5 comments about Legion of the Lost: The True Experience of An American in the French Foreign Legion.

1. This book was a disappointment. Over and over again, Salazar tells us how much tedium is involved with the Foreign Legion. If transferring an event to the page in a way in which the reader experiences it, Salazar is a master writer--I was just as bored as he was. One wonders as he recounts the endless tedium, why it was an experience he thought worthy of writing a book about. He also seems to have a great attraction to the Legion he can't escape. The reason for that was lost. There must be far better books on the French Foreign Legion than this one.



2. An amusing study in narcissism and delusional self-flattery. Jaime Salazar is absurd. He seems to fancy himself a cultured, intellectual, gentleman soldier but the bullsh** in this book is so shamefully thick that instead he comes across as a rather pitiful, self-conscious and insecure man-child. Seriously, this book is a farce.



3. This is the story of a bored, Generation X-er, who after reading too many adventure novels, decides to test his manhood and seek adventure in the military. Lacking military experience, he had not yet developed the healthy skepticism necessary for assessing military recruiters' promises of excitement and adventure. But instead of making a small mistake by enlisting in the U.S. Army and ending up peeling potatoes at Ft. Benning, he makes a bigger mistake and joins the French Foreign Legion for a five year tour.
   The book is at its best when it describes the sadistic treatment of new recruits. Drunken NCOs savagely beat the recruits on a whim. Training is Spartan, equipment third-rate, and the rations kept near the starvation level. The other aspirants of the kepis blancs, unlike the author, have few opportunities in life. Some are refugees of Eastern Europe or North Africa, some veterans of other countries' military units. To them even the meager pay of a legionnaire is welcome. The author finds himself at a disadvantage with his civility and pampered upbringing. Those readers with military experience will find themselves comparing and contrasting their own basic training to this tortuous ordeal.
   The author writes well and does a fine job inserting historical anecdotes about the Legion Etrangere. However, the publisher could have done a better job catching the many typos throughout the book. The author is obvious proud that he earned his kepi blanc. The book is at its worse in the latter phases when he describes, with obvious pride, his female conquests while on leave. The Paris bistros serve as the only battlefield for the drunken bravado he has acquired in his few months of training. In the end the author deserts before his first year is out. No tales of adventure or combat here. One wonders what took him so long.



4. Salazar could'nt finish what he started and appears to have written a book with the hopes of turning it into a movie. Much of what is written is not necessary to the story and serves no purpose other than to prop up Salazar's ego after he failed to serve with Honor and Fidelity. Every other book about the Legion is better reading. Buy Simon Murray's book instead.



5. I wouldn't go so far as to place blame upon the author; however, the story telling is heavy skewed in the writers favor. Please do not consider this book to be representative of life in the Legion or the 2°REG.

1 comments about River of Dreams.

1. Treasure River was a great book and Rivers of Dream is going to be a best seller, also. Wow! What excitement! Don't want to put the book down. I want to continue reading - one exciting page after another, one chapter right after another, and this wonderful book in it's entirety. Great book! Well written! Exciting! Great quotes and magnificent,exciting happenings! Highly recommend to everyone!

2 comments about Bear: My Hard Life & Good Times As Alabama's Head Coach with CD.

1. This book is an excellent depiction of a man (not a god). Underwood masterfully relays events and conversations first hand and resists the temptation to sensationalize. This is not just a book for Alabama fans but for any football fan or someone who simply wants to know how to win. Winning, for Bryant was an art of knowing your opponent and motivating your team. Underwood doesn't shield for Bryant's shortcomings and displays them almost as if Bryant himself were there to say "This is what not to do". Great read



2. Growing up in Tuscaloosa, and being around during the period Coach Bryant was coaching at Alabama, I can really appreciate this wonderful book. Over several years, the author spent hundreds of hours with Coach Bryant, and had the opportunity to record many hours of interviews with the Coach. These interviews cover his years of early childhood, his playing days at Alabama and his coaching stints at Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M and of course, Coaching at Alabama.
   
   The book is written like Coach Bryant was dictating the whole book....you can just hear and see Coach Bryant telling the story as only he could tell a story. He talks freely and honestly about his early life growing up in Arkansas and his career as a Football Coach. He (Coach Bryant) talks about his misstates during his coaching career and his successes in coaching.
   
