4 comments about Oprah Winfrey: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies).

1. If you have millions of dollars in America, a country not known for its generosity, it's normally accepted that you are a very "kind" person, thus explains the aura which surrounds the scream queen Oprah. Her empire not only includes millions of dollars, but questionable investments throughout the world which include sweat factories and exploited workers. I for one found this book rather tedious as it attempts to make Oprah a saint who does no wrong. I'm waiting for her fall from grace like Martha Stewarts.



2. Purchased this book for a college report and found it to be very informative.



3. 
   I love Oprah and loved reading her biography. Her life story is exciting and inspiring and should be shared and read by people who wish to succeed against all odds.
   
   Oprah Gail Winfrey was born in 1954. She is an Emmy Ward winning talk show host and magazine publisher. In 2003 Forbes magazine proclaimed her the first black woman billionaire in the world. She has appeared on Time magazine's 100 most influential people list more frequently than any other woman, and considered by many to be the most influential woman in the world.
   
   Oprah is one of America's greatest philanthropists donating generously to charity. Not only is Oprah's personal charity giving unmatched by any other show business celebrity, but she has one of the most generous audiences in show business, raising money for various causes.
   
   Oprah was on the first national broadcast of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 1986. In the mid-1990s the shows adopted a more serious format; addressing issues that Winfrey thought were of importance to women, such as infidelity, child abuse and cosmetic surgery. She often interviews celebrities on issues that directly involve them in some way, such as cancer, charity work, or substance abuse. In addition, she interviews ordinary people who have done extraordinary things or been involved in important current issues.
   
   In 1985, Winfrey co-starred in Steven Spielberg's epic adaptation of Alice Walker's award-winning novel "The Color Purple". She earned immediate acclaim as Sofia, the distraught housewife. The following year Winfrey was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, but she lost. She has also acted in other films. Winfrey publishes two magazines and she has co-authored five books.
   
   Winfrey has never married, but it is widely assumed that she has lived with her partner Stedman Graham for almost twenty years. The relationship of Oprah and Stedman has been documented through the years with numerous romantic tabloid articles often accompanied by color spreads of the couple at home and on lavish vacations.



4. This book by Helen S. Garson is quite subpar. Most of the "facts" that she gives are things that can be found (...)from watching cable shows that talk about Oprah. Oprah has set the new standard of what talk shows should be, but Ms. Garson did a poor job in showing this. She even describes Oprah as "clowning" for her viewers and audience when she gets excited about something on her show. Yes, I consider myself an "Oprah supporter," and was very disappointed in this biography. The next time Ms. Garson wants to write a biography about a celebrity, she should get her research from more places than the local library.

4 comments about Learning to Walk Again: How Guillain Barre Taught Me to Walk a Different Path.

1. I became engrossed with the book 'Learning to Walk Again' as soon as I began reading it. I read it in one sitting. I learned about the difficulty of getting a correct diagonosis when dealing with various doctors and hospitals.And how you have to be persistant. It was a nightmare for Ann because of the pain she felt, until a diagonosis was found.Patients must not be seduced in believing that they just need therapy, and that it's all in their head! This book is on the cutting edge when it comes to information about Guillain Barre disease. Ann's first hand experience with the disease will help patients and families struggling with similar issues. It will act like a road map for them. It will help them to push and ask questions of their doctors. The book is well-researched about this little-known disease.
   In addition to the excellent information this book shares, it also delves into the important relationship between family members and how supportive and helpful they were to each other. Caregivers carry a heavy burden, and this book discusses the give and take that is necessary between partners and other family members.
   I also liked the writing style. Although the topic was difficult, the writing style was easy and conversational and even touched on humor. I visualized many of the scenes, a great indication of a good book, which this certainly was.
   I recommend this book to anyone who has a family member or friend suffering with this disease or other challening body problems.



