5 comments about Intern: A Doctor's Initiation.

1. I found this work by Sandeep Jauhar to be quite in insightful description of what the world of internship actually entails. What I find brilliantly done is the keen use of language to constantly push forward a sense of dismissal of patients, yet a odd desire to continue. Throughout the course of this work, Jauhar is incredibly hesitant of the idea of medicine in the first place, yet reluctantly decides to push forward over all odds. There are times when you not only know, but feel, as though Jauhar doesn't want to be in the hospital, don't want to talk to patients, doesn't want anything to do with medicine in the first place. I suppose that's the impact of working in a hospital for more than 24 hours at a time. Occasionally I would find myself reproaching Jauhar for his standoffish manner, which is somewhat of a theme of this novel. It seems as though he occasionally doesn't care for patients, but just wants to get the job done and go home. But then I realized that part of what Jauhar is trying to get across is a taste of what a life as a doctor entails. I had assumed there would be some nights where sleep might be hard to come by, but I never thought it was as intense as is portrayed here. I commend Jauhar for a well-written description and await his future works.



2. XXXXX
   
   "This book is about my residency [apprenticeship in medicine] at a prominent teaching hospital in New York City. The story goes up to the point when I decided to pursue a fellowship in cardiology, my specialty, and thus covers the most formative years of my education as a doctor.
   
   For me it was a disillusioning time: I spent much of it in a state of crisis and doubt. I had trained as a physicist [the author has a Ph.D. in physics] before entering medical school, and ten years of uncertainty about my choice of profession came out all at once...
   
   Because I had lived another, more sedate, professional life [as a physicist], the one I had to endure in the hospital was even more difficult to bear...For much of internship [the first year of residency], I felt buried--in a waking Hell under the weight of my own (and others') expectations...
   
   I am [now] finished with my apprenticeship, and...now work as a cardiologist...For the most part, I am happy...But so much about medicine still troubles me...sometimes I'm still not sure cardiology was the right choice..."
   
   The above is found in the introduction to this well-written book or memoir by Sandeep Jauhar, M.D., Ph.D. who now is the director of the Heart Failure Program at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. He also writes regularly for "The New York Times" (which got him into trouble during his residency).
   
   If you're expecting to find phrases in this memoir such as "Medicine is the greatest profession", etc., you won't find them and are advised to look elsewhere. This is because this book is brutally honest. Jauhar tells it like it is and I got the sense he was not attempting to sugar-coat any of his narrative. As well, I totally believe that others being initiated into medicine go through the same struggles, questions, and observations as Jauhar (but for some reason are afraid to admit them).
   
   Here are a few sentences and phrases that caught my eye:
   
   (1) A lawyer from risk management, the department that defended the hospital against lawsuits, informed us that at some point in our careers every one of us was likely to be sued, and that we could even be sued during residency.
   (2) "It's strange that all week [this was intern orientation week] they've hardly mentioned the patients...These are the people we're going to be learning on. It's like they're already invisible."
   (3) But as with most of what I learned during then first two years of medical school, I had forgotten it.
   
   (4) It's almost criminal the callousness with which we [that is, doctors] treat some of our patients.
   (5) We performed our [medical] interventions [on patients] with such confidence, such arrogance, but most of the time there was no way of predicting whether we were doing the right thing, or even a good thing.
   (6) What is the point of all this? All the protocols, chemotherapy, the transplants--what is the point of it if, in the end, the sickest patients, the ones we were beholden to help, or at least not harm, were better off without us?
   
   (7) The sentiments I had heard about neurologists seemed close enough to the mark. Master diagnosticians, they had depressingly little to offer their patients.
   (8) I too was learning that deliberate half-truths are a part of a doctor's armamentarium.
   (9) Even today, patients continue to be enrolled in experimental drug studies without proper consent, or under tacit intimidation.
   
   (10) In the ICU, sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.
   (11) Doctors make fun of patients for many reasons. Sometimes as a defence mechanism, and sometimes just because they can.
   (12) In some ways, I probably ended up becoming the kind of doctor I never thought I'd be: impatient with alternative hypotheses, strongly wedded to the evidence-based paradigm, sometimes indifferent (hard-edged, emotionless), occasionally paternalistic.
   
