3 comments about Agatha Christie: A Biography / Large Print (Charnwood Library).

1. This is a long and interesting biography of Agatha Christie, which discusses her life in some detail. having read Agatha Christie's won fascinating autobiography many times, I found in this book much interesting supplementary information. Things that are not discussed in the autobiography are gone over here in more detail.
   
   Of course, there is a lengthy chapter about the famous episode when she disappeared just after her husband told her he wanted a divorce. There is much specualtion about Agatha Christie's state of mind, her reasons for doing it etc, but these can only remain speculation, since Mrs Christie never discussed the subject herself.
   
   One theme that persists through the book is Agatha Christie's unattractiveness. She had, so Laura Thompson gives us to understand, become so unattractive that it was hardly surprising that Archie Christie should have looked elsewhere. One feels that the author believes that Mrs Christie would have done better to divert some of her energies from writing into keeping herself lovely, perhaps having face-lifts or something. Naturally, Ms Thomspon cannot bring herself to believe that Max Mallowan could possibly have found Agatha Christie attractive, there must have been other reasons why he wanted to marry her. The age difference between them is harped on constantly as if it was forty years instead of fourteen, and Agatha Christie's lack of attractiveness is mentioned so frequently that you cannot help wondering why Laura Thompson is so peculiarly obsessed with this subject, and why she considers Mrs Christie to have been so repulsive.
   
   She is generally quite interesting when discussing the books, and one of the parts I enjoyed most was her favourable comparison of Mrs Christie with the other well-known detective writers of her era. She is staunch in her defense of Agatha Christie as a fine writer.
   
   She has a slightly trying habit of quoting from Agatha Christie's 'Mary Westmacott' novels as if they are straightforward autobiography, which I found somewhat irritating, the books may indeed have a lot of autobiographical detail in the, but they were not written as autobiography, and I found it a bit annoying that she constantly quotes from them as if they are.
   
   Throughout the book, Laura Thompson freely reveals the identity of the murderer in many of the stories, so if you happen not to have read all of Agatha Christie's mysteries, you may need to be wary of this.
   
   An interesting book, I didn't agree with everything the author had to say, but that only made it more enjoyable to read, there's nothing like having something to disagree with!
   
   If you haven't already done so, I would recommend reading Mrs Christie's own fascinating autobiography before you read this.



2. As a devoted fan of Agatha Christie's novels I can honestly declare that this biography is as entertaining as anything from Agatha's imagination. She led a rich life full of surprises. She experienced the loss of her father at the age of 11 and this really impacted her writing. The author does a marvelous job of taking us into Agatha's world and social times. There is a real flow and gentle rhythm to this masterful work. I found this book asy-to-read but hard to put down. A truly delicious, first rate biography for sure!



3. Agatha Christie's life was a mystery all by itself. She loathed publicity and got nervous if asked to speak in public. She didn't like talking about her life either. In writing this book, Janet Morgan has had the privilege to consult the most private sources in reference to Christie's life and friends. The result is an extremely thorough biography, mostly written with quotes from Agatha Christie's own papers and letters. It is an entertaining book and a joy to read, although sometimes extensive. I would reccommend this book to anyone interested in having a wholesome picture of the life of A.C.

5 comments about The Million Dollar Mermaid.

1. FABULOUS BOOK - ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE VINTAGE MOVIE INDUSTRY WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO PUT DOWN.



2. I bought this on sale and was very pleasantly surprised. The stories are fascinating and there are even some profound insights about the mistakes people make. I highly recommend this book.



3. For more than a decade the splashy, aquatic escapist entertainment of MGM's Esther Williams' films delighted devoted fans, and kept MGM "afloat." This wonderfully gossipy autobiography proves that Williams was just as sassy, smart and independent off-screen as on. Her memoirs of romances with Jeff Chandler, Victor Mature and Fernando Lamas keep the pages turning and the night lights on! And, wait until she pulls back the loin-cloth of Johnny Weissmuller's to reveal a whole news aspect of filmdom's "Tarzan!"



4. I was looking for something to read while traveling, and remembered hearing some positive comments about this book. It was a really great to read about Hollywood back in it's golden age, with it's "larger than life" productions and actors.



5. I found this book fascinating from cover to cover. The glimpse into the world of MGM at its grandest is wonderful, and Esther herself is never dull. A page turner for movie fans. I agree with other reviews that Esther can come off badly in her "Do you know who I am?" attitude--it reads like she got really full of herself somewhere down the road. Plus, what kind of person stays married to a man who won't allow you to have a relationship with your own children? Sorry--there's no excuse. But this is a review of the book itself, not of the person, and it's a good read.

5 comments about All or Nothing at All: A Life of Frank Sinatra.

1. To all those reviewers who didn't like Donald Clarke's five-star book, get your heads out of the sand, or wherever else they are. All or Nothing at All is outstanding on America, politics, gangsters, Sinatra, his music, his family, his friends, enemies, and more.
   
