5 comments about Where Rivers Change Direction.

1. These are two feelings I got from reading this memoir. Life in NW Wyoming is not easy. Days are spent with horses and one's life is taken by horses. In fact, if you love horses this is a great book.
   
   One thing that kept creeping into this book is the distance the author had toward his parents, especially his father. Little but dialogue is written about the father, but he comes across as callous and more worried of turning the boy into a real man. The boy, in turn, writes about his concerns about the man he will become. At times that dragged on too much.
   
   Still, it's wonderful prose written in a manly tone. For rugged cowboys and ranchers it's a perfect read.



2. What an unrelentingly gripping series of stories -- life, death, animals, boys, girls, men, women, horses, snakes, water, wind, earth, blood, fire and sky. Mark Spragg's style is a bit like David Hockney doing his photograph collages. He doesn't show you everything, just bits and pieces to make the whole. He lets you put some of the pieces in place. What a style. It's shot through with his own strong character and some compelling scenes of raw Wyoming life. The stories follow an amazing arc that you don't see coming until the last chapter and then you just kind of want to start all over again, and meet the boy that became the man. Beautiful stuff. Look, I'm not really out here trying to sell my book at every corner but the people who told me about Mark Spragg are readers of my book, "Antler Dust." I had three recommendations from "Antler Dust" readers to check out Mark Spragg, mostly because, I believe, of the detailed outdoors action and the fact that my book takes place in a neighboring state, Colorado. I am going to read more Mark Spragg but for others who like him, please also consider Antler Dust.



3. I'd worry about peope who don't hurt themselves laughing while reading Wapiti School. My goodness, these stories are terrific, sometimes tough and bitter, sometimes perfect poetry. Just wonderful.



4. Mark Spragg writes beautifully, even poetically, of teenage life in a Wyoming family struggling to make ends meet by catering to "dudes" come West for the seasonal fishing and hunting. His collection of stories is varied, but all are tied to the splendor of unshod love for the land and for the horses he rides through a journey that will steal your heart.



5. The author writes excellent prose with innumerable well turned phrases and descriptions. The subject matter is primarily his adolescence on a Wyoming dude ranch and hunting guide service that his family, Pennsylvania expatriates, operated in the 1960s, some vignettes from his adult life and descriptions of friends and conditions in windswept Wyoming. The chapters are actually a series of essays rather than a progressive narrative with the ones about life and work on and around his father's ranch, where he essentially lived as a hired hand in the bunkhouse with hardened wranglers from about the age of fourteen, being the most interesting.
   
   I enjoyed the book principally due to the excellent writing and colorful recounting of the author's experiences as a real "cowboy" in an era when most of us male baby boomers only experienced the same thing through ubiquitous western TV shows and movies of the 50s and 60s. It was a life in another era when so many of us grew up in boring suburbia. I recommend it for these reasons.
   
   But maybe I missed something because I never came across any explanation for the author's seeming sense of hurt, isolation, melancholy and general unhappiness that begins, for unstated reasons, during his college years.

5 comments about Opium Season: A Year on the Afghan Frontier.

1. I read this book last summer and immediately afterwards read "Three Cups of Tea" from Greg Mortenson.
   I have to say that I found Opium Season a much better book!
   The writing is well done and you really do feel that you are there in Afghanistan experiencing some of the same horrors that Mr. Hafvenstein saw in his year of working there. You also can feel a real comradery amongst the workers as they take care of each other...such as when he is told to leave for the evening so that the girlfriend doesn't have to get a message saying that he was killed since he needed to write some reports.
   I have given this book to many friends who are interested in hearing more about this country and how the US seems to hinder rather than help at times and it has always come back with favorable reviews from them. The only complaint from some is that it is a little "academic" at times.
   All in all--a great read though.