2. Ann's personal story is an an amazing meld of
   knowledge of Guillain Barre and the painful (and
   humorous)process of her Recovery. A good read
   for anyone seeking hope and progress through a
   chronic illness, whether patient or caregiver.



3. As a fellow GBS survivor, I was eager to read Ms. Brandt's account of her experience. This disease does not discriminate when it strikes, and every person has a different journey. I suppose when you've been struck with such a life-altering experience, from out of nowhere, you seek connection and explanation.

   The book touches upon the elementary aspects of GBS, and poses some important questions. Like Ms. Brandt, I spent a good deal of time while in my recovery stage trying to prevent what had happened to me from happening to others. She reaches out to others who are in the acute phase of the disease through patient visitation, to other survivors through meetings and symposiums, and to the medical community through this book.

   Why had we been promised that we'd "get it all back"? Why isn't post-rehabilitation fatigue addressed as a separate phase of the syndrome?

   This book asks some important questions, and I hope that its publication will serve as a catalyst to get them answered.




4. I am going through recovery from GBS. Reading this book has been a great experience for me; once a received it, I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Ann's experience is very similar to mine and her book helped me in a therapeutic way; I re-lived many emotions, situations, funny moments, etc., and learned a little bit more about this syndrome. I recommend this book for people who are going through recovery as well as for those caregivers around them.

5 comments about Decca: The Letters of Jessica Mitford.

1. Mitford-despisers complain that we fans too easily forgive them their sins on account of their rare wit and charm. Well, in the case of Decca at least, this charge is unfair. She was funny (and cruel): her account of a 1962 house party at Chatsworth is quite delicious; ditto her accounts of what passes for high society on Mull. But she was also brave, in journalism and in life. A deathbed letter to Bob - 'It's so odd to be dying, so I must just jot a few thoughts' - is a model of clarity (though perhaps you would expect this in one who had so much time and energy railing against an industry that so pointlessly prettified corpses); so, too, is a letter to Benjamin in which she urges him to seek help for his illness. The fact remains that as an example of what a woman can do once she has rid herself of, or at least decided to ignore, the expectations of others - family, men, society - Jessica Mitford will always take some beating. That she is also a hoot is merely the icing on the cake.



2. Sussman does a great job of, first, setting the scene and then laying out in a very readable way this enormous collection of Jessica Mitford's letters. She's always been a favorite of mine. This collection is adding greatly to my appreciation.



3. the book itself is well put together and edited. the book's subject is self centered and likes mostly to hear herself talk. i found it to be boring.



