5 comments about Ring of Bright Water (Transaction Large Print Books).

1. I`ve just finished the unedited version. The first third is mostly dull description of a Scottish shore area. The rest, well, i`m of two minds about that. I`ve had multiple dogs for many years and could , myself, bear criticism for my former efforts at not well balancing their freedom and safety. That being the case I still have real problems with the way the author handled animals : he did not attend the death or funeral of his dog, did not give his first otter a funeral, was so impractical and for such an amount of time about the way he allowed Mig ( beloved 2nd otter ) to run wild that he caused his death despite several incidents that should have made him rethink what he was doing. Worse yet he took on more wild animals after Mij`s death because he " had to have animals " which really trashed the memory of Mij ( whose body was not recovered ) in my opinion. More otters died before he acquired another and he even justified shooting wild birds to feed a baby wildcat ! I know the miserable fate of Edal ( 3rd otter ) he had at the end of ROBW and I`m aware of the efforts he made to accomodate Mij , but he disappointed me. I`m about to start the remainder of the trilogy.



2. There aren't too many otter books around, and this one is pretty serious. The story of a man's love for and relationship with the furry little swimmers.
   
   He looks after and befriends them, and the book is an interesting and occasionally moving account of his life as affected by these entertaining animals.



3. I absolutely fell in love with Mij the Otter but how in the world can the writer say this is entertainment for children when the loveable otter gets killed by being hit over the head with a shovel!! I have never seen this movie until just recently and I sobbed for hours!! I just did not see any point in having him die.



4. The reason I don't recommend this book, despite the nice writing and decriptions of the Western Highlands, is for one dark fact: a number of wild otters died for Maxwell's selfish pursuit of having a wild animal as a pet. This is not the story of a man who raises abandoned wild otters cubs in the Western Highlands and releases them but the story of a man who takes otters from the wild in Iraq and Africa and tries to raise them in Scotland. What this story also tells us is that, if you are of a privillaged class, you can have any wild animal you want as your pet. Today this is illegal "pet" trading and it is responsible for pushing certain species to the edge of extinction. I know that at the time this practice was not looked down upon as it is today and certain other nature writers (Durrell, Heinrich) engage in the same practice but with a more educated populus it should be clear: wild animals are not pets and they should stay wild!



5. I read this book when I was a child, and I really enjoyed it. I've seen the movie version several times since, and just recently decided to re-read the book. I was not disappointed. It starts off kind of rocky, but once the otters enter Maxwell's life, it's pure magic. He's an incredibly good writer with the ability to make you "see" everything he describes.
   
   Staci Layne Wilson

5 comments about The Last Tsar: The Life and Death of Nicholas II (G K Hall Large Print Book Series).

1. A man is sitting at a book-covered table in the Central State Archive of the October (1917) Revolution in Moscow. The surviving diaries of the last imperial family of Russia are there, unclassified at last. Reading them, his thoughts carrying him back and forth in time, the man is moved when he finds pressed flowers in the journals of the tsar's daughters: "Souvenirs of a destroyed life".
   
   Edvard Radzinsky is that haunted man, sitting at a table strewn with memories of a broken dynasty. "The Last Tsar" is the product of his research and his sadness. A playwright, Raszinsky is well-qualified to explore the human depths of the lives of Tsar Nicholas II, his family, and the others who were part of their doomed world.
   
   The book gained a great deal of publicity when it was first released here for its sensational assertion that two of the family may have escaped execution on that terrible night in 1918. And this work of popular history merits the attention. This book is likely to become the definitive work on the last years of Tsar Nicholas II and his family.
   
   Rarely is a work of history so beautifully written, so thoroughly researched, and so permeated with emotion and insight. A great debt is owed to the translator for her lyrical and poetic voice while retaining a sense of historical authority.
   
   Radzinsky's attitudes and feelings are juxtaposed with those of the two main characters of the story-- Tsar Nicholas and his queen, Alexandra. The inclusion of the author's feelings is unorthodox in a historical work however, in this case, it's a success and it offers a perspective that is both personal and realistic.
   
   The tone of the book is conversational rather than scholarly. It is not difficult to imagine Radzinsky weeping as he sits at the table covered with diaries, though he does not say he did. Certainly, the depth and honesty of his feelings are so evident that we find it difficult to hold back tears ourselves as the tragedy of the Romanov family unfolds.
   