2. I just retired as a USAID Foreign Service Officer after 26 years of service. Although I didn't work in Afghanistan (I just spent the last 3 years in post tsunami Sri Lanka) I have the experience to critically consider Joel Hafvenstein's Opium Season and in my judgment it is an important contribution to development literature as a personal account. It is well written and hard to put down. He has woven into the chronological account his thoughts and emotions allowing the reader to understand the personal challenges and dangers of working in Afghanistan. He has also developed a clear understanding of deficiencies of programs to reduce poppy production through cash-for-work programs. His criticisms of USAID and its politically driven agenda set by State Department are on the mark. The basic problem is that any real progress will occur over a long period of time -- too slow for the bureaucrats -- with a carefully developed and implemented strategy. Meanwhile there are hundreds of millions of dollars to be spent quickly to meet targets that have little connection to real political or social progress. Throw into this mix contractors who see a major opportunity to make a tidy profit and everybody wins --- except the Afghan people -- and the contractor staff who are so exposed as Hafvenstein describes. I should also add that although he worked for a "for profit" contractor I would expect a "not-for-profit" organization to behave not much differently. Contractors do not establish strategy -- but rather implement the programs designed by the donors such as USAID.
   
   Opium Season is an important contribution and should be read by anyone thinking about working in a post conflict country although the general public would also enjoy it. Hafvenstein has clearly demonstrated that although he wasn't a bad administrator in Afghanistan that he is a very talented writer.



3. A very sad story, but simply and strongly written.
   Mr Hafverstein worked in Afghanistan as part of a U.S. foreign assistance program to help in the development of this poor war-weary country. Mr. Hafverstein's book is written at the grass-roots level. He describes the tribulations and heart-aches of trying to accomplish development in Afghanistan. Part of the purpose of the project he was working on is to take Afghani's off the cultivation of opium and to grow `legal' crops - a difficult enough task in most countries. Their project hires people to pave roads, clean and renew irrigation canals. They employ engineers from Afghanistan and people from the local community for the manual labour. They travel far and wide through the Helmand province of Afghanistan observing many poppy fields. Eventually many internal antagonisms within the region lead to tragic consequences. As one reads - one wonders - who is using whom - are the drug lords happy that water is now reaching their poppy fields - but what about the labour that is being removed from the needed harvesting of the poppy fields.
   It is not the role of the NATO forces to provide protection to civilian development groups like the one Mr. Hafverstein is working for. Therefore they need to hire protection - employing from the local police forces or the community, which is a miltia amalgam that has shifted alliances several times in the last years. This protection consists of AK-47's. grenade launchers,... Sometimes the areas where they work promise protection - they may or may not follow through.
   Often these development groups do not want to be linked directly with foreign military forces, but in Afghanistan this can be a lethal Catch-22. There are so many opposing factions(the religious Taliban, the opium traffickers, the Pakistani secret police, competing family and regional alliances - which all leads to great complexity and corruption). It is difficult to know from day-to-day what tensions will erupt to the surface. Tension permeates the entire development process in Afghanistan. At one point hostages are taken and released in a local village but the vehicle is stolen. This simmers and festers for several months - the development groups move back to this troubled locality and stability reigns for a few months. Then there are murders of Afghan development workers.
   It is wonderful and sad at the same time to see the friendship's grow between the Afghanistan people and the foreign development workers (not all of whom are American). These friendships and the will to improve the people of Afghanistan are impressive and genuine. After the tragic murders the development process is shattered and interrupted.
   A country that has been invaded, had civil strife, had an intolerant religious dictatorship that outlawed basic education; will take several years to intense investment and development to progress close to anything resembling a `modern' state. As Mr. Hafverstein suggests this development will have to move beyond short term goals.
   Through Mr. Hafverstein we also get a view of the people of Afghanistan. Religion(in this case Islam) is omni-present at all levels of society - it rules the relationship between people; particularly between man and woman. In Mr. Hafverstein's group there are no Afghanistan woman taking any decision making roles. Three are two burga-clad secretaries in the office - all the thousands of manual employees are male. Mr Hafverstein describes his day at a market where no women are encountered.
   Obviously Afghanistan has a long and treacherous path on the road to development.



4. Vivid, passionate writing.
   
   Reveals through personal experience, the complexity of Afghan culture and the failing of US foreign policy.
   
   
   jms



5. Joel Hafvenstein provides a detailed account of a year in Afghanistan trying to provide wage work for farmers who would otherwise certainly be growing opium poppies. But from the view of a former international development scholar, he also provides a close description of how the largest development contractor in the US works, circulates personnel, uses local expertise. Like the recent studies of Viktor Bout, armsdealer to absolutely anyone, and the expose of Blackwater contractors, Hafvenstein adds a page to the way both war and the supposed pursuit of peace and development are currently pursued. The tragic end is revealed in the introduction, so he is able to to spend much of the book focusing on the characters he lived and worked with. He and Fiona are back in Afghanistan. I worry about them and their neighbors every day. K. Jensen

5 comments about 365 Deployment Days: A Wife's Survival Story.

