5 comments about After Midnight: The Life and Death of Brad Davis.

1. This is a difficult book to read, not because of how it is written but because of how painful it is. To those that argue that this is not a biography, the author states at the beginning that it is not a biography but a memoir through her eyes of her husband Brad Davis covering the years that they were together. A true biography of Brad Davis has yet to be written. That said, I was glad that I read it. One criticism that I have is that I did not get a good sense of what Brad Davis was like before he was clean and knew that he was positive. It was only then that he came alive as a person for me. I realize that before he got off alcohol and drugs that his life & the life of his family was in constant turmoil, but I really would have liked to have had a clearer picture of Brad and not the state of his addiction. I would have loved to have had a better sense of all the wonderful and unique things about him that made her fall in love with him. I am in awe that no matter how unfaithful he was to her, he was nothing but loyal and absolutely committed to her. People confuse faithfulness and loyalty, but here is a prime example of how they are not the same thing. I am sorry that Midnight Express became an albatross around Brad Davis's neck because it was the most powerful performance. To see him in that is to remember him forever. Finally, I must say that I appreciated all the info regarding all the Hollywood & New York performers, agents, etc. of the time. Maybe others know all about who was doing what then, but I sure don't. It helped place things for me. I am about to start reading a biography of someone supposedly very important in the theatre world that I have never heard of & I certainly hope that the writer gives enough information that I have some perspective. Otherwise, it will be like reading a novel written in a biography form.



2. The movie, Midnight Express is my all time favorite movie. Brad Davis' performance was electrifying! The book was well written by his wife. I work in the mental health field and witness similar tragedies as Mr. Davis' every day. From drug and alcohol abuse to sexual abuse and self mutilation. How heart breaking a life this man had. He had to sleep with his mother till the age of 16. No human being can ever come out of such an experience and not be traumatized. He was turning his life when he was diagnosed with HIV. I often think of what he could have done with his career had he bbeen aloud to live longer? Hopefully he is in a better place now then when he was alive!



3. This is a book that is interesting and compelling, even heartbreaking at times, and since the only people who would be buying this book are more than likely fans of Brad Davis or of Midnight Express, it's worth reading.
   
   But the key words of that last sentence are "at times." Those who previously used the word "annoying" to describe this book are right. To get to the moving moments, one must bear with Susan Bluestein Davis, who is so self-absorbed and, well, annoying, that it's hard to get through the book. For example, the first three chapters are filled with her listing every famous person she or Brad has ever met or whom Brad has been compared to. It's frustrating. I expected to be reading about Brad Davis, but the book is more to be about Brad Davis in relation to her. What seems to have kept their relationship alive is the deep denial Bluestein was/is living with, which kept her so dedicated to him, while in return he gave her "the best sex [she] ever had in her life." And that's it. Davis treated Bluestein so badly-he treated everyone very badly, but especially her. Then again, she found ways to justify his behavior. She stood by him through everything, but only by avoiding as much of the truth as possible. It's hard to criticize someone who has been through so much.
   
   I would have rather read a biography of Davis written by someone else. His widow may be the best source, and she did promise him to write the book, but her narrative takes away from what could have been a much more powerful book.



4. This week I picked up 'After Midnight' at the library, and read it in less than 24 hours. It was riveting, poignant, honest (from Susan's standpoint), sad, horrific, very darky comical, and ultimately redeeming. Irony of ironies, I finished it yesterday, September 8th, the 13th anniversary of Brad's death. I wasn't even aware of what day it was. As for what Susan wrote, she wrote it from her point of view, and she knew things about Brad and had experiences with him that others didn't know about. Just as others knew things about him and had experiences with him that she didn't know about and still doesn't. So, it isn't fair to judge her and say 'Oh, she was just in denial'; maybe she was/is, but that isn't the point. She was trying to write the history about a relationship of a man and a woman over a roughly 20 year time span. Hopefully, one of these days, more people will come forward, and we will be told their true stories about Brad as well, in order to better understand him.



5. I was extremely disappointed with "After Midnight". The author, his widow, has written the book from her own life's perspective, and there is sadly little about the true Brad Davis. His homosexuality, or perhaps bisexuality, is mentioned only in passing, and anyone in New York or Hollywood that knew him will tell you that this was a huge part of his life. I guess a book written by his wife can't be expected to delve too deeply into this area, but even other interesting details - his drug addiction, his acting technique, etc. are only minimally suggested here. I wanted to put the book down after two chapters, but kept waiting for it to get interesting. I suggest the publishers retitle the book "My Life with Brad Davis - The Saga Of A Wife Kept In The Dark", or something similar, to indicate to readers that this book is about Susan Bluestein, and tells very little about Brad.

