1 comments about Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi's Life, Times, and Rise to Power.

1. This portrait of the nation's first female Speaker of the House is built for speed; its short paragraphs and newspaper style are probably the result of Sandalow's former day job at the San Francisco Chronicle. Readers expecting a full-blown, soup-to-nuts critical biography won't find it here, and the "Times" part of the subtitle isn't quite apt. This is Pelosi's life story, told quickly and effectively, but without the benefit of much retrospection or even cooperation from the subject or her staff. (Pelosi is planning to write a memoir.) For this more replete kind of biography of a San Francisco politician, the gold standard is still John Jacobs's Rage for Justice, which features Phil Burton, one of Pelosi's mentors.
   
   Still, I enjoyed Madam Speaker and learned a lot from it. In fact, one of the things I learned is that Pelosi wasn't Burton's creature, though Burton's widow Sala essentially bequeathed her House seat to Pelosi on her death bed. Pelosi is quoted as saying that Phil Burton might not have supported that move. Interesting.
   
   The other thing I learned is how much political savvy Pelosi picked up from her family in Baltimore. Her father was elected both to the House and as mayor, and he did retail politics the old-fashioned way--right in the neighborhood. In fact, he did a lot of it in the family home, which was frequently full of residents seeking favors and whatnot. Pelosi's father also provides a good deal of the book's color. Her messaging is very disciplined; he was more willing to open up his game, and Sandalow records some of his zingers, at least two of which are laugh-out-loud funny.
   
   The picture that emerges from Sandalow's biography is that of an organized, hardworking, business-like leader. She's sure of her convictions but focused on results, self-respecting but more than willing to share the credit. Most of her peers describe her as a tough Italian grandmother--which happens to match her self-description. "I'm not taking complaints today," she used to tell her five young children when the lamentations began. But like all good legislative leaders, she knows what motivates her colleagues, tracks every detail, and takes no guff.
   
   Very worthwhile. (Full disclosure: I edit Pelosi's daughter, Christine.)

5 comments about Forever Lily: An Unexpected Mother's Journey to Adoption in China.

1. I am spending a few months abroad in South Africa, and a friend who visited left this book with me. I am considering an international adoption, so I thought the book would be interesting. However, this ranks as one of the worst, most annoying books that I have ever picked up. The author tells the story of how when she accompanied a friend to pick up the Chinese baby that the friend was adopting, she ended up adopting the child herself. If she had told the story in a straightforward fashion, it might have been fine, though her writing is not particularly strong and her personality not particularly sympathetic, since she has little compassion for her friend and shows little understanding of Chinese culture and society. But instead, she intersperses the text with accounts of her dreams about being a concubine to an Emperor. A good third of the book is about her dreams, which she sees as significant but which are in fact an offensive Orientalist fantasy. I found her reactions to a descriptions of China and the Chinese people offensive. If that isn't enough, in the middle of the book she starts bringing in her mystic spiritual adviser, whom she contacts several times from China. I have no objection to faith and the mystical - in fact, I love magical realism - but the author's mystical inclinations are so poorly developed and so lacking in reflection that they really become annoying. The book becomes increasingly focused on fate and how she has been destined to adopt this baby since her teen years when she started speaking Chinese in her sleep! Rubish!! How do things like this get published?



2. What an interesting story! This book tugged at my heart strings for this "unexpected mother." This true story had many twists and turns. This is a great read, very hard to put this book down!



3. Excellent read. She perfectly describes the tumultuous experiences of a less-than-perfect Chinese adoption trip. Not every international adoption is a Disney movie (some are) and not every adoptive parent is prepared for the grim realities . . . some readers won't care for that aspect of the book, I'm sure. But, readers who like no-nonsense non-fiction reality probably will. I agree with the other readers that the seemingly endless dream sequences were tedious, (which is why I rated it 4) but overall I liked Russell's writing style, and her story is a fascinating one.



4. I, typically, love any book that has to do with China or Asian culture in general. I particularly like non-fiction, so I thought this book would fit into that category. It didn't. 50 percent of the book are of detailed dreams the author had during this period. I highly doubt anyone can remember dreams that vividly, nor do I think they would be so perfectly sequenced. Bottom line, the dreams detracted from the story. I don't think anyone who picks up this book would have any interest in them. I should have read the reviews here before purchasing.