   Radzinsky has a deep respect for the dead Tsar and his wife, but he clearly loves those children. They are the classic innocence, doomed by the destruction of their grand and insulated world.
   
   In the early 90s, exhumation of what is assumed to be the family's grave revealed only nine skeletons. Although the accepted number of victims has always been put at eleven. Even more recently, two bodies were found nearby to the execution site and burial site that some experts believe to be the missing bodies.
   
   The book and the forensic examination raise again the persistant belief that not only the Princess Anastasia, but also the Tsar Evitch Alexi, heir to the Russian throne may have survived the execution. However, these most recent exhumations near the main burial pit appear to show that neither Alexi nor Anastasia survived.
   
   One of the participants in the execution later wrote that Alexi and his four sisters remained alive after the shooting had stopped.
   
   "This had amazed the Commandant", he wrote, "since we had aimed straight for the heart. It was also surprising that the bullets from the revolvers bounced off for some reason and ricocheted, jumping around the room like hail."
   
   That night, the children were wearing clothing into which the family diamonds had been sewn. Seeing that the bullets had not done its jobs, the killers decided to finish off the children with bayonets. A strong, although essentially circumstantial case, is presented that Alexi and Anastasia may, in fact, have survived.
   
   This conclusion appears to have been recently overturned by the finding of the two bodies near the main burial site.
   
   "The Last Tsar" was written as the Soviet Union, the author's homeland itself, was collapsing. The two Russian Revolutions, those of 1917 and 1989, are often intertwined in the book. In the lonely archives and libraries of a dying country, Radzinsky fell into a no-man's land of historical whirlwinds where huge and incomprehensible became understandable. He offers insights into the character of Russian history where, ". . . great and terrible events. . . are usually due to someone's stupidity or laziness," and to the apparently cyclical nature of history.
   
   "Oh, our bitter, bitter revolution," he writes.
   
   This is a book about processes. The tragedy of a family, the drama of a world turned upside down and the mechanics of research and writing are among the subjects.
   
   Radzinsky's superb use of diaries and letters, his simple straightforward arguments and his penetrating thought-provoking style combined to make a very entertaining and convincing book.



2. I absolutely loved this book. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down. This was the first biography about Tsar Nicholas II that I had ever read. It gives excellent background information about the country, its history and the politics, so even if you're not at all familiar with Russian history/politics, you can still follow. Excellent purchase!!



3. The history is all there in detail. Very interesting, particuarly if you are into tzar history like I am. However, the book is really hard to read. It usually takes me no longer than a week to read a book, but this one actually took me almost 2 months.



4. With Radzinsky the art comes before the history and that's why this is my favourite addition to the "Romanov canon". This is not to overlook how thrilling in terms of new material "The Last Tsar" was when it was first translated and published (the "Yurovsky Note" comes to mind), and all those lovely until then unknown archive sources. These opened up new avenues of thought and allowed Radzinsky to theorise in a way I found compelling. Except, how much of it could be trusted?
   
   This is the problem with this subject in total. It's an epoch in recent history in the process of being re-constructed, after 70 years of communism in effect shut Russian imperial history down. A detailed picture of imperial Russia at the end of empire is in the process of being written. But in Radzinsky's account I caught the flavour of the times and that's more important to me than measuring his facts, weighing his sources. Most serious readers on this subject know enough in 2006 to discount the more imaginative flights in this book, and for everyone else it's a glorious, rackety, heart-rending read.



5. This was a great book written during the time that the Romanov bones had been uncovered. It gives an interesting portrayl of Nicholas and Alexandra. Most interesting of all is the love story between Nicholas and his former mistress, Mathilde Kschessinka, who years later would meet a woman claiming to be the daughter of the Tsar (Anna Anderson) and she would recognize her as his daughter because of the 'Emperor's look'.
   
