5 comments about The Best from Helen Corbitt's Kitchens (Evelyn Oppenheimer Series, No. 1).

1. I seem to enjoy reading cookbooks in the same way other read novels. I found that this book had super recipes. I have been after the Neiman Marcus carrot cake recipe for years and years. Every-time I go to the cafe I just have to have the carrot cake it is my favorite. I always asked where I could get the recipe no one could tell me. I looked inside the Neiman Marcus Cookbook and they only had a picture of the carrot cake, no carrot cake recipe. I tried making the one in this book and it is fabulous. I think it tops the one at Neiman Marcus because it is homemade and fresh. I made it in a rectangle large brownie type baking dish (not a bundt) and added 1/2 cup raisins. It was fabulous. Next I am going to try making the monkey bread in my pop over molds. That sound super too. There are really many many great recipes in this book. I am very happy with my purchase.



2. This is such a great book. No matter what you want to cook, Helen has a recipe for it. All of the recipes are so good.
   
   I will pass this book on to my children.
   
   Cannon Flowers
   DALLAS, TX



3. The Zodiac Room, at the top of the legendary Neiman-Marcus Department store, in downtown Dallas was my first real exposure to how wonderful food could be...my Mom was an excellent Texas cook, my Texan grandmothers were wonderful cooks as well. Their repertoire was traditional Texas fare...chili con carne, chicken fried steak with cream gravy,cream pies, fried okra, cheese enchiladas and so on...and I loved their food. I grew up in West Texas surrounded by amazing, delicious food.

   But the first time I ate Helen Corbitt's Guinea Hen Madeira,her Crabmeat Chantilly, her Poppy Seed Dressing, my life changed. Her food at the Zodiac Room was amazing...it changed my life.

   For the last twenty years I have cooked for a living and Helen Corbitt remains my primary inspiration.

   I am so thrilled to see Helen Corbitt's recipes back in print. I place her in the late 20th century Cooks Pantheon next to James Beard, Julia Child, Adelle Davis and Martha Stewart.

   Stewart Wise




4. This cookbook reintroduces Helen Corbitt, though if you have lived in Texas for years you are no doubt familiar with her. She became famous as the head of the restaurants of Neiman-Marcus department stores, and many Texans know her through her texas "caviar", hot fudge pecan balls, retro molded salads, fabulous "potluck" recipes, poppy seed dressing, and other Texas favorites. If you cannot find the original editions, this is certainly one to own. You will find yourself using it over and over again.



5. Fans of Helen Corbitt have described her as the 'best cook in Texas', catering to the White House and others - this provides a new Helen Corbitt cookbook gathering over 500 favorites from earlier Corbitt cookbooks and including some never published recipes. No photos but the simple dishes don't need them.

5 comments about Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life.

1. This book became an instant favorite--Arlene Blum's story is amazing. I don't usually like autobiographies, and I'm not a mountain climber, but this book had me hooked from the first few pages.
   
   Somehow, the author has managed to weave elements of her childhood, her career in science, rememberances of her family, and her love of mountainclimbing into a coherent and engaging story. I was fascinated by the author's tales of mountain expedetions, of lost loves and friendships, of tragedies, and prejudices, and of small triumphs.
   
   A great book about a fascinating life.



2. Arlene is a trail blazer. She is courageous on the trail, bold in her life choices, and works tenaciously to right the injustices of the world. And (here is the icing on the cake) she is also a beautiful writer.
   
   I like to keep a couple copies of this book in my office. It is the perect gift for women who come to me wanting to understand more about the convergence of Judaism and outdoor adventures. Arlene is the best role model I know!
   
   - Rabbi Jamie Korngold, the Adventure Rabbi, author God in the Wilderness: Rediscovering the Spirituality of the Great Outdoors with the Adventure Rabbi



3. From the moment Arlene Blum begins to tell her story, I was hooked. She does an exceptional job of structuring the memoir so you understand who she is as a person... and how she became an adventurer. Nothing stops her as a young child or an adult for breaking new ground for women and for her spirit. I was enthralled. Marcia



4. One of the classic books of women's mountaineering & adventure. I was greatly inspired & enriched by Arlene's Blum memoirs of her life. As a product of a strict, conservative, Jewish upbringing, one can only admire her strength & courage in breaking free & following her dreams.
   Her feats in the early days of women's climbing challenged the male dominated field to finally open their doors & admit that women can equal & sometimes exceed men in the physical challenges of high altitude mountain climbing.
   This book would come close to to being one of the best I have read. Arlene writes with great skill & honesty about her family & the men she loved, showing how we can all rise to greatness & live our dreams.



5. Breaking Trail is an excellent read and a very popular book at the local library!

5 comments about Bad Girl: Confessions of a Teenage Delinquent.

