5 comments about Moving Target: A Memoir of Pursuit.

1. Moving Target succeeds in transforming what could be a pedestrian topic into a fascinating tale of discovery. Ron Arias manages masterfully to make the reader a committed member of the author's family and his relentless quest to uncover the truth.
   
   Arias accomplishes this considerable feat with an effective approach composed of painful candor, suspense and clean, compelling writing.



2. Moving Target was one of the best books I have read ever. It was a moving story of a family and the hunt for a father they knew or didn't know. I was jealous of the young mother, wishing she had been mine. Later on I was glad she wasn't! Her death was an enigma. Her writings were truly unbelievable and know that's where Ron got his talent for writing. I read this book several months ago and it took this time for me to write. It is tragically moving, poetic with an uncanny melodic verbage. The quest to find this father again took Ron to many places, winding up in of all places, California. The perseverance to not quit gave this reader a gut-wrenching mystery that kept me riveted to my seat. Once you start you cannot put it down. I will read this book again. I hope Ron continues to write as he haa a talent that needs shared with the world!



3. Moving Target, by Ron Arias, is the story of an American family, but not your typical next-door-neighbor kind of family. This is the story of a military family from the perspective of a sensitive, intelligent boy. While fellow army-brats will nod their heads in recognition as they read this memoir, most civilians would be astonished by the impact war and the warrior culture of discipline and rootlessness can have on a marriage and family.

   Once begun,this book is not easy to put down. It is a chronicle written in a clear, accessible style, and often reads like a mystery novel. It takes a trip through recent history, putting personal faces on the Korean Conflict and the Cold war. As the writer matures and explores his father's military career and his mother's aspirations and marriage, many questions emerge. I felt compelled to follow Mr. Arias on his search to find the "real" man who shaped his life. Both his parents are brought fully to life, and as a bonus, Mr. Arias shares his adventures as a journalist. It is a courageous, heartbreaking, intimate life story that I will not soon forget.




4. I made the mistake of starting to read "Moving Target" before going to bed one evening; at 3 am I was still unable to put this book down. It's the memoir of Ron Arias, a staff correspondent for People Magazine. It starts out as a biography of Arias' parents. His father, Armando, is being held as a POW in Korea. His mother holds the family together until Armando's return. But this happy event is soon overshadowed by many troubles; Armando is being discredited by the Army, his promotion to captain is delayed (is it because he's Hispanic?) And he's a changed man, brooding, a strict disciplinarian but now with an edge since his return from near-starvation and survival of a Korean POW camp. Ron and his brothers find the household tense and troubling after Armando returns.

   And there are more mysteries. Why does Ron's mother refuse to take communion at Sunday Mass? There is truth to be uncovered here, and Arias takes us on a young man's journey to find himself and his family.

   The memoir also shows us Arias' development as a writer, from a chance encounter with Hemingway in Pamplona, to a course in English literature in Argentina from a Professor Borges (yes, Jorge Luis Borges.) And in Argentina, Ron begins a career as a journalist. We follow Ron through a stint in Peru as a Peace Corps volunteer and watch how a young and talented journalist develops. But the story of his family and his identity is an equally compelling thread.

   This is probably one of the best memoirs I've read in years. The writing is crisp, the description of everyday details sharp and focused. Arias has the ability to go back and look out of the eyes of innocence and ignorance-we follow him along in the book as if we all were sent back in time in his life. If you liked "The Color of Water" or "Angela's Ashes" this book will resonate with you. You really should read it. I promise you won't be disappointed.




5. The author has captured the depth and spirit that keeps our POW's alive, knowing that we cannot forget them and the sacrifice that they have made for us. It does not matter if they are held three weeks or three years, we must keep them in our hearts, minds, and prayers. This book should be required reading by the Military and their families, and those that are quick to find fault with the men and women in uniform. I came away from each chapter as a member of the family and their ordeal after the war. We must remember that the families are just as much POW's!

No comments about After 86 Smith Street (Isis Reminiscence Series).

2 comments about Barefoot in an Oklahoma Sticker Patch: Memories from Childhood in Rural Oklahoma County.

1. My Aunt Geneva brought my heritage to life in her vignettes of her childhood days in her book Barefoot in an Oklahoma Sticker Patch. Through her shared experiences one can appreciate the struggles and triumphs of her great generation. Many of the vignettes are filled with the emotions of the times but laced with the humor and pride of the family. As her niece, "sticker patch" has strengthened my family respect, enhanced by family pride and inspired me to leave a similar legacy to my chldren and grandchildren.



2. A timid socially deficient young girl becomes a prominant, intelligent, teacher, educator, and community servant through grit and determination and the strength of family during the depression when the thing she did was persevere and walk through those sticker patches.

   The book is akin to "Angela's Ashes" except it is from an American, Oklahoman vantage point.

No comments about Saved By the Spirit of Lafayette: The French Righteous & the Hidden Children.

No comments about Pa Pa, Where Are You?.

5 comments about Motion Sickness: A Memoir.

