3 comments about Born Jewish: A Childhood in Occupied Europe.

1. This is a spellbinding account of a Jewish teenager in Belgium, during the war. The second of four boys in a loving Jewish family in Brussels, Liebman gives density and texture to the anxieties, terrors, and perils of life under the Nazis. Always on the run, sometimes together, sometimes apart, Liebman is a superb observer of the venalities and kindnesses that accompany him through these tragic days. It is also a compelling coming of age story. All except the last chapter, which takes advantage of his survivor's status to mount a soap box against racism, with a special target being Zionism (hence Jacqueline Rose's breathless intro). Even aside from its polemics, the chapter feels like it is tacked on to what is otherwise a superb addition to Holocaust memoirs.



2. Born Jewish: A Childhood In Occupied Europe by graphically authored by Marcel Liebman and deftly translated by Liz Heron is a vivid memoir of one man's childhood tale of Nazi control, familial struggle, and the betrayal he faced from more powerful Jews in times already hard. As a revealing and historically important biographical account of international history during the second world war, Born Jewish is an invaluable documentation which is very highly recommended for historians and laymen alike, as each and all may take some interest and understanding in this book. Born Jewish is a compelling and valued addition to the growing library of Holocaust literature so fundamentally necessary if the world is never again to experience genocide on such a massive and methodical scale.



3. The holocaust is a "popular" topic. I don't mean that in the positive sense, but in the publishing sense. Much has been published on the holocaust, Nazi occupation and the party Hitler hosted. History demands that people write it and people demand to hear "the truth" about the past. "Born Jewish" offers something different, something that isn't necessarily in demand, but is neccessary for the canon of work on the war and aftermath of the holocaust.
   Marcel Liebman, for anyone unfamiliar with his other work, is a reknowned Marxist/Leninist/Soviet Union historian and historical analysist. This is clearly, his most personal work, but he does not leave his politics or his academic work at the door. "Born Jewish", as he says, "questions history", not in the sense of the accuracy of the event(Liebman writes how dismayed he is that the world did not fully accept Hannah Arendt's accounts of Jewish collaboration with the Nazi's as having actually happened.) but in the sense of the accuracy of historical accounts of it.
   The new perspective Liebman adds is one often obscured by accounts of Nazi occupation and anti-semitism: that class conflict did not dissolve the day the swastika was raised over Europe's cities. In fact, the Nazi's capitalized on the class difference amongst Jewish populations. For Liebman, the horror of his brother's execution at Auschwitz is intimantly connected with the horrors of exploitation and collaboration within the Jewish community.
   Liebman composes his memories carefully and beautifully, resisting sacrilization of experiences he realizes must answer to history as much as to his own heart, and criticizing the radical Zionism that he was to see flourish during his lifetime.
   The incredible forward by Jacqueline Rose is a great appetite whetter for the book. She sums up the book far better than I ever could: "Amongst other things, this memoir stands as an extraordinary rejoinder to those who insist that Israel is the only and definitive answer to the genocide of the Jews...It is one of the strenghts of [the memoir] that Liebman can be so unerring in this analysis while at the same time acknowledging the point where understanding trails off into uncomprehending terror, where the most painful part of mourning trumps all rational thought."
   I highly reccommend this book for anyone who was interested in the slough of memoirs on the subject. It should be read alongside Judith Butler's new book on mourning, violence, 9/11, anti-semitism and the Israel-Palestinian conflict, "Precarious Life".

1 comments about Milk Horses: A Memoir.

1. While Milk Horses is first and foremost a memoir, it is also the tale of a writer who knew she wanted to be a writer at an early age. She struggled to do so with little encouragement and with scant mentors who, on the surface, could hardly be called champions. Miss Gostelow, Newth's piano teacher, was one such mentor. True to the humanity evident throughout the memoir Newth, however, saw Miss Gostelow as a "person of strength." The final chapters answer the questions posed in the beginning of the memoir: Where is the young author going and how is she going to get there?