   Each chapter begins with an interesting quotation. Here's one of my favourites by Lewis Thomas:
   
   "The great secret of doctors, known only to their wives, but still hidden from the public, is that most things get better by themselves; most things, in fact, are better in the morning."
   
   Finally, there are notes in this book that contain very interesting information. Here's an example:
   
   "Doctors are more likely than members of the general public to commit suicide...Only 22 percent of depressed medical students seek help. Only 42 percent of those who are considering suicide seek treatment."
   
   In conclusion, in my opinion, this is the best book on becoming a doctor that I have ever read. There are two things that make it stand-out from the rest: (1) the excellent, intelligent writing and (2) its HONESTY.
   
   (first published 2008; prologue; introduction; 3 parts or 21 chapters; main narrative 290 pages; notes; acknowledgements)
   
   <>
   
   XXXXX



3. There are several books I've read that speak along the same lines of this book but there is one things that stands out. The difference in this publication lies in that the author speaks magnitudes about one's natural tendency to feel lost in the environment of medicine. It illuminates the emotions a person experiences with clarity and depth. More importantly, in my opinion Dr. Jauhar displays bravery in undergoing the task of writing his experiences.. I do not know any person who is willing to admit to their weaknesses though we all have them. He goes on to create a lucid picture of the hierarchy in the health system while taking the reader along for a ride down nostolgic paths of how one found his/her purpose in pursuing such a career. There is not much more to say except Dr. Jauhar should be applauded for expressing the truth that much of us are scared to admit we dealt with at one time.



4. If you are like me and wondering if the path to being a doctor is the right choice, then you might want to take the time to read through this one. The author gives you a first hand look at what it takes, and he doesn't hold back on details.



5. I read this book this past weekend. I think the book was an easy read and the writer has some obvious literary skills. I give the author the credit for being honest about his weakness and fears, but in the end, I never get the sense that the author actually wants to be a doctor. He is almost an "Atul Gawande" wanna be....Good effort, but no where near as insightful as the vast amount of other authors who have written similar titles.

5 comments about Rachel's Tears: The Spiritual Journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott.

1. "These hands belong to Rachel Joy Scott and will someday touch millions of people's hearts"
   (in one of Rachel's drawings)
   
   Interestingly, I got to know about the Columbine Massacre when I was in the polytechnic (in Singapore). In a particular lecture, a friend of mine beside me was reading FHM and I noticed to my surprise, there was a feature about it.
   
   Fast forward to end-2005. I don't remember exactly how, but I bumped into an article on Wikipedia about that fatal event. It piqued my interest and soon I was visiting every outgoing link from that encyclopedia entry. It was then that I found out who Rachel Joy Scott was.
   
   She was the first victim of the shooting.
   
   A beautiful, 17-year-old with a bright future ahead of her was slain as a result of two boys' murderous rage. A pity it seems; on the contrary, her kin and close friends, who should be the most shaken from the disaster, claimed otherwise.
   
   It tickled my curiosity and fired up my research into her intriguing life story--one of faith, hope and love--one of inspiration and vision--even one exemplary to the awesome greatness of God. These things were evident in her intimate writings--she recorded volumes in her diary, and if you don't know what that is, it's a private and retrogressive version of what we call a "blog" today.
   
   The sequence of events leading up to her death and her amazing testimony was compiled by her parents into this book. And I highly recommend it because it will change your perception of Christianity. Hers is a modern day example of what a true saint is.
   
   What inspired me the most was how mature her thoughts and faith was for her age. Her genuine heart of wanting to help others and be a blessing unto them radiates in her actions.
   
   The book also mentions the uncertainties and difficulties she faced--the things we all meet and can relate to--and how she submitted them to God. I remember an account of a lesson she learned while working in Subway, where she passed an opportunity to help a poor person. She eventually realized every failure to exercise the divine appointment God has given her will simply be given to another who is willing, and the heavenly reward will be theirs. This instantly changed my approach towards serving others.
   
   She even convinced me to start writing a journal.
   
   I lent my copy of the book to a friend, and I never saw it again. The book was passed on and around. I guess that shows how good the book was.
   
   Rachel's legacy lives on, not through her life, but her death. She had a vision to touch millions of lives and I am one of them. God bless her soul, and glory be to God!



