5 comments about Comfort: A Journey Through Grief.

1. I have always enjoyed Ann Hood's contributions to magazines as well as her books. This book on loosing Grace is a heartbreaker. She gives us insight to her grief, and how people try to climb back out of this deep,dark hole. Grace was a special child and so grownup in ways! A womanchild, I suppose. I could not help but to love her also.



2. I have read three of Ann Hood's books and "Comfort" is her best. She is a very good writer, making small moments (like eating pasta or singing Beatles' songs) poetic and uplifting. Her unique gift is that she can write about horrific moments (she has experienced a lot of loss) with an evocative touch. This book has the beauty of a well delivered eulogy. The obvious comparison is to "The Year of Magical Thinking," but in some ways I liked this book even more. It is one of the best I've read this year.



3. This book is written by a mom who watched her daughter die, of a rare bacterial infection, after only two days. It is powerful, honest, raw, and wise. I am social worker who often works with dying children and their parents. I learned a great deal from the author, as Hood shared, in vivid detail, so much about her experiences, her needs, what she longed for, what did and didn't work and what would have been helpful to her. Hood spoke about the pain she experienced in the hospital, such as her child being ripped away from her and screaming at her child through the glass of her hospital room. There are many other vivid details I will not share, since I do not wish to spoil the book!! Readers will feel as if they were walking through the experience of Hood's loss and her child's death. Readers will also feel as if they were experiencing Hood's healing. Hood does not write about her healing as if it were some magical experience. She does not pretend there are easy steps to take. She is realistic about grief and the intense toll is takes on one's life. She is realistic about the time it takes to begin any type of recovery. Hood speaks directly about the pressure grievers experience to "get better" or to "get over" their grief and the damage this can cause in relationships and within the griever. Her words can be very validating to the bereaved. I think any reader will learn a great deal from Hood. Her book is moving, humbling, and inspirational. It had a wonderful ending, with some amazing surprises. I could not book this book down and I am passing it along to many friends! I strongly recommend it to you!!!



4. If you have ever lost a child or know someone who has, this is a must read. It is the real deal, no sugar and its not one of those books that says to simply turn to God and you will be alright or go to therapy and you'll be cured of your pain. Read this book and you will feel better about how you are feeling and dealing with the pain of losing your child. Its been 8 years since we dealt with the death of a 10 year old to leukemia and this was the best book I've read.



5. How can one recommend a book that is so sad? Many people would shy away from reading a book about the death of a child. But by not reading Hood's journey through grief, one would miss so much.
   
   Hood's journey, like that of every parent who has lost a child, will never end. It will just get less raw, although at times it will still overwhelm. I do not think I have ever read anything more heartfelt, more eloquent, more full of what a parent goes through when the worst has happened.
   
   Hood's voice is so real and so compelling. I read this book in one sitting, until 2 AM, and was so worn out when I finished. Not because it was 2 AM but because of the emotion I had experienced. I wished that I was able to reach out an hold this grieving family in my arms and make it better. But it will never get better for them.

5 comments about The Tender Bar.

1. Unbeleivably honest and extremely inspiring. Despite of what he has been through, he is now a successful journalist and a Pulitzer Prize winner. What is ironic is that his book ended up on the NY Times bestseller list. It is as if Moehringer is sticking his tongue out to the senior editors who previously declared him as "non NY Times material". It is a lesson in perseverance and endurance. One should always keep trying and never give up.



2. The less than 5 star reviewers are not understanding this story. JR's memoir is not about a bar, not about avoiding a life of achoholism, not about whining over misfortune, and not about overcomming childhood challenges. The real story here is sharing boldly and courageously what it is like to grow up fatherless. JR speaks for all of us men who grew up without fathers and his medium is great storytelling. While "growing up" we really were always searching for the right templates for manhood. We would grab ahold of anyone who paid attention! That could be good and that could be bad, but fortunatly for our author, the men at the bar were ultimately a good influence, not all of them as career path role models, but certainly as "man models" and that is what was needed. It is impossible (no criticism) for individuals who grew up with a father to empathize. This is not whining, it is just plain being honest and sharing what it is like. JR's memoir resonates with all of us "fatherless boys" and he must be reviewed from that perspective. For those of you who would like to know what goes through our minds and our orientation to the world, this is great primer/story. BRAVO JR.