1 comments about Giving Up Stealing ... for Lent!.

1. Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (5/06)
   
   The youngest of eleven children Charles Madden has recorded family stories handed down through the years. Some happened even before his birth. Other incidents are from his early childhood, his teens, and later years. His parents lived out a genuine faith in God. The love demonstrated toward each other throughout their lifetime is another precious heritage they left their family. These themes are carried throughout the numerous antidotes and memories Brother Charles shared in his narrative.
   
   Two examples of this love are included in a postscript to the recorded stories. At his brother John's wedding as his parents were being escorted down the aisle before Mass, someone commented, "Look, that's the groom's parents; they've been married thirty-five years and they're still holding hands."
   
   After the death of his father his mother in her first moments of grief said, "Fifty-six years and it's over already...fifty-six years and it's over already..."
   
   The stories are not in any chronological order but tend to move from one topic to another as a new memory along the same subject matter came to mind. Brother Charles often reveals his tongue in cheek humor as he delivers a punch line or surprise ending to one of his tales.
   
   Aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends all play a part in the memoirs of this very real family.
   Madden has captured a view into the virtues and vices, the joys and grief experienced in his family. He expressed it this way: "The family is the first school of love.
   
   Although these delightful vignettes were written for the author's family, the book will be enjoyed by every Catholic parishioner, especially those in the city of Baltimore. The stories also have a more universal appeal. I highly recommend the book to the many readers who have come from larger families, or have experienced the benefit of incorporating extended family into their everyday lives.
   
   This is a delightful enjoyable book.

5 comments about Dreaming of Columbus : A Boyhood in the Bronx.

1. A friend of mine from the Bronx told me about this book, and I'm glad she did. This if a beautifully written story that gets at the truth of both the time and the heart. The Bronx is a place that seems mythic and all too real to me and this writer keeps both of those images alive.



2. I loved this book. It gave a shape to Pearson's life and let me understand that there is a shape to all of our lives. It's just up to us to find the meaning that is there for us notice.



3. For me Dreaming of Columbus read more like a novel than a memoir. I mean that as a compliment to the writer. The story had the feel of fiction to it, as if you could see inside the characters lives and enter the story for a while. I loved it.



4. Michael Pearson has the right idea, but the ideas that are gathered into the book are a little disjointed and fractured. If he could smooth out the stories so that blend one into the other, the entire book would read better.
   On the positive note, Dreaming of Columbus would definitely stir memories of the neighborhood for those growing up in that part of New York. He does have some descriptive stories of people, places and landmarks in the book that are entertainingly delightful.
   If you are a Bronx native, I would recommend this book so you can remember things you may never see again.



5. Despite the images of sea voyages inspired by its title, Dreaming of Columbus is not the story of a young man spending his salad days in exotic, foreign settings. Instead, Michael Pearson takes the road less traveled and keeps his story closer to home. The reader looking for journeys will not be disappointed, however, in the imaginative way the Pearson uses literature to break away from the confines of the Bronx and the unpredictable, bourbon induced, violent outbursts produce by his father's rage to live. Although Pearson engages in excessive epigraph dropping, the means by which literature provides an avenue for escape adds a universal element to his narrative from which we call all learn something about the art of bridge building.

5 comments about Livin PO in Sandbed Hell.

1. Gordon Long's "Livin Po in Sandbed Hell" does for Georgia's flatland poor what the hugely popular Foxfire series did for north Georgia Mountain folk. He puts Girard, Georgia on the map with stories that will be laughed at for generations to come.
   
   Structured as a well-written and incredibly funny memoir--which it is--Long's book also serves as an overview of Georgia farm life during the 1940s and 1950s not depicted anywhere else.
   
   Gordon Long is a masterful story-teller. Readers will quickly have a sense of sitting on a front porch with a gifted and remarkable man. He tells his stories with just the right dose of humor as he describes the farm life of his youth.
   
