5 comments about Escape.

1. I didn't like this book. Not because it wasn't a truely amazing story but because as she was describing the tension that was going on in her life it made me tense also. It took me a long time to read it because it stressed me out too much.
   
   She tended to repeat herself a few times during the book and sometimes the writing was a little unorganized. She is a novice writer and I blame most of that on the editor.
   
   Overall it's an amazing story. It truely gives a detailed account of what the FLDS is all about and all the abuse (mental and physical) that goes on inside these communities. It also shows just how hard these people have to work to free themselves and their children from this horrendous oppression.



2. This book opened my eyes like no other I've ever read. I honestly had no idea that the conditions of a FLDS home were that severe. My heart ached for Carolyn as I read about the abuse she and her children suffered at the hands of Merrill Jessop. The book is very well-written and one that I had a very hard time putting down.
   
   Hands down the most troubling - but one of the best captured stories I've ever read.



3. Carolyn Jessop is a lesson in courage. Not only has she fought an incredibly inhumane man for her and her children's freedom, but she has provided great insight to the atrocities occurring within the cult of the FLDS. I commend her strength, endurance and grace.



4. The constant abuse that went on is beyond imagination. In fact, there is SO much of it, that there were times that I reached a point where I said, "enough". I can't even imagine actually living with this for almost two decades. For all the people that defend these FLDS pedophiles, rapists, wife and women abusers (basically mysogynists), all I have to say is that you need to open up your eyes and possibly hearts and realize the amount of inhumanity that is prevalent in this type of culture. Faithful FLDS women who have churned out a dozen children (oftentimes more) get dumped to the curb in their 40's or 50's as they can no longer bear children or start losing their looks. The other wives are thrilled when that happens because it puts them in the position of becoming Alpha wife. Mental illness is disregarded and is in fact blamed on the woman for being "rebellious". Any physical handicaps, illness, sickness is also blamed on the woman and is part of the "rebellious" mantra that is indoctrinated in these people. In fact, everything that can go wrong is blamed on "rebelliousness". This sort of thinking/mindset leaves room for the "husband" to do anything to anybody at anytime as it's his job to keep everyone in line and invite them to heaven...where they can all live in their little god planet and churn out dozens and dozens of children while faithfully serving their priests (husbands). Personally, I'd rather spend time with Beelzebub than be NEAR one of these FLDS nutjobs (like Warren Jeffs), for example.
   
   The FLDS women/wives/mothers (on TV) portray themselves as loving their children and being some sort of exemplatary mothers. The truth, however, is quite different (despite the pioneer frocks which are supposed to add to the illusion). According to the book, some of the mothers don't even LIVE with the children; they are SENT away trying to earn a living for the polygamist family while the other sister wives are "raising" them (by "raising" them, I mean, "abusing" them). The money earned by the wives is handed over to the "husband" who handles all the money; most of it being turned over to the Alpha Wife who acts like some sort of Wicked Stepmother as depicted in fairytales.
   
   The kids that are from the non-Alpha wives often go hungry, are beaten for going hungry, for not being awake at the prayer meetings/services held by the all mighty "husband/father" at midnight. These poor kids are beaten to the point where they are several degrees from death. And in the end, it's all their fault because they were "rebellious". This type of physical abuse is perfectly fine as it's about making the kids fearful as this is what keeps them in line. Women, children (and some men) are treated like chattel, to say the least. This is a PC way of putting it.
   
   The incredible amount of abuse that goes on is beyond comprehension. From the blatant mysogyny, to the physical, mental, and emotional abuse, to the assigning and reassigning of wives and children to other men, to the abuse and cruelty of animals (cutting off a live cow's head with a hand saw); it's all too much.
   
   I give credit to Joseph Smith and his successors; that he/they could get so many people to buy into this ("religions"), hook, line, and sinker and actually BELIEVE this nonsense. This BELIEF is what gives the FLDS the power to continue these crimes against humanity. The "law" is not making it any better when they protect the abusers more than the victims. It doesn't help when the "law" is FLDS.
   
   This book is a good read as it takes you into the mind and lifestyle of the FLDS. I don't know if all of the FLDS is this way, but there are sure enough of these bad apples that have tarnished the reputation of any possibly "good apples" of the FLDS.



5. Carolyn Jessop did an amazing job writing this book. I could not put it down!!! While it was incredibly difficult to relate to why she stayed with her evil "husband", I could relate to her love for her children. HOW MUCH ABUSE IS TOO MUCH???
   
   Hopefully this book can be smuggled in to the YFZ Ranch in Eldorado,Texas and others will read it and be inspired to escape from the FLDS Evil Empire, also!! There is nothing on earth she could have done that would have been better than writing this account of her life in the FLDS with Merril Jessop. I kept wondering if he has read it. I would be willing to bet that he HAS, and I would have loved to have seen the look on his face as all of his warts were exposed to the world.

5 comments about How to Get Rich: One of the World's Greatest Entrepreneurs Shares His Secrets.

