5 comments about Cherry.

1. I am so disappointed with the way in which Karr chose to write this memoir. I was tempted to put it down more than once while I was reading it, but her subject matter kept me interested, and I did finish it. However, her style of writing is just not for me. There is hardly any use of dialog between any of the characters - the majority of the story is told as one long description of the things around her, which I found very dull. I feel that written in another way, this would have been much more interesting to read. Not sure if I will continue on to the Liar's Club, which I didn't realize was the prequel to this one.



2. I enjoyed both books by Ms. Karr. She speaks of happiness hidden in a dysfunctional childhood. I believe more young adults should read her books and realize that happiness comes from within and as adults it is no longer our parents who control our choices/lifestyle. I read exerpts to high school seniors who find they can relate to abuse or poor personal choices like losing their virginity. Ms. Karr is a natural born story weaver.



3. I read Liar's Club when first published & Cherry when it was first published, so, it's been many years since I have read either one. I grew up w/Mary Karr. Leechfield, TX is actually Groves, Port Arthur, TX; Janis Joplin's hometown. She dedicated Cherry to my step-brother's best friend, the one she ran off with to California after graduation from HS. I'm glad that Mary has turned out to be a successful writer & professor. She had a book of poetry published when we were in the 3rd grade. I was always in awe of her. Mary was always beautiful, with those big doe eyes, & long lashes, pretty body. She was in the HS drill team, so, she wasn't as much of an outcast, as she would have many to believe. We all went through the halls stoned on acid, pot, etc. There wasn't a lot to do, except, hang @ the Dairy Queen down the street from PNG HS, or skip school & go surfing @ Crystal Beach. A lot of us hung out in those dangerous, "black" blues bars down by the docks in Beaumont, & drove across the "bridge", just to get drunk in Vinton, LA. Many of the people she hung with in HS, were my friends, as well. I know exactly who she is referring to in Cherry's descriptions. Although Liar's Club is a much better written book, Cherry is still a good read. I was shocked when people related so much to Liar's Club, you know, the WASP girls in the book clubs. Kudis to Mary!!



4. I will 100% agree with the person who says in their review is this the same author of The Liar's Club? I REALLY, REALLY liked that memoir. I don't know what went wrong with this one..but I didn't waste much of my time trying to figure it out.



5. This is my absolute favorite book in the past few years. Karr is outstanding at description. I've never read anything as precise and beautiful and inventive. Her description of an attention-driven suicide attempt is hilarious and profoundly sad. The writing style is deliciously funny and smart, Karr is a keen observer of sexuality, adolescence, and change, and physicality permeates the story.
   
   On another note, I couldn't believe the 1-star reviews here - they criticize Karr's use of "big words." I was cracking up, hahha. And apparently if you write about drugs, your story automatically sucks. What?!
   
   Most people seem to be critiquing the fact that it isn't another Liars' Club. I haven't read that yet, so maybe that's why I was able to read Cherry with no expectations. It's very accessible, and I liked reading it out of order and then again in sequence. It doesn't have a really linear narrative, (maybe that's what people disliked?) but I loved that. I can't wait to read her first memoir.

5 comments about 80.

1. Excellent book! Enjoyable and interesting. It's a great 80th birthday gift! My grandma loves it!



2. This book is so entertaining and interesting... and will make you realize you don't have to get old... These people didn't!



3. This book was such an inspiration. I am 43 and so hope I can live until I'm 80+. The participants were honest, good and bad, about growing old in such a youth crazed world. I am going to buy at least 4 copies, from Amazon of course, for Christmas presents this year. A great wealth of knowledge.



4. This book is a must read for anyone who is 80, or who plans on being 80 one day. Your parents or grandparents will enjoy this book since they can compare their thoughts, feelings and experiences with those of the stars and celebrities they followed throughout their lives. Younger readers, and that means anyone not yet on social security, will learn how the 80 famous people discussed in this book have handled aging so gracefully, and with so much vitality. This is an inspirational book which reminds us that age need not affect how a person chooses to live life, and that life holds great rewards for anyone -- including people over 80 -- who choose to remain young at heart.