   These tales range from blowing up stumps with dynamite to the perils of using a two-man crosscut saw; then offers details of: mule psychology and "motivation" needed to plow the fields; the ritual of hog-killing for meat, sausage and crackling; milking cows; quail hunting and country dogs; country privies; hunting and fishing trips that bonded families and communities; efforts to save the farm from foreclosure; "dirt farming" for cotton, peanuts, peas and corn; country meals and how food was stored and cooked.
   
   The closing chapters offer a remarkable story how Long, as a young man worked hard to gain a public education to qualify him for entrance into college; attending rural church services, revival meetings and "dinner on the grounds"; wakes and funerals; and, a memorable 4-H camp.
   
   This is a candid, funny and thoroughly enjoyable memoir that will serve as a wonderful education for city-folks who are interested in the skills, traditions, and daily life of Georgia farm life.
   
   Long went on from Girard, Georgia to earn his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, and his master's and doctorate in Business Administration. He then worked for years in corporate boardrooms, later to bring his skills and experience to Georgia College & State University where he was one of the most dynamic and respected faculty in that University's College Business.



2. I finished the book on a trip that I had to go on to Chicago. I know the people on the aircraft thought I had lost it. I have not enjoyed a book that much in a long time. I guess it could have something to do with knowing the guy that wrote it. I thought of my dad telling me about many of the things you talked about in the book. I can see you pulling some of the pranks and I can better understand why you dressed me down for not giving a test I made a 92 on a better effort. I will never forget you telling me that my southern roots would be both a hindrance and a help. I am now using them to be a positive.

   Thanks for all the fun reading this great book.

   Ed




3. LIVIN PO is an excellent and accurately descriptive book about life in the south during and shortly after the depression. Dr. Long's book brings back many vivid memories of that era. I enjoyed reading the true story of his family and I am thankful that circumstances have improved. H.Davis



4. Dr. Long's book should be read by all those who take our contemporary lifestyle for granted. Through his perseverance in working in union with family while suffering the indignities of poverty during the depression, he gives us a glimpse of the character of many of our ancestors which laid the basis for the strong values and motivation to succeed of the generation that followed. A well written and entertaining biography.



5. I really enjoyed this book, it is a real page turner, I learned a lot never realizing that so many people had such a hard life, and how far one can go with deterination.
   I feel this book is good for everyone to read and see how really easy we all have thing today.
   This book also shows there is no difference between the races when it comes to being PO.

1 comments about Memoir of Mary Ann.

1. This is an incredible true sweet tale of a little girl born with a physical disfiguration. Flannery O'Connor wrties a brilliant introduction and the story of this innocent little girl is irresistable.

1 comments about 2943: An Immigrant Girl's Childhood in St. Louis.

1. Great book. Paints such a vivid picture of her childhood. It helped me to relate to how life must have been like for my grandmother who was also a child of immigrants. I enjoyed the book very much. I hope there is a part two of her and her siblings' teen years.

5 comments about Only a Mother Could Love Him - My Story - How I lived with A.D.D. and Overcame It!.

1. Ben Polis set out to write a book that would help parents understand their ADHD children. In that regard, I feel he succeeded admirably. It certainly provides a lot of insight into the mind of kid who just can't control himself.
   
   I would absolutely recomment this book to parents who have a child that has, or may have, ADD/ADHD. I would also consider it a must-read for teachers and students aspiring to be teachers. The classroom is a really rough place for kids with ADD and there are too many teachers who'd rather ignore a trouble-maker than actually put the effort into helping them. I think this book might give them what they need to be more compassionate with children who need the attention.
   
   There are a lot of good ideas in this book for staving off temper-tantrums and explaining to the child how he is misbehaving.
   
   I addition to the advice and insight, it's a really touching story. You really get a sense of the sadness and confusion Ben went through, as well as the horror his parents felt on more than one occasion.
   
   The book would probably be great for someone in their teens or older who is living with ADD and wants to feel that they are not alone, or could benefit from his coping strategies.
   