   It is somewhat dated however. Since this book has been published, Russian and American scientists have argued passionately amonst themselves as to whether the remains of Grand Duchess Marie or Anastasia are missing. Then the bones were tested for DNA and proved a match and then they were compared with the tissue of Anna Anderson 'proving' she was not a Romanov. However, these tests are not as valid today as they were then. For more on that, visit my website: http://www.geocities.com/anastasiagrandduchess/
   In 1998, the bones were interred in the Cathedral of Saint Paul, although the Russian Orthodox Church rejected the authenticity of the remains.

5 comments about Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me.

1. This book is an opportunity to "hear" Brando, in his own words, on his life and loves, his relationships with his siblings and parents. It sweeps away some of the mystery that surrounded him because he was portrayed by the media as reclusive and difficult. And perhaps he was BUT the book shows gentle humor and deep and abiding friendships as well as strong opinions that sometimes left jaws dropping. However, not may people are willing to put their reputation on the line for something they believe in. Brando was more than willing to be controversial to make a point.



2. I am a die hard Marlon Brando fan. So I had to get this book. Oh, it is an incredible autobiography. Mr. Brando shares his life story with his fans. I enjoyed hearing his opinions on everything. And he shares his wonderful views on everything. But, out of respect for his children and ex-wives he doesn't mention them. I respect him even more for that. If you love Marlon Brando you should most definitely get his autobiography.



3. This is terrific book!
   
   What an interesting fellow Marlon Brando was!
   
   The only thing about this book that I wish was different is that it's one of those celebrity autobiographies that is written "with" someone.
   In this case, the cover of the book indicates the title and then below it: "With Robert Lindsey."
   
   It's not that Lindsey isn't a good writer; he's a very good writer. It's just that it would be great to read a book actually written by Brando himself, that is to say, without anyone assisting him. It's always hard to know how much the "with-author" contributes to an autobiography. Was Lindsey's contribution minimal or significant? Did he work from a written-out narrative Brando gave him; or perhaps only an outline? Or did Lindsey work with no words but rather tapes of conversation with Brando?
   
   Lest anyone think that Brando wasn't a good writer, the book quotes various letters Brando wrote during his life, many of them to one or both of his parents. In these letters, we see that Brando is, if not a professionally polished writer, certainly an extremely interesting, quick-witter, engaging writer. Enough so that he could have carried the writing of this book on his own.
   
   Another clue as to Brando's "way with words" can be seen in a 1991 book called "Conversations With Brando." This is a series of interviews Brando did with Playboy interviewer Lawrence Grobel back in the late 1970s, early 1980s. What we see, *in Brando's own words,* is, again, a very witty, vert insightful, very erudite communicator.
   
   Lindsey, however, as talented a writer as he is, can't reproduce Brando's communicative energy. It would be inappropriate if he even tried: such energy being unique to the person who possesses it.
   
   It would therefore behoove any reader seriously interested, or even casually interested, in this fascinating individual, Marlon Brando, to read "Songs My Mother Taught Me" in conjunction with the aforementioned "Conversations With Brando."
   
   What a life! What a talent! What a view of the world! I would have enjoyed writing to Brando, telling him how valuable his work has been to all of us.
   
   For an interesting and insightful obituary of Marlon Brando, see http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jul2004/bran-j03.shtml
   
   The obituary begins with these words: "Perhaps the greatest American actor of his generation ..." and ends as follows: "He will be remembered as a charismatic performer, an independent and uncompromising figure and a genuine rebel."
   
   Hopefully, our collective future will keep Marlon Brando's joy for living alive & well and as uncompromising as ever.



4. Marlon Brando was the greatest and most versatile actor ever to grace the stage or screen, but he was also a great human being whose heaviness of heart over the suffering of others in the world drove him to do what he could to alleviate that suffering and to shed light on inhumanity and social injustice.
   
   In reading "Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me" by Marlon Brando (with Robert Lindsey), my emotions ran the gamut. I laughed. I cried. I longed for Marlon's presence among us once again. I felt some anger that this person - this wonderful man who gave us so much - this man who stood by the convictions of his heart to help others and who changed the lives of many for the better was scorned and criticized for his activities on behalf of those living in misery and despairing among us in the world. People called him "radical" and otherwise labeled him. And, he felt their contempt and was affected by it. How unfair it was. While so many people merely paid lip service to such causes, Marlon actually did something to bring about positive change and peoples' lives were changed positively as a direct result of this. So, if this was "radical," then I would wish to be so honorably labeled, myself.
   