5. I've now sent this book to three people as gifts. This is a marvelous gift from all these famous 80-year-olds, to tell their stories of how they got there. Because each profile is in the first-person, I really feel as though I got to know many of these extraordinary people.

5 comments about Winging It: Dispatches from an (Almost) Empty Nest.

1. I enjoyed Catherine Goldhammer's 'Still Life with Chickens,' and expected to like 'Winging It,' but the magic just isn't there. Goldhammer's 'Winging It' persona made me uncomfortable; she's no longer someone I'd want to share a morning coffee break with. One of the major threads of the book is her longing for an elite prep school for her daughter - she scorns the local secondary and its ordinariness. This new Catherine appears to be totally self-involved. While she's proud of her daughter, Catherine's focus is Catherine and her imaginary travels and adventures and her hopes of finding A Man. She seems to have few real adventures, challenges, and achievements. Major disappointment. I had the feeling that her publisher assumed that she had the potential audience, but that she really didn't have a subject to write about. So [forgive me], she wings it. Be warned, if you're looking for a few shared smiles and tears on the realities of letting your daughter go, you might not find them here. Perhaps that's why a book that went on sale in October 2008 for $22 is in December in the hands of remanders for $4.50. Give it a good look before you buy.



2. Catherine Goldhammer's "Winging It: Dispatches..." is a carefully written book,told with compassionate wit and grace. It reveals how begrudgingly we let go of our children or, perhaps, relentlessly marvel at them--as if our love were a stone we try to throw at them--Hey, don't forget! I still love you!--as they move away from us. Part of the sweetness of the book is that we suspect her daughter knows that, knows how much she is loved.
   
   Ms. Goldhammer approaches her subject with an objectivity that, I assume, must have been difficult, but any difficulties she may have had in writing about loss (if it is loss, which she suggests it isn't, quite), is subsumed by an understanding of family connections and renewal of old acquaintances, not as they once were, but as they are now, a bit tattered and rough around the edges, but present, real, and suggesting hope and possibility.
   
   Most of all, I admire her craft, her precision in using language, metaphor, and humor, so I would be inclined to read anything she wrote. I would read a cook book, a maintenance manual, or a grocery list--maybe even poetry, if Ms. Goldhammer goes back to mine some of her other,long dormant talents. I bet she would knock readers off their feet.



3. I have to admit that facing the empty nest isn't nearly as daunting or complex as the media would have us believe. My friends and I are enjoying the time of our lives, now that the last child has gone off to college. (That said, helicopter parents probably do find this stage more difficult.) I enjoyed this author's first memoir even more -- but this one might be helpful for the parent who's struggling with the first few weeks after her child has left for college. A special shout-out to the author or editor who came up with the title -- it's clever and so original!



4. I laughed out loud! I read parts to my husband and he laughed, too. Goldhammer hits the painful funnybone of Letting the Daughter Go. No sorrow, loneliness, jealousy and self-pity is left unexamined. Not to mention middle age, dreaded Old Age, whether to keep the house or sell the damn thing and move on, health and career are hilariously described.
   
   Who could resist a story that takes place in a town where there are more restraining orders than toilet paper? Or a writer who sees the dragon in her chicken? FYI, Goldhammer is especially good at chickens.
   
   I was very sorry to turn the last page.



5. Loved this second book by Catherine Goldhammer. She has a beautiful honesty about this next phase of life and I think many people will find her observations interesting. If you have gone through any of the life changing events that Catherine writes about you will identify with how she is able to articulate the situation and the emotions associated with the event. A slight mystery---why was her only daughter's name Emma in her first book and Harper in the second?

2 comments about Sharon Osbourne Survivor: My Story: The Next Chapter (Vol. 2).