2. If you are looking to find more of the story beyond the cold, hard details of the Columbine school shootings, and you don't mind poor writing and structure, this book provides a somewhat sacred and voyeuristic look behind the tragedy.



3. Rachel's Tears Amazon Book Review
   
   
   Rachel's Tears is a very emotional book. Rachel's Tears is a Biography written by Rachel Scott's parents Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott. This story tells the spiritual journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Joy Scott. Rachel's Tears features excerpts from Rachel's private journals. This tragic and true story explains how Rachel knew that her and twelve others would die. Out of the thirteen people that died one of them was a teacher and twelve of them were students that attended Columbine High School. Among the thirteen people that died nearly two dozen more were injured. And hundreds more were traumatized by the sights and sounds of that day. This horror was caused by two troubled teens who were overcome with hatred and desire for revenge, so they lashed out at the people at Columbine High School. Columbine High School is located in Littleton, Colorado. Littleton is located eight miles Southwest of Denver. Colorado. After this event occurred the two teens committed suicide. This makes the total death count at fifteen people. Rachel Scott was the first one who died on April 20, 1999. So when Beth and Darrell found out that their daughter was one of those thirteen people who died that day their lives changed forever! In Rachel's private journal's she writes and draws about God, and how Rachel is not going to live a lot longer. On page 111, there is a letter to God from Rachel. The opening statement says "why do I feel dry in your spirit?" This passage is only one out of many passages that has to do with Rachel and God. The authors purpose of the story is to explain how Rachel's relationship with God was one that he sent her messages explaining that something bad was going to happen. I would highly recommend this book to anyone in middle school and above. After the murders Rachel's friends and family started a program called Rachel's challenge to find out more on this program go to [...]



4. This young lady was a beautiful soul. It is a sad story but one of hope as well.
   Her parents did a wonderful job describing the tragic story.
   Anyone interested in the Columbine event should read this.
   Excellent.



5. i was so blessed by the words of faith that your little girl has shared.Its very rare to see such faith in anyone.Thank You for sharing her story. It has really blessed me.

5 comments about Washed by Blood: Lessons from My Time with Korn and My Journey to Christ.

1. Like many others, I purchased both books thinking that they were different ("Washed" being the sequal), but as you know from reading the other reviews, they're basically the same book.
   
   My initial reaction was frustration. I felt like I had been duped by the publisher....especially since the front cover of "Washed" says that it's by the author of "Save Me From Myself" and the back cover says "You think you've heard this story before but you haven't". Yes, I have! It was called "Save Me From Myself"! I think that instead of giving different titles and cover pictures to the books, they should have simply released them as the same book; one being the "Adult" version and the other being the "Teen" or "Young Adult" version with a simple explaination of the differences.
   
   Upon closer comparison, I felt a bit better about "Washed" leaving the vulgar language and graphic details out, but in essence still delivering the same message. I also like how at the end of each chapter there discussion questions. I lead a small group for the Jr. High boys at our church, and each semester we study books together and meet once a week to do discussion questions on what we've read. Most of the teens in the group are really into music, and I think a book like "Washed By Blood" would hold their attention a lot more than some other books. Also, I would never encourage them to read "Save Me From Myself", but "Washed By Blood" on the other hand is clean, slightly abridged, and the discussion questions make this a book that i'd definately like to study with them. So there's a good possibility i'll be ordering several more copies of "Washed By Blood" to use for our group study, but even if we don't end up doing it together i'd still highly recommend it to them.
   
   So if you know a teen who loves music, or even an adult who might not want to read all of the graphic details about sex and drugs, this is the better choice of the two books to recommend to them.



2. I have not read this specific book, but I listened to an interview with Brian Welch on the radio recently and he said this book is the same autobiography as "Save Me From Myself" but it leaves out some of the more in depth details making it more appropriate for a younger audience than the other version. So do not purchase both books! But if you are looking for a book for your teenager, this version may be a better fit.
   
   I hope this helps clear some of the confusion on these books.