1. There are a lot of great ideas for business development in the book. It is not as much a how to book, as a here is the way it is book. The author is frank and honest in his approach to business. He does not blow a lot of sunshine up your backside. No get rich buying real estate, or positive thinking "Secret" type tripe. He is rich from business, not the business of telling others how to get rich. There are no pitches for seminars, or free reports, just solid advice.
   
   I enjoyed the use of poetry and quotes in each chapter, the one take away is "Many paths can lead to riches, Few in sunlight, most in ditches".
   
   Well worth the time to read if you enjoy business books.



2. I read it twice, highlighted, and underlined key paragraphs and sentences. Enough said. Go RUN & get it!



3. Enjoyed the book immensely especially the personal stories. The advice is right on if hard to hear. Look forward to a detailed biography (or autobio) of how this ex-hippie who spent time in jail became one of UK's richest men but please no blind items - name names! How did Bruce Lee really die? (No time to locate second hand copy of out of print book, just say it)! Otherwise, Great stuff highly recommended.



4. Toward the end of this entertaining book Mr. Dennis says that being rich will not make you happy. On the next page he asks readers to think of him as a rich poet "sitting in one of the most beautiful houses on earth, staring at a turquoise sea, sipping a glass of ...Chateau d'Yquem..."
   You've found paradise Mr. Dennis and it's all thanks to your accumulation of a ton of $$$$. The rest of us are promised paradise in the afterlife if we are humble enough but the very rich can get it now.



5. Felix Dennis has written the wisest, most entertaining book on business success I've ever read. It is the antithesis of a Tom Peters seminar or a Tony Robbins video (although I have never seen the latter, only his infomercials) and reflects with astonishing accuracy the path to success that most entrepreneurs must take. It's not about becoming a great manager, and it isn't about ginning up your motivation every day. You're either driven to get rich or you're not. And if it isn't a compulsion (Chapter 8: The Five Most Common Start-Up Errors; The First Error: Mistaking Desire for Compulsion), not only are you not likely to succeed; you probably shouldn't even try. Reading the book was an immense pleasure, as I found in it so many shared mistakes and insights. Getting rich is, after all, less about managing and more about controlling your fears, hiring smart people, watching the cash and pouncing on opportunity, among many other things Mr. Dennis defines and describes. Paying large bonuses but not sharing ownership flies in the face of the current experts, but actually works very well. Ownership is for the guy who gambles it all and has to fight the nightly demons of prospective failure. Had I been able to read this book in the first few years of building my own business, I'm sure my accomplishments would have tripled. I will enthusiastically send a copy of How To Get Rich to anyone I meet who thinks great personal wealth is his or her destiny.

5 comments about Clapton: The Autobiography.

1. The band Cream always kind of intrigued me. They seemed so ragtag, yet really quite good. Then, shortly after I graduated from college, I had a housemate who was an accomplished blues guitarist--in contrast to my cheap attempt, you know, hoping for the fame without putting any energy into it. He informed me that Clapton got all his style from black guitarists. I took his word for it.
   
   Well, Clapton confirmed that. He was just a kid, bought himself a really cheap guitar, and spent hours mimicking styles of Muddy Waters, etc. Then he moved into the Yardbirds, and the rest is history.
   
   Would that it were so smooth.
   
   Actually, I listened to the recorded version as I really don't have the time to read a showbiz autobiography. I find such texts to be so laughably self-indulgent. And I hoped for more from Eric. He is, after all, quite talented, that's obvious. Yet for most of his life, all he did is over-indulge. He got strung out on junk, then used some accupuncture means of overcoming his addiction--I challenge that such a practice would work, but for the time being, I'll take his word for it as well.
   
   Then he switched substances and drunk until he dropped. He attached himself to George Harrison's ex-wife over whom he'd had a fantasy for some time. In the meantime, he spent more time with more women than most of us will be able to fantasize.
   
   To make a long story short, after his son died, he decided to dry up. Then he met a woman half his age and since they've had four kids and he's pleased as punch while still attending his 12 step meetings and, oh, life is so wonderful.
   
   I'm sorry but I get really tired of showbiz autobiographies. Most of us who are music fans I think anticipated that Cream were skilled musicians with great tours. What was important was the talent and music, not their personality clashes and constant indulgence in more drugs than you could find in any city on any day.
   
   Such an autobiography makes its writer look like an ordinary guy. But, no, Eric, you had more money than most of us will see in a lifetime. You bought a new home at the drop of a hat, travelled more in a year than the rest of us will be able to in a lifetime. So, no, you're not just one of the guys.
   
   As I indicate in the title, I think as rock stars are getting riper--Clapton is now 63--the PR stunt, that which gets more of us to buy their albums is to write an autobiography so we don't forget them either. And the "one of the guys" is a shrewd means of getting us to identify with them. But it's not particularly honest, whether the author thinks it is or not.
   
   Anyway, it was written pretty well, I guess, but finishing off with "I'm all recovered now" is just another dimension of the cliche of the showbiz autobiography.
   
   I hoped I'd respect Eric Clapton more when I finished the book. Now I find I'm getting more cynical in general for the celebrity crowd.