   I'm rereading it now. It is marvelous!



2. One thing I'm happy about is that I didn't pay full price. What a waste of paper and cardboard. There's nothing new in this book, nothing you couldn't find elsewhere. It's actually written in the first person, believe it or not, as evidenced by the not so infrequent "I never liked such and such" or "I found it to be." After a while, who cares? And evidently, the author didn't rate either a first rate editor or a fact checker. For example, there's no "e" after the "g" in judgment. He does this repeatedly. Moreover, for someone allegedly so well-versed in the entertainment industry, he's apparently rather ignorant of some basic knowledge. When discussing Reagan's inaugural parties planned by Sinatra, Clarke mentions "someone named Ben Vereen who performed in blackface", and then trashes Sinatra's "judgement" in arranging such entertainment. Uh, Mr. Clarke, Ben Vereen WAS black, he couldn't help BUT be in blackface!



3. Frank Sinatra was always a puzzle -- he sang like an angel, behaved like a jerk, and yet was apparently an extremely generous individual who kept his many charities secret.
   
   Donald Clarke sits with all the contradictions of Sinatra, both musical and personal, without attempting to simplify them. The reviewer below who complained that the book is like an extended essay is right. Clarke does not attempt, in this relatively slim volume, to write the definitive biographical work. It is instead a shrewd, opinionated, and often funny review of the man and his music.
   
   I'm not a FS fanatic, but I do own about 40 or 50 of his albums, which I guess makes me more than a casual fan. I almost always agreed with Clarke's musical judgements (although I think rather more of "Live at the Sands" than he does) and found a lot of value in the way he attempts to separate Sinatra's own bloviations from the facts (e.g. was Mitch Miller really responsible for how bad much of Sinatra's mid-50s work is? Not really, says Clarke, and gives reasons for this opinion).
   
   This book is not a replacement for a full-length biography -- if you want the details on who slapped who first in every fight he had with Ava Gardner, you'll have to go elsewhere. It's also not a replacement for an annotated discography, although it made me hungry for one -- I thought I had a pretty good handle on Sinatra's recorded output, and Clarke made me realize there's a lot I don't know.
   
   As for Clarke's writing style, I say "bravo." Judging by the impish grin he's wearing in the jacket photo, I'd say he's well aware of how provocative some of his comments are, but there's nothing arrogant about this book. Clarke has his opinions, and states them very strongly, but it's clear the reader is welcome to his or her own. If you're the sort of reader who is secure enough to enjoy strongly held and amusingly stated beliefs rather than be upset by them, I recommend this book most highly.



4. Mr. Clarke's "book" is really more of an extended ( and poorly written ) magazine essay. However, I'm not sure what magazine would publish it ( surely not the NEW YORKER or DOWN BEAT ). Clarke never sheds any light on Sinatra's upbringing, personality or musicianship. Not for a moment do you feel either the man or his music come to life. There are literally dozens of examples of his amateurish writing; in one amazingly idiotic passage ( page 132, 3rd paragraph ) he states that the title of Sinatra's famous album "SONGS FOR SWINGIN' LOVERS" has become "mildly irritating" (!). He goes on a moment later to ask whether "swinging" was a euphemism for suburban wife swapping (!!). No one should shell out $$ for this type of drivel. By the way, Mr. Clarke, if you're amusing yourself by reading this review in between writing your "books"; I DIDN'T buy it ( thank God I merely checked it out of the library! ). To concur with some of the other reviewers: regarding the music, try Will Friedwald's "THE SONG IS YOU; A SINGER'S ART" or Charles Granata's upcoming "SESSIONS WITH SINATRA". For an extremely well-balanced, thorough account of Mr. Sinatra's life, try Randy Taraborelli's "SINATRA: A COMPLETE LIFE". For a short but poignant essay, try Pete Hamill's "WHY SINATRA MATTERS". For a famous account of Sinatra c.1966, try Gay Talese's essay entitled "FRANK SINATRA HAS A COLD" ( available in the FRANK SINATRA READER ). Other short but informative passages on Sinatra have been written by Shirley MacLaine and Mia Farrow ( I forget the exact titles of their books ). As far as Clarke's volume is concerned, it only ranks slightly above Kitty Kelley's stinker; in other words, it deserves a spot deep in the bowels of Dante's inferno.



5. You get the feeling reading this book that Donald Clarke sees himself as a far more noble and heroic character than some mere mortal like Frank Sinatra. Clarke has taken self-righteousness and developed it into something approaching an art form. A waste of time, a waste of money, a waste of paper, glue, ink, and whatever else was needed to print this "biography". By the way, give the word "biography" the loosest interpretation possible. Donald Clarke has even less of a clue as to what the word "biograpy" means and his book is the best evidence to support my thesis.

5 comments about The Music of Silence: A Memoir.

1. This was an incredible book. From laughter to tears, and all of the emotions in between. Most inspiring read and very touching.



2. This book was well interpreted and gives beautiful and interesting insight into the upbringing of my favorite performer.



