1 comments about The Essential Sri Anandamayi Ma: Life and Teaching of a 20th Century Indian Saint.

1. The love and dedication of this book on one of the greatest saints to walk on this earth and not widely known here in the west will be finally rectified in this outstanding book of sacred words and journeys, through out India.MA never connected to any specific religion or Guru.This book answers mans great longing to understand Spiritual Quest through her words and guidance in an uncomplicated way.Mas photos reveal her light as one of the greatest saints still to be discovered by all religions and seekers.This is an exceptional book that will change peoples lives no matter your belief, 5 stars to this great star.

5 comments about The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy.

1. I highly recommend this book. The personal courage shown by Virginia Hall is almost beyond belief. This book is one that you should share with your children and grand children so that they are aware of the tremendous sacrifices that were made to defeat the Nazis. This book details the vast suffering of the ordinary French citizen during the Nazi occupation.Additionally,it details just how tenuous life was if anyone assisted,harbored,or did not report those who were in the resistance,those who were caught were executed and sometimes their entire family to set an example for others.



2. All the reviewers are correct about Virginia Hall being an extraordinary person. No debate here. My only rather large disappointment with the book has to do with the author's writing style. It resembles the style of pulp romance novels on sale at your local supermarket. For me, at least, this gets in the way of completely enjoying the book. I also got the impression that the author projected what she thought Hall's feelings were about incidents so incidental it didn't seem possible anyone would know. Credibility.
   
   Here's an example of the author's style from page 27:
   "The tail end of spring greeted Virginia on her arrival in Paris. As May slid into June, and the Parisian summer began, solace washed over her. The quintessental French conversations, bouquinistes selling books and postcards at stands along the seine, throaty French tunes pouring out of cabaret doors...etc, etc."
   
   It's painful for me, at least, to read prose like this on such an incredibly interesting life.
   
   
   



3. Virginia Hall was the daughter of a well-to-do Marylander with no need to get directly involved in WWII. Instead, she played a major role in the French Resistance, leading up to 1,500 men in attacks on isolated German troops, locate and assist in parachute drops, send wireless messages (particularly dangerous, given the Germans' emphasis on quickly locating the source of any signals), helping downed Allied fliers escape to Spain, sabotaging rail lines. Prior to D-Day the Germans put out a "Wanted" poster on Virginia, along with a description. This forced her temporarily out of France, via climbing the Pyrennees with a guide and two Allied fliers, only to be imprisoned for 20 days until the American Consulate got word and was able to help. All this with a wooden lower leg - cut off as a result of a hunting accident.
   
   Virginia's original goal was to be an American Foreign Service Officer - however, this was precluded by her hunting accident, leading her to resign her clerical position to help the French through driving an ambulance during WWII's early days. She then was recruited as a British agent (spoke French fluently), trained (only two of the twelve women passed) and returned to France. Collaborators on both sides were typically motivated by money (France was in a depression also); even a Jesuit priest became involved as a double agent - for the Germans.
   
   After WWII, Virginia was awarded the DSC (turned down presentation by President Truman to remain anonymous), married one of her French fellow agents, and "settled down" in the CIA until retirement.
   
   A very heroic and impressive woman whom I never would have known about without "The Wolves at the Door."



4. Excellent, excellent, excellent. I plan to donate this book to a college library. Written well, engaging and informative about war, governments and resistance. Also, should be required reading for all young women!



5. Kudos to the author, Judith Pearson. I almost always prefer first person accounts of those who lived through WWII. However, this book gripped me throughout the narrative. This would make a wonderful movie with Virginia Hall played by an actress of Cate Blanchett's caliber. Exhaustively researched and well written. Thank you Ms. Pearson, I'll be looking for your next book!

5 comments about Salem Witch Judge: The Life and Repentance of Samuel Sewall.

1. The author, a direct descendant of Samuel Sewall, provides a much-needed full assessment of the life of her notorious ancestor. The most important fact in this book is provided in the frontispiece illustration--a portrait of Sewell's apology before his congregation for his role in the witch trials and executions, known by few, if any, readers outside Massachusetts' students of history. Sewell was the only judge to apologize for his role in this horrific episode in American history.
   More fascinating, though, are the other extraordinary acts of repentance enacted by the judge over his long life. And his writings are nothing less than astounding--including examinations of experiences of various groups and even a piece on women - making him an equalitarian of the first order centuries ahead of his time. At the least, official historical accounts of what happened at Salem need to include information about Sewall's apology and repentance.



