5 comments about Split: A Memoir of Divorce.

1. I have read every book on this subject (divorce). Although it came out a bit late in the day (decade) for me - or rather for my own divorce - it still provided still needed succor. Funny and beautifully written and studded with sentences you will want to write down. Highly recommended.



2. I left my husband 25 years ago this month, at his request. The child we shared was biologically only his, so I felt he needed to keep the house - and the law figured he needed to keep our daughter. This book - oh, my, it nails it! Every emotion, all the way! I, too, have been blessed - the child was 11 at the time, and my ex allowed me to have joint custody. Today we share a pleasant friendship, chatting occasionally by phone and enjoying family events together. But all those other chapters - I remember them well, and Finnamore couldn't have described them better!
   
   Which, by the way, is another beauty of this book - her great writing style!
   
   If you've been there, if you're there now...if you want to understand what someone you care about is going through - Split is perfect!



3. I loved this book. I am in the middle of a VERY similar situation in my own life, so this came at the perfect time. I felt validated in my feelings while I read. I want to thank the author personally for the friend she became as I read along. I will keep this book forever to show that we can all recover from a hard situation, regardless of what is thrown at us. And... so will our children. I say... buy this book, you will love it.



4. As a divorced parent myself, I was struck by the subtitle of this book ("A Memoir of Divorce"). Even though (or perhaps just because) the book is written from a woman's perspective, I decided to pick this up.
   
   In "Split: A Memoir of Divorce" (255 pages), author Suzanne Finnamore gives us her perspectives on how her husband (who is named "N" in the book) leaves her and their small son (named "A" in the book), and leaves her blindsided. The book is divided in 5 parts that are supposed to reflect the grieving-and-healing process (Denial/Anger/Bargaining/Grief/Acceptance). I was surprised how long the author seemingly clung to the notion that somehow she'd gain N back, even though it is clear it will not happen. But when the realization comes, grief sets in. Writes Finnamore: "Much like trains in India, grief is a circular, irrational process with no discernible rhythm or timetable. Here it comes, there is goes." Towards the end of the 'bargaining" phase, when all that is left to do is to figure out go gets what, and other legalities are taken care of, Finnamore is better adjusted. She observes dryly: "'How could you ever forgive me?' N asks, plaintive. I have no answer. Pass. Then I don't hear from him for a week."
   
   I enjoyed Finnamore's writing style. She has a sharp pen, and clear observations. Yet I had trouble connecting emotionally with the book, and with the story. Maybe it is because this is written from a female perspective. I realize that every divorce is unique in a sense, and the divorce described in "Split" certainly very different from what I went through. "Split" is not a bad book, but neither is it the memorable, once-in-a-lifetime read on what it's like going through a divorce.



5. Finnamore nails the emotional journey of a woman going through an unexpected divorce. I couldn't put the book down and read it in one night. So often, I felt as though I was reading my own diary. A poignant, clever, spot-on memoir of a young mother's strength and commitment to her child.

5 comments about Drunkard: A Hard-Drinking Life.

1. This is an excellent book for anyone that has an addiction, or for those that have lived with some form of dysfunction. In other words - everyone! The book doesn't suffer from pretense, and wisely leaves it to the reader to discern the futility of trying to repeat the same behaviour and expect different results. This is a lesson that applies to all aspects of life, not merely addiction.



2. "Drunkard" is a great book, with the author showing a wonderful use of words and a clever way to make his devastating story very funny. He laughs through his tears and so do the readers.



3. as a drinker i could relate to many of the problems the author faced.it was both informative and entertaining,laughing out loud in some instances.if you are or if you know or are involved with a colorful character you will enjoy and be more knowledgeable!and that's that!!!