2. Like many others, I looked forward to reading about the life of a musician whom I had admired for 40 years. Unfortunately Clapton's book is disappointing, not only from a literary standpoint (he needed a ghostwriter or an editor who could stand up to him and make some sorely needed changes), but from a narrative perspective as well. Two-thirds of the book is about a selfish, immature individual who truly didn't deserve the success that came his way. I found much of his childish behavior to be maddening. The last third of the book centering on his redemption from addictions, also helps redeem the story. (I found that I was nearly as disgusted with Clapton by the time I finished as I had been before his second rehab stint.) All in all, I kinda wished I hadn't read the book at all. Some things are better left unknown. Sorry, Eric!



3. Yesterday I read Clapton's amazing autobiography in one sitting. Now I must admit, I took my teenage kids to a day-long music festival where the primary genre was "screamo". So while they were taking in the head-banging and mosh-pit action, I listened to Mark Knopfler on my Ipod and read Clapton's amazing confession of a life nearly wasted, except by God's grace. No, I am not 100% sure he has accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. But if he was being as honest in the book as I believe, then I wouldn't bet against it.
   
   Here is his confession that I think is so humble and so honest:
   
   "...I was in complete despair," "...In the privacy of my room, I begged for help. I had no notion who I thought I was talking to, I just knew that I had come to the end of my tether ... and, getting down on my knees, I surrendered. Within a few days I realized that ... I had found a place to turn to, a place I'd always known was there but never really wanted, or needed, to believe in. From that day until this, I have never failed to pray in the morning, on my knees, asking for help, and at night, to express gratitude for my life and, most of all, for my sobriety. I choose to kneel because I feel I need to humble myself when I pray, and with my ego, this is the most I can do. If you are asking why I do all this, I will tell you ... because it works, as simple as that."
   
   Clapton did not mention in the autobiography his born-again confession of Christ from the Blind Faith days. Some say he recanted it during his years of addiction. And yes, the memoir does demonstrate his unsophisticated theology, his agnosticisms and even his interest in non-Christian religious concepts.
   
   But the bottom line is, the man's confession was humble and heartfelt. He attends church and buries his dead in Christian funerals. He was married in a Christian ceremony. No, that doesn't make him a believer. But his confession is surely a "good confession".
   
   Here is the life of a boy born of an unwed mother, hurt by the shame of his bastard status in his working-class extended family. His pain and shame drove him to the guitar and that outlet lead to one of the greatest musical talents of the 20th (and now the 21st) century. His life personified the nightmare of the cultural disintegration of the 1960s and '70s. He lived it out in the self-centered "I am God" focus; that is the result of rejecting the true God in humility and embracing "me" as the one who I will glorify. Yet all the while, he wanted to do good and not bad. But the bad found him, and he embraced it in a long death-kiss. Still, God was merciful, eventually. God knows and cares for His own.
   
   Clapton did not have to see the graffiti "Clapton is God" scrawled on the subway walls in London. He was already his own God, focused on everything that would make HIM happy, make Him feel better since his family humiliated and rejected him; make HIM get what he wanted. His obsession on the most pure music, the most beautiful women (even a friend's wife while they were still attempting to maintain a marriage), the best people to play with, the finest in "street fashion", was all about his need to have everything his way.
   
   And no, God's not through with him yet. The introspection he presents through the amazing telling of his story is partial at best. But it is sincere. His "surrender" is real and his telling of his progress (after the disaster of addiction) rings true.
   
   EC is a humble man in many ways. He is humble like most humble people; imperfect humility. He is realistic about his shortcomings and his gratitude for the blessings God has given him, including letting him live. He is humble in acknowledging God's purview to take his son, not rebelling against Him in the pain of such a monumental loss. Yet he is still the rich man loving his wealth, but in a humble way. Even so, he does give it away; he's an beautifully generous man. So why resent his upland fowling and his fly fishing? (those happen to be two of my personal peccadilloes, and it's not hard to eat all the trout, pheasant and grouse one can harvest in a season)
   
   He is still Clapton, still the greatest guitarist alive. God took Hendrix and Allman early. He acknowledged their even greater talent, but if they had lived, would they have been as prolific or successful? We'll never know. Well, maybe we will know on that Day, if Jimi and Duane were saved (and maybe they were; only God knows for sure).
   
   Regarding his writing, I think it's absolutely perfect. He's talking to the reader individually. It's almost a conversation, not a monologue. He makes some initial comments and then, as though the reader had made an insightful reply or query, he continues, as though responding in a friendly interview over a nice cup of coffee. The photos in the paperback book were interesting, and I'm glad they were there. There was not a good shot of Patty, although she was certainly in good form in the beach shot. But the photos were not the point; his life story as he told it was captivating.
   
   I couldn't help but wonder how he might have truly changed the world if he had turned from the drugs and sex and simply stuck with the music and used it as a ministry to God. He is now 21 years sober and his music has become the standard upon which much of modern music is founded. His influence cannot be overstated; certainly on par with the Beatles.
   
   What if he had turned to Christ after that Blind Faith concert when the Christian fans prayed with him to accept Jesus? What if he had followed "In the Presence of the Lord" with something more like "Shout to the Lord" instead of "Cocaine" and "Lay Down Sally"? Could he have helped turn us from becoming a society that aborts full term babies on demand? Might he have helped turn the world away from recreationalizing sex? Might he have helped keep marriage sacred and honored instead of trashed?
   