1. This book was alright but far too much of a pity party for me. It left me more depressed than I had felt before I started. This is not a book to read if you are at all worried about deployment. The impression is that emotionally, she barely makes it through her experience. Try someone else for a good read.



2. This book was an alright read, however, there was a lot of content that was repetitive. (But, I may have just been looking for the wrong type of book when I bought this, as this book wasn't something that offered inspiration, but rather the assurance that other people have gone through what you're (may or may not be) feeling at the exact moment.) Being a wife of a military man, it's always interesting to hear how other women handle deployments... It's a quick and easy read - as I finished it in less than a day.



3. I am a new Army Wife and I would recommend this book to anyone who struggles with the day-to-day life after a loved one deploys. Some days even the simplest tasks seem so overwhelming that I can not seem to do them and I felt like I was going out of my mind. Reading Sara's book helped me to realize that I am not in this boat alone and that I have people out there who understand. I have managed to start listening to others better and I have found my own "battle rhythm" to help me through this first deployment. This is a MUST READ for all who have a spouse deployed!!!



4. I thought the book was great and I felt that I wasn't the only one out there that felt certain things while my husband was deployed. Yes, sometimes the stories were a tad repetitive but again that's often how you feel when your husbands gone for so long - like you're in a rut and everything just happens over and over again. I read the book after my husband got home from his first deployment and before he left for his second and I still got a lot out of it. Thanks Sarah and Brandon!



5. As a military wife, I've read several books relating to deployments. I was expecting this one to explain how the author coped with her husband's deployment. Instead, it seemed that each chapter talked about the same things. She offered no insight or really explained what she was going through. The only things I got out of the book were that work and soccer were two things that helped her get through deployment. It would have been nice if she went into more depth or offered helpful tips for women who are dealing with a deployment.

5 comments about Angel Unaware: A Touching Story of Love and Loss.

1. This book is wonderful. It so beautifully written from the POV of little Robin giving an account to God of her brief life on earth. If there is a disabled child that has touched your life, you need to read this book. Dale Evans Rogers has written a masterpiece which will benefit the lives of many. Thank goodness God sent Robin into their lives!



2. My Aunt gave me this book to read when I was in grade school. I am now 42 years old and I still remember this book as being one of the most profound stories I have ever read. I have recommended this book often, I have never forgotten it.
   Such a touching reminder for all of us that life is divine and should never be taken for granted.



3. Until I real Dale Evans' account of her daughter's life, I didn't realize anyone felt the way I do. We lost our 2 1/2 year old daughter this year. She had "special needs," some similar to those of Robin in the book. We always felt that God gave us our daughter and she was our own angel here on earth. This book is a wonderful story of the love between a family, their God, and their special angel. I highly recommend it to any parent or family who have lost a child with a disability.



4. I read this book when I was in 4th or 5th grade. The story of Robin Rogers has stuck with me for 35 years. While I have forgotten the details, I remember the essential message. All children are gifts from God, especially the ones that aren't everyone's idea of perfect.



5. This little book is a heartwarming love story and a heart wrenching tear jerker all rolled into one. Dale Evans Rogers shares the tale of little Robin, her Down Syndrome daughter who died at a very young age. The story is told from Robin's point of view, as if she is sitting on her heavenly father's knee relating what happened "down there." The heartache of a mother's loss, and the hope of a child's eternity are entwined in an unforgettable tale. I highly recommend this book to any one who has lost a young child, or has had to deal with special needs like Down Syndrome. Be sure to have a tissue box handy.

5 comments about Another Season: A Coach's Story of Raising an Exceptional Son.

1. As the father of a child with Down Syndrome I know firsthand what Gene Stallings has been through. It's both tough and rewarding. This book helps the reader get a glimpse of what being a parent to one of these wonderful people is about. If the reader has no experience being around people with Down Syndrome I hope that this story will help them fall in love with these remarkable folks. John Mark Stallings died a few weeks ago but he was a wonderful person and the love that his father expresses in this work is something to behold.



2. Knowing Johnny and Coach, this is a 'must read' for everyone to learn to appreciate life! A tremendous blessing!



3. I really enjoyed this book. A very moving story involving a father's love and football. You can't get any better than that! Great summer reading!