4. First things first -- this is very well written book by someone who can actually write. A little ironic, a little funny, a little depressing, and a little bit uncomfortably over-intimate, in the tradition of the modern memoir. I saw it at my local bookstore last week (but ordered it on my Kindle) and picked it up on a whim. I'm not really sure how the book would come off to people who don't have problems with drugs or alcohol. I do, so a lot of it hit home with me. In one of those weird coincidences that make you wonder if the universe is trying to send you a personal message, I am 43 (like the author), I have two young children (like the author), I went to Northwestern (like the author), I lived in Winetka (near the author), and I have been drunk in virtually every Chicago restaurant and bar mentioned in the book (like the author). Oh, and this is my first year of sobriety. So, this hit weirdly and uncomfortably close to home for me. Lest you get the wrong impression, the book is not all melodrama; there is a lot of wry humor in the book that I deeply appreciated. If you have a drinking problem or know somebody who does -- or if you just want a peek into that world -- I would definitely recommend this book.



5. I should start by saying that this was a very easy read. I felt that I was able to get a good grasp of what AA was like, at least one man's point of it anyway.
   There was though, something that I didn't like. I'm not quite sure what it is though. I certainly don't like Neil Steinberg as an individual. I would never want to be friends with him. I think the book is void of emotion. I can't help but think that his background as a reporter had something to do with that. Afterall reporters are told to try and take themselves out of their stories, and to offer little of their own feelings. This is a memoir though and it is only effective if we get to know the person and really get inside their head.
   If you want to read a book that has a similiar subject but does it better, I would suggest: Dry: A Memoir.

5 comments about Mouse Trap: Memoir of a Disneyland Cast Member.

1. I am suprised on the bad reviews. I absolutely did not find this book boring, but engaging and a quick read.
   
   If you have read Mouse Tales and More Mouse Tales, you will enjoy this book. Whereas Koenig writes heresay stories, Kevin Yee has written a first hand account on a slice of Disneyland life.
   
   I will admit that the first few pages the naration seems to jump around, but Yee's style is not chronological, but brings one into the life of being a cast member. Starting with his interview, "casting" in Disney-speak, Yee introduces what many current and ex-cast members remember as orientation, indoctrination, or even brain washing. Moving on to Disney University, this is a rare glimpse into how Disney maintains the high standards we all expect.
   
   Further along, we learn why Yee, obviously a very intelligent man who could earn significant more money outside of Disney, remained at Disneyland for so long. He writes about the tight knit community, the "family" of his coworkers, and how Disney was not just a job, but can become a way of life.
   
   After many mini-stories about working at Disneyland, including a very poignant story about working the vacant resort on September 11, 2001 (Kevin, if you read this review, thank you for your thoughts and experiences that day), Yee talks about escaping the mouse trap, may be for his last time.
   
   If you ever want to experience a slice of life of a cast member, get this book.



2. It actually pains me to actually write a bad review on this item because Yee is so enthusiastic about telling his story. However, I actually felt cheated out of three days of my life, that I spent reading this book.(I continued reading it out of sheer morbid curiousity) I have Yee's other two books and found them to be very entertaining and informative. I expected more of the same. I was looking very forward to this book and actually pre-purchased it. Kevin Yee makes an honest effort in this book; I just think that perhaps he's not a very exciting person. He was a lead in a New Orleans Square restaurant. The book is centered on his microcosm of Disneyland. I'm not sure there could be a more boring area of Disneyland to chronicle than the restaurant division. The book describes mundane details of the behind the scenes areas, none of which is exciting. (I don't really care how you go about exchanging pants at the costuming counter.) Yee also uses so many codes and acronyms, that I felt I needed a decoder ring. I expected hidden secrets of Disneyland, or maybe some behind the scenes dirt. (Something like the book Mouse Tales. Which is a worthwhile purchase) What I got was to see what Kevin Yee's timecard looks like, and what a performance review looks like. Yee actually kept all of these items and pictures them in his book. (kind of weird) This is more Yee's auto-bore-ography than it is about Disneyland. It was a huge disappointment. In the final chapter of the book, Yee even states "There are thousands of CMs and former CMs that have more interesting anecdotes than I do, and I hope this book inspires them to record their stories as well." It's almost as if Yee knows that the book is terrible and this is his way of apologizing. I wouldn't waste my time with this book.



3. Not the most fascinating or colorful book ever written about the inner workings of Disneyland. I find it interesting though, because it's REAL, it's what this particular Disney Cast Member experienced and thought about it. I admit, only a "Disney Nut" could find interest in this book, but I enjoyed it, I guess I'm just a "Disney Nut"!