3. I Love Andrea Bocelli.His voice is so Beautiful.Anyone who feels like I do should read this book.It is absolutely Wonderful.It shows no matter what the obstacles are that you face that you can become what God desires you to be.



4. Actually, I found the child-like manner in which this is written to be a stumbling block. Perhaps in Italian it would flow better, but I didn't find it an easy read in English. Sometimes I felt like I was stealing a look into a teen's private diary.
   
   That said, I greatly admire Bocelli's voice and his struggle to share his beautiful gift with the world. I would love to meet this humble but sincere man and hope one day to have the privilege of hearing him in person.



5. Andrea Boccelli's memoir is a must for those who want to enter the world of the blind, and learn firsthand the hardships of being blind. Andrea's book is written in a childlike manner, with the passion for the written word that he displays in his singing. If you want to get a glimpse at this superstar this book is a must! Easy reading, sweet, and passionate!

5 comments about Swimming To Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer.

1. This book was great... an awesome person who has done amazing things. You cant get over the crazy abilities the author has and the determination to succeed!



2. The most exotic descriptions of planetary waters ever experienced by a human female...Cox writes of swimming through Icelandic waters that stream from volcanic fissures and mix with glacial melt so that it feels as if her body is moving across liquid guitar strings...swimming through 38 degrees into 90 degrees then back into 38....Remarkable, astounding ferocity of will...fiercely visionary in her solo quests to swim all flavors (and terrors) of open waters and call forth the highest aspects of human nature...connectivity without borders of any kind. Maybe her greatest strength. Lynne Cox absolutely refuses to acknowlege pseudo human imposed limits, boundaries.....anywhere, anytime. Xtreme swimming adventures that are breathtaking in scope, risk and accomplishment.



3. This story is not only impressive in the athletic achievement; it is noteworthy that she refuses to abandon her goals even when faced with the impenetrable wall of the Kremlin's closed border mindset.
   
   Well worth reading.



4. Based on the other reviews, I was quite excited about reading this book as I generally enjoy books about athletic exploits by unusual athletes. However, Lynne Cox never quite explained why she was doing what she did. By the time she was swimming to Antarctica, I was left asking why??
   
   Unlike, say, Lance Armstrong's book, Lynne lacked a central goal, and so the book was really a series of short stories about the various swims she tackled. As one other reviewer pointed out, it became somewhat repetitive. The early stories about swimming in California and the English Channel were to me more interesting simply because it was the first time I heard the tale.
   
   The book isn't bad, but it's also not great.



5. For the first 150+ pages I was intrigued with Ms.Cox's swims.....her amazing endurance and determination. But then...page after page after page....more or less the same....far more than I ever needed or wanted to know about long distance swimming particularly in icy cold waters. When.....at the last chapter...she actually did swim in Antartica waters, although I was sitting in my warm office, I shivered.

4 comments about Minnesota Fats: Never Behind the Eight Ball.

1. Though well written stylistically, it's horribly researched. The author basically just took Wanderone and his fans' word for it, on everything. As most people with any knowledge of billiards history know, "Minnesota Fats" was a fictional character (from the novel, and later movie, "The Hustler"). Wanderone, who had been known as Brooklyn Fatty and New York Fats at the time, adopted the name and then began making up stories of his "exploits". But, in fact, he never played against most of the people he claimed to, much less beat them, and was not a very accomplished player at all (as completely crushing defeats at the hands of real pros, at least one of the televised, demonstrated). In Wanderone's defense, his snookering (pardon the pun) of the media and the general public was a masterpiece of p.r. manipulation, and his stage presence (he did many demonstration tours and other public appearances) was lengendary for its charisma, humor and general entertainment value. Still, people should not be taken in by this book or any other book that treats Wanderone as actually being "Minnesota Fats" (who never existed, nor was based on Wanderone), or as actually being a great player. He was mediocre on the table at best.



2. Written by someone that really knew the Great Pool Hustler! Walther's sincere compassion for the game of pool and for Minnesota is clearly evident. Not just a "Billiards" Book, it offers much more. And the proceeds go to a good cause too! A sincere fan, Mike Soper



3. I read the book on my last flight...I htought it was very insightful as to what this man experienced. It gave me a real feeling of what it must have been like to have this kind of skill, not just shooting stick, but everything that went along with it. I enjoyed it.



4. Fred Walther demonstrates his talents as an author with this wonderful read about the greatest pool player that has ever lived. For anyone interested in billiards or veteran students of the game this book is a must read. It's filled with insightful, helpful and humorous tips and stories from the master himself. What's even more intriguing, is Walther's insight into the fascinating life of Rudolph Walter Wanderone (a.k.a. Minnesota Fats). Walther balances objectivity as an author with his genuine affection for Fats who was his longtime friend. I've read it and re-read it numerous times always finding something new.

   Technically, the book is well laid out with large print. The section on "Tips" straight from Fats is priceless. You can open to any page and start enjoying. I highly recommend this diamond in the ruff.