1. I was pleasantly surprised to find the next chapter of Sharon's story available so soon after reading the first book. Some may feel she took too much liberty in putting those who've offended her (and/or her family) in their places; but I enjoyed reading her side of these conflicts. I would have liked to read more about Ozzy and the kids, but perhaps not enough time has passed since she told their stories the first time... Instead, she tells of her British chat show, and of her participation in "The Vagina Monologues", "The X Factor", and "America's Got Talent". Sharon shares about health issues she's had resulting from her gastric bypass and other cosmetic surgeries, as well as some scary stalking incidents. She also spends a significant amount of time on how she dealt with the illness, dementia, and ultimately death of her father, Don Arden. She was very open in relating her struggle with taking care of a dad who for years had used and betrayed her (when he should have been protecting her, and looking out for her best interests). It says a lot about her character that she chose the high road, regardless of their history, and did what she could to be there for him during his long and painful decline. It's clear Sharon speaks candidly and from the heart, whether it's shaming those who've pissed her off, or expressing her fiercely loyal love for her husband and children. That must be what makes this such an easy read: Though she lives a lifestyle most of us can barely dream of attaining, she tells her story openly and honestly, in a way to which almost anyone can easily relate.



2. Sharon has a fascinating life and puts it all out in the open for everyone. While some people might not be as open about their misfortunes, Sharon doesn't sugar coat anything; she tells it all. This book was well written and very personal. Her life is very interesting and how she has put up with Ozzy, I will never know. That must be what true love really is. She is such a hard worker and a great inspiration for women everywhere.
   
   I also highly recommend Sharon's first autobiography "Sharon Osbourne Extreme: My Autobiography" and the book "Understanding: Train of Thought".

5 comments about Syd Barrett: Crazy Diamond: The Dawn Of Pink Floyd.

1. An excelllent bio, although Lost in the WOods is more deep. Madcap is pretty light, with the interview with Syd at his home not copping to much
   
   The revised edition talks about Syd's funeral and the news on Syd in recent years (that he might've gone to visit Abbey Road, that Roger Waters stopped the Crazy Diamond film being made, although a script was done for it; that Syd befriended the late Bernard White)
   
   Read the book and play the Have You Got It Yet cds and you'll be set!



2. Even though I am just starting to listen to the music of Pink Floyd, that does not mean I am not interested in reading about their work and its creators. Before Roger Waters and David Gilmore became celebrated members of Pink Floyd, there was Syd Barrett--the creative genius who was one of the band's founders. This short, yet concise biography paints a picture of Syd during both his early years and part of his reclusive era. Syd Barrett (born Roger Keith Barrett) was a painter, songwriter, and musician. He was admired by many for his creative genius and good looks. In 1968, Syd left Pink Floyd and embarked upon his solo projects. Many would say that he became burnt out from all the fame and pressure from his musical career. In the early 70's Syd became a recluse and started to express himself more through his paintings. His appearance changed over the next few years as many of his fans (and former bandmates) did not recognize him. It did not take long for a lot of people to notice that Syd had completely changed; he seemed to want to hide from the rest of the world. The book also includes quoted interviews from those who worked with Syd and knew him on a personal basis; interviews are always a bonus! "Syd Barrett: Crazy Diamond" gives an inside view of the life and times of one of Pink Floyd's most gifted musicians.



3. This is a very well researched and written book with many fascinating details about Syd's life. We are lucky to have it, as Syd is not exactly George Washington, inspiring biography after three part biography.
   
   Also, much is not known about Syd. If you are interested in learning more about him, I highly recommend this readable and insightful work. But there will always be much that we will not know about this fascinating artist... this book is a good place to start.



4. i was so excited to read this book as i adore the gorgeous syd.but this book was a big disappointment.



5. If you like Pink Floyd's music, after read this book you are going to love it and you are going to understand lots of things about lyrics. Thanks Syd, wherever you are now!

5 comments about Walk in a Relaxed Manner: Life Lessons from the Camino.

