5 comments about Broken: A Love Story.

1. Let me begin by saying a MUST READ. Approximately one year ago I attended a book signing where Lisa Jones spoke, not just about her book, but herself and the man she wrote about. It was a pleasant and interesting talk, but being who I am I thought: here is another non-Indian, (I am too), who was allowed to touch the Indian world for years, (I did also in the late 70's), who first became enamoured with the essence of the Indian culture, (as did I) and who felt the centuries of guilt that all non-Indians should feel for what the American government has done to this beautiful culture (as did I). As for the Shamanistic/healing qualities of Stanford Addison, well, I live in Boulder where every third person either believes they possess similar qualities, or aspires in that direction. I have been a psychotherapist for 40 years. On January 1st 2010 I was invited to go to Stan's for a sweat to support a friend who was working diligently to heal some old wounds. I went. I went back a second time for the same reason, and in between I read Lisa's book, as well as spent a little more time with her, and Stan. I get it, stop making the quick judgements Bruce, this man is for real, so is Lisa, and her book is a very compelling read. Does it tell a story about a special human being who has the presence to alter your life, should you so desire, for the better, by the quality of his contact with you, and the spirits he contacts for you? Absolutely, without a doubt. I have received this kiss just because I was along for the ride as a support for my friend. But this book does so much more than tell that story. The autobiographical vehicle Lisa uses to inform us about Stan, shows what can happen when a person "lives" their desired change. Very powerful to read and see this development. There are many levels to this book, and I believe it is because the man who inspired it, and the woman who wrote about it, both have an openness, and commitment, to softly, yet profoundly, speak to those who desire to listen. Read this book, you will be more than happy you did, in fact, you will thirst for more.
   
   Bruce Gottlieb
   Psychotherapist



2. I read a lot of books - this book resonates like very few I have read in quite awhile Broken: A Love Story. While the cover is confusing, implying all kinds of things that this book is not about, the rest of the pages pull and tug and remind us of our own struggles. Broken presents a tantalizingly honest journey of a modern sophisticated woman moving between her broken white world and Stan Addison's broken native Arapaho world; all the while inter-twinning the brokenness (physical, spiritual, emotional, social, historical, etc.) of her characters - which are all the more powerful, because they are real. Ms. Jones speaks deeply to all of us; somehow, somewhere in our lives we have been broken and may still be. Her adventure helps the reader more deeply experience his own cracks in his life: past and present.
   
   This is a powerful book, - it's not perfect, but neither is the author nor the world that she and the rest of us have created for ourselves. This is the kind of book Opra should be prescribing - it helps make the world a better place, broken as it is.



3. The beauty of Lisa Jones' "Broken: A Love Story" arises from the unlikely pairing of student and teacher: one Scottish-American journalist investigating the wisdom path of one Arapaho horse gentler, a horse gentler who happens to be quadriplegic. Stanford Addison is a shaman; his style of breaking horses and healing humans is "noninsistent to the core." Alert to more than a good story, Jones lets herself be changed by Stanford's unimaginable life.
   
   "I had been homesick, not to mention heartsick and Godsick, for thirty years... I wanted to know people who had a sense of home, and if they didn't have it, at least knew it was missing." Jones visits the Addison clan for years, attending sweat lodges, assisting Stan, moving through tragedy and good times in the company of friends.
   
   Taking the journey her book provides into the "postapocalyptic" world of reservation life in central Wyoming, a life mainstream Americans assiduously ignore, it's clear the actual separation between us is as thin as willingness, as courage. Jones passes back and forth across that reservation boundary line for four years, investigating and absorbing Stanford's life, until for her the line vanishes.
   
   "Broken: A Love Story," is a memoir rich with unexpected homecoming. And with love that is not personal. "Negative capability"--the poet Keats' phrase for juggling and accepting discordant realities--moves the hearts of both Stanford Addison and Lisa Jones. They are both, in Keats' words, "capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts without any irritable reaching after fact & reason." They are in love with the mystery. Keats held this the highest aspect of character. In "Broken," unimpeded by resistance, the negative becomes the positive. And back again.