3. I enjoyed reading this book, especially when J.R. talks about the book he wanted to write, especially the chapter in which J.R. includes a number of anecdotes & jokes he meant to include in the book he imagined. I enjoyed the process aspect of this book--the process through which we see Moehringer realize his insecurities and identify his alcoholism, problems with women, and the role the bar plays in his life. It's a little bit like watching someone you care about grow up.



4. This one almost makes you want to go back into those murky waters polluted by the likes of a Million Little Pieces and Running with Scissors. Almost, but not quite.
   To be sure, J.R. Moehringer, Yale graduate, national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, Pulitzer Prize winner, knows how to write. His story, told with a certain Rocky-Balboa, only in America, ascendancy, begins with his father skipping out. Abandoned, uneducated and sickly, his mother is forced to eke out a meager existence for her child and herself in their hometown of Manhasset, Long Island, NY. Young JR loves his mom, wants to provide for her, but doesn't know how. He craves for a father figure. He eventually finds one in a bar called Publican's. Populated with misfits of every stripe, none are sufficiently complete to serve as mentor. Piecemeal, they have all the qualities any boy would want in a father. Steve is a natural leader. Cager is a prankster. Joey D is tough and fearless. DiPietro is smart and successful. And, Uncle Chaz knows horses, women, fights and baseball even if he is not so good at hoops. Selectively pieced together, they are like some sort of super-dad. When his mother moves them to Arizona, JR takes a job working as a cashier at a bookstore run by a couple of misfit book-worms. Having already mastered the art of selective composition at Publican's, JR manages to alloy Bud and Bill into a sort of Mr. Myogi for the aspiring Yalie. Wipe-on Gatsby, Wipe-off Rocky-Balboa. Wipe-on urbanity, Wipe-off Hicksville. If a Yalie knows just one thing about everything, then JR's book is here to tell you that composite fatherhood is almost as good as the real thing. He almost convinces. Almost.



5. This was an interesting read. It felt a bit lenghty at times - redundant. But overall, a satisfying read with some good discussion at book club.

5 comments about Black Wave: A Family's Adventure at Sea and the Disaster That Saved Them.

1. Now whether it is true or not, the character I would really like to hear from is the Silverwood's younger son. I hope his parents will encourage him to talk into a recorder or write it down now so that when he is a bit older he can give us what may be the deepest understanding of all six of them. And I am dying to know where he will go as his life moves on. I also didn't feel the marriage problems as explained frequently by the Mrs. were really resolved by her husband. He drags in a story of a similar wreck from 150 years ago and gives very little of himself to the reader.
   
   But do buy it and enjoy yourself and I think you will see what I did: the first part is a movie script in the making and the second part should have been used to fill in more blanks that go unanswered. Why was Ben a difficult kid and their daughter seems lovely but her mother almost makes her into a valley girl at points and I don't think that is fair. But Jack will make you want to kick off your shoes and run to the nearest patch of un-concreted earth to explore as he did the tiny beauty of the huge whole.



2. Amazing story of survival. If you ever dream of taking your family out of the monotony of everyday life and wish to see them learn and grow in new ways - get this book. Drama and suspense - I couldn't put it down. Would make a great movie!



3. A magnificently written tale. I got it in the mail after work, and had finished reading it by bedtime. You know that all the family members survived, so it's not any mystery that keeps you turning the pages. It's lots of things. A very accurate description of each moment that engage all your senses. Insightful descriptions of each "character", mostly done by describing their actions. Adventuresome little "marine biologist" Jack is my favorite. All the different ways each of them enjoy living on Earth, as well as how they deal with life. Straightforward and honest. Exciting - besides the final crash, there's storms and pirates and lots of sea creatures. Along the way it was humorous: "If we were going to die, we were going to die with our flip-flops on." (Not meant as a humorous statement, given the coral and the will to DO something, but humorous in spite of all that.) And educational, learning about what it's actually like to 'sail around the world' and learning about another ship that crashed on the same coral reef in the 1800's. It not only got my adrenaline going, but restored my spirits and my faith in human nature.