1. A must read book! I sat down and read it cover to cover.
   Not to be missed!



2. Just because Vona dabbled in drugs or other "bad" things as a teen, she's labeled a "bad girl." I can relate to much in the story because the writing is so raw and real I am ripped open as a reader with the writer's brutally honest words.
   
   Like the books CONFESSIONS OF A CATHOLIC SCHOOLGIRL and PROZAC NATION this is a must read for any teen or young woman that struggles to find herself in a mixed up world.



3. Not a memoir of delinquency but a chronicle of Vona's incarceration in a juvenile "boot camp." Atrociously written by someone who comes across as a spoiled rich girl with a fondness for stereotypes, and whose "delinquency" seems to have involved nothing more heinous than dating a drug dealer and indulging in a brief "runaway" period to a vacation cabin with friends. Not recommended. (For a more compelling story written by a more sympathetic narrator in less painful prose, see Daphne Scholinski's The Last Time I Wore a Dress.)



4. My Daughter did 13 Months at Peninsula Village and it was her saviour as well. This is one of th emost respected centers in the world. At a cost of $9600 per month it had better be. We are pleased with the staff and Peninsula Village and they gave us our child back after 13 months a totally better person. The person who wrote this book trumped it up to sell books bottom line. Their is a lot of non truth items in this book.



5. An advertisement for an abusive facility that breaks kids and then puts them back together as brainwashed robots... as told by one of their so-called 'successes'. Shocking only in the way that the author seems to truly believe that being isolated from human contact, allowed no friends and no conversation, and spending most of the day sitting on her bed (not being allowed to talk or even look at things), truly helped her 'recover'.

5 comments about Water Cooler Diaries: Women across America Share Their Day at Work.

1. Water Cooler Diaries: Women Across America Share Their Day at Work
   
   I have been taking my time reading this book.
   
   Why?
   
   Because I am savoring every entry.
   
   Water Cooler Diaries provides a sneak peek behind the private lives of women; What we do on a typical day and what we think.
   
   The reader discovers that when the "typical working day" is explored in detail, there is humor, frustrations and a myriad of emotions that are evoked by exploring the inner thoughts women have throughout the day.
   
   And in reading each woman's day diary entries, we look into the mirror and see a reflection of ourselves in the surgeon, the mechanic, the blogger, the mother, the janitor and so many more.
   
   Well, okay... this reader didn't have that much in common with the sexy magician and her albino snake... but, boy haven't you ever wondered what it must be like to have a job like that? Never thought about the fact that she also has to clean up snake poop out of water bowls every morning.
   
   
   There are 35 full day entries with hundreds of excerpts from women from all walks of life.
   
   ENJOY!



2. This book is hard to put down!
   - Laugh out loud moments is the truth.
   - Amazed at those who were brave enough to be honest & wrote about their boss from 'he double-hockey-sticks'.
   - Fascinated going behind the scenes of the 'not your everyday' type of jobs.
   - Shocked some were sad by the end of their day, while they are on their road to success
   - Cried & deeply touched by those who were going through very personal and hard times in their life (I still think of them)
   - Then laughed again...
   
   This book has such a variety of true everyday stories Great reading.



3. These women share their joys, worries, triumphs, fears, hopes and dreams...a day in their lives...from mundane to magnificent. It's a book you don't have to read from cover to cover in one sitting, but it's hard to put down once you start. And although it sounds hokey, I laughed, I cried and I related to every one of these women on some level.



4. . . . and I'm not just saying that because I wrote the last chapter. (smile)
   
   These witty and often moving diary entries from women of all walks of life offer a broad perspective of the triumphs, trials, stressors, struggles and small moments of joy that people everywhere are dealing with at any given time. The book's candid, inspirational accounts let us briefly walk a mile in someone else's shoes and remind us that, no matter what we're dealing with, we are not alone.
   
   I got turned on to Joni B. Cole's day diary compilations when I hastily grabbed her previous book -- "This Day in the Life" -- in an airport bookstore as I was dashing to catch a four-hour flight. Once I opened it, I was hooked and couldn't put it down.
   
   Like that book, "Water Cooler Diaries" is another fast, fun and delightfully voyeuristic read. It's an honor to be featured in it.



5. This book is great! Every woman's story is fascinating. It's also loaded with hysterical excerpts from womens' lives. Full of insight, tenderness, comedy, and just plain truth.

5 comments about Diana Ross: A Biography.

1. 
   This must be the ultimate Diana Ross biography. The author of this book seems to know the legendary singer all too well. In fact, if you look at his credentials, I think you'll be quite impressed: Mr. Taraborrelli begin following her career when he was just barely a teenager; he wrote countless of articles on her for various publications; he's interviewed dozens of her closest friends and family members throughout the years, including Diana Ross herself; he wrote two previous books on her, and, as proven with this book; he's an exceptionally talented writer.
   