1. My wife and I earned a compostela walking a portion of the Camino Frances in May of 2004. Since then I've read many books on pilgrimage, including several accounts of other pilgrims' journeys on the same road we traveled. Many are what another reviewer describes: diaries of the interior lives of the author, focusing mainly on their hardships and triumphs, as if to point out how they changed the camino, rather than how they were changed by it. If I felt that this were all to this book, I wouldn't recommend it. Instead, I think this book provides a wonderful balance between soulful reflection and the pragmatism of the all-too-physical journey. Walking the camino does appear to have all the ingredients necessary for earning a 'spiritual experience merit badge', and some seem to walk it just to earn pilgrimage street cred. Even were that Rupp's intention, and I doubt very much that is the case, she's provided a great perspective for potential pilgrims and useful material to aid past walkers. It's true that she does not shy away from describing unpleasantries of the road: dirty accommodations, illness, rude pilgrims, bad food, and bad weather. These are very real likelihoods, and she discusses them very frankly; pilgrims do not float along the road, barely touching the earth, and any idyllic expectations soon come face-to-face with harsh reality. Rupp does not bring up these issues merely to complain, however; the benefit of this book is how she treats these subjects as well as her prayerful introspection as equally engaging points of reflection and provides a useful perspective on integrating even these issues into a larger pilgrimage experience. The subtitle of the book, however, is "Life Lessons from the Camino", and that's the true value of these observations: her effort in showing that much of our day-to-day life is filled with just these sort of experiences and just this sort of potential for reflection, appreciation, and understanding.



2. Reflections of this Catholic sister, as she walks the Camino with the semi retired priest of her parish.
   
   This journey of two people of faith met with all the challenges the Camino can offer. Joyce started out as what I call an overachiever, and Tom as a steadying influence.
   
   A couple concepts stuck in my brain from chapters of this book. Enjoy existential friendships. Return a positive for a negative. Negative things do happen, but Joyce would make a determined effort to see the positive - a concept I accept, but sometimes have difficulty applying.
   
   I enjoyed this thoughtful book.



3. this book was great, talked me out of going, realize that all that heat and dirt was not for me, will go trekking in nepal instead, much cooler temps, author did this to add to her spiritual credentials,alll about herself and her inner thoughts, suspect she had not been out of the USA before.
   
   cheers



4. This is an amazing book about an amazing experience--walking across Spain--and well after midlife. We share the hardships and blessings of this journey and are able to walk, talk and think in a relaxed manner while reading it. There are lessons subtly given that everyone can shsare.



5. Back in the summer of 2003, I visited a former seminary roommate in Leon, Spain. I showed up a couple of days before his wedding after backpacking through Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Madrid. While strolling together through Leon, my Spanish friend remarked that people thought I was a "Pilgrim" because of my clothing and backpack. I asked him to clarify, and he replied that Leon was on the path of the Camino Pilgrimage. Thus began my interest in the topic.
   
   "Walk in a Relaxed Manner" was the first book I read about the Camino. It's newly published, written by a 60-year-old nun who walked the Pilgrimage around the time I was in Leon. She hit the trail with a retired priest, and this book was born from that experience. The subtitle and theme is "Life Lessons From the Camino," and each chapter is based on a way she grew due to the Pilgrimage. For example, the book's title is shared with a chapter where Sr. Rupp describes how she learned to walk slowly and thoughtfully instead of quickly and competitively. Other chapter titles include "Savor Solitude," "Deal with Disappointments," and "Live in the Now." Such topics may strike some as trite. But I found it impressive that more often than not, it was the walk's difficulties that enabled her to internalize these truths.
   
   The author writes in a clear and readable manner. She rejoices in the high points of the Pilgrimage, and is honest about the lows as well. Each lesson is presented in a thoughtful manner, and all are applicable to everyday life. However, like many spiritual insights perhaps some sort of defining experience is required to truly own them. But reading about these truths may be a way to prepare the heart for their eventual actualization. Although a Catholic nun in the Servite Community, Sr. Rupp keeps things fairly ecumenical throughout her tale. In addition, practical advice about the Pilgrimage is sprinkled throughout the book, and a list of helpful Camino resources is included at the end. There's even an authorized website based on Joyce Rupp's name if you want more info about her.
   