   Marlon's seemed a painful and lonely childhood filled with abandonment, insecurity, and heartache. He was a prankster - a fact that reminds me of something I learned years ago when I was in nursing school about children whose needs are not met in life - that they are the "clowns" or pranksters in a group, laughing on the outside, but crying on the inside. Marlon said he had difficulty trusting women until very late in his life and that this was the reason he had multiple relationships simultaneously. If one woman left or rejected him, the pain would be more bearable, knowing there were still others. He would not have to feel so alone and abandoned and rejected as he had at times during his childhood like when his nanny left him and when his mother whom he loved so much was not emotionally available to him due to her dependence on alcohol.
   
   As for Marlon's relationship with the public, it is apparent that society held Marlon Brando to its own unattainable expectations. This is a shameful societal legacy. No person on earth remains who they were at twenty years old when they are fifty or seventy or eighty. People praised Marlon when he was meeting their personal expectations of him. But, then, when he did what was natural by growing older (and wiser, more seasoned, and more socially responsible) and some people felt he was no longer meeting their personal expectations, they became contemptuous or indifferent toward and about him. Marlon discussed this with Lawrence Grobel in Grobel's book, "Conversations With Brando." Marlon talked about how he was received when he had a new hit film out compared to when he did not. He said something to the effect that he could "see it in the eyes of the airline hostesses" and other people how, when he had a new hit film out, he received a "full thirty-two teeth" greeting and that when he did not have a new hit film out, they would talk to him like he was a has-been. This is so ridiculous to me. It seems the memories of some are as short as the last breath they took - either that or perhaps they have not actually reviewed the incomparable and timeless work of Marlon Brando. Moreover, he worked up until the end of his life and still played his roles to an exemplary standard.
   
   Having said that, there is definitely no shortage of love, respect, and admiration for Marlon Brando in the world of movies and among other artists, among his fans, and among those whose lives he helped bring improvement to over the years through his activism, his kindness, and his friendship. This is not to mention the love for him expressed by his children in interviews since his passing.
   
   There was no better actor that ever lived and no film better than those Marlon made - and there were so many: "On The Waterfront" and "The Godfather" both bringing Marlon Brando Academy Awards, "One-Eyed Jacks," a masterpiece in which Marlon acted and which he directed, "Mutiny On The Bounty," among the best films of all time, in my opinion; "Last Tango In Paris" in which Marlon allowed us into his private pain and thoughts and which contained a gutwrenching monologue by Marlon over the body of his character's dead wife; "Apocalypse Now," a film in which Marlon performs a beautiful recitation of T.S. Eliot's, "The Hollow Men," and in which he plays a role that is truly heart-stopping; "A Streetcar Named Desire," in the role of Stanley Kowalski which he acted in such a way that there would be no other that came after him that could come close to matching his performance; "Burn," a film whose subject became somewhat a reality on the set, causing Marlon to take a stand, "The Young Lions" a dramatic and moving film and one of my favorites, "Julius Caesar" in which Marlon proved himself a consummate Shakespearean actor; "The Men," "The Fugitive Kind," "The Wild One," "The Appaloosa," and, so many others.
   
   People seemed obsessed with Marlon's weight in his later years. I remember seeing him in "The Freshman" and thinking how good it would feel to be hugged by him then. I also remember thinking that he was such a handsome man with the same beautiful eyes, smile, and sense of humor. He was still Marlon - a sexy, beautiful, inspiring, sensitive man with a wonderfully expressive face and a brilliant mind - a beautiful soul - and among the most interesting people in the world, in my opinion. I would have loved to know him and to have spent time with him - listening to his ideas and theories about life and working with him on projects. I always thought his ideas and projects were inventive, creative, and often workable. One of the things that I was absolutely amazed to hear in a documentary about Marlon was someone talking about Marlon's idea to use the very cold sea water hundreds of feet below sea level and pumping it up to cool buildings above sea level. The person being interviewed said that this idea was actually put into use to air condition hotels in tropical places - and with an approximate energy savings of two-thirds. It amazes me every time I think about it.
   