   What's great about this biography - as in the case with virtually all biographies - is that you learn more than just about the "biographee." You learn about other people, places, and events. In this case, you learn about The Supremes, Motown Records, Berry Gordy, the sixties, the music industry, the movie industry, and much more. So to some degree, this biography is really a history book with an emphasis on entertainment, and where Diana Ross is the main subject. This is the sort of book that once you start reading, you can't put it down. And even though I'm not a huge fan of Diana Ross or Motown Records, I found this book captivating, fascinated by her life story.
   
   I think readers will be pleased with Taraborrelli's in depth look at Diana Ross' life: her personal life and relationships; her music career and other business ventures; and her family and children. Yet, even though the author admits to be a great fan of Diana Ross, this book doesn't seem to reflect that. The author holds nothing back. In fact, he gives us a very sincere portrayal of Diana Ross, and not a manufactured one. He tells us about her good side and bad side, her failures and successes, her good times and bad times. Some authors may be tempted to be a little bit biased, but not Taraborrelli in this case.
   
   My one and only disappointment is that there is no mention of Michael Jackson's song "Dirty Diana." Was it really a song about Diana Ross? I was hoping he would set the record straight and maybe even get Diana's own reaction to the song, but that didn't happen. Maybe he's got something written about that in his Michael Jackson biography, which I'm eager to read. But besides that, I found this book excellent all the way through. If you're even remotely interested in Motown Records, The Supremes, and of course, Diana Ross, I think you'll truly enjoy this book. As for me, I look forward to reading more books from this author.



2. An unabashed fan of Ross and the Supremes, the author of this bio lets all his own biases show. The writing is a little too gushing in places and the uncritical judgments seldom tempered. Still, if you don't already know this familiar story, there's interesting fodder here because the author has been an insider more or less for decades. The early years of the Supremes are well dissected and readers learn much, not the least of which is how much the group recorded beyond the hits. Ross's later years are also well documented and her somewhat sad decline and recent DUI chronicled. This is a very long book, so be prepared to wade through.



3. Even with Randy's third opus on Miss Ross I haven't any more of a clue as to who or what she really is but if you've bought the previous two books don't think this is just a rehash. It's a new book and impeccably researched and impeccably written. He's done his damnest to try to bring the complete person to the pages. Ross' own book showed she hasn't got a clue about who she really is (and, good grief, all the information and dates she had wrong or confused) and that she is the center of her universe, not the most sensitive to the feelings or viewpoint of others she's worked with. Since she'll never write the whole story, this book will do nicely. The most significant observation Randy makes is Ross' multiple personalities--almost every star in show business has them, a combination of sheer guts and ambition and power with total insecurity. It drives everyone around them nuts. (But not every star is a bundle of contradictions--some are in show business but not of show business and live their lives right side up.) As for Ross, I love her work--a fabulous career still chuggin' ahead--but I'd never want to get in her way.



4. As for readability, I'd give this book 5 stars. It read like a novel - with dialogue and drama and character exploration. But, is it really a "biography?" - that's not how it came across to me. I thought it read more like one obsessed author's suppositions, speculations, fantasies and desire to dish a bit of dirt. For example, he'll ascribe a motive or intention to some action Diana took. C'mon, as if he (or anyone but her) knew what she was thinking at that point in time. Buy it as fun read.....but go into it knowing that the author has filled in a lot of blanks with his own biases.



5. OK, there has been so much written about Miss Ross (most of which I have read) including this authors previous efforts. I couldn't put this one down, it is very well written and easily read. Although I have previously read much of what has been written on Diana Ross and have been an avid fan since she began her career, there was still some information in this piece with which I wasn't familiar. It saddens me that the one group whom I and millions of others so adored experienced such conflict within their ranks. RT clearly doesn't put the blame on any one "Supreme" for the turmoil that was evident through most of their time together. Towards the end of the Bio, even Scherrie Payne, a singer with the group after Diana left, and one of the singers that Diana invited to join the Diana Ross and The Supremes 2000 Return to Love Tour, voiced how she hopes that someday Diana, Mary and Cindy can look beyond their differences and once again give the fans an opportunity to see one of the premiere groups in the history of music. I for one would pay far more than the $250.00 asking price for that ticket. Whether or not you are a Diana Ross or a Supreme fan treat yourself to a well written biography about one hell of a stunning star! I was fortunate to have seen her numerous times over the years, including her performace at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles in 2004 and I already have my tickets for her show at the Gibson Universal Theatre in November of this year. At the risk of sounding cliche' Diana Ross ia a survivor and I know deep down that there is more to come! A great read! Highly, highly recommended.

5 comments about Shooting the Boh: A Woman's Voyage Down the Wildest River in Borneo.