3. 
   Okay, everyone has been rating this a 1 JUST because they think it's the same book with a differnt name. It is the same, but a kid friendly version with less description with the drugs and stuff. Rating this a 1 because they didn't do the research is pathetic. They are lowering the score making other people think it's not a good book...yet they were buying it because they liked the one they had so much..does not make sense! People help out and give it a 5 (just 3 people) to average it out from the bad reviews over "it being the same book". Remember, you are reviewing it so that other people who haven't read it can determine if they want it.



4. It is so encouraging to read about the miraculous change that Jesus Christ made in Head Welch's life. I recommend this for any non-believer you know... especially teens and young adults who struggle with belief and/or with drugs and alcohol. Its an amazing story and I know God used this book to change my life and will use Brian greatly for the Kingdom! This book is REAL....



5. To the people saying it's the same as his first book... this was well documented and announced well in advance:
   
   "Also on June 24, 2008, Harper Collins Publishers will simultaneously release the young adult version of Save Me From Myself, entitled "Washed By Blood". "
   
   It's basically the same book but re-written for younger adults. Still worth reading.

5 comments about Magical Thinking: True Stories.

1. I bought this book for my boyfriend and he LOVED the book, of course his sense of humor is close to the authors, but if you like the author you'll love the book!



2. I was standing in the bookstore aisle plucking books from the shelves and flipping pages when I came across 'Magical Thinking' and this line, "The year I snuck an interracial lesbian couple into the background of an American Airlines ad..." I read some more. I could have read the entire book while standing there. But, my whooping laughter would have disturbed my fellow readers. Burroughs puts on paper what most folks block from conscious thought. He presents such a can't-make-this-stuff-up life that one moment you don't believe it, then you wish you had been there to see it. Ever been intimidated by a cleaning lady-cum-personal assistant? Meet Debby. Ever fought a rodent or a roach in a NYC apartment? Meet the Mouse. Reading the stories will make you late for work, burn your dinner and ignore the kids fighting at your elbow. The writer has a rich talent for self-conflagration, as well as burning others with his wit. If there is a downside to this work, it's that all the boyfriends (except Dennis) seem to be the same beautiful-bodied man with slight variations. Warning: If the "f" word or descriptions of the male anatomy offend you, don't even pick up this book. After reading his caustic commentaries on his failed dates, I enjoyed the tender turn he takes in vignettes of his domestic relationship with Dennis. Dennis is the normal, stable part of the partnership. Burroughs remains dramatic and, well, crazy.



3. Augusten Burroughs does not come across as what you'd call a "nice person," but he's so very honest, funny, and sometimes self-deprecating that the reader can't help being on his side, as he battles a crazy cleaning lady, kills a mouse in his tub, and moves in and out of quasi-relationships with gorgeous, but unsuitable men. And frankly, he appeals to that deep, dark, mean corner we all have suppressed inside, that place where we want to make a snide comment about someone's fatt butt or stupid hairdo. I adore how he hated sickeningly perfect Raoul on their first date, and his description of his schoolteacher in the opening chapter was a delight.
   
   When Dennis enters the picture, we see Augusten's tender side, his appreciation for another's vulnerability, and we start to think perhaps Augusten has been holding out on us, letting us see only his vanity/insecurity polarity, his delayed-reaction remorse for mouse-killing and child-frightening, keeping this kinder Augusten hidden until the time is right.
   
   While reading this book, I couldn't help thinking that I'd love to have him over for dinner, but I wouldn't let him babysit my child.
   
   Augusten Burroughs is a great writer and enigmatic presence on the literary scene.



4. If you enjoy his writing, you will enjoy this one. It made me laugh out loud and giggle after wards.



5. I enjoyed "Dry" and "Running" very much, but I laughed more reading this one. I read "Beating Raoul" out loud to friends and we all cracked up. Funny chapters throughout.

5 comments about Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez.

1. As a Bilingual teacher, I believe immigrant children should learn the basics of schooling in their home language; that way, they will be able to communicate with their parents, and they will earn self confidence. This book shows the lack of communication and self-esteem immigrant children are suffering from, in the United States.



2. Richard Rodriguez reflects on his journey from the barrios of California to a seat in the library of the British Museum. He recognizes that the distance has moved him closer to a world of privilege and freedom. At the same time, he acknowledges that he is removed from his family and his background.
   
