3 comments about Joycelyn Elders, M.D. : From Sharecropper's Daughter to Surgeon General of the United States of America.

1. I loved this book. It was exciting and very sad at the same time. Teaching our children about their bodies is very important. Dr. Elders dedication to her community and the mentally disabled young women needs to be applauded. When she said to the young lady "I want you to have two healthy babies" it made me want to cry, that was a very loving act. All you have to do is listen to the news and read the papers to know that the sexual behavior of politicans is why the had to keep her quiet! I say like the other reader, "YOU GO GIRL!"



2. I bought this book because I had heard many things about Elders that made me think, "God Lord, how did she ever become the Surgeon General, she sounds like a radical sex obsessed idiot." then i read the book, and it confirmed my previous hypothesis. And from watching Fox news, I've also learned that she is promoting a book about how pre pubecents should engage in sex and be given condoms in school. She has also previously tried to have Grade Schools teach MASTURBATION to children. She sounds like a lunatic who came into power not from intelligence or morality, but because of other reasons that I will not say because people tend to get up in arms about certain topics. I Found the book to be badly written, and though she only CO WROTE it, I can only imagine how it would have been if she had written by herself...



3. Dr. Elders memories are both inspirational and heartbreaking. She is truly a woman who came up from the depths of despair and poverty by her own bootstraps. She never backed down from those hypocrites in Washington and Arkansas and in her book she makes no apologies for anything that she has said or done. I feel like I know her better now that I've read her book, it is truly heartwarming and worth a read. The writing was well done and very well presented. This book deserves more than five stars. You go Joycelyn!!!! This book has made me believe that I want to dedicate my life to helping those of our country who are less fortunate, helping them will concrete goals and ideas, instead of empty promises that leave them hungry and homeless with no hope. Joycelyn is truly an American hero, and one of the greatest women of the century

5 comments about Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer (Alex Awards (Awards)).

1. This story is not only impressive in the athletic achievement; it is noteworthy that she refuses to abandon her goals even when faced with the impenetrable wall of the Kremlin's closed border mindset.
   
   Well worth reading.



2. Based on the other reviews, I was quite excited about reading this book as I generally enjoy books about athletic exploits by unusual athletes. However, Lynne Cox never quite explained why she was doing what she did. By the time she was swimming to Antarctica, I was left asking why??
   
   Unlike, say, Lance Armstrong's book, Lynne lacked a central goal, and so the book was really a series of short stories about the various swims she tackled. As one other reviewer pointed out, it became somewhat repetitive. The early stories about swimming in California and the English Channel were to me more interesting simply because it was the first time I heard the tale.
   
   The book isn't bad, but it's also not great.



3. For the first 150+ pages I was intrigued with Ms.Cox's swims.....her amazing endurance and determination. But then...page after page after page....more or less the same....far more than I ever needed or wanted to know about long distance swimming particularly in icy cold waters. When.....at the last chapter...she actually did swim in Antartica waters, although I was sitting in my warm office, I shivered.



4. This is one of the best books I've read. It's an incredible story of a girl who was inspired to do something painful and difficult -- both to test herself and for the thrill and love of the cold water. It's very well written and hard to put down. I have recommended this book to friends and family members who swim, as well as other people who enjoy reading about accomplished women. I found myself cheering her on in each swim and feeling what she felt. After reading this I can never complain again about getting tired from swimming a few laps! Go Lynne!



5. Lynne Cox is a somewhat gifted writer ; an astonishingly gifted swimmer. Put them together and you get this very solid book. Lynne lovingly and with stunning clinical accuracy reports on her experiences of achieving the impossible. She shows us just how human a superhuman person can be, if that makes sense. (hey, did I say *I* was a writer??)
   
   I felt that by reading this book, I had a bit more understanding of what it might feel like to have a gift. Lynne shares that with us, along with her honest frustration at the beginning of her 'career' when she was not super fast or super buff. Talk about finding one's niche!
   
   It was interesting to read in the USMS journal this month, that more studies are being done to learn about certain people who can tolerate cold; Lynne's experiences pioneered these studies.
   