   Peter Billingsle

5 comments about James Herriot: The Life of a Country Vet.

1. Mr. Lord could have written a good book. He has the tools and the know-how, and he did his research. He made one fatal error, however. Actually he made not one, but two mistakes. The first mistake is that his starting point is wrong. As a trained journalist, he does as a journalist does - he keeps trying to find "dirt", or rather manufacture dirt - all in order to give us a "balanced view". One can't help feeling, as one reads interview after interview, that Mr. Lord has somehow picked only the disgruntled, caustic and jealous remarks to print. The second mistake was in underestimating "James Herriot"'s fans, and familys goodwill towards him. He treats his subject manner as just another subject, as routine grist for the gossip mill, but Alf Wight was not that kind of person. He was a person totally out of Mr. Lord's scope and understanding. He underestimated Mr. Wight's fans and family's tolerance for having his name besmearched, and, indeed, his son wrote another book in response, a beautiful book about his father, and in it he easily refutes all Mr. Lord's accusations - and turns Mr. Lord into a laughingstock. Because anybody who has read the two books side by side - which I just did - would realize that Mr. Lord has indeed made a laughingstock of himself.
   
   While there are some good parts to the book, they are very much overshadowed by the other parts. There are two good chapters - in the middle - which were written factually - the chapters dealing with the content of James Herriot's first books, and the publishing history. There is a good reason why this is so - Mr. Lord was indeed part of the publishing business and would have been privy to that sort of information.
   
   But much of the book is exactly what he accuses James Herriot of writing - pure fiction. It would take too long to point out every one of Mr. Lord's mistakes, but I would like to simply write just a few of the many mistakes Mr. Lord makes. The rest, if you still want to read this book, you could find out for yourself.
   
   The first accusation Mr. Lord makes about James Herriot is that Alf Wight did not write a semi-autobiography, but rather pure fiction. He maintains that even if this were so, it would not matter, because the books are still entertaining. With that salve to his conscience, he methodically starts to take apart many stories in an effort to prove them fiction.
   
   His first assertion - that it would not matter if it were actually fiction, is simply not true. It would matter, and matter a lot, to both his fans and friends and family. His son says as much in his book- that it would matter a lot if his books are fiction. Fortunately for us, Mr. Lord does not bring a single proof that could stand up to scrutiny. His method seems to be - I don't think this story is true, so it's probably not. That's it. Not one single proof. For instance, he says that Alf Wight's memoirs of his war years are fiction - because the dates are wrong. He says that Alf Wight joined the army in March, 1941, and was discharged two years later, and therefore his story that he was called up to the RAF while his wife was expecting their first child is a fictional story. His son, in his book "The Real James Herriot" explains that he enlisted in the RAF in March, but was NOT CALLED UP until 15 months later, in November 1942, when his wife was indeed, expecting their first child. Is it possible his son and wife might know when he joined the RAF better than Mr. Lord? Especially since Mr. Lord actually admits that he is going from hearsay - since the RAF would not give Mr. Lord access to their records, claiming that they were still classified? This should be enough of a blooper to discredit Mr. Lord; however, there are many, many more - so many that it would be funny if it were not also very, very sad that someone could so easily print a book full of lies and get away with it (by prefacing all his explanations with "perhaps" he covers himself from libel, I suppose).
   
   Another example of Mr. Lord's innuendos - he quotes from one of Mr. Herriot's books that James Herriot was taken aback by the red (and squished) face of his newborn son, and asked the nurse if there was something wrong with the child. Mr. Lord asks how can this story be true if he is a vet? Just so, explains his son, animals are born much more fully formed than humans are. (A horse is born already able to walk as soon as he is born). Mr. Lord falls flat in the mud.
   
   Mr. Lord quotes James Herriot as saying that 90% of his stories are based on real life. Mr. Lord asks how that can be - when the Herriot books say that he joined Seigfried's practice in 1937, when he actually started working there in 1941? Mr. Lord, I think we are ready for a lesson in English. Do you know what the words "based on true life" means? "Based" means "based", not "actually, exactly, fact". When he first started writing, he was hoping to remain anonymous, and therefore disguised his stories so that the people he was writing about would not recognize themselves. He changed the location of his practice to the Dales, he changed the dates, he even changed the characters - some from a man to a woman, for example. He put two stories into one, etc. etc. This all falls under the heading of "based on real life".
   
   There are many, many more examples of this in his book - where he "proves" that James Herriot was writing fiction - and he has no proof whatsoever. Not even one single time.
   
   If there is one person writing fiction, that person is Mr. Lord. Mr. Lord spends two entire chapters on a conjecture of how Alf's childhood might have been like - all based on the assumption that Alf had grown up in grinding poverty. These chapters become almost a farce when we read his sons portrayal of his real childhood - although his parents were not rich they were certainly never poor, and Alf had a very happy childhood. He also explains the economics of why this was so. Which puts Mr. Lord's two chapters of conjecture on how Alf's unhappy childhood might have been like in the category it deserves - pure fiction. While the poverty of the under-class in Glasgow in the 1920's is certainly very sad, it definitely does not belong in a biography of Alf Wight.
   