4. The best thing about this book is the cover. It's colorful, whimsical, and makes me want to visit the "happiest place on earth". Unfortunately, the pages that follow are the "dullest read on earth".
   
   I expected an entertaining look at backstage Disneyland from a former cast member(which I've always wanted to be.) and instead got a tedious
   outline of employee rules and procedures. The backstage tour was so incredibly bland in detail that the minds eye had no way of picturing it. But I guess that's no big deal because the subject matter was so dull my mind wouldn't want to see it. I wanted the inside scoop on Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain and he's describing locker rooms and parking lots.
   
   Sadly, I cannot recommend this book to even the most die hard Disney fan. In fact, if you were to remove the attraction names you wouldn't even know that the author was talking about Disneyland.



5. Working at Disney World/Land makes a good reference in the work-a-day world when our children are ready to enter the work force. The youngsters I've known enjoyed it so much - and who wouldn't?! This young man's appraisal of his work experience there projects the good (and possible bad) aspects of the various jobs within the park that he enjoyed. It all boils down to "attitude!"

5 comments about A Vineyard in Tuscany: A Wine Lover's Dream.

1. Based on the other reviews, I had high hopes for this book; I expected a more thorough story of his experience starting his own vineyard, people he had interacted with and the "terrior" of his vineyard embedded with light-hearted anecdotes. Instead, I found the details lacking. Little time is spent on the characters who appeared in the book, the restoration of the estate, planting and cultivating of the vineyard, wine-making decisions, and his (and his family's) tie to the place. The fact that this book is written in many short chapters averaging less than 10 pages each should have been the first sign. I do not doubt that Mr. Mate will be an interesting guy to have a drink with, and I am sure that he has many interesting stories to tell. But after reading this book, I get a feeling that this is a tale of a wealthy individual (despite his repetitive mentioning of being/getting poor as a result of this endeavor) who spent his way to have people make great wines from a land he has purchased. While this statement may not do him justice, and perhaps that is what this book is meant to be, but more on the people, more on the place, more on his (or the wine maker/consultant's) philosophy of how to cultivate the land and make a great wine will greatly improve the book.



2. A Vinyard in Tuscany by Ferenc Mate is the second in a series on life in Tuscany. In a genre loosely known as expats move to Tuscany, Mate is truly in a class by himself. If Frances Mayes is the standard ,then Ferenc Mate far excells her in poetry , lyrical description , humor and sensitivity. If after reading this book, you don't want his life then you better check your pulse. A love song to Tuscany and the art of wine, makes Frances Mayes akin to watching paint dry. Read The Hills of Tuscany as well which he wrote about first moving there 20 years ago.



3. Ferenc Mate's second book on Italy (buy the first one "Hills of Tuscany" also, they are distinctly a matched set to be enjoyed one after the other) is, if possible, even better than the first one. He had a wonderful understanding of Italian culture and is able to convey that to his reader. If you have ever visited Italy, or are planning to, then his books are a must read. One of the things I really like about Mr. Mate's writing is it is appealing to both men and women. I love being able to discuss a book with my husband. In fact with this one, it is the first time I have heard my husband laugh out loud while reading. At first I thought he was choking and when I ran into the room he said "honey, it's the part where he is driving the tractor". Michael and I spend two weeks in Tuscany every May and truly, in this book, the essence of the Montalcino area is captured and wrapped up like a Christmas present for the reader.