4. Jean Silverwood narrates a heartbreaking account of the family catamaran
   running aground and being torn to pieces on an invisible coral reef in the South Pacific, shattering not only their beloved boat, but many of the dreams that went with it.
   
   She also details the battles her husband had with alcohol and her own doubts about the trip itself.
   
   But, in the end, their courage and humanity shine through: they survive to return home, her husband undergoes more surgery on his leg and they survive the Great Firestorm of 2007 in San Diego.
   
   I can't think of a more moving account of how an average American family coped with catastrophe and disaster at sea.
   
   The ocean can be harsh and unforgiving of mistakes, but she also helps you find yourself and reservoirs of courage you never knew you had, in moments of peril.



5. This is a book written from the heart, an experience of adventure, a passage through troughs and crests in a thing called life. A powerful story of how ones dreams and perseverance can manifest through hard work, faith moved into action. How the ending of the story is joy, thankfulness and peace in the midst of controversy and storm.A renewed relationship with their creator,family,friends and marriage!
   I never forget the day I was running on Sunday and spoke to a family member. An emergency signal had been sent out, we chuckled it was probably Jack pretending to be a pirate. Only Sunday evening I was speaking to the French physicians regarding the condition of John and Jean and consoling their older son Ben. Calling the family in the states to interpret the French language, making arrangements for the transition of John to a San Diego Hospital. This is a true, thrilling story of adventure which leaves you reading through the night as you cannot put the book down or me, well, deciding to read one chapter at a time savoring another well written book.
   Jeanne Stryker, MD

5 comments about Lucky: A Memoir.

1. From the opening pages, Sebold tells the reader a truly horrifying story of her rape in accurate and quite graphic detail. And whilst horrified at what she has endured, you want to read more - to see how someone survives an attack like that, and what life is like for a rape victim in the hours, days and week afterwards. I couldn't put this book down - a combination of great writing and admiration for the author, made this a compelling read.



2. Lucky is a thought provoking book that helps readers understand rape from the victim's perspective. Written in an honest manner, it explores the rational and sometimes irrational reactions of everyone involved - whether victim, friend, or family member.
   
   Seabold opens the book with a vivid description of her brutal rape. Initially, this makes it a difficult read because it forces readers to live through a brutal act. However, it also helps to expose a reader's preconceived notions and biases. Seabold describes her struggles to return to a normal life and she honestly discusses societal issues that favor the criminal and penalize the victim. This is a good read for anyone looking for some insight into a difficult issue.



3. 
   I don't recommend this book to anyone who enjoys prose or literature. Sebold's use of a stripped down, matter-of-fact tone desensitizes her story. Though her rape was a traumatic event, I couldn't feel for her. Perhaps it was her intent not to draw out feeling to avoid pity but personally, I think it was uneffective in conveying her complete story because a memoir needs an emotional plot as well.
   
   I wanted to put down this book before I was even half way though there were still many unfinished subplots like the conviction of her rapist.
   
   I would expect this book in the children's/ preteen section if it weren't for the detailed account of the rape.



4. Lovely Bones led me to this book. I really didn't want to read a book about rape, but I'm glad I did because it is so much more. The story is delivered masterfully and written with skill. Read this book for the writing.



5. This book is powerful. I think every high school student should read it, boys and girls. The topic of rape needs to be discussed and understood by young and old people alike. This book really portrays all parties in a "human" light and it's truth is what makes it so powerful. I can't say enough good things about the writing style and the ease of reading, all the while, it draws you in and keeps you interested. Fantastic book!

5 comments about Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic.