5. As the mother of a daughter adopted from China, I try to read as much in this area as I can, and encourage others to do the same, but... I'd recommend skipping this one.
   
   Occasionally, I have read others' adoption stories and have been disappointed in them, but in this case I was disturbed.
   
   I was hoping for a Karin Evans-like story (Lost Daughters of China) that pulled together the dreams and the realities of the author's bonds with the child. That didn't happen. More disturbing than that was the story of how Lily became the author's child and not that of the mother who was intended for her. This is an atypical adoption story (I hope)- one of disruption, of difficulty bonding, and sadness and depression.
   
   Please, if you're considering adoption from China, read something less contraversial than this option.

5 comments about Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: A Life.

1. The life of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis can be accurately told as one of wealth, power, struggle, and heartache. Born into a life of status, Jackie, in essence, never had the trouble of wandering far from it; she was well-educated, and intelligent; and for the most part knew both her role and place in society. Spoto paints the story of a strong woman, who despite her travails is able to keep on. True, this account does lean toward a more sympathetic view of Jackie; her faults are not as obvious. However unbalanced, this biography is still one of note for its fairly accurate portrayals and the insights of her life through her eyes. Her marriage to an American President and later the richest man in the world during her time, will forever establish and endear her as an American icon. Her story, indeed, is very remarkable.
   Reading this book made me realize that there was something beyond her image. Jackie was an intensely private person; so by catching a glimpse of her life and the way she might have thought, clarified somewhat her public persona. As for her legion of adoring fans, history is made up of more than one person. No matter, this books makes a highly interesting summer read.



2. She was a key public personality of the 1960's until she died in 1994. Worldly, cosmopolitan, intelligent, stylish, polished, and a woman with her own dark shadows ... Jackie Kennedy lead a life that was a living dream. From the White House to Park Avenue, Jackie left a trail of mystery and fascination. Her human side hidden from the public and a mind we came to know in her later years. It was sad to see her go at just 64 but she lived a grand life.



3. I had to read a biography for school, and I was very interested in Jackie Kennedy Onassis. The main reason I selected this book was that it gave a biography over her entire life, rather than other books that only gave a small portion in her life. But on the other hand it was extremely long, and had a lot of extra info. that wasn't needed.



4. It always makes me smile when I see reviews that praise Jackie as the ultimate mother. Look, as accounts from people who knew her will tell you she was an average mother; her kids went to boarding schools, and she had a great deal of help in the way of nannies and maids to assist her in being a "perfect" mother. jackie was an ordinary person; prone to selfisness, and keep in mind that she had a great oppurtunity to become a humanitarian (like A. Hepburn, and Diana). Did she though? No. I am fascinated by Jackie because of the private life she led and her extraordinary style and beauty. This book painted a laughably perfect image of her-she had no faults, and of course as we all know everyone has faults. For a more objective look at her life I would suggest "A woman named Jackie"



5. I had always wanted to find out more about the famous 'Mrs. Kennedy'. I picked this one and found it hard to put it down. From her chilhood to the time she died, Spoto writes in a delightful fashion that is easy to read and understand. After reading this touching and heartwarming portrayal of America's Royal, she became one of my favorite people. It includes quotes from her close friends and indulges you in her charity projects and her relationship with Caroline and John Jr. It tells of her deep love for JFK and the loyalty she had to her family. The only thing I disliked about the book was the beginning, which was like reading the beginning of the Bible. It told all about her ancestors history and was quite boring in my opinion. Aside from that though, this is a great book which helped spawn my interest in Jackie.

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 Brass Diva: The Life and Legends of Ethel Merman.

1. Cannot recommend; she was an enigma or a self absorbed uneducated diva. The portrait painted by this book did little to enhance her appeal. A bore about a boor.



2. Nobody really expects a snappy read from a scholarly-looking tome like this where every other paragraph contains numerous citations to indexed references in the back; one assumes that's the price of accuracy.
   
