5 comments about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

1. In the very first chapter of this work, Henrietta Flacks and family members are quoted directly in settings and intimate conversations, but no sources are given. Without these substantiations it is fiction and cast doubt upon the credulity of the rest of work. And I so much looked forward to this material.



2. This was probably one the most interesting books I have ever read. Why do most people not know about HeLa cells? This should be mandatory reading in high school! An amazing story of how one woman's life and death touches our own everyday. Rebecca Skloot does a wonderful job bringing the charecters to life and making us feel like we know them all. Thank you Rebecca for all the hard work. It was definetly worth it!



3. This book is excellent on so many different levels. It is the fascinating, true life story of a family living in an era gone by as well as a book that makes you stop and think about the moral dilemmas intrinsic to scientific advancements as well as the immorality of racism. The author is obviously personally involved but a factual reporter. She doesn't preach but leaves it to the reader to examine issues that we rarely think about. I read this book in a day and couldn't put it down.



4. I found this book to be very well written. This book is written in a way to be understood. My heart breaks for the Lacks family. Ms. Skloot asks and answers all the questions you find yourself wondering about.



5. I found that i could not put this book down! It was thought provoking and well written. Very good insight into the history of medicinal research in the U.S. and how people are used in this country without their knowlege to "further the common good". Paints a very good picture of how the less fortunate among us can be used to further the quality of health care in the United States without being able to afford the benefits that they helped create!! A very timely book for the current health care debate!

5 comments about Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time.

1. This book was exciting, heartwarming and educational. It opened my eyes to a region of our world that I knew nothing about and a man who has dedicated his life to the education of their children. In doing so, he has also changed many attitudes towards Americans, for the better, in that part of the world. We could use many more Greg Mortensons in this world. Thank you Greg!



2. I always look at the negative reviews first as this can be where you find kernels of truth. I looked here but must disagree with most of what I saw. Yes the writing style is a bit different; Yes there are sometimes more detail than what you would expect; And yes Mr Mortenson definitely marches to a different beat, which can be distracting in parts.
   
   However, this story is so compelling that a much worse author could have still made an impact. I actually found Mr Relin's flowery language quite picturesque - it brought me into the place with my minds eye. Whether there is artistic embellishment there or not - I don't care. I have seen a lot more of this in many staid history books (think Civil War books by well known authors). I am reminded of Ken Burns style in thinking about the prose.
   
   This book did what every good book does - it prompted in me a call to action. I am off to the website to offer a little return gift for the gift I received in reading this book.



3. This book is a must read for everyone. Not only does it highlight the need for education in all communities, but it provides insight into the current area conflicts thereby adding another dimension to our understanding of current events. Greg Mortenson outlines the struggles and motivations of the people involved in conflict in a clear, consise way - - much better than any journalist I have read. Only my opinion, but if you have any interest in building a better world this is the book to read.



4. I am enjoying "Three Cups of Tea" THOROUGHLY, mostly because I am a pacifist. I also believe seriously in providing an education to the children, so that they can make a difference (social, political) in their country....



5. I've read many climbing books, but none of them really captured the culture of the communities surrounding the mountain like Three Cups of Tea. As noted by many other reviewers, this book is not about climbing, but rather one man's quest to build schools in remote areas of Pakistan. Regardless of your political beliefs about what is going on in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Three Cups of Tea is a well written book and definitely worth the read.

5 comments about If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You.

1. I couldn't put this book down. I've never read (or been interested in reading) a biography. I am a mini-Kelly and I learned a lot from this book. I can't wait to buy one for all of my female friends!!



2. This is an amazing book that not only includes excerpts from Kelly's colorful life experiences but also unique, one of a kind, invaluable pieces of advice. I feel like a better person after reading this book



3. I decided to read this book because I've always had an interest in transitioning into publicity/PR and the book sounded like a great read for female professionals. I thought that, though I'm not necessarily interested in fashion, this would offer some solid career tips from someone that has seen it all. It did have a few tips here and there about being tough, but ultimately, it is titled and positioned incorrectly. It isn't about lessons for career women, but rather the author's memoir about how she landed a career in the fashion PR industry after a drug-ridden and messy period of time earlier in life. There is also an out-of-place section on her spirituality and there are spiritual tips sprinkled throughout.
   