   Someday I'd like to do the El Camino Pilgrimage. I hope I don't have to wait until my sixties, but sometimes you have to let things happen in their time. If I do walk it, I'll be glad if I learn and grow half as much as Sr. Rupp did. Recommended for all travelers and pilgrims.
   
   UPDATE 9/7/07: Well, I only had to wait until I was forty to do the Camino. On 7/14/07 I stepped off in St. Jean Pied-de-Port (France), and on 8/24/07 I walked into Santiago, Spain. After returning home to the US, I went through this book again. It was nice reading about familiar places on the Way, and also to identify with the lessons Ms. Rupp writes about. Recommended even more now that I've actually done the trek.

5 comments about Tori Amos: Piece by Piece.

1. Tori Amos is an amazing person. The book is a glimpse inside her head. It is purely phenominal the way she thinks, writes, and creates. She has an interesting family history that shapes how she creates, and her drive for knowledge is astounding. Reading her autobiography makes me want to be a more creative person. I want to learn and study everything. She is a very inspirational person.



2. I appreciated Powers' glimpse into the mind, spirit and artistry of Tori Amos. Amos straddles an interesting bridge between privacy and being genuine with her fans. Powers' depiction of her in this book both supports that odd juxtaposition and left me questioning even more just how Amos manages to pull it off. I valued the stroll through Amos' creative process and how interwoven that is with her spirituality. What surprised me, oddly, is how assertively Powers presents Amos by the book's end, with regard to claiming her sound, her contractual rights, deciding who makes the band, how she works with the band... I suppose that despite my best judgement I bought into that 15 years career span of faerieness and metaphoric repartee Amos is so well known for in interviews. But then how else would a woman so centered in her power succeed in such a competitive and patriarchal industry? Very interesting read, indeed.



3. I couldn't have read this book at a better time. My work has brought me to the study of artist-musician as demigod, and Tori Amos dedicates a huge portion of this book to an explanation of the divisions she creates within her own life: public persona, private individual, and performer. I've always loved Tori Amos' music for my own reasons, and I knew she was a preacher's daughter and part Native American, but until I read this I had not realized just how much myth and archetype play central roles in the creation of her songs (and in her life.) She states that the songs come to her (as one's friends would come to tea) and that she can actually see the architecture of each song. The extensive research she has done on myths and archetypes serves as the inspiration and framework for each song. She researches other artists' works (poets, writers, painters, photographers) in order to get a clearer sense of her song babies much as a detective would examine a crime scene for evidence. She says (and I'm paraphrasing all of this) that there comes a point when she just steps back and lets the song in. As a fellow artist, her ideas have given me some of my own concerning the creative process. As a woman, her take on her past life experiences has helped me to take a more positive and less individualistic view of mine. And as an intellect and a mystic who is not at odds with these opposing aspects of herself, she has reaffirmed for me the need to be who I am without reference to any external measures of rightness or conformity.
   
   I recognize in some other reviews a few valid criticisms: namely, that Ann Powers sometimes places Amos on an impossibly high pedestal (though, yes, she is quite the formidable individual) and that sometimes Amos gets a little too abstract even for me. Also, when dialogue was employed it sometimes didn't come across as legit. Maybe Amos was remembering the jist of conversations that she'd had and then putting them in her own words.
   
   Some bits I loved: the autobiographical details of her early life, especially her description of her mother's family (her grandmother and grandfather, and their neat histories and personalities); the "song canvases", in which she explains in detail or succinctly many of the songs on The Beekeeper; the interviews with other people in her personal and professional life, which serve as snapshots of the different and various aspects of Tori and life with Tori; her anecdotes of motherhood (having a toddler myself;) and her indepth explanations of the creation of each album (their concepts and the place she was in personally that inspired them)--she cleared up a few question marks I still had concerning Strange Little Girls.
   
   I recommend this book for those of us who are both Tori fans and philosophers (questioning, analytic, intuitive, not content to experience without understanding) by nature.
   
   I also want to add that while this book is woman-centered (which is refreshing, because many books, regardless of the gender of the author, aren't), Tori Amos does include analyses of different male gods and how they still live in herself and in culture today. And while she never explicitly says that men can identify with goddesses, she implies it by stating that within herself and every woman is a man and a woman, and as I just mentioned, male gods influence her and her work as well.