   But despite it's lofty intentions, this hefty cradle-to-grave (and beyond) examination of the Broadway legend's life contains a surprising amount of misinformation, something that becomes apparent to anyone familiar with Merman (and show business in general) just through a cursory skim.
   
   Among other things, author claims It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World was produced by Universal (actually it was United Artists), wrongly credits Universal with creating the Cinerama process (that studio never even released a picture in this process), screws up names of a number of plays/movies (it's Under the Yum Yum Tree, not The Yum Yum Tree and so on) and provides the erroneous information that Marlo Thomas produced her That Girl series (on which Merman appeared several times) under the pseudonym Danny Arnold--which will come as a big surprise to anyone familiar with the work of TV veteran Arnold and a number of other very real producers who worked on the show over the years. How much else is wrong? Who knows? And these are mistakes I discovered while just casually leafing through the book.
   
   Nitpicking? Perhaps. But even if everything else IS correct, whatever made Merman such a legendary character is buried under such a mountain of minutiea that her magic is lost. Skip this one and read the far more enjoyable Ethel Merman: A Life by Brian Kellow instead. With the exception of Merman's famed lungpower, big isn't necessarily better.



3. Just finished the two new bios on Ethel Merman, and while both have a lot to offer, this one, written by Flinn is the one to read if you only wanted one. While Kellow does admirably in his take on the Merm and his linear is better constructed, Flinn really seeks out more details, not only from her personal life, but from her career as well. Especially well done is her research on her two most famous films, CALL ME MADAM and THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS. While Kellow devotes only a few pages to SHOW BUSINESS, Flinn devotes a whole chapter, noting the changes that took place from the stories inception to the end product. Very well researched and interesting to read. She also goes into all of her TV appearances in much more detail, as well as her two failed pilots. If one wants to know about Merman, one wants details on her work and Flinn wins with flying colors. Flinn also details more of Mermans marital problems than Kellow. For instance, he never mentions anything about Six's abuse of her, where Flinn goes into it quite a lot. There are many other facets that Kellow either ignores or doesn't know about that Flinn dwelves into. However, Kellow goes into bit of detail about her feud with Fernando Lamas and his apparent upstaging her by wearing tight white pants to accentuate his "crouch" area. She was fumming mad. Flinn doesn't go into this at all. She also doesn't go into the Ernest Borgnine marriage fiasco as well as Kellow. He mentions his script girl as living with them and his affair with her. They both hint at the physical abuse aspect. A shame these two wonderful authors didn't colaborate on just one book. That would definately be the essential Merman biography.



4. I've always been kind of a Merman fan, but after reading this beautiful bio/analysis by Prof. Flinn, I realize that this woman was FASCINATING. She was also a bundle of contradictions -- a feminist before her time but also a lady who just wanted a good husband and a happy family life. As a performer she was a consummate professional. AND she was a gay icon. It all comes together in this great book. I couldn't put it down.



5. Flinn's book is terrific -- a compelling, accessible, and very readable biography of the first lady of the musical theater. The book is extremely well researched. Flinn has brought to light much new information that even Merman fans may not have known and separates fact from fiction, once and for all. Flinn interleaves the story of Merman with the story of the American musical theater in a fascinating and engaging way. This book is a must-read for Merman fans as well as all musical theater enthusiasts.

5 comments about Bone Black: Memories of Girlhood (Bone Black).

1. I read this memoir faster than I have read a memoir in a very long time. Parts of it were very moving and other parts I as the reader--could have done without. I have picked up another book that I think is a follow up to this memoir--we will see how that one goes.



2. bell hooks is known for her many books on the politics of art and culture. This addition is more about the processing of becoming a mature thoughtful writer. Her road was a painful one but all that she experienced fortified her work process and personality. There is some beautiful visual writing and depth in bell hooks' bone black.



3. This book is especially for intelligent black females, but is for all who want to understand the pains of growing up being a poor black female.



4. I couldn't stop turning the pages of this brutally honest tale of a black, southern, woman who grows up knowing that she is diffrent. And therefore, her life will be diffrent.