   We'll never know, although it's something he may hear from Christ on that Day. Someone with as much influence as he has had on our world culture could have helped prevent much of the insanity we have bequeathed the current generation. Yesterday I watched as teenagers cavorted proudly with the self-mutilation of full-body tattoos trashing their formerly God-given beauty. Might Clapton the man of God (instead of simply "Clapton the God") influenced society in a way that would have spared so many from so much pain. Yes, he's doing his part for addicts. Praise God. But how many of those addicts were influenced by the life he lived as the addict who could still be the world's greatest guitarist?
   
   One last comment. I saw Clapton play on his tour in Florida in '06. His performance was peerless. I've never seen a guitar man play with such accomplishment, power, passion or genius (and I saw Duane Allman from the 3rd row in a crowd of maybe 300 in 1970). He played the Derek and the Dominoes tunes better than the original, and I thought I was going to have to wait for heaven to hear them that way (and that was on the long chance that he'd actually make it there!) The old man can play (he's 8 years older than me, so that's OLD)! Today I'm buying his Robert Johnson and JJ Cale albums on the strength of the autobiography.
   
   Hendrix, Allman, John Lennon, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin all should have lived. Music would have benefited from them living longer, I believe. But maybe, if they had lived, the world would be even more secularized, evil and degenerate than it is today. The fact is, Clapton was a passive player in the cultural revolution. He was an unlikely culture warrior. His virtuosity, his musical genius was his hallmark; the music made him famous, not his on-stage demeanor. The fact is he was a bit player in the culture wars, even though he was surrounded by the prime suspects. Most of his degeneracy was personal, destroying mostly his loved ones and himself.
   
   But his disastrous life, until he finally kicked heroin, alcohol and whoredoggery, influenced the culture just the same. No, not as much as might have happened if Lennon, Morrison or Joplin had lived an additional 25 years. Certainly Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have done nothing to restore traditional family values in the last quarter century.
   
   But EC has repented. He has turned away from the old life of insanity and turned to a life of God and family. He is a man of prayer. He clearly puts his sobriety as his number one necessity in life, and from my reading he credits his sobriety to God. And then his family is next, because without his sobriety his family would be in grave danger. And he's also seeking to help others by his rehab facility in Antigua. Then it's about his fishing, hunting and nice yacht.
   
   That is the mark of the Christian life. God is number 1, others are number 2 and I'm number 3. That is Clapton's testimony, told in humility and self-effacement.
   
   All in all, that is what salvation is about. Turning from the sin that separates one from God and turning to Him, seeking His face first, relying on His strength alone for life, and then, by His strength, serving others.
   
   Of course, I may have misread the story. Certainly Clapton used a degree of restraint in his testimony. That was smart; coming out too overtly "Jesus Freak" could turn many hard cases away.
   
   This is certainly the most surprisingly inspiring read I've found in many years. Highly recommended!



4. DO NOT buy this book, but DO READ it. Borrow it from a friend, or from the library. If you need proof that old age does not equal wisdom, this is it. If you need proof that famous musicians should not be entrusted with any oracular powers, this is it. But I suppose many people need that proof, so in that sense it is a good idea to read this book. It will show you the real Clapton, the incompetent writer and all-around boring, self-serving careerist.
   
   After reading this book, I think Clapton would do anything just to further his career, and after getting his way, he'd write another book about it where he'd say he's made a huge mistake, and he'd like everyone to say a prayer for him. Oh, and he's better now, and the last years have been the best of his life. And he's all wise and perfect now. He'd just been thinking that he's perfect in the past, but now he really is. Honest.



5. After reading "Clapton" I understand Eric a little bit better. Granted, I feel that he is not the "watch me bleed" type he tries to reveal parts of himself to the reader. He is brief and provides little explanation for his substance abuse and doesn't reallly elaborate much during the book on key things that people want to know: feelings about his troubled marriage to Patti, how he felt when he lost his friend George, etc. Yeah, he is very lowkey about these episodes in his life but I feel that he has achieve enough distance to talk about his relationship with his mother (very confusing family) and his early substance problems. I truly feel that he has tried to be as honest as he can about his life. But, he is not going to open up his gut and just spew up his inner most feelings for the entire world. In this way I think that he demonstrates very healthy boundaries!! I think the book was good because he wrote himself not so ghost writer!!

5 comments about Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History.

1. What a disappointment. There is lots of interesting material here but it is so saturated with Sorenson's towering ego that I found it hard to finish. He takes credit for nearly everything and blame for very little.
   
   At one point he describes one of his adversaries as not liking him much - [...]
   
   Surprisingly - he takes on a new skin at the end of the book when he discusses his personal health issues and his aspirations and expectations for America as a country. That part was a good read.



2. An intriguing insight into the Kennedy presidency. Mr. Sorensen writes a very compelling account of known crisis of that time, and many accounts of happenings only known by one who was there. It is an excellent historical book.



3. Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History I was very disappointed in Sorensen's book, primarily because about the only thing he gives JFK credit for is his hiring him! It is as if he believes he was the president himself. Most offending is that clearly he does not connect his speechwriting rules "less is more" to his biography. After almost every description of a positive development in JFK's, Sorensen adds a paranthetical note crediting himself or noting how he predicted the outcome, making it an aggravating read. Sorensen has forgotten that he was part of a team and should have left the credit with the subject that is interesting; JFK and his administration (and subsequent relationships).
   
   His opening comment is completely disengenous about his being uncomfortable about too many "I's". This is a man that is so full of himself...
   
   Sorensen deserves credit for his service to the country, as I am sure he is a phenominal individual and was instrumental in shaping policies to the benefit of his sponsor and the US. But he is not an individual that one should devote the first 90 pages about his upbringing and background about...he simply is not that interesting...he was not the president of the United States...and this book is not that interesting because of it.



4. Few would disagree that John F. Kennedy was one of our most inspirational presidents and that it was a tragedy that he was assassinated. Since the 1950s, it was well known that some of the most memorable words that Kennedy inspired us with were drafted if not written in total by Ted Sorensen, Kennedy's dedicated staffer who played many roles in addition to helping write speeches, books, and articles. Speculation about Sorensen's role was fed by Mr. Sorensen's humble deflection of praise that others aimed in his direction.
   
   Imagine what it would have been like to talk to JFK every day and to see him most days. Imagine, even more, if you were walking on history's stage in your role: You weren't just pouring him coffee.
   
   You could re-title this book as "Dream Job" and you wouldn't be far off.
   
   In Counselor, Mr. Sorensen reveals more than in the past about his personal relationship with President Kennedy, who did what and when, his views about Kennedy's decisions and legacy, and what the lessons for historians are from that era. In letting down his hair, Mr. Sorensen is a loyal heir to the Kennedy legend: He doesn't criticize more than an independent observer would who knew the surface facts. Naturally, he also defends where many would not (he's gentle on Kennedy for increasing the number of military advisors in South Vietnam and letting the military leaders there murder the country's political leader). Further, he seems to have amnesia about what any president did before Kennedy who was not a Democrat (he writes as though there was no space program before Kennedy took office).
   
   One of the most interesting episodes in the book comes long after President Kennedy was killed in the description of Mr. Sorensen's nomination to be CIA head by President Carter. The contrast between Kennedy and Carter could not be clearer in reading how this was handled.
   
   I think we should be generous with Mr. Sorensen. It's been many years. He's almost the last of those who served in those years who knows the inside stories. He also suffered a substantial stroke that affected his vision and made writing this book extremely difficult. I commend Mr. Sorensen for making the effort. There are many lessons here that new administrations can learn from.
   
   I also honor him for his service to the nation, to John F. Kennedy, and to my youthful idealistic dreams by inspiring them with his timeless words. Many will always remember him as a speech writer, but he was truly more . . . especially during those potentially deadly days during the Cuban missile crisis.
   
   Thank you, Mr. Sorensen.



5. This is the most moving, realistic depiction of JFK I have ever seen. Many will forever rant and rave over his personal peccadillos, but this man was a leader. His speech at American University, which was his way of dealing with Soviet & American feelings about nuclear war included the following. "For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet; we all breathe the same air; we all cherish our children's future; and we are all mortal." I heard that speech as a young man. I am now 82 and it still rings in my ears. I was raised an avid republican, but I am proud to have helped vote him into office. His like hasn't been seen since.

5 comments about A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive.

1. I, too, like several others, started this book, and was immediately taken aback by the poor quality of the writing, AND the relentless onslaught of horrific, somewhat unbelievable, scenarios described by the author.
   
   I don't doubt that he endured some form of abuse, probably severe, but it's hard to feel much sympathy for the story when there are so many holes, inconsistencies, and it's very poorly written.
   
   Disappointed that I spent money on this.



2. Check out "Dysfunction For Dollars" written July 28, 2002 for the NYT Magazine. The author, Pat Jordan, notes that "...In Pelzer's case, how much he is healing or how much he is swindling is unclear..."Peter Vegso, from his former publisher, Health Communications Inc, is quoted in the article. He says "David's always complaining we don't appreciate him, David's a professional victim. I haven't a clue if his abuse stories are true, but we kept his book in stock when it wasn't selling. Then Dave got on Montel Williams, and there was an instant demand." The author also notes that "Pelzer frequently purchases his own books for his signings at a discount and then sells them at list price." His brother, Stephen, was interviewed. He denies the abuse and says "David had to be the center of attention. He was a hyper, spoiled brat."
   
   If this isn't enough to convince you, check out "Dave Pelzer, The child-abuse entrepreneur" by David Plotz posted Friday, Sept. 29, 2000 on Slate. He writes "Pelzer, whose most insistent piece of advice is "don't dwell on the past," dwells on it very profitably." Describing Pelfrey's depiction of his mother Plotz says she "becomes more cartoonish, more Cruella De Vil. In the first book, she's horrible but erratic. By the third she is the incarnation of pure, calculating evil, saying things like, 'You gave me no pleasure, so you were disposed of.'" Plotz continues "his (Pelfrey's) dialogue, which is full of such over-the-top lines, is sometimes suspicious. Though it's reconstructed 20 or 30 years after the fact, it is eerily precise."
   