2. Author Eve LaPlante, who is a descendant of witchcraft judge Samuel Sewall, covers her subject well in this book. Life was difficult in Puritan New England with death being a common visitor to families with many children lucky to live beyond the age of five. Puritans came to America for land and religious freedom, but were not accepting to those whose beliefs differed from their own. People often questioned their salvation and figured that hard times such as diseases and death among family members was due to having angered God in some way. Prayer was the most accepted method of dealing with a sick individual. A vaccination for smallpox was viewed by many as unacceptable. Surprisingly enough, Cotton Mather was open to the idea. Women certainly took a back seat in Puritan New England with their job being the bearing of children. Puritans even questioned whether or not women would be in God's heavenly kingdom. Approximately half of the book deals with the witchcraft craze of 1692, a belief they brought over from Europe. The question of whether or not the girls believed they were afflicted will never be settled. If they did it to spice up their otherwise humdrum lives they could be charged with murder. Judge Samuel Sewall had the courage to own up to his mistake while the other judges did not. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne added a "w" to his last name to disassociate himself from his ancestor John Hathorne who was an unrepentant judge at the trials. It seems difficult to believe that judges could convict people based on spectral evidence whereby you could prove where you were at a certain time, but you couldn't prove where your "shape" was. The final section of the book relates the latter part of Judge Samuel Sewall's life and others who were influential during this time period. The author also provides us with directions to visit sites mentioned in the book. I have done previous reading on this subject during my college days, and this is one of the best sources I have come across.



3. The note I wrote on the inside page of this book reads as follows:"Absolutely fascinating!" How come? Because Ms. LaPlante presents us with a character who lived as a giant in his own time. But more, she offers a clear picture of the potent religious world view and powerful lens of faith through which citizens of Puritan New England perceived the world and their place in it. The reader will find this approach not only interesting but, as the author describes Sewall's engagement with life and with his God, both existentially and theologcally terrifying. The witch trials arise from the nexus of life's uncertainty in 17th century Massachusetts and a fierce and unpredictable God through whom the likes of Samuel Sewall try to discern the "realities" of good and evil. He,his neighbors and colleagues can discern wrongly . . . as Sewall himself confessed some five years after the trials he oversaw as judge.
   But enough of this. Ms LaPlante mines Sewall's diaries and public writings for - yes - romance! In addition, she finds him a humane and civil defender of Native Americans amid local, social contempt.Sewall wrote the first Anti-slavery tract in North America, a touching and compassionate piece. He testified from a vivid Biblical perspective in behalf of gender equality when such thinking brought widespread disdain. His personal and public presence as described by the author represent a monumental figure in early American history. You will find the book clearly written and every effort made to explain to ignorant moderns 17th century language and cultural nuances. The title tags Sewall as "Witch Judge." OK. But really, so much more. Indeed, absolutely fascinating!



4. This fascinating account of an early American leader's
   public and private life is the story of a good man who
   was guilty of a terrible mistake. Seeing he did wrong,
   Samuel Sewall had the courage to say so, and repent.
   Eve LaPlante paints a vivid portrait of life in early
   New England, especially the world of the educated
   elite. Religion and the Bible were the dominant
   intellectual features of a world ruled by fears and
   disagreements only too comprehensible to us now.
   Sewall and his peers worried about foreign relations
   and governmental debt, and lived in constant fear of
   attacks by Indians, pirates, and the French. "Salem
   Witch Judge" offers an intriguing journey into a world
   as far away as colonial America, yet at the same time
   as close as the human heart.



5. Eve LaPlante's book on Samuel Sewell, one of the judges in the Salem Witch Trials (and her distant ancestor) is extraordinarily well researched, and her prose is easy to follow. Those not intimately familiar with the history of the time will appreciate her care in explaining details that many have now forgotten.
   
   Ms. LaPlante's style is worthy of comparison to Claire Tomalin's (the author of the great biography of Sewell's contemporary, Samuel Pepys). She well explains the beliefs and folkways of the times, i.e., Massachusetts in the last half of the 17th century. She reminds us of the extraordinary "dangers, toils and snares" (to quote a later hymn) that the New England colonies had gone through after the first, pleasant, and peaceful foundation of the colonies at Boston and Plymouth, exacerbated by the sudden war with France that followed the accession of William and Mary in 1688. All these people could do was to ascribe to witchcraft the disasters that in reality were the inevitable result of our ancestor's struggle to make their homes in a world that had finally become hostile to them.
   