   I do have a couple criticisms. First, it should be noted that while Ben grew up with ADHD, he is not an expert on the subject. His advice comes from personal experience, not research. His techniques, while probably very helpful, will not apply in all cases. There are also times in the book where he simply does not undertand what it is that he's talking about. He tries to talk about stuff that is beyond his own experience, and in a few cases he is not correct, or, for example, displays that he doesn't actually know what the word "symptom" means. The average person will probably not catch these mistakes, but they are there, and it should be remembered that he is not an expert.
   
   The other problem I had was that it was very male-centric. When giving advice he always refers to "your son". The book probably has little to offer parent of daughters with ADHD unless the daughter follows a pattern of symptoms more typical of a boy.
   
   Overall, the book really is excellent. It's a good read and I expect very helpful. But keep in mind, especially if you are a parent of a child with ADHD, that he not an authority.



2. This book is ok, but I found it hard to focus on Ben's story and experiences. I felt like I had ADHD (which I don't anymore)- with his disjointed story line and how it skips around, like reading a story written by a parrot on crystal meth. It was good though, and he is a pretty good author - I hardly found any spelling mistakes and it was over 100 pages.
   
   All round good book helpful for those seeking support through all of the issues ADHD sufferers experience. Good Work Ben!



3. I was at school with Ben Polis. He was a very naughty boy. We had lots of naughty boys at our school. When boys were naughty, us good boys would put them in a big blue junk jinker. Ben spent alot of time in the junk jinker. He behaved himself inside the junk jinker. That's how we triumphed over ADHD.



4. A long awaited book.My son is the same age as Ben and it's taken a long time for this condition to be recognised. At last a book that helps parents with school age children. A book that made me laugh and cry yet reassured me as a parent I'm not the only one going through this. I take my hat off to Ben for being able to write such a book to help others. Once I started reading I could not stop, in fact stayed up until 4.00am to read it all. A brilliant book with really good advice.



5. I really thought that this book is brilliant. My younger sister Isabelle, she is 9, has A.D.H.D and I never quite understood her. I have at many times told her that she was stupid and that I wished she was never born. She has put a large burden on our family in many ways, yet when I read this book it opended my eyes. It has taught me how to deal with Isabelle in a way that works best for her. I have tried to read books written by doctors and experts on the subject but those made me feel like she was even more "less normal" than I thought, and that I would never understand her. I am so thankful for this book and the opportunities it has opened up for Isabelle and me. I can finally see one of her crazy fits for what it really is, an expression of love.

5 comments about Living Crazy Like Fly.

1. In her book, Living Crazy Like Fly, author Caryn Suarez invites her readers to travel with her on a journey from the depths of depression to the euphoria of joy, and back again. Author Suarez's has done an able job as she writes of a young woman's daily trek from hell to heaven, from home to school.

   It takes courage for one to write of something so personal, so tragic. And yet Ms. Suarez has provided us an opportunity to explore, with her, the dark corners of that young woman's life and to see the skeletons in the closets of the place she called home for so many painful years.

   To you readers:I hope you plan on giving Ms. Suarez a chance to share with you the heart felt story of one woman's tragedy and triumph, of her heartbreak and joy, by buying a copy of this remarkable book.

   To Ms. Suarez: I hope you plan on sharing with us, in writing, more of your thoughts and stories.




2. After reading the book I realized that I was not alone. I think there are many others out there from the '70's who were in the same boat and did not have anyone to talk to about the abuse they were suffering at home. Like the author, we went to school to escape home life. I think it is a great book and that everyone should read this true to life story of survival. It lets you know there is still a chance for all of us to land on our feet.



3. Caryn has wrote a great but sometimes sad, sometimes happy book about growing up in the 70's. Though I am a personal friend of the author, I believe the reader will throughly enjoy this book and be able to relate to it from their own growing pains. We had lots of fun in that era and hope you will join the adventure. Just watch out for the holes in the ground :-)



4. I found Caryn Suarez' story captivating, a good read, and something I couldn't put down once I started reading. How easily we picture our friends and neighbors as 'typical,' and yet does anyone ever know what really goes on behind closed doors ? A book I recommend to anyone who wants to read about the hidden truths in small town USA.