   Memoirs like this and James Frey's novel, A Million Little Pieces, (another Oprah interviewee) should never have made it as far as they did. It's a sad commentary that they have.



3. I loved this book I read it in one day I Have read "The Lost Boy" I suggest if you buy this read the other one too! I could not put it down it was scary to think that someone could grow up being abused like this and lived to share his story with everyone!



4. This was a very real study of emotions in the mind of a very young child.I wanted to know how this story would end. I felt that since it was the author's life story,he made it to adulthood,but at what cost?
   I was so haunted by the actions of the parents ,I wanted to take some kind of action to see that these parents were punished for the damage that they had done to him.In my mind I wrapped my love around him to try and ease the hurt in his heart,mind and soul.



5. I just finished reading A Child Called It and The Lost Boy. I knew this book was embellished after just reading a few pages into it. How can anyone seriously believe this account to be solid truth? It is so sad that someone can make so much money from telling a false story as if it were fact. It is even sadder that we buy into it and allow it to happen. I am sorry I did, I should have read the negative reviews. I trusted a family member. This book lacks the ring of truth as soon as Dave begins listing the abuse he recieved from the hands of his alcoholic mother. He recounts vividly all that she did to him, but never once explains why. The strange part is that for the first few years of his life, his family was perfect. They had a lovely home, went on family trips, had picnics in the park, daddy was a hero fireman, mother cooked delicious meals, decorated the house with hundreds of lights at Christmas, they got loads of presents from Santa, and most importantly Mother hugged David and loved him. Suddenly, almost overnight, she changed into a monster and began beating him, starving him, stabbing him and burning him. She laid on the sofa all day, drinking and watching her shows. The father sounds like he was abused by her too as he was not able to stand up to her and allowed David to be abused and drank along with her. David was the only one of the kids that was chosen to be abused, she treated all the other children well and they also turned on David. The family ignored him and made him sleep on a cot in the basement with no blanket. He was not allowed to eat meals with them and then not allowed to eat at all(not even from the garbage). He was starved, made to wear old ripped up clothes to school and not allowed to bathe(except for the days that his mother tried to drown him in the tub). His brothers and their friends would walk into the bathroom and see him laying there in the water and look at him with disgust. No one thought to say anyhing and when caught stealing at school some food from kid's lunches, he got in trouble even though he must have looked like a holocaust victim? No one wondered why he was wandering the neighborhood knocking on random doors asking for food? The entire town and school system were scared of his alcoholic mother so much so that no one dared to cross her. Even the cop that rescued him near the end was shaking and looking over his shoulder until they crossed the city limits? And he had never even met her, had only spoken with her on the phone. This mother was powerful. When Dave decided to embellish his abuse story he could have at least made it more believable!! The timeline even contradicts itself. Child abuse is not funny, and I am not making fun of it. I just don't believe Mr. Pelzer's account. I do think he was abused, just not like he portrays. He decided to make it sensational in order to sell more books. What he does though is make it sad for real abuse victims. He supposedly tries to get a message across, but fails miserably. There is no real inspiration here, only his inspiration to make money. He portays himself a hero. Any child would have done the same in his situation, survive. The will to survive is usually strong in victimized children. Many do grow up to inspire others, they glean depth from their situation and are able to make something good come from something bad. Dave Pelzer fails to do that. Even as an adult he fails to inspire me with his words. His journey is only incredible in the telling, not in it's depth. He seems to have gained nothing from his suffering. I find it hard to believe that people go to listen to him as an inspirational speaker. I hope his speech is better than his books. If my child were given this book to read in class I would have to object. It is no different than watching a spot from MTV for an hour. A waste of time, both.

No comments about Too Fat to Fish.

1 comments about A Few Seconds of Panic: A 5-Foot-8, 170-Pound, 43-Year-Old Sportswriter Plays in the NFL.

1. In this book the author signs up to go through training camp with the Denver Bronco's. He's relatively old and relatively small so he's going to try out to be a kicker. Like his last book about Scrabble competition - Word Freak, this guy doesn't just cover the action, he jumps on in.
   
   I'm a big fan of Stefan Fatsis as a writer. He's got a great eye for detail and an excellent, but subtle, sense of humor. I enjoyed Word Freak tremendously and when I hear him commenting on NPR, I always appreciate his analysis. Also, I'm a sports fan and I live in Denver and I follow (but am not a season ticket type fan) of the Broncos. This was a fun book for me for those reasons.
   
   Stefan shows what it's like for the guys you don't generally read about. The second tier kickers, the 3rd and 4th string QBs. It's a high stress gig with no job security and the threat of serious injury. You get a lot of short bios of the different sports characters he deals with. (Interesting fact, Mike Shanahan lost a kidney in a college game injury.) These bios/sketches make for great reading. You get to see the team in it's ups and downs.
   
   The only quibble I had was that it started a little slow, with the author trying to find a place that would have him and some of the details in what it takes a middle age guy to become competent at kicking. Minor issue though. The book was massively enjoyable and I'm looking forward whatever Fatsis does next.