   This little book gives an intimate look, at the writer some say is the most prolific writer on race, gender and class. hooks, uses words extremely cautiously whick makes this piece on you simply can't put down.

   Eat this book!




5. I couldn't stop turning the pages of this brutally honest tale of a black, southern, woman who grows up knowing that she is different. And therefore, her life will be different.

   This little book gives an intimate look, at the writer some say is the most prolific writer on race, gender and class. hooks, uses words extremely cautiously whick makes this piece on you simply can't put down.

   ...

No comments about Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope.

5 comments about Geno: In Pursuit of Perfection.

1. This book does nothing but confirm what a jerk this fellow is. He can turn on the charm when he wants, such as when he is wooing a recruit. He has also assembled a staff that can coach, as well as recruiting the best basketball talent in the country. He obviously is a shrewd game tactician. But scratch the surface, and you find the egotistical, totally self centered, shallow jerk that lies within. From his profanity filled rants at press conferences, to his adolescent taunts directed at opposing teams to his verbal abuse of his players to his unethical recruiting practices, he earns the title of Geno the Jerk. This book is a big nothing. Wait for the DVD.



2. Auriemma is a JERK. The best thing about this book is he tells you that he, CD (his associate head coach), all his assistant coaches and most of all his players know he is a JERK. But even more important, he cares about his players like a parent or that uncle who will always be there when you need them to be does. He doesn't coddle, he doesn't kiss up to good, or even great players. He does sometimes treat players differently, but only because every single one of his players is an individual, but he demands that they play not as individuals, but as a team. He gets the best out of his players because he demands the best out of them and even more so out of himself. He is insecure and cocky. Doubtful and arrogant. A smooth talker and someone who regularly eats shoe leather. He is a real person who I would love my daughter to play for some day if she ever got the chance.



3. It's rare these days -- I just couldn't stop reading. Auriemma's co-writer creates a style that makes Geno come across as a good guy who tries hard - a real rags to riches, Horatio Alger story.
   
   As a basketball fan, I loved the glimpses into life at UConn and the stories beyond some legendary playeres. In particular, I liked Diana Taurasi's introduction and the brief mentions of her background and style. She's a fascinating person as well as a great player, adding charisma he way Lisa Leslie once did.
   
   Geno tells the truth, too. After UConn, many players faced a letdown. I watched Taurasi play against Seattle next year, as a member of the Arizona team. She tried hard but was obviously frustrated being a top player on a mid-level team.
   
   Ironically, there are many parallels between Taurasi and Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee's star, who would have graduated just before Taurasi went to UConn. Both began their WNBA careers as Number 1 draft picks on low-ranked teams. And both complained about being so famous. Tough, said both coaches.
   
   I also liked Geno's report of recruiting,a coach's toughest job, he says.
   
   A few times I flipped pages while Geno pontificated and philosophized. Most mostly I loved it...and despite a long and growing "To Do" list, I kept reading.



4. Luigi "Geno" Auriemma has written an extremely heartfelt biography chronicling his life experiences, especially the years he has been coaching UConn's womens basketball team. This is one of those biographies you don't want to miss out on!
   
   Geno is a straight shooter and one heck of a honest man. His genuine display of his emotions and thoughts throughout the book are a testament to his character. His loyalty to his wife, family, colleagues, players and fans is incredible!
   
   The stories behind how he recruited Diana Taurasi and others are very enjoyable to read, as are the countless other stories he recalls over the years. "Geno" is an excellent book for anyone to read - you don't need to be a huge sports enthusiast (although I reckon it might make a slight difference) as this is a story of an Italian boy from Norristown who made it big through his strong work ethics and values.
   
   Molto Grazie, Geno! You rock!



5. The book is filled with anecdotes about his early life (the best chapter) and his years at UConn. Trials, tribulations, success and failures with various players, their families, etc. are the central theme. If you've followed the team in recent years or long term, you will appreciate this information. Fewer points, however, for writing style and continuity of subject. As a whole and as a fan, I enjoyed it!

5 comments about Skin Game: A Memoir.