   Rodriguez bristles at attempts to mainstream Hispanic students through bilingual education. He is not calling for an official language. Its not quite like that. He just feels that students need to have an ability to master the language that, for better or worse, is spoken in the pathways that lead to power in this country.
   
   Rodriguez is very aware of the lessons that others would draw from his story. He points out that a group of people are attracted to having him as a speaker, because it confirms their own politics. Oddly, he doesn't feel that aligned with their perspective, because while they draw some similar conclusions about education, they have nothing else in common.
   
   Rodriguez laments that his book is catalogued and shelved in the wrong category. It is not a book about Hispanics, or within Latino studies. It is a book about class and privilege. That mistake is not likely to change, though, because class is a taboo topic and not something that is given its own space in our book stores.
   
   At one point, Rodriguez mentions that his editor would prefer less reflection and more stories. The editor wanted more anecdotes from Rodriguez' life -- more about his grandmother, for example. Rodriguez doesn't want to do that.
   
   I would argue that this is one privilege that he is not entitled to, even as a person holding a doctorate. He still has to show the reader, not just tell. If he thinks that he cannot tell the personal stories of his life without compromising his message, then he needs to write a few more drafts!



3. Looking beyond the criticisms of other reviewers, one can find in this little book many fundamental truths about education -- what it means to be an educated person, even how education might alienate people or divide families. Intensely intellectual and at the same time profoundly personal, Richard Rodriguez's Hunger of Memory eloquently charts the process of education in his own life, uncovering its magic, measuring its costs along the way, but in the end testifying to its great benefits. Students and teachers alike could gain greater understanding of the process of education and what it can mean through reading this book.



4. This book was a difficult read. I admit openly that it is a strain for me to understand the feeling of minority. I am a middle-middle class white person, privileged by virtue of the fact that my parents stayed together for 53 years until my father passed away, blessed by being an "Air Force brat", which entitled me to meet people of all different races, socioeconomic groups, and nationalities to the extent that I don't see those things anymore. It is hard for me to relate. Rodriguez begins the book by mocking upper-class people for being arrogant, and middle-class people for attempting "cheap imitations of lower-class life". Are there really people in America who divide individuals into classes like that? And if class is so important, to what class would he assign himself? My father taught me to respect all people and that every man's work is good if it is honest work, so I would not presume to judge a person's character by his socioeconomic class.
   
   Overlooking this obstacle, I see that Rodriguez, like all good writers, writes from his own experience of life. He was intensely impacted by the transition from Spanish to English in his life. His mother insisted on English being spoken in the home, according to the recommendations of well-meaning nuns, but as a result, the author lost an integral part of his home experience, the music of his native tongue. Additionally, he lost connection with his mother and father, because while his mother attained a rudimentary grasp of the English language, his father never quite caught on, so his relationship with his wife and children was radically changed. According to the author, his father lived voiceless in his own home, which was a sad state of affairs for the former head of the household.
   
   Rodriguez states that he is against affirmative action as it is legislated, where the only requirement to qualify is to belong to a minority group, such as African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Native Americans. When he realized that he had received an exceptional level of early schooling during his years in private Catholic school, it became clear that he was not really socially disadvantaged at all. At that point in time, it was evident that there were many other students out there who were far more needful of the benefits of the affirmative action program. Furthermore, Rodriguez equated the meaning of the word "minority" with "alienated from the public (majority) society", and found that by becoming a student, he did not consider the term "minority" to describe him. Neverthless, for reasons that are somewhat blurry, he accepted the benefits of the program, went on to denigrate the program publicly, only to have it thrown back in his face by minority leaders who did not appreciate him rocking the proverbial boat. Eventually he apologizes for taking the benefits that someone else was more deserving of receiving; however, he acknowledges that it is unlikely they will ever read his apology.
   