1. I live an hour away from Beech Creek, Alison Bechdel's tiny hometown and the setting for much of her graphic memoir Fun Home. I've always found the area oppressive: dark, looming mountains casting perpetual shadows on impoverished, dying valley towns. But after reading Fun Home, I revisited Beech Creek, to see Bechdel's childhood home and the grave of her father Bruce, and to remind myself of how cruelly ironic life can be.
   
   Bruce Bechdel, a man who loves literature (in his early days he identified with F. Scott Fitzgerald; in his final days he reads Proust), an aesthete with a taste for the baroque detail of the Victorian era, and a creative and versatile designer of interior and exterior landscapes, is born and lives in rural central Pennsylvania, running the family funeral home and teaching at the local high school. He never quite fits in. Always sun-tanned and exquisitely dressed (no plaid hunter's shirts or chewing tobacco for him), persnickety and a bit prissy, but at the same time speaking with a back-country twang, Bruce seems uncannily out of place in Beech Creek.
   
   And he's a closeted gay man, who has occasional affairs on the side and otherwise sublimates his repressed sexuality by obsessively restoring the Victorian-era house in which Alison grew up. The tension of his closeted life makes him aloof, prone to violent temper tantrums, controlling, and sometimes cruel to both wife and children.
   
   Alison's Bechdel's memoir of him, and the way in which her own identity both became the inverse of his and yet in many respects parallels his, is a sophisticated narrative that underscores just how complex personal identity is. Alison is who she is, just as her father was who he was, because of the convergence of Beech Creek, sexuality, alienation, fun, repression, the need to be creative, the yearning for affection, the factuality of history and the re-creation of memory. There's no formulaic happy ending here, no artificial structuring to make more sense of the relationship between herself and her father than there really was. Instead, what the reader is offered is a profound, sensitive, bittersweet effort to explore memory in search of identity--an effort which throughout is punctuated by Bechdel's references to both Proust and James Joyce--and an appreciation for the ironies of fate which make us who we become.
   
   Other reviewers have mentioned that they read the memoir at one setting. I found it so intense that I could only take it in small portions, and even then I sometimes felt overwhelmed. For in sharing her own identity-forming memories with us, she invites us to plumb more deeply into our own. And both exercises, although potentially liberating, can also be harrowing.



2. I knew she was a cartoonist but did not know the memoir would be in cartoon form. It was reasonably well written but her family members just didn't come alive for me.
   As a lesbian, I found it especially upsetting to read about yet another woman who felt like she had come home when she put on her father's clothes.



3. An absolutely brilliant, hard to put down and very moving story. I go back to it often and think about it always. Beautiful, witty, hilarious.



4. Perhaps it is inevitable that I'd fall for this book, given that I'm a fan of comics --Art Speigelman, Chris Ware, Lynda Barry, Megan Kelso, Gilbert & Jamie Hernandez... and of course Alison Bechdel, whose Dykes to Watch Out For strip I've followed for a long time. Compared to that strip, this book has a more gentle pace and wry wit. It says as much as written biographies in a surprisingly compact way. The ending disappointed some, but surely real life is harder than fiction to tie up in a tidy bow.



5. I cannot praise this graphic novel enough. I was so impressed with way Bechdel wove her memoir together, building from one memory into the next. At first I found some of her writing potentially pretentious, something I have seen in the writings of other memoirs where the author wants the reader to know how much they know, to be impressed with the use of precise vocubulary, and the manipulation of time to unfold a story. Usually, these don't work because they are not used effectively so much as for effect. Bechdel, however, has no pretense. Vulnerable and transparent, how she tells her personal story is so powerful it breaks your heart and inspires you soul all at the same time. Her use of the same image, with a slightly different perspective, is not merely clever but perfection. If I could beg her to write about her relationship with her mother, I would. But what would be the point? Then I would want to know more about her relationships with her siblings, with her lovers, with her neighbors. I could never have enough. It is enough to hope for more.

2 comments about The Two Kinds of Decay: A Memoir.