   Regarding "Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me," Marlon chose not to write about his children. I respect that. I think it would have been fine if he had written about his children, but I think that his love and his protective nature when it came to his children precluded his succumbing to any public pressure to subject his children to such scrutiny and exposure. It was obvious to anyone who knew anything about Marlon as a father that he stood by his children, anguished deeply over them, and made all of the sacrifices that a father whose children mean everything to him would make whenever his children were in crisis. In a documentary I once saw, Marlon's children spoke of him. Their love for their father was obvious and his love for them was obvious in their words as they spoke about the kind of father he was. Marlon, who had endured a difficult relationship with his own father obviously wanted to be a different kind of father to his own children - a gentler, more emotionally connected, and loving father - also a father with a great sense of humor and a playfulness about him.
   
   Marlon writes about his father, his mother, and his sisters in this book. And, this book's title is so fitting when one reads how, despite his mother's struggles with her alcoholism, she still gave him so much, including his love of nature and his love of music and theatre. Marlon loved his mother beyond her problems and he took care of her as best he could, even during his younger years when he should have been the one being taken care of. He loved deeply and he grieved deeply and this was evident when he lost his mother, a woman he said "taught me how to die." Marlon also speaks lovingly of his sisters who seemed to have somehow given him a little of the approval, acceptance, and reassurances about himself that he was not receiving elsewhere in his childhood. In particular, in this book, he includes an inscription on the back of a photograph of him written by one of his sisters that said, "Bud - and is he a grand boy! Sweet and funny, idealistic and oh, so young." As for Marlon's relationship with his father, it seemed Marlon spent much of his life seeking his father's approval because his father was always so disapproving and critical of him. I was so pleased to realize through Marlon's words that he had come to terms with regard to he and his father's relationship and that there seemed to be some healing, forgiveness, and understanding on Marlon's part, not only of his father, but also of himself, in the latter part of his life.
   
   Mere words are inadequate to express the way I feel about Marlon Brando. I love him. I miss him. My heart was broken when I learned of his passing and I still feel it now. If, but for the certainty I feel that Marlon is now in a place of complete peace and wholeness, I would wish for his presence back here among us again.
   
   As for "Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me," I highly recommend this book. It is a book I literally could not put down once I started reading it. It is a very well written and poignant story of the life of a beautiful person who left his mark on the art of acting and on the world in so many ways.



5. Marlon Brando's memoir reads like a breezy conversation thanks to the assistant (if not outright ghostwriter) Robert Lindsay, who was able to compile this material after who knows how much dribble. Brando was undeniably one of the greats, a brilliant craftsman and innovator on the stage and screen. After his cult of personality had been established with `Streetcar,' `On the Waterfront,' and `The Wild One,' Brando drifted to smaller projects, which Hollywood was quick to dismiss. However, during this time Brando performed in Burn! by Pontecervo, which he cites as his greatest performance. I would argue `Last Tango in Paris,' wherein Bertolucci really let Brando's improvisational talent flourish. This memoir is undeniably fluff; he even admits he agreed to do it for the money alone, but it's entertaining fluff. You get to learn about his peculiar politics which include: a visceral support for Zionism, support for the civil rights movement, opposition to the war in Vietnam, and extreme activism to support Native Americans. Brando was a devoted and complex individual. He admits that he enjoyed having affairs, that he often took projects for money, that he was often depressed, lonely, and hot-tempered. What also emerges here is a portrait of an artist trying to gain independence in an inauthentic industry; perhaps he was one of the few who refused to let it ever beat him.

2 comments about Lives of the Three Mrs. Judsons (Large Print Edition): Mrs. Ann H. Judson- Mrs. Sarah B. Judson- Mrs. Emi.

1. The personal writings of the three Mrs. Judsons, Mr. Boardman, and Mr. Judson are encouraging and moving. To see the lives that these missionaries lived out in faith and by the spirit rather than of the flesh is to see servants of Christ. To give up family, country, husband, and health for the sake of Christ and submitting all of those to His will and sovereignty magnified the Lord alone. A continual state of humility is demonstrated throughout this book. Great read.



2. I enjoyed this book, was recommended by my daughter. I've passed it on to a grandson who loves to read this type book.

5 comments about Lucy in the Afternoon: An Intimate Memoir of Lucille Ball (G K Hall Large Print Book Series).