   In fact, the lessons for the readers don't actually start until page 149 in the chapter - "If You Have to Cry, Go Outside." Up until that point, it is a story about how she was addicted to drugs, was saved by her powerful tribe at times, and eventually became really successful. The name-dropping is a bit much. We get from the start that she knows and has worked with some well-known celebrities, but it is overly discussed throughout.
   
   I wasn't looking for a tale of morality, but the whole thing seemed rather shallow. In a section titled "Everything Good Happens After Thirty," one bullet point of advice is: "it's time to step it up a notch and charge headlong into the land of overpriced luxury accessories." Is that really an important part of turning 30? And as my review title states - it is extremely over-indulgent and self-inflated. For example, on page 100 she writes, "A lot of women ask me, 'How do you have it all?'"
   
   If you are curious of the inner workings of the fashion PR industry or if you are a fan of Kelly Cutrone, then it would be a good book for you. She is witty and there were parts that were interesting. If you are a career woman looking for solid advice on being powerful, I think there might be better sources of inspiration for you.



4. She is crazy. I would keep book away from teens. She does large amounts of drugs but never says it is a bad thing to do. She wants you to think her life style is glamerous. Bad role model. Only read half the book it is so boring. Sad she has a show on MTV



5. How could being this rude, self centered and obnoxious ever work in most people's lives? Kelly is in a bubble where it is normal to be mean to the people she feels are below her.

5 comments about My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands.

1. This book is a frickin' riot!! What I wouldn't give to hang out with Chelsea Handler for a night!! Some stories had me laughing to the point of exhaustion!



2. I laughed out loud, read chapters to my husband who also laughed out loud. I think this book takes a certain mind set to enjoy. I think all the people who wrote negative reviews should have thought before purchasing the book "what type of book they were purchasing?" What did anyone expect from a book by Chelsea Handler titled MY HORIZONTAL LIFE? This book is funny. Don't let anyones opinion stop you from reading something they don't know if you would enjoy. Read on



3. This book is hilarious! I have been laughing out loud reading it, and can't wait to read more Chelsea Handler. Guys - this is definitely geared towards women.



4. I really enjoyed this book, its really funny and I really liked how she didn't sugar-coat anything. She did a really good job. Ill definitely buy more of her books.



5. This book really is more of a story about her life, which I enjoyed reading. Of course there were some funny parts, but it's mainly about the problems she's had with men. I would still recommend it if you're a big fan of her like I am.

5 comments about Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage.

1. great book! every bit as good as ELP. she has such an enjoyable writing style. very relatable even tho our situations are not the same.



2. I absolutely loved this book. It was also in great shape when i received it.



3. Elizabeth Gilbert has done it again and written a story story directly to my heart and soul. Though not at all like Eat Pray Love, Committed is just as moving. Anyone who has ever been in, ever lost, or ever hopes to have a successfull relationship would benefit from reading Committed.



4. Gilbert's voice is continually lovely, informative and sometimes laugh out loud funny.
   
   This book really helps to illuminate the de-valuazation that can happen to the SELF in marriages and when caring for children (which in our history both have fallen typically on women).
   
   The historical facts, which some non-sensical findings are only from years ago, are sometimes down right shocking.
   
   Loved it. Love her. Love myself.



5. As much as I enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love, I was relieved to read Committed, which (after the first few pages) provides another volume of Elizabeth Gilbert's delightful, humorous and insightful writing by a more grown-up woman. I shared the opening of Eat, Pray, Love with the writing class I'm teaching in Jerusalem, but realized that Committed was too advanced for these young adults. Why should they care about the challenges of marriage? But we grown-up's who know marriage from the inside will appreciate the deep thinking, the research Gilbert has so thoughtfully digested for us, and the optimism that superpowers this book. Not to mention the tension between exotic and commonplace which marks the relationship between this newly minted couple. Brava!

5 comments about The Glass Castle: A Memoir.

1. this stunning memoir released several years ago, and it was sitting on our bookshelf, as my wife had read it. i'd heard great things about it, and can only say they undersold it. rarely, if ever, have i read a true story that so defies the "good/bad" continuum on which we like to plot families of origin. really, jeannette walls' upbringing is ghastly, and one i would not want imposed on even the most annoying or horrible kid i've ever met. but, at the very same time (or, more accurately, intermittently) there are regular moments of love and insight and adventure that lift this off that continuum. i've met many kids from privileged surburban homes (the opposite of walls' experience) who's parents provide for physical needs, but spend their lives completely disengaged from their kids in every emotional and relational way. just when i was wanting to smack her parents, they did or said something breathtakingly wonderful. and just when i was thinking i might give them the benefit of the doubt (something the author seems at peace with doing, in the end), her parents become icons of off-the-charts selfishness and stupidity. it's an amazing story in-and-of-itself; but the implications are greater than the story. most parents (myself included) fall on both sides of the bell curve; only a few fall, consistently, to one side or the other; walls' parents are so outside the standard deviation in both directions that the bell is no longer meaningful.