4. Lisa Jones has seemingly been on a lifelong search for the meaning of life, and her place in it. She has been courted, and has subsequently rejected, several suitors; had a difficult life with her much-older and emotionally distant father; and at the time of this book, was in a quandary about what to do about her relationship with her current beau, an aspiring Buddhist monk. Her high-strung,fractionary nature comes through in her writing; I can almost hear her with a high-pitched, strident voice, and see her moving way too fast through life. In her profession as a journalist, perhaps this is an asset. In such a life, you have to be ready to move at a moment's notice. Ms Jones, however, buzzes around at a dizzying rate.
   
   An assignment sends her to cover a quadraplegic Arapaho Indian horsebreaker on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming, and with confusing suddenness, her focus homes in on her subject. We never really hear about the article she writes for, I believe, the Smithsonian; instead, with seemingly overnight speed, she becomes a disciple of the man who breaks horses - or, more accurately, who directs others to break them. Stanford Addison had been a wild one in his youth, brought to grief by a late-night car wreck, and now he devotes himself to healing the woes of others, with horsebreaking as a central theme. He is beset with medical crises, mostly brought on by his paralysis; contact sores, bone lesions, bouts with diabetes - but through it all he treats those around him with gentleness and acceptance, and alludes to the paths they might take to better emerge from their troubles.
   
   There is a lot of Stan's spiritual leading in the book, but much more of Ms Jones's self-absorbed striving to find her personal answers. She believes herself to be an apostle, almost, of Stan; virtually abandons her home in Colorado to live in the cacophony that is the Addison household (any number of family members, and friends, reside there, finding sleeping space wherever they can), making her place there by doing household chores and looking after Stan. She seems to be a personal assistant at all hours of the day, devoting every minute to his welfare, wrapping herself up in the entire extended Addison family. And there is no luxury here; this is reservation life, pure and simple. A lot of the life within the household revolves around the sweat lodges Stan presides over, and while the personnel involved was not made fully clear, it appears that people from all walks of life attend these sweats, at which Stan draws out the demons that haunt them.
   
   I guess what really bothered me about this book is Ms Jones's doe-eyed, complete surrender to the mystique of Stanford Addison, which may or may not be how the other satellites rotating around him see him also, but with Ms Jones it seems a little ADD - as if she is very centered on one thing, but when some new spark of interest hits her, she drops what was formerly important and attachs to the new interest. She makes allusions to Stanford being Christlike, and while I hold that everyone should find their inner path however they can, this was too simplistic to me; too easy a way to explain her total immersion in the Arapaho world. And, from reading some passages, it doesn't appear that she really gets a grasp on the Indian life, anyway; during a peyote ritual, she and a friend - the only non-Indians there - treat the solemnity of what is essentially a religious rite with great disrespect; not intentionally, but after all the time she has spent with the Addisons, I would have expected her to treat the event with the seriousness it deserved.
   
   Her travels through her spiritual awakening are, at least, readable, and the book was, overall, not boring, but I didn't feel an epiphany of understanding from the tale. I saw her as a sort of permanent guest in the household, becoming very attached to the family without totally 'getting' the dynamic of what it means to be a Native American today. And I expected a lot more about breaking horses, which is how we are introduced to the story, but which somehow gets shuffled to the side.
   
   Not a bad book, but not highly revelationary or with any great insights. This was basically a book about Ms Jones. Stanford Addison might have helped her along to her finally finding peace, but I'm not sure she couldn't have done that on her own.



5. Broken is one woman's odyssey into the American West. Beautifully written, this is the story of the author's venture into an Arapaho reservation, where she learns not only about Stanford Addison and his healing and work with wild horses, but about herself in the process. Not a book for everyone; if you like reading about learning new ways, journeys and a thoughtful tale, you will enjoy this book.

5 comments about Hunter S. Thompson: An Insider's View of Deranged, Depraved, Drugged Out Brilliance.

1. I have read many, many books on my favorite author, Hunter Stockton Thompson. This book by his close friend and caretaker at Owl Farm is by far the best inside look at Hunter I have ever read. Many of the books cover the same biographical details and can become cumbersome after awhile. This book is a look you couldn't get from too many people other than Ralph Steadman to a degree or perhaps Sheriff Bob or a few others. I recommend this book to everyone who ever wanted to get an inside look at the king of Gonzo journalism.