   Remarkably, Sewell was semi-ostracized by his pastor, who came to feel the witch trials were unjust, and in response, he made a public confession of the sinfulness of his Court's proceedings -- the only judge to do so.
   
   The book should be read along with the great book about the era, "Manitou and Providence", with the sermons of Cotton Mather and his father, Increase (some of them, at least) and of course with Arthur Miller's play, "The Crucible", which takes some license with historical fact, in the service of a very good story.

3 comments about Everything Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Book: A portrait of an American icon (Everything Series).

1. I am a huge Jackie-O. fan! I met her as a child, and she was utterly gracious,and charming, in Hyannisport, on a steamy summer morning near the Kennedy Compound.I am learning facts about her I did not know before.I truly admire her class,taste,and love of country, as well as her dedication to her husband and children.She was quite a lady, America's queen! If you admire Jackie, for sure, you will enjoy this book.



2. This is a good book if you're just starting to research, or learn, about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The format is chronological; it includes all of the major events of her life spanning childhood to her final days in New York City. Each section is about two to four paragraphs with photos to support much of the text. The content, while being thorough, is sparce due to the book's attempt to list everything (ergo, the title) that encompassed her life. There are, however, some interesting trivial facts about her (and President Kennedy) that make reading this book fun to read, as these tidbits of information aren't usually included in many of the more in-depth biographies on her. Overall, this is a good book by the Everything Series to launch someone's study of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.



3. This is a very interesting book. I learned a great many facts that I hadn't previously known.

2 comments about Again Calls the Owl.

1. Interesting, particularly when M. Craven talks about writing "I heard the owl call my name".



2. Margaret Craven really emphasized the fact that no matter what you go through you can still accomplish your goals. She got blind from an accident and then did what she could to fulfill her dream, to write 2 more books. One about the Indian Life and the last one about her childhood days. This book was just an enjoyable biography!

5 comments about The Big Book of Women Saints.

1. This excellent book came out about a year ago, but as today is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, I thought I'd post a review.
   
   Ms. Gallick has done an exceptional job of writing a lucid, easily-accessible book on women saints. For each day of the year on the particular saint's feast day, the book contains biographical information about a woman saint, usually no longer than one page of text. The information about the saint is followed by short sentence or two supplied by Ms. Gallick explaining the "genius" of the saint.
   
   (Example: For Saint Lucy Filippini on March 25, her genius is described as follows: "Lucy recognized that teaching is a vocation, a calling from God, and she lived the advice of her mentor, Cardinal Barbarigo: 'The Church of God is not a restful garden but a working vineyard.'")
   
   I found Ms. Gallick's observations on each Saints' "genius" to be succinct and insightful. Each Saint's entry then ends with a "Reflection" from scripture that Ms. Gallick has selected; the scripture quote thematically relates to the Saint's life.
   
   (Example: Blessed Barbe Acarie, a beautiful society girl, dedicated herself to bringing the Carmelites to France. The scriptural reflection provided by Ms. Gallick is from Proverbs: "Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; The woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Prov. 31:30.)
   
   This book is a worthy addition to any Catholic's library, suitable as a daily devotional or a quick reference guide. (I hope that non-Catholics would find it interesting and inspiring, too!). As another reviewer mentioned, it would make a great gift (note the very handsome cover art), particularly perhaps for a teenage girl being confirmed, since the individual entries lend themselves to a quick read.
   
   I give this book five stars.



2. One of my favorite ongoing methods of personal growth is to study a different person in history every month. This month I am studying Teresa of Avila and from this study I am learning so much about so many other remarkable saints like in this phenomenal book I stumbled upon (thankfully!) at the library.
   
   Part devotional, part study aid, part inspiration-for-women-of-all ages, this unique guide to more than 400 women saints across the ages it includes a years worth of daily readings which each include a brief bio of each woman (or group of women) along with a section called "The Genius of..." which synopsizes that particular saint's contribution and then a reflection section with a Bible passage.
   