2. This was a great memoir reminiscent of Mary Karr's Liar's Club. I loved every minute because her point of view was natural and real. My heart broke for these children who were so neglected and hungry. It's hard to understand how parents can rationalize their behavior other than that they were both sick. Good for Jeanette for rising above it all. Poor Maureen who was left with nothing. I'm about to start Half-broke Horses.
   Marcia Fine
   [...]



3. This is the best book I've read in a long time- Jeannette Walls has a moving story to tell, which she does with insight and humor. Her most recent book, "Half Broke Horses", the true story of her grandmother, is also a jewel. I saw Walls at the Miami Book Fair in November- she was quite inspiring, (and funny!), and she received a standing ovation after her presentation.



4. This book feeds pain bodies. The author gave me nothing but a string of negative incidents where her parents were neglectful and or feeding their addictions and being quirky and or mentally ill. It was boring. There is so much more to this story but Walls' holds back, most likely because it will be in another edition which her happy readers will buy into, and once again you will get only half a story. In my humble opinion it is half a book, and appeals to the voyeurs in us. If you are feeling sad in any way dont read this book.



5. If this were simply a novel, it would be a great read, but knowing that this is a true life memoir takes it over the top. A great read!!

5 comments about Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

1. one of my all time favorite books! I enjoyed this book so much I bought several copies to give friends as gifts. would that we could all be so lucky to embark on a voyage of discovery the way this woman did and find love at the end of the voyage! of course the movie won't be as good as the book. they never are!



2. I absolutely loved this book. I find it funny that some reviews call it self-absorbed since the title clearly states it will be about the author and her year of self reflection. :) The structure of the three sections and three countries flowed as did the writing style. I look forward to the author's next book.
   
   Kindle edition - no editing/formating issues



3. Very nice story about a woman seeking some kind of self discovery and definition in whatever way she can.
   I enjoyed it from beginning to end and ordered it , after reading it as a library book, as I will definitely read it again and lend it to friends.
   Its not about being religious but being spiritually aware!



4. Eat Pray Love is one of those semi-biographies about hard-done by individuals finding meaning and healing by doing whatever it is the book is about.
   
   If that sounds cynical, this novel is actually pretty good. Perhaps what I enjoyed the most was insight into each of the different countries that Gilbert visited (which I realise wasn't necessarily the main intent of the book but whatever).
   
   The book isn't too long and not paticularly melodramtic or grandiose, the 'Pray' section meandered for me, but I found Gilbert's insights genuinely interesting towards the end of the section.
   
   Definately worth a read, it won't take much out of your day.



5. So you are in your thirties, recently divorced and just out of a tumultuous rebound relationship ending in a crippling depression, the first thing you do is head abroad for a year, right? Sound a little crazy? Well that is just what Elizabeth Gilbert did, and she chronicles her journey in her spiritual memoir "Eat Pray Love: One Women's search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia." The book was engaging and easy to read and enjoy. It is something that would be a great book to read on the beach. However it also ended up being quite superficial and hard to believe.
   
   In the midst of her divorce Gilbert takes a journalism assignment in Indonesia that will prove to change her life forever. While in Bali she met Krueit Lieyer a ninth generation Balinese medicine man who told her minutes after meeting "You will come back her to Bali and live here and teach me English. And I will teach you everything I know" (28). She decided she would spend 4 months in Italy, India and Indonesia, specifically Bali.
   
   After her divorce is finalized she heads first to Italy and rents an apartment in the City of Love, Rome. There is one stipulation of her trip that defies "the word of Rome, SEX" (103) she vows to be celibate for the trip. Instead of having sex she chooses to satisfy herself by eating decadent and fattening food. While the events of this section are believable the names of people are a little out there. She has a friend for example named Luca Spaghetti. The name seems a little too ironic to me.
   