   I would refrain from judging her for what she did or did not contribute to world peace. She certainly harmed nobody, and as mentioned above, kickstarted some studies which may benefit us all in the future. Yes, I too would have enjoyed some photos and some more personal information about Lynne Cox. (Reading her next book, Grayson, did nothing to satisfy this curiosity.)
   
   I'm not sure you have to be a swimmer per se to enjoy this book, but it is hard to imagine a non athlete devouring it with quite as much gusto....That said I do not know a single Masters swimmer who hasn't read it. I do know that the next time Lynne Cox comes to speak in my area, I will drop everything to be there and listen.

5 comments about Enduring Grace.

1. Flinders is very articulate and captures well the lives of these women mystics. She balances their lives well with sections of and explanations of their writings. Scholarly, but easy to read, this book leaves the reader with many thoughts for reflection. It is easy to take away insights into a spirituality that can be applied in the 21st century.



2. as a quick glance at the other reviews will demonstrate, this book can elicit widely varying responses from readers. why so much disagreement among reviewers? i can't say for certain, but here's my guess.
   
   on the plus side, this is a short and informal introduction to seven brilliant female mystics of the middle ages. there are few books that bring together the lives of such compelling and powerful women under one cover, as any one of them can--and have--form the basis for a detailed individual biography. in fact, at least one of my stars reflects the importance of and accessibility to these phenomenal mystics. it is clear that the author deeply (and rightly) respects and admires each of these magnificent women, and has done a good deal of homework in learning about their lives and times. she writes with an amiable voice and attempts to give a flavor of the process involved in historical research.
   
   on the not-so-plus side (or is it?), the author is not a scholar of either medieval history or feminist theory, though these are the main scholarly fields from which she attempts to draw a picture of her subjects. if you enjoy a more casual approach to learning about people in history, you may group this point with the pluses. although the chapters are not overlengthy (the whole text itself is not much more than 200 pages), there is less organization and more meandering than is the norm in biography. again, this informal arrangement may be a plus for some readers, a no-no for others. although there is not a great deal of fresh insight concerning the lives of these remarkable mystics, and not a wide sampling of their writing, you do get an initial taste (this is meant to be an introduction, after all). the writing style is not the most inspired or graceful (and sometimes the author's intended use of vocabulary seems to get away from her), but some readers may prefer a more plain approach. one more significant con: there are, as another reviewer noted, plenty of generic feminist ideas sprinkled about. while an informed and involved feminist view would be fitting in this context, here there appears not to be much independent reflection behind the statements, and so they add little of import and at times feel a bit tacked on.
   
   in a nutshell, this is a congenial, but not profound, book about truly life-altering women, which can make a big impact on those seeking concise portraits and who prefer a less formal and scholarly approach. if this is what you seek, you may feel like a well-informed and intelligent friend dropped in to chat with you about some truly great people. on the other hand, this is not the book for those who seek revelatory insights into the mystics, masterful writing, or a practical framework for bringing a mystical understanding into one's life. if this is what you seek, you may feel instead like you are reading a book report by an enthused, diligent, and well-intentioned friend. (for those who would like to incorporate selections of women mystics' writings into a spiritual practice, Mary Penrose's "Refreshing Water from Ancient Wells: The Wisdom of Women Mystics" is one good starting point).



3. I will admit to getting upset when any book of this caliber seems somehow to lose ground so to speak. It is one of the few books among thousands out there that has the capacity to transform your perspective of yourself and the world not to omit your faith in God. Too many books on the subject of Beloved Saints seem to only focus on their masterful greatness to which I could never relate on any level [as a woman being so terribly flawed (yet devoted to my faith of Catholicism)]. This book ever so eloquently and exquisitely reads like a dream and shows how these spectacularly popular Saints had trials and troubles aplenty within-and-without as mortals just like you and me. My favorite cameo is of one Saint who regretted that: she could not bring good will to good works....This is a stunner of a book. A classic for all time. Thank you, Carol Lee Flinders. I believe I am a-little-bit-better of a person - because of your book.