1. Tracey Johnston signed up with an adventure travel company for an exploratory rafting trip in Borneo and it turned out to be far longer and more dangerous than predicted. What a thrilling, true story! This is just the kind of book you want to read on a long, tedious airline flight to make the time fly. Believe me, you won't want to get off till you find out how it ends.



2. It's been a few years since I read this book but I loved it. Middle-aged adventure with a great sense of humor.



3. This book tells the story of a journalist who nearly got killed adventuring in the backwoods of Borneo. At a party in San Francisco, Tracy Johnston met the president of Sobek, an outdoor adventure company. Sobek planned to offer a new white water route down the Boh River in Borneo. They were looking for crew members for the test-run, and were delighted to find Johnston, a proven writer who had previous white water experience. They offered her a free ride in exchange for publicity materials about the trip. So one fateful summer day in the early 1990s, Johnston landed in Jakarta to join the trip. Unfortunately, her luggage didn't land with her, but that was only the first of many challenges to come. During the course of the next few weeks, Johnston would find herself hurtling down an uncharted river, scrambling down muddy boulders, and swimming to save her skin, all while living intimately with folks that had been perfect strangers just days before. If the river trip in itself hadn't been enough, Johnston was also faced with coming to terms with changes in her own body, which had begun to develop the aches and pains of middle age. She found herself constantly comparing her performance, condition, and appearance to those of the others in the group, all younger than her.
   
   I almost put this book down after the first few chapters, where Johnston comes across as a bit whiny or petty, and a not-so-skilled traveler, despite her experience. For instance, she explains how vital her air mattress was to her, yet she packed this item in her checked bag. Meanwhile, in her carry-on, she somehow had room for 2 sun dresses. She had already been to Indonesia the year before, but somehow during that trip, she had missed the fact that sun dresses are entirely inappropriate for the culture. We get rather shocked when French women take off their bathing suit tops on American beaches, but that pales to how Indonesians feel when tourists walk around showing bare shoulders and knee caps. For heaven sakes, when traveling, either follow local rules about covering parts of your body, or just stay home! Besides, Indonesia is one place to go where you don't need to pack any clothes at all. For women of average size, all you need to take in your carry-on (and checked bags, too, for that matter) is possibly a single change of shirt and some underwear. As soon as you arrive in the country, head to the nearest market, and you can purchase an entire wardrobe of attractive, comfortable clothing for less than what you might pay for a single outfit here. Meanwhile, in your carry-on, since you don't need to take other clothes, you'll have room for essentials like a camera, medications (especially aspirin and antiseptics), and maybe even an air mattress if you think you're going to need one. (Basically, the same advice goes for men, although larger men may have to look longer and go to tourist markets in order to find clothing in their size.) As Johnston meets up with the other female members of the crew, she is blown away by their beauty, and treats us to some catty remarks on their behavior. Finally, as the trip progresses, Johnston finds that in order to survive, she must become more introspective, and at this point, the story finally takes off. This is not a story about Borneo or Indonesia-instead it is a survival tale of hurtling down a river out of control.



4. I have to give Johnston credit for being able to record and recount this arduous trip with such clarity. When one is exhausted, hounded by sweat-sucking bees, fearing that she may not survive, it takes a lot of persistence to keep a thorough journal. She's done this and written competently about the adventure, but this book ultimately is a let-down. Here's why:
   
   Johnston is too self-absorbed and often expects others to take care of her needs. Her luggage is lost and even after another member of the trip lends her a sleeping bag, she's miffed that no one would loan her an air mattress. She feels that because she has a back problem every one should accommodate her needs. It's classic lack of self-responsibility - you often see this on river trips and other risky expeditions. Just as Jon Krakauer discovers on his "assault" on Everest in "Into Thin Air," people on guided trips expect all their needs to be met. Rather than thinking what she could do, despite her physical limits, to help the group, she castigates the others for not helping her enough.
   
   As a raft guide, journalist, and author ("A Sense of Place"), I'm aware of the challenges Johnston faced, but I wish she'd painted a better picture of the other people on the trip. We hear about the guides' daring rescues and Sylvie's preening, but we don't get more than a two-dimensional view of the other guests on the trip.
   
   And I notice that though Johnston often talks about the jungle spirits, she doesn't revere the life of the jungle. She goes out of her way to toss a centipede in the river, smear a leach to death even though it wasn't on her, and chortles over drowned bees. Of course I can understand this reaction to pests but it shows a lack of reverence for the place.
   
   A couple of quibbles: she often uses "oar" as a verb, as in the guide was "oaring" the boat. You don't oar a boat - you row it. And the cover isn't a real image - it's two pictures, one of a longboat superimposed on the rapids. I don't blame Johnston for the cover - doubtless she had little or nothing to do with it - but it seems somehow symbolic of the book's lack of authenticity.
   