   I found the third of the book describing her time in Rome to be by far the most interesting. She spends her time eating, traveling, and learning Italian. However she did not dedicate time in this country to her spiritual and faith journey, which is of course the entire purpose of the book and her travels. The only serious part of this section was the process of overcoming loneliness and stopping her usage of anti depressants. Elizabeth is an over exaggerator of sorts, but her description of depression and loneliness is incredibly believable and the reader is able to really see how she is feeling. These are feelings that are easy to relate to.
   
   The next part of the book was much duller. The events seemed unrealistic and the way in which it is written is hard to follow. While in India she spends her time at the Ashram of her Guru. Her Guru is her spiritual leader, yet she has seen her only once while she was speaking in New York. She is not in actual contact with her at all; the guru is traveling abroad and doesn't communicate with the students at the ashram. How can someone who you have never even had a conversation with guide you on how you should live your life? This path is completely about her spirituality and the journey she makes. She spends almost all of her time there meditating and trying to get closer to god.
   
   This section was the least believable to me. Some of the events just don't seem realistic. At one point her roommate forgot and padlocks her into their room. She jumped out her window two stories to get to morning prayer on time, a prayer which she in fact hated and was always trying to avoid, and skipped on many occasions.
   
   Bali came next and was also a more exciting part of her trip; however, it also showed Gilbert in an obnoxious way putting herself on a pedestal. While in Bali, Gilbert was able to show a balance between her spiritual journey and also her ability to enjoy herself in other ways. She was able to study meditation, with the same medicine man from over two years earlier who told her she would return. He teaches her more about spirituality and happiness, telling her to just sit and smile while meditating (231).
   
   At one point she got into an accident and scraped up her knee. The medicine man for some reason could not help her, so she had to find someone else who, surprise, became her best friend. This seems almost scripted to me; why wouldn't her friend who is a medicine man help her? She wants to make a point of how great a person she is with her donation to Wayan her new friend, and how she is trying to help her. Wayan is slow to be a house with the donated money so Gilbert lies and says she will take the money if a home is not bought, she then wants pity and reinforcement that she is doing the right thing and is not a bad person.
   
   Elizabeth Gilbert's book chronicling a year of soul searching is clearly a spiritual memoir. The purpose of her trip was to become closer to God and to have a greater understanding of that voice that speaks to her. She seems to start off as a Christian but her spirituality takes many unconventional twists and turns in her path to "enlightenment."
   
   As this is a spiritual memoir of it is course all about Elizabeth Gilbert. Her writing however is a little to self absorbed for my taste. When she has conversations with people it is always about her and her problems, never the other person. This at times turned me off from Gilbert. I started out reading this book very excited. I was quite disappointed, while I like the book; I wanted to like it more. As someone who is only twenty and still in college it should be no surprise that I did not connect well with the book. Gilbert is not writing to the twenty-somethings, but rather to women in their thirties and older. I believe that if I was in that age group I would have enjoyed it more and been able to connect and relate to what she went through.

5 comments about Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together.

1. It's a bit jarring to have two different narrators telling their stories, and Denver Moore's story is especially painful at first (when he's treated virtually as a slave in modern America), but this is a poignant book with strong and positive themes. I recommend it to anyone. Stories like this really give flesh to the Christian message of faith and charity.



2. This book was the selection for book club - probably wouldn't have picked to myself. It makes a great dicussion (even has thought-provoking questions as the end) It is a true story - very inspiring and rather sad in parts. It is a story of forgiveness and faith.



3. On the surface, it is the old South meeting the modern North, the Rich meeting the Poor, but ultimately it is God's creation meeting Him at the Throne of Grace.
   You will not have a dry eye by the end of the book and it will change your life.



4. This book was one of the best I have ever read. It answers many of life's burning questions such as, "Why do bad things happen to good people?", "What's my purpose?" etc. The fact that this is a true story (and a good story) can also deepen your faith, make you feel restored, and oh so hopeful and joyous about life. An absolute must read - and I never ever ever review books. So trust me, this was a good one.



5. I first purchased this book at a warehouse store in paperback. Someone recommended it to me in passing. I loved the story so much I decided to purchase it in hardback for my permanent library. It was delivered as advertised and in a timely manner.

5 comments about Going Rogue: An American Life.

1. Sarah Palin reveals her private life growing up in Alaska and into her vice presidential campaign with John McCain. She gives us a peek at what goes on behind the scenes of a presidential campaign and her viewpoint is like many common Americans unfamiliar with that process. I appreciate her taking the risk and sharing herself and her family with us.