2. Anyone who has wondered, as most Hunter Thompson fans have, "what it would be like...."
   Be careful what you wish for. This is a great look behind the curtain, warts and all, from a writer who posesses considerable skills of his own and knows where the bodies are buried. Or in this case, where the fragments landed.



3. I like this a lot.Interesting, coherent, one-person view from the inside. He lets us know his perspective as well. Margaret A. Harrell, Hell's Angels copyeditor



4. To sum up Hunter S. Thompson's character, career and lifestyle would be a daunting task, as he was one of our most eccentric well-loved literary figures of the twentieth century. Yet, Jay Cowan pulls it off, fully understanding the gravity of the undertaking in writing a biography for the author of numerous books and articles, including Fear and Loathing: on the Campaign Trail, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Rum Diary, and columns in the San Francisco Examiner and on ESPN.com.
   
   Add to the undertaking the fact that Thompson is credited with creating a literary genre dubbed gonzo journalism, with Cowan succinctly assessing, "Only a few artists of any kind have ever developed their own genre so successfully with such a stranglehold of originality and talent that they were the only ones thought competent to pull it off and everyone else was just a pretender." If that's not intimidating, what is?
   
   Ultimately, if anyone could write a credible biography for Hunter S. Thompson, Cowan is a first-class choice. As a friend of Thompson's for over 40 years, a longtime resident of the Aspen area, and someone who even spent a stint living in a cabin on Thompson's property (which Cowan describes as a "psychotic sculpture garden"), he most definitely has the intimate knowledge to reliably deliver a back story.
   
   Cowan's fluid writing style keeps the reader traveling at an energetic pace throughout the book, as he integrates excerpts from Thompson's letters and published material, as well as perspectives from a wealth of Thompson's friends. The author is skillful at creating vivid portraits of characters and moments, providing a holistic story of a life that hardly lacked inspirational material.
   
   It seems like a major challenge faced by Cowan was that of creating a work that operates on a readable continuum. Telling Thompson's colorful story in chronological order would perhaps be an impossible feat, and to tell his life story in any organized matter would perhaps be just as taxing. Cowan manages to weave an intricate and intriguing tale, attempting to provide a central focus for each chapter, including that of Thompson's writing process, his prolific letter writing, his friends and lovers and his extracurricular activities (including, but not limited to, extensive drug-use, gun-use and travel). One finds out that it is clearly not easy to untangle each topic from one another, but this book is a successful attempt to bring clarity and depth to such an interesting life. Cowan most definitely does justice to Thompson's legacy, avoiding the simple reduction of his life to "a days-long, deadline-cheating frenzy of drugs and sleeplessness," yet he acknowledges where truth and myth collide.
   
   Quill says: A must-read for any Hunter S. Thompson fan.



5. This is great reading - an interesting book by an excellent author! Hope to see more books by this author.

5 comments about Canoeing with the Cree.

1. Great story written by Eric Sevareid, tells of a inspiring canoe trip with his high school classmate, Walter Port. This fast paced story provides a glimpse of a world most of us will never see. Sevareid's prose borders on poetry at times and he provides trip details even when he and Port took the wrong turn. This story would be appropriate for children, but entertaining to adults as well. Highly recommended.



2. Excellent shape, received in a timely manner. Enjoyed the story, although not sure where "the Cree" fits in. Good account from two young men on an adventure. A quick read.



3. Anyone who enjoys adventure fiction will love this true-life adventure story. Eric Sevareid and Walter Port decided that they'd spend the summer after high school graduation canoeing up the Red River from central Minnesota all the way to Hudson Bay with nothing but an 18-foot canoe, a few bad maps, a few dollars, and their own smarts. On their way they experience everything from remote First Nations communities to utterly desolate wilderness to a formal dinner at the posh Winnipeg Canoe Club. They risk their lives again and again, shooting rapids and (in one case) almost dying when they take the wrong advice and end up trapped in a brackish lake in bad weather. But in every instance Sevareid's writing makes their travels come alive.
   
   I loved this book, and I highly recommend it.
   
   Incidentally, I found this book at the St. Vital library in Winnipeg, which was built on the grounds of the old Canoe Club clubhouse. I found that utterly cool. Less cool was the fact that the book hadn't been taken out in fourteen years!