   Despite all these faults, once I started reading I wanted to keep going to the end.
   
   
   
   
   
   



5. Unlike Redmond O'Hanlon's book on the same subject, which is hysterically funny, Shooting the Boh is midly funny and one that I think will appeal more to female readers (my husband found this to be quite dull) due to the self-confessed menopausal musings of the author on traveling down river with a boat full of men and a younger, svelte, pretty (French) woman whom Johnston claims seemed to be immune to sweating or even appearing the slightest bit wrinkled by their circumstances!

   Unlike O'Hanlon's interactions with the locals or his constantt making fun of himself (and his effete poet traveling companion), at times Johnston seemed to turn her narrative too much to her own neuroses (and internal observations of herself & the other travelers) and thereby lose the experience of going down a river in Borneo for the reader... which is why I read the book in the first place.

   Eric Hansen's STRANGER IN THE FOREST or O'Hanlon's book on Borneo are far superior.

5 comments about The Climb of My Life: Scaling Mountains with a Borrowed Heart.

1. Kelly's story is one of humor, laughter, pain, tears, and totally inspirational. Ever feel down and out? Read Kelly's story - it is uplifting knowing that one can reach death's portal, only to turn back and say "I've got mountains to climb." When you think things can't get any worse - read Kelly's story. Life gives each of us obstacles to overcome. Kelly has done so with grace, good humor, determination, with a husband encouraging her every step of the way, and with gratitude for the gift from a donor.



2. Thank you Kelly and Craig for such a wonderful, inspirational account of your lives. This has truly changed me in a very positive way. My priorities and outlook are back in the proper perspective. I do not know that I would have handled everything as positively as you two, and pray I will never have to find out.
   This book should be read by everyone. It provides a very unique perspective into personal motivation, unbelievable drive, and magnificient teamwork.
   WONDERFUL !



3. I have just finished Kelly's book The Climb of My Life and am left truly inspired... It is an amusing, poignant, and motivating read that reminds us all that each life is to be cherished and lived to the fullest capacity. Insightful and inspiring, I have mentioned this book in many discussions, as I feel any and every person can benefit from reading Kelly's story. One of the many sentiments I want to incorporate into my own life is greeting your loved one at the end day with "what was the best part of your day?" automatically creating a positive round of communication as opposed to the typical "how was your day?" which often leads to dwelling on the negative. I have taken Kelly's book to heart - I catch myself referring to Kelly and Craig's attitude "well, it could have been worse" when I encounter trivial irks, and then find myself consciously acknowledging how great life truly is. Kelly's personal narrative left me smiling, my eyes misty, and a genuine tug at my heart. Her emotional and physical strength is truly admirable, as is her adoring husband who never let her give up.



4. This is an amazing story about medical miracles, undaunted courage, steely determination, steadfast love, and ultimate triumph. While most of us won't face the sorts of challenges described here, there are many lessons to be learned. The inspiration of Kelly's story is a gift. If you want an exciting story about real adventure, this book is for you. If nothing else, this book should inspire every one to become an organ donor.



5. It's not every day...
   It's not every day you come across two people with such unconditional love and devotion for each other; it's not every day you come across someone who is able to embrace courage, hope, and determination with death staring her in the face; it's not every day you come across someone who has turned "giving back" into their main mission in life; and it's not every day you come across someone who has not only been given a second chance at life via a heart transplant but has lived a life which most can only dream to attain.
   
   "The Climb of My Life" is a well written, captivating journey that will be hard to put down. It reveals to the reader, through humor and tears, how Kelly has faced adversity and pursued her journey. I am inspired by her courage and strength to step out beyond my boundries. Thank you Kelly for this.

5 comments about Nothing: Something to Believe in.

1. I was looking for a book to help me understand some of the things my son has been experiencing growing up in our non-religious household when all of his friends' families practice religions of one sort or another (I was raised as a somewhat conservative Mormon, so non-religious parenting is new for me). I found his book incredibly helpful and very fun to read! I would highly recommend it!



2. I enjoyed this quick read immensely, and had to laugh at Nica's childhood stories of being "nothing". But what really got to me was her sister-in-law..the "Jesus Freak". When she told Nica that "God was more important to her than her own son", I couldn't imagine wanting to be that person. How could you value your religion above your child? I liked seeing the personal side of being an atheist, and agreed with many of her political observations. Good book for people on both sides of the fence on this subject to read for insight.



3. Judging by some reviews, you almost feel the reviewers would like Nica Lalli to apologize for not having a more interesting action-packed life. Sorry but this is just a pretty normal woman who had a pretty normal childhood except for the fact that her parents were non-religious. That's one of the endearing qualities of the memoir. She seems so normal that you feel you already know her. Chances are you did know someone just like her.
   