4. I got this as a gift for my brother and I was lucky enough to receive it as a Christmas present a few months later. Jessica Mitford Treuhaft was one of the famous Mitford sisters. Her sister Nancy wrote novels of manners such as "Love In A Cold Climate", her sister Unity was a Hitler groupie who shot herself in Munich shortly after WWII was declared and spent the remainder of her life with severe brain damage, her sister Diana divorced Brian Guinness to marry the head of the Union of British Fascists, and her sister Deborah is the current dowager Duchess of Devonshire. Jessica, or Decca as she was called since childhood, ran away from home to elope with a Communist named Esmond Romilly and to fight against fascism in Spain; all of this caused rather a major rift with her family. The couple eventually moved to America; Esmond was killed in action after joing the Royal Canadian Air Force, and Decca ended up in Oakland, CA married to a radical lawyer named Bob Treuhaft. But like many who grew up in her time and class, she wrote wonderful letters - quirky, funny, sometimes about awful serious matters but always with a sense of the absurd. She was committed to the work of the Communist Party in the early civil rights movemement in California and traveled to many parts of the country to demonstrate; she and her husband were targets of Congressional investigations and denied passports for years, and she became an effective community activist. After falling away from the CPUSA, she continued her activism, and her letters describe some of the most important struggles of progressive America in the '40s, '50s and '60s. She really came into public awareness in a bigger way when she wrote a groundbreaking expose of the predatory practices of the funeral industry, "The American Way of Death." She followed that up with exposes of the prison industry and other abuses and was active until shortly before her death in the late 90s.
   The letters are gems - when I finished the book, I thought, "I'd really have loved to have known this woman and to have received some of these wonderful letters." Some made me laugh out loud, others made me recognize anew the courage of those who had the vision and the foresight to combat racism in America at a time when it was simply taken for granted. They show a concern for family that is poignant as well as a sense of honor that is almost rigid - when Winston Churchill, who was her cousin, freed her sister Diana and Diana's husband Oswald Mosley from prison after WWII, she wrote to him in protest, saying that their work on behalf of fascism was a danger to freedom everywhere and that they belonged in prison, and that the fact that Diana was her sister did not alter her opinion about that.
   The only shadow I found over this wonderful collection of letters was the lack of any sense of real recognition of the evil committed in the name of Communism by Stalin, Mao and others. She defended against this criticism by pointing out that no one but the CPUSA was taking serious action on civil rights when she came to this country in the '40s, but she never really acknowledges the darker side of the party's international activity. One gets the impression that she sees it as the lesser of two evils; and as much as one can recognize that at that time and place Fascism was certainly the more immediate and powerful threat, one is still troubled by Decca's lack in this area of the uncompromising commitment to truth that characterizes so many of her activities.
   I cannot imagine anyone who is familiar with this period of history in England and America not being fully engaged by this wonderful book. I can't recommend it highly enough.



5. This book was giant, in size and in scope. I must admit I did not finish it. Jessica "Decca" Mitford was a bitchy, brilliant, fascinating, annoying, funny, sarcastic and altogether mysterious woman. This book of her letters gives us a very tiny keyhole of insight into that enormous personality. I don't mean that it fails to give us enough; I just mean no book is really capable of parsing the enigma of Decca. It would be a good addition to anyone's book collection, especially Anglophiles, Francophiles, and Bibliophiles!

5 comments about Sweet Caroline: Last Child of Camelot.

1. A lot of celebrity biographies, or "tell-alls", I take with a grain of salt, but this one seemed very credible when I was reading it. Most of the author's sources were people from the Kennedy's inner circle, including Pierre Salinger, Ben Bradlee etc. I didn't think this book would expose anything new, but I was actually quite surprised and intrigued. Most often I was surprised by the behavior of Jackie Kennedy and new facets of her character were revealed that made me see her in a totally different light from her Camelot image (an image which she created). A fascinating page turner!



2. Not only does this book do a fabulos job of detailing the intimate life of Caroline the only remaining survior of Camelot. But it also gives an imtimate look of the lives of her family. Jackie, John and John Jr. And even the before and after family events surrounding the assination of her father President John F. Kennedy. Whom Caroline herself, first heard about the assination from the radio. Also intimate details of the power and control that Jackie exerted over her family. Her (Jackie) extreme drive to obtain her vast wealth and to protect the family image and to shelter her and her children's privacy from the public-at all costs. The struggles that Caoroline faced with being a Kennedy, how she could't understand why she was famous for nothing more than her name. So, if you like me, enjoy reading about the intimate life of America's royal family, this book is for you.



3. this was a good book, and we got to know a lot about caroline, and how sweet she was, despite her tragedies. it broke my heart to learn that she always felt neglected without a strong male figure in her life, especially since her mother centered all her efforts on her son having a strong father figure, or risk having him "grow up to be a fruit." yet, caroline made it through. i absolutely felt sorry for her, and i don't even know how the erroneous belief that jackie kennedy onassis was such a great mother has lasted up until today. she spent most of her time on vacations and shopping, and sent her kids off to boarding school when they were so young, spending little time with them. i feel caroline suffered greatly from it, since she got taken care of mostly by nannies, and not so much by her parents, since her dad was killed when she was young, and her mother was so into shopping and money that she neglected her daughter's needs regarding the idolization her daughter felt for her father, and being there for her in this aspect. overall, a great book