1. Jim Brochu's bio was an interesting read for this avid Lucy fan - but take it - the entire dish - with a grain of salt.
   I was aleady forewarned that Brochu exaggerates his friendship with Lucy (I found myself rolling my eyes plenty of times). This is filled with historical innacuracies matched only by Brochu's continual lapses into fantasy - he claims he and Lucy's hubby Gary Morton sat on the lanai one afternoon discussing deal-making with a TV network.
   Why oh why would Morton discuss anything of the kind with Lucy's new backgammon bud?
   A much better bio (endorsed by Lucie Arnaz) can be found in Lee Tannen's excellent biography of Lucy's last ten years in which he was her close friend. Unlike Brochu who knew her the last eight months of her life, Tannen really was there. And the guy can write.
   I found it amusing (or was it alarming) that Brochu reports with great authority on incidents he was not involved in - Tannen was, incidentally but Brochu never mentions this. He glosses over Tannen like he does everything else that's real in the bio. His daydreams (he claims they are real dreams)about Lucy and his scary eyes in the phhotos tell me Lucy dropped dead to escape him.



2. why should anyone else??? Her own daughter says it is filled with inacurracies and indeed, the author makes it a point in every page to make himself the ONLY friend Lucy ever had. As Lucie Arnaz herself said, "skip this one".



3. I find it highly unlikely anyone allegedly getting these old Hollywood stories from Lucille Ball herself would have gotten them so inaccurately. Approximately two chapters into the book, I began to strongly suspect this man never knew Ms. Ball at all. He supports their "intimate friendship" with an insert of photographs, all of which were obviously taken on only two different occasions, my guess is they were taken right before she had him arrested for stalking. Passing up no opportunity to toot his own off-key horn, the author tends to paint Ms. Ball as a bitter old clown who apparently hated everyone in the world except Jim Brochu, wildly incongruent with virtually every other existing account of Lucille as a generally warm and generous soul who was well loved by those who knew her. Brady's "Lucille", Andrew's "Lucy & Ricky & Fred & Ethel" and Ms. Ball's own "Love Lucy" are only three of a number of infinitely better, more entertaining, and more accurate books on this subject that I can think of without even looking it up. This book is total garbage, it should be read only to placate the author's obvious need to display his psychosis to the rest of the world, and then kept on hand in case the reader should run out of loo paper one day.



4. As with other reviewers here - this guy thinks too much of himself in relation to Miss Ball. I wonder if there are not a few splinters in the windmills of his mind. While searching through Lucie Arnaz' website I found this quote in response to a fan looking for reading material: "The Jim Brochu , "Lucy in the Afternoon" book (which was released moments after her passing) is littered with inaccuracies, and totally fabricated stories. Skip THAT one!" Unfortunately, I read this book before realizing any of that. I do believe this book to be JUNK



5. I have read every book that has been written about Lucille Ball and this is by far the least accurate, odd, book that has been written about the legend. Timed for release, immediately after her death, "Lucy in the Afternoon" chronicles one boys obsession with the entertainer that he, later in life, confuses with a soul-mate type frendship. Very odd reading. Stories are quite obviously fabricated and I find it highly unlikely that Lucy went into great depth with this man about her life. Covering everything from her broadway days to her ex-husband to her movie and televison career. These are highly personal topics to be discussed with what was a stranger. An aspiring writer. This book should deffinetly be skipped by avid Lucy readers and just readers in general. There are far better books about Ball out there.
   
   I would suggest the most recent release "Ball of Fire" or the excellent "Desilu, the story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz". T

5 comments about Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History (Random House Large Print (Hardcover)).

1. Even though the book is called "Cinderella Man", Schaap does a great job of telling the story of Max Baer. Unlike the movie, Baer is shown in a positive light. Baer did not revel in the deaths of the men he fought and had a background that was as interesting as Braddock's. Schaap's book is a great story of both boxers and the time period the historic fight took place in.