   I say non-religious because I don't think you can necessarily say that they were atheists. When Nica was a little girl and asked her parents what they were (she had noticed that all her friends were of one denomination or another), they simply said "nothing" because they didn't feel they fell into any group. They could have said "well honey, we're atheists because we don't believe in God," but they didn't. And nowhere does she relay any birds and the bees talk from her parents on how God doesn't exist. They may simply have been agnostic. Surprisingly, we don't have enough information to know for sure.
   
   While "nothing" is a good title for the memoir, it does seem that the second half of the title "something to believe in" is perhaps a little misleading considering that this is not anything close to a treatise on atheism. And it does seem that a few people were expecting something more down that road.
   
   If the situation with the born-again in-laws was the one of two confrontations worth mentioning, then that itself is surprising, and again makes you lean more toward the agnostic label. Growing up as a somewhat practicing Catholic, I had more run-ins with die-hard believers than Nica seems to have had. It would be my guess that a family of outspoken atheists would have sparked a few more in-depth discussions on the hereafter than what we have here.
   
   Since Nica is roughly the same age as me, I could relate to many of her childhood memories growing up, and probably helped make it an enjoyable read. It's a fast and easy read with a few humorous moments, but a little light on insights. Perhaps I'm missing the point, but I can't help wishing that there was a little more something to this "nothing".



4. Ken Kesey was quoted as saying, "To hell with facts, we need more stories!" He is probably completely correct, and for that reason we should welcome and encourage more atheist literature, including not only biographies but novels and short stories, as well as music, art, and so on.
   Lalli's contribution is conventional atheist fare--a "deconversion" story, or a story of a life without religion. Such stories are clearly worthwhile, although we have seen lots of them, and Lalli has little to say that it particularly new or insightful. Much of the book is really not about religion at all but about the mundane trivia of her life, which I suppose needs to be told is a life-story is to be told, but frankly it is not all that interesting or important.
   It is interesting when she talks about her own struggles with the religious environment and especially with her family and in-laws. The message here, which needs to be emphasized, is that we are swimming in a sea of someone else' religion, and THAT is the real challenge for atheists. Religion is so pervasive, and so taken-for-granted, that our "arguments" are feeble as long as our culture and world is dominated and colonized by religion. The most moving parts of the book are when she is confronting her in-laws who are absolutely sure that their religion is true--and that no one who disagrees with them is worthy of respect. Pages 200 and 201 should be required reading for all theists and atheists.
   However--and this is a big however--I am stridently opposed to the theme of her book. As an atheist, I am not "nothing," and even to accept and to promote such language is foolish and self-destructive. I am many things: a man, a teacher, a son, a husband, an American, a pet-lover, and more. Lacking religion does not make a person "nothing," and it is horrible to think that it does. Nor do I "believe in nothing." That is silly talk. That is like saying that a single person is "married to no one," as if "no one" is a person. The proof of that absurdity is easy to demonstrate: if you are single, try listing "no one" as your spouse on your tax return and claiming an exemption. The IRS will remind you right away that "no one" is not a person but the ABSENCE of a person. Atheism, likewise, is not "believing in nothing" but the ABSENCE of religious belief. To assert otherwise is to let theists define us. Rather, THEY believe in nothing, since they literally believe in something that does not exist, that is nothing.
   I will never call myself "nothing," nor encourage anyone else to call me or themselves that. It is nihilist and self-deprecating. One's something-ness and value does not come from one's religion, and we need to shout this from the rooftops. Atheists are somebody too, and we do not have to look for some "belief" to make us somebody. We must not let theists control the discussion, and we certainly must not "speak Christian" ourselves.
   While I wish Lalli well, and welcome her to the community of atheists, I am surprised and disappointed that Prometheus chose to publish this book in its current form. It is not up to the standards of Prometheus and promotes confusion and self-disparagement among atheists.



5. This book is different than most of the atheist books on the market today, because it includes no arguments against religion or the existence of god. It has no arguments at all, except for those that Nica had with her family members in the past. This book is the story of Nica's personal journey from being uncomfortable as the only child in her school who was "nothing" to her coming to terms with the fact that she really does have many things to believe in, but none of them have anything to do with god or religion.
   
   The book is well written, funny, touching, and always interesting. Nica is open and honest about the twists and turns in her own spiritual adventures and search for meaning outside of the religious American mainstream. Sometimes a personal story does more to get to the heart of an issue than pages and pages of logical argument and polemics. I think Nothing should be required reading for both believers and unbelievers because it shows that we actually have more in common than is often acknowledged.

5 comments about Welcome to My Country.