   The author's apparent love of his parents, his obedience to them and respect for their struggle in a strange country, was wonderful to see in the beginning of this book. Rodriguez's recognition of his parents is well deserved, for his father and mother made considerable sacrifices to give their children a better chance in the world than they had personally experienced. They left their Mexican town filled with memories, family, and friends, to take their children to a land of increased opportunity. They worked hard and managed to send their three children to private Catholic school. They attended an Irish-American church instead of the Mexican church they preferred in their homeland. He says that his parents coped well in America, with his father keeping steady work, and his mother managing the home, which was situated in what Rodriguez describes as "among gringos, and only a block from the biggest, whitest houses". Although they knew none of their neighbors and routinely struggled to manage daily concerns in a strange language, they had huge families of relatives visiting them from time to time, and a family life immersed in laughter and joy. This is evidence of the consistent efforts of loving parents to provide a lasting heritage that eclipses ethnic or socioeconomic constraints. Unfortunately, halfway through the book, Rodriguez tells us that as he became more and more proficient in English and enlarged his circle of English-speaking friends, he became ashamed of his parents and hated their foreign ways. In the final chapter of the book, we find his mother begging him not to air his disloyalty to and disappointment in his family openly in his writing, but he does not honor her request. This book is all about him, to the very end.
   
   The author continually reminds us of his socially disadvantaged upbringing, the fact that he is the son of "working-class parents". Forgive me if I don't buy into this thinking. He attended private school, for Pete's sake. That costs money. I grew up listening to my parents' stories of the depression, when people were lucky to even have a job, and of life in post-war Germany , where children rifled through garbage cans for food. To this day, my mother keeps her pantry filled with extra cans of food, extra bags of staples such as flour and sugar, all sorts of extra non-perishables, against that kind of want. I went to Florida 's horrendous public schools and my parents couldn't afford to send me to college, so I got Pell grants and Perkins loans and Stanford loans for which I am still paying. So I should feel sorry for him, because he was on scholarship based upon his ethnicity? It is appalling and demeaning the way he calls himself "the scholarship boy" throughout this text. If accepting the funds was so detestable to him, he should have passed the opportunity on to somebody who would appreciate it. In the interest of clearing his conscience, I think from now on, he ought to thank the taxpayers, pay his taxes and pass the help on to the next generation of needy students. Or if he feels that guilty about the financial aid he received, set up a scholarship fund for financially-strapped single parents who are women (the group I fell into as a student) with all the profits he's getting from this book.
   
   Rodriguez also states that he was "victim to a disabling confusion". He hasn't suffered a traumatic brain injury or been diagnosed with early Alzheimer's disease. He is referring to his inability to speak Spanish easily once he became fluent in English. As a speech-language pathologist, I can definitively state that linguistic learning differences don't make a person a victim. To me, Rodriguez's alleged issues with language and intimacy seem disconnected with the issues of bilingual education or affirmative action. In fact, he is such a gifted speaker and writer, that he makes his living using these skills, and is evidently very successful, or I wouldn't be reading this book.



5. Esteemed a classic, this work has the merit, upon first reading, of making the reader feel he has been initiated into the long lost tribe of truth tellers, something akin to the book readers of Fahrenheit 451. We meet somebody for whom education is a real thing, something that is life changing, enlightening, and it estranges him from his family, and of course from all people, because the sophistication he gains from his education makes him an enemy to the ignorant. Much is lost, but what is gained far outweighs that loss. He knows it, and we get the message. Bravo, Richard Rodriguez.

5 comments about La Suma de los Dias.

1. I love all of her books. I love her! If you read PAULA, you would like La Suma de los Días, since it is about the life and family as well. However, this is not her best book by far.



2. Me gusto mucho el libro al punto que no queria que se me acabara y no lo podia soltar



3. Isabel Allende siempre ofrece un deleite literario, este libro es la continuación de "Paula", que pasó despues y como sigue la Familia que Pula dejó,,, o ¿sigue con ellos?. Una novela entre la realidad y el toque ficticio de la escritora. MUY RECOMENDABLE



4. As much as I like (actually adore) Isabel Allende's writings and style, La Suma de los Días is not in my opinion up to Isabel's standards. It felt weak and repetitive. But at the same time maybe that it is exactly what she was aiming for. Inner family matters and things of the heart and emotions tend to be weak and repetitive with a twist of hope and eternity. Having said that, I read the book in 3 days hoping until the very end that the next line would become the starting point for the ususally turn-page reading Isabel always brings to her readers. But this is not a worry at all. I consider myself the most common and ordinary of all her fans. Likely one that she will never meet but always will be with her waiting for her next master piece.