4. Out of all the book I have read on Italy, A Vineyard in Tuscany is the funniest and at the same time the most informing book about life in this southern part of Tuscany. Ma`te` has a great ways with words and offers a rare glimpse into secret world of Italian Culture. Other reviewers have summarized the book; I will not do that now. Instead I will speak of how the book affected me. Just the mere thought of the word "Bulls eye" puts a broad smile on my face. When I first read the passage where it's located, I laughed so loudly my wife rushed into the room to see if I were ok. Ma'te' lets us see the dry subtle humor of the people in this area. Although it does a great job of showing the warmth and passion of Tuscans when it comes to food, wine and business, the region itself is the star of book.
   On our first trip to Italy 5 years ago, my wife and I did the usual Milan, Venice, Rome triangle with one day in Tuscany kind of trip. By luck we had chosen the Banfi Castle to dine in and stayed in the near-by hill town of Montalcino for just one night. My wife and I concluded that this 24 hour period was the best of the entire trip. Every year since then we have returned to the tiny village of San Angelo Scolo for days of relaxation, great hospitality, food, wine and the beautiful land of Tuscany. Little did we know that Ma`te` had restored his estate, planted a vineyard and discovered ancient cities and springs just minutes away. Tuscany is that kind of place where adventure and surprises lurk around every turn. Reading his book brought back fantastic experiences of our trips there. We will be back to San Angelo Scolo in 37 days, after reading this book I wish I were there now. I highly recommend it to people who are dreaming of a trip to Tuscany or experienced travelers.



5. Mr. Mate's charming and funny story of realizing his dream to own a vineyard in Tuscany is not to be missed, and is even better than his earlier book, The Hills of Tuscany. Mr. Mate's humor, warmth and friendliness come shining through in his wonderful tales of his Italian friends and neighbors, the Italian way of life, and his exploits renovating an ancient friary and developing an award-winning winery in the beautiful town of Montalcino.

5 comments about Father Joe: The Man Who Saved My Soul.

1. I read this recently, in a public library so as not to help Hendra's sales. I read it after being exposed to his daughter Jessica's book which makes a convincing case that he molested her.
   
   The narcissism was always self-evident in this book. But for Hendra to draw this picture the way he did where Father Joe's last advice to him is that he was put on this Earth to be a good parent and husband, that that was his destiny ... amazing. Hendra's fictitious bologna will stand throughout the ages as the penultimate example of "playing thyself" in print.
   
   To the extent that Father Joe actually told him anything like that, it reflects both Father Joe's disconnect with reality, borne of his insular life within "the Church", and the natural acceptance of pedophiliac tendancies that such a life seems to correlate to.
   
   "A Life Wasted Badly" would be a better title.



2. Fr. Joe offers one a splendid peek into the life of an admirable person. It was a priviledge to get to know him and his wonderful influence on people and his encouragement for all of us to live on a higher plane. This book made me feel that God holds us in the palm of His hand because we are the apple of His eye no matter how we fail; and we do so fail! Not a bit 'churchy', but rather speaks directly to real life.



3. In spite of his celebrity and achievements in the world of satire, Tony Hendra possesses a worldview that is fairly typical of those who came of age in the 1960s. Deeply antagonistic to established authority -- be it that of parents, government, the Church or themselves -- he and his cadre of stalwarts blazed a path that changed the modern world, but brought more than a few to the hell of drugs, bitterness and alienation. Many have reconstructed their lives, after a fashion, and a few seem to have struggled back from the inferno to establish lives of meaning and peace.
   
   "Father Joe" is Hendra's funny, autobiographical, and brutally frank account of his successes and failings, especially through its touch points with Father Joe Warrilow, a Benedictine monk at the abbey of Quarr, on the Isle of Wight. Hendra grew up a stranger in a strange land -- a Catholic in anti-papist 1950s Great Britain. His memoir starts with his attempted seduction of a neighbor's wife, which landed him at Quarr on Good Friday, ostensibly for a bout of penitent reflection. It is here that Hendra meets Father Joe, almost a caricature of a gentle, pious monk, with large ears and flat feet and knobbly knees. Yet in spite of his comical appearance, Father Joe would be a presence throughout the tumultuous 1960s and 1970s, as Hendra endured (usually willingly) the well-intentions depravities that characterized that era and his narcissistic generation. From his days as a guilt-ridden youth, Hendra nursed a desperate desire to become a monk, though like Saint Augustine, he wanted it "but not just yet." Hendra's lifestyle brought him fame as an actor (band manager Ian Faith in Spinal Tap), editor (National Lampoon) and director (Spitting Image) but also the purgatory of unfulfilled dreams and personal failings. His struggles often returned him to Quarr and Father Joe, whose generosity of spirit, elfin artlessness and unfailing love sustained Hendra through some truly difficult times.
   