4. ... that inspire those of even a mature age.
   
   Eric Sevareid was one of the preeminent TV newscasters, and this is the story of how he started. He was 17 years old, just graduated from high school, and with his friend, Walter C. Port, 19, set off on a 2,250 mile trip (almost the width of the United States) from Minneapolis to York Factory, on Hudson Bay. It was a race with the weather, and the on-coming winter, one they almost lost. The year was 1930, long before GPS, aerial rescue, or even good maps. In the later portion of the journey, down the aptly named "God's River," there was a point of no return, and you either made it, or didn't. Fortunately Sevareid did, filing stories with the Minneapolis paper, thereby funding his trip for a mere $100, and commencing his journalistic career. He wrote of his trip in book format in 1935.
   
   There are some other excellent reviews of the book, describing their adventures and hardships, noting that they were less than "politically correct," by today's standards, or even the latter wise standards of Sevareid of CBS News, in describing the Indians along the way. Indeed, as one reviewer indicated, the title itself is inappropriate, since they neither canoed with them, nor emulated their style. The book is written in the straightforward adventure style of a 17 year old, with only a minimum of introspection.
   
   To the other reviews I'd like to add a comment on the divergence in the men's lives thereafter. Sevareid went on to the pinnacles of acclaim in the world of journalism. Port decided his one great adventure in life was sufficient, and went back to Bemidji, Minnesota where he ran a drug store for the rest of his life, and where I was able to buy this book.
   
   The dream of long-distance canoeing was dangled, and I was unable to grab "the brass ring." I contented myself on a long journey in the Quattico, and hopefully in the near future, a gentler one in the Yukon. As one reviewer said, this is an inspiring book for Nintendo-bound kids, and I would add that if adults reduced the clutter in their lives, they too might be able to fulfill the dream of two Minnesota youths.
   
   Highly recommended to read, and to do, while the time is available.



5. My, how the world changes in 80 years! This is not a book with the profundity that Sevareid was later noted for. It is a straight off account of two boys setting out on an adventure more dangerous than they realized which could easily have cost them their lives. Fool-hardy, yes. But, how remarkable that they succeeded.
   
   The book gives insight to how primitive Northern Canada and the world was almost within my own lifetime. Places like Norway House and York Factory still exist, but are now virtually abandoned. At the time of the story they were major outposts of civilization in what was then a primeval land. Sevareid's and Post's joy at encountering a Cree family in a canoe and learning that they were within a few hours of a Cree village where there was safety and succor almost brought me to tears.
   
   This is a book that more people should read. Now, not many people even know who Arnold Eric Sevareid was, even less, Walter Post. But, this book launched Sevareid's career as a reporter and writer. Later books, "Not So Wild a Dream" especially, reveal much more about his inner thoughts and empathy for humanity, but there are hints of this in "Canoeing with the Cree".
   
   It is especially remarkable, almost incredible, that he and Post did this great adventure for $100! I have one nagging question: what has become of the original 9 dispatches that he sent to the Minneapolis Star. My internet search has, so far, only turned up one of them. I'm sure the book is better written; after all it is five years after the events. But, I would love to read the original dispatches upon which it is based.
   
   Bottom line: it's an inexpensive book and quick read about a simply amazing quest by one of the 20th Century's greatest journalists.

No comments about Little Boy Blues: A Memoir.

5 comments about D.V..

1. I've heard that not every word of "D.V." is necessarily, you know, true. Well, whatever. In an age of fraud and being less than truthful to the public, it's permissible here because D.V. has such a good time, and really, we'll never know with someone who led a life that epitomized the meaning of glamor and style. D.V. is from the era just before tabloidery, going commando, and movie stars traveling with stylists, and her memoir is less about real events than how one person decided to do it all in grand style. While I usually balk at any personal histories that seem a bit too much on the "so privileged, la-di-dah" side, D.V.'s prose reveals only her elegance and her joy at being around style and trendsetting in all its forms - art, achievement, derring-do.
   
   Her madcap writing, asides, and tangents provide little snippets about how she felt people ought to comport themselves, and if you aren't terribly on the very serious side, you will enjoy it or at least enjoy getting to know Mrs. Vreeland. Let's hope that we make a return to style being something more than where you got your hat. Or let's bring back hats.