5. If you dreamt about meeting Isabel, look no further! Her book is warm and realistic. There is no need to try to imagine how she is in real life because the book allows you to meet her in the most profound way. With her extraordinary writing Isabel becomes your best friend, mother, daughter, son, or as she calls it "a member of her tribe". I am looking forward to her next book and wonder, what could be better than, La Suma de los Dias!

No comments about French Milk.

5 comments about The Pursuit of Happyness.

1. I have to read this book for class, but it's sooo good I don't even mind it. Great story



2. This book was very motivational and taught me a great lesson in humility, perserverace, and hope. I would recommend to everyone!



3. I have read a few reviews that where readers preferred the Disneyfied movie to the strong and honest look at a real human life that Chris Gardner exposits in his book. That's a bit sad. I find his honesty refreshing and courageous in a world where many look askance on the rougher edges of our humanness while ignoring the courage it takes to reveal warts.
   
   This book inspired me and is about to change my life. It is the portrait of a man who never succumbed to self pity in spite of many odds stacked against him. He did not give in to bitterness either. He blamed no one for his plight, simply pushed forward and found solutions to each crisis he faced. He has set an example for the many people of all races recovering from abusive childhoods.
   
   It is not so easy to get the demons of low self worth and self pity out of your head when they have been placed there by parental figures and communities either convinced of their own moral superiority or simply exercising their own brand of ignorance over a childhood span of 18 years. It is a struggle, daily, until it is rebuilt and often times depends solely on the kindness of strangers who may or may not be from the polished set.
   
   The fact that he prevailed from sheer dogged determination and a refusal to accept the labels others applied to him is a wondrous and beautiful thing and should spark hope into the hearts of those who know his story all too well from personal experience.
   
   If you prefer the pristine bubble of a Disneyified existence, stick to the movie. If you are not afraid of the grit of human life and are not easily offended, read the book. It is far superior and much more satisfying.



4. If you're interested in reading the book because you saw and loved the movie, you should be forewarned that you will find the effect of the movie somewhat diluted here, and also that the movie's version of events matches in very few particulars the actual events of his life as recorded in his autobiography.
   
   That said, the book provides much more background about Chris Gardner's life, and it is a fascinating and ultimately triumphant story--and, in the latter part of the story, his commitment to his son does shine through.
   
   His idol-worshipping meeting with Nelson Mandela at the end is a bit much, but otherwise Gardner's story is told with admirable sincerity and intelligence. And best of all, he's completely unapologetic about pursuing material wealth and prosperity, and saying that these are part of his pursuit of happiness. People who've been dirt poor are typically more honest about things like that than the self-righteous idiots who've been comfortable all their lives and never really had to work and then tell us sanctimoniously that "money can't buy happiness"--true, it can't, but it sure helps.
   
   And Chris Gardner's story is well worth the money.



5. If Chris Gardner had any morals I'm sure they wouldn't have come out in this book as he goes to great lengths to tell you every sexual exploit he's made in his lost, disgusting, immoral life. I couldn't finish it. Talk about all his sexual escapades! ...and his inability to keep his d**k in his pants, and worse still, his inability to keep a wife because of it! He's a moral black hole taking thousands of susceptible people with him into the depths of crude, rude, disgusting, immoral, sex addiction-type behavior. There's nothing HAPPY about this book!
   
   I just threw mine away. If it would have fit in the toilet I would have flushed it. I'm sure it would have gotten stuck in the u-bend causing me even more misery to add to the misery I felt reading this life-sucking black hole of a book.

5 comments about Society's Child: My Autobiography.

1. As a long time fan of Janis Ian, I was interested in her professional journey and the influences for her work. This book covers that and so much more. It happens that I knew Janis' father very well having worked with him for several years. The Openness that the author demonstrates is both courages and enlightening. I had no idea of the struggles that she has overcome. The writing is so personal and yet universal that I felt like she was telling her story directly to me. This is a great read.