   Another mistake that Mr. Lord makes is that he constantly contradicts himself. For example, in one chapter he spends many paragraphs conjecturing on why Alf was always poor, when he should have had a thriving practice - and the fanciful castles he builds in the air are very elaborate indeed. And yet in another chapter he quotes a neighbor as saying - "oh, they claimed they didn't have any money but that wasn't true. They had money for everthing - a tennis court, ballet lessons for Rosie, etc." This came across as a vitriolic statement, but of course in contradiction to his earlier assumption that he was poor. Mr. Lord, you can't really have it both ways, can you?
   
   Another example - he constantly quotes Eddie Steanton throughout the book, with all kinds of outrageous comments, yet he himself quotes one of Eddie's colleagues "oh, Eddie always exaggerates, you can't believe everything he says". And later in the book it comes out that Eddie had had a falling out with Alf Wight, and I would assume that his "memories" might be somewhat tainted by those sentiments. And yet Mr. Lord accepts Mr. Streaton as a fully credible source.
   
   As matters stand now, this book is laughable and barely deserving of a review - except for one thing: if Mr. Wight's son would not have written his own biography, Mr. Lord's fictious book would have remained as the factual biography of Alf Wight. He would have succeeded in besmirching Alf Wight's name with his book full of lies (oh, excuse me, fiction). The fact that his son wrote his own biography, and a beautiful and moving one at that, has turned Mr. Lord's book into a joke, a book that his fans would not touch with a ten-foot pole, but Mr. Lord did not know that in advance. He tried to change James Herriot's fans opinion of their idol, by trying to find "dirt" on him, and that was a very low thing. The fact is that he fortunately did not succeed, but that does not take away from what Mr. Lord tried to do.
   
   Mr. Lord, shame on you!



2. This book is not even worth turning the first page! This is one of those books where you actually feel embarrassment for the author. The book is poorly researched, poorly written, poorly edited, and well...... words just fail me. While I am not a great Herriot fan, I do have to give him, Herriot his due, the man could write well and could tell a great story (isn't that what authors are suppose to do?). This guy though, Graham Lord, I suspect, has problems feeding the paper into his typewriter! The entire book is such a obvious ploy to make some quick money on the shirttail of a "dead" but popular author it is rather nauseating. Shame on the publisher for accepting such shoddy work! I did finish the book though (thank God I did not purchase the thing) because each page became worse and worse and I could not stop, my thinking being with each turn of the page "well it just cannot be any worse than that last page/chapter." How wrong I was! If you must read the thing, borrow it or check it out of the library. I would hate to see a person waste their money, and I certainly would not want the author and his publisher to be rewarded for a work such as this. Herriot's life, warts and all, could be such a fastinating subject. I do hope someone will turn out a good study of him eventually. We certainly did not get it here. I just hate having to give this one even one star. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!



3. I couldn't agree more with the other reviews posted about this book. It reminded me of the biography of John Lennon I once tried to read. After reading a very short time I put down the book never to reopen it, feeling as if I needed a shower. It's as if the author is trying to elevate himself by bringing down the subject by exposing all his "faults" to the world. Researching would seem to be the most important component to writing a biography (along with the ability to write), and neither are in evidence here. Graham Lord relies on information and viewpoints from only a few sources and none of them close family or friends. Much of the writing is spent on exposing Wight's inconsistancies between his real life and his writing. Why this is so important is beyond me. I believe Wight started every story with an idea based on experience, and expanded it into the charming chapter he presented to us in his books. I also believe many of the stories were accurate retellings of episodes in his career with only names and exact circumstances altered. Instead of focusing on what would be the central core to Alfie Wight's life and writing, Graham Lord has seemingly gathered all the peripheral innuendo and "juicy" tidbits surrounding that core and for some reason presented them here in his book. A real laugher for me is the chapter ending with the dramatic announcement of Wight's nervous breakdown. Simply awful, awful writing.
   You would think the movies and television shows would only have a very small part in a biography considering how long Alfie Wight lived, but in this book far to much is written about them and many of the photo's used are also directly from them.
   A book like this reminds me of a movie like "Plan 9 From Outer Space". It is so bad in all areas that you can almost derive some enjoyment out of reading it. If you want to read a real biography of James Herriot, done with real research, real writing ability and real inside information, read the biography by his son, Jim Wight. I find it interesting that this is Jim Wight's first attempt at writing and I find it quite good. Graham Lord has written many things and his biography is not so good. So you never know. Cheers.