2. I saw Mary Louise Wilson play Vreeland in the one-woman show "Full Gallop" in New York in 1996. I knew nothing of Vreeland before "Full Gallop," and couldn't wait to learn more about her after. "D.V." reads just like the character Wilson played on stage--larger than life, perhaps a little shallow, but a hell of a lot of fun to have a drink with. Not in the same league as memoirs by Moss Hart and Lillian Hellman (who, like Vreeland, was accused of doing a little fabricating in her memoirs), but "D.V." remains a pretty entertaining way to spend an afternoon.



3. It's time the world rediscovered Diana Vreeland. She's the maven we'd all love to be. Friend to all the rich and famous, she moved freely in high society, imprinting it with her personal style and never losing her earthiness. When she made her faux pas, they were so hilarious that nobody even thought of suing her. Owners of major European fashion houses gave her their clothes because they knew that they'd be seen by all the best (read "richest") people, who would no doubt pay the clothes more attention than they did dear Diana's plain face (she acknowledged it as so herself). If ever a person made the most of every card she was dealt, it was Diana Vreeland. And "DV" is a narrative of her very own world with details you never knew before. (I'll give you one tidbit as a hint: Edward VI made up his mind that he didn't want to be king LONG before he met Wally Simpson.) Buy this book and enter Vreeland's parlour for some revealing and often amusing gossip about nearly every high society character of her times--royalty, high profile politicians (including the Kennedys in their prime), artists, authors--everyone who made the news worth reading. Warning: once you enter Vreeland's world, you'll never want to leave. A person like this comes along at best once or twice in a century. A marvelous read and look at a world we'll probably never see the like of again.



4. If you're looking for some insights into fashion and/or the fashion world, look else where. I thought I'd gain some insights to the world of fashion (an area of life that I'm not famailiar with) but I was very disappointed. Nothing but nothing in this book had to do with fashion, the fashion business, nor the intellectual exercise that goes into fashion. This was simply the rambling lifetime memories of a well respected player from the fashion field. Childhood, young adult, married, Europe, here, there, everywhere... if you like name dropping (and I admit she did drop some impressive names) - this book is for you. If you're looking for some insights into fashion and/or the fashion world, look else where.



5. Okay, all the stereotypes might be true for this one, but it's a classic. She's in charge, in control and just amazing. I've bought more copies of this book to "loan" but of course no one has ever been stupid enough to return it. Truely, buy two copies to begin with, so you aren't crushed when the one you loan out doesn't come back. I think of it the way Gideons think of Bibles.

5 comments about Running to the Mountain: A Midlife Adventure.

1. My 28 year old niece read this book, liked it , and bought me one to read. I'm 62 and I liked it a lot. So...I guess it appeals to all ages.



2. I read this book some time ago, I believe after hearing the author interviewed on the radio. Having dealt with my father's recent passing, and now that I'm approaching forty myself, the book means a lot more to me now than it did upon first reading. Other reviewers have criticized Katz as being whiny-who among us wouldn't want to be living the high life as a TV producer? Who among us wouldn't want to buy a rural getaway and leave the soccer games and grocery store trips to our spouse? All that is true, and, as Katz would probably admit, fair.
   
   But the book is more than that-Katz pretty frankly admits that, according to nearly anyone's standards, he's got it made. But life is lived subjectively-and each of us has to find our own truth-our own equilibrium point to allow us to go on living. This is a beautiful book, (even if the references to a dial up modem seem dusty at this point, only 10 years or so after writing) and well worth your time, if you're struggling to keep your head above water.



3. This author is becoming well known for his dishonest and insincere tugging at the heart strings of dog owners and dog book buyers. Don't buy it and don't read it. The way I see it, he owes me a refund.



4. I really enjoyed this book! I read it in less than 24 hours---so obviously it held my attention. I think some of the Amazon reviewers are a bit too hard on Katz. His experience is his experience after all---and who are we to judge if he is too "urban" or if he still doesn't understand what the rural experience is all about. While I do understand that as a writer Katz is always looking for another book topic---I think he found one here that was worthy of his great writing style. He's a self-deprecating guy who is easy to like. He allowed us, his readers, to enter his world and enjoy ourselves. That's a feat in itself. I say---keep writing memoirs Jon---you have a lot to offer.



