's like for the 2 of them. And it's not as if this is a one-time thing.

   No, folks, the ENTIRE book is a treatise detailing such events: "Now, squatting here and there upon other dogs' droppings... like some famous chef adding to a prepared dish the final exquisite flavor, the crowning touch, she left behind her in the snow as she flew a series of sorbets, and her crazed attendants were so often and so long delayed in licking them up that they eventually fell far behind."

   This is not exactly the kind of thing I care to discover about an animal, however charming the dog herself might be. But what REALLY disturbed me was the misery Ackerley put this poor animal through in his obsession to find her "a husband." Worse still, once she finally managed to produce a litter, Ackerley's inclination, was to kill all the pups. "In the bathroom ... I prepared a bucket of water and a flour sack weighted with such heavy objects as I could lay my hands on ... How could I distract proud Tulip's attention while I carried out my dark deed? Soon, no doubt, she would wish to relieve nature and my chance would come."

   If this is the kind of a boy-and-his-dog relationship you want to know more about, go for it. Personally, I was left feeling I'd exposed myself to the dark workings of a pretty twisted mind, and I wish I hadn't learned there are people of relate to animals the way Ackereley does.




5. I liked this book, although as a dog owner I found myself shaking my head and shocked at many of the things that were done with this dog... I do think this is a great book for anyone who is thinking of breeding their dog as it gives a good account of the trials of breeding, raising puppies, and the problems that can occur for the pups and mother.

5 comments about The Dog Says How.

1. Kevin Kling can pack more into one story than anyone else I know. This book is wonderful, as are all of his CD's. Recommended for all ages.



2. This is a collection of mostly autobiographical stories by Kling, a Minneapolis writer and performer, some of which have been heard on NPR. They are hilarious, poignant and just delicious. A great book to leave lying around for times when you have 10 spare minutes and want some gut-busting entertainment (or a quick cry).
   
   Dachshund-lovers will be especially gratified by a couple of the stories, as will Midwesterners in general, and Minneapolitans (current and ex) in particular-- some great depictions of the Uptown Bar and other landmarks of the 70's and 80's.
   
   A great gift, and apparently lots of folks have the same thought. I bought a couple of copies for my brothers for Christmas, and found that my sister had done the same! (They opened mine first, so she returned hers to B&N.)



3. This book reminded me of what is important in life and how everyone has their own journey. Thank you for writing it down and for deciding to stay...



4. I first saw Kevin Kling perform a one-man play (2A, I think it was called) when I lived in Minneapolis in the early 80s. His performance has stayed with me these many years since. I've loved hearing his stories on NPR and am deeply moved - always - by the depth of laughter he evokes and the tears that inevitably follow. He's a beautiful writer - more, he's a beautiful soul. I'm grateful this book has been published. I will also be giving it to many loved ones for the holidays.



5. Easy, quick read that makes one laugh out loud while and other times the stoies tug at your heart. Many lessons to be learned while being thoroughly entertained. The title is explained in the end. Great for all age groups.

5 comments about Love Sick: One Woman's Journey through Sexual Addiction.

1. Love Sick: One Woman's Journey through Sexual Addiction is a beautifully written account of one woman's journey through sex addiction. It's not meant to be a clinical self-help book, but it does encourage intraspection. It also helps readers understand exactly what sex addiction is about. It's not about the sex. Sex is more like a drug of choice to numb the pain. Sue makes this clear in a riveting manner in this great book. I highly recommend it!



2. I read lots of books on addiction and recovery.
   
   All I kept thinking about when reading this book was - what the heck was the point of writing this book? In most cases, these types of memoirs are usually written as part of the recovery - however, this book read more like a manifesto of all the men this person has gone through.
   
   There is no warmth, no explanations, no sympathy and NO honest attempt at recovery or even of really finding out what is happening to this woman.
   
   Also, this book is sooooo slow - every once in a while, an intersting tidbit, then back to boring again.
   
   The only saving grace is a look at the 12 steps.
   
   Skip this one.



3. I loved this book. i couldnt put it down and got so attacthed to Sue. Shes a great writer. Supposdly a lifetime movie is coming out on the book sometime in April



4. 
   Sue William Silverman's LOVE SICK is the author's first person account of her experience as a sex addict. This book written by an amateur writer wanting to share her experiences could have been excruciating. Silverman, however, is clearly a professional author, and the book is written professionally. She presents her work in segments which alternate between the retelling of episodes from her years of sexual addiction and her rehab hospitalization, in her early 40s, as she finally makes an attempt to overcome her addiction and at the same time to save her life. I feel there are both positives and negatives in the book.
   