4. I will start by saying that, although I was raised a Christian, I am not one now. So I approached this book with some caution. However, it is well written and makes the medieval world that these women dealt with very vivid. It also makes what they did and wrote very accessible. I have found a lot to think about in this book and it made me want to learn more about some of the things discussed. That said, it is not a book to sit down and read all at one go. I read it a bit at a time, taking it on trips with me and keeping it in the kitchen between times. It was well worth the thought I had to put into the reading.



5. Surely I'm not the only one who found this book totally [bad]. The only thing it made me wonder about is how it's possible to write such a thorougly BORING book about such fascinating women. The writing is just dull and full of the author's biases and prejudices, which just aren't nearly as interesting as the subjects themselves. It's written in that old-school feminism (negative, no fun) tone that thank God feminism has since moved beyond. My advice: find another book about women mystics not filtered through Flinder's lens.

5 comments about Portraits of the Toughest Job in the Army: Voices and Faces of Modern Army Wives.

1. I enjoyed reading this book. As a military spouse I can relate to a lot of the stories.
   
   After reading the reviews, I was under the mistaken belief that this book was mostly photographs, and as an avid photographer I was really looking forward to some stunning images. The book is in fact mostly text, with only a few images. That's OK - the writing is good. I just would have liked more images and for them to be showcased better.
   
   I rate this 4 stars due to the quality of the printer. The binding is good, and I like the hardback format, however the pages are cheap paper (common with self published books unfortunately). The paper stock didn't do the photographs any justice at all. They weren't able to hold any detail and looked a bit "blah". Not the authors fault, just cheap printing.
   
   Overall, a good book. Worth the read if you are a military wife, or want to understand more about our world.



2. Excellent book. I could totally relate to the stories published. It was great to read about others going through the same problems or situations as I and not feel alone like I am the only one experiencing that. Great ideas to implement into my own life. Looking forward to reading more by the author. Easy reading.



3. I read this book in 3 days, thats how good it was. The homecoming part was very emotional for me since I lived it and will live it again.



4. I just finished reading "Portraits" and loved every page! Each story moved me to tears with the overwhelming emotions these amazing women deal with on a daily basis, year after year. It is an intimate look at the real people inside of the world's greatest military - a must-read for all Americans, civilians and military alike!



5. I have only read Part 1, but am moved beyond belief, by the words and God-given strength these wives have and the love for their husbands they share. I believe all wives should read this book, no matter what occupation their husband is in. These women share lessons of loving their husbands that the whole world can hear.

4 comments about Orlean Puckett: The Life of a Mountain Midwife, 1844-1939.

1. an absolutely amazing story. To be able to go back in time and learn what it was like then can only give you food for thought and prayers of thanksgiving



2. This book presents a picture of a strong mountain woman who, after giving birth to and losing 24 babies, decided to become a midwife in southwestern Virginia. It was not so much the midwifery that drew me to this book, but the account of the mountain men's role in the Civil War and the Home Guard Troops that reeked havoc on the women and children left behind. Interviews of men who helped construct the Blue Ridge Parkway and accounts of the old mountain ways of doing things like sheep shearing, making soap, bartering chestnuts, etc. made this an interesting read. In Orlean Puckett's time, neighbor helped neighbor. Puckett was a strong woman with a good attitude and a quick humor. If she were living today, she's the kind of woman I'd want to spend lots of time with. The author did an excellent job of capturing the essence of mountain life from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. Times and people have certainly changed but fortunately, because of this book, we have a recording that will endure for future generations to read, learn, enjoy, and appreciate.



3. This is a delightful book informing one of the past times when a midwife was an important part of the mountain community. Karen has done a wonderful job of getting interviews from those who knew Aunt Orlean and imparting that information to us. A picture of the past is brought to us, and one cannot help but feel admiration for such a strong woman. Thank you, Karen, for such a picture!