5. I liked the book, got weary of the more "spiritual" portions, comparing his adventure into solitude with Merton's. Some of it I had to read twice just to get what he was talking about. I guess you would say it is "deep stuff." I would've enjoyed the book more if it was written simply about his trip to the mountain. I enjoyed reading about his buying the cabin and all the work it took to fix it, and the people he met. He wrote a lot about his family and portions of his life. I would rather read about life on the mountain with his new cabin, his dogs, the people...more adventure like in his other books. But this book is not necessarily about an adventure to a mountain, it's about his life and facing the future, and trying to figure it all out; it's about Jon Katz doing some soul searching, trying to escape the monotony of his life and find peace and happiness. Although I feel indifferent to his "spiritual" journey, most people feel like they need to escape from the monotony of busy everyday life and find peace, so it was easy for me to empathize with him this way. I too look for ways to make life newer and better, to face change and embrace it. His musings weren't all too deep for me. I could relate to some of them. Overall I liked the book.

5 comments about Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism (Turning Points in History).

1. I remember very well listening to Edward R Murrow when I was growing up. His was the voice of authority. I laughed in this book when Edwards recounted how Murrow had to call the bingo numbers because his wife, who was the social director on the boat, was seasick. That must have been some bingo game.
   
   The history recounted in this book was fascinating, especially the relationship between Murrow and Walter Cronkite. The flame of TV journalism lit by Murrow was already fading by the time of his death and went out with Cronkite. Murrow's fears about the direction television was taking was prescient regarding the state of news broadcasting today. He just didn't know how bad it would get.
   
   I was interested to learn that Murrow was one of the forces behind PBS in a final attempt to salvage journalism in TV.



2. A good book should create an impact in the reader. It should touch a person or inspire them to take a stand. The story of Edward R. Murrow is that type of story. This particular book follows Murrow's impact in the embryonic industry known as broadcast journalism. Though I sometimes felt the author was too concerned with the comings and goings of Murrow's staff, it does not take away from the overall product. This is not intended to be a thorough biography of Murrow.
   
   Murrow got his start in education through the International Institute of Education, which is reflected in his belief that the news should educate. Also at this time, Murrow served as the Assistant Secretary of the Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars which relocated displaced German Jewish scholars to America. His work would lead him to become a war correspondent for CBS radio during World War II, providing some of the most influential information of the time.
   
   With the new media of television, Murrow would not start behind the camera. But with the backing of CBS boss William S. Paley, See It Now would become the standard bearer for news. Though it is best known for its stand against McCarthyism, the program allowed a multi-sided view of issues. In other words, it served to educate the public.
   
   In the words of the author, "... Many of today's public affairs programs reflect the polarized political climate and are overtly partisan to entertain listeners and viewers whose minds are already made up. People no longer tune in to a program for a detached assessment of political matters, they tune it to have their bias reaffirmed." (158-159) Today's media thrives in sound bites and shows a topic in black and white, forgetting that there are a lot of shades of gray to an issue. Murrow brought out the gray in the issue.



3. I listened to this in the car and found myself sitting in the garage waiting for a passage to conclude. It was riveting and I was amazed at what I learned about Murrow in his own words. A wonderful audiobook.



4. Edward R. Murrow was a giant of a man and more than just the liberal hero of felling Sen. Joseph McCarthy (who went overboard on a very real problem of Communism in the US - see books on Venona), which takes up much of this small book.
   
   In actuality, Murrow was a rare quality of a man that shined for a bright moment amidst much darkness. His notion of fairness and character is better addressed in A.M. Sperber's "Murrow: His Life and Times" (read p. xi and following). Although, the best contemporary view of those times - to be neutral - is now found wanting, as no one is neutral - although he was exemplar regarding fairness, even when he went to defend his associate Laurence Duggan (p. 99), who was not only a KGB informer, but in fact, a KGB agent (this wasn't known to the public until after Murrow's death). Nevertheless, Murrow was a man who stuck to his guns and his character and redefined journalism (earlier journalism had a "yellow" reputation since the 19th century). My father had worked with him in the 1950s at CBS and told us that he was down to earth and a solid person. He was the ultimate gravitas statesman of journalism. He was not so easy to categorize, which journalism since the Watergate era has done in political terms (when the media was redefined by the Bernstein / Woodward team at the Washington Post - decidedly with a left bent).
   