4. I live in alabama and even kind of like alabama football so when we had to read it for summer reading i thought i would like it...i absolutly hated it!!! You could so tell it wasn't written by a pro writer i mean it jumped around from different dates and although i loved how inspirational it was with johnny gene stallings seemed kind of self centered and every time the family was happy moved. i hated how there was no time line and years would pass and then he would go every minute of the next day. i thought it was good how they were so religous and i liked reading it but it is not a book i would really reccomend to anybody just because there are more inspirational books and just better books!! Luv Ya!!



5. There are a lot of great books out there you can read and be entertained in the process. A few of those books will even linger in your memory for awhile after you've finished them. It's more rare to read a book that really touches your heart and mind and provokes a change in your life.
   
   ANOTHER SEASON is one of those very extraordinary books that takes hold of the reader's attention in a powerful way that transcends language. It's certainly a great read--at times, even very enjoyable, as Coach Stallings describes various triumphs on the football field. But, at times, it's also painful, and painfully honest...maybe even gut-wrenching. One admires Coach Stallings for his candor and vulnerability; one envies the deep love between he and his son, John Mark.
   
   Through it all, we get a moving portrait of a caring, honorable, courageous family and get a glimpse into a father-son relationship that sets an example of what any father or son could hope for in terms of love, devotion, faithfulness, and friendship. John Mark Stallings is a heroic young man born with Down Syndrome. He has defied all odds, surviving and living with it, and touching millions of lives in the process. This young man has taught so many people how to live a life filled with meaning, purpose, and love, just like his famous daddy.
   
   This story is personal to me in many ways: I have a close relative who has lived with a particular developmental challenge ever since her birth, and we love her dearly--she adds great richness to our family, despite her difficulties. It's also personal to me because I am a life-long Alabama Crimson Tide football fan, and I lived in Alabama during that glorious 1992-1993 National Championship season. I can tell you that everybody in our state, no matter what football team they followed, was and is a big fan of Mr. John Mark Stallings.
   
   RECOMMENDATION: I cannot say enough good about this book. It will appeal to a broad range of readership; certainly, football fans will enjoy it, but also families and friends who have faced similar challenges as the Stallings family has will find much encouragement and inspiration here. John Mark, you're our hero. We love you, buddy. God bless the Stallings family, and thanks, Coach, for this deeply moving book.

5 comments about The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Alone, 1932-1940.

1. A frightening story with a redoubtable yet all too human hero who prevails. There are even evil and bumbling villains along the way during this shameful period. The Last Lion should be required reading for politicans and world history students. William Manchester does a masterful, well researched [and entertaining] job of describing the inspirational leader of the Free World.



2. There are two volumn of "The Last Lion" and both are them are an excellent history of not only one of Great Britain's finest statesman of the 20th century, but one of the World greatest statesman, historian, and many have said "the man of the 20th Century" And after reading these two volumns one might have to agreee with the historians.
   Congtributed by Hurdrey Angus Jordan



3. This book was given to me by my father, who is a huge fan of Winston. I was absolutely shocked and amazed by the information that this book brought to light. I was taught, so little about WWII! I was amazed. I savored this book. I would recommend and have recommended this book to anyone, who would listen. Prepare to be amazed by the man and confronted with the real realities of Britain before and during the first declarations of war.



4. For some inexplicable reason, the second (and unfortunately final) volume of William Manchester's biography sat on my shelf unread for some time. I think because the book spans the years 1932 to 1940 -- and does not cover most of World War II -- I skipped the book over, figuring that Winston's best and most important years were his war years. After reading "Alone", I realized immediately how wrong I was: if anything, Manchester's incredible book demonstrates that Churchill's so-called "wilderness years" out of power were his finest hour. Unquestionably, Churchill provided resolute leadership to Great Britain -- as well as the rest of the Allied world -- during the War. But he perhaps demonstrated even greater leadership while out of power, when he was quite literally the only European statesman who was repeatedly warning the world of the dangers of Nazi Germany and calling for rearmament to stand up to Hitler. Thus, "Alone" is not just about Churchill and his greatness, but also a powerful historical record of the dangers of appeasement in the face of tyrants.
   