4. Andersen misleads the reader when he markets this book as a book about Caroline Kennedy. In fact this author does nothing more than re-hash everything that has already been written about the family. He sells it as a book about Caroline simply because he constantly uses the possessive form of her name to refer to the actual main characters in this book (Caroline's mother, Caroline's brother, Caroline's father etc.).After reading this book, I realized that this is because Caroline has lived a rather simple and scandel free life. The only remarkable thing about Caroline's life is that it's not that remarkable. Like so many Americans, she cooks her children breakfast every morning, video tapes their school pageants, and considers being their mom her most rewarding job in life. Caroline is to be commended for her stellar academic record and her accomplishments as an author. However, without the last name "Kennedy" no one would find her life particularly compelling reading. There simply isn't enough provacative information out there to fill up an entire book about Caroline alone. Unlike her mother, she wasn't first lady of the United States, married to one of the most beloved presidents, she didn't hold up an entire nation during three of the darkest days in our nation's history, she didn't marry a wealthy shipping magnate from whom she inherited 26 million dollars and then went on to parlay that money into 200 million. I could go on and on about Jackie but in the interest of brevity, I think you've got the picture.
   That said, I believe Mr. Andersen has done a great disservice to his reader when he sold them a book complete with the tacit implication that we were to really learn who Caroline Kennedy was as a person. The information may well be out there but Mr. Andersen has yet to find it.



5. I have read all of the Kennedy biographies and there is very little new information in this biography. The first part has been covered in all of the others, and the second part has been covered in the tabloids, which makes we question the accuracy of anything here that has not been lifted from another source. I noted two parts of this book that do not appear to be in keeping with what has been well documented. 1. The books states, that on April 4, 1968, Caroline was in her classroom when a teacher came in and whispered to her teacher that Martin Luther King had been shot. Quick research on the Web states this happened at about 4:30PM EST..Are 11 year olds in class at that time? 2. The books states that when visiting the White House JFK Jr. told then President Nixon, that he used to play under his desk. Everyone knows that the famous Kennedy desk was removed when he died, and not used again until it was brought back by President Clinton.

5 comments about Daughters of the Earth.

1. I picked up this book because I was interested in learning more about the roles American Indian women have traditionally had, but I was a bit apprehensive about what I would read considering so many people writing on American Indians seem to be all into stereotypes and twinkie so-called "Native American spirituality" that supposedly encompasses all of the indigenous peoples of North America. Much to my delight, this book is filled with a lot of actual information and not just a bunch of putting them on pedestals because some misinformed, starry-eyed wannabe thinks it's "cool" to be American Indian.
   
   Niethammer goes from birth to death exploring the many aspects of women's lives, showing many of the activities with which they concerned themselves, and discusses which were more or less common among the various nations. I feel as though I learned more about the lives of indigenous women in this book than I have in any other single book I've read, and there are plenty of specific examples of women's personal stories, not just generalizations.
   
   I'm really pleased to see that she doesn't lump all groups together, but instead makes the distinctions between what the different groups did. I appreciate that she tells us WHY certain activities were expected or avoided, but I do agree with the other reviewer who stated that sometimes Niethammer's assessments can be somewhat patronizing.
   
   I disagree with the reviewer who found the book "negative and disturbing"; to the contrary, I found it to be quite intriguing and inspiring. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about what kinds of things American Indian women traditionally have done and some of the expectations of their societies; it can give a whole new appreciation for the first inhabitants of North America.



2. This book has been around for awhile. It's one I go back to many, many times. It is well written, well documented, used in college courses and a must read for anyone interested in this subject. Don't let the "used in college courses" scare you. It's a good read,which is the first and formost reason to pick up any book.