4. Orlean Puckett: The Life Of A Mountain Midwife by Karen Cecil Smith provides the reader with an exemplary life story of a strong and determined mountain woman. Orlean Puckett (1844-1939) was a bride by age 16, gave birth to 24 babies, and survived the Civil War (during which she was harassed and besieged by Home Guard troops). Becoming a midwife at age 45, Orlean Puckett successfully delivered over a thousand babies. This superbly documented, painstakingly researched, very highly recommended biography offers a clear glimpse into a truly remarkable turn-of-the-century life and would make an excellent addition to Women's Studies reading lists and American History biography collections.

No comments about The Diary of Virginia Woolf, Vol. 5: 1936-41.

5 comments about The Hypocrisy of Disco: A Memoir.

1. Hayward possesses the rare skill of transposing the spoken to the written, especially in the childhood dialog, with an orality reminiscent of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. She draws all of the sights, smells, and feelings of the past into the sharp focus of the present. Even though it is the story of her life, and utterly unique, readers from all walks of life will identify with her story and find themselves unwilling to close the door on 13-year-old Clane at the end. I hope she's writing the sequel!



2. Wow. I read a lot of books, but this is the first one in a long time that I've read to the point of exhaustion (physical and emotional) and severe "pruniness" (bathtub is the only escape place with 3 young kids).
   
   I finished it last night and couldn't stop laughing at the New Year's party scene. Absurdity/truth at its finest. One of those scenes you MUST read aloud to someone else. And has anyone ever in the history of literature described a dog as polite and pleasant? Just so good.
   
   I am so hopeful that the author will continue her story. I can't imagine a straighter career than the armed forces. I would love to know how sweet Clanie finished out her childhood and even more so, if she ever found kindness and loving hands. Those hair washing scenes were heartbreaking. I've touched my kids more in the last two days than I usually do. I just squeeze them when they walk by me, remembering Clane's (and Haud's and Ki's) experiences.
   
   This book will live at my house and not go to half-price books with the rest of the stacks. It's one of the rare ones that needs to stay close by.



3. This book is brilliant, comic, heartbreaking, and always authentic. Clane Hayward is a gifted writer, and I highly recommend this book not only for the insights it gives to a unique time and place in our generation's history, but because it is such a compelling account of someone's personal journey.



4. I'm not a writer myself, but over the years many people have told me I should write a book about my hapless hippie upbringing. Well thank god, now I don't have to, because Clane Hayward has finally written the definitive hippie kid memoir, telling once and for all just what that experience was like. But beyond just capturing a particular time and place, Clane Hayward has, like Frank McCourt, conjured up an utterly authentic, haunting, and poetic childhood voice. Highly recommended.



5. But that doesn't mean I'm biased! This is an excellent and heartwrenching book. I always knew someone should write a book about our childhood, and I am so glad it was Clane - she is a brilliant writer with an honest voice.

3 comments about Anna of All the Russias: A Life of Anna Akhmatova.

1. What a moving , inspiring biography this is !
   
   A Must read.
   
   If you are not acquainted with Anna Akhmatova
   
   And the astonishing artistic creativity in Russia
   
   that miraculously abided
   
   thru unimaginable tumolt and oppression.
   This book will do the trick!
   Part of this miracle:
   
   how passionate and tender their support towards each other amidst.
   
   What beauty endured.
   
   Amazing, complex and ardent characters in her circle described, too.
   
   And they were real.
   
   Perhaps
   
   one accomplshment of this bio
   
   is that it leaves one
   
   humbeled yet sumptuously entertained in the midst..
   
   My edition , dog eared by now.
   
   What a fascinating woman and time in Russia.
   
   You will fall in love.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



2. Elaine Feinstein's engrossing biography of Anna Akhmatova - one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century - makes the woman, her work and her world vividly alive. In chronicling this extraordinarily dramatic life, Feinstein makes use of a broad range of new material, including letters, journals and memoirs, and interviews Akhmatova's surviving friends and relatives.
   