   The back matter of the book accentuates "the courageous Catholic saints" and what I would like to add is that this book is not solely for Catholics, it could speak to women of any faith, Christian and non-Christian alike.
   
   The introductory section (before the daily readings) includes the definition of "Saint" and describes canonization, something which I, as a non-Catholic, found very helpful. I also enjoyed looking up the Saints featured on my birthday and each of my children's birthdays. (A quick aside is my birthday - January 29 - features Saint Bathildes, who went from being a Slave to being a Queen to being a Nun... she was known for her grace, generosity and compassion)
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in women in religion and spirituality. I am planning on purchasing my own copy to use as a daily conversation guide with my ten-year-old and sixteen-year-old daughters who enjoy being inspired by other women in leadership.
   
   I am grateful I kept my eyes scanning the shelves as I walked out with my Teresa of Avila books in hand!



3. The wonderful thing about learning about the saints is that there are so many of them, each person is bound to find someone she can relate to and look up to as a positive example. In "The Big Book of Women Saints," Sarah Gallick has done a tremendous job of bringing together information about 500 women saints. While all the famous women saints are included, there are also many who are relatively unknown. Gallick divides her book into a reading for each day (some days feature groups of saints such as the four martyrs of Wangla featured on June 28th). This set-up makes it very easy to read and reflect on a life of a saint every day.
   
   In the "Introduction," Gallick describes the canonization process for Catholic saints, a process not formalized until the 10th century. Prior to this saints were "recognized by popular acclamation, which was later confirmed by the local bishops." Interestingly enough, the first woman officially canonized by the Vatican was Wiborada of Saint Gall in 1047. She is featured on May 2. Gallick goes on to state that each of the women profiled in this book "shared a unique quality that has been called the feminine genius." Indeed, on each day's profile, Gallick includes a description of that woman's particular genius, the example she offers to each of us as we travel along our spiritual journey. Another helpful portion of "The Big Book of Women Saints" is the "Annotated Sources and Web Sites" which lists each saint and offers sources for further study about that person. She also provides a general bibliography.
   
   "The Big Book of Women Saints" is a fascinating book, unique for the number of women saints Gallick profiles. It would be a wonderful companion throughout the year to learn more about these women who, coming from a variety of circumstances, have all had a profound effect on the Church and their respective communities. Their stories also provide hope and inspiration for all of us trying to live holy lives.



4. Sarah Gallick's THE BIG BOOK OF WOMEN SAINTS is an excellent resource on the lives of a wide variety of women saints, from the very famous to the more obscure. It's compelling, highly readable and obviously well-researched. I'll be giving it as a gift to family and friends.



5. What I love about Sarah Gallick's Big Book of Women Saints is the emphasis on the saints' lives, rather than their deaths. Here, worldly women give themselves freely to their faith, and in the process, establish religious orders, set up and run schools, labor as diplomats among kings and Popes, and lead armies into battle. What better way to show contemporary young women (like my three daughters) how ordinary people can be touched by the divine? The fact that the book is organized by date makes it perfect for the bedside, with one-page readings per saint. (The first thing we did: We checked out the saints of our birthdays.) A compelling read and a perfect First Communion or Confirmation gift.

4 comments about The Girl With the Gallery: Edith Gregor Halpert And the Making of the Modern Art Market.

1. Like another reviewer, I find it hard to put this book down.
   It is frankly and beautifully written in a way that puts the reader in the back of the Rolls Royce with Abby Rockefeller and behind the desk with Edith in her Greenwich village gallery.
   
   I am only half way through the book and am savoring it thoroughly for the ride that it is taking me on: I feel like I walked the construction site of Rockefeller Center,toured Radio City Music before the first Rockette,
   and participated in persuading Mayor LaGuardia to put a subway stop at Rock Center....
   
   Fascinating and excellent read.



2. I had a lot of trouble putting aside the book so that I could take care of my normal daily chores and business. It was interesting to me from a variety of points. One of them was the excellent introduction information about how the author first learned of Edith Gegor Halpet and then how surprised she was to discover a treasure trove of available research material including an oral history that included more than 800 transcrbed pages. While I'm not in the gallery business, I do enjoy art and I found the book a very interesting story of how tough a business the marketing of art really is. Halpert's struggles opening and running a gallery have valuable lessons for any small business owner. Some of her sales techniques could be applied to almost any business with great success. The book is a great read and provides glimpses into the world of art, artists, patrons, museums, and the important contributions women have made to the art fields over the years. It's another example of how women have come into their own.