3. I enjoyed reading this book, DAUGHTERS OF THE EARTH. I, personally, have it in my library; it is a terrific resource tool for my work and the information is invaluable, priceless. I cannot imagine the time and effort put into gathering the information and writing this marvelous book. Thank you for publishing it.



4. As a Native American woman I found this book to be very offensive. I was surprised by this authors lack of sensitivity and respect. The book is totally inaccurate and the author should be ashamed of herself.



5. Daughters of the Earth is one of the most offensive books I have ever read about Native American women. More than anything, I am shocked and sickened by the lack of respect for the author's subject and what feels like tabloid pandering and sensationalism. Consulting the book for academic research, I found the stories and descriptions to be the most extreme possible, and generally negative and disturbing. From specific details about how lesbian Native Americans make love to every imaginable sort of brutality and abuse. If you are looking for understanding about women from Native American culture make certain to go to the source themselves, some writers include Louise Erdrich, Paula Gunn Allen and Leslie Marmon Silko. In all cultures, including American, there is abuse and discrimination against women. There are also powerful movements to counter these that involve understanding history, mythology and religion. Ultimately, you will find what you are seeking- just be mindful about what you discover. Daughters of the Earth lacks balance and respect.

No comments about Great Lives: Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity (Great Lives from God's Word).

5 comments about Let Me Go.

1. i just finished the audio version of 'Let Me Go.' Over the course of a lifetime, thanks to countless tv documentaries, books, movies, museums exhibitions, etc., we're aware and informed of so much that occurred in the death camps during the Holocaust. We have heard many barbaric specifics before or at least enough to extrapolate much of the rest; much of it is not a surprise or revelation, per se, but more than half a century later in this story, the truths of the Holocaust still shock. Can you call an audio book a 'page turner?'
   
   What sets this book apart in this audio version, is it's no-holds-barred, accounting straight from the mouth of a former female Nazi SS guard, the mother of the author, Helga Schneider. The author's rollercoaster of emotions and pain is pitiful and incredibly moving enough and in Rosesnblat's hands, the mother's undiminished hatred is so palpable; she is vile, repulsive, and totally unrepentant. This book speaks to the pathological motivations and complicity of that time. This is the voice of one woman and it is the voice of many. The question has been asked incessantly, by so many as to render it trite; 'How could this have happened?' In this book, in these words, and especially in this superb reading, you sit there and say to yourself, "This is how such a thing can happen."



2. Let Me Go is one of the most un-put-down-able books I've ever read. Though in general my husband and I have very different reading interests he also found it to be so. We each had it finished within 24 hrs. In it Helga Schneider exposes the raw emotional journey of seeing her aged and estranged mother for the last time. This is an intensely personal book focussed entirely on this exchange and to a limited extent the intruding context of Helga's childhood and Helga's previous visit decades ago. The book leaves questions unanswered, and that is it's strength. Just as some readers may find that there are no satisfactory answers in some respects, there are none for Helga. The book does not interpret it just tells you the story with an honesty that is incredibly courageous. There may be things that the reader wishes had been resolved or discussed in the exchange, but this is not the reader's story, it is Helga's story. I have read a lot of Military history and I found this book a wonderful, powerful and moving counterpoint as it illustrates the lasting legacy for the innocents even so many decades on.
   I consider this book to be one of the most precious in my library.
   This review is based on the hardcover edition.



3. Something was missing for me in the historical recount.
   
   She meets her 90 year old mother in a nursing home and starts asking very leading questions that suggest she should feel pity (whether she should or shouldn't isn't the point) when I was just waiting for her to head in the direction of how her mother came to believe in the nazi lifestyle in the first place. The previous reviewer is right, they pick right up where she leaves her children and joins the SS party and is viewed as a monster but I think it's responsible to attempt to understand humanity's motives and find out what the catalyst was to her drastic life change. There are even hints that she missed her old life terribly but these reasons are not explored, only pondered over by the writer in hindsight. As the famous saying goes, if you neglect to understand these situations, however painful they may be, history may repeat itself.
   