1. This book was EXTREMELY well written, and contrary to other reviews, flowed beautifully. I could not put this book down. It doesn't focus as much on the cutting as I thought it would when I bought it, but it paints a very real portrait of a 'cutter'. People have this idea of what a 'cutter' is and most imagine that a person must be a 'certain way' to have this illness, Kettlewell does an amazing job of showing how intimate and personal this illness really is and that it could and does affect many "unlikely" persons.
   I would recommend this book to anyone with an open mind who would enjoy a superbly written, honest memoir.



2. Although the book lacks the great recovery narrative I was hoping for, the author does beautifully lay down a few descriptions of what it's like to be a cutter. Kettlewell writes: "It is desire, say the Buddhists, that makes us suffer. I want, I need, I hunger--I suffer. Imagine how ridding yourself of desire would ease the burden of living. . . . Frustration, humiliation, insecurity, guilt, remorse, loneliness--I cut 'em all out. They were like a poison, caustic and destructive, as though lye had been siphoned into my veins. The only way I could survive them, I thought, was to keep draining them from my blood. . . . So I cut, as one slashes at a snakebite, to drain the venom from my skin." I've not heard anything else that so aptly describes what I've been futilely trying to do when I've cut.
   
   Finally, although many have critiqued the author's ending . . . sometimes quitting self-injury comes down to a simple choice based on a simple realization or epiphany. And, although I would've liked more narrative about what it's been like to be in recovery, the narrative she does provide gives me impetus to start my own road of recovery. This last piece is worth the price of the book: "When I stopped cutting, it was only because I could afford to, because my need for it had apparently run its natural course, like the fever the body mounts to fight off an infection, that subsides when the danger is past. . . . I could look back over the evidence of more than twenty years marked in dozens of scars. . . . I had to admit that I couldn't remember the occasion of almost any of them, their catalysts, whether epic or mundane, completely obscured by time. SO MANY MOMENTS OF SUPPOSEDLY UNENDURABLE PAIN, NOW UTTERLY FORGOTTEN. You start to think, Maybe I don't need this anymore. Maybe I never did. . . . I had no power over the flood tide of emotions that drove me to that brink, but I had the power to decide whether or not to step over. Eventually I decided not to. . . . To my surprise, instead, the terrible feelings would eventually, at last, come to an end, and I would find myself still intact. . . . Every new crisis successfully negotiated and survived inches me that much father from the event horizon of despair."
   
   Thank you, Carolyn.
   
   See also Alysa Phillip's "Stranger in My Skin," but forget Victoria Leatham's "Bloodletting."



3. Author Caroline Kettlewell was a self-injurer, a "cutter," for over a decade. She started in seventh grade when her parents cut her off from the older boys she enjoyed hanging out with (Kettlewell was a 12-year-old faculty brat at an all-boys boarding school, so is it any wonder she was slumming around with male adolescents?). Kettlewell freely admits that she didn't understand what propelled her to cut at the time, that as a grown women she can offer many theories, but she questioned her own motives in the moment. Was she crazy? Did she want attention? What was she trying to achieve?
   
   Kettlewell fits the profile of a self-injurer well. She was young, female, and suffering from an ancillary eating disorder, which, in itself, is about extreme control and self-punishment. Many cutters also suffer childhood sexual abuse, and while Kettlewell does not consciously recall any memories of abuse, she certainly had a troubled relationships with the opposite sex. She went through a self-described "blur" of boyfriends and was divorced within a few years of her college graduation.
   
   Kettlewell's memoir, at its core, consists of a series of personal essays. She feels compelled to cram in discussions of therapy and of "life beyond cutting" in the last few chapters, but she hints strongly that these are compulsory chapters, and not the ones she was compelled to write. She's not offering any answers or solutions, or even much scientific evidence. This is both a strength and a weakness of the memoir. Personally, the structure of the book frustrated me. Despite consisting of less than 200 pages, the chapters number thirty-three, and many of those are two or three pages long. No delineation between chapters is obvious to the reader. In fact, in Part Two, chapters repeatedly open with either an allusion to the all-encompassing question of "why?" or a statement to the effect of, "I had no answers at the time."
   