   This book and a book by Kirk McNair (editor of Bama Magazine) entitled: "What It Means To Be Crimson Tide" are two of the best books on Alabama football and its rich tradition. Both are a must have for any sports fan.
   
   
   Buy "Bear: My Hard Life & Good Times As Alabama's Head Coach" if you are a Alabama fan, a coach (of any sport), a businessman or if you just want to read a very good book about a true American Sports Hero.
   
   (The CD of Coach Bryant talking is worth the price of this book.)
   
   Great Trivia question from this book: What year did Coach Bryant first get a job offer to be the Head Coach at Alabama? (1957 or 1958 is wrong.) ......1946...page 107....this book is great!

5 comments about The Day I Died.

1. The title should be a better match for the book's content. I bought the book expecting to read about the author's death experience only to find that topic touched on very briefly. Most of the time is devoted to lessons he learned as a result of that occurrence. He gives some very solid, practical advice about putting one's house in order before death. It is a great kindness to surviving family members. I also like the advice he gives on writing out goals in a prayerful way.
   
   One common epiphany people going through such experiences usually share is a focus on doing things to please God. Building a name for one's self in this life or accumulating wealth lose their attraction. Another realization than comes about is the need to invest time in relationships.
   
   Sjogren talks about filling his mind with positive motivational material. People tried to tempt him to have a bad attitude toward medical people whose negligence and lack of professionalism resulted in permanent negative consequences for him, but he refused to do so. An additional lesson he said he learned was to be a receiver. He notes, "Generous people are creative and energetic."



2. This is an excellant book about the meaning of life, and the encouragement to live a life to the fullest. I was not disappointed in the quality of the book; it's a fine read for those not already acquanted with "life after life" experiences. However, the title and Jacket suggest the book will be primarily about the dying and the immediate recovering experience. Instead, I found this book to be more of an evangelical inspiration book. If that's what the reader wants, this is a good one.



3. I can relate to a lot of this book. We don't always know why things happen, bad things that is, and god doesn't always take away the pain. I guess part of me wanted to see the opposite. I felt somewhat disappointed in the end, but also encouraged ,that this man marches on and now cherishes every moment of life.



4. Simply and directly written, Steve's experience is one that every busy or driven person should read. Steve does not dwell on how he died so much as how we should live, more fully and personally, slower and deeper.



5. This is an inside look into eternity, first hand. It helped me understand many facets of my own spiritual journey and experiences.

5 comments about China Hands: Nine Decades of Adventure, Espionage, and Diplomacy in Asia.

1. Mr. Lilley led a fascinating life, growing up in China, going to Andover and Yale and winding up with many years of government (CIA, State Dept.) service in Asia, including being the Ambassador to Korea during the important student uprisings in the 1980s and Ambassador to China during the Tienanmen Square uprising.
   
   His detailed description of his youth growing up in Tientsin was for me the most vivid and evocative part of the book as he recounted the life of an American family in China in the days of foreign concessions. The story of his experiences in the CIA and the State Dept. were also interesting but, I felt, hampered by something -- I am guessing by an inability to delve into detail due to the confidential nature of much of his work. His discretion is appropriate but one is left feeling sometimes that either not much was getting done, or there was not much from the period that he feels free at this time to recount. This can be contrasted with William Colby's CIA memoir Honorable Men, where he goes into some detail about the Phoenix program in Vietnam.
   
   Nevertheless, an interesting recollection of a unique American life.



2. First of all, some clarification. This book doesn't really cover nine decades. I don't think the title is deliberately misleading, but it really is the autobiography of one man. James Lilley does tell a little bit about how his father came to China, and I guess the background information is useful, but it covers no more than three pages in the book. This, then, is the autobiography of James Lilley, former U.S. ambassador to China.
   
   The book is helpful in several respects. I guess I relate to it more than some, because I was an expat child myself. My parents were missionaries in northern Japan. James Lilley grew up in the pretty coastal town of Qingdao. For those who are not familiar with Qingdao, a brief explanation: Before the revolution of 1949, China had been carved up by foreign powers who each helped themselves to different parts of China and notified the other powers to keep their distance. The British dominated Shanghai, and actually signed treaties that exempted British citizens from Chinese law. The Germans controlled Qingdao (which was called "Tsingtao" at that time).
   