   Overall, it was a very good read but the detail above it why I'm giving it 4 stars.



4. History is often written on the grand stage. The huge battles or landmark laws are recorded. The feelings of the children whose parents are caught up in the "monumental events" are rarely recorded. In "Let Me Go, Helga Schneider has given us just such an account. Her mother was a seemingly unapologetic nazi who abandoned her family to serve Hitler. Helga is now going to visit her dying mother, who is possibly suffering from dementia. Helga just needs to know, and engages in incredibly difficult conversations with her mother. Is her mother still rational? Is she telling the truth? Why would she do the brutal things that she herself describes (including tortures and nonchalantly sending another woman who offended her to be enslaved in a brothel). This is compelling reading, and an underappreciated way of knowing history. The only comment I have, and it is not directed at Schneider, but at society in general. We are always surprised when it is a woman who in engages in such terrifying acts, as it violates the stereotype of female behavior. We would probably not be as surprised if this book were written in terms of going to see her aged father.



5. I enjoyed the book but kept wondering why the mother's name or the camp she worked at ever mentioned. Would have made the book more enjoyable.

No comments about Julia Domna Syrian Empress (Women of the Ancient World).

5 comments about Landing on My Feet: A Diary of Dreams.

1. In perhaps the most comprehensive autobiography of a gymnast on the market thus far, Kerri Strug details her life as an elite gymnast from her early memories all the way through the 1996 Olympics. Younger gymnasts (upper elementary school/middle school aged) will be able to understand the book, but the ideas contained will appeal to older readers as well.
   
   Strug addresses her success, her aspirations, and most importantly, the difficulties of competing at the elite level. She talks openly about her eating disorder and problems with coaches. Strug also makes it clear that the person who pushed her hardest was her- not her parents, or her coaches. While Bela is known for pushing his gymnastics, Strug lets it be known that he never pushed her too far, and that it was her idea to perform the second vault.
   
   Strug also addresses something that all gymnasts will understand: the frustrations. Not getting a certain score, not qualifying for something, or simply not progressing skill-wise are all common frustrations that any gymnast experiences. Most gymnasts will appreciate knowing that other people have gone through what they are currently going through. This is a great book for someone who is already familiar with gymnastics.



2. This is definitely the best gymnasics biography I've read! In this book, published right after the 1996 Olympics, Kerri really opens her heart to the reader...we learn about her passion for gymnasics which started at a VERY young age, her progression through the sport, what it was really like training under Bela Karolyi, and about her family. One thing that impressed me about Kerri was how she is truly self-motivated...I think many gymnasts are pushed by parents living their own dreams through their children, but this was NOT the case with Kerri. It was refreshing to read of the loving, supportive family she has, and how completely sane her parents are (as opposed to other gym parents we've heard about, like in "Little Girls in Pretty Boxes" which I also think is an important book). I think people who are THIS driven, as Kerri is, are incredibly rare...which is why she flourished under Bela's harsh training instead of cracking like so many other girls did. She is honest about the often-times brutal training under Bela, but obviously loves and deeply respects both him and Marta and she gives them credit for contributing to her successes. There are great photos included of Kerri through the years. Awesome!!



3. Before I read this book, I didn't really know much about Kerri, except that she had hurt her foot doing a vault at the Olympics, and had somehow become America's darling.

   But after reading this book, I now know Kerri for who she is: a marvelous gymnast who was always in the shadows and never seemed to pull everything together during competitions. How she came so close to making the All-Around competition in Barcelona, only to be edged out by .14 of a point.

   This book will make you laugh, cry, and wonder how she could come back after injury upon injury and still continue gymnastics. This book will tell you about her joys and triumphs, and her defeats and despairs.

   Since I have read this book, Kerri Strug has become my favorite gymnast, not just because of what she did at Atlanta, but what she did to get there. I promise you, if you read this book, you will be left with a profound respect of the girl who could continue on, despite the pain and setbacks.