3. Fascinating bio and first rate discussion of the strange intersection of high-art and commerece. Shows how much artists owe to the people who support and believe in them.



4. The title here is just a little bit misleading. Yes Edith was the girl with the gallery, but there were a lot of girls that had galleries. What Edith built was THE Gallery, at least so far as modern American art was concerned. Furthermore she did it from the outside, she was born Russian, coming to America when she was six, and at the young age of 26 founding the Downtown Gallery in Greenwich Village.
   
   There was at the time no American art movement. The few painters of the time had great difficulty selling their work. Edith changed that. Her gallery specialized in the work of these New York locals, combined agressive selling with a devotion to this style that remained for forty four years.
   
   It was largely because of her that there is an American art scene. This book is a fine tribute to her life that has largely been forgotten.

5 comments about Front Row: Anna Wintour: What Lies Beneath the Chic Exterior of Vogue's Editor in Chief.

1. I agree with much of what the previous reviewer,Lee Mellott,said. I too stopped reading VOGUE years ago (personally, I much prefer VANITY FAIR).
   
   Like many reviewers of this Oppenheimer book, I was enthralled to read more about Anna Wintour's life and so I picked up this book. And I was not disappointed!
   
   Oppenheimer has taken task to interview so many people that have known Anna,(many many) and with those interviews, he was able to write a very interesting book.
   
   Granted , the book is Oppenheimer's point of view on Anna. However, if even HALF of what Oppenheimer has discovered about Anna is true (via his research), OMG, the woman sounds like a manipulative, menacing, ruthless, and highly interesting person!
   
   You may ask how a woman (ie:Anna) who is so menacing can also be interesting? Well, if you were to read this book, you'd know just why I stated this point.
   
   The first half of the book is about Anna's past and how she climbed her way to the "top". I found this sooo interesting,from start to finish!
   
   Basically, Anna knows how to use her money , her family status, and her sexual personna to manipulate people in order to get what she wants. As ANDREA, the main character in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA would say:
   "...had Miranda [ie: Anna] been a man, Miranda would be a typical assertive executive male, using everything in his power to climb to the top.But because Miranda [Anna] is a woman,then she is seen as a B****".
   
   Yes, Anna Wintour (or Miranda) is not a MAN, and therefore society deems her as a "devil",... or a self-serving "status climber". Is that totally fair to Anna Wintour? Well, when you read this book, you can decide for yourself.
   
   The second half of the book deals with Anna Wintour's rise to the top. This part of the book goes deeply into what makes Anna tick. What turns her on (and off). What Anna Wintour will do to get what she wants is carefully explained.
   
   In this book , Anna is often portrayed as a woman that was/is selfish and cold, and as a woman that will sleep her way to the top, whether she loves the man or not. She married for status, as the book reflects. She used/uses people then basically throws them away when she is done with them. She is portrayed as a woman that was (& is) eager to please her Dad, and was (& is) willing to do anything to win that approval. What I get, from the book, is that once her Dad died, Anna's ruthless personality was so deeply embedded,...so much so that it has been difficult for Anna to turn back.
   
   For a while, when Anna was having an affair with "the Texan", Anna seemed to be softening a bit. However, since the book stops at 2004, heaven only knows if she is still with "the Texan" or not.
   
   Once again, this is Oppenheimer's take on Anna. Is it true, or is Oppenheimer's view of Anna a bit far fetched?
   The only way for the reader to decide this point, is to read the book and decide for themself.
   
   My opinion (& this is only my opinion) is that Anna is very much like what Oppenheimer's research portrayed in this book. But I'm sure that there is much more to Anna that the reader will never know.
   
   Anna Wintour is a chamelion, and also, she is a mystery to many, ---and primarily since she rarely lets her guard down.



2. Give me a break. Jerry Oppenheimer is one of those "unauthorized" biographers who extrapolates and dramatizes, adding his own skewed agenda all along the way. I couldn't stand his writing (especially his creating thoughts for Ms. Wintour as a child!) and wish there was an actual, trustworthy and unbiased biography of this visionary, if demanding, stylemaker.