1. Lauren Slater presents a vivid tale of a therapist' s sojourn, examining mental illness from both an insider's and outsider' s perspective. Slater takes us on a journey through her own work in hospital settings, culminating in a personal coda. She confronts unbelievable countertransference at Mount Vernon, the same place she was hospitalized, with a client suffering from a similar constellation of symptoms. She is unique in the mental health community, populated by professionals attempting to abstract themselves from their clientele in the name of objectivity. Although, my psychoanalytic frame dictates an objective stance, I was deeply touched by her sincere humanism and willingness to explore the subjective world of her clients' alien worlds.
   
   Before exploring the clients, their illnesses, the therapist and the treatment interventions, I feel compelled to comment on Slater's unique writing style. Her prose is the result of the ability to paint from a diverse palette of lexicon, style, theory and foremost, metaphor. I was whisked through her world, experience and firm theoretical grounding, giving way to a clear image of her thought process and orientation as a therapist. Her writing style is lush and sensual, like her unique approach to therapy, crossing boundaries rarely trespassed by the orthodox therapist. At certain points, I was left questioning whether this was bravery, or a misguided foraging into the taboo realm, which leads to dual relationships.
   
   Often, clients with Axis Two disorders, such as Peter, have a wide repertoire of tactics at their disposal, testing the boundaries and weaknesses of the attendant therapist. I conferred with one of my colleagues, and they agreed that some of her sexual imagery, in describing herself as well as Peter was a bit much, to say the least. For example, she states, "I imagined myself in sequins, my crotch sprayed silver, as I, nude, gyrated to the beat of his voice" (p. 53). Later, she asserts, "in his admission of pain he was now naked; he had pressed himself against me and I wanted to celebrate, not violate, this stance" (p. 59). The list of sexually charged metaphors is simply too long for this brief review. However, a few more examples might help to make my point. She goes on to say, "and I, well, I grew to love him and love the strength in his slow surrender" (p. 61). Sometimes, I was overwhelmed with laughter, writing in the margins "this is too much". For example, try this sentence on for size: "it is a dangerous thing for us, we people who grow up sucking the steel nipples of this country's missiles, many think living in the world is living in war, women who think their bodies are Molotov cocktails that must be detonated, destroyed, before they are munched up by their own metabolism" (p. 62). In the words of George Orwell, "The writer either has a meaning and cannot express it, or he inadvertently says something else, or he is almost indifferent as to whether his words mean anything or not"(Orwell, 1950). Simply stated, although she is an Ivy Leaguer, her metaphors are mixed as "people sucking steel nipples" clash with munching metabolisms. This is not an isolated example of where I felt metaphors mixed, and poetry superseded the message. Frankly, my impression of Peter was summarized in the margins as, "he is a sociopath", "she's turned on" and "he's got her where he wants her". Perhaps, this is too simplistic, however this was my reaction.
   
   Nevertheless, her work and description of the schizophrenic clients is noteworthy. It helps the shed light on the discombobulated world of the schizophrenic, and her daring and adventurous discarding of the banal "activities of daily living" foisted upon her clientele. I think there is a connection between R.D. Laing's views on insanity and Slater's subjective willingness to voyage into the mind of madness. Perhaps, it is because they both have a grain of insanity within their own minds. However, as Aldous Huxley once stated, "sanity is a matter of degree"(Levy, 1997). I found the hospital settings, frightening, rigid and mundane, until Slater injected some humanity into their sterile milieu. Perhaps, this comes partially from her being a former mental patient and seeing things from the inside looking out as well as the outside looking in.
   
   In contrast to Maslow, Slater's vision as well as her life is circular, not linear. Like so many of us, she finds herself walking down the same path and confronting the past and its ghosts. Emotionally, this resonated with me on a personal and intellectual level. Her client, Linda Cogswell, is described as bulimic and borderline among other things. Slater courageously admits, that she to was diagnosed with an eating disorder and a borderline personality as well as hospitalized at the same facility in which she treated Linda. Lauren Slater allows the reader to catch a glimpse of her unique beauty, and talent as a therapist and person, readily admitting identification with the client. Vis `a vis identifying with Slater as a multifaceted human being, I was able to readily accept the notion that borderline personalities and mental illness involve people as opposed to categorical descriptions. Lauren Slater renews a sense of humanity in writing about her clients, their illnesses, herself as a therapist and her unique approach to therapy. I enjoyed this novel a great deal and was enlightened, entertained and invigorated by her refreshing memoir of madness.
   
   
   
   
   References
   Levy, D.A. (1997)., Tools of critical thinking: metathoughts for psychology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
   Orwell, G. (1950). Shooting an elephant and other essays. London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.