4. Graham Lord is not a hack or a fraud, but he clearly wrote this book without any cooperation from the family of James Herriot (Alfie Wight), and it shows in an abominable lack of actual information about Herriot's life before meeting Lord or of Herriot's life as a vet. He also makes far too much about the fact that Herriot was writing compelling stories based on actual incidents rather than serving only as a journalist, but since his connection to Herriot was only through his books and some occasional personal contact, there was little else he could write. The book is infuriating in the extent to which it substitutes information about the times in which Herriot lived for actual information about Herriot: knowing nothing of Herriot's life growing up, Lord talks endlessly about the life of other people who grew up in the same neighborhood as Herriot, and historical records and newspapers were obviously his primary source, along with people who didn't live in Thirsk and who had limited contact with Herriot.

   The inadequacies of this book inspired Jim Wight (Herriot's son) to write a truly revealing biography entitled The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father, and Lord is to be thanked for that. He did his best with what little information he had, but there is no escaping the fact that he had too little information, and having read the son's memoir, I quickly found Lord's book unbearable and started skimming after a couple of chapters in the hopes of finding SOMETHING I hadn't already learned from Wight's book. I was not successful.




5. The most positive thing about this book is that it shows you what Jim Wight (James Herriot's son) was up against when he wrote his memoir. I highly recommend Jim Wight's memoir for anyone who is interested in learning about James Herriot (Alf Wight).

   I think Mr. Lord may have been well-meaning when he wrote James Herriot: Life of a Country Vet but the book is really appallingly bad. Mr. Lord has no feel for the WWII period, has done no practical research, seems to have little to no perception of human character and relies almost exclusively on gossip and word-of-mouth. One gets the impression that Mr. Lord decided before writing his book what he was going to find and proceeded to twist or ignore any information to the contrary. He relies on those "witnesses" who will tell him what he wants to hear without taking into consideration the inherent complexity of human beings. Witnesses do not always tell the truth--it is a gross error in judgment to think that one person can fully, and accurately, explain another person.

   The lack of reliable facts results in Mr. Lord relying almost exclusively on guesswork, and the assumptions inherent in Mr. Lord's guesswork are almost all negative. For instance, he assumes that because he, Mr. Lord couldn't find evidence that Alf Wight's parents were musicians, ergo, they weren't, therefore Alf Wight was lying when he referred to his parents as professional musicians. The point may be debatable but in the interests of good writing, the assumption is not enough. If Mr. Lord wasn't willing to do the required research to prove the point conclusively one way or the other, he should have left it out.

   Mr. Lord strikes one as the kind of man who is continually surprised by the inconsistencies of human nature. He reports with something like glee that Alf once told someone that his father died in 1961, instead of 1960. This becomes evidence for . . . the mind boggles. I'm not sure Mr. Lord himself has a clue what he is trying to accomplish in this book. Whatever it is, it suffers from an utter lack of scholarship and is therefore deeply insulting both to Alf Wight's memory and to the reader.

5 comments about I Love You, Ronnie.

1. This book was truly touching to say the least!!!!! It blew my mind away. The simple fact is, in these times, it is a RARE commodity to see a truly LOVING and LONG LASTING relationship!!!
   
   This book truly inspired me! Nancy and Ronald both loved each other genuinely and God Bless her for sharing something so personal and private to the world!!



2. I loved reading this book! Afterwards I gave it to my mom to read. The love between Nancy and Ronald will leave you breathless. As their lives move on Ronald always still writes to his love Nancy. Maybe he knew he would leave her one day and wanted her to have a reminder of the man he was.....beautiful letters.....from a beautiful man!



3. What a great book to read. I knew there were some men out there that could be so open about their feelings. Lucky you Mrs. Regan.



4. The book was everything that I had hoped it would be. The warmth and intimacy of their relationship shone through in these wonderful, personal,
   heartwarming letters. In todays world, where expressions of love and tenderness are frowned upon by many, this book shines through like a
   beacon in the darkness. It exposes the beauty and tenderness of true love between these two exceptional human beings. It shows how a truly sincere marital relationship can endure and thrive even in these times. Thank you Mrs. Reagan for allowing us to enter into the beautiful world of yours and the Presidents. Your book can will certainly help all married couples who read it to strengthen their own relationships.



5. Regardless of your political ideologies this book will warm your heart. It is an easy read, but one you will cherish, and always keep near your bedside. At a time when the divorce rate is so high, and many families are so miserable it's wonderful to look at a President who cherished his wife, and a wife who truly felt cherished. In a society where everything is sexualized, it's nice to stop and read about something with so much depth, intensity and commitment. Beautiful...

No comments about I Am What I Am: The Autobiography of Frank "Foo Foo" Lammar.

5 comments about My Prison Without Bars.

1. My Prison Without Bars No one who has been involved with baseball over the last 40 years doesn't know who "Charlie Hustle" is. The unfortunate part of "Charlie Hustle" is Pete Rose himself. I came to this book with an open mind and heart, knowing rather little than most of the scandal that surrounded him when he was thrown out of baseball for gambling.
   