2. I thought the last half was interesting. She told me what I need to know about her.
   
   I guess I misunderstood what "rogue" means. Apparently, it means denying, deflecting, blaming, whining, and presentimg disingenious "altrustic" motives. She presents herself as seeming to believe she is a powerless victum; something i think bears remembering should she again run for office.
   
   I'm offended that she seems to think she is worthy to decide who is and isn't a true pariot. There isn't much room for indiviuality here. She presents a classic example of reverse elitism.
   
   She spends most of the first half trying to prove just how down-home folksy she is. I live in the farm belt. We know it when we see it. We don't need it explained to us, and when we do see someone trying so hard, we have to question their motives.
   
   The book is full of product endorsements.
   
   I've come away with the feeling that this womrn must think most of us are either obtuse or idiots.



3. Reveals the details of her life and the reasons for her actions. Answers the many questions I had about her goals and ambitions.



4. If you want to read about the real Palin read Going Rouge: Sarah Palin An American Nightmare edited by Kim & Betsy Reed. This book will really open your eyes to the real Sarah Palin, you betcha'.



5. After reading this book I learned a lot about the nasty politics that are present. Sarah did a great job explaining the behind scene look in politics in the most professional way without throwing mud or feel sorry for me. This book is not only educational, it is inspirational for every day life. If you want to learn what it's like to be in a presidential campaign or governor of a state with a touch of inspiration; buy this book.

5 comments about Just Kids.

1. I can't say I've ever been a big fan of Patti Smith's music, and definitely not a fan of most of Robert Mapplethorpe's, er, art, but I do enjoy reading about music and the '60's. This is one of the most well-written and evocative biographies I have ever read about that era, or any other era for that matter. And I've read a million of them. A tremendous look at art, music, and the bohemian life in 60's/70's New York.



2. I loved listening to Patti's music in college and was at every show I could get to when she came anywhere near Portland Oregon. I came across her book and have just finished reading it. I've read the various reviews that come before me. I think most are likely right....good and bad. It just depends on one's perspective and what you felt like you wanted from the book. What I loved about this book was Patti's writing style, the way she tells stories and her openness about her life. Not too many of us would share as much as she did and none of us could share as well as she did. The book also brought me back to her music and all the misses I have about what her music. I learned some of the real meaning of the words behind the music that I love.
   
   If you like good writing, have memories of Patti's music or prose, or simply want to read a good book and story, then pick up this book, sit back and enjoy.



3. I bought this based on the favorable NYTimes review and am so glad I did. This is a beautifully written, evocative and nostalgic memoir of the love and loss of two extremely talented individuals who followed their own paths in art and life but remained in love forever. Patti recounts her relationship with Robert with all the complexities it undoubtedly had, but Mapplethorpe could not have asked for a more sympathetic account of their time together. In addition to the human drama, would you like to know what NYC was like in the late sixties? Here is a clear window into a time and a place that are rapidly fading from memory, mine included. I forced myself not to devour this all at once. I sipped it like a vintage Armagnac. Patti Smith is a superb writer.



4. "Just Kids" is a touching soulful story of Patti Smith's life with Robert Mapplethorpe. Mapplethorpe was one of our most provocative artists known and famous for his being adept in achieving new milestones in photography, showing a unique quality and classic aesthetic of gay lifestyle and sexuality. Smith is well-known for her music, unique and often beautiful lyrics and poetry during the punk rock era. "Just Kids" draws on the very colorful scenic art environment in New York City during the late 60's through the 80's. It also describes a story of the difficulties encountered by both Robert and Patti when they were first starting out as artists, being destitute and poor and shows their innovation towards their art and their drive to succeed. As their story unfolds in this book, there are many period photographs that provide further enrichment. The book ends with Robert Mapplethorpe's death from AIDS, tearfully. For anyone interested in either Smith or Mapplethorpe, this book is a must read. It is insightful as it is beautiful.
   Daniel S. Berger MD



5. I wasn't sure what to expect here, but Patti's book is sheer transcendental magic. Her elegiacal prose is beautfully alive, fully capturing the exact zeitgeist of the those long ago years. What an honor to relive the joy and the sorrows of those days with these two budding young artists. Thank you, Patti, for taking me along with you through the trials and the tribulations you both faced!
   
   I just didn't want this book to end.