4. this book is amazing. i recommend it to any fan...
   it really makes you appreciate the later albums



5. Piece by Piece by Tori Amos is a thought-provocking, carefully crafted autobiography from my favorite female singer/songwriter. This book is filled with exciting and clever behind the scene stories from the road, family, and personal passions. Co-written by Ann Powers who is a journalist, Tori and Ann converse bath and forth through e-mail and phone conversations. Tori takes the reader into her special little world, she discusses and opens up about her three heartbreaking miscarriages, the day her daughter, Natasha was born, her love of touring, and recording her studio albums. Tori is such a creative force, I wish my brain could work like that! If you are looking for an interesting and mind-bending read then this book is for you. You are gonna love it, I sure did. Enjoy!

5 comments about Split: A Memoir of Divorce.

1. Very good book - sometimes heart wrenching because it's an actual person going through an actual divorce. Very good and I recommend this book.



2. I loved "Split," but wondered whether anyone else noticed that in Finnamore's first memoir -- scratch that, novel -- "Otherwise Engaged," Finnamore gloats about stealing her fiance from another woman with whom he's living when he meets Finnamore. ("Otherwise Engaged" is technically fiction, but it is transparently autobiographical; the dates, ages, geographical locations, and occupations of the protagonists line up neatly with those of "Split.") So, how come no one seems to have asked the obvious question: Didn't you see it coming? Your ex was cheating on your predecessor when he started seeing you; surely you must have been aware that he was a poor fidelity candidate? Why is "Split" so completely silent on the topic of whether you feel, in retrospect, any remorse for inflicting on another woman the horrible pain that Thing Woman inflicted on you? After all, in "O.E.," you actually knew that he was already in a committed relationship when you decided to make a play for him. How can you plead for sympathy when you suffer from similarly callous behavior by another woman?



3. Suzanne Finnamore tells a story we've all heard before; her husband deserts her and their young son after a few years of marriage for the charms of another woman. So what makes Ms. Finnamore's account any different from the dozens you've heard in your lifetime? For certain, Finnamore's story is a sad one. However, her therapeutic memoir is loaded with hilarious anecdotes, honed by a sharp wit, which will bring a smile to you face and pain to your heart. Of particular interest is her ability to turn a phrase, create an impactful metaphor or simile and, most importantly, tell a compelling story. As I made my way through "Split," I kept thinking how interesting it would be to read her ex-husband's account of the same situation. Hmmm.



4. In her Anger section (Stage II) she says, "The snag about marriage is, it isn't worth the divorce. My new doctrine is, never marry. I won't ever again. It is absolute swill. It's not just my marriage. It's all marriages except a handful. Marriage is a conspiracy from Tiffany's, florists, the diamond industry, and Christian fundamentalists. The only thing good about it is the diamond ring, the wedding gifts, and the honeymoon. A, (the name she gives her son in the book) I could have gotten anywhere. I could have gotten A from a turkey baster and a lovely gay man with a college education and a pleasant disposition. IF ONLY I'D HAD THAT MUCH SENSE AT THE TIME. I'm sending turkey basters to all my single girlfriends, with holly tassels, for Christmas."
   
   In Bargaining (Stage III) she says, "Sorry is the two-dollar bill of words. It's worth something, but in the end it's ridiculous, a souvenir at best."
   
   Section IV: Grief, she says, "Grief, I understand with icy clarity, is simply information I allow myself to know."
   
   And she says this, when wondering what she might say to her son one day when he asks about divorce: "I will say: 'You enter into - well. You enter into a kind of madness. You will make discoveries, not all of them happy. And the surprises are not staggered or regularly spaced, they are coming at you at light-speed, all at once, and you have to continue. You don't get to stop and say, I'll pick this all up in a year or so, when it isn't so difficult or painful or scary. When I'm ready. No no no. You have to go back in daily, until. Until it passes, or something happens to lessen its dark brilliance. you never know when this will be. You just have to keep meeting it. And gradually it disperses, leaving a small tear in your heart. A little hole, an aperture in you, as in a camera lens which, in the right light, can be perceived and accepted as a perspective-enhancing hole.'"
   