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

1. I am presently living like a refugee, so I can say from experience this is a good way to understand what it means to be stuck in a room for four years, having done that myself.
   
   This is what happens when wars get out of hand. Required reading for government workers.



2. Sometimes you wonder to what purpose a person releases the details of a love ones life after death. This is just such a case. I will admit, I did not read the book as instructed in school, or many of the books forced upon us. As an adult, I went back and read many of them to see what I had missed (like the Red Badge of Courage, Uncle Toms Cabine, Tom Sawyer, etc.). This book from the hype would seem to be a literary masterpiece, rather, what it turns out to be is a rudementarry, and purposely selected piece of a little girls journal. If the purpose of the book was to delve into the mind of a teenage girl of the 1940's who does not get on well with her family or others, and seem a bit spoiled, it is a glowing success. The problem here is that it is meant to showcase a little girl in hiding from the Nazi's during WWII. To this it fails in that it merely touches on those issues (other than the ad nauseum complaints that Anne Frank makes about her inconveniences). I also get the feeling that this was severly edited to make the father look better than he was (in that he released the book), while making everyone else the villan. I guess this book is timeless in that most teenagers today have the same rants and raves. If you are reading it looking for historical perspective of a Jewish teen in hiding, you will not get much more than the backdrop which leaks through every now and again, since all the rest could truly be the rants of a teen of any generation. I know this review will be unpopular since this book is considered a modern day classic from our generation, I just feel there are numerous books that are far better at demostrating the attrocities, and difficulties of living through World War II, and going into hiding as a Jew during that time period. I was dissapointed.



3. I am probably being redundant when I say this, but this was a profound book. This was a rare look into the life of a Jew living in hiding during Nazi occupation that shaped the worlds understanding of this dreadful persecution. Anne begins as a spoiled and restless child, but her time in hiding definitely changes her. She becomes more precocious and reflective, sharing her insightful thoughts with her diary. She comments on her parents, her living conditions, her learning pursuits, politics and the war, her desire to be loved, among many other things. Of course, there is great conflict in the "Secret Annex" with eight people living in such close quarters for over two years, but it reveals the fragility of human nature when confronted with such tension. Anne's descriptions allow the reader to easily imagine their plight and her writing matures throughout. Anne's diary is a timeless and necessary piece of literature. The tragedy of her death is nothing compared to her devotion to humanity.



4. I was in a training course sitting and drawing roses in my note book, the instructor - out of the blue -decided to choose the one girl with no attention to stand in the middle of the class room and tell a story that will grab everycody's attention. he wanted to see if we can actually make the right choice. I was really surprised and nervous. i stood there and talked about the one story that grabed my attention lately specialy with the fact that i just came from Amsteredam. I talked about Anne and her story, her diary and the amazing sense of words and expressions she had. I talked to them about my passion towards her days and her hidden Annexe she hide in for almost 2 years. everybody listened and were totally into the story and me . The book is amazing, its a different kind of diary and different type of memoir. Its really an amazing story for an amazing young story teller.



5. Anne Frank was an aspiring writer, a young lady, and Jewish girl who was in hiding in the attic in Amsterdam, Netherlands during the horrors of World War II. Anne's personal diary resurrects the actual horrors of the war and the holocaust which claimed her life as well as her mother, sister, and other residents in the attic. Life was hard enough as a Jewish girl in Hitler's time, it was practically impossible to survive much less thrive. This diary explains how Anne coped with daily horrors and daily living situation being unable to speak above a whisper rather than not be heard. Her legacy is her diary and it humanizes the inhuman experiences that harmed so many innocent people regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. Anne writes candidly about her struggles with a sense of optimism. We can only imagine how she survived and thrived in the attic despite her circumstances. You never get the sense that she blamed the world or others for her situation. She has this sense of optimism and hope all through out despite her fate as she died in Bergen-Belsen right before liberation. I wonder if she had lived that the world would never get to know this fascinating young girl as she transformed into a young lady of so much promise and hope. She gives us all hope that life is not always doomed but it's how you look at it.

5 comments about Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most Coveted Handbag.

1. I LOVED this book. Its a non fiction account of a man who moves to Barcelona and decides to resell Hermes products online via Ebay. He manages to figure out how to get his hands on $8K-25K handbags with unbelievable regularity. His prose is funny and entertaining through out. It felt like you were gossiping with a friend as you read this book. HIGHLY recommend.



2. I saw this book reviewed in the New York Times fun summer reading list and I was able to reserve it from my public library and get it within a week (while there is a long wait for the novels outlined in the same review). I read it in two evenings and one afternoon. I thought it was very entertaining and laughed out-loud several times. It's funny that the guy was able to publish a book like this, but his delivery was excellent and his vivid descriptions of tourist locations throughout the world (including his last US address in Ptown, Cape Cod and his home in Barcelona-- two places I enjoyed visiting before I had little children) was a great escape.