1. This book is a compelling read. It's a testimony to one woman's resiliance when the terrible thing happens to her, not to some stranger.
   
   Manguso has the courage to revisit her devastating illness, and the wisdom to find the ironies, the lessons, and even the humor in her experience.
   
   Through her sharing of the story of those terrifying sick years, she lets us see the indomitable spirit and the sense of humor that enabled her to survive them and heal.
   
   She juxtaposes pictures of illness against the lyrical beauty of her writing. I find new treasures whenever I reread it.



2. Ms. Manguso has written a medically graphic but affecting account of her battle with an auto-immune disease. Written in brief paragraphs with short chapters, the author is clealy recalling a bad dream that she rather not recall. A poet, her writing is lyrical and conversational. Once the reader starts her story, you will not put it down and it is easily read in one sitting. But it is a book that you will come back to.

5 comments about A Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere.

1. One of the best stories I have read in a long time, I highly recommend it.



2. I purchased this book on a trip to Costco - having no intentions to shop other than routine groceries --- then the CUTE dog on the cover compelled me to open and browse. Not only did I stop and look inside - I purchased 3 copies to give to my fellow animal lover friends.
   
   This canine biography works on so many levels with the endearing photos of pro-animal activists and citizens - but most of all - telling the story from the point of view through Baby's eyes brings home the agony of the suffering caused by puppy mills. Credit should also go to the Oprah show for devoting air time to this sad subject giving it the attention it deserves with Lisa Ling's in-depth puppy mill profile. I believe Baby was a featured guest on that show - so I was moved to see the photos in this book.
   
   Jana - Keep up the good work on your mission to educate people to the suffering inflicted by our fellow humans - I agree with Andy Rooney's quote - "the average dog is a nicer person than the average person" - how sad but true!
   
   Buy this book to share with family and friends ... most of all don't forget to spay and neuter your pets.



3. A Rare Breed Of Love is a beautifully written book, one that WILL touch your heart each and every time you turn the pages. This book is a wonderful tool for education about the cruetly of puppy mills. Give this book to everyone you know who loves dogs. Reach out to stop this horror. I was lucky enough to meed Baby and her 'Ma', what an incredibly beautiful and sweet girl. This is probably one of the most important books written about animal advocacy.



4. Jana Kohl is a hero and is such an inspiration. I would never go into another pet store after reading her book. Everybody should read this book; besides being educational it is extremely well-written. I think if enough people are enlightened by her book, it can really make a difference in the lives of so many dogs and cats, and other animals as well. I'm buying this book for all of the animal lovers I know!



5. Baby's story is a must- read for dog lovers everywhere. Unfortunately, her story is not unique, it is the story of all the pure-bred dogs and designer dogs you see all over the place---the ones from the pet store or the internet seller. The truth is they are from horrific puppy mills. Thank goodness Jana Kohl has not only given Baby a wonderful life, but she has been inspired to write a poignant and moving account of her journey from being a prisoner of greed in a canine supermax prison to a loving home.
   
   Bravo Jana, for writing such a beautiful book. I know it will inspire millions of people to make the only ethical choice when bringing a companion animal into one's heart and home, to adopt a four-legged friend from your local shelter. We all salute Baby on her national book tour and wish her the success she deserves!
   
   Carole Raphaelle Davis
   www.hollywoodjinky.com

5 comments about Scar Tissue.

1. Anthony Kiedis. Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was interesting to read Anthony's autobiography and understand the meaning beyond some of the lyrics he has written so far. I do need to separate book from "facts" however.
   
   The book: 465 pages in tiny print describing a life of excesses in every sense became at times a tedious read, mainly because Anthony's life is self-described and delivered by what I define a rather flat narrative. A repetition of events -and most often, a vicious circle, literally- that failed to engage me in full in a few parts. That does not mean that I did not "appreciate" the content. If anything, his is an often brutal testimony of what a serious drug addiction can do to a human being (I felt that this book was more about his drug addiction than about his life or the RHCP).
   