   It wasn't really the gambling aspect and its aftermath that stunned me. It was, rather, the man himself who I came to thoroughly dislike when all was said and done. He comes off as the most arrogant, boorish and narcissistic fools I've ever read about. I did not have the impression that he was in any way sorry for what he did nor had he been, in any way, rehabilitated. Pete Rose is a man on a mission with the end stop being The Hall of Fame. The only hall he's fit for is The Hall of Shame! After all he has been through he's still excusing himself with the words, "that's the way I am!" The things he has missed along the way are the very things that might have re-instated him by now. His only feeling of remorse lies in the fact that he has not yet been able to parlay his arrogant behavior into a second chance...and he won't if he keeps that type of in your face behavior up.
   
   As we all are, Pete Rose is his own worst enemy. He came from nothing but had a talent that was undeniable. His are stats that dreams are made of. Catapulted into a world of money and privilege that he enjoyed for many, many years he was able to live his life as he wished. He was a brash, foul-mouthed, egotistical bundle of power which is still his forte today. The only difference between yesterday and today is that people are no longer listening and he has lost his leverage as a baseball legend and a man. Instead of copping to his lame "that's the way I am" excuse, he should be partaking of psychotherapy every day of his life until he learns humility and true remorse for his disgusting actions. No one cares that that's the way you are Pete! We want to know what you're willing to do to change the way you are and become the man you ought to be.



2. The last twenty years should have been the best of times for baseball. Four incredible records, the all-time number of career hits, the all-time number of career home runs, the record for home runs in a season and the number of consecutive games played have all been broken. Yet, only one of these, Cal Ripken's incredible streak of games played, is untainted. The home run records are tarnished by the likely event that Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds took illegal performance enhancing substances and the record for career hits is diminished by Pete Rose's admitting he gambled on baseball.
   This book is Rose's life story, his incredible drive to succeed and how it spilled over into the thrill of gambling, even to the point where he was gambling his career and stature in the game. I was a big fan of Rose when he played, every minute he was on the field he demonstrated how the game should be played. He played to win every moment; he gave everything he had in everything he did on the field. No one can take that away and he should be commended for that.
   However, the integrity of the game must rise above any individual player, no matter what they have accomplished. While Rose admits to his errors and even served time in prison for them, he never seems to quite reach this realization. No player should be allowed to bet on baseball games, this rule must remain absolute and strictly and in some cases brutally enforced. My high opinion of Rose would have been restored had he said that.
   This book deals primarily with Rose's life off the field, which is unfortunate. Given the length of his career and the great players he was on the field with, the book would have been improved if Rose had spent some time describing his experiences with those players. It is also sad to read how far this man fell as a consequence of his breaking the rules.
   The last point I want to make is that I believe that Rose should be elected to the baseball hall of fame. The off the field conduct of some of the players in the hall was far worse that Rose's. For example, the lives of charter members Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth are horrendous. The rule is that once one pays their debts to society, they are allowed back in. Rose should be allowed back in.



3. My Prison Without Bars provides a decent insight into the trial and tribulations of the life of Pete Rose. The book shows the reader both the good and dark side of one of the all time heroes of America's pastime. The first third of the book is dedicated to Rose's childhood, where the reader gains an understanding of how his gambling addiction first happened (his father took him to his first race track at the very young age of 12).
   
   The second third of the book depicts the life Rose had on the baseball field. It emphasizes his love, desire and devotion to the game of baseball. The section puts into perspective how Rose's staggering desire to win, excel, and be the best that won him fame, admiration, and love from millions of people; but ultimately was the reason for his fall. The section illustrates the innocence, or better put, the ignorance, of Rose and severity of the consequences for the crimes he committed as far as baseball is concerned. In Chapter 9 "the Long Hot Summer" Rose says:
   
   I managed my last baseball game on August 21, a night at Wrigley Field... After I shook hands with all the players, I took one last look at the ivy on that old brick wall and turned in my spikes... I figured I'd be away from the game for a least one year. But after what I'd done - one year was fitting punishment... enough time to get my life back on track.
   
   The final third of the book deals with the prison time Pete Rose served for cheating on his taxes. Pete Rose discusses how he could empathize with the inmate who "got started in a life of crime because they came from broken homes - something I could relate to."
   
   Rose ends the book with a very uplifting reference to his family, and how he feels that he has come to the point of redemption. The lasts words of the book are, fittingly, lyrics to the song Amazing Grace.
   
   I highly recommend reading My Prison Without Bars. Rose's story is a very true, very tragic story of success and failure. Diehard fans of Rose will fall in love with the book. Casual fans of baseball will have apprehensions about certain parts of the book that see somewhat fictitious. One aspect of the book that I believe no one will disagree with is that Pete Rose loves the game of baseball.