No comments about The Demon Under the Microscope: From Battlefield Hospitals to Nazis Labs, One Doctor's Heroic Search for the World's First Miracle Drug.

5 comments about My Joy, My Sorrow: Karen Ann's Mother Remembers.

1. This book needed to be written. As a bereaved parent myself, I understand the importance of wanting to keep the memory of a dead child/children alive. Julia Quinlan's willingness to re-live the painful memories of her child's suffering and ultimate death show remarkable courage. She is indeed a very courageous woman. Her appeal to the younger generation of the consequences of dugs mised with alcohol is vital information. However, what comes through more in this book is the care-giving provided during Karen-Anne's (and her family's) ordeal. I admire Julia's honesty and her credibility in writing this book. She deserves to be heard!



2. I am trying not to be biased, since I am a volunteer for the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice. The book is so wonderful in that it is such a sad story, yet told without self-pity. With all Mrs. Quinlan has accomplished, it is hard to imagine the agony she has suffered. And all the good that came out of it. A beautiful book.



3. An amazing book in which Julia Quinlan tells her life story and the circumstances of the famous Karen An Quinlan case. Mrs. Quinlan explains that her deep faith and family values help her cope with this tragedy, which is any parent's worst nightmare.
   
   That she is able to retain her faith and love of God is a miracle.
   
   A quick read.



4. This is a beautifully written book about a family of seemingly ordinary people who, each in their own way, proved to be great human beings.
   They were thrust into an incredible nightmare when their Karen Ann went into an irreversible coma.
   The family's only concerns were to do what they thought was right and what they knew Karen Ann would have wanted them to do. Their struggle to follow through on their beliefs and Karen's wishes changed the world.
   People are known by the company they keep. We are fortunate that this deeply personal book allows us to keep the company of Julia Quinlan.
   Thank you Julia, for this wonderful gift.



5. Anyone who has, is, or might be involved in making " Life and Death " decisions for a loved one needs to read this book.

5 comments about Mainstay: For the Well Spouse of the Critically Ill.

1. I was moved by and influenced to write When The Man You Love Is Ill after reading Maggie Strong's heartfelt book. I was deeply touched by her personal story and wanted others to have a book that complemented the personal with the general.
   I still think Mainstay touches the heart of all who have been through the experience of being a caregiver. Five stars



2. Maggie Strong has written a hands-on book for those who are living with a chronically ill spouse or partner. She speaks from her own personal experience and shares the stories that other caregivers have told her. Strong was the first one to write a book that 'tells it like it is." Her writing brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion because I thought my experiences with an ill husband were unique. This book showed me that I was not alone, where to turn for help in finding support groups, how to handle difficult family situations, and most importantly, gave me hope that I could carry on. Being a caregiver is a very lonely existence...most of the attention focuses on the person who is ill. However, illness impacts the entire family. The healthy or well spouse should not be an invisible part of the equation. Brava to Maggie Strong for her courage and for leading the way on this important topic.



3. When my husband was diagnosed with a chronic illness in 1992, I was totally unprepared for the major lifestyle changes that it brought about, even though I am a nurse. When I found "Mainstay", it was as though I was no longer alone. There was someone who not only understood but who was able to clearly articulate the experience. The illness and the circumstances were different but the feelings were so similar. The book also gives realistic and practical ways to survive as a well spouse. However, for me, the best part was that the book led to an ongoing organization, the Well Spouse Foundation, that continues to provide support, education, and hope to many well spouses.



4. For anyone who is living through the challenges of caring for a loved one who is chronically ill, this is a voice of sense and compassion, spoken by one who obviously knows what she's talking about from first-hand experience. Maggie Strong explores every aspect of the experience, from the first dreadful diagnosis of her mate's emerging disease to the social and emotional changes that inevitably wash over the family's daily routines. And while she never glosses over the terrible toll such an experience can take on every member of the family, she also offers plenty of affirming information on what caregivers can do to save themselves while negotiating these difficult waters. I can't recommend this book enough. Short of knowing Maggie Strong personally, I can't imagine having a better companion for the journey my husband and I must travel. The book has literally saved my life! Thank you, Maggie.



5. This is a rare thing--a practical, down-to-earth guide that's also very personal and written with the power of a good novel. As the wife of a chronically ill husband, Maggie Strong is honest about her husband's long illness and how it has altered their marriage and their family, and about the feelings all caregivers have: the love, the despair, the humor, the determination to go on and transcend enormous problems. There is nothing depressing here, but no Pollyanna either. You'll also learn about insurance, disability checks, dealing with doctors, asking for help, and scores of other ways to manage. You'll learn about a great support group. This voice will stay with you.