   You don't have to be divorced, almost divorced, thinking about divorce, or even know someone getting divorced, to appreciate this book - it's about grief. And aren't we all grieving something, or someone? Or both?



5. In any break-up, especially one precipitted by deception, one would excuse any level of bitterness. Yet, Finnamore manages the difficult balance of anger, humor, hurt and bewilderment. She gives hope to those in the same unfortunate situation.
   
   Plus, I loved imagining the second wife's realization that she snagged a man who will never seemingly stop cheating.

5 comments about Prisoner of Trebekistan: A Decade in Jeopardy!.

1. This book is a lot of fun. Bob let's you in on what it's like to be on Jeopardy and how a past champion goes about stuying for something that it seems impossible to study for.



2. This book is supposed to be about Jeopardy--but it ends up being a TV writer trying to write jokes about his life on the game show. There are long passages that have little to do with the show and more to do with the author's self-deprecation for failing so many times. Sure, it contains some history of the show but most of the information about the show has appeared elsewhere. So to spice it up this former National Lampoon writer uses a dry sense of humor to comment on his life, his mistakes, his not reading Robinson Crusoe, etc. There must be someone who cares (since other reviewers give it high marks) but the writing style is annoying--but I wanted to scream at the author to just get to the point about the show and stop telling us unimportant things like you rarely are home at your apartment or that you wear a thrift-store jacket or that it took you eight years to pay off your college debt! He seems to complain a lot and make us want to believe that his top-flight money champion is just a poor schlub. This guy's life isn't that interesting and he uses the lengthy book (over 330 pages!) to blend his overwrought self-observations with his valid thoughts on playing the show. The book is only for Jeopardy fanatics who are willing to put up lengthy parts about the uninteresting author's life.



3. Bob Harris was a struggling writer when, in 1997, he got on Jeopardy and won 5 times, 4 in runaways (games where the leader before Final Jeopardy cannot possibly lose if he makes an intelligent wager). Since then he's been in 3 tournaments--Season 14's Tournament of Champions, 2002's Million Dollar Masters Tournament, and 2005's Ultimate Tournament. All of this is detailed in the book, but fortunately, that's not the only thing in the book--far from it. Actually, you don't even need to have Jeopardy aspirations to be entertained, although he does have a very humorous section with studying tips (because so many people learn in boring ways, and it doesn't have to be that way, as Harris adeptly shows). Intertwined with the Jeopardy stories is what amounts to an autobiography--and yes, even if your first reaction is who cares, it's worth it. Being a Jeopardy fan helps potential readers pick up the book, but it is not necessary to enjoy it.



4. Bob Harris writes of his Jeopardy! experience in terms both comic and pensive, relating his often-panicked perceptions of being on the show with a Dave Barry-ish wit, but also ruminating on the workings of human memory and the mind's ability to relate knowledge to experience in unexpected ways. A must-read for Jeopardy! hopefuls.



5. I bought this book to learn more about Jeopardy!, but I ended up enjoying Trebekistan at least as much for the emotional experience as I did for the information imparted about the show. Bob Harris also has a writing style that's funny and engaging. If you enjoy suspense, trivia, humor, or if you just have a pulse, then you'll like this book.

1 comments about The Longest Trip Home CD: A Memoir.

1. I purchased this book on CD because
   1) i grew up as a Catholic and
   2) my mother recently died.
   So i thought that this story would be insightful and informative because of the similarities.
   Well, the story is 90% about the author growing up being catholic and 10% dealing with a death in his family. No insight, very little emotion here.
   Another point worth bringing up, some swearing and an uncomfortable preoccupation with sex
   it basically is an avenue for the author to write his own version about growing up in a religion.
   Growing up with many points that were common for me I realize that growing up Catholic was not as skewed as the author seems to make it out to be.