3. It helps if you are an Ebay designer purse fanatic, like myself. Although my brand of obsession has never been Hermes, until now! Mr. Tonello's book is an hilariously accurate portrait of the crazy world of crazy handbag collectors (and the even crazier design houses that produce these bags to "sell" and then make people WAIT to buy them!) Bravo for exposing Hermes' fake waiting lists and "unavailable" materials. Consumers of designer bags have known for a long time that these stores sell their bags to the customers they deem the most "worthy."
   
   I hope you write a sequel!



4. Bringing Home the Birkin is one of the funniest and best written reads around. It is great for summer beach reading. Michael Tonello has crafted an entertaining book with humor, grace and style. What an amazing adventure he has had. I highly recommend this title to anyone with any measure of curiosity about how the haute couture world functions.



5. Wether you are interested in handbags or not you would probably like this book. Once I started to read it I couldn`t put it away! I just had to know how the pursuit was going to end! This book tells us the truth about the brand of Hermes and for all those who are interested - you just have to read this book!

5 comments about Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs.

1. This book had fascinating content. The life of the FLDS women is so different from anything like other women in the US. Reading this book is like a window into a different world. I think it gives us more compassion and understanding for people who are not raised with our freedoms, be they FLDS or other religion within the US, or in another country. Most amazing to me is how Elisa was able to slowly come around to freeing herself, and the attitudes of the women who just cannot free themselves.
   
   Yes, the writing style is "amateur," but the editing is mostly sound, and since this is written in the voice of someone with an 8th grade education (a deficient one, at that), it is authentic. It's not "Angela's Ashes," but despite a little bit of a slow pace, it is a good read that somehow sucks you in. The style of it actually seems mostly like a testimonial in a courtroom. Seeing as a legal proceeding was the reason why Elisa had to relive all of this, that makes sense. I am glad she had the courage to come forward.



2. I am fascinated by the mind games that are played in the name of religion and applaud this young woman for her ability to see past her indoctrination and begin making decisions for herself. Unfortunately the gentleman in charge of this organization needed psychological help and never got it because of the blind faith of the people around him. The consequences for all involved are dire, including Mr. Jeffs. This was a very interesting read and it helped me to understand the mind of those who embrace these philosophies. I wish the author the best in her "new life" and hope she always questions the path someone else lays out for her and instead charts her own path.



3. It was really hard to put this book down. It's one that you just want to curl up with and read from cover to cover. A very different way of living than I am used to, or would want to be used to, but very interesting to read about.



4. Difficult Read / Fascinating Story
   
   While I applaud Elissa Wall for her willingness to share her trials and tribulations in the FLDS, I am totally baffled by the fact that HarperCollins publishers were willing to print a book with a zillion grammatical errors. As a veteran teacher and media specialist, I was shocked by the number of errors. While I realize she only had an eighth grade education, didn't she have a co-author and an editor???? The book had numerous errors such as:
   
   *dropped articles (a, an, the)
   *misspelled words
   *pronouns not agreeing with nouns
   *incorrect verb usage
   *run-on sentences
   *typo graphical errors (Spell Check does NOT identify misuse of correctly spelled words)
   
   If Americans are truly concerned about our children being educated, let's blame others in our culture besides teachers. Even the sub-heading of chapter 29 is missing the article "a" within a quote from Emily Dickinson!!! I am thinking she would have turned over in her grave with such a glaring oversight. Merril Jessop's name is misspelled in several places (he took over the FLDS after Jeffs' incarceration).
   
   This would have been an excellent book for high school students to read IF it had been written grammatically correct. I would never recommend this book to anyone as it exists today, which is a travesty in my eyes. Her courage to leave the FLDS cult and stand up to the dictator Warren Jeffs could have been a tremendous example to so many people who face insurmountable odds.
   
   However, I would strongly recommend Escape by Carolyn Jessop, Shattered Dreams by Irene Spencer, and Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer.
   The most positive aspect of the book was Jeffs' trial and his incarceration.
   
   I kept literally shaking my head "no" as I read all of these books because of my inability to relate to each follower's situation. I kept thinking HOW MUCH ABUSE IS TOO MUCH??? It is extremely difficult as an outsider to understand how Jeff's followers and now Merril Jessop's followers blindly believe everything they are told. I hope that other women and children who are abused will also be able to escape this Evil Empire.



5. This is an amazing subject and I really admire Elissa Wall for telling it to us and for appearing in the court case that brought down Warren Jeffs. But for those of us who know very little about this subject, there could have had more detail.
   Not of all the traumatic things that happened to her, but of all the every day life in a FCLSD. I wanted to know what they ate (with 14 children), how the sleeping arrangements were organised. I wanted to know what they learnt in their home economics class (since most of us these days have never done home ec). I was curious about their clothing, where they got the material, what was popular amongst the girls, acceptable by the leaders and how they learnt to make them. What were the undergarments she referrred to? I wondered why the photographs were so poorly captioned. Which one was Rachel, Kassandra or even Mother Laura and Mother Audrey? I was confused about the actual nature of the rows in their household. How did they do those hair-dos and what sort of chores were they doing for how long and how often.
   I don't blame Elissa, she had lived the life and couldn't see it objectively, but she had a ghost writer (Lisa Pulitzer) and presumably William Morrow gave them an editor, who could have drawn her out for the prosaic details of her extraordinary life.