   Lilley's upbringing is significant in a couple respects. He downplays his language ability, telling his superiors that he could speak Chinese "like a four-year-old." I can relate to this, because I grew up in Japan, and I would certainly not consider myself fluent. Nevertheless, he was, in fact, a native speaker, and thus possessed an ability to learn Chinese that was far above average. Because he grew up in Asia, he was able to deal with Asia more effectively than other Americans, especially given the fact that Americans have not understood Asia well. America's foreign policy vis-à-vis Asia has been weak, to say the least. American diplomats and leaders hove not understood Asia well. Those who did were the exceptions who proved the rule. MacArthur was successful in large part because he had grown up in the Philippines. Nixon grew up among Chinese Americans in California. Lilley's idyllic childhood in Qingdao, running around in a big house with lots of servants, gave him a good feeling about China.
   
   But Lilley was born to privilege. He did not live in an ordinary Chinese community. He was American, but he did not grow up in a normal American community. He was a "third culture kid," but a kid whose life was remote from both larger cultures. In many ways, he was ideally suited to the job, because of his background. But he does seem to be more critical of the Chinese way of life than perhaps he would have been if he had not been quite so remote from it. Still, compared to most Americans, Lilley had a huge advantage, because of his childhood experience in China.
   
   Lilley was profoundly influenced by the suicide of his older brother, who took his own life while a young man in the military in post-war Japan. This experience hugely overshadows the book, and obviously, his life. It's interesting, because Lilley did have another older brother, but he says very little about him. Reading between the lines, it seems evident that Frank's death influenced Jack as much as it did James himself, and may be part of the reason Jack had some difficulties adjusting in his adult life, and may explain why James Lilley was not close to Jack, the older brother who survived.
   
   This book is most useful because of the time period that it covers. James Lilley was the ambassador during the Tiananmen crisis. But he was also there during the first Gulf war, and describes how Saddam Hussein sent hit squads to China to take him out. And although he ended his career as a diplomat, he spent the first part of his adult life as a CIA agent, and thus is able to give lots of insight into American clandestine activity during the Cold War. It's a personal narrative, not an exhaustive history. But if you can take it for what it is, I think you will find it to be a useful addition to the history of the period.



3. 
   Through this personal memoir, you get an insider's view on how intelligence and diplomatic communities work with and against each other and how they influence and are influenced by elected officials. It's a delicate dance of meetings, hierarchies, secrets and logistics.
   
   I like that Lilley first introduces himself to us through his childhood in China. Unlike other reviewers, I felt that the discussion of his brother was appropriate and just enough (not too much) for us to understand him and the significance his work had had for him.
   
   We follow Lilley through his covert operations to being, through wide experience (and I presume great competence), exactly the man for various important jobs when decisions are made to re-establish relations with China. Lilley, refreshingly, loves his work, and tells us what he is proud of and unabashedly, about his mistakes.
   
   I was surprised to see some aspects of the CIA work in print. While it is a moot point that Lilley flaunted British law in his CIA work in Hong Kong and Chinese law/protocol in China, I wondered about the propriety of these open admissions. Even more surprising to see in print was the founding of communist groups in the Middle East to create fellow travelers who could travel to China. I presume these things, since they appear publically here, along with the CIA'S 1960's work in Laos are now common knowledge. Lilley writes some of them in sketches, some in facts, some in passing. He gives no analysis or discussion of ramifications or controversies of these activities. His straightforward approach to these assignments was probably essential to doing this kind of work.
   
   Also of interest to those like me who often wonder how things "work", were the two "outings" he had, and how he overcame them to continue a useful career, a career he sees not as something for him, but something important for his country.
   
   Lilley is clearly loyal to family, friends and country. His career flourishes with Republicans and he is loyal to them too. The problems caused by balancing Taiwan and China, and conflicts within and across administrations are presented with criticism of the Carter administration, but the framing of similar problems posed by Reagan/Bush (who do not agree on the China-Taiwan balance) are framed as "challenging". He minimizes Fitzwater's exposure of the dissident Lilley was harboring in the embassy which results in over a year of domestic logistics and unneeded complications in relatonships. (This dissident did not prove to share Lilley's quality of loyalty.)
   
   Lilley and his various teams were skillful in managing Chinese relations in turbulent times, and the world owes him for this. If you are interested in the Asia and the daily grind of the people who make it all happen, this book is for you.