5. Imagine going home from school, walking in your door and fearing for your life. Now, do that everday for about 15 years. Picture yourself walking into a room and looking down the barrel of a large caliber gun held by your father. The man who is supposed to protect his family and children, instead he is beating them until they can hardly move. This happened in my small town. It was in her household that this story takes place. Her home was her private hell. It was a place that was perfect; an "all American household" on the outside, but to the people who lived in the house it was the worst place on earth. However, her life was not totally miserable. The book tells of her high school activities, her friends and "ze Country Club". This was a club that she and her friends formed and it became a club much loved by most of the students. It was special because the leaders did not limit entrance by social status, money or age: they let you be a part of their lives if you were a good person and fun to be with. In my honest opinion, this book was the most depressing, happy, funny, disturbing and most heartfelt book that I have ever read. "Living Crazy Like Fly" is a book that EVERYBODY should read. It gives you strength to endure bad things; and it makes good things much better. It brings reality to life and makes the human heart a little bit kinder.

5 comments about The Ghost of Makara: Growing Up Down-Under in a Lost World of Yesteryears.

1. "I just finished The Ghosts of Makara. I think it should be required reading in every history class in New Zealand. It is an interesting account of time past; it is remarkable that you remembers your childhood so clearly. I enjoyed your aside about "Treasonably my Haitian-born wife suggested years later that New Zealanders didn't know how to season lamb and used mint sauce to hide the strong taste!" The pages about "the sudden sense of cold realism, the realization that life was not a game" really hits one with their own memories. And your feeling about the Pamir, "The magic of this windjammer, sails billowing in the trade winds still evokes that thrill more than 50 years later." Beautiful writing.

   Dr. Geraldine Bohning, former Prof, Barry University.
   Davie, Florida.




2. "I just finished The Ghosts of Makara. I think it should be required reading in every history class in New Zealand. It is an interesting account of time past; it is remarkable that you remembers your childhood so clearly. I enjoyed your aside about "Treasonably my Haitian-born wife suggested years later that New Zealanders didn't know how to season lamb and used mint sauce to hide the strong taste!" The pages about "the sudden sense of cold realism, the realization that life was not a game" really hits one with their own memories. And your feeling about the Pamir, "The magic of this windjammer, sails billowing in the trade winds still evokes that thrill more than 50 years later." Beautiful writing.



3. "I just finished The Ghosts of Makara. I think it should be required reading in every history class in New Zealand. It is an interesting account of time past; it is remarkable that you remembers your childhood so clearly. I enjoyed your aside about "Treasonably my Haitian-born wife suggested years later that New Zealanders didn't know how to season lamb and used mint sauce to hide the strong taste!" The pages about "the sudden sense of cold realism, the realization that life was not a game" really hits one with their own memories. And your feeling about the Pamir, "The magic of this windjammer, sails billowing in the trade winds still evokes that thrill more than 50 years later." Beautiful writing.



4. "I just finished The Ghosts of Makara. I think it should be required reading in every history class in New Zealand. It is an interesting account of time past; it is remarkable that you remembers your childhood so clearly. I enjoyed your aside about "Treasonably my Haitian-born wife suggested years later that New Zealanders didn't know how to season lamb and used mint sauce to hide the strong taste!" The pages about "the sudden sense of cold realism, the realization that life was not a game" really hits one with their own memories. And your feeling about the Pamir, "The magic of this windjammer, sails billowing in the trade winds still evokes that thrill more than 50 years later." Beautiful writing.



5. This book is easy to read and full of color. I have been to Makara and this vivid description of the Makara of yesteryear reads like a movie. I enjoyed it and felt that as I read, I could taste the nostalgic loss of a reality that in some ways was a paradise and in others must have been hell. Although the story takes place in a far away land this could have been anywhere in the world. I recommend this very personal family account, as the story could easily be yours or mine.