   Feinstein follows Akhmatova from her privileged Russian youth to her free-spirited early adulthood and her first, unhappy marriage to the poet Nikolay Gumilyov. The 1920s were years of starvation in Russia, but for Akhmatova they were also a period of great creativity and many love affairs, some painful, others more fulfilling. In a key encounter, Akhmatova met and fell in love with a married art historian, Vladimir Punin, and lived with him in his apartment, where his unhappy wife and young daughter had to remain.
   
   During this time, Akhmatova's son, Lev, from her first marriage, suddenly re-entered her life. Feinstein gives a heartbreaking account of her relationship with Lev, who was exiled in Siberia for many years. (Despite Akhmatova's many pleas to the Soviet authorities on his behalf, Lev was not rehabilitated until 1956.)
   
   Akhmatova's works were banned in the Soviet Union from 1925 to 1940, but despite ill health and further turmoil, her inner toughness enabled her to continue to write poetry of genius. She remained in Leningrad when the Nazis invaded and then was airlifted out to Tashkent, where she spent the war years.
   
   This immensely readable and profoundly touching study shows how, despite her many hardships, Akhmatova was prepared to give her unstinting support to friends such as Mandelstam, Pasternak and Shostakovich who were victimised by the Stalin regime. And Feinstein sheds invaluable light on the uniqueness of the poems which gave a voice to the people of Russia and which still evoke intense love and admiration for Akhmatova to this day.
   
   Marcus Adams



3. I particularly liked Feinstein's biography of Akhmatova, although is a slow read, it introduces the reader to the human Akhmatova, with all her qualities and imperfections. Her generosity as a friend, her passion for poetry, her frail relationship with her son, the failed marriages and dire love affairs, the everyday struggle for existence all of these aspects reflected in her poetry. There are many interesting facts about her life like her meeting with Isaiah Berlin and the emotional and political consequence that followed, her marriage to the eccentric Vladimir Shilejko and her strange relationship with Lydia Chukovskaya all of which give a new and complete portrait of Akhmatova as a poet and a soviet citizen.

No comments about The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife's Memoir.

5 comments about Loretta Lynn - Coal Miner's Daughter.

1. I have very high standards when it comes to idols (at least by my warped definition). Mrs. Lynn managed to be both an idol and hero to me. She is a strong out spoken female that refuses to compromise her beliefs to fit into a cookie cutter/hollywood type image. The best day of my life was getting to visit her ranch and pose for a photo on her steps. I love both of her books although Still Woman Enough is my favorite as she is completely relaxed in being herself. Loretta Lynn is an inspritation for all women young and old that have had to overcome hard challenges in life.



2. A grandmother at 28? Wow! I learned a lot of interesting things about 1) the country music star, and 2) about coming up hard and making it work out.
   
   This book is Loretta Lynn's tale of her childhood in Butcher Holler with her poor but pround parents. Her parents allow her to be married off to a man she barely knows when she is 13. Amazingly, she remains married to this man for the rest of his life.
   
   Anyway, the husband encourages Loretta to sing publicly because he thinks she has a great voice. And I don't need to tell you how the career goes, because that's pretty popular knowledge.
   
   All in all, this was a great book. Very well developed and informative, whether you're a country music fan or not.



3. I have been completely in love with Loretta Lynn ever since I saw "Coal Miner's Daughter." I didn't even know who she was til I watched the movie at age 14, then I read the book and became hooked on her music. She is an amazing woman. Her life has been hard, and she doesn't take any of her success for granted. She is who she is. What you see is what you get with her. I don't know if anyone who reads her book could relate to half of what she has experienced, but it makes for interesting reading. I was lucky enough to see her live in concert a month ago, and when she walked out on that stage, I was brought literally to tears. I just couldn't believe this woman I admire so highly was actually standing in front of me. I'll never forget that night. And I will never stop loving Loretta Lynn. Read BOTH of her autobiographies. Both are excellent.



4. This is one of the greatest books that has ever been written. My father was a coal miner until he got hurt. I sing my self and loretta is just so good. Being from the same state she is i guess the reason she has such a influenece on my life. If you read this book you will love it.



5. Very interesting. This woman has led a very difficult life, but she never seems to lose her spirit.