   This book goes beyond being a simple historical biography. Manchester's writing is delightful and seamless, literally depositing you into Churchill's time and Churchill's life. It maintains and builds a tenseness throughout the book as the world moves closer and closer to war despite Churchill's warnings, which if heeded, could have averted the conflict many times over. The work is meticulously researched and crafted, and flows perfectly. Perhaps most of all, reflective of the title, Manchester captures how completely and totally alone Churchill was during the 1930s. Aside from a very small coterie of loyal friends, Churchill alone rose in opposition to appeasement in the House of Commons and elsewhere hundreds of times as Hitler consolidated his power, practically begging his nation's leadership to stand up to the Fuhrer.
   
   I suppose that one sign of a great work is that it moves you in some way, and evokes great emotion as you read it. The most striking asset of this book is how angry, shocked, and prideful I was as I read it. I shook my head in disgust at least 100 times as I read Manchester's descriptions of the putrid, almost treasonous behavior by Prime Ministers John MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin, and of course Neville Chamberlain as they repeatedly ignored Churchill's warnings and countless pieces of evidence showing that Hitler would not be appeased. Manchester's sections on the Munich Crisis and Britain and France's literal sacrifice of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis is particularly noteworthy; the Chamberlain government literally served the nearly defenseless nation on a platter to the German war machine despite a pledge from the British to defend them if invaded. Much of the book in fact summarizes the folly of His Majesty's Government's appeasement policy, and Churchill's many warnings against the policy. Fascinatingly, appeasement was heartily endorsed by nearly the entire British media establishment, which repeatedly refused to air Churchill's views and other dissenting voices. Indeed, as Manchester well demonstrates, the government and media literally crafted its policies and made important appointments, with pleasing Hitler being the sole objective. While hindsight is of course 20-20, reading these sections was completely maddening to me, and made me want to scream many times over.
   
   I hesitated writing a review of this book because I know it is impossible to do full justice to Manchester and this fantastic book. I just wanted to express how much I enjoyed the book; it completely lives up to its reputation as perhaps the finest Churchill biography and easily the most accessible. I, like millions of other readers, am greatly saddened that illness and other tragedies kept Manchester from completing the final volume of his intended trilogy. Treat yourself to this book: it will give you greater appreciation of Winston Churchill's greatness, courage, and foresight, and probably an even greater hatred of appeasement and diplomatic cowardice.
   
   Five big stars.



5. This was the first William Manchester book that I ever read. I found it inspiring. After reading it, I promised myself that I would read everything that Manchester has written. To date I've read several but I still have a few to go. Mr. Manchester is another one of those historians that makes studying and learning History easy. I had no idea what a character Winston Churchill really was. Manchester recreates a real true to life human being, with faults, idiocincracies, humor, courage, and some great phrasing. After reading both volumes of Manchester's on Churchill, I then wanted to read Churchill himself. From a writing perspective Churchill was great - but Manchester was better. Today I am a fan of both men. They were both heroic in their lives and fascinating in their prose.

5 comments about The Cure for Anything Is Salt Water: How I Threw My Life Overboard and Found Happiness at Sea.

1. While I respect the author's courage to make the life change she did as I read the book I felt an undercurrent of sadness and depression about her. When I read about her praying to Poseidon rather than to almighty Godand all of the alcoholic drinking, I then understood why I was feeling this way. I put down this book and began to read something else that to me was more uplifting.
   Jane C. Kramer



2. I enjoyed Mary's story VERY much. I was surprised to learn she had been a book editor because I was distracted in the beginning chapters by many sentence fragments and run-on "sentences". I learned it was bad form, if not poor grammar to begin a sentence with the word "And". I was also confused at some points while trying to follow the story line: Mary skipped the family Thanksgiving for a warm weather trip South...but later in the story, she claims to have visited her aging grandmother in upstate New York over that same Thanksgiving? Maybe I'm reading too literally. I greatly admire her spirit of adventure and her courage in sharing her emotional life with us. I'm left wondering, though: what if Lars had invited her to sail to Europe? Would she have accepted that challenge/invitation?



3. This was a terrific book on many levels and while I
   would not hesitate to recommend it, parts offended me.
   Why was it necessary to contaminate its freshness with
   your politics? Why the references to NPR and the usual
   knee jerk reactions to Bush and the war on terrorism?
   I think it'd have been suffice to just reveal that you
   are a liberal Democrat. No problem there but why date
   this memoir with your preferences and, it appears,
   your PC prejudices? I really didn't need that to enjoy your
   seafaring midlife adventures. Take care of your doggies!