   I heartily recommend listening to the audio version of the book if at all possible. Hendra does a wonderful job of portraying Father Joe's kindly, stuttery voice and his calming spirit. Hendra expertly renders his own state of mind at various stages in his life. There's the horny and hyper-pious 14-year-old, the college student bowled over by his first taste of satire, the hedonistic, ambitious 30-something and the burned-out middle-ager reaching for comfort, forgiveness and stability. Hendra is unflinching in his depiction of others and of himself. He is an absentee father; a brilliant if lacerating satirist with unyielding standards; an attention-seeking perfectionist who seeks idealistically and naively to change the world. Hendra's memories of his talks with Father Joe are full of meaningful detail -- probably reconstructed -- that show the older man to be wise, kind and even occasionally irreverent. Father Joe was way ahead of his time. In an era when churchmen regularly resorted to threatening hellfire on miscreants, Father Joe reached back to gospel images of a God of inexhaustible love and second chances.
   
   Hendra's critical eye falters only when discussing changes in the Church that began in the 1960s. Like many who left the Church before the reforms and returned afterward, he confuses nostalgia for the old Latin rite with worthwhile worship. In this, Hendra betrays a lingering selfishness that was always his trademark. Strange that an unorthodox believer like Hendra would pass judgment on a liturgical form whose underlying reality (the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, even the Resurrection of Jesus) he is far from accepting.
   
   Like St. Augustine's "Confessions," Hendra's "Father Joe" is an unsparing review of a man's quest toward the eternal. Though Augustine went considerably further in this journey does not diminish the value of Hendra's work, especially for this generation of skeptics and self-appointed spiritual authorities. Whatever his faults, Hendra is honest about his failings as Father Joe is unselfish with his love and support. A wonderful book for those who love spiritual quests and who appreciate the snarky humor and commentary of one who was in the middle of it all.



4. ...you'll relate to this book in a truly personal and humorous way. But even if not, or if you have no religious affiliation at all, this is a fantastic personal journey to experience. I listened to it on audiobook, and found the act of listening to the author himself (it is his own voice on the recording) reveal his life, with all its ups, downs, triumphs, and failures, to be refreshing and touching. Well written, witty, but not arrogant, this book is worth picking up.



5. The Pope's Private Prayer Book : Words of Inspiration from Pope John Paul II
   An Invitation to Prayer (Private Prayers of Pope John Paul II (Audio))
   I think Father Joe Saved my soul too!
   
   This audio book is a great listen.The difference between other books about religion is it is not about religion.Tony like many people growing up was searching for the meaning of life.The seven deadly sins effected Tony,lust being his first attack on his mortal soul,led him to confession to Father Joe.This first confession led Tony to
   have a lifelong confessor in Father Joe.Tony believed as a boy that he was going to join the Benedictine Monstery.
   St.Benedict was the Founder of Western Monasticism,he
   founded a collection of rules in which became known as the Benedictine Rule.These rules are used to guide the monks who follow St.Benedict.The rules are loosely based on the old saying "a person not busy is the devils workshop".
   Father Joe did not think Tony should be a monk, and guided him to be in the Arts.Tony went on to write theatrical stories in hopes to make people laugh.Tony was told at the end of Father Joe's life,by father joe why he sent him to school an guided him thw way he did.
   The biggest thing a person can get out of this story is everyone serves God in his
   or her way.A priest serves God, no less then a dad or a mom and or visa versa.We are all in vocation that serves the creator, the way the creator created us to be.This is a very good book,read, Father Joe: the Man Who Saved My Soul, by Tony Hendra...
   Work Cited
   http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintb02.htm

5 comments about Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea.

1. This Guy is one of the coolest guys. I have this book and his Shenzhen book and I abosolutly love them. I lend them to people all of the time. You can't go wrong with this book. This has to be the very best way to capture a memory. You go under cover with Guy in a way that video cameras and microphones cannot take you. Simply awesome.