   On the positive side, Silverman presents herself in an honest and open manner. This is commendable as it must have been very difficult to provide to a readership of strangers the truly painful details of most of her life; although it also seems to be a part of her recovery program.
   Also, I gained a lot of understanding about sexual addiction, one of the most intersting points being that, according to Silverman, she and apparently many other addicts do not actually enjoy sex; rather the addiction seems to be more about the feeling that being able to attract someone sexually validates to the addict that he or she is attractive and worthwhile. And, I confess to some personal ignorance. I was never really sure that sexual addiction was actually a real phenomenon, having believed to a great extent that it was merely a convenient excuse used by people caught cheating on their significant others. After having read LOVE SICK I no longer doubt the reality of sexual addiction.
   
   On the negative side, the writing, though professional as I mentioned, seems somewhat histrionic. I realize that this subject is highly and painfully emotional to Silverman, but from a reader's perspective I would have preferred a little less drama and more straight reporting, particularly in the segments dealing with the author's month in rehab. The parts of the book (probably two-thirds of it) which deal with Silverman's hospital experience become repetitive. I imagine that the days themselves of her stay were quite repetitve, but that does not translate particularly interestingly to a written account.
   
   To summarize,I found this book, while informative and intersting at times, to be somewhat dramatically overblown at others; and it became repetitive enough that I skimmed the hospital scenes over the last half of the book. Not bad, not real good, 3 stars.



5. I usually do not write book reviews, but I thought it was important to add a review of this book so that other people don't waste their money. This is the worst book I have ever read on addiction. Basically, the author describes her pain regarding her sexual addiction and describes scenerios she encountered in detail. The book reads more like [...] than a self-help manual. If you are looking for a self-help text or a text to assist patients with this problem, this is definitely not the right text!!!!!

5 comments about Little Evil: One Ultimate Fighter's Rise to the Top.

1. This is probably one of my favorite books. I was a huge Jens Pulver fan going into this but knew nothing about his life. The way that he carries himself now in no way portrays what he was put through as a child. You gain such a respect for him as a person and a fighter. I read the book in a few days and then my husband (who hates to read) read it in a week.
   
   I don't reccomend opening this book until you have plenty of time to sit down and read. It is hard to put down!



2. I am not much a reader but after reading tito's new book i chose to read this one next. i was happy with titos book until i read jens, pulvers book put into perspective how human nature can be put to the test and how dedication is the most powerful human strength, this book was a wonderful read that i could not put down, jens is a man who has struggled to be where he is and truly has a wonderful story to tell a true inspiration.



3. THIS BOOK WAS EXACTLLY WHAT I EXPECTED.IT WAS WELL WRITEN,INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING.IF YOU ARE A FAN OF MMA OR JENS PULVER THEN THIS BOOK IS RIGHT UP YOUR ALLEY.MY ONLY COMPLAINT IS THAT ITS A VERY SHORT BOOK.



4. Good, quick read!
   
   This was the original MMA fighter autobiography. Jens's was the 1st MMA fighter to tell his story. When "Little Evil" was written, was shortly after Jens Pulver defended his championship belt against then up and coming fighter(& future champion) B.J. Penn!
   
   Jens went through hell as a kid. He had every reason to become just another punk kid, with no direction in life dealing drugs and drinking. But lucky for him, he found wrestling and had alot of great coaches & mentors direct him to a life worth living for.
   
   Since this book was written however Jens Pulver lost his belt, as do all champions eventually. He will always be one of the original UFC fighters and always a legend. Jens is now training again and fighting in the WEC, he already lost one title shot against Urijah Faber, but the rematch is coming soon!
   
   As an avid fan of MMA, I think Jens still has alot of fight in him and he will be around for awhile and his legendary left hand is as strong as ever!
   
   Good short book for any MMA fans!



5. I've read Chuck, Matt and Tito's books, Randy, Ken and B.J.'s autobiographies in the beginning of their books, and this is the best (with Tito's a close second). Although I'm a big MMA fan, I was never a huge fan of Jens until this book. Jens could have turned out to be a janitor and this would still be an incredible story. I was surprised not only by his story, but his admirable honesty and humbleness with which this was written. Two thumbs up!

No comments about Orange County: A Personal History.