4. This book is part autobiography, part family history, part spy thriller, and part diplomatic history. James Lilley's life and family was shaped by the collapse and rebirth of China. Even his tours in the CIA in Laos and the Philippines and his tour as the Ambassador to Korea seemed to be shaped by the giant leviathan that is modern China.
   
   Prior to 1800, China was about 25% of the world's economy. By the time that Ambassador Lilley's father worked in China prior to World War II, China was a broken country - occupied by Japan and exploited by western powers. The United States, perhaps uniquely, had an interest in China both as a venue for evangelical Christians to recruit and as a potential trading partner. As the child of a prominent business man, that was the world where James Lilley grew up.
   
   Today we have a China that is the regional hegemon in East Asia. The United States has a vested - some would say symbiotic - trade relationship with China. In terms of virtually every other issue with China, we find ourselves in a tight adversarial dance in terms of Taiwan, human rights, intellectual property, and China's own war on terrorism against Chinese Uighurs.
   
   In the case of Taiwan, the Republic of China views itself as the rightful descendent of Sun Yat-Sen's successful revolt against the last Emperor. Likewise, by emphasizing Sun Yat-Sen's socialistic leanings, the People's Republic of China considers itself the rightful "one China" and Taiwan as some sort of breakaway province.
   
   How we got from the reality of a weak dysfunctional China in 1939 to the current balance of power in East Asia is discussed in the form of a very personal family history by James Lilley.
   
   Ambassador Lilley missed World War II and the attempt at a unified Chinese government negotiated by Gen. Marshal. However, with those exceptions, he was like the Forest Gump of Chinese American relations throughout the 20th Century, constantly being on the spot as history was being made.
   
   This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.



5. This is the story of an American and his life - which was totally interwoven with China.
   
   Lilley was born and raised in China. And then working for the American government was either stationed in China or working on China from outside. In many ways giving him a unique view of the country.
   
   This book tells that tale. And while the book is clearly China from his viewpoint, his view is such that it gives a very interesting picture of China over the last several decades.

2 comments about Chelsea: The Story of a Signal Dog.

1. This is a warm, wonderful story about a very special dog and the family who owns her. It depicts the temperament of a well-bred Belgian Sheepdog completely; Chelsea's devotion to her family and her job is 100%. A great read for dog lovers and those seeking a better understanding of the deaf community. As a bonus, the ending is a happy one!



2. If you love dogs and the help they give humans, you will love this book. It speaks of independence gained living with a trained canine, the dedication of the trainers of these dogs and humans, and has some humor. It speaks of the importance of recognizing these dogs as working dogs and not pets, and of allowing them the access they are legally entitled to. I couldn't put it down and wanted more.

5 comments about My Second Chapter: The Matthew Ward Story.

1. If you want to know more about Second Chapter of Acts you won't be satisfied with this minimal attempt by Ward to tell his life story. It's so disappointing that you can mostly skip the first 70 pages or so, which are filled with uneventful, typical childhood stories such as fighting with siblings or disobeying parents. Namely, this is boring and only for those dedicated fans who find it fascinating that he lied to his parents, ran away when he broke a window, or snuck drinks of beer when he was ten years old.
   
   Even though you would think losing your parents as a pre-teen would provide significant insight into a person, Ward shows zero emotion as he just states the facts about his life. It's obvious from reading this that he does not share emotions easily. The few details he does share are incomplete--he mentions something about seeing his mom fall down the stairs but never finishes the story and mentions being withdrawn but says nothing other than "I was fending for myself when it came to issues of the heart. In some ways I began to live more like an animal than a human." Okay--how?
   
   Even his Christian conversion story is stated so matter-of-fact in a sentence or two that you wonder if he actually recalls it at all. It's funny because in the preface he claims that he had to cut things out to keep it short! Why didn't he write about the worldwide adventures he claims to have left out for space reasons? Instead we get little bits and pieces of events but not much more than some bareboned facts and no emotion whatsoever.
   
   He rudely makes fun of people, telling some nasty stories about his relatives and demeaning his California teachers. It's almost shocking to hear him make fun of a teacher with a paralyzed left arm. And these stories have no purpose to them other to just dredge up another uninteresting tidbit that keeps him from having to open up about his emotions.
   