2. I finished this graphic novel about 2 months ago and it still stays with me. Guy Delisle excels at delivering "big picture" descriptions of life in Pyongyang and North Korea as well as the more unique (or odd) details of a Westerner just trying to pass his time on a job in a nation closed off from the world.
   His art compliments the mostly lighthearted take on his often puzzling encounters. It also helps the more serious matters subversively arrive.
   Delisle briefly pulled back a curtain and introduced to me to a place and people I've known very little about. My curiosity about Pyongyang and for details about life in N.K. has only continued.



3. Unfortunately I do agree with the person who felt slight disappointment with the artwork - and I found depth of penetration of the subject slightly disappointing too. And yet the book did leave a deep impression on me, of shock, and so I would recommend it. it's educative too - I knew nothing of N Korea before. There are some other artists' work in this book, which form part of the narrative for a few pages, and their work is vv impressive. But maybe the stark style that G de L has plumped for matches the subject matter, stark, and kind almost sterile. Still v well drawn though, just basic at the same time. Def worth a look though, v interesting indeed.



4. I am fascinated with North korea so I enjoyed it. Overall, I thought this was good but not great. If you think you would like this book, you probably will. It's a little boring/. I know North Korea is stiff and uneventful for foreigners but there's just not a lot of story here.



5. This is probably one of the more unique books to come out in the past few years, in graphic novel format or otherwise. Delisle, an animator for a French company (though he is originally from Quebec), is assigned for two months to North Korea to work with an educational film studio in the capital, Pyongyang. Delisle's experiences mostly consist of going from his hotel to work and back, accompanied at all times by his guide and translator (except when they lose track of him) and occasionally venturing forth on an officially approved field trip to a museum or other important site.
   
   The things Delisle sees are so bizarre and absurd he is constantly reminded of science fiction movies. His hotel, one of three in the city designated for foreigners, is situated on an island on the outskirts of Pyongyang, is almost completely empty. A great ceremony is made of a visit to the subway, which is "lit up like Las Vegas" (the rest of the city has sporadic electricity) but only seems to extend for two stops. The downtown is dominated by a giant 100-story triangular building that was designed as a hotel for foreigners during the Seoul Olympics but stands empty and unused. Next to Guy's hotel is an "International Cinema Center" which is only open once every two years for a festival of propaganda films. Oh and did I mention that every foreigner arriving in the country is required to pay respects to a 20-meter statue of the Dear Leader before going anywhere else? There are more chilling moments as well: the Museum of Imperialist Occupation has paintings of American soldiers pouring motor oil down the throats of children during the Korean war.
   
   Delisle's take on things is a humorous one but the undercurrent of fear and oppression in the country is palpabable on every page. I read Delisle's subsequent book, Shenzhen, (which is also great but lacks the tension) first and felt that his drawings, which resemble quickly sketched comic stripts, left something to be desired. I appreciated his style more here, since the book has the feel of a graphic journal; at one point in the book he depicts himself in his hotel room at night sketching out the events of the day. I knew very little about North Korea before reading this and am glad to have had a peek behind the curtain courtesy of Monsieur Delisle!

5 comments about We've Always Had Paris...and Provence: A Scrapbook of Our Life in France.

1. I bought the actual book (not on my kindle)because I was looking forward to the photos and recipes, what a mistake!
   The photos are dull. I noticed two of the recipes were already published (in slightly different form) from her "P. W. Home in Provence" book (Grape Harvest Cake and Corsican Ricotta Cheesecake).
   More disturbing pages 183 and 202 of this new book have exact passages from the Introduction of her "P. W. Home in Provence" book. Isn't there an editor anywhere? Is this legit to pass off without attribution?



2. If you have ever dreamed of living in a foreign country, this book will enlighten and entertain you. Two ordinary, extraordinary people who went to France for work, and stayed.



3. The book is a charming account of a life in France.
   It might seem self-indulgent, but one should note
   the humble origins of the authors.



4. some of the anecdotes are interesting, i found overall the book was a featherweight and self- aggrandizing.



5. This was my introduction to Patricia Wells, about whom I've heard and read so much over the years. Her cookbooks may be wonderful, but the writing in this book certainly is not. The language is uninspired and the details she and her journalist husband choose to share about themselves are almost embarrassing. There also wasn't a single recipe that sounded appealing. The descriptions of Provence were lovely, and it's nice that they've made such a happy life for themselves, but somehow the way they present it all just comes off wrong. Readers would be much better served by picking up Jacques Pepin's charming memoir, The Apprentice.