2. Cinderella Man is less a biography of James J. Braddock, than a skillfully crafted portrait of boxing's golden era. The colorful characters(Boxers, managers, promoters, trainers, referees, etc.) who populated the era are so vividly described by Schaap that they fairly leap off the page, and when he writes about the action in the ring, you can really feel the punches. Against this lively backdrop, he tells the improbable story of Jim Braddock, from his glory days as a top light-heavyweight contender in the late 20's, to his nadir in the mid 30's, when thanks to a broken right hand, the losses start to pile up, and he plummets to the bottom of the division, all but forgotten by a few dedicated fans and boxing writers. Eventually, he is forced to find sporadic work as a day laborer just to survive the depression. As soon as his hand heals he begins his comeback, slowly climbing the ladder of the heavyweight division until he is granted a title shot by reigning champ Max Baer in 1935(Baer fans will be pleased that Schaap goes to great lengths to rehabilitate Baer's character from the hit it took in the film.) Against all odds, Braddock wins and begins a two year reign as champ. Even though his time at the top was short, his inspirational tale of triumph over extreme adversity has endured, and should serve as a lesson to all of us, never give up despite the odds. Jim Braddock was a genuine hero at a time when people really needed one.



3. Jeremy Schaap does a nice job of telling the story of James J. Braddock who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in boxing history on June 13, 1935 when he defeated Max Baer for the world heavyweight boxing championship. While I don't think Schaap does a wonderful job of capturing the era or the times that Braddock lived in, he does an excellent job of conveying Braddock's up and down career, his relationship with his manager Joe Gould, and the desperate straights both found themselves in during The Great Depression. It's really a heartwarming story in many ways.
   
   Schaap also provides us a very good look at the character and career of Max Baer. In many ways Baer's career could be seen as a bit of a tragedy in that he squandered his great talent by not applying himself to the craft of boxing. Then again, he was emotionally affected by the death of Frankie Campbell after Baer knocked him out in the ring and appeared to see boxing a means to wealth and fame but didn't really like it - at least the training aspect of it. Schaap's treatment of the controversial Baer seems evenhanded and well woven into the book.
   
   Overall, for sports and boxing enthusiasts, a definite thumbs up.



4. Incredible descriptions of Jimmy Braddock's and Max Baer's fights. Most boxing books fail to describe the blow by blow action as well as this book does. I actually got chills reading about Braddock's jab in the early rounds of their encounter.



5. This book is about one of the greatest sports comeback ever. Schaap not only profiles the history of boxing but gives us a quaint look at life during the 1930's depression. Jimmy Braddock, was a washed-up, underdog determined to win the title against one of the greatest boxers ever, Max Baer. Braddock was billed as a 10-to-one underdog. Baer was not only
   heavily favored, but he had already killed two men in the ring. Braddock, with the help of his manager, Joe Gould makes a remarkable comeback and defeats Baer. Braddock becomes a hero and is able to get off welfare once and for all. The story is a hit, even for those who don't like boxing.

5 comments about My Cat Spit McGee (Beeler).

1. Have read this a number of times ... ditto Morris's dog book ... continue to order both as gifts for first-time cat/dog-owners ... may they never go out of print!



2. Pet ownership is a responsibility as well as a joy. Owners who do not safeguard their pets are not doing the pets any favors; they are simply being irresponsible owners.
   
   When Morris writes, "I felt that [Spit McGee] should have one chance at least to become a father" I wanted to reach into his grave and slap him. In numerous other places he endangers his cat (and I assume dog in the earlier book) in the name of misplaced anthropomorphized freedom.
   
   These books should come with parental advisories: kids, don't try this at home.



3. I read this book in one day, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves cats as much as I do. Great story!



4. I finished this book with my beloved Siamese, Tia, draped across my lap. As she looked up at me and I gazed down at her, I wondered what I found lacking about this novel. Was it not gushing or reverential enough? Was Morris too languid or episodic? It wasn't too bad necessarily, but it didn't leap out demanding 5 stars like I was hoping for when I saw it. There are of course mild laughs to be had by some of the anecdotes, and by the end the author's conversion is complete. Willie Morris, who apparently was always a `dog' man, circuitously comes into the company of split eyed Spit McGee. Spit grows on Morris over time. The rest of the novel details their interaction and the constant comparisons to his previous dogs. There are a couple groups who will read this book, those that have been cat lovers all their lives, and those like Morris who are joiners. I fall into the former camp. I think my disaffection here boils down to impatience with those who don't grasp the allure and majesty of cats initially, and need to go on some sort of personal vision quest to `get' it. Arguably, that may make the late comers appreciative, but the author's constant questioning, comparing, and reassessing of the cats love is unnecessary for the born ailurophile. Juxtaposed to the sloppy, loud, non-focused devotion of a dog, when a cat chooses to grace you as an object of affection it is a supremely special gift. Thankfully, it appeared that Morris eventually realized this.