3. Not that Anna Wintour is such an interesting person, but the author writes a nice biography. He does a good job, interesting details. However, I probably expected more "glitz". I recommend the book.



4. This book is slightly boring. If you want to read about a spoiled neurotic woman, this book is for you! I had trouble finishing it.



5. I just finished read two smashing books on Diana Vreeland, so I was interested to read Front Row. I had high hopes, not knowing a lot about Wintour, that this would be a great read. Wintour's life is not that intriguing. And compared to Vreeland, her moral compass is a bit off. She seems to be, as my grandmother would say, a bit of a harlot. Wintour may know style, and I love Vogue, but if this is what Wintour is like, she doesn't have a lot of depth. In fact, I got the impression more than once that this is a person who doesn't read--not like real readers do. I'll take Vreeland's outlandish description of "The Night of the Long Knives" in her biography over this "street smart" clothes horse. But then again maybe high school drop outs are OK if they come from a tony British background and rise to the top of Fashion's bible. Oppenheimer does his best with a subject who may "sparkle" at the galas--but is, sadly, just made out of paste.

5 comments about Behind the Burqa: Our Life in Afghanistan and How We Escaped to Freedom.

1. Living in Egypt and seeing firsthand how harshly women were (and still are) treated by men started my quest for knowledge and understanding of Islam and the Middle East.
   
   I was, as most people from non-Islamic countries, horribly uninformed and misled about the true nature of the legalistic doctrine of Islam. I had no idea how strict and cruel and oppressive this "religion of peace" was concerning women until I read from the Islamic sources themselves.
   That being said I really enjoyed reading the first 3/4ths of this book written by the older sister, Sulima.
   
   Now a former Muslim and living in America, Sulima details her struggle for equality and education for females in her native country Afghanistan. This remarkable girl/woman accomplished quite a lot while enduring shocking, abusive treatment from almost EVERY single Muslim male in her life. This should be an eye opener and required reading for anyone who under-estimates or denies how the Koran looks upon women and their subserviant second class role in society. Sulima's Islamic religion/upbringing ensured her a life of misery and suffering that few in the West will ever understand. Fortunately she was able to escape and build a wonderful life in America. I found her story brilliant, brave and moving. Five star's all the way.
   
   The last 1/4th of the book was written by Hala. Sulima's younger sister by 16 years grew up under very different, much more brutal regimes before seeking refugee status in America and ultimately with her sister. During Hala's childhood she witnessed considerably more violence and oppressive treatment under the Mujihaddin and later the Taliban who sought to rid Afghanistan of the evil Western influences and establish a pure Islamic State. Hala bravely ran an underground classroom for children (because the government believed education was evil and unnecessary.) Once she had been discovered by the Taliban she was fiercely beaten and essentially told she would be killed soon. Hala was forced to leave her country and ended up in a lengthy struggle with American immigration before ultimately being granted political asylum.
   
   I found it very offensive and frustrating that of all the evil Hala endured in Afghanistan (due wholly in part to the religion she loves and embraces so much) she goes on and on and on about all the "atrocities" at the hands of INS, the court system, customs officials etc..The bulk of her story is not the first 20 plus years of her life in a backwards, war torn and little understood society like the reader might imagine, but lengthy details ad nauseum of how violated she felt by America. In her words she felt no safety in our harsh and alien world. Having such high expectations, Hala found only a cold and friendless place. For example, she was horrified at having to deal with rude, weary, overworked airport officials who couldn't understand her language; mortified that she couldn't use the restroom alone or take her luggage with her when she did go; mentally defeated because the bench was uncomfortable and she was cold; shocked and ashamed the shower curtains didn't close properly and devastated at how long she was kept in detention until she could prove her case. Hala even claims she was denied "spiritual food to nourish my soul" and given only "physical food to nourish my body". She complains how the vegetables were overcooked and limp, the meat was fatty and the oatmeal-loose and watery. "The food was tasteless. It was a diet to make people feel physically sick and mentally punished."
   Now I don't know if it's just me-but I can only imagine thousands upon thousands of hungry Afghans in her Godforsaken country who would be very appreciative to eat like she did while in detention. I won't even go into her new found peace of mind from the "religious police" who were constantly on the look out for the smallest "offense" in order beat or kill a woman. Something as simple as laughing, speaking loudly, walking in front of a male, showing any skin or leaving the country without permission from a Mahram are serious offenses that could end your life.. Do you see the irony in all this?
   