4. The Cure for Anything Is Salt Water: How I Threw My Life Overboard and Found Happiness at Sea
   
   As a reader whose only experience with boats is a few crossings on the Staten Island Ferry, I still found myself hooked from the beginning of THE CURE FOR ANYTHING IS SALT WATER. Not only because it is a very funny book and a great story about leaving corporate life for the sea, but also because of the sharp reflections on the impermanent yet invaluable aspects of life and relationships.
   
   Helen Ward, Brooklyn, NY



5. Perhaps I should have done more homework. The book I read wasn't exactly the book that I thought I had bought. The subtitle, "How I Threw My Life Overboard and Found Happiness at Sea" gives a pretty good clue, though. There are essentially two parts to this book. The first is the story of a woman who experiences a mid-life crisis at work and in relationships, and goes forth to seek true happiness. The second is the story of this same woman looking for that happiness in buying a boat and going to sea. I had thought the book was really more the latter, but the story turns out to be more the former.
   
   THE CURE FOR ANYTHING IS SALT WATER is competently written, as one should expect from a former book editor. The book is interesting, and the story told without artifice. When Mary South tells of her sudden, almost irrational interest in boats while living well inland in Pennsylvania, her experience will strike a chord with every boatstruck reader. But South's book is not likely to meet the needs of the boat or sailing enthusiast. It's not that she doesn't take her newfound interest seriously--nobody who quits her job and sells her house to buy a boat should be regarded as simply a dilettante (even if she doesn't take traditional methods of navigation seriously)--it's just that she doesn't write about boating with much passion beyond her love for her particular boat. What should be the centerpiece of the book, her voyage up the Eastern Seaboard, is reduced to a series of good days, bad weather, mishaps, bars, and some occasional local color. When it comes to boating, her prose fails to capture the poetry of the experience.
   
   The reader learns that the real point of this book is to describe Mary South's midlife crisis, in particular, her losing interest in her career as a book editor and her being troubled by a lack of permanence in her intimate relationships. This in itself might be the clay from which a story might be shaped, but the effort falls short, clodlike. South, despite her humorous turns, tends towards the ad hominem comment: "My boss was a micromanager with an imagination that was significantly smaller than the stick up her butt" (p. 5). A Christian school administrator of the boating school South attends makes her wonder "what kind of crackpot school I had committed myself to"; this is followed by a rather poor joke on theodicy (p. 35). A boating classmate is described as a very intelligent guy "though a smart Republican is an oxymoronic concept to me" (p. 56). When an elderly couple out rowing express concern for the author's dogs, they are disdainfully dismissed as "Biff" and "Muffy" (p. 176). South's tendency towards personal attack, combined with her refrain of seeking isolation on her boat, leads one to think she's a misanthrope. But here's the thing: I don't think she is; she just gravitates to ridicule as a literary tool of humor. However you slice it, though, it's not very appealing.
   
   In the last part of the book, South, who describes herself as a lesbian, discusses her surprising affair with a man. Her boat at this point is but a piece of inconvenient furniture. You may, like me, find yourself at this point happy that your voyage with South is nearly over.

5 comments about Put On A Happy Face: A Broadway Memoir - Charles Strouse.

1. Strouse is one of the most underrated composers of the American musical theatre. This is mostly due to the large number of failures he has been associated with. After reading his revealing memoir, it is easy to see why that happened. Strouse is singularly lacking in self esteem, and has been far too easily led, nor has he stood up for himself properly. This is a shame, because he wrote some of the best scores of the late twentieth century, including his masterpiece "Rags," a show that seems certain to be rediscovered one day and take it's place among the great ones.
   
   Strouse promised a lot of "dirt" in this book, but I can't say it really delivers in that regard. Other than revealing that Arthur Laurents is an egomaniacal bastard (hardly a news flash) and that Strouse and Adams made a contribution to the development of "Hello, Dolly!," there isn't anything much along those lines.
   
   One thing that emerges that is sort of surprising is how many close friends of Strouse's are gay; to the extent that it comes as a shock that he isn't gay himself! It is a testament to his open, accepting spirit.
   
   It becomes very clear by book's end that Strouse suffers from chronic depression. One wonders why he isn't on medication for it. His creative output, despite that, is astounding.
   
   I would have enjoyed more about Strouse's creative process, his aesthetic tastes, his opinions of the work of his contemporaries, and so on. The personal details are interesting, but after all, it is their work that fascinates us about these geniuses.