5. I absolutely loved this little book! I saw the movie, "My Dog Skip" and was interested in reading the actual book and came across Spit and decided to buy both! I am a cat lover; have been all my life. It was really neat to read about Willie's journey into the cat world! Willie Morris' nostalgic writing style and how he learns to appreciate the uniqueness and quirky nature of the cat leaves you wanting more!

3 comments about Memoirs of a Midget.

1. De La Mare's little gem, Memoirs of a Midget has to be one of my favourite novels of all time; an uncanny situation, richly developed personalities and the ever present philisophical questions of identity, place and sexuality are all addressed in the most quizzical and charming ways. A must have for those who consider themselves lovers of fairytales as well as philosophers.



2. I thought that this book was excellent! As a fellow short person, I could relate to the story wonderfully! I have felt the same feelings that she felt, it was almost like a mirror was held up to my life. Well except for the when the book took place I can't believe how awesome this book was! Now perhaps people will look at the midgets and think that they are real people too, not just disformed humans. you should read this book. It was the best book I ever read. I hope that everyone reads this book so that people everywhere can get to know the hardships that we face in our day to day lives. This book really educated my friends on how hard life can be. I can only hope that others will do the same thing.



3. Memoirs Of A Midget by Walter de la Mare is a fictional memoir of Miss M, a diminutive young woman (exactly how diminutive is left up to the reader's interpretation!), who grows up in an orphanage and eventually falls in love with a full-sized woman even as she is courted by a male dwarf. The daily travails of Miss M, with the unique obstacles presented by her size difference, lead to her resolve to claim independence by offering herself as a spectacle in a circus. An engagingly told, wry yet witty read, Memoirs Of A Midget is a unique and inherently fascinating novel from beginning to end.

5 comments about Still Woman Enough: A Memoir.

1. I loved this book even more than her first, as it was more complete and honest. However, I still question whether or not Loretta was so faithful all those yrs knowing her husband was always cheating and she had so many opportunities. It seems like maybe she left something out, making her look a little too perfect, maybe because of her children. I did really enjoy the book.



2. This book was so easy to read, I could hear Loretta speaking to me!!! She writes like she talks, which is not all that common...but a definite plus. A must-have for Loretta Lynn fans.



3. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was hard to put down. I bought it in West Virginia at one of her shows. I hadn't read her first book but after reading this one, I also bought it. She had a facinating life and I still enjoy going to see her shows when I can.



4. This is the third Loretta Lynn book that I've purchased. I first got "Coal Miner's Daughter" then I got, "You're Cookin' It Country." Both of those books are true Loretta and this book is no different. It's sort of "Coal Miner's Daughter" Part Two. She tells stories in an easy to understand way and the book flows as if Loretta is in the room telling you the stories face to face. It is a really great book



5. Having read Loretta Lynn's memoir, "Coal Miner's Daughter" and seeing the movie, Coal Miner's Daughter, and having recently visited her Ranch and also her homeplace, I couldn't wait to read her latest memoir, "Still Woman Enough". I honestly could not put the book down. Loretta Lynn proves she is a pillar of strength as she describes the trials, tribulations and secrets of her marriage, and the demands of show buisness, much of which she did not mention in her first book. She is friendly and down to earth throughout the book and is an inspiration to many women.
   
   MBL

1 comments about Amigas: Letters of Friendship and Exile.

1. It is an interesting book about the correspondence between two friends that meet in their country,Chile. But, life is very unjust, and for political reasons both have to leave their land. The letters, that they write to each other through many years, tell their stories of survival and they explain, from their point of view and in a epistolar style, what each of them have to endure to became women citizens, mothers, academics and profesors,etc. in this country. Their experiences are not unknow or irreal, they are very realistics, a common ground for many women that are gone through the same or similar path. This book is a document: a good book for women and men who love literature, books, and academic work.