   The story of how they named the group is really dull and again barely worth mentioning. He then gives absolutely no details about recording their classic album "With Footnotes." Instead, he just mentions that they made it and then diverts the chapter to a story about how he first smoked Pot at 15 when he was a Christian and touring with the group!
   
   Ward complains a lot in the book--its disconcerting to hear him put down concertgoers or families that they stayed with, complaining about being asked the same questions over and over. He also doesn't seem to realize what a great life he had in California--he went to the school of the Hollywood stars and lived in a mansion, yet manages to complain about those as well!
   
   The only fire he shows is in his distain for Contemporary Christian music. He admits to loving secular rock. Yet he never explains his spiritual influence on his music. He attempts to finish the book with a little mention of God being the giver of his talent, but overall the book lacks much of a spiritual feel considering the three decades he has spent in music ministry.
   
   There's an odd omission in the book--no pictures! Why wouldn't he put in photos of his parents, eight siblings or especially the brother-in-law who raised him (who is featured so much in the book)? He has made it very difficult to get to really know Matthew Ward.
   
   There are other times in the book where his recollection is off. He claims that in the early '70s he was attending Latin Mass at the Catholic Church. But the mass changed to English around 1967 or so. He doesn't give the Catholic Church or nuns much credit for stimulating his interest in God, but the irony is that today this onetime Assemblies of God Pentacostal attends an Anglican church, which is about as close to Catholic as you can get!
   
   There's probably an interesting story here to be told, but it should be done by an objective biographer since Ward can't seem to find much within himself to write about. I loved the group's music--but this book makes one realize that the person behind the music is very different from what he records.



2. While browsing at Family Bookstore I noticed this book. I love 2nd Chapter music so I snatched it up even though I had to pay $14.00 bucks for the paperback version. I was very disappointed in the book. I guess the low point of the book is that Matthew admits listening to secular rock regularly and brags about the secular rock hits he has done backup vocals on in the studio. I believe, personally, he does this because he has been able to make a living doing jingles and backup work. If he totally condemned secular rock he would have to stop secular backup work.
   Also missing is the lack of scripture references when talking about his cancer battle and well, ....life.
   Now for the positive. He is very personally and up close and it is obvious that he trusts God and loves Him. I just wish he would realize that there is a HUGE difference in secular rock and Christian rock.
   "What fellowship has light with darkness?" 2 Cor. 6:14



3. Being a Matthew Ward fan since the 70's I was so excited when I heard he had written his story. I was not disappointed! I read it out loud to my family and we all enjoyed it. I was entertained, encouraged and uplifted. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is familiar with Second Chapter and Matthew Ward. Well, even if someone is not familiar it would be a good time to get to know him and his music!



4. In the interest of full disclosure, I was a "sometimes" fan of the music of The 2nd Chapter of Acts (especially the early stuff), and promoted a concert with them and Barry McGuire in Central Ohio back in the mid-Seventies. In fact, Matthew stayed at my house when they were in town (as they were in the habit of doing in each town at the time). I was then, and remain today, a huge fan of his amazing singing voice. While I hadn't been following his career too closely over the past 15 years, it was still with great interest that I read this book (devouring it within a day, despite my busy schedule). If you were a fan of Christian music in the Seventies and Eighties, you know that things were very different then than they are today, and even within that musical subset, The 2nd Chapter of Acts was quite unique as a group. I knew some of their background, but the book gives a lot more infomation about their parents' deaths at an early age, and how Matt (and his sister Nellie) were shipped off to California to live with their older sister Annie and her new husband, Buck Herring. There is a very honest retelling of Matthew's sometimes difficult relationship with Buck, who was pretty controlling, and it's very interesting to see how the group came to be, and the history of how things developed over the next couple of decades. There is also a fairly in-depth account of Matt's frightening experience with cancer in the Nineties (which involved both surgery and chemo). I can't imagine that there's a huge audience out there for this book...you'd have to have been a fan of the band for it to make much sense. But I certainly enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it to fans of the band from so many years ago.