2. A fascinating autobiography of a genuinely 'nice' gentleman. Too often Strouse is left out in the panoply of great Broadway composers. As a (former) HS musical director, I conducted Annie, with with my staff on Birdie and the quality of the scores is beyond reproach. I remember the original Applause on Broadway; it's still one of my favorite scores. I enjoyed the 'backstage' chit-chat between producers, directors, and choreographers. It would have been wonderful to be a fly on the wall. My only disappointment is that I wanted to know how Lee Adams felt when Charles began collaborating with other lyricists. Highly recommended and a fast read!



3. What sets this autobiography of the great Broadway composer Charles Strouse apart from other "and then I wrote" memoirs, is that although Mr. Strouse gives plenty of fascinating info on the what, who and where of his career, his main focus is on how it felt to create those shows, work with those people, and live that life. So the reader is drawn in and effortlessly identifies with him, coming away with the experience of a life lived in musical theatre. The only curious element is that, although his portraits of famous collaborators like Arthur Laurents, Alan Jay Lerner and Sammy Davis, Jr. are quite vivid, we are left with only a shadowy outline of Lee Adams, who wrote the lyrics to many of his most famous shows, such as "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Applause."



4. A truly enjoyable and quick read. Many insights are offered into the world of Broadway musicals. Strouse reveals several things about himself that are very interesting. Some Broadway writers,producers, etc. really come off as horse's a---s. Like the bit where he ways he has made more money than he can spend. Was sorry that it wasn't longer!



5. A must-read for all fans of musical theatre, this heart-warming candid and funny autobiography provides a fascinating look into the world of showbusiness. Charles Strouse writes candidly about his ups-and-downs in showbusiness, the nagging insecurities that have followed him throughout his career and of course provides juicy tidbits about Teresa Stratas, Arthur Laurents, Leondard Bernstein and more.

5 comments about China Ghosts: My Daughter's Journey to America, My Passage to Fatherhood.

1. ­Gammage's vast experience as a newspaper reporter comes through with details facts along with the benefits of his feelings. However, he often seems to be using the writing as a therapy session to deal with some of his issues with adoption (his ghosts), China the USA, and religion. Because of this, the books seemed disjointed; a difficult style of story-telling to follow.



2. As a father of an adopted daughter from China, I was looking forward to the author's views on his experience. The book does contain some keen observations, and a few interesting and emotional perspectives, but overall I felt the tone too cynical. Too often his expressions of the incredible love and joy of fatherhood were overshadowed by his pessimistic views on Chinese culture and government, his critical assessment of an individual's motives, and his personal insecurities. Perhaps his newspaper journalism background contributes to this distrustful viewpoint, but it detracts from enjoyment of the book.
   As the author himself writes, his wife and daughter look to the bright sunny days of tomorrow, whereas he has a tendency to dwell on the dark days of the past. That accurately sums up the tone of the book as well.



3. Jeff Gammage speaks of his newly adopted daughters with an honest clarity and loyal devotion. Refreshing and insighful testimony from a father's perspective on falling in love with parenthood. With extensive research and historical facts on Chinese history and culture throughout the book, it is a must read for every new parent waiting to adopt from China! As a mother to 7 children, 5 through foreign adoption, and an adoption website owner, and moderator of a military adoption support group, I found Jeff Gammage's book to be a light of hope and truth for the orphan child.
   Barbara Burke
   www.adoptionfamily.org



4. I am in the process of adopting a child from China and this book touched my every emotion...happiness, sadness, anger, and frustration. Jeff was able to capture all facets of the human emotion and provided poignant points and truth to an adoption journey. I didn't want to put the book down and found myself thinking about even when I wasn't reading it. Jeff's words permanently pressed against my mind, heart and soul. Jeff wrote with such compelling imagery that I felt like I was on the journey with them. This book is remarkable and I would recommended it to anyone.



5. From the first chapter I felt as though I was with The Gammage family on their journey. I myslef am an adoptive parent of a darling little girl from Chongqing and have been home 9 months. It brought back vivid memories and feelings I had gone through on our trip. I was smiling and crying all the way through the book. This is a must read for anyone who is thinking about or who has adopted a child. Jeff Gamage captured the feeling and emotions that all of us experience on our journey to parenthood. Bravo!

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