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5 comments about Irrational Season.

1. This is classic L'Engle, full of thoughtful observations and solid spiritual food. It's a good book for meditation and healing. And always L'Engle poses questions that give one pause.



2. I started this book on Christmas Eve...and who knew that this is almost precisely where L'Engle starts the book off at! It was a joyous, challenging, beautiful and often unnerving book that made me flip page-after-page in wonder and awe at the author's very wise words.
   
   Sure, L'Engle sounds a bit like a Christian universalist in some of these pages, but they come from the heart and like all of our hearts, not every thought is theologically right on. So I can easily forgive her for this.For those people getting married, or thinking of getting married, or about to get married within the next 6 months, I'd recommend reading the first 60 pages of this book at least as it will fill you with wisdom, guidance and many wonderful descriptions of what true, ever-lasting love looks like.
   
   Out of "A Circle of Quiet," "The Summer of the Great-Grandmother" and "The Irrational Season," this book comes in a close second out of the three. It's tender, warm, and just what I needed after the holiday season.



3. To gain a sense of the various stages of L'Engle's life, read the Crosswicks Journals in order of publication. In The Irrational Season, Book 3, L'Engle does not give any easy spiritual answers, yet somehow a sense of comfort prevails throughout the pages. Never preachy, this is a book to savor again and again. We share L'Engle's struggle as she grapples with age-old questions. One is awed by the grace with which this woman deals with conflict, both internal and external, even as she is sharing her deepest doubts. As we read, we become a part of L'Engle's spiritual quest and we make it our own.



4. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to reconcile their belief in God with their intellect. Lyrical and moving (I cried several times), The Irrational Season can be read on its own, or as part of the four-book series.



5. I have been a fan of Madeleine L'Engle since I discovered A Wrinkle in Time in the 5th grade. As an adult, I have come to appreciate her non-fiction and adult novels. Irrational Season is probably the best of her non-fiction. The story follows the litergical year and in keeping with the seasons and holidays takes the reader through pain and joy while always maintaining hope. This is an excellent book for anyone who has sometimes felt overwhelmed and questioned their faith only to find that their questioning makes them stronger.

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5 comments about Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story (G K Hall Large Print Book Series).

1. Of a certainty, Gladys Knight is one of the top r&b vocalists of hers or any time. The girl can sing. Of all of her contemporaries Gladys still sounds the best. She out sings, Aretha, is more consistent than Patti, her career is more on track than Diana's, more lucid and controlled than Chaka and is still singing in the same keys, unlike Dionne Warwick. Today is her day. She has a great show in Vegas.
   
   Gladys Knight's account of her life reads as a cleaned up version of the truth. She glosses over the gambling addiction in her life and never explains the truly difficult marriage she must have had with Barry Hankerson. I want to know why her son was sooo fat at such an early age. What emotional need or demon was not being fed? Ms. Knight's discretion due to concern about her children rings false. The ladies she dissed all have children. Cut the comedy, please.
   
   Gladys threw in the obligatory gossipy tales about Aretha, Diana and a slight dis to Patti; old and tired tactics to sell a book. Do yourself a favor and find this sleeping pill in the library and look up the comments about other female artists and leave the book there.
   
   Jealousy is an ugly thing. It was ugly when Miss Ross had Gladys and the Pips removed from a tour and it is just as ugly years later when she refers to Diana as "Miss Cute". Gladys was an innocent country church girl who got kinda gaught up in the whole show biz thang.....Suuuure, honey. We all believe you.
   
   Motown was the best thing that ever happened to Gladys and her group. Motown gave them a number 2 hit and many other chances at success. The second class treatment is a allegation made by all but the Temptations and the Supremes. Everyone else drowned in the wave that was Diana Ross. Oh, I'm so bored with this old song! Add Gladys' name to the long list of Motown ladies who blame one woman for their inability to be everything she became.
   Move over Mary, Martha, and so many others to make room for Gladys. It was her group's sucess at Motown that gave them the platform to go to Buddah and eventually shine as they did. It was just a matter of time. Didn't Gladys learn in Sunday School that everything has a season? When Gladys and her family group arrived at Motown she had uneven teeth that pushed her lip out on one side and a eye that wandered. Old pictures don't lie. Some good Motown money helped her get it together in the looks department. She should thank Motown. She refused to participate in the Motown 25. Motown helped make you a household name. From the chitlin' circuit to "good clubs" and television on the heels of "Miss Cute" and others at Motown. Shut up.
   