2. Her work is not a work of non-fiction. She admits that she has changed the identities she has written about and confounded their settings. Therefore "Welcome To My Country" should be regarded as a work of fiction. But that is nothing to spit on.
   I must confess that I feel a sense of dread and perverse anticipation when I look back on my reading of this book. Doctor Slater engages in what can only be called the art of vulnerability. She peels back the petals of many, many roses until we find, with a bit of shock, that the most central rose is both hers and our own. Her prose is cool but her spirit is warm. The theme of the erotic is constant through out this book and in all of its episodes. I was bewildered by this until in a sequence that lies near the end of the work she reveals exactly what country we are being welcomed to. Her own confessions are gut wrenching and are the kinds of expostulations that make me cringe as if I was being compelled to pay ear to the screechings of fingernails dragged across the surface of a black board.
   There is a great beauty in this book. There is also something slightly clumsy and sweaty as Doctor Slater strives to make sense of the madness of her clients and her own madness.
   A memoir of madness. Whose?
   I will return to this book often.



3. Read this in the library of Slater's secondary school when I was in hs, but didn't know it was by a graduate. Looked at it from that perspective of knowing who it was by this time w/out knowing that I had read it. I knew that I had read it because I remembered Marie's cracking peach nail polish. I have remembered that image forever; it has been echoing in my mind. I think that I was skimming the book, and hadn't read the personal part before too. So, if I remembered parts of the book after probably 7 years, this has to be an extraordinarily poetic book. After I read the book, I remember thinking maybe I should become a psychologist (i really don't know what i am going to do yet, but the book really did make an impression on me nevertheless). So, this book deserves really to be in any library, and not on the basis of the author graduating from that school! The author comes across as being very compassionate and well spoken. She writes like an angel.



4. Lauren Slater has guts. We've had decades and decades of first hand accounts of mental illness by those who have worked with the afflicted, but Slater is singular in her unwillingness to spare the layman's sensibilities.
   
   Slater's book is a first hand account of her journey through life with a house full of schizophrenics, some doomed and some just in the reach of redemption. She herself is driven to the emotional brink trying to bring something whole out of these irretrievably wounded people. In one scene she practically breaks down trying to convince a group of schizophrenics that the imaginary UFO they want to take off in as a group simply isn't there. She works with a borderline sociopath male chauvinist, every inch the ruthless alphamale, who brutalizes his girlfriend and in his spare time watches sadomasochistic pornography films--all symptoms of his underlying terror of the feminine. Miraculously, despite her disgust with this guy, she gets somewhere with him.
   
   This is not light reading but necessary reading.



5. Welcome to My Country is a beautifully written narrative about psychotherapist Lauren Slater's challening work with mental patients in Boston. She goes to greath lengths to get inside the minds of each patient, following their schizophrenic dreams and fears, their history, and treatment. Her prose is vivid and poetic, albeit a little overwritten at times. Her metaphors are far-fetched, but the language is astounding. The ending is a bit short, but works well. The reader does not get a true grasp of Slater's own private struggle with mental illness, but it is touched on enough to show how her compassion and experiences set the groundwork for her entrance into the mental health field. It is more lyrical essay than psychological text. For all intents and purposes, this book seems to have more to do with Slater recognizing her own voice and self in her patients (much countertransference) than the patients themselves. However, the memoir, at its most basic point, is a fascinating study into Slater's own psyche.

5 comments about In Code: A Mathematical Journey.

1. Miss Flannery book is great. I remember the interesting puzzles littered through the book. Otherwise an inspiring story which doesn't abstract away achievement by attributing it to the authors intelligence.
   
   I found it a delightful read. I would strongly recommend that you buy a copy to gift to your 15 year old kid/niece/nephew....



2. everybody knows that number theory is notoriously abstract and at times, completely unfathomnable to the layman's mind and at worst the realm of the pure intellect. But Sarah and her dad has done a excellent job in breaking that notion!



3. If you know any youngster who's interested in math, do them a favor and buy them this book. Heck, even if they don't care about math, buy them this book anyway. I don't see how anyone who doesn't have a brick between their ears can fail to be inspired by the curiosity and enthusiasm of this down-to-earth young lady.



4. 
   In Code is written by Sarah Flannery (who won Ireland's Young Scientist of the Year Award at the age of 16). Part biography, it discusses this young woman's remarkable journey to mathematical celebrity, beginning from her solving logic brainteasers from a very young age. Cultivated and influenced in large part by her mathematician father, Sarah attempts to develop a new algorithm that encrypts/decodes more quickly than RSA, the standard public key algorithm.
   
   This book provides a detailed discussing of cryptography and mathematics and includes various technical questions/references that stumped me. As another reviewer wrote, "she digs deeply into number theory." Nevertheless, her fluid and engaging writing made up for these hurdles.
   
   All in all, a definite read!



5. "In Code" provides a readable and thorough overview of cryptology in the context of Sarah Flannery's experience in this field of science. The book provides both good coverage of the mathematics underlying encryption technologies used today and a compelling and interesting story of a bright young individual making her way through an exciting field of science.
   
   I recommend this book as a good introduction to the field of cryptology with an overlay of an enjoyable character-driven storyline.