5. This book is the autobiography of Matthew Ward. It was Matthew and his two sister's that made up the popular 70's and 80's group The 2nd Chapter Of Acts that transformed Christian Music forever. In "My 2nd Chapter", Matthew shares with us, in his humorous and honest way, stories from his life dating back to his early childhood, his days with the 2nd Chapter of Acts, his battle with cancer, his views on the music scene today, how God continues to change his spiritual perspective and what he is up to these days. I highly recommend it to all esspically Matthew Ward and 2nd Chapter of Acts fans. Being a huge fan myself, I loved this book. I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I have. It will encourage you to seek the Lord and totally surrender your life. His life is a great example of what God can do when someone gives it all.

5 comments about Bare: The Naked Truth About Stripping (Live Girls).

1. This book is interesting but not for reasons I think most people will initially want. If you are looking for a hot juicy porn book this is not your book. This book gives the reader an inside look in the industry. It sort of starts out with a pro approach but ends quite differently. It really shows you the mental state of those who dance in the trade. Through that a reader can clearly see the connection between spirit, mind, and body. It shows how physical acts like working in a peep show exacts a toll on the mind of those who work in that business. Her descriptions of the people in the book are so real you feel like you know them. The motivations for working in the business are very varied. Then you can see through the author's stories how mentally they change as a result of the stresses incurred. The author doesn't really dive into the why to much. I also know there probably is more to the story she did not talk about for whatever the reason. The book flows really well. It is a real page turner. You will end this book definitely educated.
   
   Tom



2. Elizabeth Eaves never worked as a real stripper. In her book "Bare: the Naked Truth About Stripping" she refused to dance at a real club where lapdances are the primary way the girls earn money. Eaves is an upper middle class writer appropriating terms in order to sell her book. How can a person who never worked in a strip-club, never gave a lap dance, never had to hustle to sell lap-dances, how can this woman write a book about dancers and power? Why do we love to read accounts written by upper-middle class women when real working class girls are dancing every day and writing about it and their experiences are totally different and much more valid? This pisses me off so bad.
   
   The lusty lady is a peep show. The girls never have body contact with men, the girls don't have to sell lapdances by hustling, the girls that work there are usually college educated and privileged. Elizabeth Eaves is monopolizing space that should be given to real strippers who have real experiences to tell.
   
   Until Elizabeth Eaves is willing to lapdance to pay her rent and work and live closely with other working class women who are doing the same- she should really shut up and leave the writing to those other women who know what they are talking about.
   
   Elizabeth Eaves' book is classict in that it totally ignores the difference between her experience and the more common experience of girls working in regular clubs.



3. This is one of the best memoirs of this year. The author takes difficult material--sex workers--and very eloquently and clearly paints a picture of personal, inter-personal, social and economic issues. This is a must for anyone who wants some down to earth information about a taboo subject. From a feminist perspective she is thoughtful, accurate and obviously well educated about her subject. Her credentials are also amazing and I am glad that I did not miss this book. Dr.Ruthe911@aol.com



4. I have lately begun reading more books that have been cliassified as "women's studies" books. Gender studies books have always intrigued me and this one, not any less than the others. Bare is a memoir written by Elisabeth Eaves. Eaves' theory is that strippers can be feminists too and just because they make money from taking their clothes off does not mean that they are hypocrites for calling themselves feminists. She uses her own experiences as a stripper to support this theory.
   
   She discusses working for a peep show in the Northwest and how she was exhilarateed by the power that she seemed to have over the men that came to watch her. Eaves also talks about the women that she works with in an attempt to figure out her own motivations for working at a peep show. However, she never really talks about why most women strip or work at peep shows: money, not power, but money. Eaves worked at an upscale peep show in Seattle, comes from a middle class family and had an education. I was perturbed that she didn't try to delve into the socio-economic asepcts of the decision to strip a little more. On the other hand, her book was very readable. It was like having a discussion with a sister, cousin or friend over lunch. Eaves was a person I could see myself becoming acquaintances with, at the very least.
   
   Three out of five stars - worth the read if you have time for it but not necessary in my mind.



5. Most of the people looking at this book most likely already have an interest in women's studies, feminism, and the like. If that's you, you're going to be disappointed. You could already guess the author's point and what she's going to say, and she offers it all up without any interesting insights. If you're just interested in stripping, you'll also be disappointed, because there's nothing particularly compelling about her story or the "back stage" scenes she offers. If you're familiar with Eaves's reporting, from Slate magazine and such, you'll already be familiar with her style -- superficial analysis and lack of compelling argument or detail. Skip this book -- there are better feminist analyses of stripping out there, and there are much more interesting stripper "tell-all" autobiographies as well.