   Bob Edwards, who has hosted "Morning Edition" on NPR, writes briefly on Murrow and tends to mold him in the image of a contemporary liberal media hagiography, but never really shows the depth of his character and the times that were (again, see Sperber).
   
   In his afterward, Edwards comments on the devolution of broadcast journalism. His most telling paragraph is when he writes:
   "If there's a Murrow now among young journalists, he or she will probably leave the business before arriving at a position that gets our attention. If that person shares Murrow's background and training, he or she likely will end up as the president of a small college, enjoy the work, and know the names of every freshman's parents. That would be a very good thing and we should not necessarily mourn the loss of such an individual on a bigger stage" (p. 165).
   
   Another outstanding journalist of that era to research was the Chicago-based Clifton Utley.
   
   I still remember those great weekend days when my father would listen with memory to "Edward R. Murrow - A Reporter Remembers, Vol. 1: The War Years, 1939-1946", those London broadcast recordings of Murrow starting with the memorable line, "This is London". He would start his later broadcasts with a similar focused-styled phrasing that captured the imagination and hearts of people everywhere.



5. This was a very well written short volume which covered the major aspects of Murrow's career. While I found it very lucid and enjoyable, my only small complaint was its brevity. An excellent overview.

5 comments about Mark Twain: A Life.

1. This book COULD have been great. Biographies are my favorite genre and I've read a bunch of them - this one falls pretty flat. The author's biases are so clearly obvious he's almost a presence in the book himself, which is distracting even if you agree with his views, and irritating if you don't. Forget Mark Twain's religious bias, the author's anti-Christian stance shines through even stronger, such as the statement that Mormons were just waiting for the Union to dissolve so that they could rise to power - and he sticks it to the Presbyterians just as badly, even misrepresenting Job from the Bible. His anti-capitalism, left-leaning political opinions come through just as clearly.
   
   The book gives us a nice picture of the times and events in the places Sam Clemens lived - New York, San Fransisco, Carson City, etc - which is interesting in itself. But even those glimpses into American life at the time are tainted by the author's opinions. A good biographer doesn't make himself obvious in his books; he shouldn't intrude at all. Ron Powers is not a good biographer and I will not be reading any more of his books.



2. I hadn't thought about Mark Twain in a while and picked up this biography somewhat at random. Then I thought it might be interesting to read about his days working on a steamboat on the Mississippi River. I couldn't put the book down, read it in two nights. I'm still thinking about it a week later. One of the best biographies I've read.



3. An excellent biography marred by gratuitous left wing political commentary. I don't know why Mr. Powers decided to sprinkle those little gems throughout the text, given that they add absolutely nothing, but I wish he'd respected his subject--and his readers--enough not to intrude. If I'd wanted Powers' political views, I'd have sought out a book about him. If you can ignore the author's trespassing, it is a worthwhile read.



4. This book provides important insights into Mark Twain and his life and times. It should part of the reading list in any course that spends time on Mark Twain's writings.



5. Mark Twain: A Life
   The most consummate biography of Mark Twain ever-- as the back cover reads, "[Twain became] the king of the eastern establishment and a global celebrity as American became an international power. Along the way, Mark Twain keenly observed the characters and voices that filled the growing country, and left us our first authentically American literature. Ron Powers' magnificent biography offers the definitive life of the founding father of our culture."
   
   Ron Powers does a superb job of bringing Twain to life in front of our eyes. Highly, highly recommended.

5 comments about My Remarkable Journey.

1. A fan of Larry King, this book gave insight into how he became the face of CNN. The book flows well and comes across as a detailed timeline of Larry King's career. The book offers information regarding his childhood, including some very funny childhood stories. Near the end of the book, he discusses his family in detail, and how all of his children remain in touch with him today. A quick and enjoyable read.



2. 
   I did not find Larry's life to be that "remarkable". Perhaps that is because those of us who view Larry frequently (or did in the past) know so much about him already. A slow read and not very informative in my opinion.