   The "facts": oh, I would have a thing or two to say about his upbringing, I am itching to do it. But. Anthony comes out to be so non-judgemental, so not-critical, so loving towards his family, which he clearly loves to bits to this day, that I am discouraged to say anything more about it. And I respect him for not pointing any accusing finger, about back then or later on. He is not blaming anyone, or at least, that's the way I have perceived the core of this book. In his words, it was mostly all about "the shortcut", which brought him to jump fences instead of walking on a proper path, figuratively and literally. The drugs, his love stories, his songs, the band, the friends he has lost to drugs, the rehabs, and drugs again... An indefinable sense of hopelessness, sometimes peppered with sober, more productive moments, where the love towards life shines in full. I think that it is at this point that he chose to write the book, after a few years of sobriety. And I hope the process of retracing his past has added to the self-healing and helped to stay clean and sober, appreciating life to the full.
   
   Would Anthony have become what he is without experiencing what he went through? I do not know. We are what we do, or so they say. But as much as this book conveys the dispiritedness, desolation and utter despair connected to drug addiction, it is uplifting to see that it is POSSIBLE to get out of it. Tough, difficult, hard, but possible. An inspiration for those ones who are still struggling.
   
   I read somewhere that Anthony recently had a baby (last year). Not an epilogue to his story, but another, wonderful, beginning.



2. I don't know why this book has gotten such a bad wrap.
   Every chapter is pretty entertaining and I now feel like
   I have a better understanding of where a lot of their songs
   came from.
   Anthony Kiedis is an extraordinary human being with some serious flaws.
   All heart.
   
   This book is a must read for any RHCP fan.



3. i don't really write reviews about books but Scar Tissue deserves one. i've only read 1/5 of the book (100 pages or so) but this is one of the most intriguing life stories i have ever come across. i'm having a hard time putting this book down because every page is filled with off the wall experiences and cleverly written life stories. tony has been places and seen things that i'm not extremely famaliar with but he doesn't sugar coat anything. he tells you who he is and why he is that way... one of the most honest and interesting books i've gotten my hands on in a while!



4. For a TRUE RHCP fan, this book is riveting. I read it the whole thing in one weekend, even while walking in the rain because I couldn't put it down. Anthony shares the story of growing up a rebellious youth, mostly due to his irresponsible father, and evolving into the beloved singer of one of the greatest bands of all time. He honestly addresses his very serious addiction to herion and coke and discusses how his girlfriends, like drugs, brought chaos and drama into his life. In reading the book CAREFULLY, one is able to understand that this is a man who has owned up to his faults and tried to grow as a person. He has learned that the only person he can control is himself, and that life is best if taken one day at a time. This story is about finding the beauty in what is given to us and helping others with what resources we have. As a person who has loved the Peppers since the 80's, it was great to read Anthony's commentary about the songs that I have listened to for years. I loved the book and would strongly recommend it.



5. I've been a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers for a while now and just recently decided to read Anthony Kiedis' book. I'm so glad I did (and wish I would have done it sooner)! What a highly entertaining, surprising, fascinating book! I literally couldn't put it down! I've always been intrigued by Kiedis' lyrics and the meanings behind his songs so it was very interesting to read how many of his songs were written and the true meaning behind them. Kiedis doesn't hold anything back in this book and is highly explicit and honest, which made for an absolutely excellent read. 5 Stars for sure!

5 comments about The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir.

1. I was very fortunate to grow up in this period in a small town. It was amazing that the kids in Iowa were doing the SAME dumb stuff as we did in Texas. I had the electric football game and never could figure out how to have fun with it. We went to the local fair and got into the stripper tent at age 15 (true). The stripper in Texas was probably on a circuit that went to Iowa. All in all, a fun book to read for anyone of that era. All the buildings are now gone, but the memories still remain. Bill did a great job bringing those back to life.