   While detailing all her perceived injustices, Hala barely mentions all rules that were bent to make her more comfortable. She was allowed privileges others weren't and access to various things like an Islamic chaplain, prayer rugs, phonecalls, her sister being allowed to interpret in legal procedings, free medical attention, her holy Koran, shawl to cover her head etc...
   All you read about is how insensitive America has been to her suffering and her dissappointed with out great country.. You would think after growing up in Hell that something as minor as having to go to the dining hall (but not forced to eat) during Ramadan wouldn't be so bad-think again!. Her lack of gratitude is disgusting. Her bloated sense of entitlement will amaze you. Hala doesn't understand that when you enter the country illegally (especially these days) you have to go through the red tape process. This has become a long drawn out ordeal due to the endless droves of non-citizens seeking life in America. It may not be pleasant or the most efficient process but I'm certain it wasn't as bad as life with the Taliban. For Hala's story I took two stars off my rating for an otherwise wonderful book.
   
   By the way, if you are wondering if she got over her traumatic ordeal at the hands of the insensitive Americans or her disappointment with our society/way of life guess again! She is still ungrateful and complaining!



2. Two sisters with two related stories - the book is not difficult to read, and the stories are eye-opening. Reminds me how thankful I am to have been born and raised in a free society, able to go where I want whenever I want, get an education, have a career (or not ... but I at least have the opportunity).
   
   I can't believe someone considered Sulima to be "pampered" ... I did not get that impression. Yes, abuse of women also happens here in the US, so some of her experiences are not unique in that sense - but the pressure from her family to stay with her abusive husband was reflective of the culture and was clearly not good for Sulima. I just think of her technical talent and skill that was not allowed to grow to full potential - society's loss in the long run... how many other women are also derailed like that.
   
   Hala's story shows how truly oppressive to women life under the Taliban was, something I did not realize at the time.
   
   I am glad that both women were able to leave Afganistan, and I hope they are thriving in the US. I only hope the situation for women in Afganistan and in other similar cultures improves instead of worsening in the future.



3. I read a negative review on here, that I was unhappy to see. This book focuses on "Salima" and "Hala" two Afghani sisters, both opressed by different wars and regimes at different times in Afghanistan. They are 16 years apart. Reading that Salima had a "pampered life" in one of the reviews was quite disturbing to me. Considering that she fought for women's rights underground in a country that supressed them, that she was house bound and beat by an abusive father, Locked into her room and then threatened with guns by her brother, I would hardly call this a "pampered life". She continued to risk for the women she served. Later the book focuses on her horribly physical abusive relationship with her husband. This is also part of the culture, where it is considered "okay" to beat a woman. Her heroism and story was amazing.
   Hala, 16 years younger suffered a completely different type of abuse, under the mujaheedin and then the rule of the Taliban. After being beat and her life threatened she had to flee and claim political assylum in the United States. This book was so heart felt and thought provoking, that for two nights I have stayed up until 4 in the morning reading. I say it is a "must read".



4. I disagree with the last reviewer. I feel that when I read BEHIND THE BURQA, I got an amazing glimpse into Afghan culture. The story went well beyond the individual circumstances of the two sisters but encompassed an entire timeline of Afghan history since the 1950s and also a great deal about Afghan society, practices, customs and beliefs. Hala's story was even more shocking because she was oppressed in our own country! I am sad that the last reviewer didn't understand the true meaning of the book, and its real message. I highly recommend this book as both a great read (lots of others have said this and I totally agree) and as an important educational experience.



5. I can't understand how this book got such excellent ratings as presented under the guise of Taliban oppression. The older sister, Sulima, was extremely pampered and spoiled by her bizarre father. She seems to have lacked for anything she wanted. Her story is really one about becoming an abused wife. Her unhappy story doesn't relate to her culture as much as her particular circumstances. Abuse of this sort is present within every culture. It is a story about misery, just as all abuse stories are. Her sister, Hala, younger by 20 years has relayed a bit more interesting story, but it takes up less than one third of the book. She touches on the upheavals that led to the ultimate Taliban rule as seen from her exceedingly narrow point of view. Neither of the sisters seems very politically astute. Apparently they lack the erudition to give them a real worldview. Needless to say I was disappointed since I was looking for a book on Afghani culture from a more objective viewpoint. The only thing I gave it stars for is Hala's story of her experiences in detention centers after coming into the US under asylum. After 9/11 we need to be careful about who we let into our country, but I was surprised that detainees were treated like prisoners. After reading "Mayada, Daughter of Iraq", I am sorry to say that Hala's experiences as a prisoner in the US are almost laughable

5 comments about Sylvia Plath: Method and Madness: A Biography.