5 comments about It's Only Temporary: The Good News and the Bad News of Being Alive.

1. Evan's brutal honesty helped me understand other survivors that I know including my daughter. I cried and laughed and was angry and even talked back to him as I read his story. Evan's story is a must read.



2. After reading Time On Fire - one of the most compelling books I've ever read - simply couldn't wait for a sequel. Evan's accounts of his life are so openly honest & human, without succumbing to piousness.
   It's Only Temporary follows along in the same vein, updating Evan's incredible journey to present day. He's glimpsed the fires of hell & come back to the "everyday" - neither simple or easy.
   Can't wait for next book.
   Read Time On Fire first.



3. I almost never write book reviews, but this book was so bad I felt the need to tell everyone not to waste their time reading it. The only thing I got out of this is that Evan Handler is an arrogant, self-centered person, who seems to want to share details of his boring sex life. Worse yet, he can't write.



4. I only knew Evan Handler from Sex and the City. I heard him interviewed and he was talking about his book, he was so funny and entertaining that I ordered his book. Loved it and know my Sister-in-law is loving it too! I would read any of his books!



5. It's Only Temporary: The Good News and the Bad News of Being Alive
   
   I could not put this book down:) Thank you Evan, After not being able to read for almost 8 years after going through Lung Cancer. I picked up A Time On Fire by Evan Handler. I just could not put this book down. When "IT'S ONLY TEMPORARY" CAME OUT HAD TO RUN OUT AND PICK UP MY COPY:)
   Absolutely awesome reading. I have never read a more honest telling on ones self in my life. I laughed till I cried. HYSTERICAL, HONEST, FUNNY TO A FAULT, SAD, WITTY, EMOTIONS RUN HIGH. With a happy ever after ending:) Now waiting for the next......And how about a movie combining both books? Shirley Rhodes

5 comments about Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream.

1. Okay, I finally got around to reading this. Contrary to comments I have read, this is not the antithesis to N&D. I know that is how it is being marketed, and that is how the author portrays it in the beginning, but more than anything it supports the thesis of Dimed: it is TOUGH to make it out of the lower class. There are many barriers for the poor to overcome, and just because someone IS poor doesn't mean they are lazy or stupid. That comes off in his pages more than anything. It is merely an extension of Ehrenreich's work, only not quite as well done.
   
   It is an easy, enjoyable read and I recommend it more as a Voluntary Simplicity book than what it is being marketed as. He makes some smart decisions (a few dumb ones... get in a street fight with a street kid??), and his writing style is easy and entertaining. I enjoyed it in spite of my expectations. It lags in the middle and toward the end. Most interesting stuff was often about the people around him rather than his own experience, but still a good book.
   
   I don't blame him for marketing it the way he does. It was his intent to prove N&D wrong from the beginning, but he found a much different world than what he expected. But how many books would he sell if he came out and said that? What's the point of buying his when you could just buy hers? How many would he sell if he said, "I went out to prove Ehrenreich wrong, but found out she was right?"
   
   Again, in spite of that, I recommend it.



2. I just loved the book. I am not one that has any trouble putting a book down and taking my time, but not this one. It truly was a page turner because you couldn't wait to see what Shep's next step would be.
   
   I was also amazed at how things were behind the scenes in a homeless shelter. He told the story so well that you felt like you were with him!
   
   Last, I admire someone who has a goal as large as this particular one and goes forth to accomplish it keeping a high spirit and letting no hurdle get in their way. I know that Shep will do well in all of his future endeavors.
   
   Susan in Jalisco, Mexico



3. My daughter and I read this book together along with her 8th grade class. We then had the pleasure of meeting Adam when he came to talk to her school. I was impressed with the book, but even more impressed with the author. He has proven that the American Dream is possible when coupled with traditional values like hard work, persistence, dependability, loyalty, etc.. He is a good man and this is an excellent book. I'd love to see the author of "Nickeled and Dimed" together with him for a debate on the accessibility of the American Dream. I highly recommend "Scratch Beginnings" to everyone.