3 comments about The Desire to Heal: A Doctor's Education in Empathy, Identity, and Poetry.

1. I almost didn't read this book. I was expecting a discourse on the healing power of the creative arts as an alternative therapy in medicine. Campo may write about that elsewhere, but not here. If anything, the book concerns the power of poetry for the physician in need of healing.

   Campo's book is part memoir, part polemic. Chiefly, it recounts his struggles to forge a single identiy as doctor, poet, Latino, and gay man. He articulates with considerable and painful clarity the many ways in which these separate identities have been in conflict. They seem finally to come together in his role as a physician to AIDS patients. But even in that there is conflict, both with the devastating nature of the disease and the efforts of managed health care to diminish his best efforts to fulfill his calling as a doctor.

   As memoir, his book retraces the steps of his life journey into his profession (at the time of the book's writing he is still a young doctor, in his early 30s). We meet his Cuban-American parents, learn of his middle class suburban background, and hear of his struggles of sexual identity, which produce in him intense shame, anger and fear. We follow him to Amherst, where he meets and falls in love with a fellow med student who becomes his life partner, and from there to residency in UCSF hospital in San Francisco. He describes his bout with suspected cancer, discovered after a skiing accident. And he tells of a patient, Gary, dying of AIDS, who teaches him much about being both a doctor and a poet.

   As polemic, his book argues against homophobia (even as he overcomes it in himself) and its contribution to the continuing health crisis for gay men. He argues that the catch phrase "safe sex" diminishes the fragile self-esteem and challenges the identities of gay men. He argues that modern medicine, with its reliance on technology and pharmaceuticals and insistence on professional objectivity, robs young doctors of the compassion, empathy, and desire that drew them into the profession in the first place -- and thus makes them less effective in the delivery of health care. And he argues for the legitimacy of poetry as both a practice and a guiding metaphor for the role of physician. He notes that poetry and healing are both arts; one informs and supports the other.

   I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the practice of modern medicine, the training and self-education of physicians, and journeys of self-discovery. It is especially affirming in its embrace of same-sex affection, love, and passion. As companion volumes, I recommend two other books: Richard Rodriguez' memoir "Hunger of Memory" and Abraham Verghese's account of his experience as an AIDS doctor, "My Own Country."




2. Eloquent, honest, beautiful. It's obvious Campo is a poet at heart, and that he brings his poet's sensibility to his life as a physician. Although the details of this book are personal and particular (his Cuban heritage, life as a gay man, experiences caring for AIDS patients at the height of the epidemic), Campo's observations are universal.



3. As a pre-med student, this book caught my interest because of its focus on the side of medicine that is internal to the physician: the medicine that works in a physician's heart and mind. Campo gives a poetic and well-constructed testimony of his struggles and triumphs in reconciling his personality with the world around him and the difference between simply wanting to practice medicine and having a "desire to heal." I definitely recommend this to anyone with an intense desire to see the humanity of a field that is so often seen as something sterile and impersonal.

No comments about Nothing Short of a Miracle: One Woman's Journey Through Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Fibromyalgia Chiari Malformation.

3 comments about When Bull Elephants Fight: an American Surgeon's Chronicle of Congo.

1. Roger Youmans is a man who puts action to his convictions. From being the first white college student to join a black fraternity in the 1950's to his several mission trips to Congo, Youmans acted upon his understanding, compassion and faith. When approached about the mission trip to Congo, he says the question in his mind changed from "Why would any American doctor want to go to Congo and get into that mess?" to "How would we go about doing it?" Totally unprepared in his own eyes, he found a way. He departed for Congo on his first missionary trip before the end of his internship. He and his wife, Winkie, launched an adventure with little preparation, little knowledge of the language and with two very young daughters. The story of the family's life in a very different cuture, his own frustration with the deficiencies of the Congo medical system and the perseverance of the Youmans family cause one to assess one's own faith. It is a challenge to compare the sacrifice of the Youmans' and the poverty of the people of Congo with our own comfort and affluence. It raises the questions, "Where is the 'grass being trampled (the people suffering) within my reach?" and "How shall I respond?"



2. This is a beautiful story that should be read by everyone who loves Africa. It tells of a young couple's willingness to sacrifice a comfortable life in America to bring quality medical care and loving service in a remote, primitive setting. It will challenge you to examine your own values in a demanding secular world.