5 comments about The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue: A Child of the Fifties Looks Back.

1. Like many of the other previous reviewers, I think the world of Robert Klein as a comedian, so I had high hopes when I purchased "Amorous Busboy." Unfortunately, unlike other recent memoirs I've read (Billy Crystal's and Alan Alda's), Klein's was sorely lacking in humor. Not to say that he wasn't funny when he tries, it's just that Klein rarely makes even the attempt at humor throughout this overly detailed book. The most interesting parts, not surprisingly, deal with the development of his talent and career, but that constitutes a relatively small portion of the book, the lion's share having to do with his sexual development. This book was a big disappointment!



2. Robert Klein's unique sense of humor makes for a great read...of course, it might be even more appealing to read his material if you are already a huge fan of his as I am. This book is not a "laugh out loud" type of book say like say an Al Franken book, but it's funny in other ways and quite enjoyable.



3. I have liked Robert Klein since I saw him live around 1975. This memoir of his early years is a lively read that gives a lot of background on what made his comedy what it is. He is unsparing about his insecurity, need to belong, tendency to overdramatize, and attitudes towards women. The result feels both honest and entertaining.
   
   Why are people giving this book negative reviews for not covering his marriage, children, HBO specials, the Dukakis campaign, or whatever else? Klein was writing only about his youth to the age of 25, with much clarity about the manners, prejudices, and sexual mores of the late 50s and 60s, and he succeeded admirably in making them vivid to someone who was born in 1959. Would I like to read more about his later years? Yes. Hope he writes another book. But it makes no sense to rake this one over the coals for things it didn't try to do.
   
   I take particular exception to the reviewer who even threw in complaints about the omission of topics Klein *did* touch on, including campus anti-Semitism, his difficulties with the talented but scene-stealing David Steinberg, and descriptions of the early careers of performers he met, including Rodney Dangerfield and Bette Midler. Did Klein explicitly say why his comedy seems based on middle-aged angst? No, but growing up with preternaturally cautious and conservative parents accounts for it. If you don't rebel against your parents, you are liable to imitate them.
   
   In sum: this book is well worth reading if you are prepared to accept it for what it is.



4. It's a joy to read. Funny, funny, funny. Great stories, and he truly makes you feel like you know all of the people in his life. A true gem of a book.



5. The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue is Robert Klein's memoirs of growing up in the Bronx in the 1950s. Born in 1942, Klein writes affectionately of the basic influences of his youth during the years 1951 to 1966. Each chapter begins with a picture of Klein during the period discussed.
   
   His parents were children of immigrant Jews who were "careful, cautious, wary people" and passed on their concerns to Klein and his sister. His bedroom was a Castro convertable ottoman in the living room of their small 6th floor apartment.
   
   The first four chapters cover his life in junior high and high school in the Bronx. Having grown up in the Bronx myself during this time, I found these very well written and full of delightful details.
   
   The next five chapters are about his life at Alfred University in rural upstate New York. Here he confronts anti-Semitism and develops a love of acting and comedy. He also works summers in the Catskill Mountain resorts made famous in the movie "Dirty Dancing." He is no Patrick Swayze, and his amorous nature is mostly unfulfilled.
   
   The last six chapters tell the story of his breaking into show business. His first success in Chicago's Second City and his friendship with Rodney Dangerfield are highlights of this section.
   
   One of the recurring themes of the work is his sexual relations over time. Beginning with his losing his virginity to a 112th Street prostitute, Klein reminisces about the women in his life and the sexual and sometimes loving relations he had with them. Although he is not very graphic in his descriptions, this male oriented portrayal of sex in the 50s and early 60s may seem insensitive by modern standards. Yet it is his very honesty at representing the male attitudes of the time that makes this aspect of the book especially interesting. He says he writes "not to titillate but to communicate the excitement that sex held for me and its importance in my life." This was a time of great changes in sexual attitudes and his depictions of his and his friends' sexual interests over these 16 years shows how radical the change was.
   