   My only recommendation is read it!




4. I do gymnastics and love to read about is so this book is great for me! This book is full of pictures and useful information. It has from when she was a baby to when she stuck that wonderful vault. If you are looking for a good gymnastics book or just a good book I would buy this one. If you do buy it I hope you enjoy reading it like I did!



5. I really enjoyed reading Kerri Strug's autobiography. Her legendery vault, the Yurchenko with a one-and-a-half twist, helped the USA 1996 Olympic Team win a gold medal! I really thought this was a terrific book. Kerri talks about her triumphs, struggles, victories, experiences and so much more. She tells her complete story, starting from baby years, all the way up untill after the 1996 Olympic Games. Her story is a great inspiration to all gymnasts. If you enjoy gymnastics or are a fan of Kerri Strug, then this book is a must-read!

5 comments about Falling Into Manholes.

1. Falling Into Manholes provides a fascinating look at how early childhood losses and unmet emotional needs can have profound and enduring effects over the course of one's life. Wendy's honest and candid story portrays how her early experiences contributed to her turning to a variety of addictions (including alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, and relationships) in an attempt to satisfy her emotional hunger. On the surface, Wendy's accounts are humorous and often (too?) punny, but underneath is a very real level of pain and yearning, which becomes increasingly apparent as the book progresses. After years of trying to fill the void with other people and substances, Wendy ultimately realizes that her healing needs to start from within. Relaying how Wendy progresses from falling into manholes to becoming more spiritually whole, her memoir serves as an entertaining, touching, and provocative read.



2. I'm a bit amused at the reviews and ratings I'm finding here so far: nine "5"'s and one "1". Well, it's neither of these.
   
   It's a fairly well-written, hugely insightful book that is highly entertaining while delivering a serious message. Although not every sentence and paragraph is a literary gem, she is able to navigate a difficult landscape with honesty, courage, wit and humor.
   
   Obviously, the book is not for everyone. My guess on the difference between loving and hating it is whether or not you've "been there / done that". If you are a recovering "whatever", this book will probably ring true for you. Or if you are in the despair stage of addiction and don't see a way out, you could easily find a message of hope and a light that points the way between the covers of this page-turner. However, if your addictions are still working for you or if you were lucky enough to have escaped your childhood emotionally intact, this book might be perceived as more like a train wreck you'd prefer not to ogle.



3. I have had the privilege of hearing Wendy share. She is unrelenting, brutally honest and exceptionally bright. I admire her courage and her ability to expose her deepest, darkest secrets in this not-for-the-faint-hearted memoir. She made me flinch more than once when I remembered a man I "dated" who needed money and I actually took out a personal loan ("I'll pay you back") and of course you know what happened, not to mention all the shameful secrets I still carry with me. I applaud Wendy for telling her emotional truth on the page and can only imagine how incredibly free she must be now.



4. I loved this book! It's so honest...I don't feel like I get a no-holds-barred glimpse into people's lives that often. The author has such a great way with words, I kept laughing out loud. This stuff is horrifying and funny all at the same time. I gave it to my boyfriend to read when I was done with it and he laughed more than I did. This is a light and easy read, so entertaining, but what surprised me was the depth of the insights, it's so rare that after reading a book you feel like you understand yourself and your life better, but that's what this book did for me. I've already bought extra copies to give to friends. Read this book...you won't be disappointed!



5. I'm horrified that this book made it into print. This is one poorly written, tedious walk down memory lane of a self-absorbed, self-destructive timebomb. Run, don't walk, far, far away from this one and don't waste a precious second of time investing in this drivel. I'm shocked that a book this lame would ever be green-lighted to be printed.
   
   A good memoir? Try Janice Erlbaum's Girlbomb or Have You Found Her. Either are well worth your time and do everything Manholes tried to do...and failed miserably.