   Let's tell the truth, shall we? Everyone in the "Business of Show" has enormous egos or they wouldn't be there. Some people have folk in their lives who keep them grounded more than some others. Most have internal barometers that help keep their souls in check. I have a hard time believing that any of these divas are as unassuming and humble as they want their fans to believe.
   
   For stories that come across as more authentic read; Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner or Darlene Love and a few others who paint a more balanced and honest picture of themselves.
   
   Trivia Question: Gladys Knight made a movie in the 70's in which she was the featured actress. What was the name of it? Find out and view it then tell me if you think Berry Gordy's inordinate attention to the level one stars that ruined Gladys' chance at greater success.



2. I have always admired Gladys Knight enormously as an entertainer. Ever since hits such as "Neither one of Us" and "Midnight Train", my love for her music never waned. After all of these years, she is to be commended for her longevity in such a competitive industry.
   
   As for the book, I enjoyed it so much that I read it within a 1-day period. Admittedly, after I read the prologue in which she gave an overview of her life, I was thinking "well, what else is there to know?" However, I quickly found the book to be quick-moving, enjoyable, and replete with lessons for living. She has had a very rich life in terms of both her ups and downs---and you'll likely be inspired by both.
   
   Whenever I read biographical books, their historical references are usually illuminating. Gladys' book provides lots of insights into the singing and recording industry of old. I'm always fascinated by Motown stories anyway.
   
   The book is well written with clarity that makes it flow smoothly; yet sophistication that sent me to the dictionary from time to time.



3. Gladys Knight's autobiography was not as compelling as Patti's DON'T BLOCK THE BLESSINGS, but make no bones about it, this lady has paid her dues for being the icon that she is, and the diva that she will always be. As a child performing on the TED MACK AMATEUR HOUR, a star was being groomed, but the pitfalls that she encountered while the Pips were being formed, from racism to the sexual attack, left a mark that made her stronger wtih each day that went by. The most interesting monents were during her discussion about how they were treated as a "second-tier" group when they brought Motown several hits. It seems that Berry Gordy and Diana Ross had other plans for the group, and the company made a few rules along the way on how they would be paid. Leaving Motown would be the biggest feather in their caps and the best part was when nobody looked back. She also clear up what went on behind the SISTERS IN THE NAME OF LOVE showcase, the "who discovered The Jackson Five" debate, and the dissolving of her three marriages. Quite long during her teenaged years, everything leads up to this moment, and never let it be said that Ms. Knight is not a survivor.



4. Oh, I just love Gladys and I just really enjoyed reading this book. I appreciate her for being so forthcoming with her experiences without losing any of her trademark, down home southern wit to guide the reader through each chapter. Her rifts with other performers struck me as interesting. You know, I can see, in also reading Aretha's memoir, where the two divas clash. Both ladies do have the tendency to act as if they started every musical trend and discovered everybody. Glady's account of the origin of "Midnight Train to Georgia" is totally false, as is her little conversation with Nat "King" Cole (Hon, Natalie was only maybe a year old). Nonetheless, her inside tips about the music business and juggling parenthood and the business i found very informative and useful, as i too, aspire to sing. I just love her so much and I loved this book. God Bless you Gladys.



5. Oh, just picked up the paperback to seeing her on an old 'Jeffersons' rerun (remember that). Loved this book! Gladys has always been a favorite of mine- that rich, flawless delivery underlined with down to earth truth and conviction- she is among the leading voices that brought soul music to the mainstream America in the 1960's.
   I was mist intrigued by her honesty throughout the book, especially in speaking of her parenting of her children. I commended her for that. Her gambling addiction was another testament of how she overcame adversity and came out a winner, which was another source of inspiration for myself. I also really appreciated her honesty in relation to her tenure with Motown and the treatment they received while on the legendary label.
   And then there was the dirt! What is the deal between she and Aretha? I always perceived that they would be good friends, especially since both encompass such mesmarizing, soulful voices.... I love Dionne, and I could not see her acting the way Patti portrayed her.
   This is a inspirational, well written piece of work. I would recommend this purchase and much love and success to Ms. Knight for decades to come.

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