   Frankly, I am torn over my assessment of this memoir. It is certainly beautifully written, and Kettlewell is a master of language. I underlined many phrases to record and reflect on in my personal journal. However, it falls far short of being one of my top-recommended books on troubled childhoods or self-destructive behaviors. It lacks a clear narrative architecture and takes the form of a rambling collection of personal reflections. I didn't take away any message from it. Some may argue that the lack of a message is the strength of the memoir, so if you are seeking reflections and experiences with no larger structure, then this book is for you. My top recommended book on self-injury, however, is Bright Red Scream, which covers topics from scientific opinions to treatment options to personal anecdotes. In YA fiction, Patricia Mccormick`s Cut is recommended.



4. Who knew that a book could be too wordy?
   Caroline Kettlewell does an amazing job of telling her story, but it seems that she tries too hard to make it sound perfect, which makes it boring. I wouldn't recommend this to young readers.



5. It took me months to read this book (even though its under 200 pages)and several books between. Try as I might, I just couldn't get into it. I kept waiting for it to get good. She just seemed to try to hard at writing a good book. It was like reading a student's paper in a writing class - they want it to be good so they add in big words and very discriptive passages without ever paying attention to the actually story. I can't quite explain it, but it was like she wanted to tell her story, and just as she got to really get into it, she backed away and moved on the next subject. I felt that the suject matter was jumping back and forth, with never really telling the reader what is going on. We are kept at a distant, as though she really didn't want us to know what happend. I don't even feel like the book should present itself as a self cutter's memoir, for that is only a fraction of the book. And again it never really goes into it. The only good parts of this book were the ones where she was describing the "cutting" moments, for it was those times that the book finally gets passionate about something. I think if she stopped trying to write so well, and paid attention to her story/plot then she could write a good book. I don't recommend this book, it would probably be a waste of your time, unless you are trying to read every book out there about self harm.

5 comments about Drawn to the Rhythm: A Passionate Life Reclaimed.

1. I borrowed a teammate's copy of this book and was disappointed. I would agree Ms. Hall has certain gifts as a writer and I'm sure journaling this was therapeutic for her, but I think I'd like to read her husband's account as well - like the old saying goes, it takes two to tango. Fortunately most gen x women finally understand that economic self-sufficiency & having one's own career is the way to go from the beginning (i.e., to avoid dependence on another).



2. I've read Sara Hall's book a couple of times. She's a fantastic writer.
   
   Some of the recent reviews are interesting. It's my impression that Ms. Hall downplayed her absusive husband and in fact treated him with not just kindness but with necessary kid gloves in her portrayal.
   
   Her book reminded me of other women I know who have been in non physically abusive marriages. The horror of her truly sociopathic husband is evident between the lines in her book. What actually took place in her marriage is likely far worse than the reader can imagine.
   
   Curiously enough after reading Hall's book the last two reviews seem as if they could have been written by a very angry, very disturbed ex-huband.
   
   I hope that Ms. Hall has moved on. Her book demonstrates that she has the pluck to do just that. Somehow I doubt very much that her ex-huband does



3. Many reviews led me to believe this book would be inspirational... but I just found myself thinking that Sara Hall was the most histrionic writer that I have read in years... her approach to her children was deplorable, her constant perseveration and use of unnecessary language made the book difficult to finish. HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED!!!



4. The Rhythm in Sara Hall's book is NOT sculling, as one is led to believe in the reviews. The book is a self-serving account of Ms Hall's priviledged life in which she seeks to blame her dispair in her adult life on incidents of abuse in her preteen years. She ridicules her life as a mother, trivializing the importance of being a presence in her childrens early years. Her life with her husband IS tragic, is it any of our business? She wants us to believe that winning is not what is important to her, yet the bulk of discussion on rowing focused on her accomplishments, placements, and medals. This is one of the worst books I have ever read, a complete disappointment.



5. I bought this book because it's about rowing, but soon found that its power lay in the way Hall described her terrible marriage and the freedom she earned by taking up sculling. Certainly it became overly introspective at some points, but as I read I was willing Hall to break free, aware of the inevitable conclusion but entranced by her impending triumph. I usually discard such personal memoirs halfway through, but this work kept me engrossed until the end.