4. 
   I agree that this guy, as a smart, healthy, and white male with no criminal record, had some advantages that others would not have. Still, I give him credit for what he accomplished in such a short time.
   
   Some reviewers complained about the depth of detail about his job in the second half of the book. I actually found it to be quite interesting. Of course, maybe I'm just biased because this book had me laughing harder than any book has in a long time and a refreshing change from whiney Barbara.



5. Hey Dad,
   Thanks for sending me that book. I just finished it last night, and although some parts were very cliché, it was quite interesting. I think the kid had some good points about hard work, saving money, and a "five year plan", but it's obvious that he is still a young, privileged, white boy from the south. I guess he got something right since he is my age and already published!

3 comments about In the Hamptons: My Fifty Years with Farmers, Fishermen, Artists, Billionaires, and Celebrities.

1. DAN'S PAPERS are a local institution in The Hamptons, where I live myself. And, yes, there really is a Dan.
   
   And it's Dan Rattiner who, for about the past 45 years, has made his papers great. (Actually, by now, there are just two editions, a small one for Montauk, at the extreme end of Long Island, where Dan grew up himself, and a large one that serves a widespread region.)
   
   Though Dan was not born in The Hamptons, he did move here as a teenager, more than a half century ago. From the reminiscences in his memoir, IN THE HAMPTONS, he always had the keen eye of an observer, even when he still was an architectural student at Harvard.
   
   Dan writes in an easy, effortless style and he appears to miss no details -- ever. Except when the subject is serious, his pieces are suffused with humor, and he does not suffer fools gracefully. Issues of DAN'S PAPERS may have as many as six, even eight, pieces that he has written.
   
   I feel fair in saying that everyone who lives in The Hamptons -- indeed, everyone on the entire eastern end of Long Island -- loves this weekly news magazine.
   
   So it was with great interest that most of us awaited the publication of IN THE HAMPTONS.
   
   Knowing Dan's style, the book is everything one could expect. He effortlessly covers the long history of this area, first settled in 1639, when the Gardiner family arrived from England.
   
   By virtue of his long tenure here, he pretty much has seen it all and he definitely remembers all that he saw.
   
   Dan offers wonderful anecdotes about the ROLLING STONES, Bianca Jagger, Andy Warhol, the family of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and the other early-arriving socialites -- Mrs. Onassis actually was born in East Hampton -- the rock stars such as Billy Joel and Paul Simon, the visitors like Bill Clinton, so many artists and writers that they have an annual charity softball game, and on and on. And on.
   
   All of Dan's anecdotes, without exception, are fascinating, and each one is reported in Dan's literally inimitable prose.
   
   On the other hand, in an area so rich in history and accomplishment, Dan obviously had to choose among his favorite topics to tell his story, and he had to have left out more than he could include. Lots of authors, media people, fine artists, rock stars, movie stars, billionaires, and leading classical musicians were not even mentioned.
   
   I can't wait to read the sequel of IN THE HAMPTONS.



2. I've been around as long as Dan's Papers and remember in the early years Dan Rattiner had several summer papers such as the East Hampton Summer Sun. the Sag Harbor Pilot etc. The stories Dan wrote were always great and my favorite was local history. As Dan's business grew all these local summer weekly throwaways were incorporated into one paper, Dan's Papers. With the exception being I believe the Montauk Pioneer. Anyway, This new book from Dan is great. I remember alot of this stuff from the 60's and 70's, as it appeared in his paper, but he has rewritten it and it is still an enjoyable read. A book I would highly recommend to anyone. I still long for the time in the 1960's, when I could pick up a copy of the East Hampton Summer Sun at the A&P on Newtown Lane, but that of course is not possible. Thank you Dan for 48 years of pleasurable reading. P.S. Was anyone ever electrocuted for copying that local map you use to have in the back of your newspaper?



3. Being a Long Islander who spents some time in the Hamptons and Montauk, I found this book interesting. Its chapters contained anecdotal stories of events and people. Nice, easy, summer read.