2. As I finished this amazing book Des Moines made the news by flooding today. Even though I have never been to Iowa, I felt sad due to having just read this memoir of Bill Bryson's who is from Des Moines. This is a wonderful valentine to Iowa and to Bill's childhood growing up in Des Moines. It is so funny that you will find yourself laughing so hard and so loud. I was born the same year as Bryson and could relate to everything he recalls while growing up in the strange world of the 1950's. He brings back what a very strange time the 50's were. How did we ever become such an interesting generation after a decade of jello,black and white westerns on TV,Dick and Jane books, sci-fi badly made movies and a long list of ridiculousness that our parents and government held up as rules for the good life in America. Bryson's talent of looking at things that at first seem funny(ha-ha) but underneath those events or things lie a lurking dark side of reality that is anything but funny.



3. There are over 200 reviews for this book that attest to really how good it is.
   
   What's most enjoyable is that if you lived during the 50s, Bryson has brought back to you many of the memories all of us enjoyed. This book is laugh-out-loudable while tickling your memory. If you enoy Jean Sheppard and his tales (A Christmas Story), then you are guaranteed to enjoy the Thunderbolt Kid. I was there wish there was a sequal... there certainly was back in the day!!



4. Bill Bryson writes of bygone days during his middle-America, middle-class childhood in the 1950's. Many hilarious vignettes sparkle, including "the toidy jar," getting permission from the teacher to go to the bathroom (Number 1 or Number 2??) and his friend Willoughby who ran the scan involving bugs and pond water in his restaurant food to get free meals.
   
   There were times I was doubled over in laughter. You may get a few belly laughs too, especially if you grew up in the 1950's.



5. Anyone born in the 50's can relate to the experiences of Bill Bryson. I began reading this book on an airplane and was laughing so hard, the people around me were smiling. Bill Bryson uses excellent humor to bring his story to life. You feel as though you know him or someone like him. Memories of my own childhood came flooding back. Excellent read. Never dull.

5 comments about Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper.

1. I loved this book! Not only was it hilarious, it also gave an interesting look into a world I knew nothing about. I laughed out loud at many parts of this book--Cody is truly talented at getting humor on paper! I have passed this book on to others, both men and women, and they have all also enjoyed it. Highly recommended for summer reading!



2. Wow, so you are saying that the sex industry doesn't treat women well, that they make more money off of the women than the women do...and that one becomes a hollow shell stripped (Ha! -pun) of dignity and self worth? Really? Huh - that is like the frst time I have ever heard that. Never could have figured that out.
   
   Did this author not get enough attention as a child? Lookit me, lookit lookit...you're not looooooking! This is girls gone wild (with a brain, I'll give her that) written down - someone who flashes her goods because she is just so, like WILD and free man! Everyone knows this girl - upper middle class family and self styled rebel who is just so "real". The one you lose touch with after college because you are tired of hearing about it -you know, a self perpetuating drama queen. We all have one in our lives at some point. The dirge like forced "wildness" gets tiresome pretty quickly.A bit of self examination as to WHY would have saved this book, but apparently lifting rocks and looking under them is too much work. Instead we get a daily diary of..and then this happened...etc....No hint of any reasoning behind any of it.
   
   It has it's moments, but the material is stretched so thin it gets tedious. This would have been a great essay - novel/memoir length = no. There is no payoff for reading this book - there is no structure...it's just random items slapped together. A memoir does require an arc, not just writing it down. It doesn't string together in the end. Kind of reminded me of Gloria Steinem's Bunny expose - which covered similar ground...but which was much more incisive.



3. This book has become one of my favorites and Diablo Cody has become one of my favorite authors. Witty and relatable, she writes an informative and honest account of her experiences in the sex work industry. Although the reviews and book descriptions are frustrating/patronizing ("Whats a good girl like Cody doing in a place like this?") the book itself presents a fair look at the industry from the inside. Definitely reccomend if you're looking for a new take on sex work or an intelligent and hilarious and witty read.



4. A great summer read. I breezed through it in a few hours. Funny and super interesting. Everything you ever wanted to know about being a stripper and everything you didn't want to know, too. I loved it.



5. 224 pages of one-liners.
   
   Don't waste your time if it's depth you're looking for.