3. Lot's of great stories from World leaders, Presidents, to a valet at the race track.
   I highly recommend it.



4. This is really a great read. Larry has known and interviewed so many celebraties, so many relationships, . The stories he tells are so interesting, it's like sitting around the family table listening to the adults tell funny and touching stories. I couldn't put it down, great read!



5. This book had me entertained from start to finish. I really enjoyed all Larry's stories from Frank Sinatra to his own family members. He seemed to be at the epicentre of the last 50 years of American history. I would recommend this book to people of all ages.

5 comments about Nearer, My God: An Autobiography of Faith.

1. This book was a little too theological and not as personal as I was expecting. I always liked to hear Bill Buckley on TV and admire his intelligence and thoughtful answers and opinions. The book is interesting , but dry.



2. I am unabashadly conservative, and a big WFB fan. I was curious to read this book and understand a bit better the connection of his faith to his work & life, but came away a bit disappointed. There was very little in the way of WFB sharing any sort of personal relationship with God, and perhaps that is telling. Instead, there was a lot of story retelling about his experience in Catholic school along with some long recited passages from other authors/catholic writers that influenced him. Some may enjoy this approach, it was just - for me - disapointing compared to the high bar set by his other works.



3. God bless you, Bill. This was perhaps your best work and also the one perhaps least noticed or acclaimed. We can only imagine your relief upon seeing Pat and so many other friends awaiting you as you entered the pearly gates.



4. I wanted to get a glimpse of contemporary conservative thinking. After Mr. Buckley passing away I heard that he was a sort of beacon for modern Conservative political thought. There's no better way to get a lowdown on this than to get under conservative skin, i.e. going into the subject of faith, since this is a sort of underlying building block for conservative thought.
   
   Referring to the subtitle "An autobiography of faith", there is very little "autobiography". We get just a glimpse of Mr.Buckley's privileged childhood in the beginning of the book. But the major body of the text is a commentary on someone else's religious writings, filled with very generous quotations. From the initial premise of the book - "autobiography of faith" - I got an impression that it's going to be a personal account of how someone like Mr. Buckley comes to Catholic faith and what strengthens him in his beliefs. What you get instead is a very referential analysis of certain developments in the history of Catholicism and some current religious concepts. For example, Vatican abandoning the Latin liturgy in favor of modern languages (the author strongly disagrees with it), issues of contraception, the influence of church on the state, etc. In general, it leaves a strong impression that this book is written by a journalist, who wanted to mull over the current agenda, not by a person, who wanted to explore and share his personal relationship with God.



5. I am not a Roman Catholic and never have been. My review is by an individual who is critical of the Roman Catholic Faith. The author of this book, William F. Buckley is a devout Roman Catholic and believes in the teachings of his church. The title of this work makes it sound like a devotional; it is not. The cover of the book calls the book an autobiography of Faith; It is not. William F. Buckley does share some personal experience in his life interacting with the Roman Catholic church. He also discusses thoughts of fellow Catholics in his life. It is not explanation or presentation development of faith through life experience or study. This book is about Roman Catholic doctrine. The original working title of this book was Why am I still a Catholic. William F. Buckley felt this title made it seem like he was or should be embarrassed to be a member of the Catholic Church; something he surely is not. The author uses the same intellect and serious thought to his religious faith as he argues his political views.
   
   The Catholic church is the ultimate arbitrator of Truth. This book defends the Pope's obligation to make biblical teaching clearer and easier to understand. The author details the churches' position on developing doctrine. Difficulties between Arnold Lunn, then at the time not a catholic, and friar Arnold. Included in the discussion is papal inerrancy , the inquisition and slavery , eternal punishment, indulgences, difficulty with Biblical interpretation and Biblical literalism. In other places in this work the author defends Mother as the Mother of God, the praying to `the saints', miracles at Lourdes, issues of no woman priests, divorce - annulments, birth control, and remarriage. Obviously I disagree with most everything in the defense of Catholic teaching but is done well. Ordination of Michael Bozell is told about. The principles of being a God Father and how the application in real life is discussed.
   
   Included are observations and experience with fellow Catholics. An example of this is Malcolm Muggeridge.