3. I loved this book! Although it was a memoir of events beginning 50 years ago, the personal, humane writing style made it all seem so very current. After all, racism in this country and horribly ignored problems in Africa are all too current today. Roger Youmans' good heart, medical talents and progressive attitudes are heroic, but he relates the events humbly and simply, but never condescendingly. That it was written by a missionary at first worried me that the book would be "preachy." Absolutely not. Faith and religion are on the sidelines of this family's bravery and struggles, nevertheless guiding them and providing them with what it takes to immerse themselves into a very foreign culture and embrace its problems and needs with open, trusting hearts. Read this book to not only learn about Africa, but how a human being lives in the world honestly, confronting racism personally--not politically.

1 comments about Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: The Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience.

1. If you are interested in understanding the stories of personal transformation of men and women who are fighting for justice in Israel and Palestine, this is the book for you. Dr. Rothchild shares her own personal journey as an American Jew who was raised to support Israel, but learned firsthand from working with peace activists in the US and in Palestine and Israel that the Palestinian narrative is powerful and transforming. Dr. Rothchild reports facts on the ground with insightful accuracy and in enlightening detail. If you keep an open mind, you too may find yourself challenging old assumptions and looking for new answers.

No comments about Sisters in Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story.

5 comments about Bald in the Land of Big Hair: A True Story.

1. Perhaps I'm just very sensitive to the topic of cancer and general, and despite the fact I realize humor has it's place in cancer treatment, as well as treatment of the whole person, I did find offense to a few aspects of this book. The author obviously has dealt with this trial first hand and knows the importance of tactfulness in such situations, however I felt saddened by it at times and wonder if it would also sadden a newly diagnosed cancer victim.
   
   I would recommend this book for someone that has a good support group, knows the monster they are dealing with, and is strong enough and ready for humor.



2. Rodgers writes this book from a Christian perspective, but as a Christian I was offended by the language and explicit nature of this book. She explains love making early in her chemotherapy treatment, and discusses the smell and taste of body fluids in explicit detail. This part was at the beginning portion of the book; I finished the book, and found this to be the most offensive bit. Negative attitude and raw language were scattered throughout, however.
   
   This being said, Rodger's story is an honest, provoking one. Her story is interesting and useful. The reader just needs to understand that, as a Christian book, this has some very offensive, unnecessary language.



3. This is one of the best books I have read lately. It's definitely not a cancer-as-slapstick memoir. Joni Rodgers got horribly sick, could have died, and she pulls no punches as this book surveys the physical, emotional and financial wreckage.
   
   Yet she weaves laugh-out-loud passages into her story, which also resonates with tough spirituality, honest frustrations and fears, and love. Lots of love.
   
   I'm buying an extra copy, to pass along when I think someone could benefit from reading it. I want to hang on to a copy, though. There are things I can learn from reading it again. Things I wish I wouldn't need to think about, but for the sad fact that someone I know is likely to be diagnosed with cancer in the future. Maybe with Joni Rodgers' book under my belt I can feel less helpless and find something useful to do for them.



4. I read this book because I asked my fiance to bring me any book from the library and he picked this one because he thought I'd like it...and the reality is that YES I DID LIKE IT.
   
   "Bald in the land of big hair" is a very very good, inspiring and hilarious book. The mix is just perfect.
   
   Joni Rodgers tells us about her life and the huge impact on her life when she discovered she had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This book really touched me in many ways...I never thought someone could find a way to write about the combination of tragedy and humor like Rodgers did...she just makes us see her journey thorugh cancer and how she survived it.
   
   We all know (or at least have a idea) of how horrible chemo is.....Although nobody knows its effects that well as someone who has been through it...but at least we heard horrible things and Joni just found a way to express us how she suffered but in a sarcastic-funny way...which takes a lot of courage..especially when you talk about something as scary as having cancer.
   
   Joni Rodgers also tells us about the conflicts with her kids...the way they reacted toward their mom's condition; the feeling of being a bald woman that screams out cancer; the mental and physical strugle, the relationship with her husband, etc.
   
   This is a great book. I REALLY recommend it. This book has a meaning for cancer survivors, cancer victims and those who suffer with someone close who has cancer...my grandma has cancer but she chose not to have chemo because of the scary effects of it...
   
   Anyway get Bald in the land of big hair...even if you are neither of the people I said...get this book...it gives you a insight into what cancer victims deal with.
   
   vgxoxo@hotmail.com



5. It's been five years this month (Feb 2006) since BLBH was published, and I still get email from readers every week. Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to post a review or drop me a line! Hope I get a chance to meet and greet many of you as I tour with my new novel, THE SECRET SISTERS. Be well, be joyful. ~ Joni