4. Pete Rose was one of the best baseball players, but obviously extremely dumb. He admits at the end of the book that he bet on baseball, but says he did not bet on his team. Betting on baseball itself, is extremely unseemely to hear, and if he lied just about this for 15 years is he still covering up the worst sin of betting on or against his team. I would say a dummy like this probably did bet on his team. I knew after I read "Say it Ain't So" about the Blacksox scandal, that if you bet on baseball you would be banned forever from the game--no excuses!!!. I would recommend to Rose to read that book and study Judge Landis Verdict in that case. I knew this when I was 14 years old and Rose still did not even mention this in his book and still doesn't seem to get it. This guy is a hustler/jailbird and should be banned for life just for being stupid enough to do something like this----- Hey, Rose you didn't mention Judge Landis



5. 
   Poor Pete Rose...
   
   After reading Pete's book, Pete Rose, My Prison Without Bars, you just have to think it's such a shame that all those unfortunate events took place in Pete's life. I mean, the man plainly had to have a way to reduce all the stress he was forced to deal with. So Pete turned to gambling. After all, it was his money, wasn't it? Couldn't he do whatever he wanted with HIS money? And hadn't his father taken him to the racetracks and showed Pete how the "big boys bet"? Sure he did. So if Pete's father gambled, and Pete absolutely idolized his father, then the kid had to think gambling was okay...provided, of course, the gambling didn't interfere with the family's livelihood.
   Then too, Pete was afflicted with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which basically meant he was so full of crap he couldn't sit still long enough to pay attention to what an instructor was saying, though he was doing okay until they told him that Pete was too small to play sports. After that, Pete was so distraught he flunked tenth grade. I might have fallen for Pete's claim to the ADHD problem if he hadn't been so good at numbers, a bookmaker's odds, placing bets, remembering who he owed or who owed him. And we aren't talking chicken feed either. Pete may not have been so much ADHD as he was BWSW (bored with school work), and figured out a way to get around it. Then he had that other problem, ODB (Oppositional Defiant Behavior) that was probably inherited from his mother. She could literally "whup the crap out of you" if someone made her good and mad...and, in fact, often did just that. Basically, what ODB really meant was that you didn't TELL Pete what to do. You ASK him...nicely.
   Pete was no quitter and definitely wasn't lazy when it came to playing baseball. He proved this to the entire world by the baseball records he set, which are to be admired. It was simply all those other rules that seemed to get in Pete's way, so he ignored them. Nobody could make me believe the man didn't know how to read, and Rule #21 was pretty self-explanatory: DON'T BET ON BASEBALL. But Pete did, and as you'd expect, he really didn't mean to do it, he simply couldn't help himself because of the stress. Admittedly, Pete wasn't a very "warm and fuzzy" type person, so relaxing at home with his family was out of the question. It was the excitement of the racetracks and the bookmakers that helped Pete to relax. Of course, the reason he wasn't a very warm and fuzzy type person was because of his childhood. He couldn't remember his parents ever saying they loved him, but he knew they did. Likewise, he never bothered with telling his children that he loved them either. Nope, not much show of affection going on in the Rose clan.
   But let's face it, Rules are Rules. And even though Rules supposedly aren't made to be broken, we all know that most rules are often bent, if, in fact, not broken. Pete Rose doesn't stand alone in the rule-breaking/bending area. However, if the posted rules really don't stand for what they mean, then why have the damn things in the first place?
   Pete Rose didn't do time in the Marion Penitentiary because of gambling. He was given a five-month sentence because of income tax evasion. And even though he may have avoided paying some income taxes, I'm certain he could have paid his fines and back taxes and not had to serve time in a federal prison. Most of those guys in Pete's tax bracket end up trying to beat the tax system in any manner that they can, and even when they're caught, they don't usually end up in a federal prison. Personally, I think Pete got a raw deal.
   Do I think Pete should be forgiven for his betting on baseball and be inducted into the Hall of Fame? I'm not sure and I'm glad that's not my call. I do know there are a lot worse offenses committed by big name athletes today, so if betting on baseball was Pete's only offense, then it does tend to make one wonder. Pete didn't drink, do drugs, or smoke and, he was dedicated the game of baseball. The baseball records he set were earned by his physical and mental ability and done without the aid of steroids...unlike a few other big-name baseball players we know. I guess what it boils down to, is whether or not Pete should be forgiven. We know if this hadn't happened, Pete would already been in Baseball's Hall of Fame. I seriously doubt there's a baseball player out there that in all good conscience would step up to cast the first stone at Pete Rose.
   Finally, I must say I think Rick Hill did a fairly decent job on putting this book together. There were a few areas that could have used a little polishing. I had to laugh at one of Pete's statements when he said, "I got anxious and SWANG right outta my jock". Considering what Hill had to work with, he did okay. This book tells a great deal about Pete Rose's life. If I hadn't read another manuscript given to me by a gentleman that actually served time with Pete Rose in Marion, and recalling the remarks he'd made about Pete, then I might have fallen for some of Pete's story. I just have to keep in mind that this book IS PETE'S STORY, as told by Pete, and not exactly what the other inmates thought of Pete Rose as a person. And if you're a Pete Rose fan, then you don't even want me to go there.