1. It's like a really boring Mummy Dearest tell-all scandal book with no stars and no scandal - the poor dear was forced to traipse around Europe as a child, how awful.
   The guy from Salt Lake City hit the nail ont he head when he said: Reviewer: A reader from Salt Lake City, UT USA
   This is an unbelievably boring childhood recollection of a boy with a poet father, who is hardly ever in the picture anyway. The jacket blurb raves about descriptions of a family friend, Leonard Cohen, but these descriptions consist of no more than a few lines when he happens to drop by the house. Overall, a big disappointment.



2. Surprisingly enough, the children of sixties parents have been largely silent. David Layton's fascinating memoir more than fills the gap.The book is full of energy, originality, humor, emotional intelligence.Once started, it's impossible to put down - I read it in one marathon sitting. Here is a new writer whose work I will follow with great interest.



3. This is one of the best memoirs I've ever read. It's relentlessly honest, very funny, touching, beautifully written. David Layton's images are highly original and striking. This memoir is also one of the few written by kids of 60's parents and it takes a hard yet sympathetic look at what it was like to have unconventional parents. It's also impossible to put this book down once you've started it.



4. what a wonderful inspiring book! i bought it with the hopes of presenting it to my book club as the book we should read, but finished it long before the date of our next meeting! i appreciate layton's portrayal of his childhood - he uses gentle humor to approach serious hurts. a great read!



5. This is an unbelievably boring childhood recollection of a boy with a poet father, who is hardly ever in the picture anyway. The jacket blurb raves about descriptions of a family friend, Leonard Cohen, but these descriptions consist of no more than a few lines when he happens to drop by the house. Overall, a big disappointment.

1 comments about No Silver Spoon.

1. "No Silver Spoon" is a comfortable read-a nostalgic return to our youth. The location for the essays of youthful experiences is in Minnesota. The time remembered is during the Great Depression years, when a young child's mind is reborn. Respect, discipline, and the integrity of family and home are related as the young child grows in discernment and judgment.
   "No silver Spoon" will bring back memories. They are the smile type of memories which will brighten your day. I particularly liked "No Silver Spoon" because of the smooth, but descriptive narrative. I felt I was in the midst of living each portrait of Mr. Stimler's early years. Not many of us had a silver spoon either.
   Reviewed by: Esther H. Moon

No comments about Then and Now.

No comments about Remember That Ol' Horse (Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students, 34).

1 comments about HELL WAS EMPTY: A BIOGRAPHY FROM THE THIRD REICH.

1. Hell Was Empty: A Biography From The Third Reich by Dieter W. Gombert, AuthorHouse, 557p.
   
   In the opening pages of this book, Author's Reflections, Dieter Gombert states "much has been reported about the Holocaust and the incredible sufferings of the Jews, but they were not the only victims of the monstrous Nazi Regime. Many German gentiles, who were social Democrats, Communists, or plain dissenters, were tortured and murdered. Those perilous times brought out the best and the worst of human society." This is the only insight into the book's contents since there is no cover overview or description, nor is any provided by listings with book distributors. What follows is a story told by the author about his German father and Jewish mother and his own experiences. The beginning of the book covers father, Wilhelm Gombert, a recognized opera performer, who encounters problems because of his marital situation. Most of the book, however is mainly devoted to Dieter Gombert's personal experiences from 1933 until 1948. It is better classified as an autobiography rather than a biography. The book is well illustrated with pictures of family and friends, various residences of the family, and the personalities referenced in the book.
   
   Hell Was Empty is published in larger than average print size and the style is very informal. This may have been done to give the presentation a personalized feeling, but this reader felt as though he was reading a diary or informal ramblings. Unfortunately there are many spelling and typographical errors.
   
   Mr. Dieter is continually in search of himself, and, while he attempts many activities, his main objective seems to be a theatrical career with emphasis on acting, dancing and singing. This brings him into contact with a variety of people whom he always describes very clearly as to physical features and attire. He has very strong opinions about the people introduced and offers insights into their past activities, making future references to them when they are affected by the war. He is clearly a womanizer and describes many affairs during his discourse. At times his adventures almost sound like a travelogue with details of places visited on bike rides and other excursions. Life seems to go on despite the war and this appears to be his purpose in such descriptions. These scenarios are periodically interrupted with a statement or two about the political and war situation. These are situations that required additional comment, but are only addressed by personal wishes that Hitler would be ousted. It is clear this was not a national desire.
   
   The War is covered in more detail as the United States enters the conflict toward the latter part of the book. The effects of the bombings on civilians and the encounters in the bomb shelters as well as the devastation have a very emotional impact. His efforts to leave Germany and go to Sweden become the main theme of the book as he encounters the obstacles presented by Nazi officials and border crossings. He is continually at odds with the United States for not ending the war and offers some armchair advice for reaching that objective. He finally succeeds in reaching Sweden, where the family is eventually re-united. In 1948 he immigrated to the United States.
   
   Mr. Dieter has a story to tell. There are many apparent remembrances and dangers he experienced as a resident in Germany during World War II. He was not permitted to serve because he was not a pure Aryan and his Jewish status was a constant barrier to his activities. There are many materials available today on the subject of the Holocaust and those who opposed Hitler's regime, but the depth of such resistance is not presented in this book in a readable and convincing manner. Much of this has to do with the writing style and rambling of much of the text. There is also a failure to expand on discussions with family and friends without detail which would better help to understand conditions, in general and viewpoints in Germany at the time. .