   All in all this is a wonderful memoir of New York life in the 1950s. It is also an insightful portrayal of college life at the time, especially in an era when Jews were still being discriminated against in fraternities and other aspects of academia. Lastly, Klein does a great job of describing his beginning career as an actor. How he learned his craft, the problems he faced, and the people he knew are all well represented.

5 comments about Stranger Than Fiction: True Stories.

1. This is a collection of non-fictional short stories about average people doing strange things. I can hear you whispering in my ear, "what kind of strange things"? Well, let me tell you that first, you need a breath mint and secondly you spit a little when you whisper. Despite the wet ear and lingering smell of spinach, I'm talking about the kind of odd things that friends tell you about over and over again after a few beers or half a bottle of wine because it is there best and possibly only story worth telling that they have.
   
   These short stories are about modern men who build castles in Oregon and Idaho, stories about drunken rednecks crashing two story wheat threshers into each other in a demolition derby in Lind Washington, stories about public nudity and sex in Bozeman Montana, stories about working in a hospice and being there when people die, stories about shrunken testicles and the pump of steroids, stories about working on an assembly line and trying to be an author, stories that are essentially as American as apple pie but without the sugar and ice cream.
   
   So, if you're interested in a few intriguing stories, brought to you by the slightly warped mind of Chuck Palahniuk author of "Fight Club", take a look at "Stranger Than Fiction".



2. When Palahniuk goes on book tours, he often tells a smattering of true-life stories that he heard from his fans, all items that are indeed stranger than fiction. From a man who writes fiction that is often beyond belief, it is interesting to see the true-life tales that pass the Palahniuk strangeness test.
   
   The book starts out with a bang, an opening chapter that provides the reader a voyeuristic field trip into a sex festival. From there, however, Palahniuk doesn't always maintain the momentum. Sometimes it appears as if he's just a bored reporter scribbling down facts, not trying to weave a compelling tale. Several of the stories didn't keep my interest at all, but there is enough good material in here to make the book a worthwhile read.
   
   Palahniuk fans should give it a shot, but don't expect to be blown away.



3. Plot: N/A
   Writing Excellent
   Pace: Fast
   It's a bunch of short stories about real people and events in his life. Some are sad, some are funny, and some are bizarre. The best stories are about the author, his family, and his two weight lifting buddies. The slowest and longest are the combine derby and castle building. Cut those two stories out and the book would be even better. It's worth reading if you want a change of pace from your typical fiction. Grab a little non-fiction that won't bore you.



4. I had never read Palahniuk and "Fight Club" definitely isn't my thing. Yet I was lured by true anecdotes--who can resist a really strange story? This collection introduced me to a an intriguing man and brilliant writer.
   
   The best thing about this collection is that it takes the reader into odd situations and intimate settings that he/she would probably never experience otherwise. Palahniuk takes us with him as he witnesses odd things such as The Rock Creek Lodge Testicle Festival, hangs out with Marilyn Manson, and reveals his "life as a dog." The book also dives into the personal world of Palahniuk--his past, friendships, thought processes, and life before, during, and after the movie "Fight Club." If you enjoyed the movie or any of other Palahniuk's works, "Stranger Than Fiction" is nearly essential to getting to know the man behind it all. He is apparently a curious person with a keen sociological and psychological insight...and he has a distinct sense of humor!
   
   I recommend this book to every writer...actual or aspiring. A running theme in these stories is the practice of writing. How stories come about, take shape, and draw on other stories. It expresses the connection between writing and life, life and fiction, and how these play off eachother. If you write, you will be enthralled by the introduction to the collection alone...and it only gets better from there.
   
   As others have said in their reviews, this collection does contain a few duds. But it's the many fabulous pieces that make your time more than worthwhile. I learned alot of very interesting things and this book contains stories for varied interests. This book made me gasp, smirk, nearly cry, and laugh out loud. The stories stay with you. I am telling everyone about this book: you owe it to yourself to atleast thumb through it.



5. These stories reveal a more personal side of Palahniuk that you may not have even realized was there. They're hopeful, inspirational, and as always, completely outrageous. These are not the typical quasi-horror stories Chuck has written in the past. But they are excellent stories, and I applaud Chuck for trying something new. I think he did an amazing job with it, and if you like Palahniuk at all, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Along with The Losers' Club (Complete Restored Edition) by Richard Perez, Stranger Than Fiction: True Stories is my favorite Amazon purchase so far this year!