1. I purchased this book as a reference for an Abnormal Psychology class where I wrote a paper on Sylvia Plath. The information and the facts are real, but the book isn't completely objective. Quite a few times I caught myself thinking that the author had some kind of 'hero worship' about Plath. He would explain some of her odd behaviors and rampages as excusable because she was gifted and intellectual. In one chapter he says that the girls Sylvia hung out with basically had no brains and couldn't think for themselves, and did whatever she wanted them to do. However, it served it's purpose for my paper.



2. I admit that Sylvia Plath is my favorite poet of the 20th Century.
   
   This book adds richness and more perspective over a beautiful, neurotic woman too angry, yet fragile for this world.



3. I am a Sylvia Plath lover and this book is truly meaningful. The author is so fluent and empathetic but deeply historical and also quite literary. It is all I could ask for in a bio of my heroic favorite poet and more.



4. This superbly written biography of Sylvia Plath completely threw me. Sylvia Plath has been a poetic heroine of mine for years. I thought that reading about her life would bring me closer to her and her poetry, but it actually pushed me away. I found myself having difficulty relating to her zealous ambition, Puritanical work ethic and neurotic need to impress others.
   
   Sylvia Plath was extremely intelligent (her IQ was once measured at about 160!); but Sylvia was no lazy genius. She was a perfectly punctual, continuously straight-A student, from grade school through college. Plath was a classic perfectionist and an over-achiever. She worked tirelessly and with a single-mindedness that boggles me. Her biographer Edward Butscher argues that Plath's neurotic need for public approval was created by the loss of her father, Otto Plath, who died when she was only eight years old.
   
   While the popular conception of suicidal people is often as emotionally unstable individuals who are "out of control," Sylvia Plath had an extraordinary amount of self-control. Much as she crafted her poems, with persistence and precision, Sylvia constructed a `surface self' in order to please and impress the public. She certainly succeeded in impressing people, and still does, decades after her death.
   
   I was particularly disturbed by Butscher's description of the collegiate Sylvia writing her poems with "the same joyless persistence she gave to her studies." (49) He considers her early poems "socially acceptable artifacts, crafty, superficial vehicles of linguistic excellence created almost solely for the purpose of gaining recognition and attention." (49-50) From what I had read of Sylvia Plath's poetry, I had believed that she wrote from the same passionate necessity that drove my own writing. This cold, calculating Plath that Butscher presented was a stranger to me, so unlike the poet of my imagination. Later, as her poetry developed and became a sustaining force, buoying her through her depressions, I saw more of the Sylvia beneath the surface, the vulnerability that drove her to work so tirelessly.
   
   In order to understand and appreciate the real Sylvia Plath, I had to let go of my romanticized version of her. Edward Butscher's insightful, meticulous biography forced me to do just that; and I thank him for it.



5. Fascinating and detailed, I read this substantial book everywhere: standing on the subway, seated on the bus, reclined on my couch, hidden under my desk, waiting at stoplights. It is beautifully written, informative in the extreme and enlightening about the ambition, drive, commitment and discipline that goes into the making of a star poet (or writer).
   
   The author is a wordsmith who truly understands, and helps the reader to understand, the creative process and the poetic voice. I did not want the book to end but still found myself rushing toward the denouement of Plath's last days as if the book were a mystery novel and, hoping against hope, the culprit or victim might yet be someone else. Butscher brilliantly connects all the dots including Plath's state of mind and the significance of the timing of her poems.
   
   My caveats are: Ted Hughes remains a less well developed figure against the glowing Sylvia. I would have liked a more developed portrait of the much maligned Ted. I still don't know how tall Hughes was (nor Sylvia for that matter), what women found attractive about him, how he came to be a poet, etc. Butscher relies heavily on a Freudian analysis of Plath's motivations for almost every twist and turn of her brilliant but blighted existence. I find mother-blame just too done! Read the book though!