2. Wow! What a great autobiography. Janis Ian describes her home life, her development as an artist and her rise to fame at a very, very young age which thrust her into very complicated world filled with expectation.
   We are witness as Janis endures her family falling apart, a series of abusive relationships, industry and management dysfunction and fraud which, even after toiling for years and producing numerous albums, eventually left her bankrupt. Each period of her life is artfully written with brevity, reflection and humor and she gives a very interesting inside account of American music culture during the 1960's-70's. Janis is frank in addressing what has clearly been tragic, but the thread throughout is her tremendous faith and fighting spirit to preserve herself and her integrity as an artist. What an inspirational book to read in turbulent times. Janis, thanks for sharing.



3. I've followed Janis' work from my teens to the present. All these years and I had no knowledge what cards life had dealt her. She quite openly shares her marriage to a disturbed husband. The abuse she endured brought tears to my eyes, as I recalled my own abuse at the hands of an abusive husband. I believe this book would be helpful to others who have lived with spousal abuse.
   
   People living with the threat of violence tend to believe they are alone. Reading this book will enhance their ability to say even the artists have endured abuse.
   
   Janis discusses the shear horror she faced with the IRS. I could not have endured all that she went through.
   
   I was ever so grateful that Pat entered her life. It is clearly a loving relationship which finally enabled her to have a stable home environment with a loving partner. Janis so deserves this life.



4. I saw Janis in Winters CA last weekend. She is still an amazing performer. Just to hear her sing her own songs was awesome. I bought this book and had her autograph it for me. It is a superb book. I knew it would be. I could have just listened to her talk at her concert. Her stories in between the songs were funny, sad, and perfect. This book is a must for any Janis Ian fan or anyone interested in folk/pop/jazz music of the 60's - 80's. I am so glad Janis is still performing after five decades. All I can say is THANK YOU JANIS!
   Bruce



5. I've been a fan of Janis Ian since I was very small and as I've gotten older I've found so many new ways to appreciate her and be awed by her. This book overwhelmed me with new feelings of admiration. The life she's lead has been fascinating and the strength she did it with was inspirational. Every detail is told with a straight forward but entertaining tone, from the dizziest heights of her career to her surprising rank in an arcade game. I read it in three days, and I'm tempted to just start again. Recommended to anyone who's interested in folk/rock/pop music history, passionate living, and/or simply being stunned by the strength of the human spirit. This has been long awaited and didn't disappoint. I've read a lot of bios and auto-bios and it's refreshing to see someone so artistically able to tell their own story. I've loved her music for most of my life, looked up at her on stage still so bright and beautiful 25 years removed from the album covers in my Dad's collection, and been impressed by the leaps she's made in the independent music industry, philanthropy, and technology in the past ten years alone. But now I feel like everything I'd seen before was just the tip of an iceberg far larger and more brilliant than I ever could imagine. Thank you Janis Ian for sharing your life with us.

5 comments about Thinking About Memoir (AARP).

1. Too much of this book seemed like I'd stumbled across her diary and was now reading it. Which can be a lot of fun, BUT...it wasn't very interesting. Some of her personal stories seemed shoe-horned to fit her point. The exercises were all right, not very challenging or original though. I liked it well enough because it got me to think about the format of memoir, but I think that this book should be very clearly marketed to beginning writers.



2. This delightful little book (and I do mean little) that I picked up on a whim surprised me. One of the things that troubles many new memoirists, I believe, is - strange as it sounds - where to begin and which stories to tell. Deliberately selecting scenes from the past sometimes delivers forced results. Abigail Thomas invites memoirists to enter memory and meaning through "side doors" and she offers numerous writing exercises to help you get going. I completed several of them and will likely use the results. A treat of a book for one endeavoring to write personal stories.



3. In her book, "Thinking About Memoir," Abigail Thomas vanquishes a lot of preconceived notions of what a memoir should be. After reading her little book and doing some of the exercises, I went back to my memoir which I had started ten years ago with renewed energy and perspective. Her book is a great release and shows how to make it a true accounting of your life.



4. I expected more. I learned just as much from the review/excerpt in AARP magazine as I did from the book.
   Vincent



5. I was a little aprehensive when this book arrived in the mail and it was so small. However, I'd read an excerpt from it in a magazine and was curious, so I gave it a go -- and I'm glad I did. This author shows that you don't have to multiple a lot of words to get the point across, and by being so succinct in her presentation I found myself becoming actively involved in the process to make the book very meaningful for me. I've marked up my copy of the book with notes and will return to it as I start writing my own memoirs.